Page 71 of The Shake Off

“The night before, but more specifically…” I glanced around the locker room to check it was still only the three of us. “I gave her an orgasm. A big one.”

“And that’s where you were this morning?”

I nodded, and tossed the ball back to Parker. “Yes.”

“Giving her another orgasm.”

“Yup.”

“Interesting,” he repeated, his head bobbing slowly as his brows knitted together. I stood there watching him. You could almost see the cogs turning as his brain fired up. “Very interesting. You know, I think we can test this theory of yours properly. Let’s see what happens tonight, and I’m hooking up with that girl after. We can see what happens in tomorrow’s game too.”

I caught the ball, crossing my arms over my chest, and squinted at Lux to see if there was anything to indicate he was about to start laughing, but I couldn’t.

“You don’t think I’m crazy?”

“No. Fuck, no. It makes sense. You suddenly tanked overnight. You had us all worried, man, especially Park.” He nodded over to where Parker was waiting for the ball with his hands on his hips, like he was Superman or something. “But if this chick was the reason, then getting her to fix it is the logical solution.”

“Oh,” I replied. “Yeah… thanks. I thought so. But can we keep it an apartment secret? Not sure Coach or Shepherd needs to know about this.”

“Of course they don’t. Besides, we have to prove it first,” he replied in the same tone I imagine scientists would use when they were on the verge of a life-changing breakthrough, like the cure for cancer, or life on another planet. But then he stood up, throwingCosmoto the back of his locker. “Now can we please go and work out?”

* * *

“Ace! Ace! Ace!”

I turned to the small pack of reporters waiting in their designated spot just inside the locker room. I hoped I might be able to get away without the questions, just like I had last night, and I’d be able to sneak past without them noticing me, which is why I’d walked in on the other side of Lux who was more like a human wall.

But no, Lux walked too quickly to get showered and out to his date.

“Ace, can we have a word? Ace?”

I tugged down on the peak of my ball cap as half a dozen microphones were thrust in my face, and I was half blinded from the light of the camera. “Sure.”

I wasn’t expecting the same brutal assassination I’d been subjected to the last time I’d had to go against this lot for questioning – right after Opening Day – and even though I’d pitched well yesterday – okay, better than well – if I was given a choice between this and having my fingernails pulled out, I’d definitely have to think about it.

“Quite a difference in your game over the last few weeks. Can you talk us through your game last night?”

I nodded and cleared my throat. Every single one of them leaned forward, desperate to hear my response. “Yeah, the start of the season was rough. My job is to execute a pitch as best I can, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen for me the way I wanted it to.”

“Did you agree with Coach Chase’s decision to reinstate you as starting pitcher? Are you ready?”

I tried hard not to roll my eyes, but come on… what a dumb question.

“Coach is the coach for a reason. He’s here to win a game as much as the rest of us. We respect his decisions, and I’m not going to complain about being starting pitcher. It’s hard staying out in the bullpen.”

“But talk us through what happened yesterday, because you were like a completely different pitcher out there compared to Opening Day. Did you feel it?”

I tugged on the back of my neck out of habit, only right now, there was no tension to ease away. ThisESPNdude was right; I had been like a completely different pitcher.

Parker and I had been on fire from the first inning. He’d read the play perfectly, and called the balls.

“Good. I felt good going in. We had a strong start. There were some hits which we could have done without, but The Lions won at home, and that’s what counts.”

“The strikeout of the leadoff hitter, Alex Stanley, was impressive. Had you planned it?”

I chuckled. “As much as you can plan anything. I want to say I was lucky, but Parker and I work well together, and I followed his lead with that call. Stanley’s a hard hitter, and a fast ball doesn’t always translate well on that type of swing.”

“That first pitch was over a hundred miles an hour. What mechanics did you adjust to get back to your usual speed?”

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