I’ll take the next week to figure things out.I’ll make sure my head and my heart are on the same page and I’ll figure out how I can handle Owen and Cord.I’ll do anything to make Cici mine.
Then, I’ll need to convince her to give me a chance.
This day feels like it’s dragging.I'm exhausted and can’t wait to have off on Friday.I wish I didn’t have anything planned though.
Don’t get me wrong, I want to see Cici and spend time with her, but I’d love to stay home for that.I don’t want to go to a restaurant and be on the entire time.
That’s the thing about going out as a professional athlete, people approach me all the time.They don’t care if I'm on a date or if I want to be left alone.If they recognize you, they expect you to chat with them and possibly sign a few things or take a couple of pictures.Either way, I don’t feel like dealing with that.
I’d rather curl up on the couch with Cici.I’d give almost anything to order take-out and watch some old movies.We’d fall asleep with her in my arms and it would be perfect.
“Covey?Are you ok?”Owen’s voice startles me out of my thoughts.I glance up to find him leaning his shoulder against the doorframe to his office.His thick arms are crossed over his chest and he’s watching me carefully.
“Yeah, I'm good,” I sigh as I get to my feet and grab a few things out of my cubby.
I'm supposed to be on the field with the batting coach, but I’d rather do anything else right now.I really want to go home and just take up residence on my couch.It’s only Monday though.We have off tomorrow, but then it’s back to it the next two days.
“Yeah, that’s not very believable.Do you want to try again?”Owen arches a brow as he watches me.
The man sees too much.It’s like he has a strange super power.Cord has it too.They both can see through the lies and can figure out what’s actually going on in your head without asking a single question.
That’s why I'm terrified of taking the jump with Cici.How do we keep our relationship quiet from them?I don’t know if Cici would even be open to the idea.It’s not that I want to hide her away and keep her a secret, but I’d prefer to see how our relationship progresses for a little bit.It’d be nice to know everything is going well between us before we tell the team and the Powells.I’d rather not spill the beans right away and then our relationship not work out anyway.
What’s the point of putting a target on my back if I don’t even get to keep the girl?
“Not really.I don’t have the energy for that.”I rub at the back of my neck and feel how tight my muscles are.
Practice is going to be awful.I have a feeling I won't be able to hit anything.Baseball is mostly a mental game.If your mind isn’t in it, you won't play well.Owen likes to remind us of that all the time.
“Go see Charlie.Then I want you to go home.”Owen doesn’t take his eyes off of me.
“But I'm supposed to be working with the batting coach.”I point towards the field like Owen doesn’t know where it is.
“Yeah, something tells me it will be a waste of time.Go see Charlie to get those tense muscles worked out, then I want you to go home.If she says to sit in the hot tub, then that’s what you’ll do at home the rest of the day.If she says to take an ice bath, then I hope you planned on stopping at the store to get a few bags to fill up your Christmas present.”
I don’t know what normal owners give their players as gifts, or if they give them gifts at all, but Owen bought the entire team their own ice baths for Christmas.He says he knows we all have hot tubs and these ice baths could come in handy too.He wanted us to use them daily.I know some of the guys do, but most of them don’t.They avoid ice as much as they can.
I use mine pretty regularly.I know they’re great when it comes to muscle recovery and reducing inflammation.I really don’t want to climb inside of it tonight with how exhausted I am.
“Are you sure?”I scrub a hand down my face.I feel like I'm letting him down and I hate that.Owen’s a great boss and I’ll forever be grateful for him and how he cares about this team.
“I'm pretty sure you’re going to be useless on that field until you figure out what’s going on in your head.So, yeah, I'm sure I want you to do what I already told you to do.”He rolls his eyes.
“Thanks, Owen.”
“You’re welcome, but I expect you to be on the field bright and early on Wednesday.I also expect a win at the games this week.”
“I’ll try my hardest.”
He pats me on the back as I head past him and towards the physical therapy room.I'm happy to find it empty and Charlie sitting at her desk working on some paperwork.
“Hey, are you ok?”
“Owen said to come see you.”I shrug my shoulders.I don’t really want to get into it with her.
“Did he say why?”She arches a brow.She’s just like Owen with how she can see through the lies.Maybe I'm just not good at hiding things.There’s no way this many people can see past what I'm saying to what I'm trying to keep hidden.
“I'm tense?I don’t know.I'm supposed to see you, then go home and either sit in the hot tub or ice bath, depending on what you tell me to do.”
