13. Chapter 13
I fall back onto my bed, exhausted. We’ve been traveling all week for away games. I miss my giant couch and my memory foam mattress. But, most of all, I miss looking up into the stands and seeing Alyssa.
I haven’t had a chance to talk to her since she randomly called me and asked me to go to the wedding, aside from a quick text with the details for our flights. I plan on reimbursing her for the tickets and any other expenses for this trip—anything I can to help, to show her she’s not in this alone.
I’m about to turn on the TV and see if I can find an old rerun of New Girl when there’s a knock at my hotel door. I run a hand over my face. If this is like the one time an obsessed fan found the floor the team was staying on and snuck past security, it’s best not to answer.
I reach for the TV remote when another knock sounds.
I groan, push up off the bed, and make my way to the door.
I peer through the peephole and see Hayden, Fletch, Cooper, and Dawson.
Through the distorted view, it looks like a scene from a clown house.
My teammates appear top-heavy and even more giant, taking up the entire hallway with their large shoulders.
I can’t help but snicker as I unlock and open the door.
“What are you laughing at? We just lost.” Fletch knocks his fist against my arm as he moves past me.
“Don’t mind him. He’s grumpy because the other pitcher threw a no-hitter and not him.
” Hayden grips my shoulder as he follows Fletch.
Into my room. Dawson and Cooper trail behind them without a word.
I stare at the empty doorway, dumbfounded, before closing it and turning to where the guys have taken up residence on my sofa. Except, I don’t see Hayden anymore.
I look to the left and groan when I spot him. “Dude, why are you in my bed?”
“In your street clothes?” Cooper shakes his head. “That’s gross.”
Hayden lifts the covers and looks down at his shirt with a frown. “I just showered and put these on.”
“Do you have a habit of unwinding in other people’s beds?” Dawson asks.
“Doesn’t everyone?”
We all stare at him in shock.
“Have you been in my bed?” Cooper runs a hand over his mouth, like he already knows the answer.
“Of course.”
“What do you mean, of course?” Cooper frowns. “Why would you get in my bed? Or anyone else’s, for that matter?”
Hayden shrugs. “Whenever you invite us over for a video game night, you always say to make ourselves at home.”
Dawson shakes his head. “It’s a figure of speech, man.”
“It’s how I relax.” Hayden clasps his hands behind his neck and flexes. “I can’t be the best DH in the league without my beauty rest.”
“The pretty, pretty princess needs his beauty sleep,” Fletch teases, and Hayden shoots him a withering look.
Cooper lets his face fall into his hands. “So, you’re telling me every time you disappear at guys’ night, you go hang out in my bed?”
Hayden nods.
Fletch chuckles. “I thought you were just taking a massive dump. This is so much better.”
“Your bed is nice, too,” Hayden says, shutting Fletch up real quick. “But Austin’s is the best. The memory foam wraps around me like a warm hug.”
“Dude, I’m never inviting you over again.” I pick up a water bottle and chuck it at him. He catches it easily. “Will you get out of my bed?”
“Fine.” Hayden slides out of the covers and pulls out the desk chair to sit in.
“And a good rule of thumb for the future: Don’t get in any beds that aren’t yours.” Dawson shoots him a look.
“What if I’m tired after a game?”
“No,” we all respond in unison.
“Unless you’re invited.” Fletch wiggles his eyebrows.
Hayden harrumphs as I sit on the edge of the bed. “Maybe there’s something else you guys want to explain?” They stare back at me blankly. “Like why you’re all in my hotel room at” —I glance at the clock on the nightstand—“eleven at night.”
“We thought you could use a pep talk,” Dawson says.
“Fletch seemed more torn up over the loss than me.”
“I mean, you guys couldn’t have hit one pitch?” Fletch turns to Hayden. “Isn’t that your entire job?”
Hayden holds up his hands. “Don’t come at me. You’re just mad because it was Tucker that got a no-hitter, not you.”
“Freaking Tucker,” Fletch mutters.
“You both played college ball at North Carolina, right?”
“Unfortunately. He made everything a competition since the day I met him. I’m sure he’ll be laughing himself to sleep tonight.”
“We’re getting off track here, guys,” Cooper interjects, then turns to me. “The pep talk isn’t about the loss.”
“We thought you might need a bro chat before your trip with Alyssa.” Dawson rubs his hands together. “Tell us your game plan.”
“Game plan?” I ask.
Hayden takes a sip of the water I threw at him earlier. “You’re going on a five-day vacation with your best friend that you have feelings for and you don’t have a game plan?”
“She asked me right before we went on the road. With all our games and practices, I haven’t had a chance to talk to her, let alone had time to think about the trip.”
“Well, what did she say when she asked you to go with her?”
“It was kinda weird.” I close my eyes, trying to think back on our conversation last weekend. “Alyssa’s the one who called me, but when I answered, she didn’t respond at first. And when she did, she asked if I would go to the wedding with her.”
“Then she just hung up?” Hayden asks.
“Yeah. She texted me the flight info later that day, but like I said, we haven’t talked since.”
Dawson frowns. “That doesn’t sound like the start to a great romance.”
“I thought this was supposed to be a pep talk?”
“Sorry.” He grimaces. “But we need all the facts, man. Is she still talking to that singer you mentioned?”
I shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
“How are we supposed to help when you know nothing?”
“I didn’t ask for help,” I mumble, but they don’t hear me.
“You’re lucky we showed up.” Hayden gets up and stands in front of us. “Dawson’s right—we need more info before we can make a concrete plan.”
Fletch claps. “I didn’t know you knew such a big word.”
“I have some choice words for you.”
“Focus, gentleman,” Cooper chides.
Dawson comes over and sits next to me on the edge of the bed. At least he’s on top of the comforter. “Call her.”
“Huh?”
“Alyssa.” He nudges me. “Call her and see how she’s doing. Get things sorted for the trip.”
“And see if she’s dating the guy still,” Hayden adds.
I quirk a brow. “You all want me to call her…in front of you?”
“How else are we supposed to help you make a game plan if we can’t see where your relationship currently stands?” Hayden retorts.
“Again, I didn’t ask for your help.”
“Yeah, man.” Dawson claps my shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “We all know how hard it can be to ask for help. Now you don’t have to.”
That’s not what I meant. But they’re already so invested in this plan, it would seem cruel to take it away from them. I guess it can’t hurt to get their feedback before I leave on Monday.
“Once we hear how she talks to you, we’ll have a better feel for how much work you need to put in.” Dawson smiles.
“I’ll be able to tell you if she’s flirting in about two seconds.” Fletch smirks. “You’re lucky you came to the expert.”
“No, you’re the expert at being a playboy.” Hayden points at himself. “I’m the expert at flirting.”
“Fine, I’ll call her.” I’m half interested in their thoughts, but I also partly agree just to shut them up for a few minutes. I grab my phone and open my call log. “If you guys say anything or laugh at all, I’m never going to talk to any of you again.” I shoot them a look. “I mean it.”
“Mum’s the word.” Dawson mimics locking his lips and throwing away the key. It wasn’t really him I’m worried about, though. I raise an eyebrow at Hayden and Fletch.
“You won’t even notice we’re here,” Hayden says, and they both snicker.
“Quiet as a mouse,” Fletch agrees. “Like Coop.”
I roll my eyes and look to Cooper, who gives me a what can you do? shrug.
I breathe in and press the call button. I hope they don’t make me regret this later.