Page 34 of Relief Pitcher

I tried to read him, but he gave me nothing. “What the hell are you guys not saying?”

“Nothing,” Ethan said.

“Well, you’ve got an in now. So that’s good.” Austin gave me a thumbs-up. A fucking thumbs-up.

“I don’t need an ‘in’ to sell our beer. I can sell it fine on my own.”

The assholes shot each other looks.

“What? It’ll be fine.” It would. Coop and I had sex that one time, okay, that one weekend. We were buds, pals, amigos. I was the pitcher, and he was the catcher. Literally. No sexy metaphors. I could keep it light and friendly. Easy. He wouldn’t be at all tempting in his uniform while squatting and catching my balls.

Shit. I’m in so much trouble.

CHAPTER17

COOPER

Danita: So…are you planning to kill me or buy me roses?

Cooper: Undecided. I can’t believe you invited him to play on the team. Way to corner the guy while he was just trying to sell his beer.

Danita: It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. I get a player who will help us kick Nick’s ass. Ty gets a chance to pitch his beer. You get to stare at Ty every game and practice. It’s a win-win all around.

Cooper: Your brain scares me.

Danita: That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.

* * *

The scent of fresh sawdust permeated the air as I set the chainsaw on the ground and removed my harness. That wasn’t enough. I took off my hard hat, pulled a bandana from my pocket, and wiped the sweat dripping down my brow. Hard hats and chainsaw chaps weren’t exactly breathable.

We’d finished felling the two black cottonwoods, but the most strenuous work was still ahead with cutting up the tree, raking, and the rest of the cleanup. At least it was overcast and not pouring rain like yesterday. The rain was great for tulips and daffodils but not for arborists working outside.

By the time my coworker Jake and I finished cutting what we could into firewood and running the rest through the chipper, my body ached something fierce. Might need an Epsom salt bath later.

“Hey, Coop? Are you going to see that Broadway musical coming to Portland this summer? My wife and I just got tickets.”

I glanced over at Jake. He had about five years on me and a gay brother, so Jake often tried to connect with me on all things queer. It was sweet in an awkward way.

“Nah. I’m not really into musicals.”

His eyes went wide. “Seriously?”

“Not all gay men like them.”

His mouth opened and closed a few times. Talking to Jake was like playing a game of Gay Stereotype Bingo. I was one cringy “yass, queen” on B6 and him asking for interior decor advice on O69 away from a Bingo blackout. I didn’t take offense though. I appreciated that he always tried to meet me at my level. At least he hadn’t tried to set me up with his brother. Yet. Although, come to think of it, hehadbeen talking about his brother more lately.

Jake was always good to me. Sometimes, he even brought in leftovers from the amazing food his wife cooked. I was overdue to put in some effort and invite him for a drink after work. It wouldn’t kill me to be less of a social hermit. Our job for the day wasn’t too far from Dahlia Springs. We could swing by the brewery. By the time I’d raked a pile of debris, I’d worked up the nerve to suggest it.

“Did I tell you what my wife’s making for dinner tonight? We bought a smoker, and she’s had a brisket going all day. Been drooling since we got here. If I don’t eat it all tonight, I’ll bring you some tomorrow.”

Never mind about the brewery visit. Better off anyway. I would see Tyler at softball practice tomorrow. Going to the brewery just a few days after running into Ty would come off as too eager.

“Sounds great. Hey, we should get a drink after our next job.”

Jake stopped raking and looked at me, a smile growing with each second. “Yeah? That’d be great!”

By the time we finished the cleanup, Jake was whistling, and I felt lighter for having made an effort. The only thing left to do was go check in with the client to give her a tour of what we’d done. I wiped my face again to look a bit more presentable.

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