Waste of Handsome (Carolina Waves #2)

by Tina Gallagher

“I’m going with the crab burger.”

  I flipped the menu over to check out the burgers.

  “A half-pound burger seasoned with old bay, jack cheese, and topped with lump crabmeat?” He smiled and nodded. “Wow.”

  “Once I tried it, I was hooked. I haven’t ordered anything else since.”

  “Do you come here a lot?”

  Before he could answer, Kelly appeared and set our drinks down, then took our orders. When she left, Doug took a long drink of sweet tea, set the glass down, and shifted in his seat.

  “Yeah, this is one of my favorite places.”

  It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a date so I’m short on getting-to-know-you conversation. Hopefully Doug will pick up the reins. After removing a couple seeds, I squeezed the lemon into my water, stirred with the straw, and took a sip.

  “So what brings you to spring training this year?” he asked.

  “I have some events to attend and Mr. Hanover wanted me in-house while the team is down here.” That’s as good an explanation as I can give. Thankfully he didn’t ask for more.

  We made more small talk and soon Kelly brought our food. After topping off our drinks and being assured we didn’t need anything, she walked back into the dining room.

  “This looks amazing,” I said then looked over to check out Doug’s plate. “That is the biggest burger I’ve ever seen.”

  “They do a nice job here,” he said around a chuckle.

  I dug my fork into a crab cake and came away with a huge piece of lump crabmeat. The amazing flavors burst on my tongue and I slowly chewed to savor the taste.

  “Good?” Doug asked.

  “Mmm, delicious.”

  We ate in silence for a short while, then I said, “We’ve only talked about me. Tell me about you. How’d a boy from the Midwest end up in St. Petersburg working at Victory Park?”

  “I played ball in college and had hoped to make a career of it. But that wasn’t in the cards. I tore my rotator cuff the summer between junior and senior year. The surgery was successful and the recovery seemed to go well, but my arm never got back to full strength, and my throws were weak. Plus, my shoulder hurt all the time.” He chuckled. “I swear, as many guys stole off me senior year as the other three years combined.”

  “I’m sorry about that.” What else could I say?

  He shrugged. “Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.” After taking a bite of burger and swallowing, he continued. “After graduation, I continued on to get my master’s degree as a grad assistant working with the team. After that, I made a living giving catching lessons and coaching travel ball. I probably would have done that indefinitely, but a recruiter contacted me about my current position and something made me apply. I’m glad I did because I love my job and I’m happy down here.” His sweet smile should have stirred something in me, but it didn’t. “And I’m especially glad now that I’ve met you.”

  That last sentence made me slightly uncomfortable and I concentrated on finishing my crab cakes and broccoli so I didn’t have to comment. Thankfully he let it go and we finished our meals in silence.

  He picked up the check and we made our way back to the car, which he’d once again started so it was cool inside.

  “I really liked that place. Thank you for taking me,” I said.

  “You’re welcome.” He turned out of the parking lot and merged into traffic. “Maybe we can do it again when we have more time.” He raised his voice slightly on the last word turning the sentence into a question.

  I should be jumping at the chance to dabble in what can only be a short fling. It’s been a long time between men and I could really use the distraction, but my initial reaction is to say no. Thankfully I didn’t blurt it out. Instead, I said, “Sounds good.”

  Jack

  “Your inside out swing is really coming along,” Monte said as we walked into the locker room. Dan, Cal, and a few other teammates followed.

  “It’s getting there,” I said. “Sorry to give you such a workout. It’s hot as balls out there today.”

  Most of what I hit in batting practice went right between first and second, which is my goal. It just sucked for Monte and second baseman, Oskar Marquez, because they didn’t get a break while I was at the plate.

  Grabbing a bottle of water from the table in the middle of the locker room, I walked to my locker, and plopped into my chair. Removing the cap, I chugged the whole bottle in one long gulp.

  “No worries,” Monte said. “What’s up tonight? You want to grab something to eat?”

