Chapter 79 #2
Rhys looked up and could see the concern in Alfie’s eyes. He forced a lightness he did not feel. He was fine. He needed to be fine. “Why wouldn’t I be? I need to go get ready for the game. Did you hear I was starting?”
He didn’t wait for Alfie’s response, just headed straight for the locker room. He needed to get ready and push all of this out of his head. Nothing else could matter except for proving this was where he belonged. That the team wasn’t wrong for believing in him, even after the ways he’d messed up.
He could do that. He had to do that. And prove the Lowrys and Craig had been wrong about him the whole time.
Extra innings. Rhys watched from the on-deck circle as the new closing pitcher for the Comets, Leigh Cole, sent a ball careening in front of the plate. Nik held one hand up in a gesture Rhys took to mean ‘what the hell was that?’
The pitcher shoved hair away from his face and stared up into the sky. God, help me get this little twerp out before he clears the bases and we have to go home with our tail between our legs.
Rhys smirked at the imagined conversation. The pitcher wound up again and Nik hit a sharp line drive out into right field. The pitcher dropped his chin to his chest, his shoulders nearly heaving. Nik gave a quick fist pump at first and handed his elbow and ankle guards off to Patton.
The pitcher glanced at him for a long moment, as if contemplating retribution. He turned back as Rhys strode to the plate, and his face was carefully blank.
They had two runners on, and he only needed to get one of them home for them to win. The first pitch went past him, skimming closer to his face than he’d like.
“If you wanted to give me a kiss, my lips are right here.”
“He’d probably like that,” the catcher muttered, so low Rhys wondered if he hadn’t been meant to catch it.
Just trash talk, though teammates shouldn’t be talking about each other that way.
Though not every team was like the Ocelots, in more than one way.
Even if he was sure they hadn’t cornered the market on queer baseball players.
Still, Rhys was even more sure now he didn’t want to pop up to this asshole behind him.
He adjusted his feet and kept the bat up on his shoulder. The next pitch went the opposite way and again, he held back. The pitcher ran his wrist over his forehead before settling his hat back in place.
The ball clipped the strike zone, and Rhys stepped out of the batter’s box. He took a few swings of the bat, a deep breath, then stepped back into the box.
The following pitch was right down the middle. He was a little early on it, but he could feel the reverberation up his arms as the bat struck the ball. He started running toward first as it arced over the field.
He hadn’t gotten enough. He was almost sure of it. The right fielder drifted toward the wall like he had a bead on it.
Then he jumped and dropped back down to his heels, smacking his hand against the wall. The umpire circled one finger in the air. Rhys let out a loud whoop and held his arms out to his sides as he ran the rest of the bases, smacking Kelly’s hand as he passed him at third.
He jogged toward home plate, stopping a few yards away to take his helmet off and throw it in an arc so it came down on home plate between all the players gathered there.
He was sure he caught Alfie rolling his eyes, but he patted Rhys on the back even as the others started jumping around him.
“Can’t believe you did that.”
“Tenth inning hero.”
Rhys caught the flick of red hair as the pitcher turned away from the mound, his head down. Rhys saw Nik looking after him, but couldn’t place the expression on his face. It didn’t matter. They’d won.
He’d actually helped them win. At least it seemed he could do something right.
He tried not to think of the way Craig looked at him before the game, had talked to him. As if he was the one in the wrong here. All he wanted to do was live his life. Even if Craig thought that was worthless.
He went through the post game process: shower, interview, speech from Turner. Then he finally looked at his phone.
Mel
Congratulations. Do you want me to help you celebrate?
Rhys
Are the twins there with you?
Mel
Mom is still holding to having them home by eight to get back to their school routine, so they’re at home
Rhys
I didn’t think school started again for another month
Mel
It doesn’t. But this didn’t feel worth fighting over when she’s finally giving some ground.
Rhys:
So, it’s just you there now?
Mel
And you and Alfie if you want
Rhys
I’ll talk to him
He put his phone away and turned to Alfie. “Mel wants us to come over. You good with that?”
There was a flicker of something in Alfie’s eyes then it was gone. “If that is how you want to celebrate,” he said. “I thought you would want to go out.”
“When we have Mel waiting for us? Why would I need to?”
A cheer went up from the other side of the locker room and Rhys turned that way, Brock threw his arms around Caleb. “What’s going on?” he asked, striding over there. “Did you propose and leave me totally out of it?”
Caleb laughed and stepped out of his boyfriend’s arms. “I got called up again. Silva broke his hand. They need me there tomorrow, and I’ll probably be there for the rest of the season.”
“Finally, they come to their senses,” Rhys said. “That means we need to celebrate. Unless you’re leaving right away.”
Caleb shook his head. “I just need to be there in time for practice tomorrow.”
“Then, we’re going out,” Rhys announced.
“What about Mel?” Alfie asked softly, when they were by their lockers.
Rhys already had his phone out, because he’d thought of that too. After his impulsive offer.
Rhys
Change of plans. Caleb got called up. We’re taking him out
Want to join us
We’ll be at Embers
Or we can come over when we leave there.
If that’s still okay
Mel
I could use a night out to unwind. I’ll see you there