Chapter 18

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

ALEXANDER

I’ve gotten Trevor settled at my place and returned to the office for a few hours today. I made the mistake of asking if he wanted to tag along to get him around other people again. Trevor is a social creature at heart, and I think my company isn’t working for him or helping in his recovery. Meanwhile, he’s driving me crazy.

I got him one of those old people scooters to get around because, frankly, watching him on crutches is pitiful. Along with a shattered leg, he broke three ribs and dislocated his shoulder. He tried to be a tough guy, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

Bringing him to the office is worse than bringing a puppy to work. My office has been a revolving door of visitors wishing him well since we showed up late this morning.

Matt and Tripp took him to lunch after their workouts and meetings and have returned him back to me. I can hear them FaceTiming with Chance outside my door. I know it’s Chance because he ’s the one person who makes Elaine giggle. Chance Fuller is Julian’s best friend and part of my extended family.

“Hey, preseason starts next week. Let me see if I can get to Charlotte later this week, and we can do dinner. When are you guys free?” Chance's voice carries into my office.

“Does Friday work?” I shout. Hopefully, the team should be back on Thursday night with some wins to celebrate.

“Xander, where are you?” Chance says from Tripp’s phone. Tripp tosses it to me, and I see more of Chance than I’d like.

“Do you ever wear a shirt?” It looks like he’s in the Renegade’s weight room. Chance's build differs from the baseball players I'm around because he’s a hockey player. He’s a bulky six-foot, three-inch hulk with a heart like a pre-teen girl, all gooey and sweet. Where Trevor and I are opposites, Jules and Chance are two peas in a pod.

“Hey, I hear we might need to assemble Team True Love again.” The guys laugh while I decide how to torture Julian with his big mouth. Team True Love is what Chance and Jules call themselves. The last thing I need is for them to get involved in my life.

“No need for that, but it would be good to get the gang together, even if it’s for a night. Let’s shoot for Friday?” I toss Tripp’s phone back to him.

Before we hang up, a group text calls everyone home for the weekend, including Ash and Jules.

Trevor and Tripp make themselves comfortable in my office. Matt stays standing.

“Take a seat, Hartman. If you’ll be hanging with these two, you might as well join us. But hit the door, would you?” At the mention of Team True Love, I better nip the talk in the bud.

Trevor transfers from his scooter to the couch, releasing a reflexive sigh. He’s in more pain than he lets on. Maybe bringing him was too much? I may give him shit all the time, but I worry more than I show.

“How’s the pain? ”

“I’m okay. I’ll take some Tylenol when I get home. I’m trying to kick the hard stuff now that I’m operating a motorized vehicle.” He lovingly rubs the handlebars of his new scooter. I blinged it out with handlebar streamers and a flowery basket as a joke, but he loves it.

I reach into my drawer and toss him a bottle of Tylenol. He takes four and washes them down with his milkshake from lunch.

“I need you to feel better so you can feel the pain I plan to inflict, asshole,” I mumble loud enough for him to hear. His grin lets me know he heard the message.

“It’ll be nice to get everyone together,” Tripp says. He’s always the diplomatic one, the peacemaker.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen Cole since I got called up,” Matt adds. “Is it bad I’m happy his season is over so he can be here?”

“Well, since we’ll be playing the Liberties, it’ll be his first chance to show where his true loyalties lie,” Trevor says. He’s always adding fuel to the drama.

The Liberties drafted Cole, and he’s playing for their triple-A team in Nashville. Their season wrapped last week, so he’s officially in his off-season.

“I would never ask him to choose,” I say. I mean that. I expect my players to be loyal to the team they work for, and I would expect the same from Cole. I know he grew up a Reapers fan, but I won’t hold it against him because he plays for another team. Hell, it’s my fault he’s not a Reaper to begin with.

“Fuck that, I do. When we play against each other, sure. But I expect him to cheer for me and my team when I’m on that field.” Matt has that best friend’s point of view that I can’t argue with either.

“So, are you bringing a date Friday, Xan?” I look around for Julian as his voice fills my office. I look at Tripp, who is silently laughing. He flashes his phone to me, and I see Chance and Julian on the screen. That bastard didn’t hang up. He added Jules to the call. Tripp is going to pay for that .

