Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Foster
The only good thing about today’s game was that we won.
I pitched like shit. My velocity sucked. My command was worse. Hayes’s framing saved my ass, so walking out of the stadium and into the streets of Chicago, the cheering makes the oily feeling inside worse since I don’t think I did anything to contribute to our win.
I zip up my jacket, ready to head to my condo to brood.
“Foster!” a woman shouts.
I don’t even glance in the direction it came from, falling in line with Easton and Decker, but we’re stopped when Hayes and Leighton’s family find them ahead of us.
Lincoln runs up to me. “Did you see Miller fall to his knees on your last pitch?” He laughs.
What can I say? The kid loves me. He boosts my ego on a good day, but on days like today, I don’t feel as though I’ve earned his enthusiasm. But I remember myself at his age, when I revered all my favorite players. That was so fucking long ago, and I don’t think I was ever as innocent as him.
“I did.” The one pitch of mine that did what I wanted it to today.
“I’m calling a sleepover at Grandpa and Grandma’s tonight!” Hayes’s dad shouts.
Lincoln disappears from my side, joining Monroe as they jump up and down, both asking their grandparents questions about stopping at McDonald’s and what kind of ice cream they have in the freezer.
Growing up, I thought those kinds of families were only television sitcom shit. Turns out I was wrong.
“We can take them home.” Leighton fights Hayes’s parents about babysitting them, but from what I hear, she and Hayes get no alone time. Especially during the season. Our career isn’t really meant for a family.
My gaze strays to Callie.
She looks good tonight. Her cheeks are a little flushed from the cool air, and her hair is tucked into a Chicago Colts winter hat. Why does she have to fucking be Hayes’s little sister?
Our eyes lock for a moment, and although I should stay far away, I step forward to approach her, but something snags her gaze behind me. A sour expression crosses her face, and she rolls her eyes, turning to Lake to give her a hug goodbye.
“Foster!” a woman screeches right before she steps in front of me and catapults herself into my arms. She throws her arms around my neck, plastering her body to mine. She’s so short, she’s hanging off me like a monkey.
I see her friend standing next to me, checking out Easton and Decker.
“Thanks for the tickets,” she coos in my ear. “Don’t worry, I give great thank you blow jobs.”
Oh fuck. I forgot I left tickets for this girl at will-call. What was her name?
This isn’t my finest moment, and I’m pretty sure I just moved even farther down on Callie’s list. It wasn’t some master plan that I got Samantha… Sarah, maybe… tickets either—just me on autopilot.
“Introductions, Stephie,” her friend says, her gaze rolling up and down my body.
Stephie. That’s it.
Thanks for the save, friend.
Stephie removes her arms from around my neck and drops down to her feet.
My attention shoots to Callie, but all she gives me is a glance as she tells Leighton something.
“Foster, this is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. Like, ride or die. This is Millie.”
Millie holds out her hand. “Family name before you ask.”
I shake her hand, and when Easton catches on to the fact that two women are standing in front of me, he says his goodbyes to the group and moseys on over.
“Easton Bailey.” He introduces himself as if she doesn’t already know, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Who do we have here?”
Stephie’s eyes widen. “I’m Stephie, and this is my BFF—”
“Millie,” she interrupts.
Easton eyes me as if asking which one is mine.
He can have both for all I care because apparently all I want to do is shove my tongue down the one woman’s throat who is off-limits.
None of this is good. It’s actually the worst thing that could happen to me right now. Callie and I have kept it quiet that we slept together once, which makes me an asshole of a best friend. I know the rules, and I broke them anyway.
Hayes has been a loyal friend who always has my back, so the fact I slept with his sister… I shouldn’t be all that surprised she’s still got a hold on me even after I already had her. It’s just karma biting me in the ass for my bad deed.
But continuing anything behind his back would be even shittier.
Still doesn’t stop me from wanting her though. At least so I can remember it clearly next time.
“We’re going out,” Easton says. “Care to join us?”
Stephie looks at me. I’ve been in this situation with girls like Stephie before.
I could ask her if she wants to see my place.
Send Millie with Easton. Both of us would probably get some kind of action, and it’s only based on the fact that we’re professional athletes and we’re both good-looking.
I have that bad boy edge and reputation, whereas Easton has the cocky athlete vibe that’s approachable, and he flirts as though it’s his second job. But I just don’t have it in me tonight.
Getting Stephie tickets was a massive mistake. A real dick move. Not to make Callie jealous—I didn’t even know Callie would be here tonight. But I thought that after being unable to get Callie out of my head, Stephie would help me forget her. Something easy and meaningless.
“We’d love to,” Stephie says. “Right, Mill?”
“Sure.” Millie smiles at Easton.
“Great. I’m just heading home, but you can wait for us down at Peeper’s Alley.” Easton makes the plan since he’s more invested in the outcome.
Stephie’s smile dims. “I heard about that mean owner though.”
Easton laughs. “You just can’t go to the backroom. We’ll walk with you guys there first, so she doesn’t give you trouble.”
Easton saunters closer to Millie, and Stephie falls in line with me as we walk from Webber Field to our condo building.
I say goodbye to Hayes and Callie’s parents as they venture the opposite way toward the parking lot.
“I’m gonna go. Good game, big bro. One day maybe I’ll want to interview you,” Callie says.