  I peeled my sweat-soaked jersey over my head and wiped my face, neck, and chest before dropping it on the floor.

  Before I could answer, Cal said, “If you’re going somewhere, count me in.”

  “Me too,” Dan said. “What are you guys thinking?”

  Bending over, I removed my cleats and socks.

  “Anything is good for me.” I stood and stripped off my pants and sliding shorts, then tied a towel around my waist and grabbed my soap and shampoo. “I’m gonna hit the showers and see if Max can work on my shoulders again. Let me know what you decide.”

  Slipping my feet into flip flops, I walked toward the shower room, which was surprisingly empty. But I know it won’t be that way for long so I’ll enjoy the quiet while I can. I twisted the knob to full blast and after letting the cold water wash away the heat of the day, I adjusted the temperature as hot as I could stand it and turned my back toward the spray letting the water pound my tight muscles. I stretched my arms over my head then out to the side before folding over and touching my toes. Straightening, I twisted from side to side loosening things a little at a time.

  “Did we miss the memo about a shower yoga class?” Monte asked as he and John Kasprzyk walked in.

  “Just trying to stay loose,” I said, then reached down to grab my soap and turned to face the spray. I made a mental note to throw more soap in my duffle bag. This bar will barely make it through this shower.

  “We decided to go to Arnie’s for dinner,” Monte said. “We’re going to walk there. Since we’re off tomorrow, maybe we’ll hang out and have a few beers, maybe play some pool.”

  “Sound like a plan. You coming?” I asked John.

  “Yeah, I’m crashing with Monte so I don’t have to worry about driving.”

  More guys came in to shower and before long, the room was filled with steam and a lot of hot air from all the razzing.

  “What time?” I turned off the water and grabbed my towel dry off.

  “We’re meeting at my place at seven,” Monte said.

  I nodded and wrapped the towel around my waist.

  “See you later.”

  Arnie’s is pretty full, but we managed to snag a table in the corner of the back room. Since it’s close to our complex, the guys and I come here often so the patrons are used to us.

  Gina, our usual waitress, stopped by the table for our drink order. We got a couple pitchers of beer, an order of nachos, and some wings to get us started. I don’t plan on getting too crazy tonight, but I’m hoping a few drinks will help me sleep. I’ve only been getting a couple hours a night, which I think is part of the reason for the tightness in my neck and shoulders. I rolled my neck to savor the full range of motion Max managed to give me after kneading my muscles into submission for nearly an hour.

  “Did Max work his magic?” Dan asked.

  I nodded. “It’s good right now. I just have to stay loose.”

  Gina placed our pitchers and five mugs on the table.

  “I’ll be right back with the nachos,” she said, knowing full well we have no problem pouring our own drinks.

  Monte did the honors and handed each of us a beer. He held up his mug and said, “To a winning season.”

  We all raised our glasses and took a drink before digging into the nachos.

  “I talked to Tom and he has a boat we can take out next week,” I said to Dan.

  “Lexi will be thrilled,” he said. “You guys are in, right?�
�

  Cal and Monte nodded. John said, “I’m meeting Natalie, the kids, and her parents in Orlando. We’re doing Disney before they come here for spring break.”

  Gina brought a platter of wings and set it down in the middle of the table. “Do you need anything else?”

  “We’ll finish these, and let you know,” Monte said. “We plan on being here a while so we want to space it out.”

  She smiled and said, “Just wave me down if you need me.”

  Wings aren’t a staple in my diet. For the most part, I eat healthy and only indulge when it’s really worth it. Arnie’s wings are amazing with good flavor and enough kick to put them in the “worth it” category.

  We dug in and soon the pile was reduced by half. I took a break and downed the remainder of my beer, then grabbed the pitcher and filled it again before topping everyone else’s.

  “What do you guys think of the rookies this year?” John asked.

  “Lots of talent there,” Monte said. “But some of them just need to get their heads out of their asses.”

