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I move between the chairs, looking for a place behind Brendan. The room is full, and press from all over are here just like on announcement day. There are TV cameras set up at the back and sound mics hover overhead. We might be the six reporters getting to follow the tour, but we’re not the only ones reporting on the extravaganza that is Banana Ball.
I take a seat one back and one over from Brendan, trying not to focus on the backward Animal Control cap he’s wearing that forces his gorgeous curls to peek out at the edges. I text him back.
IAN: Really? Okay, not that then. I have a few questions in mind, but I’m doing that feature piece on Tim Sage, so I want to get his gauge on how he feels after his first game to add to that.
He shakes his head a little, and then his reply comes through.
BRENDAN: Easy, I can make a snarky remark after your question. It will be enough to keep the friction between us in play without you alienating the other writers. How is your article coming?
Does that mean he hates my question? I thought asking Tim how he’s feeling after his first game was a good question to ask.
IAN: I was super excited by the idea of doing these focus pieces on players, but now I’m worried that they won’t have the same draw as other articles. You are all talking about the dancing and the music and the fun of the game. What if mine tanks?
BRENDAN: I can have a look at it for you if you like.
Is he being serious? As keen as I am to be out of the gossip column crap, I have to admit I’m the new guy in this space, and getting someone else’s take on it before I send it wouldn’t be a terrible idea.
IAN: That would be great, thanks. You’re on the third floor, right? I’m on the fifth, room 517. Meet me there after this.
He sends back a thumbs up just as Bart Ericson, the general manager for Banana Ball, steps out, and the cameras start flashing.
A few of the players for Animal Control make a statement about how exciting it was to win the first game of the tour, Phillip Marks is asked about his singing talent after he belted out a Backstreet Boys classic when taking his turn at bat, and Dennis is mentioned time and time again by the players, the media and the coaches. He did a great job choreographing our part in tonight’s show, too, and judging by the red flush to his cheeks, he certainly is enjoying the compliments. The Funky Monkeys coach, Josh Miles, is the only one that comes out from the losing team, so I rephrase my question about Tim to ask him.
“Coach Miles, do you think Tim Sage is settling into Banana Ball after only playing Australian Baseball before joining the team?” Right on cue, Brendan turns to face me.
“They lost, so he can’t be too settled in,” Brendan says, and I catch Benny frowning his way before I get my answer.
“We scouted some amazing talent from across the world, and despite the outcome tonight, Tim played an impressive game, and we can’t wait to see what else he brings to the sport.”
I don’t get a chance to ask any more questions, but I’m able to jot down a few things from the other replies to use in my piece, too. The press conference finishes up, and I make my way back to my room to put the final touches on my article. I’ve just typed up my closing statement when there’s a tap at my door.
All of a sudden, my breath catches in my throat and my palms become sweaty. Why did I have to invite him here? I could’ve sent him the article for him to read and get his opinion on, but no. Now he’ll read it in front of me, and I get to witness firsthand how he feels about it. I open the door, but before I can even invite him in, he pushes through and closes it behind him.
“I’m pretty sure no one saw me,” he says, his face a little flushed.
“I never even thought of that. Maybe I should’ve just emailed the article to you?”
“I’m here now,” he says, sitting on the lounge.
I grab my laptop from the table and join him.
“It’s probably too long. I wanted to make sure there was enough information about the player to give the fans an understanding of who he really is. But I think I might have given too much information. It’s probably boring…”
“I doubt it.”
He takes the laptop and starts scrolling through the article. My heart beats faster and faster, and I lean closer to his side to read along with him. He scrolls down the screen, pausing every now and then on sections, and I glance out of the corner of my eye at his face, trying to gauge his sentiment through his expression, but he’s giving nothing away. He gets to the bottom, and I wait silently for his critique.
It’s like all the air is being sucked from the room. Does he hate it? It’s boring, I knew it. Brendan closes the laptop.
“It’s good,” he says, nodding, but there’s something in his voice that makes me not entirely believe him.
“You can be honest. I can take it,” I tell him, and he turns in his seat to face me, bending one knee up onto the cushion, the laptop remaining closed in his lap. Being this close to him sends a flurry through my gut, but I can’t keep crushing on unavailable guys, and Brendanisunavailable. I saw how he was with those women at the bar, and I overheard Harrison commenting on his disappointment that Brendan was straight. But just like the last time I was this close to him, my body betrays me, and my mind won’t stop picturing all the things I wish I could do to him.
“Are you doing one of these on all the players or just on Tim?” Brendan asks, and it takes a second for me to refocus my thoughts and process his question.
“I was going to do one on all the players. I figured I would start with all of the players on the Funky Monkeys, and then hopefully, I could move on to focusing on the other team, too. I’ve written buzz pieces about the games, short snippets of the dancing, of how fun it was being a part of that, and how exhausting it was. Those are being posted on the magazine socials throughout the day, but this is what I wanted to be the focus of my main articles. Why do you think it’s a bad idea now that you’ve read the first one? It’s boring, isn’t it?”
“No, no, it’s not that,” he says, his gaze moving to his fingers resting on the laptop, rather than meeting my eye. What is it? “I just thought maybe you were doing it on Tim because you and he…”
