Epilogue

EPILOGUE

LU X

Three months later

T he door to the locker room slammed back on itself. All eyes turned to see Parker marching in, wearing a grin so wide he looked like he was attempting his best impression of Pac-Man.

Jupiter glanced up from tying his laces. "What's with you?"

Instead of answering, Parker dropped down on the bench next him and slung an arm around Jupiter's shoulders, only for it to be shrugged off immediately.

"Why are you touching me?"

By this point, the eyes of every single player – and several of the locker room attendants – were on Parker, and his wholly uncharacteristic display of behavior. Plus, only a crazy person would hug Jupiter Reeves uninvited.

"Because, my friends…" Parker held his arms wide, "it is officially the end of cuffing season."

At his words, seventy-five percent of his audience lost interest and went back to whatever they'd been doing – mostly getting in the zone before we were called to the field for today's game to begin.

Stone Fields was sitting with his earbuds in, and his eyes closed. To anyone who asked, he said he was listening to Rage Against the Machine, but in reality, it was a podcast about How to Cook the Perfect… (fill in the blank). Boomer Jones was tossing a ball in the air, a couple of the guys were on the couches playing Mario Kart, even the locker room staff were back to making sure everyone had water, towels, and snacks. Only the newbies who'd been bought when the trade window reopened were still showing any interest, but that wouldn't last long.

"End of what?" asked Jupiter, only to hold his hand up. "Actually, no, I don't care."

But it was too late.

"Cuffing season is where you hook up with someone in the winter and then break up in the spring," Parker explained like he was the expert and Millie hadn't been reminding him of the fact every week, while ignoring Jupiter who was in turn trying to ignore him.

"Isn't it a little early for you to be in a mood already, Reeves?"

"Never too early!" hollered someone from the other side of the room, who sounded a lot like Boomer Jones.

"Well," Ace grabbed a clean shirt from his locker, slipping it on. "What happened?"

Parker's head dropped back, and if it was possible, his grin got wider. He was starting to resemble a teenage girl with a crush – though come to think of it, that's almost exactly what he was.

"Scout and R.D. are no longer. "

I shut my locker and dropped on the bench opposite. "What? How d'you know? Wait, Tanner!" I yelled to where Tanner was and gestured him over. "Come here! Quick."

Since New Year, Parker's mood had improved measurably – give or take a few wobbly moments – because while everyone else had been counting down the days to Spring Training, Parker had been counting down the days until Scout and Rangers Douche – or R.D. as he was known – broke up.

We'd all hoped it would happen around Valentine's Day, but that came and went without news, which caused one of said wobbly moments. But after a lucky save from Radley who'd called in the Big Guns – namely Millie to explain that the end could happen any time from Valentine's Day until the start of regular baseball season – Parker's much cheerier disposition had gotten back on track.

Millie had refused point blank to do any more undercover work with Tanner, however, no matter how much he tried to convince her otherwise.

To make things a little more interesting, Tanner had built on Ace's thousand-dollar Opening Day bet, and started a betting pool. I had February 18 for the break-up, but that also came and went with no news. Radley had taken February 25, though nothing happened then either.

It wasn't until a week later, after the start of Spring Training, that we heard rumors of a break-up. It had come via Tanner, who'd heard it from a girl in the comms office, who'd said Scout was switching out with another guy on the social media team so she could, quote, ‘get out of the city', so it was anyone's guess how reliable the intel was. Nor did we find out why she wanted out of New York.

However, Scout did spend two weeks in Arizona, and Tanner took it upon himself to improve his undercover skills by following her around, and alerting Parker if she ever looked on th e verge of tears – the plan being that Parker would swoop in and lend his shoulder.

Except there'd been no crying, and we'd returned to New York five days ago none the wiser as to the breakup situation.

Until now it seemed.

Tanner leapt over the bench, flung the towel he'd been holding around his neck, and sat down. "Shoot, let's hear it."

