play or not,” I promised him. “But I really think you should tell them you’ll fulfill your contract as long as they make a concerted effort to clean up the atmosphere in that clubhouse. No one should have to put up with the names, comments, looks, or anything else. You’ve earned your spot on that roster. I’m not letting you quit.”
“Not letting me, huh?” PJ laughed, and it dawned on me I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard that particular sound from him. Sure, he’d chuckle occasionally, but never a hearty, carefree belly laugh. “Last I checked, I’ve got over a decade on you, so that means you don’t get to tell me what to do.”
“Okay, well then how about I bribe you to stick it out?”
“I’m listening.” PJ pulled me down so I was lying across his body. “But it’s gonna have to be good, because I was starting to look forward to not having to sleep alone on crappy hotel beds anymore.”
I ran my fingers over my chin as I thought about what to offer him. “Okay, if you stay long enough to reach three thousand, I’ll meet you at the front door every night, naked and ready to relieve your stress.”
“I like the sound of that, but what if someone comes home with me?”
“Yeah, as if you’d let anyone follow you home knowing you’ll be having sex within a minute of walking through the door,” I scoffed. “I’d be willing to bet you’ll be the first one out of the clubhouse every night and there’ll be tire tracks from you peeling out of the parking lot.”
“Probably true,” PJ conceded. “I’m not going to make any promises. But I’ll go in there tomorrow and listen to what Brian has to say before making any decisions. And if I can, I’ll talk to you about it, first. Because we’re a team now, you and me.”
“Now that’s a team I can be a part of.”
It didn’t take long for PJ to pass out after that. Without the stress from work or uncertainty at home, his body simply shut down to recharge. And for the first time in a week, I did the same without the heavy weight of regret on my chest. I had no clue what tomorrow would hold, but everything was going to be okay.
24
Pj
The park was still quiet when I pulled into the parking lot. Off to one side, there were cars belonging to the support staff, who were likely the only people here this early. The game wasn’t until tonight and we’d come off a long road trip, which meant most of the guys would be spending some much needed time at home with their families. That’s where I wanted to be, but I was anxious to get this meeting over with.
I’d slept better last night than I had in a while, but that didn’t mean I felt refreshed. Nate had wrapped his body around mine, which led to me waking up about two o’clock, drenched in our combined sweat. After that, I lay in the bed, running my fingers along Nate’s spine, trying to figure out what in the hell I was going to do.
“PJ, it’s good to see you,” Brian greeted me when we met outside the doors to the front offices. I shook his hand and stepped through the door when he motioned for me to lead the way. “I’m sorry things didn’t go well yesterday. I didn’t mean to imply you were to blame for the events which took place while you guys were on the road.”
“I understand,” I replied honestly. At first, I’d thought that’s exactly what he was trying to say, but once I had a chance to cool down a bit, I knew the stress of the situation weighed heavily on him. We all said shit we didn’t mean when our minds were clouded with problems. “And I’m sorry I didn’t respond well. I was eager to get home, but we needed to clear the air before I left.”
“Just one of the many things I admire about you.” We stopped by his assistant’s desk and he grabbed a single manila folder. He waved it in his hand as he stepped behind the cluttered desk in front of the window. “Your agent called me this morning to tell me something pressing came up and he won’t be able to join us. He said that if you want to discuss what I’m about to say with him, he’ll be available until ten,