Sweet Spot: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Bad Boys of Summer Book 2) (9 page)

“I read about it. Pretty damn shocking if you ask me. What are they thinking?”

“Who? The Warriors or the Coyotes?”

He laughed. “Both!”

I shook my head. “Well, I don’t know that part. I’m just here to get an interview with Trey.” I flushed again at the sound of his name rolling off my tongue, flashing back to how I’d dreamed of panting it in between…well…never mind. “Anyways, I’m in Denver tonight for the game and since I have a few hours to kill, I was giving myself the morning off.”

“I see.” He still sounded highly skeptical. “Well, baby, I just wanted to call and see how you’re doing and to let you know what’s going on around here.”

“I’m good, Daddy. I miss y’all, of course.” I smiled sadly. It had been nearly six months since my last trip home and I was getting antsy to go back again.

“Miss you too, JoJo. Your mama is already making up your room. Dusting and changing the sheets.”

“Even though no one has slept in the bed since the last time I was there…” I giggled. “Oh, Mama…tell her I love her.”

That was so like her. First of all, my room looked exactly as it had the day I moved out to go to college. Nothing had been moved or replaced. My parent’s ranch house was on a five-thousand-acre plot of land and was a massive, four thousand square foot home. There were plenty of guest rooms available, so when I moved out, my parents just closed my door and left it alone. At first, I’d told them to change it into a gym or a library, but they refused. Now, it was comforting to go home and have it be the same, still filled with sweet memories of my almost innocent teen years.

“Yeah,” Daddy replied, the smile evident in his voice. “She’ll have everything all ready for you. I got the pool guy coming out as well to make sure everything is just right.”

I laughed. “Thanks, Daddy. That sounds perfect. Especially after the hot weather in Oklahoma City. Denver is a welcome change, but tonight I’ll be flying off to Seattle and then on to LA.”

“Sounds exciting, baby girl.”

I nodded and toyed with the edge of the comforter. “What about you? How’s work?”

“Good, good. Can’t complain. Your mother is after me to take some time off, slow down, all that bull spit.”

I laughed at his hesitancy to curse. He was about as straight laced as they come. “Maybe you should, Daddy. Take a vacation.”

“Meh. I’ll relax when you’re here. I thought we might take a tour of the back acreage and see if there isn’t a place you’d like to stake out as your own…”

I groaned and pressed my fingers together over the bridge of my nose.
Here we go.
“Daddy,” I whined. “I haven’t even had a cup of coffee yet. I’m not prepared for this argument right now.”

“It doesn’t have to be an argument, Jo. All I said was maybe we could go take a look…”

“Ugh. Daddy, you know that I don’t have plans on moving back to Texas anytime soon. There would be no point in you having a house built.”

“JoJo, listen to me, I know you’re not happy up there in the city. Your mama said they got you fetching coffee like some kind of secretary. You didn’t go to school for all those years to be a damn secretary! And now, traveling all over the country, chasing a sports team? When was the last time you even watched a baseball game?”

“More recently than you might think,” I argued, granted that was only because I’d been digging up intel on Trey. He didn’t need to know that part. “Regardless, Daddy, I also didn’t go to school and get my degree just to come home and settle down with some man from church! I don’t want that life. At least not right now. Please. Understand. It’s not like I’m out here strippin’ or something!”

“Josephine Crawford!”

I winced. “Well…I’m just sayin’…”

“Listen, baby, I just want you to be happy and healthy, and I don’t think that running around, kissing up to your boss, making coffee runs, and praying for your big break will make you happy. Now, on the other hand, finding someone you love, getting married, and having a little family of your own. That there’s some happiness. That’s all I want for you.”

“I know, Daddy,” I replied softly, my voice getting thick with emotion. “I just wish you could support me…”

He sighed and I could picture the pained look in his eyes, the way his weathered skin would crinkle in around them. “I do, JoJo. But you’re my little girl. My princess. I want more for you.”

“Well, if I nail this story, then Mr. Jones said that he’ll put me on air. Like, my own segment, Daddy! I’m so close to everything I’ve always wanted. I can taste it. And I’m not giving up now. Not in the last stretch. Can you please try to understand that?”

