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“You seriously think you’re better than Anderson?” Lopez questions and from the uneasy tone in his voice, I know he’s uncomfortable having this conversation when I’m within earshot. I don’t blame him.
“Hell yes, I do. The guy is a has-been. His play this year is proof and if he keeps thinking about that pussy he’s got back home, I’m going to be able to sweep in and take his job right from under him.”
My fingers grasp the armrests so hard you can see the whites of my knuckles because I refuse to engage. No matter how much the guy makes me want to punch a wall, I can’t give in because then that would give Coach yet another reason to get pissed.
Lopez must say something about me hearing their conversation because T.J. cackles and says, “I don’t care if he hears me, I want him to know I’m a threat. He knows I’m coming for him.”
I roll my eyes, Will chuckling beside me.
“Is this kid serious?”
I shake my head while shrugging my shoulder just as Coach gets up out of his seat near the front of the plane, stopping in front of my row. He eyes Will and me, saying nothing before he turns to T.J.
“I don’t want to hear another sound out of you. Got it? We are a TEAM, not a fucking rookie free-for-all. You support each other or I send you right back down to the minors, understand?”
T.J.’s head nods so fast that I can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of my chest. But T.J. and Coach send me a look before we all go back to ignoring each other. Just the way I like it.
A few hours later we land, everyone rummaging for their shit as we head outside to the waiting cars. Just as my feet connect with the concrete, Coach calls me over.
“I wanted to talk about what happened on the plane earlier.”
I have to think about what he’s talking about and then I remember the outburst with T.J.
“I wanted to remind you that he’s not here to take your job. He’s here to showcase what he can do and that’s it.”
I fight a smile because the thought that that scrawny dickweed being better than me is laughable.
“Coach, no offense to Taylor, but I’m not worried. He might talk a big talk, but he hasn’t played a single inning yet, so I’m not worried.”
The small smile on his lips lets me know that he feels exactly as I do, but as the coach, he can’t say it. So, when he pats me on the back and heads toward his car, I stand still, that is until Will comes up behind me.
“What did Coach want?”
I tell him as he leads us toward our car.
“He seriously thought you’d be threatened by that pixie stick? The guy hasn’t even played a game yet.”
“That’s what I said. He just wanted to make sure I knew my job wasn’t in jeopardy.”
I think back to the conversation I had with Justin and wonder if what Coach said was bullshit just to placate me, or if he believes in me more than management. I shake the thought out of my head as we head toward the hotel, where I plan to call my girl and get some much-needed sleep.
7
Harper
I spent days racking my brain, trying to figure out a way to help Mel, hoping an idea would pop into my head. Then I talked to Josh after one of his games and he reminded me that during his tour of the gym, Henry showed him some empty space above the gym that was supposed to be converted into a living space. That’s when I fell in love with the idea of turning that space into Mel’s new studio. My only issue now is convincing Henry that it’s a good business decision.
I cocoon myself in my bedroom, researching how to create revenue with the addition of the dance studio. If I’ve done the numbers correctly, Mel’s studio will create so much visibility not only for Steven’s Place but also for Mel herself, so I hope when I show these figures to Henry, he’ll agree. Just as I’m about to turn off the light and try to get some sleep, my phone buzzes beside me.
Josh: Hey, Gorgeous.
I honestly love that he calls me that sometimes, even when I don’t see the woman he sees, it’s nice to hear.
Me: Hey there, superstar. How was the game?
I already know that they won, and I also already know that his home run late in the game is the reason they won. I remember the look on his face as he hit that home run and I smirk, knowing he’ll be talking about it for weeks. If it were me, I definitely would.
Josh: Oh you saw that did you?
