“No.”
“Huh.”
She slides a look at me. “This is the sort of thing you can do in retirement too.”
I don’t hold back a smile. “You’ve been thinking about me.”
“You make it very hard not to. Don’t let the plushies fall out of that bag. The team has plans for those.”
“Addie Bloom, are you encouraging pranks with stuffed mascots?”
“I’m a role model, not an instigator.”
She’s absolutely an enabler though.
The team is passing around bags of what looks like breakfast burritos and containers of fruits and muffins, plus juice boxes.
I stay off to the side while the team pulls Addie in, not hesitating to pepper her with questions and fill her in on things in their personal lives. I wonder how many other teams she hits regularly enough for them to know her this way.
“She’s been a great asset to the city,” the coach says to me as she, too, lingers on the side. “But I think she’s been an even greater asset to us. A lot of our players want to play ball in college and then follow her lead into professional sports.”
“Best role model to have.”
The coach studies me. “And what are your intentions?”
“Make sure she knows she’s awesome.”
“You and your teammates play pranks.”
“Harmless fun.”
“Don’t test what these players will do to support Addie if those pranks are ever aimed at her.”
“Zeus Berger once told me he would never prank a locker room of women because he’s good, but they’re better,” I tell her. “He’s not wrong.”
“I hope that’s not lip service.”
“Too much to lose for that to be lip service.”
She’s not smiling while she keeps watching me.
But I smile to myself.
Not lying.
I want Addie in my life. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn her and deserve her.
12
Addie
I’m playing with fire.
Dating? I don’t do it.
Flinging? Hooking up? Yes.
Butdating? No.
