Chapter 26 #2
He answered immediately. “Where are you?”
“In the stadium. Just got out of media.”
“Good,” he answered. “You know about the headline, I take it?”
“Yeah.” I blew out a breath. “I saw it.”
“It’s already moving,” he warned. “It’s not just one outlet. It’s being copied everywhere, and they’re going to keep pushing the same angle.”
“The angle being?” I asked, even though I already knew.
“That you and the president’s daughter are dating,” he replied bluntly. “That’s the version they can sell in one sentence, so that’s what they’re going to run with.”
My jaw tightened. “Cool.”
Marcos kept going. “Here’s how you’re going to handle it. You don’t give them a second location tonight. Not with her there.”
I balked. “I’m not dragging her to a bar with my teammates.”
“Good, because right now they’ve got a photo of her at Fenway. The next thing they’re going to try to get is you with her. Don’t give them that after a headline like this, because then it turns into a bigger story that doesn’t stop.”
“So what do you want me to do?” I asked.
“You go see your family,” he replied. “You keep that part private. She leaves with her detail. You don’t walk out with her, you don’t meet up with her later, and you don’t do the ‘we’ll be discreet’ thing.”
I exhaled, annoyed that he wasn’t wrong. “Okay.”
“And if you celebrate with the guys, fine,” Marcos added. “Do it with the guys. No cameras. No random places. No hanging out somewhere just because someone wants a smoke and suddenly you’re in the background of a photo.”
“That’s a very specific example.”
Marcos didn’t laugh. “Because it happens.”
I dragged a hand over my face. “This is insane.”
“Yeah.” He let out a breath. “But go enjoy your win, kid. When you’re ready to come out about your relationship with Faye, let me know first.”
“All right,” I answered. “I’m going up now.”
We ended the call and I hurried back to the clubhouse to finish my food quickly before heading up to meet my family.
Upstairs, Agent Pederson stood near a door, and I knew that had to be the suite everyone was in. “Congrats.” He stuck out his hand.
I took it. “Thanks.”
I walked into the room, and Cammie practically launched herself at me.
“There he is!” she yelled, throwing her arms around my neck.
“You screamed loud enough during the game that I heard you all the way at short.” I pulled back.
“Good.” She beamed. “That was the goal. Also, I’m never getting my voice back.”
Tyler shoved in next, grinning. “Rookie of the year, baby.”
“Relax,” I replied, though I couldn’t stop smiling.
Hayden pulled me into a quick hug right after he did. “You did it.”
Mom grabbed me next, holding on tight. “You did so well today,” she whispered.
“I didn’t die,” I joked, and she let out a watery laugh.
“Don’t get cute,” she warned, wiping her cheek. “I’m allowed to be emotional.”
Dad clapped me on the shoulder, then pulled me into a hug. “You good?”
“I’m good. A lot’s happening though.”
He let out a chuckle. “No kidding.”
Gage stepped in close and squeezed my shoulder. “You looked locked in out there. That’s what impressed me. I would have been a nervous wreck.”
“Thanks.” My throat tightened for a second before I forced it down.
Tony gave me a fist bump. “Hell of a day.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Fallon and Rhett both congratulated me with bro hugs, and then I turned and saw Faye standing near the window. When our gazes met, it got easier to breathe.
“You made it,” she said with a sigh.
“Yeah.” I stepped closer. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Annoyed, but fine.”
“So, where are we on Dylan?” Dad asked.
Faye met my eyes. “Working on it.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a text from D in the group chat.
I’m showered and changed, but the bus is rolling out soon. If I’m coming up there it’s gotta be fast
Faye typed immediately:
Use the service elevator by the visiting clubhouse. An agent will be waiting
She lifted her gaze to Agent Pederson, who stood by the door. “Dylan’s coming up.”
He gave a quick nod, touched his earpiece, and spoke low.
Cammie leaned into me again. “This is insane.”