"Well," began Parker, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. Tanner, Ace, and I all moved in closer. "Pablo said that a week ago, Scout came into work and it looked like she'd been crying…"

"Pablo?" interrupted Ace.

"Yeah, Pablo," Parker repeated, his eyes flicking up to Tanner, "and we need to give him the money from the pool."

"There's ten grand in there."

Parker shrugged. "He won it. He joined the bet and chose March 22, and according to his newly sourced information, that's when the break-up occurred."

Tanner's loud scoff said exactly what he thought of this new information, which was likely what everyone else was thinking too.

"I can't believe you let Pablo in on that bet," snorted Ace.

"What? Why?"

"Because Pabs knows everything that's going on here. He knows you've been in love with Scout, and he knows about the bet, and it's very convenient he's now ten grand richer."

The smile dropped off Parker's face, and he slowly turned a shade of pinkish-grey I'd never seen before. "What are you saying?" His worried gaze flitted around our group. "They've broken up, right?"

Ace shook his head. "I'm saying that I bet he's been saving the info. "

"Why would he do that?" Parker snapped, even though the answer was clear to the rest of us.

"To win ten grand."

Parker's thick brows knitted together and he turned to Jupiter. "Reeves, what do you think?"

"The only thing I'm thinking is why am I part of this conversation? We have perfectly good couches you can go and sit on," Jupiter grumbled with a head shake as he pulled his shirt on. "I need to get my locker moved."

I could see the annoyance building on Parker's face, along with a lot of panic and confusion, none of which were helpful before Opening Day. We tanked a year ago for the exact same reason. A girl was not going to stop us winning today. There was no way.

Today we would not only be winning against The Braves, we'd be annihilating them.

"Park, what did Pablo say?" I asked, trying to steer us back onto the topic.

Parker scowled at Ace and took a deep breath. "He said that she came in crying last week, and he asked her what was wrong. Her and R.D. had broken up."

"Why?"

"According to Pabs, he was away with friends at New Year, hooked up with another girl, and Scout found out." Parker may as well have spat on the floor for how red his face went. "How the fuck do you get girl like Scout and cheat on her?"

Tanner's sweat towel was tossed into the nearest laundry hamper. "He's not Ranger's Douche for nothing."

"What's the plan then?"

Parker shrugged. "Gonna tell her how I feel, obviously. "

Ace was about to say something until Jupiter tutted loudly, and we all looked up to catch the end of a heavy eye roll.

"Something you want to add, Reeves?"

Jupiter turned back to his locker, only to spin around a second later when he changed his mind. "You can't go in all guns blazing and tell her you love her when she's only just broken up with a dude."

"How do you know I love her?" mumbled Parker.

"The whole club knows."

Parker's gaze darted around the locker room like this was news to him, and considering everyone had lost interest in the reason he'd burst into the locker room fifteen minutes ago, found very little evidence to suggest Jupiter was correct.

He was definitely correct. Everyone knew Parker had a major crush on Scout. It was possible even Scout knew, mostly because this club loved to gossip almost as much as it loved to win games.

"Look, you have to take it slow with her. Even if they were just fucking or whatever you called it…"

"Cuffing," interrupted Tanner helpfully.

Jupiter frowned. "Whatever. Even if they were doing that, it doesn't mean she's going to want to jump right into something else, especially with someone she's going to see here every single day in the season. Do you really want to be dipping your pen in the company ink when you can't escape?"

"You did," added Tanner again, only this time, he was silenced with a stare from Jupiter that even Special Agent America wouldn't mess with, including the snarl curling his lip.

"Marnie is not company ink!" he snapped, turning back to Parker. "You get what I mean? "

"No, I fucking don't, and I'm not wasting another season just to watch her go off with someone else."

Jupiter rolled his eyes again. "She won't if you do it right."

"I don't know what that means."

In what was an incredibly rare display of… well, anything… Jupiter put his arm around Parker. "If you're going to see her every day, start with being her friend, behave like a gentleman. Hold the door open… shit like that. Be her friend, but whatever you do… don't get friend-zoned."