“All right, JoJo. I didn’t mean to upset you. We can talk about it when you’re home.”

I rolled my eyes. Talking to my daddy was like talking to a brick wall. He was old school and couldn’t imagine his baby girl actually wanted to have a career and make a name for herself. Most people would throw themselves at the chance he was offering. My own house, custom built, on my own patch of the family acreage. It would be a dream. I wouldn’t need to work or worry about money. But that didn’t hold any appeal to me. I imagined that if I took him up on his offer, I’d spend my days ambling around a massive house, wishing for something to do, and go chasing after a man just to have something to keep me occupied. There was nothing wrong with wanting to be a wife and mother. I wanted those things as well. Just not now. I was waiting for the right time, after my career picked up, and I could balance between my own life and passions and building a family with the right man.

As of right now, my career was nowhere close to stable, and the only man on my radar was Trey—and he was hardly marriage material.

“Okay, Daddy. We’ll talk. Tell Mama I love her and to stop fussing over my room.” I laughed, hoping to break the tension and get him to smile before we hung up.

“All right, JoJo. I will. I love you.”

“Love you too, Daddy.”

We ended the call and I tossed the phone onto the bedside table again. There was no way I’d be able to go back to sleep, and after the talk with my dad, I had a lot of extra anxiety to burn off. So, I hauled my butt outta bed and pulled on some workout clothes and hoped that my shitty hotel at least had a gym somewhere.

If I had any hope of staying away from that long-legged ballplayer, then I was going to have to find another outlet for my frustration.

Trey

“You ready for tonight, Delgado?”

I glanced up from lacing my shoes to find Robby Brown and Cody Wright hovering over my shoulder. The three of us hadn’t exactly been BFF’s since my arrival on the team. Cody was still butt hurt about the grand slam I smashed on him the night he debuted as a pitcher for the Warriors. And since Robby was his best friend—he was also not a fan of mine.

“Fuck off, guys. Of course I’m fuckin’ ready. You might remember that this isn’t exactly my first rodeo. I was playing this game while you two were still dickin’ around in college…or the
minors
…” I added, flashing Cody a dark look.

Cody’s top lip curled up but Robby pulled him back.

I grinned at Cody as he was tugged back. “Smart move, Brown. Get your little bitch back on her leash.”

Cody growled and broke free of Robby’s hold. He lunged at me and I ducked—effortlessly. I might add—out of the way. “You know, Wright, I’m pretty damn sure I got a few years on you. Pounds too, if you didn’t lie on your bubble-gum card. Why the hell are you so slow?” I laughed and ducked again as he took a swing at me.

“Gentlemen!” a booming voice echoed through the locker room and the three of us snapped around to find Coach Robinson in the doorway, clipboard in hand, snarling in our direction. “Wright and Brown, suit up. Delgado—over here.”

“Fuck,” I groaned. I kicked my duffel bag under the bench and stalked over to the coach. “What the hell is wrong with that guy?” I asked, glaring at Cody as Robby dragged him away.

Coach sighed. “Delgado, listen to me.”

I tore my eyes off Cody and his pussy ass wing man and turned my attention back to the coach before he lost his shit on me too. “Listening.”

“Tonight is a big game. You go out there and play your hardest, leave your guts on the diamond, and these guys will see that you’re here for real. If that doesn’t put a stop to this shit, then we’re all gonna have a nice little
chat
.”

Something in his tone told me he wasn’t talking about a tea party.

“Yes, Coach.”

He slapped my shoulder and held up the clipboard in his hand—Robinson is old school—and started talking lineup details and overall strategy. I listened intently, appreciating that he didn’t rip me a new one for fighting with his two main players. Most of the team had accepted me with open arms. But Cody and Robby were clinging onto the grudge and pissed me off. I knew eventually the shit storm would die down, but it was pretty fuckin’ irritating to deal with in the meantime.

Coach Robinson got to the end of his spiel, answered a couple of my questions, and then dismissed me. I hurried to finish getting ready and then turned all of my attention to the two homeruns I was gonna slam out of the park in Josie’s honor. Her little challenge had me all fired up, and I wasn’t going to let some stupid, sophomoric shit with my new teammates wreck it for me.