“It’s a normal Tuesday for her.” I chuckled.
Faye’s mouth twitched.
A few minutes later, Dylan stepped inside wearing a Crushers hoodie and joggers.
“Dylan!” Cammie squealed and threw herself at him.
He caught her and laughed. “You’re gonna be hoarse for a week.”
“I don’t care!” she yelled into his shoulder.
Tyler stepped in next and pulled Dylan into a quick hug. “Proud of you, bro.”
Dylan’s mouth tightened. “Thanks, but it would have been better if we had won.” He shot me a look, and I shrugged.
Hayden leaned in after his husband and squeezed Dylan’s arm. “Win or lose, it was a big day.”
“Yeah.” Dylan smiled.
Gage didn’t rush him. He just stood there for a second, eyes locked on his son as if he needed to see him up close to believe it, then stepped in and grabbed him. “Come here,” Gage told him.
Dylan folded into the hug, and for a second, he stopped pretending to be fine. His hands pressed into the back of Gage’s shirt, and his shoulders dropped.
“You did good,” Gage added. “You did really good.”
Dylan swallowed. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Gage replied. “I’m proud of you.”
Dylan let out a shaky breath, even as he tried to hide it. “Thanks, Dad.”
Gage pulled back, kept a hand on Dylan’s shoulder, then looked him over the way dads do when they’re trying not to look emotional. “You eat?”
“I ate,” Dylan answered, then his eyes flicked to Faye and me.
Mom hugged him next, and he went still for a beat before tightening his hold. “I’m proud of you,” she told him. “Both of you.”
“Thanks,” Dylan responded.
Dad was next with a hug. “Good work today. Tomorrow’s a new day and a new chance to win.”
“That’s the plan,” Dylan retorted.
Tony clapped Dylan’s shoulder. “Hell of a debut.”
“Appreciate it.”
“Yeah, both of you did amazing,” Fallon said and hugged Dylan.
“I got some awesome shots of each of you. I’ll send them to you after I edit them.” Hayden hugged Dylan too.
Faye stayed close, not touching either of us because of the security cameras in the room. “I’m proud of you two too.”
Cammie pointed at Dylan. “He should’ve been in the headline too.”
“I know,” I said. “But that would be more of a shitshow than it already is, given the media.”
Faye’s expression remained hard. “I’m not letting them write our story.”
Dylan held her gaze. “Good.”
“When the time’s right, I’m sure PR will handle it. On both sides,” Dad stated.
We nodded in agreement, and Dylan exhaled and looked at me. “I’ve gotta go soon.”
“Before you do,” I began, then held his gaze. “The guys are going out tonight to celebrate.”
Dylan arched a brow. “Okay?”
“They’re making me go because I guess rookies have to buy the first round.”
“Child’s play.” Dad chuckled. “When I was a rookie, they had me pick up the tab for the whole infield at a place that didn’t list prices on the menu, then made me show up the next morning with breakfast orders for everyone.
If you got one thing wrong, you went back out and did it again. Buying the first round is easy.”
“How much did that cost you?” Gage asked.
“Almost my entire signing bonus.”
“Ouch.” Gage laughed.
My phone buzzed in my pocket again, and when I pulled it out, a message from Cruz appeared.
Flanagan’s in an hour. Don’t be late, rookie
I stared at it for a second, then looked across the room at Faye, my family, and the security by the door.
“Speaking of, they’re meeting at the bar in an hour,” I announced.
“I need to get to the bus,” Dylan said, heading for the door.
“You two go.” Mom motioned for us to leave. “We’ll see you both in the morning.”
I looked at Faye. “I’ll call you when I get home.”
She gave me a small smile. “Okay.”
“Me too,” Dylan added. “I’ll call from the hotel.”
We stepped out into the hall after saying goodbyes. Dylan went one way while I went the other, and it hit me that in a few days we’d be on different planes to different cities for the first time in our entire lives.