"Friend-zoned?" Parker's eyes widened so far they could have almost fallen out. "How the fuck do I stop being friend-zoned?"

Unfortunately for him, and Tanner, who also seemed to be hanging onto Jupiter's every word, we never found out the answer, because that was the moment Coach Chase decided to make his entrance, followed by the assistant coaches. Everyone stopped what they were doing and sat up straight, only to make themselves even straighter when they saw Penn Shepherd at the back. It wasn't often Penn came into the locker room; he left the heavy lifting to Coach Chase, but today was Opening Day, so we should have expected it.

Coach stopped at the front of the room, his assistants fanned out beside him, while Penn Shepherd stayed to one side, arms crossed over his chest. Coach waited until there was absolute silence before shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Listen up! Today is the start of another long road ahead. A clean slate. The chance to move forward and remind our fans what we're made of. We had some changes in the off season, but our presence was strong in Arizona, and we're going into the regular season looking good and feeling even better." He glanced slowly around the room, making eye contact with every single one of us until we felt the ice-cold blue laser stare he was famous for. "This year there is only one thought I want you to have, and it's this – you are part of the team to beat. You are the ones to beat. If any other fucker wants that trophy, they will have to fight us for it. The New York Lions will be the team to beat come October. Understand?"

There was no translation needed. The New York Lions would win the World Series this season.

"Do you understand?"

"YES, COACH!" The cries of the twenty-six-man roster, plus everyone else, bounced off the walls.

Tanner punched a fist in the air and whooped, a couple of guys began swinging sweat towels around their heads, and Stone Fields let out a whistle which likely deafened whoever was within five feet of him, seeing as my ears were ringing and I was across the room.

"Good."

No one moved. Even when Coach Chase stepped back, we all stayed on the benches. We knew Shepherd was next. In the ten seconds it took him to push off the wall, the air thickened with anticipation. There weren't many people who loved baseball as much as Penn Shepherd. The New York Lions was his club, he'd brought us together and revived us, rescued the Lions from the bottom of the standings where it seemed we were permanently stuck. Since he'd taken ownership, we'd made it further and further into the postseason calendar.

We all knew that whatever Shepherd was about to say would echo Coach, and more so.

His arms unfolded and his hands pushed into his pockets as he looked around. "This year, boys. This is the year were going to take home that trophy. For most of you, this is our third year together… and we've been getting closer to the prize. But this year… you will do it. I know you will. I can see it in your e yes. I can smell the hunger you have to win, and taste the champagne we'll be drinking when we do. New York doesn't have enough champagne for the amount we'll be pouring." It was so quiet when he stopped talking, you could hear the beads of condensation dripping off Ace's water bottle and hitting the floor. "Now go out and bring us back our first win of the season!"

Tanner let out another loud whoop which set of another round of cheers, until Stone Fields jumped up on the bench, tipped his head back and howled an ear-splitting war-cry.

Penn waited, grinning with the coaching staff as the cheering turned to a low mumble rippling through the locker room.

"Oh, one last thing… Weston, your girlfriend's here, in case you wanted to know," he smirked.

It was a toss-up between gritting my teeth and breaking out into the smile I reserved for Radley, because fuck me, she would be here for Opening Day, and today would be the first time she'd ever seen me play as my girlfriend.

No one heard my groan, because the whistling started up again just like it did every time Radley was mentioned.

Loud wolf-whistles.

If I'd thought I'd get away with dating Radley quietly because it had been off season, and because I'd introduced her to most of the guys at Stone's New Year party, I was very wrong.

First day of spring training, everyone wore President Andrews masks. Every single day after that, Hail to the Chief was played whenever I took the field. The boys took much delight in letting the Phillies know they were one fan down. The media delighted in it too, given ninety percent of their headlines had something to do with Radley and me, because since New Ye ar, I'd moved firmly off the sports pages and into the gossip and entertainment section.

