Chapter 2

The week crawled for Sam. He had told no one that he’d been called up. He just wasn’t in the mood for the celebration that would cause. Instead, he was thinking about leaving for Clearwater, Florida, early. He knew that some of the older players were already at the ballpark, working out and improving their conditioning. He thought about maybe heading down there next week just to get away from all this wedding crap. His heart was breaking. He didn’t need or want a front row to see his girl pledge her life to another for all time. Plus, maybe if he went to Florida, he could find some Cleat Chasers or Hardwood Honeys. A few nights with a couple of them would take his mind off Teressa. Why not? He was good, and they’d offered, but he’d always avoided them here. Maybe that had been a mistake. After all, a few of his fellow players had met their wives at the park. It wasn’t like he was pure as the driven snow. He’d had his hookups, not many of them, but a few. Still, anything was better than pining after the woman he wanted who wanted nothing more than to keep him in the friend zone.

Yet here he was at their stupid engagement party, pretending to be happy for them. He pulled the flask of Toby’s strongest shine out of his back pocket and took a big swallow. Then grabbed the champagne glass as they were being passed out. He guessed Mister Fleming was about to officially announce the wedding date and toast the happy couple. Teressa caught his eye and smiled at him. He raised his chin and smiled before lifting his glass to her. Pretending to toast to her happiness. Man, she looked so beautiful. She was all but glowing with joy. Why not? She was getting everything she ever wanted. He knew Leroy was a good guy. Had a good job not seven hundred thousand a year good, but it wasn’t his fault he’d suffered a career-ending injury in college before he could get drafted to the NFL. It was the reason Sam had switched his focus his Junior year to just baseball. No four-year wait to become a pro in baseball. He’d already had owners and coaches of Major League teams approaching him as a sophomore pitcher. So he dropped football where he would be nothing but a second-string quarterback behind Leroy. But on the mound, no one was as good as Sam was. In baseball, he was the best of the best.

Now that he was headed to the big show, one day soon his name would be spoken right along with Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, and Pedro Martinez. He had something none of them had. He could hurl ninety-five MPH fastballs with either hand and each one was deadly accurate. Unlike a lot of pitchers, he’d spent just as much time perfecting his swing and could rip the stitches out of the ball with a solid swing, too. He just needed to get away from this town and the woman who didn’t want to marry him or even love him like he loved her.

He missed the date of the wedding and the toast, not that it mattered he would be in Florida before then, anyway. Tomorrow, he will reach out to his agent and ask Lisa to find him a realtor in Clearwater. He wanted a fly bachelor pad in Clearwater, some place to impress some hardwood honeys, yet keep them out when he was done with them.

He raised his glass and drained it. As he lifted his gaze, he was met with the disapproving stares of his sister and the bride-to-be. He smiled and sighed. Recognizing the importance of being polite, he guessed he should congratulate the happy couple. Then he had a date with the batting and pitching cages again. Couldn’t keep drinking or he’d be worthless come February 15th, and he had to be the best the Dragons’ pitching coaches had ever seen. There was no way he wanted to get sent back down to the minors and end up right back here, where his heart was being ripped to shreds.

He headed to the front where Leroy and Teressa were holding court. Casey caught up with him about halfway through the room. “You either need to do better at faking being happy for her or you need to man up and tell her how you really feel, Sam.”

“What are you talking about, Casey? I am happy for her. She’s getting everything she ever wanted. I couldn’t be more happy.”

“Yeah, and that isn’t the liquor talking. Cheese and Crackers Sam, you smell like Toby’s stills. How much of that moonshine have you drank today?”

“Not nearly enough, Casey. I can still feel, and it hurts like hell.”

His twin dragged him off to the kitchen away from any listening gossips. “I know, but you only have yourself to blame, Sam. You should have told her years ago how you really felt. Then it might be you standing up there.”

He shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t. I lost her a long time ago. If not in ninth grade, then after Junior Prom, when she gave herself to the lucky son of a gun. All I’ll ever have is one kiss under that stupid tree. I swear I should cut that thing down and burn the whole thing right there in the field. Maybe I can have an enormous bonfire to celebrate their happy union. Not that it will matter much longer, anyway. I’m gone in two months, maybe sooner, if Lisa can find me a magnificent apartment.”

Casey frowned. “What are you talking about, you drunk fool?”

“I’m not drunk, not yet, but the night is still young. A few more glasses of celebration champagne and the rest of the mason jar in our tree house and maybe I’ll be numb enough to forget about her. Leaving for Clearwater will help.”

“What are you talking about? Why would you be going to Clearwater?” Then her eyes got big. “Wait. Spring Training is in Clearwater! Sam? Did you get traded?”

He shook his head and pulled out the folded letter he’d been carrying for the week. “Nope going to the Big Show, sis. I’m the newest Relief Pitcher for the Denver Dragons. Just in time, too. Can’t watch her and him be all happy ever after. Going to Clearwater as soon as I can get a place and moving to Denver after that. Never coming back here. Never going to look out and see that tree house. Really should burn it down before I leave. It ain’t our house anymore. Just a lie, always been a lie. I just wouldn’t believe it.”

Just then, the kitchen door opened and Leroy Taggert saw him and smiled. “Good, I found you. I thought you’d left. I need a favor, Sam I am. You gotta help me, man. No one else can, just you.”

Sam smiled his fake smile, the one he wore when the team lost and the reporters still wanted to talk to them. “Sure, man, was just telling my sister some news. What can I do for you?”

“Great, look, come with me and we can tell Teressa you’ll help and save my bacon here, buddy. I really appreciate it.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever you two need,” Sam said, not meaning it. He’d be gone in a few days and it wouldn’t matter.

Leroy put his arm around Sam’s shoulder and led him toward Teressa. “You’re a good friend, man. Her best friend, so you’re the perfect stand-in for me.”

“Wait ... What? Stand in for what?”

Before Leroy could answer him, they were standing in front of Teressa. “Baby, good news. You know how I told you I didn’t know if I could help you get everything together for the wedding because of this new account I’m working on? Well, I found you the perfect helper. Sam knows everything in your little wedding book, right? He promised me he’d help you make sure you have everything you want. Isn’t that great??”

“Aw hell no!!!” Sam thought. “There is no way I’m going to help plan her wedding to him. Not now, not ever.”

“Look, guys. I’d love to help but...”

That was as far as he got before Teressa squealed and hugged him, the look on her face one of relief and joy. “Really Sam? Oh, thank you so much. I know with my best friend helping, I’ll have the perfect wedding, just like I’ve been planning since ninth grade.”

“Just stab the knife in deeper, God. I think you missed a few places.” he thought. Now he couldn’t say no. Not with her looking at him like he was her hero. “Sure, Teressa. Always here for you, sugar. Just let me know when you need me.”

“Well, we only have two months, so we need to get started right away. We were supposed to meet with the wedding planner tomorrow at ten. Can you be here then? Carol said she’s the best but opinionated and you know I already have the perfect plan. I just need someone to make her understand I want what I want. Nothing less will do.”

“Two months? I didn’t realize it was coming up that quick.”

She frowned. “What you didn’t think Daddy meant next Valentine’s Day, did you? You know it has to be Valentine’s Day. That’s always been the plan. You know that it’s in the scrapbook.”

“No, I guess I didn’t think about it. Got a lot on my mind lately. Tomorrow at ten, I’ll be here. We’ll make sure you get everything exactly like you want it. Anything for my best gir ... umm ... friend.”