Chapter Eleven

Trey

“You ready for tonight, Delgado?”

I glanced up from lacing my shoes to find Robby Brown and Cody Wright hovering over my shoulder. The three of us hadn’t exactly been BFF’s since my arrival on the team. Cody was still butt hurt about the grand slam I smashed on him the night he debuted as a pitcher for the Warriors. And since Robby was his best friend—he was also not a fan of mine.

“Fuck off, guys. Of course I’m fuckin’ ready. You might remember that this isn’t exactly my first rodeo. I was playing this game while you two were still dickin’ around in college…or the minors…” I added, flashing Cody a dark look.

Cody’s top lip curled up but Robby pulled him back.

I grinned at Cody as he was tugged back. “Smart move, Brown. Get your little bitch back on her leash.”

Cody growled and broke free of Robby’s hold. He lunged at me and I ducked—effortlessly. I might add—out of the way. “You know, Wright, I’m pretty damn sure I got a few years on you. Pounds too, if you didn’t lie on your bubble-gum card. Why the hell are you so slow?” I laughed and ducked again as he took a swing at me.

“Gentlemen!” a booming voice echoed through the locker room and the three of us snapped around to find Coach Robinson in the doorway, clipboard in hand, snarling in our direction. “Wright and Brown, suit up. Delgado—over here.”

“Fuck,” I groaned. I kicked my duffel bag under the bench and stalked over to the coach. “What the hell is wrong with that guy?” I asked, glaring at Cody as Robby dragged him away.

Coach sighed. “Delgado, listen to me.”

I tore my eyes off Cody and his pussy ass wing man and turned my attention back to the coach before he lost his shit on me too. “Listening.”

“Tonight is a big game. You go out there and play your hardest, leave your guts on the diamond, and these guys will see that you’re here for real. If that doesn’t put a stop to this shit, then we’re all gonna have a nice little chat.”

Something in his tone told me he wasn’t talking about a tea party.

“Yes, Coach.”

He slapped my shoulder and held up the clipboard in his hand—Robinson is old school—and started talking lineup details and overall strategy. I listened intently, appreciating that he didn’t rip me a new one for fighting with his two main players. Most of the team had accepted me with open arms. But Cody and Robby were clinging onto the grudge and pissed me off. I knew eventually the shit storm would die down, but it was pretty fuckin’ irritating to deal with in the meantime.

Coach Robinson got to the end of his spiel, answered a couple of my questions, and then dismissed me. I hurried to finish getting ready and then turned all of my attention to the two homeruns I was gonna slam out of the park in Josie’s honor. Her little challenge had me all fired up, and I wasn’t going to let some stupid, sophomoric shit with my new teammates wreck it for me.

Last night at the bar, I was hard up for her, but she was bobbing and weaving and I was willing to play along—for a minute. The last time I had to chase a woman I was knee high to a grasshopper. But I had skills—and not only on the diamond.

This was it. I’d have her screaming my name before the night was over.

I grinned and hopped up from the bench and followed the rest of the team out the locker room doors.

Game on.

* * * *

The first home run was easy. A piece of cake—smothered in chocolate with a cherry on top. As soon as the outfielders threw their mitts down, I grinned and took my time rounding the bases. As I went around, I scanned the stadium. It was too far to see any faces. And I had no idea where she’d sit. She wasn’t in the press box. I’d checked that before the game started. Whatever she was doing here, I wasn’t sure it was official.

The second home run was just as easy and tasted twice as sweet. The opposing team, the Cougars, all groaned and booed as I made my way around for the second time—this time with two other Warriors—and I smiled a little wider at each of the basemen I passed.

They were hatin’ hard and I loved every frickin’ minute.

So, when we neared the end of the game, and I went up to bat, I glanced up at the stands, tipped my hat, and knocked the damn ball way the hell out again. The announcer screamed in anguish and the fans jeered so loudly that it was a deafening roar. I laughed and made for the first base, cracking myself up on each base. I didn’t care if I looked like a douchebag on Sports Center. The point was…I’d be there. There was no way they could ignore me—or keep running the same old shit about my failed career, baby mama drama, and bar antics—when I just hit three mother fuckin’ home runs in one night! My first night as a Warrior.

Damn, Trey Delgado was back!

In the ninth inning the Cougars pussied out and walked my ass. They didn’t want to risk me going off a fourth and final time. I still grinned like a cocky idiot as I headed for first base.

Even Cody and Robby were grinning.

“Hell of a game, Delgado,” Cody said, standing to offer me his seat. We shook hands and I tipped my head. “You keep doing that and we ain’t gonna have any more problems.”

“Deal.”