Theheattodayisgetting to me.
It’s fucking February, but all the rain this week means it’s humid as hell right now.
I hated playing in Atlanta because of the heat. I’m not made for hot weather. Living in Texas between the ages of ten and eighteen was absolute hell.
I shoot water from my bottle into my mouth before collapsing onto our bench in the dugout.
“I’m dying,” I groan, and Lane starts laughing next to me.
“You have to be the most dramatic person I know, and I have a damn four-year-old daughter, Ari.”
“Rude,” I grumble as Josh comes to sit beside us. Time for batting practice, and Cole is up right now.
“In Lane’s defense,” Josh chimes in, “youarereally dramatic.”
“Pierce would be nicer to me.”
Lane practically cackles. “No, he wouldn’t. He gives you more shit than any of us.”
“I think Lucia is actually vying for that title,” I laugh.
“You been enjoying your roommate-free week so far?” Josh asks, referencing my hotel room. We all have the option to have our own rooms when we travel, though we usually don’t. With all of my friends in serious relationships and marriages, though, we all opted for solo rooms for spring training. I don’t want to listen to theiractivities.
“Oh, uh, yeah.” I rub the back of my neck. “It’s been… quieter.”
Lane gapes at me, dumbfounded. “Oh my God, you miss having Lucia around.”
I scoff half-heartedly. “I’ve seen her literally every day we’ve been down here.”
“For like two minutes,” Josh adds.
“It’s fine,” I shrug. “She’s just my roommate.”
“That you’ve been fucking for a month and a half,” Lane smirks.
“Doesn’t mean I have to miss living with her.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Josh says before turning to me with a sly grin. “But I think you do anyway.”
“I don’t.”
“How many times have you texted her since we got to Bradenton?” Lane raises his brow.
“A few times…”
A day.
They both stare at me with disbelieving looks.
“Focus on the season, dicks,” I chide. “You don’t need to worry about whatever is going on between Lucia and me.”
I regret the words as soon as they’re out of my mouth.
“So somethingisgoing on!” Lane grins.
I scrub a hand down my face. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“How did you mean it then?” Josh prods.