Page 15

The question was for Bennie, and it came from one of the young players farther down the table. I thought his name was Jonah, although I’d been introduced to so many people today that I was still trying to remember them all.

“It was the best experience I’ve ever had,” Bennie said.

“Even though you lost?” This came from another young player sitting next to Jonah.

“Even though we lost. There’s nothing like the excitement of a playoff run. Sold-out crowds every night. Unbelievable fan support. The energy, the atmosphere. I’ve never felt anything like it.” Bennie’s eyes were bright, the lines around them more pronounced as he smiled.

“Sure, but what happened in game five? You guys were terrible that night. Your fielders couldn’t even catch.” Blake Tyler was another young player, and already I could tell he was more attitude than talent. It didn’t bode well for his future with the club if he didn’t grow up and lose the belligerence.

Bennie sobered. “You’ve never had a game where nothing went right? That’s what happened that night. Normally, if one guy is having an off night, everyone else can help him out by picking up their game. Not that night. Our starting pitcher struggled to find the zone. When he did throw strikes, San Francisco was hitting everything. And yeah, our star fielder bobbled what looked like an easy catch that should have ended an inning where they wound up scoring five runs. It was ugly. It was the most heartbreaking game I ever played. I hope none of you ever experience anything like it.”

Bennie’s smile had disappeared as he talked.

“I’m sorry, man. You didn’t have to answer him,” I said.

Bennie glanced down the table to where the younger guys were talking quietly among themselves. “It’s okay. Other than game five, that series was the highlight of my career. But those kids need to hear about the hard times too. If they ever manage to get called up, they need to know it’s not all five-star hotels and room service.”

I nodded and dug into the food in front of me. Bennie was right, and it was just one more thing that we could teach them. I’d never experienced losing a playoff series, not really. Watching the team lose from my hospital bed wasn’t the same.

I was just about to call it a night when another autograph seeker stopped at the table, and we all signed napkins for him too. I was reaching for my wallet when a belligerent voice rang through the room.

“Mr. Big Man on Campus, signing napkins for his adoring fans.”

I twisted in my chair. Chad glared at me from across the bar. Even from here, I saw he was swaying slightly, and there was more than one empty shot glass sitting on the bar in front of his stool. I didn’t need this. I’d promised Wally there would be no problems, and I wouldn’t let a random encounter with a drunken Chad change that. He wasn’t worth it.

I turned around. Raine and Bennie both stared at me.

“What’s that about? I know you played together back in the day, but what’s his problem?” Bennie was quiet as he asked the question, trying to keep the rest of the table from hearing. I was thankful for that; no one else deserved to become a target of Chad’s misplaced anger.

Chad had come up behind us and heard the tail end of Bennie’s question.

“He’s shacked up with my wife, that’s what. In town less than twenty-four hours and he’s wormed his way into her house. Probably her bed too. I always knew you had a thing for her, Cook. You’ve finally got what you always wanted. Or are the two of you picking up where you left off years ago?” Chad sneered. “Maybe she was doing more than feeding you back in Texas? Wouldn’t surprise me. You shouldn’t feel special. You were far from the only one.”

My heart rate kicked up. His trash-talking Jane sparked a rage I didn’t know I was capable of. I was known for my easygoing, calm presence, both on and off the field. Now I wanted to haul off and hit him, but I couldn’t. If I hit him first, he could charge me with assault—and I knew that he would. That would ruin any potential comeback.

Wanting to take this confrontation away from the team, I pushed out of my chair to face Chad. Raine and Bennie rose to flank me on either side. I motioned for them to stay back. I would try to talk some sense into Chad, but if I couldn’t, I didn’t want them getting into a fight either. No one needed this.

“Jane is your ex-wife, and I’m renting a room from her. Nothing more. Even if there was, it’s none of your business.” I held my ground. Chad was a mean drunk. I didn’t want a fight, but I wasn’t going to let him start rumours about me or about Jane. Rumours like that in a small town could affect my place on the team, and possibly damage Jane’s business. I didn’t want either of us to have to deal with that.

“Like I believe that. She was an ungrateful bitch who let herself go. If she’d worked a little harder to look like she used to, I’d never have left her.”

My hands balled into fists, and it took everything I had to keep my cool. Jane had been the sweetest, kindest person when I met her, welcoming me into her home. Even though she didn’t fit the typical mold of baseball WAGs, she had seemed to be liked by all the players, and most of the other WAGs. At least until after the divorce. Chad was the one most people didn’t want to be around. For both our sakes, I would not rise to the bait.

A large hand grabbed Chad and jerked him around. The man the hand belonged to bore a striking resemblance to the photograph Ethan had shown me of Jane’s father. This must be her brother, and he was visibly furious. His anger helped me calm my own temper. Jane had people who were on her side, who would defend her against Chad. I didn’t have to risk creating a spectacle that would affect both of us.

“She left you, asshole. You were a cheating prick who helped humiliate her around the world. Now get out of my bar and don’t come back.” The man gave Chad a shove toward the door.

I relaxed my stance. Chad getting the boot would prevent a brawl. That was good for everyone.

Chad stumbled over a chair and came up swinging. I moved to intervene. This was my problem, and I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. His first punch grazed Jane’s brother. I lunged for Chad’s left arm, seeing Jane’s brother reaching for Chad’s right. Thoroughly enraged and fuelled by too much whiskey, Chad twisted and jerked to free himself as we marched him to the door. The staff were keeping other customers away from us, keeping the path ahead clear.

When Chad tripped again, I gripped his left arm tighter, but he got his right arm free and swung wildly. Pain exploded around my eye as his fist connected with my upper cheek, and my vision went white. I let go of Chad’s arm as Raine, Bennie, and the bartender surrounded him and dragged him out the door. I gingerly touched my face where Chad had connected and felt my eye already starting to swell.

When they returned from outside, Raine tossed a set of keys to the bartender. “Now he can’t drive home drunk. He seems like the type who would.”

Raine’s observation was spot-on, and I wondered what had happened in his past that he spoke with such certainty. I’d have plenty of time to find out later. Right now I had to take care of my eye. The last thing I wanted was for Skip to tear me a new one over being unable to play on our second day because of a fight the night before.

A hand shook mine. “I’m Kevin Morris. Jane’s brother, in case you hadn’t figured that out.”