“Opal,” Stella interrupts as she butters a roll. “For heaven’s sake. We don’t even know if they’ve met yet. Maxford, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”
“Oh we’ve met,” I hide a smile behind a bite of sandwich.When Nola showed up in the gym, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. My first thought was, ‘It’s too bad she’s turned out to be a deranged stalker.’ I figured she’d gotten information out of Tom, like who I was and where I worked. That went downhill fast when she got needlessly upset at Emma’s grade.
I don’t believe in fate, but what are the odds that of all the women in the world, the one who kissed me at a bar is also the mom of one of my students? And if I thought she was pretty the night we met, dressed up in a costume more stupid than the one I am currently wearing, I was wrong. She’s nothing short of a knockout. At school the other day, with her hair down and wearing a suit that hugged her curves just right, she put everybody to shame. When she furrowed her brow at me as she advocated for her kid, she got under my skin in a way no woman has before. I felt this mix of fury at being called out with a side of her leaving me wanting more. She didn’t react to me the way I’ve grown accustomed to over my career. Instead, she let me realize she wasn’t playing games to get my attention—and I liked it.
Was I only too pleased to find out we’d been put together by Jen for the carnival? Absolutely. Nola’s reaction was to tell Jen, “Yeah, not happening,” and then mention something about being late for a meeting. But she’ll show tonight. After seeing the lengths she went to for her sister’s bachelorette party, Nola doesn’t strike me as one to not follow through with what she’s been asked to do.
“And?” Stella invested in this now. “Is she pretty?”
I look at my grandmother and try to commit her to memory. This version of her, tonight. The large windows in the dining room soak in the setting sun, highlighting the silver of her hair. Every flick of her wrist releases a sparklefrom the diamonds on her bracelet. She’s penciled in her eyebrows and put on lipstick for dinner.
She impatiently arches an eyebrow when I’ve taken too long to answer.
Lying would be the easier route except Stella’s always known when I’m not telling the truth. Madelyn and Violet can lie to her until the cows come home, but if I so much as attempt to fudge reality in the slightest, she can sniff it out like a drug dog.
I sigh and let out a low growl. This is not something I’m discussing with two women who have nothing better to do than dissect my statement all day behind my back.
“Wonderful!” Stella pats her lips on the linen tablecloth and smiles. “Make sure you bring her to Bingo on Saturday.”
Every red lightI’m stopped at earns me laughs and thumbs up from people in the cars next to me. They think I’m some fun guy off to a raging Halloween party; if only they knew where my evening was headed.
Aaron Parker’s name pops up on my phone and I pause. We worked together my whole career. It was strictly a professional friendship, and I haven’t heard from him since I was let go from my contract and the league.
I swallow my nerves and accept the call. “Aaron! What's going on?” That’s good. I sound carefree and happy to hear from him, not eager and curious.
“Hutch! It’s been too long, my man.” His commanding voice fills the Land Cruiser. “I just had dinner with a group of guys we both know—can’t name any names—but there was aninteresting conversation I thought you’d like to hear about. Your name came up.”
My downfall was splashed all over the news cycles. There were stories, rumors, and pundit commentary for days, as if I were the first guy to ever use steroids to get an edge in the game. By now, I figured I was a blip on the radar of the sports world, so if there’s any talk of me these days, I want to know why. I parallel park on the street that leads to the school and keep the engine running.
With an even exhale, I say, “I’m listening.”
“I’ll make this fast. It turns out you’re gone but not forgotten. A few GMs were playing a little fantasy baseball at dinner, making up dream rosters, you know, and you made more than one list.”
My interest sinks. General Managers always talk big when it comes to their dream teams. It amounts to nothing at the end of the day. I catch my reflection in the mirror and remember what I am now. A washed-up, one-hit wonder, who is on his way to being the punchline at a kid’s carnival.
“It’s good to hear from you, but hypotheticals aren’t worth calling me about, Aaron.” My tone is nasty and I reel it in. “Look, I gotta go?—”
“There’s that hothead attitude that sunk you, my friend. I’ve missed it.” He chuckles. “Here’s the thing: a couple of them are really interested in bringing you back to the game. With stipulations.”
I can’t believe I’m hearing this and am silent long enough he adds, “You did your suspension. And you didn’t leave on the best terms but people seem to be over that. I’m still willing to be your agent and I’m positive we can get you a new contract for the upcoming season—if you want to play ball again.”
He’s not kidding. I’m listening. “What kind of stipulations?”
“They need to see a humbled version of the star you were. Not just a guy who took his consequence and ran out the clock, but a truly changed man in all areas of your life.”
“How do I prove that?” I rub a hand down the side of my face, trying not to get my hopes up.
“Hear me out. Are you dating anybody nice? Somebody who’s not looking for fame?”
I let out a flat laugh. “That’s your big plan?”
“I think showing you are grounded in a long-term relationship would do your image wonders. They’d take you seriously if you had something to lose besides your career, you know?”
This is not what I want to hear. I don’t like dating a woman long enough to let her in, let alone being with her long enough to get back onto a roster. I need to be flexible though, and play along. “Yeah, that’s something to think about.”
“Think about? Hutch, do you hear me? All you have to do is rebrand yourself a little and you can come back.”
The idea is dead on arrival. I don’t want to rebrand my image by getting into a relationship, and now I’m going to be late for school. “Okay, cool. Lots to think about but I gotta go, Aaron.” I pull back onto the street, spending the next mile talking myself into loving my life as is and pushing the conversation from my mind.