I flip Tripp off and think about answering the question.

“No. This crew can be a lot. But it doesn’t mean I’m not ready to get off the bench and enter the game.” I look at Matt and Tripp. “Tell me about Luis. Is he interested?”

Tripp smiles. “Is this what Team True Love looks like?”

I glare at him, and his playfulness vanishes. Tripp continues, this time all business. “Nah, I think he’s been talking to Jenny. He invited them both because sometimes there’s safety in numbers when it comes to the WAGs.” He looks at Matt. “No offense.”

Matt agrees with a nod. “None taken. Darcy said some of the women are a little unwelcoming. Mostly the girlfriends. Of course, Darcy is the exception to that rule. The wives seem okay. I get not wanting Jenny to face that alone, especially since they aren’t officially dating or anything. I agree. I think Luis is being nice to Jenny’s best friend.”

Tripp fist bumps Matt after his assessment. “Yeah, no offense, boss, but you practically peed on her at the school project. None of the guys are dumb enough to go there.” Tripp and I have been friends since Dad signed him to the Reapers twelve years ago. We started as college pitching rivals, but shoulder and elbow surgery forced me to end my career. I started working with the team, and we became friends since we knew each other casually, had similar back stories, and were the same age. I keep a professional line with the team and, when necessary, with Tripp. He’s the only player in my friendship group. But now that looks like it’s expanding to Matt by marriage.

“I did not pee,” I start.

“Yeah, you kinda did,” Matt says. He winces, like it’s painful to say to me.

“And then the intern thing,” Trevor continues.

“Intern thing?” Chance asks. “What intern thing?”

“Nothing,” I grumble.

“Why don’t I know about this?” Jules asks.

I groan. How much do I tell them? I decide it’s proportionate to the infor mation I want to gain. “I asked Corey to check on her and take care of her refreshments. Instead, she had him treat the WAGs to drinks on me.” I smile, thinking about how she managed that situation.

“Cheeky,” Jules says.

“That’s how she got in my office for the picture,” I tell Trevor.

“Picture? What picture?” Jules is practically salivating for the scoop.

“A view of the field from my office during the game. Just letting me know she could.” And teasing me in that jersey. I have no doubt she knew I could see it.

“So, where do you stand?” Jules asks.

“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her since my last text Saturday night. But I’m open to suggestions.” It’s Tuesday. It took some work to get everything set up in the penthouse for Trevor, and we drove up here Monday.

“What did your text say?” Chance asks hesitantly.

“I may have let her know I was coming for her.” I shake my mouse and act like I have work to do on my computer. I can’t look at them.

“Well, that explains her reaction,” Tripp says. I look up, and Matt grins and shakes his head like a fucking bobblehead, agreeing with Tripp.

I spin around, giving them my full attention. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Whatever you said got a reaction, that’s all,” Tripp says.

“Good or bad reaction?” My pulse races, waiting for his answer.

“You know what they say?” Trevor interjects. “You’re in trouble when you don’t get a reaction at all.”

I can’t believe we’re gossiping like a bunch of girls. Have I sunken to that point? Fuck them. I’m doing this my way. Team True Love doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

“Hey, don’t you two have a plane to catch? Go win some games for me , why don’t you?” The team is flying out later this afternoon for the first playoff game in New York.

“Just letting you know I’ll be catching a ride with them Thursday night,” Jules adds. “Beats flying commercial.”

“Of course it does. I suppose you want the owner’s tickets too?”

“Nah, I’ll be going to the game with Devlin Millbanks. You know we play squash once a week, right? The only thing better than representing Reapers is representing Liberties. His deep pockets don’t come with a side dose of guilt.” Devlin Millbanks is the owner of the Liberties and friends with Dad. Julian has an insane social circle and networks better than anyone I’ve ever met.

“Talk about questioning loyalties,” I mutter under my breath. “Get out of here and get to work. Am I the only one who earns my paycheck?”

“Hey, we work,” Chance says. “We just enjoy it a little more than you grumpy pants.”

“See you soon,” Jules calls out.