Safe to say, I wasn't a fan.

We'd experienced some attention before Christmas, but it was clear they'd been easing us in. Or maybe it had ramped up because baseball season had been fast approaching, and news was slow otherwise.

I tried to hide the anxiety I was feeling about protecting Radley from the intrusion, especially when a small group of paparazzi followed us to the Bahamas where I'd whisked her off to for a vacation before the semester began. After photos were printed showing us on the beach, taken from long camera lenses nearly a mile away, I thought she'd retreat back into herself, yet she was nothing but calm. "I'm living my life," she'd said simply.

Still, our next vacation was not going to be on the beach.

Every day there'd be something new, and I was beginning to doubt they'd ever get bored – school, restaurants, the movie theater, outside my apartment; there they'd lurk.

The only place we still hadn't been found at yet was Asher's. Radley had started her work experience the first Saturday in January, and she was already running the place, according to him. She had a natural talent for antiquarianism he'd said one day when I'd collected her from her eight-hour shift, because I was never allowed to stay on the days she worked, due to being too distracting.

I could live with being distracting, especially when it meant I'd get to hear all about her day over dinner that night.

She'd continued to add, and work through, her list; going to the gym alone, lunch alone, and more recently, shopping alone – which I'd been the beneficiary of when she gave me my own very private fashion show later that day .

And while she was crossing off her alone time, she'd also kept up her runs with Jake and his team. Before Spring training had started, we'd managed to cover all of Central Park, the Upper West Side, and down to the United Nations. Next up was Greenwich Village, the Financial District, and Battery Park. Her runs had become sacred, and she started every day with one – the days I hadn't kept her in bed a little longer that is.

They were also somewhere she'd never been spotted, though we both knew it was only a matter of time, and in what was a first, the White House and an MLB team had joined forces. The Lions communications team took on the bulk for obvious reasons, and had hired someone solely to deal with the volume of no comments needed to be put out. In the run up to today's game, that had tripled.

Everyone wanted to know if Radley would be in attendance for the season opener.

"Okay, get your asses onto the field for warm ups!" Coach's voice cut through the din, which only got louder.

Tanner nudged me. "Come on, let's go out. If Radley's there then Millie is too, and we can warm up near them. I'll let Millie admire my ass."

I wasn't sure Millie would be doing that, although she seemed to be less snarly with him these days. Or maybe she'd just gotten used to him, and was more adept at ignoring him. Safe to say, Tanner still hadn't won her over, no matter how hard he was trying. And he was trying.

We could hear the crowds the second we stepped out of the locker room. As we made our way down the hallways toward the tunnel, passing by all the grounds-men finishing their preparations, to the field, the volume was almost deafening. It was enough to drown out the organist – the same organist Shepherd had gotten the past two years – a Lions fan based at St. Patri ck's Cathedral – to play our first home game of the season.

The smell of freshly cut grass and base paint hit my nostrils before we reached the field. Next to me, Tanner stopped walking and breathed in deeply. I was too hyped up to stop for a deep breath; I wanted to get out there.

Get to Radley.

She was sitting behind the dugout in the executive seats with Millie and her brothers. My mom, Sienna, Maddie, and Holiday were all there too. Delaney had also been invited, given we were playing The Braves, but she point blank refused. Ben and Henry would also have rather been elsewhere, and were only in attendance under duress because they'd lost a game of beer pong against Radley and me the first time I'd visited the White House, for our official first meeting.

If I'd lost, I'd agreed to wear a Phillies shirt in public the next time I went out with Radley. If they lost, they had to attend the Lions Opening Day.

The fact both of them were wearing the Phillies uniform made it clear to anyone, including the media, where their allegiances lay.

That was fine with me; I only cared about Radley.

Radley, my girlfriend, was wearing my shirt and looking so impossibly beautiful I stopped dead in my tracks the second I spotted her.