Last night at the bar, I was hard up for her, but she was bobbing and weaving and I was willing to play along—for a minute. The last time I had to chase a woman I was knee high to a grasshopper. But I had skills—and not only on the diamond.

This was it. I’d have her screaming my name before the night was over.

I grinned and hopped up from the bench and followed the rest of the team out the locker room doors.

Game on.

* * * *

The first home run was easy. A piece of cake—smothered in chocolate with a cherry on top. As soon as the outfielders threw their mitts down, I grinned and took my time rounding the bases. As I went around, I scanned the stadium. It was too far to see any faces. And I had no idea where she’d sit. She wasn’t in the press box. I’d checked that before the game started. Whatever she was doing here, I wasn’t sure it was official.

The second home run was just as easy and tasted twice as sweet. The opposing team, the Cougars, all groaned and booed as I made my way around for the second time—this time with two other Warriors—and I smiled a little wider at each of the basemen I passed.

They were hatin’ hard and I loved every frickin’ minute.

So, when we neared the end of the game, and I went up to bat, I glanced up at the stands, tipped my hat, and knocked the damn ball way the hell out again. The announcer screamed in anguish and the fans jeered so loudly that it was a deafening roar. I laughed and made for the first base, cracking myself up on each base. I didn’t care if I looked like a douchebag on Sports Center. The point was…I’d
be
there. There was no way they could ignore me—or keep running the same old shit about my failed career, baby mama drama, and bar antics—when I just hit three mother fuckin’ home runs in one night! My
first
night as a Warrior.

Damn, Trey Delgado was back!

In the ninth inning the Cougars pussied out and walked my ass. They didn’t want to risk me going off a fourth and final time. I still grinned like a cocky idiot as I headed for first base.

Even Cody and Robby were grinning.

“Hell of a game, Delgado,” Cody said, standing to offer me his seat. We shook hands and I tipped my head. “You keep doing that and we ain’t gonna have any more problems.”

“Deal.”

Josie

I wasn’t going to have any voice left the next day, but I didn’t care. I was screaming my heart out for the Warriors as they smashed the Cougars into the ground. Mostly thanks to Trey and his
three
home runs. Each time he knocked it out of the park, I went crazy and jumped to my feet, dancing in my seat. I knew the first two were for me. The third…well, that was Trey showing off—
also
for me. I couldn’t help but notice that right before he got into position, he’d scan the crowd, and then he’d search again as he rounded the bases.

He was looking for
me
. And I was both thrilled and terrified to let him find me!

There was something insanely sexy about his cock-of-the-walk routine. What had infuriated me at first, now had me squirming in my seat—in wet panties! He made the Warriors uniform look damn good. Each time the cameras zoomed in on him, I nibbled my lower lip and tried to stop the shivers of anticipation that ran up and down my spine, just knowing that in a few hours, I’d see him face to face again.

As I rushed out of my seat to make it to the press conference, I dodged some pretty nasty Cougars fans and my cheeks went hot. Apparently they hadn’t appreciated my enthusiasm during the game. Damn, I had Warriors media tags clipped to my shirt. What did they expect?

I made my way through the sea of angry fans, grumbling their frustrations to one another, trying to get to the media pit in time to get a good spot in the front. I might not have the exclusive yet, but I could be front and center and ask the right questions. It would be a little preview to tide over my impatient boss—who had already texted and emailed me several times to check my progress.

If I played my cards right, I knew I could get Trey to agree to the interview. I was already on better terms with him than ninety-nine percent of the sports media. He liked me and I was confident I could wait it out and swoop in at just the right moment.

The media were already crowded around the table where the Cougars’ team captain and coach would appear—once they got done sulking, that is—and I hurried by on my way to the visiting team locker room on the opposite end. The hallways were for staff only and I moved much quicker, flashing my media badge to anyone who looked my way.
I belong here
, I thought to myself, smiling and showing the plastic credentials with a new swell of pride.

It was far from my dream job, but it was a helluva lot more exciting than waiting in line at Starbucks day in and day out, catering to the bitchy high-maintenance weather girl and dodging the lewd comments of the lead anchor all the damn time. I was
important
. Needed. With my head held high, my shoulders thrust back, and a confident smile, I rounded the final corner.