Page 14

14

Knox

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I got ready for batting practice before our afternoon game. For the past couple of days, it seemed like everything was looking up for me. When Stratton found out he wasn’t going to be a father, a weight was lifted from his shoulders, and we’d gone back to having fun together.

Although, I wasn’t sure I only wanted to have fun anymore.

Somewhere between sneaking into each other’s hotel rooms and spending time at his condo, it had started to feel like more than the casual hook ups I was used to. And it appeared I was going to stay with the team, so I began imagining taking things further with him.

The idea of wanting a boyfriend was new for me, and if I was honest, a little nerve-wracking as well. Finding someone online for a night was easy, but dating somebody with feelings involved was an entirely different ballgame. One I wasn’t familiar with.

But when I thought about a relationship with Stratton, it was easy to envision spending nights together, going out to eat, and doing things we both enjoyed. It wasn’t really different than what we already did, but there’d be a label attached to it. A label I’d never thought would be important to me, but I was pretty sure I wanted it with him.

As I went over in my head different ways to say what I wanted, Weber, our bench coach, called out, “Singleton, Schmitt needs to see you.”

“Ohhhh, Singleton’s in trouble,” Latham teased like we were in school and I’d been called into the principal’s office.

“Fuck off,” I threw back playfully, then glanced at Stratton, who looked at me with raised eyebrows.

It wasn’t super common for Skip to single someone out before a game, but I wasn’t too worried about it. My hitting slump seemed to be behind me, and I was playing good ball, so I shrugged and tossed my batting gloves onto my chair before heading for Schmitt’s office.

The moment I stepped through the doorway, I saw Ed Novak, the Rockies general manager, sitting across from my manager, and the confidence I’d been feeling evaporated instantly.

“Hey, Singleton, have a seat,” Schmitt said, and I dropped onto the empty chair.

Novak turned to me. “I’m just going to cut to the chase. While we appreciate the contributions you’ve made to this organization, we’ve made the decision to trade you to the Twins.”

“What?” I reared back.

“With the way the team has been playing lately, we think we’ve got a real shot at making the playoffs, so we needed to beef up our pitching and defense a bit. We made a three-way deal earlier this morning to help us do that.”

“So, I’m out,” I muttered mostly to myself.

“Your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Schmitt added. “I’ve already talked to your new manager and told him what a great addition you’ll be to his team.”

His words were nice, but they didn’t help much when all I could think about was everything I’d be leaving behind in Denver. Not only would I not get to be with Stratton anymore, but I would miss my teammates, who truly felt like friends. They had welcomed me the minute I’d stepped into the clubhouse, and I knew from experience not every team had the same type of camaraderie.

Novak and Schmitt gave me a few more details, including my flight information for later that evening. I had a couple of hours to pack some stuff at the team apartment before leaving for Minnesota. I’d have to make arrangements for the rest of my things here and in New Mexico later.

I stood slowly and shook both their hands. “Thank you for the opportunity. I’ve truly enjoyed being a part of the Rockies.” I forced out the words in an attempt to maintain some form of professionalism. Being traded was part of the game, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t pissed about their decision.

“Good luck with the Twins,” Novak replied.

Schmitt nodded. “We’ll miss having you here.”

I walked back toward the clubhouse, not ready to face my teammates but knowing I didn’t have a choice. As soon as I stepped through the door, everyone went quiet. The expression on my face likely told them I’d just gotten some bad news.

Neal was the first to speak. “What happened?”

I rubbed a hand over my face. “I’ve been traded.”

“Oh damn,” Davenport said. “Where to?”

“Minnesota. I leave in a few hours,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes on the ground. While I was curious about Stratton’s reaction, I couldn’t bring myself to look his way. Not at that moment with everyone watching me.

Several guys came over to clap me on the back or give me a bro hug. I was really going to miss these guys, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d have the same luck connecting with players on the Twins.

Everyone except me had a game to prepare for, so after a few more goodbyes, the locker room emptied. I finally mustered up some courage and glanced over at Stratton, who was standing near the exit.

He cocked his head to the side in a barely noticeable motion, but I got the hint. I followed him down the hallway to a bathroom near the assistant coaches’ offices. No one would be in the area during batting practice, so we’d have a few minutes alone .

The door closed behind us, and he leaned against the counter. “I didn’t see this coming.”

“Me either. I thought …” I shook my head.

He stepped closer to me. “You thought what?”

While it didn’t matter anymore, I wanted him to know exactly how I felt. “I thought we might have been building something between us that wasn’t just sexual.”

“I did too,” he admitted.

Yet, neither of us could do or say anything to change things. Everything I’d been looking forward to only a short time earlier was nothing but a dream now. We couldn’t promise each other anything. Being in a relationship when one person was a baseball player was hard enough. Trying to make anything work would be impossible when we’d be living completely different lives.

I wrapped my arms around him. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

I kissed him back hard, trying to pour everything I felt into the moment, knowing it was the last time I’d have the opportunity to.

When we finally broke apart, he gave me a sad smile. “I should get out there before someone comes looking for me.”

“Kick some ass tonight,” I said, forcing a grin. “Maybe we’ll meet up on the field later this season.”

“Maybe.” He turned and opened the door.

I watched him walk away and disappear around the corner.

Even though what we had was over before it really had a chance to begin, I wouldn’t forget what we had shared.

It wasn’t just a random hook up or something convenient. It had been real.