And I mean it.
Baseball is the one thing that’s never let me down. Never walked away. Never demanded more than I could give. It’s simple that way. Honest.
The night blurs into laughter and clinking glasses, into bodies brushing mine and voices shouting my name. I flirt. I drink. I bask in the attention like it’s oxygen.
This is the Wild everyone knows.
The pitcher.
The golden boy.
The guy who never misses.
And I wouldn’t change a fucking thing.
The locker roomsmells like clean laundry, sweat, and a hint of whatever industrial-strength cleaner the staff swears by. It’s familiar. Comforting. The kind of place that feels like home in a way no apartment ever has.
I’m half-dressed, tugging my jersey over my head when Kamden drops onto the bench beside me with a groan.
“Remind me,” he mutters, rubbing his temples, “why I always forget about the game day the night before.”
I snort. “Because you drink like you’re still twenty and invincible.”
He shoots me a look. “Says the guy who was doing shots with two girls hanging off him like accessories.”
“They were enthusiastic fans,” I say, completely unapologetic.
Kamden laughs, shaking his head as he laces up his cleats. “You were in rare form last night, Wild.”
“I’m always in rare form.”
Guys start filing in around us, laughing, shoving each other, music already blasting from someone’s speaker. Evan tosses his bag down and points at me. “Yo, Calloway, you disappear with that redhead or what?”
I grin. “Trade secret.”
“Liar,” someone calls out from across the room.
The noise builds, voices overlapping, jokes flying, the easy rhythm of men who’ve bled and won and lost together. It reminds me how damn lucky I am. This team. This brotherhood. There’s nothing like it. No matter where we come from, what we leave behind, we’re solid in here.
This place grounds me.
Coach’s sharp whistle cuts through the chaos.
“Alright, listen up!”
The room quiets, guys turning toward him, some still smirking, others already locked in. I lean back, arms crossed, relaxed but attentive.
“We’ve got a big game tonight,” Coach says. “You know what’s at stake. Stay focused. Stay sharp.”
A few nods. Someone cracks their knuckles.
Then he adds, “We’ve also got a new intern psychologist starting today. I expect you to give her the same respect you give Susan.”
I lean toward Kamden and murmur, “Great. Just what we need. Another doctor trying to fix what’s not broken.”
Kamden huffs out a quiet laugh. “Don’t let Susan hear you say that.”
Before I can respond, the door opens.
