“Amy, Amy!Come here.”I flagged her over.
We were at the clubhouse in Mobile, killing the next few hours until the game started.Amy was working on some other clients’ work she had.She wanted to hang out with me before the game, knowing it helped keep me grounded.She closed her laptop and crossed the room.“What?Calm down.”
I showed her my phone.“It’s Godwin’s school schedule.”
“Oh, he did it!”
“Yeah.Looks like most of it is online, but there are some days he needs to be on campus.University of Alabama.They have a local campus in Brexlin.He says he has his nephew running the business, and he’s doing well, so...”
“Geez.Forward me that schedule, you marshmallow.I’ll match it up to yours and see what we get.”
“Yes!So yes.”I forwarded the message.“I can’t wait.This is going to be epic.”
“Well, it’ll be a hell of a lot better than you moping around, that’s for sure,” she teased.
“I want plenty of time with him.Even if he has to come with me.He can do his online stuff on the road.”
“Is he going to want to do that?”
“Why else would he send me the schedule?We can make this work.”
“Maybe you should call him.”
I leaned over to make sure things were looking good for our schedules.It wasn’t bad at all with how much he was doing online.“Okay.I’ve got this.”I wasn’t sure if I was telling her or myself, but either way, I tapped my phone and called him.
Godwin answered on the second ring.“Derby?Don’t you have a game right now?”
“No, uh...”I checked my watch.“I still have an hour or so before I have to head to the locker room.”
“Okay...”
“I got your schedule.Does that mean you want to try this?With me?We’re on?”I’d said the three magic words, but he hadn’t said them back.After the Phillies game, we’d flown home together, but I’d had to drive down to Mobile the next day, and we hadn’t really talked much since.Outside of video-sex calls, that is.
“Yes, Derby.I thought that was clear.If you’ll still have me.”He sounded shy.It was cute, but not the confident, assertive man I knew him to be.
“Then ask me.”
“Will you be my boyfriend, Derby?”
I let out a whoop.Several heads turned my way, but I didn’t give a damn.“Yes.I’m so excited.We can spend more time together.You can travel with me and still do your schoolwork.When you need to be on campus mostly coincides with my off days.”I double-checked that by peering over Amy’s shoulder.She smacked my arm, but then she gave me a nod.“Then we can figure out offseason.Take more of your onsite classes then.”
“You’re so wound up.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah.”Godwin sighed.“What are we doing here, Derby?”
“We’re being boyfriends.”
Godwin chuckled.“If I travel with you like that, people are going to know.They’re going to—”
“I don’t even give a fuck.Plus, the team already knows.”It hadn’t leaked to the press yet, but it was only a matter of time.“You mean more to me than that.I miss the hell out of you.I ache when you’re not with me.I need you.”
“Okay, okay.In that case, come tell the people at the front gate to let me in.”
“What?You’re here.Ohmygod!He’s here, Amy.”
Amy shook her head and chuckled.“I’ve got this.”
