Page 78 of Truth or Tequila (Grand Slam 1)

Chapter Thirty-Two

seb

Manny kept his word and soared through the rest of the game. It just took two and half hours, but it felt like a lifetime. I checked my phone every time I got off the field, hoping to see a reply from Sophie. Nothing. I’ve sent ten texts now. Not one reply.

“After all the distraction before the game, I thought you were going to play like shit today.” Bud chucks me on the shoulder. “One of your best games though. I should know better. You’re always locked in.”

I nod at him as I take off my equipment. I was thinking about Sophie the entire game. I barely even remember it. I was in a fog, but I guess I pulled it off.

Joe’s waiting for me when I come out of the tunnel from the dugout. “She hasn’t left her apartment and the friend’s still there. I told Max he could leave.”

“Okay, that’s fine,” I say. “I’ll call her when I get home tonight.”

Joe squints his eyes as he stares back at me. “Seems like you’ve calmed down a lot since the start of the game—a little too much, to be honest. What are you up to?”

“I’m not up to anything. You know playing a game always settles me down.” I lean against a wall and rub my hands over my face. “Just give me some space, okay?”

Joe nods and walks about thirty feet away. That’s his idea of space.

“Good game, Seb.” Chick, the security guy who sits at the entrance of our clubhouse, daps me up as I walk in. “I don’t know when the league’s going to finally accept they can’t steal second on you. Surprised you didn’t break Cole’s hand with that throw in the fourth. You had some extra zip tonight. Somebody must have pissed you off.”

Chick’s been sitting in this same chair every night for the eight years I’ve played here. He’s well past retirement age, but the team lets him stay around. He’s like a lucky charm for the players. If we don’t get a fist bump from him before and after the games, I’m not sure any of us could play.

“Yeah, somebody pissed me off,” I say, leaning against the wall next to him. “Hey, I need a favor from you.”

He sits up straighter. “Anything, Seb.”

“I need to borrow your car for the night.” I lower my voice so Joe can’t hear me. He’s still standing well across the room from me, but he has ears like my mom.

“Naw, Seb, you don’t want that,” Chick laughs. “I drive a 2010 Corolla. I don’t think you could fit your left thigh in there, much less your whole body.”

“Actually, that sounds perfect. You want to take my Range for the night?”

“Do I want to? You know I drool over that car every time I see it.” He scratches the stubble on his chin as his eyes narrow. “What are you up to, Seb? You don’t let anyone get near that baby, now you want this old man to drive it.”

Joe’s eyeing me from across the room. I squat down next to Chick’s chair. “I need to be incognito for the night.”

Chick looks over my head to where Joe’s standing. “Incognito from who? Joe? I noticed that he’s giving you a little space tonight. You getting tired of having a shadow?”

“You have no idea,” I say, sighing.

“I know he follows you home every night. He’s just doing his job, Seb. He’d get fired if anything happened to you.”

“I know, Chick. I need a few hours, but I don’t want you to get in trouble with him—”

“With Joe?” He throws his head back and lets out a loud laugh. “That boy ain’t going to try to discipline me. I got him this damn job fifteen years ago. His daddy was my best friend all of my life.”

“I didn’t know that,” I say, smiling. “So you’re the real boss here.”

“Always have been.” He laughs again.

“So, do we have a deal?” I say, lowering my voice again. “Swap cars for the night?”

“How are you going to get out without Joe seeing you?”

“I’ll slip out while he thinks I’m in the shower. I’m going to skip media tonight.”

“You’ll get fined,” he says, shaking his head. “I think that’s like a ten thousand dollar hit, but I guess that’s chump change for you.”

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