  “Seriously,” Cal said. “Were we that bad?”

  “Of course not.” Dan chuckled.

  I started to share my conversation with Hannah on this topic, then caught myself. I trust these guys, but I’d hate to have them repeat something that would embarrass her.

  “The older guys didn’t let us get away with acting like that,” I said. “And I took every opportunity to soak up any morsel of knowledge they were willing to share so I didn’t want to piss them off.”

  “That Cherry kid has an arm, but he needs to figure out how to place the ball and work his pitches. Throwing a fastball down the middle isn’t gonna cut it, no matter how hard he throws,” Cal said.

  “But in college, I threw two shutouts in the playoffs,” Monte said, mimicking Sam Cherry making everyone laugh.

  “Yeah, when I signed on, I learned real fast that none of the veterans were impressed with what I did in college,” Dan said.

  “They cared even less about what I did in high school,” I said.

  “Oh I forgot we’re in the presence of a prodigy who was drafted out of high school,” Monte said, then ducked when I threw a dirty napkin at his head.

  I caught Gina’s attention and held up the two empty pitchers. She breezed by and grabbed them then quickly returned with two full ones. I asked her to bring a pitcher of water when she had a chance. I’ve learned to hydrate when I drink to avoid massive hangovers. For the most part it works, unless I go totally crazy, which I haven’t done in years.

  The room thinned out a little since we arrived and Cal and Monte took advantage of the empty pool table, which didn’t go unnoticed by three women sitting at a table in the bar area. They didn’t look like groupies but that doesn’t mean they won’t approach. One of them caught me looking in their direction and smiled. I kept my expression neutral and turned my back, hoping she doesn’t think I’m playing hard to get. I’m really not in the mood.

  When I decided to stay single this season, initially it took a lot of willpower, but now I just don’t want to be bothered. Well, there’s one woman I’d love to be bothered by, but she seems to be ignoring me...and honestly, both of those things piss me off.

  I don’t want to be attracted to Hannah for a lot of reasons, but the more time I spend with her, the more I am. And I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. It don’t remember obsessing over a kiss like this ever, not even back in high school. It’s pathetic.

  “That girl over there is doing everything short of a striptease to get your attention,” Dan said around a chuckle.

  Knowing better than to look toward the bar, I picked up my mug and emptied it in a single gulp. I’m getting a little buzzy so I decided to take a break and switch to water for this round.

  “I’m good, thanks,” I said.

  “I can’t believe Jack Reagan is going to be woman-free for a season,” John said. “Do you think you’ll survive?”

  “Sure, it’ll be easy. I’ll just hang out with you old, married guys.”

  “Touché,” Dan said.

  Part of me wants to ask if I’m so much of a man-whore that it seems out of the realm of possibility I’d stay unattached for a while, but the other part knows why they’re all busting my ass. I’ve lived a certain way for years and made it known I had no intention of changing.

  “Is the book buzz dying down at all?” John asked.

  I shrugged. “I’m trying to ignore it, but I turned on the TV the other night and Cindy was on some show talking about it so there must still be interest out there.”

  “Did you read it?” he asked.

  “No. It’ll just piss me off even more if I do. I got the gist from snippets and comments I saw on the internet when it first came out. It’s just bullshit.”

  The guys just nodded at that and we watched Cal and Monte finish their game.

  “Do you think the PR stuff is working?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not even sure how you can tell.” I said, then took a long drink of water. “Doing the events isn’t bad, though. So far it’s been kind of fun.”

  “What else does Hannah have booked?” Dan asked.

  “There’s a fundraiser for an anxiety and depression group next week. The week after, I’m visiting a local school. It’s Dr. Seuss day and I’m reading a book.”

  “What grade are you reading to?” Dan asked.

  “I’m not sure. Why?”

  “I just want to make sure they’re not beyond your reading level.”

  “Smart ass.”

