What up, asshole? You miss me yet?”

Brandon’s voice comes over the line before I even have a chance to utter the word hello. I’d say I’m shocked at his lack of proper phone etiquette, but who am I kidding? B is nothing if not inappropriate. I’d be more concerned for his well-being if I’d answered the phone and he’d asked me about the weather and how I was feeling.

Sign number one that your best friend has been replaced by a pod person: politeness.

I laugh as B doesn’t wait for my answer, immediately launching into a story about his night out with Carter, the rookie we drafted this last summer.

“You should’ve seen it, dude. When that stripper came up to him, I thought he was going to cream his jeans right there on the spot. He straight-up denies it, but I’m about ninety-nine percent certain our boy is a virgin.”

A virgin baseball player. It’s not completely unheard of, but it sure as shit ain’t the norm. Lucky for Carter, he’s only out in Seattle to sign contracts and meet the players. He’ll be regulated down to one of the farm teams before the season starts. Though, from what I saw of the kid, it wouldn’t surprise me if he got called up to the bigs sooner rather than later. Kid has an arm like I’ve never seen. But at least he’ll be safe from Brandon’s negative influence for a little while.

“Leave the poor kid alone, B. He’s only twenty.”

Brandon scoffs. “Please. He’s way too damn green for a twenty-year-old. Shit, by the time I was twenty, I’d bagged at least a dozen chicks.”

I roll my eyes. “Well, not everyone is as big a slut as you are, Jeffers. And nobody says bagged anymore. Get a new word.”

“Boinked? Boned? Banged? Any of those tickle your fancy?”

“Anything involving you and your dick will never tickle my fancy. And you do realize there are other letters in the alphabet, right? Not everything starts with B.”

“Yeah, but all the best things do. And, if they’re lucky, they finish with B, too.”

“Did you call me for a reason?” I groan.

The guy might be my best friend, but there is only so much of his ego I can take. Especially since I was up all night, thinking about a certain blonde who lives next door.

“My, my, aren’t we touchy today? What crawled up your ass and died?”

I let out an exasperated breath. Brandon is a son of a bitch. But he is my best friend. There isn’t anything I can’t tell him. Besides, the guy knows me better than anyone. If I don’t tell him what’s bugging me, he’ll probably show up on my doorstep—his doorstep. Whatever.

“So, there’s this girl…” I start, letting my words trail off as I wait for Brandon to react.

He doesn’t disappoint. “Yeah, buddy. Knew you wouldn’t let that Angela bitch keep you out of the saddle for long. She hot?”

I shake my head even though he can’t see it. Should’ve known his thoughts would go instantly to the sexual side of things.

“She is. But that’s not the point.”

“Bullshit, that’s not the point. I know the bitch did a number on you, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re Tag fucking Taggart. And Tag Taggart doesn’t fuck ugly chicks.”

“Dude,” I blurt, cutting him off before he can continue. “Do you hear yourself right now? Do you enjoy being known as the douchiest douche who has ever played in the MLB?”

B is silent for a moment, as if my words have actually stunned him.

When he finally speaks, his tone is a mixture of remorse and fire. “Look, I’m sorry if I’ve pissed you off. But don’t pile your bullshit on me. I’m sorry life sucks for you right now. But it’s not my fault. So, stop being an asshole, and stop pawning it off on me.”

A rush of guilt comes over me. B likes to act like a jerk, but deep down, he’s one of the best guys I’ve ever met. I know he’s just trying to get me to laugh. But I’m not in the mood.

“Sorry,” I bite out. “Look, now’s not a good time. I’ll call you later.”

He interjects before I can disconnect the call, “Hold up. You’re not getting off that easy. I promise to be on my best behavior. Tell me about the girl.”

I toss the options around in my head. On the one hand, I really would like to get B’s advice on what to do about Lexi. The asshole knows me better than I know myself. But, on the other hand, do I really believe Brandon can be on his best behavior for longer than thirty seconds?

I sigh, knowing I need to talk to somebody. Guess I’d better talk fast.

“So, the morning after I got here, I decided to go for a swim—”

“Dude, it’s fucking freezing up there this time of year,” B interrupts.

“Are you going to listen or keep telling me shit I already know?”

“Sorry. Proceed.”

“So, I jumped in and immediately knew it was the worst decision ever. But, while I was underwater, I somehow managed to float away from your dock and over toward the neighbor’s.”

“Which neighbor?”

