The Troublemaker (The Dugout #4)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Easton

One week ago…

All in all, I’d say my life is a solid seven out of ten.

I come from a big, loving family. My parents always supported my pipe dream of becoming a professional baseball player, and hey, that dream actually came true.

I’ve been fortunate to stay out of any crazy long slumps, and I’ve played for the Chicago Colts for the majority of my career.

Hold on a second, I have to knock on wood. Sorry, the superstitions of a major-league ballplayer run deep.

Lastly, I have amazing friends. Although they’ve been dropping out of the single life one by one, leaving me to fend off all the ladies myself. Don’t worry, I’m up for the challenge.

Just looking around the backroom of the bar we call our second home, Peeper’s Alley, is all the evidence I need to say they’re on the other side of the fence from me—soon I’ll be living in this condo building above us all by myself while they go off and fill their four-bedroom houses.

I could sit here with them all night and play pinball with their kids, peekaboo with their babies, and debate stroller ratings with the same intensity we reserve for our fantasy football leagues. Act as if I’m one of them. But what fun is that? I’d rather go out and stay up past my bedtime.

I finish my beer and stand. “All right.” I grab my jacket off the back of the chair. “I’m out.”

Everyone looks at me, then at each other.

“Where are you going?” Decker asks.

“Out.”

Foster frowns. “It’s eight thirty.”

“I’m aware.”

“You never leave before eleven,” Hayes says.

“New chapter.” I slide my arms into the sleeves of my jacket, then walk over to the door.

The whole table is still watching me. They never mind their own business. I can’t fault them—I don’t either.

I stop right before I open the door and hear Ruby talking on the other side. “What the hell? This is a bar, not the Safe Haven Baby Box at the fire department.” A few seconds later, she walks in carrying a baby carrier.

“Now they’re just being delivered by the stork? Slow down, guys. I’ll never catch up.” I laugh and look back at my friends.

They all have confused expressions—eyebrows drawn, downturned smiles, widened eyes.

“It was a joke. Excuse me, Rubes, I got somewhere to be.” I try to slide past her, but she thrusts the carrier at me. “Rubes?”

I peek my head in the carrier. The baby is cute. Dark hair with a slight auburn tint. From the blue clothes, I assume it’s a boy, but who really knows?

“He’s cute.” I twist my body to get past her and through the door.

“This was just delivered for you.” She leaves me no choice but to grab the carrier.

“Funny, Rubes. Last thing I ordered from Uber Eats was Thai food, not a baby.”

The sound of chairs scraping across the floor echoes through the room, and suddenly all the women are huddled at my side.

“Oh, he is cute,” Leighton says.

“He has the most adorable little nose.” Callie taps it lightly with her index finger.

“And look at his little lips moving as he sleeps.” Penelope runs her finger down his arm.

“What’s going on, Rubes?” I look after her, but she’s already half out the door.

“A guy came in and said there was a delivery for someone here. Your name is on the letter.”

“Letter?” Callie finds it sandwiched between the baby’s arm and the side of the carrier.

Sure enough, my name is on the envelope. And so there could be no mistaking that it’s meant for me, my jersey number is scribbled right next to my name. My stomach plummets into the bowels of the earth, and my lungs seize.

“Holy shit,” Decker mumbles.

I turn and place the baby carrier on the table, and everyone surrounds the little one.

“Can I hold it?” Monroe asks.

“Not now, sweetie,” Leighton says.

“What is this? A joke?” I look around, hoping someone else is connecting the dots differently than I am.

“I don’t think it’s a joke, Kodiak. I think you’re a dad.” Hayes reaches the same conclusion I have.

“Hey,” Callie says quickly, grabbing my arm. “Breathe.”

I try.

My ears start ringing.

The edges of my vision go fuzzy.

I’m vaguely aware of the sound of more chairs skidding along the floor right before everything goes black.