Page 10 of Totally Played (Love In Play #5)

Chapter ten

Ashley

I arrive late to Tim’s and am now regretting my decision to not pack earlier for Belgium, instead of right before heading over.

It took far longer than expected. I don’t know how long I will even be there for, and finally, I decided that if I forgot anything, I would be able to buy it when I got there if I really needed it.

I’m power walking over there, hoping the crisp night air will help settle my racing thoughts.

Thoughts about a certain twin that I have no business thinking of like that.

The feelings I have for Calvin are stronger than any I’ve felt for a guy in the longest time, but they have to be just a powerful sense of friendship, nothing more.

Maybe if Tony is here tonight, I’ll have a similar connection and we can see where that goes, because he’s actually available.

I pick up on the guys’ voices carrying on the cool breeze and the smells of Tim’s cooking that are a perfect accompaniment.

Tim told me to take the fire stairs up when I got here, so I head into the alley but stop when I spot a dark shadow standing at the bottom of the ladder.

“Are you going up?” I ask, and he startles and turns.

“Umm, I’m not sure,” he says as he steps back, and with his face better illuminated by the moon, I see it’s the newest addition to the Funky Monkeys.

“It’s Beau, right?” I ask, and he nods.

“It should be a good night. Tim’s cooking alone makes the climb worth it.” I chuckle, and he replies with a weak smile and looks up at the soft orange glow of the rooftop terrace lights. “I’m Ash, Calvin’s friend.”

I hold out my hand, and after a tense pause, he takes it.

“Beau Hogan. Umm, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

“Why’s that?” I ask, and he takes another step back.

“They already have their group, I’m an outsider.”

“I only just met Calvin a few days ago.”

“Really?”

“Yep, so if anyone is an outsider here, it’s me.”

“So you don’t think I’ll be like, left out?”

“No way. The guys are a laugh, and besides, it’s game night. You can be on my team.”

“That would be cool. Thanks.”

“Think nothing of it. We should get up there before Duckie eats all the food.” I laugh, grab the ladder, and start climbing. I’m half expecting to look down and find Beau nowhere to be seen, but he’s right there behind me the whole way up to the roof.

“Ash, Beau,” Calvin calls, and Lion’s friend Beau looks his way, too.

“Oh, right. Umm, Beau, this is Beau, too,” Calvin says, and they nod as a way of hello.

“Do you have a nickname?” I turn and ask Beau, and he blushes. “You do. What is it?”

“My friends back in school used to call me… Hulk.”

I frown and glance between the big buff bodybuilder, Beau, and this Banana Ball Beau. I know which one I would call Hulk, and it isn’t him.

“Okay, I am going to need to know why?”

He chuckles. “My last name’s Hogan, and I’m blond, so they decided to start a rumor that my mom had a fling with Hulk Hogan and I was his secret love child. Had half the school convinced before I went to college, and the nickname stuck until I joined the team here.”

“Do you like it?”

“Not really.”

“Well then, we won’t go with that. What’s your middle name?”

“James.”

“We could call you BJ. Everyone loves a good BJ.”

“Ha! As great as those are, I think I’ll pass. Beau is already sort of a nickname.”

“How do you mean?”

“My full name is Beaufort James Albert Hogan the third.”

“The third?” I repeat with a raised brow.

“My family is big on tradition back home.”

“I guess we could take the back end of your name instead of the front, how about Fort?”

He smiles.

“Sure, that’s actually way better. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“You were too close to it,” I say, and he chuckles again, finally relaxing a little. Calvin and his sister Rachel start walking over.

“What’s so funny?” Rachel asks, and I slap my hand down on Fort’s shoulder.

“We’ve just been hashing out a new nickname. Can’t have two Beaus. Well, we can. There are probably like a million of them in the world, but it will get a bit confusing on game night.”

Rachel laughs. “Yeah, B-One and B-Two are already taken by the super twins.”

“Really, that’s your nickname?” I ask, turning my attention to Calvin, who shoves his sister in the side.

“Unfortunately, yes. It’s a silly name that started when we joined the league, you know, because we play Banana Ball and they are bananas. Anyway, what did you decide?”