“The one to the east.”

B blows out a relieved breath. “Good. That house has been vacant for years. Now, if you’d drifted the other way, you might have managed to give sweet old Margie a heart attack. And then I’d have to kick your ass because she’s just about my favorite person on the planet. Always cooks me dinner whenever I’m staying up there. You meet her yet?”

“Not yet. I haven’t had a chance to get around and meet the neighbors. Except one. And I’ve got news for you, B. That house to the east…it’s no longer unoccupied.”

“No shit? Somebody finally bought that dump? I was actually considering it myself. Tear that piece of shit down, and put in a guesthouse or something. Or maybe a pool.”

“Why do you need a pool when—” I stop, knowing this is Brandon we’re talking about. Of course he wouldn’t see the pointlessness of a pool when there’s a lake mere feet away.

“Anyway, yes, a woman bought the house and has been fixing it up. She was out, enjoying a nice cup of coffee on her back porch, when I came running up, half-naked and thoroughly frozen.”

B lets out a laugh. “I bet you were quite the pretty picture. Tell me, was there shrinkage?”

I roll my eyes. “So much for your best behavior.”

“Oh, come on!” B retorts. “You can’t tell me you jumped in a freezing cold lake and then went running up to some poor unassuming woman and not expect me to give you shit. That’s in the manual. When one best friend embarrasses the fuck out of himself, the other best friend is required by law to laugh their ass off at him. You wouldn’t want me to break the law now, would you, Tag?”

“Anyway,” I say again, dragging out the word, so he knows I’m done with this subject, “since then, we bumped into each other once, and then, yesterday, I went over and offered to help her with a project she was working on. We ended up having dinner at her place.”

“My man works fast. So, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is, I’m supposed to be up here, keeping my nose clean and my dick in my pants. But I can’t stop thinking about this girl.”

“Are you worried she might be another Angela? Try to slap you with some ridiculous charges to get her fifteen minutes and some cash?”

I shake my head. “No, that’s just it. She doesn’t even know who I am.”

“Does she live under a rock? I mean, up until a few months ago, your face was practically plastered on every billboard and TV commercial in America.” He leaves out the part where even during those few months, my face was everywhere. Just in a much less flattering light.

And this is why, even having to deal with all his shit, B will always be my best friend. He may be an asshole, but he’s an asshole who’s always got my back.

“I get the feeling she’s not much of a sports fan. And I’m not sure why, but something also tells me she sort of has been living under a rock for a while. She’s very closed off. Doesn’t like to talk about herself. Hell, when I first went over there yesterday, she treated me like the scum of the earth.”

“And you’ve recently developed a penchant for being treated like dirt?”

“Of course not. But, B, there’s something about her. And, by the end of the evening, she dropped her guard and let me see her for a little while. And I like the real her a whole hell of a lot.”

“But what’s she hiding? What’s the point of her acting like a bitch if that’s not who she really is?”

“I dunno, B. But I want to find out.”

Brandon blows out a long sigh. “I don’t know, man. If this was about you getting your dick wet, I’d be all for it. And I am glad you’re feeling better. But you sound different. You sound…interested in this girl. And I worry about that.”

“You’re worried that I might actually grow up at some point, want to stop fucking around, and settle down?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I know this player lifestyle isn’t permanent for you. You’ve always been a bit more…committed than me. Even when you’re playing the field. But you don’t really know this chick. And you already sound like you’re thinking more long-term.”

I let out a laugh. “B, trust me, I’m not looking to marry her. Like you said, I barely know her. She intrigues me. She’s someone I want to get to know. That doesn’t mean I’m going to profess my undying love and start ring shopping anytime soon. Fuck, once I’m finally able to crack through her shell, she probably won’t even be half of what I’ve built up in my head. But I feel like I’ll regret it if I don’t at least try.”

“Well, it sounds like your mind is already made up then. Just promise me, you’ll be careful. I’ll vouch for you with Coach and Ray. I’ll make sure they don’t think anything is up, so they don’t flip their shit. But only if you promise you’ll watch your back. If there’s any sign this girl might be trouble, you get your ass out of there, okay?”

“Promise. First sign of danger, and I’ll be on the next flight home.”

“Good. Don’t make me regret doing this, asshole. Coach will string my ass up from the scoreboard if he finds out I helped you cover this up. She’d better be worth it.”

I thank him again, not giving voice to the thought running through my head.

I’m one hundred percent certain she is.