“Are you attached?” He looks at Decker and Easton. “Is he attached?”
“No.” My tone of voice reminds me of some preteen kid getting teased about his crush. “I’m not attached.”
Easton smacks me in the chest with the back of his hand. “Our boy is, in fact, attached. They both like to pretend they don’t like each other. It’s some eighth-grade bullshit.”
“She doesn’t like me.” If they heard her yesterday in the alley, they’d know she used the word crush, which means she likes the way I look but doesn’t trust me with her heart.
“See, eighth-grade bullshit.” Easton shrugs.
“You’re blind, Hayes,” Decker says.
“Did he tell you it’s his sister’s best friend?”
I wish I could punch the shit-eating grin right off Easton’s face. Instead, I narrow my eyes at him. “Were you the tattletale of your big Alaskan family?”
Easton sticks his tongue out at me.
“I already told him to stay away from fucking drama this year, but here we are.” Jagger leans back and looks at his watch.
“How about you guys talk like I’m actually in the room?”
“It’s the forbidden,” Easton says, nodding as if he’s all-knowing. “Temptation.”
“It’s a red flag,” Decker says.
Easton groans. “You need to live a little.”
“Callie’s not like that.” I swallow hard. Other than the one time when a girl cornered me at a party when I was a senior and they were sophomores. She was Callie’s friend, and Callie pushed me into our parents’ bedroom and yelled at me to stay the fuck away from her friends. “It’s fake, guys. We’re in it for her to get the kids.”
Jagger blows out a breath. “I don’t know how you come to Chicago for a fresh start and end up here. We have our plan—we’re gonna have this banner year where you’re gonna work out nonstop, work with the coaches, become the player no one can deny is on top of his game, and now you’ve decided fuck all that, I don’t want to be Hayes Haymaker Carlisle, the best catcher in the league. I’d much rather play Ward fucking Cleaver.”
I was right, Jagger is pissed at me.
It’s not going to change my plan.
“Who’s that?” Decker asks as if Jagger’s nostrils aren’t flaring.
Easton raises his hand. “Sorry, I’m on board with Deck. Who is Ward Cleaver?”
“You guys are useless.” Jagger shakes his head, and now he’s even more pissed off, which worries me for when Leighton arrives. “Let me think of a reference you’d know. Phil Dunphy.”
“From Modern Family?” Decker nods.
“Hayes isn’t Phil.” Easton shakes his head.
“Can we just stop this conversation?” I cross my arms.
“Let me get to the point because Quinn came with me on this trip, and I’d really rather be with her. You know, my real wife?”
I wave. “Then get to the point already.”
Jagger straightens and puts his hands on the table. “Now that you have adopted a family, we might as well make it public so it will help your career.”
“So now it wasn’t a shitty career-ending decision?” I raise my eyebrows at him.
“I’m making the best out of what you’re giving me, but let me start by saying this is not your brightest decision.”
I just want this over with, so I don’t respond with a smartass remark. I pick up my phone to check my texts, but there’s nothing from Leighton.