  They both had a good laugh at my expense, most likely fueled by the empty pitchers in the middle of the table. Cal and Monte finished their game and joined us again, signaling for two more pitchers. When Gina brought them over, we each ordered a burger and fries.

  “So who won?” John asked.

  “I did.” Monte’s big smile looked a little wobbly.

  Gina better hurry with those burgers. If we drink much more without something substantial in our stomachs to soak up the alcohol, it can get ugly. Another lesson I learned the hard way.

  “Only because I scratched,” Cal said.

  “Still counts,” Monte said.

  “I gotta take a leak.” Cal sat back and drained his mug then plunked it on the table and stood.

  “You just don’t want to talk about how you lost,” Monte said.

  Cal flipped him off as he walked away toward the bathrooms.

  “I’m still up for attending events with you if you need backup,” Dan said.

  “I appreciate that,” I said. “Hannah has a Little League team coming to the stadium on one of my off days. The more the merrier for that one. I’m not sure what’s going on with anything else.”

  “Speaking of Hannah,” Monte said. “I saw her going to lunch with Doug Luna today.”

  That sentence sobered me up real fast. “Seriously?”

  He nodded and finished his beer. “I didn’t think anything of it when I saw them walking to the parking lot together, but some of the office people were hanging in the stands and I heard them talking.”

  “Maybe it was a business thing,” I said, trying not to sound too interested.

  “Not according to them. And one of the women has a thing for Doug and was being a bitch about the whole thing.”

  Gina brought our burgers and set a bunch of extra napkins in the middle of the table.

  “Do you want another one or are you slowing down?” she asked, pointing to the empty pitcher sitting next to its mate that was half-full.

  “I’m good for another drink or two,” John said.

  She took the empty pitcher and walked to the bar and was back with a full one in no time.

  We thanked her and dug into our burgers. To be honest, I didn’t taste a thing. I couldn’t stop thinking about Hannah. I’m here obsessing over our kiss like a teenage girl and she’s dating Doug Luna. What the fuck is up with that?

  “What do you think is gonna happen with t
hat?” Dan asked, pointing toward the back of the room with a French fry.

  We all looked over to where one of the girls that had been staring at Cal earlier now had him practically pinned to the wall near the restrooms. For now they were just talking, but it was obvious she wanted to do more than that. Cal’s a little drunk and she doesn’t look like she’s taking no for an answer.

  “With the shitty time he’s had with his ex, he deserves to have a little fun,” Monte said.

  I’m not gonna deny that, but bar pickups and one-night stands have never been his thing. My first thought is that I should probably go save him before he does something he’ll regret. I took a big bite of my burger and slowly chewed, reconsidering. Why the fuck do I care what Cal does? He’s a grown-ass man and she’s obviously of age. Maybe Monte is right.

  Cal turned to walk away and she grabbed his arm and leaned in. She rose up on her tiptoes and said something. He shook his head and her bottom lip came out as she tilted her head to the side. I’m no lip reader, but it was obvious she said please. Cal leaned against the wall and scratched his head.

  If it’s taking him so long to decide if he wants to get with this girl, he obviously doesn’t want to. I threw the fry I’d been about to eat back on my plate.

  “I’m gonna hit the bathroom,” I said.

  The path I took to the men’s room put me right in front of Cal and the girl. I could have walked around them, but I stood there until she backed away so there was enough space for me to go through. Hopefully it will be just what Cal needs to make his getaway.

  After I got rid of a couple beers and washed my hands, I went back out to find them still standing there, but at least she wasn’t plastered against him anymore.

  “Hey man,” I said. “Your burger is getting cold.”

  The girl looked me up and down and said, “Hi, I’m Wendy.”

  I nodded acknowledging her words but my focus was still on Cal.

  “My friend Molly is a big fan,” she continued. “She’d really like to meet you.”

  This is where things get complicated. It’s pretty obvious these girls want to do more than just meet us. If we spend time with them, they’ll expect more but if we totally ignore them, we’re dicks.