She stayed the same. All these years, she’s stayed who she is.
Or who I always hoped she was.
Smiling. Waiting for a group of kids who were late, even when she had other stuff her staff clearly needed to get her to. And she made a point of talking individually toallof them and making sure no one left without getting something signed. Even the shyer kids who were hiding in back got her individual attention.
And then offering them tickets that I’m well aware are usually reserved for the specialest of the special guests.
Treating them like they were the only kids in the entire damn arena.
Andnotbecause she knew I was there.
That much was obvious.
“Did you know Waverly Sweet’s friend Aspen has a pet guinea pig?” Diego says.
Francisco groans.
Robinson gives the rookie a dead-asswe don’t go to bars to talk about pop stars more popular with teenage girls than with professional baseball playerslook.
“Coop. Talk to this boy.”
Diego looks at me like he’s a puppy and I’m holding out a ball.
“You want to date Waverly?” I ask him.
His face dances with a kind of panic that would be amusing if we were talking about anyone else. It’s the first time I’ve seen a not-smile on him, and it’s like I’ve bulldozed everything he knew about how the world works.
“I can’t date agoddess, Mr. Cooper.”
Mr. Cooper. That will never not make me feel old. “One, she’s a regular person, just like you. But where you’re a baseball god, she’s a singing goddess, so I get the confusion. Point is, under the makeup and dresses, you’re the same. You want to ask her out, you can do it. No rules against it. But two, if you’re intimidated and think she’s above you, then you’re right. Don’t ask her out. Power dynamics shouldn’t be uneven in a relationship. So. What about her friend?”
Now all three of my teammates are giving me thedid he take a ball to the head and we all missed it?look.
I cock a brow. “Gentlemen, we are worthy, and anyone who thinks we aren’t doesn’t deserve our time. Life lesson. Get it tattooed on your dick to remind yourselves multiple times a day.”
Frankie makes a noise, but I ignore him. “You think you’ve got it all figured out because you have the arrogance of youth, more money than god, a division championship under your belt, and some of you are getting paid to do commercials for jock itch spray and running shoes. But there are women out there who are still gonna act like they’re better than you, like you’re some kid who’s never gonna grow up because your day job is in sports, like you’re too much trouble because we’re on the road all the time and they think that’ll hold them back from doing what they want to do.”
“Some of them are better than us, Coop,” Robby says.
I snort. “Fuck that. We’re goddamn heroes. We deserve women who fuckingadoreus and are willing to be with us despite how hard it is to love a guy who’s on the road half the year. Got it?”
Diego slides a wide-eyedwhat the fuck?look at Robby, who pulls a long, slack-jawed face and shrugs back.
A fry falls out of Frankie’s mouth.
And then all three of them crack up together.
“Haha, Mr. Cooper,” Diego cackles.
“Bruh. You had us going for a minute there,” Robinson adds on a chortle.
Francisco’s laughing too hard to even breathe.
Shit.
Shit.
I don’t want to get laid tonight.
