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“Berkley, please tell me that the woman you brought today isn’t a date because damn.” Maddox Porter stared up at where Alex sat. She grinned when she spotted the two of us looking up at her and waved enthusiastically.
I waved back before turning to Maddox. “Don’t even fucking think about it.”
Maddox stretched his arms behind him, using a bat for leverage as he gave me a skeptical look. “I always think about it.”
I flashed him a warning look, but I couldn’t stop a laugh either. “I know,” I said, shaking my head. “She’s my…” Fuck, why was saying she was my anger management coach so damn hard? Everyone already knew that I was getting one, and after this public outing today, I’m sure the media would easily put two and two together. “She’s with me.” There, that was the truth, at least half of it.
“Like with you with you?” he prodded. “Because I thought you were a one-night kind of guy.”
“If I didn’t know any better,” I said, eying Maddox, “I’d say you were sticking your nose where it didn’t belong again. Doesn’t that get you into trouble more often than not?”
“Trouble isn’t new for me,” Maddox said as he shook out his muscles. “I have a talent for working my way into places I don’t belong. It’s so much more entertaining than sitting unaware on the sidelines. It’s why you pay me so much.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Have I ever told you that you’re the most obnoxious pitcher I’ve ever dealt with?”
Maddox’s smile deepened. “Only every other time we speak,” he said. “Good thing you’re just the owner and not my coach, or you’d have to deal with me on a daily basis.”
“That’s the truth,” the coach—Jake Levi—said, overhearing us. “Any chance you’re just going to play the game today and not start any drama?” Levi asked.
“Me?” Maddox asked innocently before pointing a finger at me. “What about him?”
“Both of you,” Levi said, eying me too.
That was fair. I raised my hands in defense. “I’m sitting up there today,” I said, motioning to where Alex sat. “I’ll do my best.”
Levi cocked a brow at Maddox. “And you?”
“Let’s just see where the day takes us, gentlemen,” Maddox said, clapping his coach on the back as he went to chat with some of the other players.
Levi and I shared an equal look of exasperation and admiration, because we really had to hand it to Maddox, he was worth every bit of money we paid for him and continued to pay to keep him on the team as the star pitcher. He was invaluable to the team, even if he came with a boatload of drama that resulted in countless public relation fees. Not that I could really talk, because I’d been making my fair share of headlines recently.
“Have a great game today, guys,” I said, raising my voice so all the players could hear me. I clapped my hands together, nodding enthusiastically as I smiled at them. “I know you’re going to crush it.”
“Don’t let this nice-guy act fool you,” Maddox said. “He’s just on his best behavior because he brought a date to the game. If we don’t win, he’ll definitely crush us,” Maddox taunted from where he leaned against the pole on the opposite side of the dugout. “Are you planning on breaking any of our jaws today? Or just asshole fans?”
I cocked a brow at Maddox, feigning annoyance, but really? I respected that he wasn’t treating me any differently. He was still being the same asshole he always was to me, and I really fucking appreciated that right now. The last thing I wanted was for my team to start being timid around me.
“Try me, Maddox,” I said. “You don’t need your jaw to pitch.”
Maddox laughed, rolling his eyes at me as the other players joined in on the fun. It was all jokes right now, but I hated I couldn’t promise that I wouldn’t have an outburst if an umpire made a shitty call on my players or another fan spewed some hateful, vile shit again. I lost myself in the game a little too much, and sometimes—despite my show of control earlier—I fucking snapped.
That’s why Alex was here.
To help me figure out the difference between the two.
I made my way out of the dugout, more than ready to head back to Alexandra, but stopped short at the sound of another round of boos at my appearance.
Fucking hell, this was embarrassing, not that I hadn’t expected it, but the shit wasn’t really something I’d wanted Alex to see—
“Oh, give it a rest!” Alex shouted at the group of fans booing me, standing so they could clearly see who was yelling back at them. “Save your breath for the game!”
My lips parted, shock soaring down my spine at her response.
