Phil didn’t seem concerned with her arrival time, other than to indicate he was dying for her coffee, and she obliged, making a fresh pot and personally bringing him a mug.

“You seem to be in a good mood today,” he remarked.

“I am.”

She was glad to discover she didn’t feel self-conscious. She had known Phil long enough that she wouldn’t have been surprised if he had figured out that she and Gavin had finally gotten together. But if he had, he didn’t let on. It was business as usual, to her relief.

And even Gavin took that part seriously. He arrived shortly after her, and other than a few warm and knowing glances, he acted exactly the same, focused on his recovery and his work. There was nothing about his manner to suggest that he thought of Jessica in anything but the most professional way.

So it wasn’t until later that day that the first little inkling of trouble appeared. Jessica had decided to join the Sonics at a local taproom in order to update Pete on Gavin’s progress. Unfortunately as soon as she entered the bar, she overheard Roger griping to his teammates.

“So when is our local hero going to start contributing, paying attention to something other than his dick? I’m tired of carrying his load. We can use some hitting. Why are we paying him? Gavin has been here for what, two months, doing nothing but warming up the bench? And Jessica Hart, from what I saw.”

Freezing upon hearing her name, she couldn’t make out the response, but Roger happily continued.

“Hell yes, he’s banging her. Slipping her the hot beef injection, California style. Apparently, that’s when she goes for…”

“Roger, shut the fuck up.”

She recognized Chase’s voice, and he sounded pissed, and ready for a fight as he continued in the same angry tone.

“Everybody knows you tried to get with her, and couldn’t. Get over it.”

“Want to do something about it, Hollywood?” Roger sneered. “Don’t think so since you are getting married. I’m sure you don’t want that pretty face messed up for the pictures…”

This time it was Jake. “He might be getting married, but I’m not. And if you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll shut it for you.”

An altercation was in the making, and Jessica jumped into the fray. “Cut it out! Who cares what he thinks?” She glared at Jake. “I don’t. And while I appreciate you all having my back, what he says only matters if we let it.

“You,” she continued, turning to Chase, “can’t afford to injure your arm. We all can’t afford it. And you,” she said to Jake, “can’t get hurt either. Both of you are critical to the game. As a physical therapist, I know firsthand it is so not worth it to jeopardize your career just because of one loudmouth.”

Jake stepped back, though his eyes still glared at Roger, and Chase clenched and unclenched his fist. But Jessica wasn’t done. She turned to Roger and faced him directly.

“And I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ve had it. All I tried to do was help you when you were hurt, and this is the thanks I get? I know it may come as a shock to you, but not every woman wants to sleep with you. If your ego can’t handle that, that’s your problem. But I’m tired of you making it mine.”

Fortunately at that moment Pete sauntered into the bar, oblivious as he ordered up another pitcher of beer. “I hear some good things about our boy,” he said to Jessica as he took a seat beside Chase.

“That’s right,” she said, forcing her voice to remain calm even as Roger glared at her from over his beer. “He is progressing much more quickly than we anticipated.”

“That’s great news!” Pete said, pouring out a mug of the craft beer, and then handing the pitcher to Chase. “Ain’t it, boys? I’m sure we’re all waiting for the day when Gavin’s name is on the roster. Right, Roger?”

It stunned Jessica that the team manager always seemed to know what was going on, even when he wasn’t there. Furious, Roger stalked out of the bar without looking back, while Jake chuckled out loud.

“Don’t let the door hit you in the ass,” he said, lifting his beer to Chase and Jessica. “To Gavin’s recovery. And to seeing the back of a major league douchebag.”

Everyone raised a glass.

—

When Gavin got home, he got his mail and threw it on the table, and then headed for the shower. Flexing his leg, he discovered that his knee was no longer stiff, but beginning to feel a lot like it did before he got hurt.

He was excited about that, as well as his success with the bat. Jake thought it was time to let Pete in on the secret, and he was on board. He couldn’t wait to begin contributing to the Sonics’ success, and he had every confidence now that that would happen.

And he had a date with Jessica on Sunday. They had been together almost every night, whether to grab a couple of beers after the game, have dinner at her place, or just curl up on the couch to watch TV. He couldn’t see enough of her, couldn’t get enough of her. It astonished him how quickly and easily she fit into his life, and how much she enhanced it.

It had taken her a while to get used to the romance, but he held firm and insisted on flowers, holding the door for her, and giving her sincere compliments. At first she balked and declared she was perfectly capable of doing these things for herself, but he could tell by the softening of her ways that he was getting somewhere. And when he gave her a black-and-white stray kitten he’d found at the park, she was undone.

And then there was the sex.

It was, if possible, even more pleasurable. In the beginning the fire between them was so hot, so bright, that it was explosive. But now he wanted to focus on her, learn how to drive her crazy, to discover what she enjoyed in bed. And just figuring that out was proving exquisite.

Yet he wanted more now than just that amazing body and her company. He wanted her heart. He wanted her to trust him completely, to really know there was no other woman in the world for him. He wanted to wake beside her every day and fall asleep with her in his arms at night. And he wouldn’t be content until he had succeeded.

When he came out of the shower, he ventured to the fridge and helped himself to a beer as he sorted the mail. The bills he put in one pile, the advertisements in the trash. And then he got to a white linen envelope.

He thought it was the invite to Chase’s wedding, but when he opened it, there was a “Thinking of You” Hallmark card inside. Opening it, he saw the saccharine message inscribed, and underneath it was signed simply “Kris.”

He crumbled the card in his fist and tossed it into the trash. Idly he wondered if her new boyfriend wasn’t working out, but he didn’t really care. It was ironic: she had dumped him at the worst possible time in his life, but what he had now with Jessica was so much better, it was well worth the pain. So he decided to ignore her card, and with his silence send her a clear communication that he wanted nothing to do with her. And if she wanted to continue to play this game, she’d play it alone.

But when the phone rang and he saw the California area code, his stomach knotted until he recognized his father’s cell. “Hey, Dad.” He took a swig of the beer.

“How are you doing?”

He knew what the question meant. Not the caring concern of a normal parent, but are you back in the game?

For once, he was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn’t react with irritation. “Pretty good. I’ve been practicing my hitting while doing rehab. We’re talking to the coach next week about me playing, maybe as a pinch hitter.”

“That’s great news!” Gavin could almost hear his father’s sigh of relief. “You get back to where you were before, and in no time at all, all of the first-rate teams will want you. A lot of trades take place over the All-Star break. Could happen as soon as that.”

“At this point I have no desire to go anywhere else,” Gavin said firmly. “I like this team, and think that I can really help them go all the way…”