Because the Lions media team had no doubt been waiting, the jumbotron screen split immediately; one half was me looking up at Radley, the other half was Radley grinning at me. Millie nudged an elbow into her side, nodding her chin up to the jumbotron until she saw herself staring back. To her credit, she went much less pink than I expected her to, especially when Ben and Henry each chugged their beer next to her, in w hatever drinking game they were playing.

"I'm gonna catch you a ball, Millie!" yelled Tanner, joining his fingers to make a little heart shape as we jogged past.

Millie responded by lifting her bottle in the air, making me wonder if the bottle didn't contain water but hard liquor and Millie was drunk, because there was no way she'd have acknowledged him publicly otherwise. Even Tanner was shocked, given the way he rubbed his eyes to check he hadn't been seeing things.

And then a smile split his face, right before he jumped on me. "Fuck, yes! I'm finally getting somewhere."

T anner made good on his promise.

The first ball off the first bat flew straight into Tanner's glove. Ace had thrown fast and hard. Not many players would have made contact on the first swing, but all credit to Bryson Horne for attempting it, even if it didn't make it far. Tanner tossed the ball high in the air, blew a kiss to Millie, and caught it again before throwing it back to Ace.

The rest of the game continued in the same vein. The Lions made it to bat fifteen minutes later after the Braves failed to score. As always, Jupiter was first up and made it to third base. Parker went next, stopping on second and bringing Jupiter safely home. By the time I was at bat we were one up; Parker and Boomer Jones had both been caught out.

I could feel Radley's eyes on me as I stepped to the plate. I could stil l feel the kiss she'd given me before I'd left for the stadium this morning, her tongue stroking against mine while she whispered she loved me, and told me to give her a win today. I could still picture her smile, her head lolling to the side as she slowly rode my dick, rolling her hips in a way that she knew drove me crazy, until my heart was so full of her, I was convinced I would burst.

Radley. My love.

Since the last time I'd stood at this plate, Radley had transformed my life. My heart, mind, and soul. To the crowds chanting my name I might look the same, I might sound the same, but I wasn't.

I knew that as well as I knew my name.

I had a reputation for my strength, my height, for hitting hard, and smashing out the runs when they were needed, but in the thousands of times I'd stood at the plate gripping the bat and rolling my fingers along the tape, I'd never felt like this; stronger, tougher, more alive.

Something new was happening.

A force was vibrating through me; a surge of adrenaline that had my heart pounding, had beads of sweat rolling down my neck as I waited for the throw, my entire body primed for maximum power.

I could have sworn the ball was flying through the air in slow motion; that I could see every single spin it made as it came toward me. It was so clear, there was no doubt in my mind I'd be taking a home run off it. A big one.

Right before I made contact, Radley's golden eyes flashed in my mind, and her warm breath breezed against my neck.

CRACK.

Up and up and up the ball flew. I'd barely moved. I was too busy watching it soar through the air to the upper stands above center field, in a distance that had to make Giancarlo Stanton nervous. This was a hit that would break records.

I tossed my bat to Barclay, our Opening Day bat dog, and made a slow jog around the bases, soaking in the thunderous cheers. Canons boomed, shooting millions of pieces of gold and black confetti into the crowds, two thirds of whom were waving their golden Home Run signs into the air. After I passed first base, Radley's face appeared on the big screen, jumping up and down with Millie, their arms wrapped around each other as they scooped my sisters into their circle. Even Ben and Henry were wearing a smile.

As I rounded second, she finally came into view. Her Lions cap had been knocked off with the jumping, her long blonde waves breezed around as she screamed my name so loudly, I could almost hear her over everyone else. The girl with the diamond L bouncing on her neck next to an emerald clover.

That girl. My girl. My future .

We had two years before she graduated, then she'd be mine forever. I'd already decided the second she stepped off the stage after she received her degree, I'd be getting down on one knee, and I didn't care who was watching.

For today however, I'd settle for going home with her.

"I love you!" I mouthed at the perfect smile she was shooting my way, right before I ducked into the dugout.

- THE END -