Page 10 of Switch Pitching

“It was kinda the same for me. My parents put me in hockey at first because that’s basically the default option, but I totally sucked at it. One day, I held my stick like a baseball bat, my parents registered me for baseball camp, and the rest is history. Now I’m here just trying to make a name for myself.”

“So your parents got you all the gear for hockey, just for you to become a baseball player?”

“Oh yeah. My dad got a little annoyed after having to shell out for a second sport, but my mom came to the rescue.” He trails off, seemingly uncomfortable. “My family isn’t rich or anything. They’re comfortable.”

The way he rushed to say that his family isn’t rich pretty much confirms that they actually are. That doesn’t change my opinion of him, though. He’s not flashy or obnoxious about it, and that’s all anyone can ask for.

James looks away, collecting his thoughts. He leans toward me, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“So, what’s the deal with your love life? Are you gonna bring anyone special to Boston?”

“Woah, where’d that come from?” I ask, his question catching me off guard. It’s the first time someone’s asked so directly.

“I don’t know, I’m just curious.”

“Nothing to report there,” I say, not giving anything away.

“Nothing at all? Are you actually letting your pretty face go to waste?”

I laugh at James’s joke, weighing whether to share more. If I was anyone else, now would be a convenient time to say I’m gay. James seems like he’d be fine with it, but I have a lot to prove before I can think about revealing that side of me to the team. Back in college, everyone more or less knew, and I didn’t have to come out. Hopefully, I can work toward that here, but it’ll be a while before that happens.

“Nope, nothing,” I say. “It doesn’t help that I’m hyper-independent, almost to a fault.”

James doesn’t push further. Instead, he pivots. “I get it. Our schedule isn’t exactly friendly to relationships. Away games make it tough to find anything serious.”

“Yeah, I hear you. It’s all part of the deal.”

James laughs. “Sure, but I probably won’t be playing the field too much once the season starts.”

After a brief pause, he leans back and stares at the ceiling. “Speaking of that, I feel like I need to clear up some stuff,” he starts. “I know everyone here makes me out to be a wild fuckboy who’s hell-bent on laying pipe wherever I walk, but that isn’t who I am. That whole rumor started because I left a restaurant with four girls. They were beyond wasted, so I called them cabs to get them home safely. That’s it.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah,” James says with a shrug. “Not much of a story there, but that’s how it went down.”

Glancing at James, I try to gauge how much the rumors bother him. The neutral expression on his face tells me that he’s playing it cool, but there’s something in the way his shoulders are stiff, like he’s forcing himself to hold back.

“That sounds rough,” I offer. “I’ve never dealt with a rumor like that, but I get why you’d feel uncomfortable.”

He leans back on the bed and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah. It’s kinda ridiculous, but once people get an idea in their heads, it sticks. Now people assume I’m trying to hook up with half the room whenever I’m out.”

I finish my beer and toss the empty can into the trash. “Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re like that. You’ve been real with me from the start.”

James gives me a tired smile, his warm brown eyes meeting my tired gaze. “Thanks, Ethan. That means a lot.”

I stretch out to kick him. “Don’t get used to this. I’m only being nice for once.”

He chuckles, and I realize I like making him laugh way more than I should. The conversation tapers off into a calm silence, and James lies down and stretches out, yawning. “You mind if I crash here tonight?” he asks. “I’m about to pass out.”

“Of course.” I gesture to the bed he’s already lying on.

James smiles, looking relieved. “Thanks, man. Appreciate it.”

He loosens the blanket from the bed and curls up, making himself at home. I’ve shared rooms with teammates before, but I felt neutral. This time, it’s nice to have company. I haven’t had a teammate I’ve connected with like this in ages, if ever. James makes me laugh, backs me up, and doesn’t make things weird when I’m quiet. It’s exactly what I’ve always wanted in a friend and teammate.

And that’s the problem.

Every time he does something thoughtful or flashes me a kind, casual smile, it chips away at me. I can’t start seeing him as anything more. He’s straight, and I’d only be setting myself up for disaster. I’d risk screwing up the one solid friendship I’ve got.

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