Hayes puts Callie in a headlock. She squirms, and the two of them go at it as though they’re eight years old. Her hat falls onto the concrete right at my feet as she wiggles out of his hold.
I bend down to pick it up right as Leighton does, but she stops and allows me to do the kind act. She looks at me with a puzzled expression, as if she’s figured out a riddle.
Callie smooths down her hair, and I watch her search the area until she sees me holding her hat.
“Oh, thanks.” She goes to take it, her gaze flashing to Stephie next to me. And there it is in her eyes. The label she’s pinned and stitched on me—asshole, or maybe douchebag. I don’t think the world’s sharpest seam ripper could pry it off at this point.
“I want one of those,” Stephie says. “Where did you get it?”
Callie’s eyebrows rise. “At the store.” She points at the corner souvenir store that houses all of Chicago’s professional sports teams’ merchandise.
“Can you get me one, Foster? Or wait… should I call you Reaper?” Stephie looks at me expectantly.
Hayes laughs, but when Stephie turns toward him, he pretends to cough. “All that dirt.” He slaps his chest.
“Foster’s good,” I say.
“I’m Callie. We saw you were seated in front of us.” She puts her hand out in front of Stephie.
Millie and Easton are already gone from view.
“You were?” Stephie’s head tilts to the side.
I catch more than a hint of annoyance in Callie’s expression. “Nice of Foster to get you tickets. That’s a real sweet boyfriend move.”
I narrow my eyes, and Callie’s eyebrows rise slightly as if she’s purposely doing this. Does she not remember that she was the one who left without a word? But now she’s looking at me as if I’m exactly who she thinks I am. As though I’ve proven her theory right.
Stephie puts her arm around my waist and her cheek on my chest.
Callie’s gaze flickers down to Stephie’s hand tucked at my hip.
“I know, right? I feel like I won the debutante ball. The diamond girls say he rarely gives out tickets.”
“You must be really special then.” Callie looks at Hayes, who secures Leighton to him—as if she could get any closer.
“We have to get going,” he says.
“No way, you’re coming out with us,” Decker says, sidling up next to Callie. “Looks like we’re the odd ones out.”
“Are you though?” Leighton asks, and Callie shoots her a look that would scare a gladiator.
“I meant because you and Hayes, Foster and…”
“Stephie,” she fills in with a big smile.
“Foster and Stephie. Easton and Stephie’s friend. Callie and I are the only ones unattached.” Decker acts as if he’s some master chess player and has to spell it all out for us. Get a fucking life.
My hand flexes in my pocket, so I wrap my other arm around Stephie. Fuck this. Decker and Callie? Just stab me in the gut and twist the fucking knife.
The only thing worse than being on a team with my estranged brother would be if he were dating the woman I want but can’t have. As it is, Decker and I barely tolerate each other. I can’t imagine things would get any better if he was dating Callie.
“I’m kind of tired.” Callie slips her hat back on her head.
Good girl. She doesn’t need to be doing anything with my brother.
“No way. I’m going out for the first time in a long time. And now that the season is starting, it will be a long time before I can again.” Leighton moves away from Hayes toward her best friend. “I’m going. You’re going.”
“But…”
Leighton crosses her arms. “I’m calling in my BFF favor.”
“We can just go home,” Hayes says.
If I was him—which I’m far from—I’d want to be alone with my girl instead of out in a club. Then again, that has to get boring at times. No way they enjoy spending all that time alone together.
“Come on.” Leighton turns to Hayes and puts her arms around his neck. “We could dance.” She shimmies her hips, and when he doesn’t play along, she takes his hands and places them on her hips. Then she leans in closer and whispers something to him.
“Please.” Callie rolls her eyes. “I am not going to the club to see you maul my brother all night.”
“You can maul me,” Decker says.
My body vibrates with anger. He is not the Davis brother for Callie.
Not that I am either.
“You’re going to let one of your friends talk about me like I’m an animal?” Callie asks Hayes.
“It’s Decker, he’s a rule follower.” Hayes shrugs. “Now…” His gaze shoots my way. “Foster, on the other hand.” He chuckles as if he’s funny, and my heart lodges in my throat.
Fuck, that’s not a look to say sure, take your shot with my little sister. And if the secret that I already had her ever comes out, I’m pretty sure I’d lose my best friend and fuck up the entire team dynamic as well.
“Well, she can’t have him. He’s all mine.” Stephie squeezes her arms around my middle and giggles.
Callie sighs. “Fine. Let’s go. But I’m leaving early.” She looks directly at me when she says, “Decker, let’s get a drink with Ruby first.”
My jaw flexes as I watch her walk away from me—with my brother, no fucking less. I didn’t bring Stephie here to play games. But that doesn’t matter, does it? From the outside, it looks I did.
“Come on. Millie is probably ready to kill me.” Stephie tugs at me.
Hayes and Leighton are clearly in a moment. She’s still convincing him.
I wait a beat, but Hayes waves me off. “We’ll catch up.” Then he swings her around so her back is to the wall, and she squeals.
“They’re really into each other. Did he get her tickets to the game too?” Stephie asks.
“She’s got season tickets,” I grumble.
“Oh, how do I get season tickets?”
You don’t, I think. At least not from me.