Page 130 of Last Fall

He and Erik performed a very heartfelt, manly handshake and then we were out the door. Even though Erik said the whole team was here, it was still a shock to see two-dozen Mantas ballplayers standing in a haphazard semi-circle around the elevator when the doorsopened.

“Whoa.”

“They’re scary looking when they get together, aren’t they?” Erikchuckled.

Wes bear-hugged me as soon as I stepped out of the elevator. “You okay,Pixie?”

“Iam.”

“You see himanywhere?”

I looked around the lobby—which at three in the morning was pretty empty—but I didn’t seehim. “Nope.”

“Good,” he grunted. “Hopefully he’s hiding like the loserheis.”

I felt like a queen being escorted out of the hotel surrounded by knights. On the flight back I fell asleep on Erik. Everyone was dead on their feet when we got back to the team hotel but I made sure to hug and thank every single one of them before Erik took me up to his room and put us both tosleep.

* * *

“In an unexpected series of events,the entire Mantas roster took a trip to Los Angeles last night.” On the television was video from the hotel lobby of the team standing guard, followed by video of them escorting me out tothevans.

“We spoke to Mantas catcher Wes Allen by phone.” The announcer said. “Wes, what happened lastnight?”

“Well, we had a team problem. Threats were made against the girlfriend of one of ourteammates.”

“That would be second baseman ErikCassidy?”

“Yes,” Wes replied. His name was listed in bold across the bottom of the screen. “The Mantas are more than a team. We’re brothers. This threat was serious and we felt the only thing to do was to make it clear Zoe Burke is part of thisfamily.”

“So you commandeered the team plane after last night’s game, flew to Los Angeles as a team, to pick up MissBurke?”

“Yes,” Wes said simply. “And we had permission to use theplane.”

The announcer chuckled. “It’s more than unusual for an entire roster to leave betweengames.”

“We’re more than an unusual team and Zoe is more than an unusualwoman.”

That caught the announcer off guard. “It is an amazing show ofunity.”

“I just want to make it clear. No one threatens any member of our Mantas family without getting the entire Mantas family todealwith.”

“Well, we have a huge amount of respect for you here in the studios. Good luck with today’s game against SanFrancisco.”

Erik clicked the television off. “You’re okaywiththat?”

Way more than okay. “I’m flattered. A little embarrassed that I’m on television, but mostly just completely in love with every member of theMantas.”

“Hey now,” Erik tackled me to the bed. “Careful. I’m the jealous type,remember?”

“I still can’t believe you got management involved, too. You got a plane.” Itwasnuts.

“Eve,” he saidsimply.

Of course. My mentor-fairy-godmother-friend. “You know, I think Eve is the most influential person in my life. She gave me a job when I got to Tampa, believed in my dreams, supported me...” I shook my head in amazement that a single person could affect someone’s life with a few simple actions. “She gave me a family and she led me to you.” I wrapped my hand around his neck and pulled him down forakiss.

“Well, since you ended that sentence so nicely I’ll ignore the beginning where you said she was more influential than me.” He kissed me again. “For now.” He rolled on top of me. “Because one day you’ll be saying thataboutme.”

I wrapped my arms around him. “You’re already a very closesecond.”