“My first name is actually Beaufort, so I’ll go by Fort,” Fort says.

“I love that.” Rachel beams, turning to face the group.

“Hey, guys, Beau is going by Fort now, okay?”

The guys nod and agree and then return to their conversations.

“So, Fort, can I get you a drink?” Rachel asks, and she links her arm in his and leads him over to the bar Tim and Lion have set up on the ledge overlooking the city.

“She doesn’t waste any time,” Calvin says about his sister fawning over Fort.

“She knows what she wants.”

“Must be nice,” he says, and I can’t help but sense a little jealousy in his tone.

“You don’t go after things you want?” I ask, and he turns, the string lights above illuminating his face in a golden glow that makes the tiny heart freckle below his left eye shine like it’s a tiny piece of glitter.

“I don’t think I know what I want.”

“You want to play baseball.”

“True, but beyond that, like a plan B. I have no idea what comes next.”

“Do you need to know?”

He shrugs. “Most of the guys do. It’s kind of the rule. Have a plan B, so that when your career ends, because it will end, you’ll have something else to fill your days, and your wallet.”

“But it’s not about the money, is it?”

“No. I’d play for nothing.”

“You can tell, you know. When you are out on the field, you can see how much you love it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I think maybe stop looking for what comes next and just be happy with what you have right now.”

“And what is that?” he asks, his gaze moving for a moment to my lips, and fuck, it would be so easy to kiss him right now. But I can’t. He’s not the brother I’m supposed to be dating. Meeting. Whatever. The moment passes, and he turns to the side, surveying the group.

“I know what I want,” he declares, and I turn, too, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“I want to win game night.”

“What are we playing?”

“Heads up.”

“Never heard of it.”

“You’ll get the hang of it pretty fast. We’ll make sure we’re not up first.”

My stomach flips. Fuck. I was all being nice when I offered to pair up with Fort, but now I’m internally kicking myself.

“Umm… I actually already offered to be on the same team as Fort, sorry.”

“Looks like he won’t mind switching to Rachel,” Calvin says, nodding toward where Fort and Rachel are engrossed in conversation, with wide smiles and pink cheeks on both of them.

“Awesome. Let’s win this thing.”

***

Duckie and Ian go first, and Calvin wasn’t joking. Duckie is more than a little intense. He gets louder with every guess.

“Baaa, Baaa,” Ian says, and the table laugh at the theatrics.

“Tony will be pissed he’s missing this.” Calvin chuckles beside me as Duckie yells “Sheep,” and Ian dips the screen down quickly and tilts it back to display the next animal.

“He’s still sick then?” I ask.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

“No, but he was supposed to be your date, and your stuck with me, so…”

“There are worse guys to be stuck with,” I say, and he pauses mid-laugh. Shit. Did I just make things weird?

“I mean, you know, as far as bro-dates go.”

“Sure. Well, I guess you’ll have to wait until you get back from your trip to set something up.”

“Yeah. I guess,” I say, wishing I didn’t bring it up at all. Or did he bring it up? Fuck. I lose all train of thought around this guy.

“Woof woof,” Ian sounds, and Duckie is quick to guess dog before moving on to the next animal.

“Grrrrr,” Ian sounds, lifting his hands like he’s got claws and he’s about to pounce.

“Dog.”

“You already did dog.” Calvin laughs, and Duckie spins in his chair.

“No interfering.”

“Then stop repeating guesses,” Calvin replies, and Ian stands, looming over Duckie and Calvin, fingers like claws out in front of him.

Calvin leans back, one hand reaches out and grips my thigh, and holy hell, my heart skips a beat and a surge of energy rolls through me.

I know Ian’s playing, but some neanderthal urge wants me to get between Calvin and him.

“Oh, oh, bear,” Duckie yells, and when Ian sits, the urge settles. I have to get a grip on this. Calvin isn’t my boyfriend, he’s not even my date, and he doesn’t need protecting. At least not from his friends.

Duckie and Ian finish their turn, scoring six correct.

“Okay, B-One, let’s see if you and the bro-date can top six,” Duckie says, grabbing the device and handing it over.

