Page 172 of Chasing Headlines
“Huh? What's this?” Eddie looked at me, then back at Antonio.
“Reporter chica needs some quotes for her article. You can't let us fish get all the spotlight, even if we did win the game.”
“Jimenez, you always running your mouth.” Jorge Azocar gestured with both hands as he joined the growing group. The guy had the same length of hair on his head as on his square jaw, and he spoke with a Brooklyn accent. He pointed at Antonio. “Even those chicken legs of yours can't keep up with your jawin'.”
A chuckle sounded behind me. “Youolderguys needed a freshman reliever, too.”
“Man, the toddler group got uppity quick!” Aaron Kinsley pitched a rock at the dirt.
“You should go with the headline: 'Freshman reliever holds Arizona scoreless for seven'.” Tanner lifted his eyebrows and grinned.
“Fens and Stanton tied the game.” Aaron snagged Antonio's hat and chucked it at him. “Take that, fish.”
“And theseolder guysare your upperclassmen.” Jorge punctuated his words by waving two fingers in the air. “As in we've got more class.” He crossed his arms.
“All right, all right. I need more than quotes for an article. Our Instagram account's looking pretty sad. Whoever wants to be in the highlight reel, come find me out front. Coach doesn't want us hanging out here.”
“I'm gonna be on the cover. I lookdashing.” Eddie slicked his hair, then pulled his ballcap back on.
“You ain't pretty,” Jorge said with a dismissive wave.
“I didn't say pretty, I saiddashing.”
“You meant pretty. There's pretty guys out there.” Jorge shook his head. “You ain't one of them.”
I couldn't help but laugh. I was used to the strange way men bonded with their teammates. Their sense of togetherness was as much about playing ball as it was about the sport of insultingone another. I'd seen it, studied it from the outside as Curt's kid sister. But, as Tanner fell into step beside me, I felt a part of it for the first time. Like I had finally contributed something to the team.
“I'm sure you talk about baseball all the time at home,” Tanner said in a low voice.
“Yes, yes. But, sadly, my brother won't be home for the holiday. He talks about baseball. Furston talks about the money of baseball.”
“I'm sure when you do get a chance to chat, my performance and flexibility in the exhibition game will still be top of mind.”
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as we arrived at the front exit. “Will it? It's not like he and Schorr are strangers. He coached the infamous Curt Milline, as you know.”
“So you're saying little sis doesn't hold extra clout.” He nodded. “Good to know.”
“What? I mean, I intern for him in the summers, going over reports, and stats of—” I sighed. “But extra clout? No, that's not me. Mostly 'cause Dad doesn't want me to gettoo involved.” I rolled my eyes and pushed the bar to open door.
“Sounds like you're bothered by what he thinks. I had to stop caring a long time ago.”
We left the stadium and stopped on the oversized sidewalk. “You're not close to your dad, then, either?”
“Could say that. He showed up drunk to one of my little league games. Been downhill ever since.” His voice roughened into a growl.
“That sounds . . . sad.”
“Is this all going in your article?” Tanner frowned. “It's not something I like to?—“
“Oh, uh, no. I assumed this was all off the record kinda talk.”
He nodded and pulled the backpack from his shoulders. I turned as a breeze kicked up, letting it breathe on the back of my head.
“So how long are you going to keep pretending with all this reporter stuff?”
“Pretending? Uh, pretty sure my journalism enrollment says I'm notpretendingat a grade.” I rolled my eyes.What a tool.
“You don't seem all that interested in stories. Advertising, marketing, sure. Unless all those shirtless pics were for your personal collection.” He smirked like they were all of him or something.