“See, Brad?That’show you do it,” Tex pointed out.
“You keep talking like I want to hear you. I don’t.”
Mack was only glad he hadn’t been up to send their runners home. He’d been averaging a .255, which wasn’t too bad. But Mack excelled in defense, killing it at first base.
Reggie crossed the plate and waved at the stands. Three guesses on whom he waved to.
“I think love agrees with Reggie,” Mack murmured to his friends as the home run king returned.
Hernandez, that smart-ass, overheard. “What? Reggie has a girlfriend? You blow her up before the game or after, Morgan?”
Everyone, including Reggie, laughed. “Why? You need to borrow her?”
Hernandez sneered.
Wash, the guy’s best friend, chuckled. “Maybe you should, Pete. Might make you a better hitter, at least.”
“Fuck off.” Hernandez stepped up to the plate.
Reggie accepted congratulations and high fives. He sat, and Mack crowded him on purpose.
“My space.” Reggie circled his head with his hand. “Your space.” He put a hand on Mack’s face and shoved. Tex snickered.
“So what’s up with Maggie? Is she coming to celebrate at my place after?”
“If she wants to.”
“She should.”
Reggie looked worried, and Mack felt for him. “Hey, man, I’ll be nice.”
Reggie’s eyes narrowed.
“Notthatnice.” Mack did value his life after all.
They ended up winning by five. The Top Cops refused to shake Mack’s hand after the game, for some reason. And the looker from the outfield actually flipped him off.
“And there you go, making friends again,” Reggie said, taking him in a stranglehold.
Dude had rocks for biceps, and Mack was only half pretending to gasp for air.
Maggie and her friends joined the crew and their girlfriends on the field. Reggie, Mack noticed, was quick to go to her side as he introduced everyone. “Hey, gang, this is Maggie and her friend, Doug.” The handsome, slender guy who’d arrived with Bear Destruction. “This, as we all know, is Bear Destruction. His name’s actually Benny.”
More people crowded around, staring with awe at Benny. Doug took a look and sighed. “We’ll be right back.”
Benny grinned. “Great to meet you guys. Nice win.” Then he stepped aside with Doug and put on his Bear-Destruction, I-will-kill-you-just-for-fun expression and started signing autographs. Not surprisingly, the people clamoring for the giant’s attention turned out to be aggressive cops and firefighters.
“Benny is in heaven,” Maggie said, smiling.
Reggie grinned down at her and squeezed her in a hug. “No kidding.”
When they continued to stare at each other, Mack cleared his throat.
“Right.” Reggie coughed. “So, ah, Maggie, I’d like you to meet my friends. The living Ken doll is Brad.” Brad glared at him. “Avery is his better half.”
The pretty brunette smiled at Maggie. “Hi.”
“Hey, aren’t you onSearching the Needle Weekly?”
