I rubbed my neck as the coach was calling us out for some sort of team huddle, but I held back and said, “Yeah.”
“She was clear about that the other day. What’s the second-best offer?”
Just give up on the money? That was his answer. I ignored how my gut was all twisted as I said, “Phil says wait till tomorrow.”
“Look, we worked hard for you to be the best. Georgie seems like a good woman, but you need focus.”
If Phil had a better offer tomorrow, maybe there was a shot at keeping Georgie, if she ever talked to me again.
Or maybe I gave up millions. My fingers shook slightly as I said, “She and I might have been a fantasy.”
“And my grandson? You’ll need a good lawyer if she doesn’t bend.”
My boy mattered, just as much as his mom. I heard the coach in the distance calling out names. He’d get to me in a second, and I had a rush of adrenaline as I said, “I don’t have all the answers yet. That’s why I’m in a bad mood.”
“Shake it off. You have the game of your life and if you want anything other than New York, win big.”
I coughed back the rebellion that comment normally caused in me but also drove me to show him he was wrong. “No pressure at all huh, Dad?”
Dear old dad was the same as he said, “That’s your mother’s job to coddle you. Get your head in the game.”
“I have to go,” I said, and at least I could flex my muscles.
Dad was hard on me, but he was right. I needed to show up and play ball now, not imagine some fantasy life with a woman who clearly didn’t care about me.
I made it to the huddle and the coach didn’t call me out.
Then we all went out as the national anthem was being played. I was silent and let the moment sink in.
I was here to play. Baseball had always been the one girlfriend I could depend on. Hit, run, catch. I had this in me.
As I made it back to the dugout, before we were called out to play my outfielder friend walked over to me and I said, “Rodgers.”
He glanced at me and asked, “Where’s your phone?”
“Huh?” I asked.
He stared at me like I’d committed a murder in front of him as he said, “At this point in the game you always pull out your phone. You said it was your lucky charm.”
Traditions. Right. Georgie’s picture in that bikini of hers had been a dream. And part of my game. I took out my phone like if I didn’t look at her, I’d lose and said, “Right. Thanks.”
His face had color now and he nodded at me. “We need to win, not just for your pinstripes.”
There she was.
Younger, pretty, and staring at me like she actually found me the most interesting person in the world.
Done, I put it away and ignored how my body grew warm like she was part of the package of living happily forever. But I put it away and asked about the Yankees as I said, “How does everyone know about that? I haven’t signed yet.”
“It’s been the buzz in the office for hours,” he said, like it was obvious.
That didn’t matter. The crowd jeered as we were not the home team, but I jogged out with my friend. “Either way I’m here and I’m here to win.”
A few minutes later, the first ball was tossed and almost rammed right into my face, but I caught it. And instincts took over.
Every game was war, and I focused all my attention on it.
The few hours flew fast and it was nighttime as the game ended.
I shook hands with the other team and headed into the locker room.
Rodriguez, after being relieved in the eighth inning, shook the champagne, and let the liquid shower us as we headed inside. I gave Rodgers a high five.
A few minutes later, I was clean and in my jeans with my uniform tossed for Aaron to collect for us.
I avoided the press and headed to my rental car.
My hotel bed was all I had to sleep on, but it wasn’t the worst bed I’d ever had.
As I raced away from the stadium, my phone rang. I reached for it and hoped it was Georgie.
But it was a number I didn’t recognize. I answered and the stranger said, “Great game tonight.”
The man sounded older, but I kept that to myself and said, “Thanks. Who’s this?”
“Gary Narmeli, the attorney that Phil said would call.”
My skin vibrated and my stomach turned into a knot. My agent must have set this up, but my throat froze. I turned into the hotel parking lot and switched my car off. “Right.”
“Look, you’re free to hire whoever. Phil and I have worked together for his players for over ten years now.”
I headed into the lobby and saw no teammates at the bar. Good. I continued to my room. “I trust Phil’s recommendations.”
“So what’s going on?”
Was that code for talk about Georgie? I pressed the button for the elevator and said, “Nothing I’m ready to talk about yet.”
“You sure?”
“I’ll call you when I’m ready,” I said and hung up as I stepped into the elevator.
If I went this route, I gave up on Georgie.
Maybe tomorrow I’d be ready to talk about how my life had changed and what I’d do next. No one needed to lead me anywhere.
As I got off on my floor, Rodriguez was on my caller ID. Had I left something in the locker room? I answered and he said, “Sorry I doubted you earlier Irons. You were good today.”
There he was, the heart of the team. Every team needed one like Rodriguez.
I said, “I wish I could stay with the Sooners, but I need to follow my dreams.”
“We hoped you'd stay, but Rodgers is planning a goodbye bash.”
“I’ll be there,” I said and opened my empty hotel room.
Alone.
I was here for two
