Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,51

with you, man?”

“I could ask you the same.” I looked at him skeptically as we watched the rest of the pitching roster cross the field and head toward the manager suite.

“I’ve got a lot of shit going on.”

“So do I,” I shot back. I looked at my best friend and saw a clear rip running through him. In the four years he’d been my catcher, we’d formed a no bullshit friendship. We’d started out in a league together in Savannah and had moved together since, me fresh out of junior college as a rookie and Andy, never getting the recognition he deserved, had remained stagnant until we did well together. We fed off of each other. My pitch got sharper, and his batting average improved, so we’d moved on, both hoping to be exactly where we were now in Double-A, back in Charleston, and ripe for the picking. Except now, I was ready for major ball, and Andy ready to hang up his glove. They could pick either of us up at any time, but Andy was satisfied with his career. He was happy with his bar and didn’t want to leave it. In the rare instance I’d found myself able to trust someone again after the fiasco with my father, Andy had been that someone. The distance he was putting between us was purposeful.

I spoke first. “This is on you, man, until you come clean.”

“I don’t like you very much right now,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Suit yourself,” I snapped as I crushed my paper cup and threw it in the trash can.

Andy called after me with contempt. “You’re going to go up in flames if you let her get into your head.”

“I can separate the game, both of them. I don’t need you harping on me like my old man did. I got rid of him, remember?” The threat was there as Andy took a step back and ran his hands through his hair. I took an aggressive step forward to defend the first piece of happiness I felt good about in far too long. “There’s not a goddamn thing wrong with wanting to be with a woman while you have a career in ball. She’s helping my game not hurting it. If I’m on fire, it’s because of her.”

“So you’re in love now, huh?” Andy said with a smug grin. It was the first time I wanted to wipe it off with my fists.

“I’m living my life. I’m a professional athlete, like you. If I fuck up, it’s on me. If I do well, that too is on me. If you really give two shits about me or my career, you’ll do the one thing nobody else in my fucking life has ever done and respect that. Respect me and my decisions.”

“Fine, you’re right. I’m out,” Andy said, making his way back to the locker room.

“Just like that, huh? We have briefing, Andy,” I barked after him.

“You have briefing, hot shot. I have a fucking business to run.”

I threw my glove at his back and just as quickly he flew at me. I took his lick and barely remained on my feet. Lip bleeding, I looked at my best friend, my fists curled at my sides.

Andy eyed my lip with regret. I could take a punch way more than I could handle his next words. “She loves you, man. She’s in love with you. Of all the fucking men in the world to compete with, Kristina loves you.”

I felt the weight of the world land on my shoulders at that moment. I thought of Alice and how it would kill me if she’d fallen for Andy and never looked my way. I took a step forward. “I’ve never laid a hand on her, man, and I never will.”

“Do you think that matters?”

It didn’t, and I knew the truth of it in that moment. “I won’t come to the bar again. I’ll stay away.”

“You think I want that?”

A few moments of silence followed as I stared at Andy and knew it was ruining him.

“I don’t know how to navigate this play, Andy. You are my wingman. She’s a friend, sure, but it’s never been deep.”

We both stayed silent for another minute until Andy spoke up. “And Alice?”

I didn’t even hesitate. “Deep.”

Andy surprised me with a smug smile. “I called that one.”

“Yeah, you did, and I’m thankful you checked me on that, but this...” I scrubbed my hands down my face as management barked our names behind us. “I