Page 10 of Switch Hitter

It still makes me want to respond.

I still don’t.

The next morning tastes like regret and stale hotel coffee. Our whole team is at the airport, a tired herd in matching sets with duffels rolling behind us. The terminal is too bright, the air recycled and cold, and the line at security looks like it was designed to punish athletes with long legs and bad attitudes.

Brooks is his normal chipper self, with Mike beside him pretending not to be amused every time Brooks leans in to say something.

Yeah, they’re so obvious it’s just sad at this point.

Will is on FaceTime with Camila, his voice softer than I’ve ever heard it with anyone else.

“I swear, baby,” he says. “No free hotel cereal for breakfast.”

Camila’s voice comes through the speaker like a drill sergeant wrapped in warmth. “Más te vale que no me estés mintiendo, que esa carita no te salva. I packed you some good snacks; don’t give them away.”

Will smiles. “Yes, ma’am.”

Whipped.

Jake walks behind us with that calm, steady presence he always has. He’s the ace, even when he’s not pitching. Quiet authority. Observant eyes.

Jackson’s got his cap low and his earbuds in, but I can tell he’s listening anyway. Andres is beside him like a shadow, hand on Jackson’s lower back in that casual, possessive way.

It shouldn’t make my chest ache.

It does.

How freeing it must be to be comfortable with who you are. To not care that people judge you or stare.

Kai’s loud because Kai is always loud, and Isla is on the phone with him because she’s pregnant and he’s incapable of being normal about it.

“Lemme talk to the baby,” Kai says. “Come on, Princess… just hold the phone up to your belly so I can say hi.”

Gael rolls his eyes next to him, and we move like a pack through TSA, joking and complaining, and for a minute it’s just normal.

Then my phone buzzes again.

I feel it in my pocket like a hot coin.

I ignore it.

It buzzes again.

I ignore it.

Brooks leans over, voice dripping with mischief. “Who’s blowing your phone up, O’Malley? Your secret girlfriend?”

I glare. “No.”

Brooks’ grin widens. “Secret boyfriend?”

My stomach drops so fast I swear it hits my shoes, and Mike coughs like he choked on air. Will turns his head sharply, eyes wide for half a second, then smooths his expression like he didn’t hear anything.

Jake’s gaze flicks to me, quick and assessing.

My face heats up, and because I was blessed with the complexion of milk, I’m sure I now look like a fucking strawberry. Jackson looks up from his phone, eyes narrowing slightly like he’s clocking everything at once. Andres doesn’t look at me, but I can feel him listening anyway.

Kai, of course, is thrilled.