Page 88 of Truth or Tequila (Grand Slam 1)

Chapter Thirty-Six

seb

We missed the playoffs by one game. Usually, that would gnaw at me for months after the season, but I pretty much stopped thinking about it a minute after the final pitch.

The only thing on my mind is Sophie. I promised I would leave her alone, and I have. It’s been agony. Every time my phone rings, my heart skips a beat, hoping it’s her, and then sinks to my toes when it’s not. Right now is no different. I lunge for my phone as it goes off. It’s Ray Franklin.

“What?” I growl into the phone. “I gave you my post-season interview. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“This isn’t about the season, Seb. I’m publishing a story on Saturday about Gentry Randall. Specifically about his inappropriate behavior toward female team employees. I have five women going on the record for the story. One of them is Liza Murray.”

“Liza? Going on the record about Gentry?”

“Yeah. After the team pulled her credentials, Gentry offered to get them back if she’d sleep with him. She has a recording. It’s going to be damning for him.”

“Wow,” I say, shaking my head. “I had no idea. I’m sorry that happened to her. I’m not sure what it has to do with me, though.”

“Part of the story is why she got her credentials pulled in the first place.” He pauses, but I know what’s coming next. I close my eyes. “I know about your mom. I have for a long time. That alone isn’t a story, but the fact that you’re paying Liza not to write about it—that’s part of the story. Liza confirmed that you were. I’m sorry, Seb. I wanted to give you a heads up.”

I take a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll let my family know.”

“Do you want to be quoted in the story?”

I don’t say anything for a minute. He waits.

“Yeah, here’s your quote. My mom is one of the best people in the world. She’s had my back since the day I was born. I hate that my job is making her relive a painful part of her life, but she’s the strongest person I know. She’ll get through it. And I’m going to make sure of it because I will always have her back, too.”

I hang up without waiting for his reply. I like Ray. I know he’s only doing his job, but that’s the first and only thing I’m ever going to say publicly about this. I try to clear my thoughts before I call Mom.

“Hey, honey!” The sound of her voice always cheers me up, but not today. I feel awful about what I have to tell her.

“Hey, Mom,” I say, taking a deep breath.

“We have the lake house all ready for you. Are you still coming up tomorrow?”

After the season ends, I always head up to our family house on Lake Michigan for a month to decompress. I’m wondering if I’m still going to be welcome.

“Yeah,” I say. “I was planning on it.”

“What do you mean ‘planning on it’? Oh honey, are you still sad about the way the season ended? Seb, you had one of your best seasons. You did everything you could—”

“Mom, I have to tell you something.”

“You can tell me anything.” Her voice gets quieter. “You know that. What’s wrong, Seb?”

I close my eyes. “The Miami newspaper’s going to print a story about your time in jail.”

She exhales loudly. “Seb, we were going to wait until you were back here to tell you, but your dad and I told your sister about my jail time the other night. We guessed it was going to come out at some point. We wanted her to hear it from us.”

“I’m so sorry, Mom.”

“About what?” Her voice gets indignant when someone’s trying to challenge one of her kids. “This is not your fault, Sebastian. I should have been open about this from the beginning. I made a mistake. I paid for it. I don’t want to relive that horrible time, but it is what it is. None of this is your fault. I feel awful that you’re ashamed—”

“Mom,” I say. “God, I’m not ashamed of you. You’re the best mom in the world. I don’t want you to be hurt by this. Your friends are going to find out.”

“Some people are going to talk. They always do, but as long as you and Mady are okay with it, it doesn’t matter what other people think.”

“Mady’s okay with it?”

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