Page 49 of Double Play

Her delighted giggle was interrupted by the honk of a horn. She glanced around to see Trevor waving impatiently from hisEscalade.

“Get in, Nina. Team meeting. Do you want to come to the stadium or should I drop youathome?”

She glanced between the two vehicles, both with big, stormy-looking men at the wheels. Neither of them looked one bit happy, and her mood dimmed. “Can’t I drive with you, Jim?” shewhispered.

“I need to talk to Dwight. It’s important. But I’ll see you at thestadium.”

And just like that, her happy mood was back. “I’ll be the one with the ‘Marry Me, Bieberman’ banner.” With one last wink, she skipped off to join herbrother.

* * *

Jim letout a long sigh as he watched Trevor and Nina disappear in the Escalade, two white-blond heads tilting toward each other. Happiness bloomed in his heart. This was really happening, though of course he could still screw it up. But now, he had to complete his othermission.

He opened the passenger door and tossed his bag in the backseat of Dwight’s rental car. “Hey,DC.”

Dwight grunted. Barely a smile touched his usually beaming features and he gave the impression of being deep in thought.Unpleasantthoughts. Great. The center fielder was already pissed off about something, and Jim’s news was only going to make itworse.

Unless it didn’t even matter. For instance, if things were completely over between Dwight and Maggie, what difference would it make if Jim had spilled the beans about that firstdoubledate?

“I…uh…saw Maggie at thewedding.”

Dwight started up the car and let the engine rev for a moment. “Is thatright?”

“Yes. She, um, askedaboutyou.”

“How’dshelook?”

“Fine. She was wearing a dress with a pattern of red tulips, very summery and fresh. She had a flower in her hair. Might have been a gardenia, reallyfragrantand—”

“Lieberman.” Dwight turned to look at him, and Jim realized that he’d misread his expression earlier. Not anger.Anguish. “I don’t mean her outfit. How’d she look,mood-wise?”

Jim stalled. “Well, it was awedding,so…”

“Did she look upset to you? Hurt?” Dwight wiped a hand across his forehead. As hungover as he was, Jim wondered if he ought to be the one driving. “I might have fucked things up withMaggie.”

Oh hell. This was going to be even worse than he’d feared. Might as well rip it off, like a Band-Aid. “You’re not the only one who fucked up, Dwight. Ididtoo.”

“No, man. Nina is all in. You guys are solid. I saw the way you held each other. Brought a damn tear tomyeye.”

“Not with Nina, at least not yet. WithMaggie.”

“What are you talking about?” Dwight steered the car onto the freeway that led to the stadium. “And why do you people always tell me these things when I’m trying to drive? Do I need topullover?”

“No, don’t pull over. We don’t have time. That meeting’s about to start. Here’s what happened with Maggie. I was a little drunk, I’d had shots and champagne and beer and I wasn’t thinking straight. I told her about how when we first went out on that double date… That you wanted to find out if she was keeping you from gettingcalledup.”

“What now?You told her that shit?” Dwight veered across two lanes of traffic. “Why would you do somethinglikethat?”

“It wasn’t on purpose! It kind of came out. I don’t even remember.” He clawed his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Dwight. Whatever you want me to do to fix it,Iwill.”

“No.” Dwight snapped his jaw shut, then shook his head a few times. “Don’t do anything. It’s my problem now. Ah, Christ. First I give her the cold shoulder, then she hears about this? Man, I’ll be lucky if she ever talks to meagain.”

“That’s true,” Jimagreed.

Dwight turned to glare at him. “What do you mean? What did she say? Tell me exactly, wordforword.”

“I can’t do that. All I remember is she said, ‘Goodbye, Jim Lieberman,’ in a reallyfinalway. As if she didn’t expect to see meagain.”

“Shit.” Dwight reached the exit and turned the wheel sharply, slipping between two other cars, who honked madly at him. “She’sleaving?”

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