“Tony isn’t here. Do we really need the nickname?” Calvin asks.

“Yep, game on, B-One, let’s go!”

Calvin rolls his eyes and passes the device to me.

“Okay, Ash, we need a seven to beat Duckie and Ian,” Calvin explains.

“So I just dip it forward when it’s correct?”

“Yep, are you ready?” I’m not. I’m not ready for the way he smiles at me, or the way my heart races at his touch. But here goes nothing.

“As I will ever be.”

He taps the screen I’m holding against my forehead, and I listen as the timer chimes to count down to start. My heart is beating hard already, and everyone’s eyes are on us.

“Cluck, cluck,” Calvin sounds.

“Chicken.”

“Yes.”

I dip the screen.

“Oink, oink.”

“Pig.”

“Yes.”

He hangs his arm in front of his face and makes a trumpet noise that makes the table laugh.

“Elephant.”

“Yes. Oh, ummm, Ough, ough,” he says, clapping his hands out in front of him.

“Seal.”

“Yes. We got this. Okay.”

He shoves the chair back and stands, arms pinned to his side, hands out at right angles, he shuffles around in a circle like his legs are stuck together.

“Oh, Penguin.”

“Yes,” he screams, the tension rising as the timer starts to tick down faster.

“Ummm, I’m not a bear, but people call me a bear.”

Tim jumps up from his seat, but Lion pulls him back down and covers his mouth with his hand.

“A koala,” I guess, and while the table debates whether Tim gave it away or not, I dip the screen and try to stay focused on Calvin.

“Neigh,” he sounds.

“Horse.”

“Think stripes.”

“Zebra,” I answer and am already dipping the screen in anticipation of his confirmation.

“Yes. Oh, oh, super tall, long neck.”

“Giraffe.”

“Yes!”

I dip the device just as the buzzer sounds.

“Did we get it?” I ask, turning the device to check the score. “Wooo, eight. Winner, winner!” I cheer, and everyone laughs.

“There’s still a few teams to go,” Calvin says, slapping a hand onto my thigh. “But we’re in the lead, so let’s see if Rachel and Fort can top that.”

***

In the end, Lion and Tim win with nine, and the prize, a giant rubber duck in a funky Monkey uniform.

“Duckie had it made special last year, and it’s sort of become the official prize, that gets passed down to the next winner and so on,” Calvin says as we help collect cans and bottles from the rooftop. “What time is your flight?”

I check my watch.

“I have to be at the airport in about an hour and a half.”

“I can drop you off if you want?”

“Thanks, but my boss already has a car service arranged. I should be getting home, though, you know, double-check I have everything I need.”

“Sure, of course.”

“So you’re playing at home next weekend again, and then where are you off to?”

“Washington.”

“Nice, then back here?”

“Nope, Boston, then New York, then home for a week, and then we’re in Buffalo, I think.”

“Wow, and I thought I did a lot of travelling.”

“Us Banana Ballers, we know how to get around,” he says, and I can’t help but laugh.

“You sure do. I’ll be watching, so don’t start slacking off now.”

“Never. I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

Why is it so hard to walk away from this guy? We aren’t a couple, but my whole body is screaming at me to kiss him. I won’t. I can’t. Maybe this time away will be good for me. I’ll be able to clear my head of all the confusing feelings Calvin has brought out of me.

My phone chimes with a notification.

I grab it and swipe open the alert from the dating app.

“Looks like your brother’s feeling better.” I laugh, turning the screen to face Calvin. Tony’s bio is on the screen, and he’s requested a date tomorrow night.

“Too bad you’re going out of town,” Calvin says, turning and grabbing a few bottles from the edge and tossing them into a plastic bucket for recycling.

“Yeah, too bad,” I say, and I decline the invitation.

I hover between the choices for reply, considering my options.

I could choose the icon for no longer on the scene, but that would be a lie and won’t help me get past this stupid crush on a guy I can’t have.

I click the Umbrella icon for “Rain Check” instead and close the app.

“See you in a few weeks,” I say, and he nods and waves back at me.

“Yeah, see you.”