Behind the Plate (The Boys of Baseball #2) - J. Sterling Page 0,84

the field, and that spilled onto it as well.

I’d never been in trouble on a team before. Then again, I’d never thrown one of my teammates under the bus before.

Coach pulled me aside before warm-ups one afternoon. “What the hell did you do to my team, Carter?”

“Coach?” I looked at him questioningly and tried to play dumb.

“My team? They’re all pissed at you. Act like you have the fucking plague. What the hell did you do?” His accent grew stronger with each question he asked.

I sucked in a breath before admitting, “Ratted out Tanner to his girl, sir.”

Coach let out a sound that was more like a holler than a laugh. “You’re fucking joking.”

“Wish I were, Coach,” I said, but I struggled. I honestly thought I’d done the right thing, but if everyone’s attitudes were any indication, all I’d done was royally screw up.

Coach gripped me by the shoulder and turned me away from the rest of the team, walking me down the chalk outline at third base. “Why the hell would you go and do something as stupid as that?”

“ ’Cause we were driving her to the airport and she asked.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of lying, son? Taking one for the team? Protecting your boy at all costs, no matter what? Where’s your damn loyalty?”

“I don’t owe Tanner shit. Least of all my loyalty,” I argued before I had a chance to think about the words forming in my head and stopping them from coming out of my mouth. I’d never talked to a coach like that before. “Sorry, Coach. I didn’t mean—”

“No, you listen here. Tanner’s your teammate. You don’t have to like him, but you do have to have his back. That’s the only way this works. Apologize. Tell him you fucked up and that you’re sorry. Tell him it won’t happen again. Fix my damn team, Carter, or I’ll send your ass home. I don’t care how good you are.”

“For real, Coach?” I asked, unsure if he was pulling my chain or not.

Would he really send me home because I’d meddled in someone’s personal life?

“Do I look like I’m joking?” He pointed at his face, which held a scowl and no hint of humor.

“You do not.”

“Because I am not. We don’t meddle, son. We don’t get involved. We don’t get in the middle. And we sure as hell don’t throw our teammate to the wolves just because a girl asked you a question. She isn’t your problem. His relationship with her isn’t your problem. Stay out of people’s shit, Carter. Learn that lesson now. Ingrain it in your pea brain.” He stabbed my head with his finger. “Take it home with you to California and don’t ever fucking forget it,” he said as a ball of spit formed in the corner of his mouth. He looked like a rabid dog about to attack, and I was the only one in range.

“Yes, Coach.”

“Now, go fix my damn team,” he said before stalking off, pulling his baseball cap off, and running his fingers through what little was left of his hair.

I turned around to see the guys huddled in the outfield, the majority of them watching me with glee in their eyes. They were happy I had gotten my ass handed to me. Tucking my tail between my legs, I jogged over and shoved myself between two teammates who did not make room for me. I couldn’t believe I had to apologize to this cheating, egotistical prick.

“Hey, man. I fucked up,” I said, looking right at Tanner. “I’m really sorry I said that stuff to your girl. It wasn’t my business, and I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“What the hell, Carter? I mean, who does that?” one of my teammates asked from inside the huddle.

I shrugged before answering, “I don’t know. I messed up. It won’t happen again. You guys can trust me.”

Murmurs broke out, and I wasn’t sure who was saying what exactly.

“Apology accepted,” Tanner spoke up as he stuck his hand out, and I gripped it hard, giving him a firm shake. “You did me a favor actually,” he added with a grin.

“Did I now?” I asked, wondering how on earth I’d done that.

“I was looking for a way to get rid of Beth before I got drafted. Now, I don’t have to, so thanks for that.” He turned to give someone a high five. “It was still a dick move though. Don’t pull that shit again. The next guy might not be so forgiving,” he said