Which means?—
“Dusty’s on leave,” she says.
“On leave?”
“His dad’s sick. Has to go home.”
Dusty was chosen for the Fireballs’ manager position when Addie withdrew her name three years ago. He’s done a pretty good job too.
Playoffs every year.
Went to the World Series last year but didn’t quite get the job done.
Team still misses Cooper. Diego’s good, butno onecan be Cooper Rock.
“They want me,” she whispers. “Next week. I startnext weekto finish the season.”
“Oh my god, you did it!” Paisley shrieks.
“Temporary,” Addie says. “It’s temporary.”
She swipes at her eyes while she’s crunched in between Paisley and me.
“But if you do a good job…” Paisley whispers.
“Yeah,” she whispers back.
“And if he doesn’t come back…”
“He’ll come back.”
But he won’t stay long.
We already know that.
Dusty’s been making noises about settling down with a woman he met in Seattle last year.
“What can I do to help?” I ask.
She shifts the Addie sandwich to squeeze me in a tight hug. “Keep being you.”
Easy enough.
“I need tickets for next week’s game,” Paisley says while she lets Addie go so I can hug her back just as tightly. “There’s zero chance I’m missing seeing my aunt be the team’s manager for the first time.”
“This is temporary,” Addie says into my neck.
It’s not.
I can feel it in my gut.
But if that’s what she needs me to agree with right now, then that’s what I’ll do.
“I’m so fucking proud of you,” I tell her.
“I’m so fucking grateful for you,” she replies.
“And I’m hungry,” Paisley announces. “Good news makes me want good food. Where can a girl get some poutine around here?”
