Better Than Perfect. Kristina Mathews

mailed that announcement, making sure he knew it. So Johnny had closed the book on their friendship. And Alice? He’d tried to forget her. But he had a better shot at the American League batting title. Even though they used a designated hitter and he only got to hit when playing interleague games at a National League park.

      He sat down at the weight machine and tried to work out the stiffness in his shoulders. Stress had begun to settle into his muscles. Not good for someone who made a living with his body. Signing autographs wasn’t much of a workout, and while just thinking about Alice got his heart rate up, it wasn’t exactly cardio.

      Bryce Baxter sauntered into the weight room about a half an hour after Johnny started lifting weights. He wore dark sunglasses and had the slow movements of someone who’d spent a late night out on the town.

      “Mornin’.” Bryce eased himself onto the machine next to Johnny. “How’s it going?”

      “Good. Trying to keep busy these last couple of weeks before spring training.” Johnny glanced at the clock. Morning was pretty much over; it was almost noon.

      “I could have used you last night, man.” Bryce stretched his arms overhead and rolled his neck side to side. “That brunette had a friend.”

      Johnny took a swig of his water. “You took on both of them?”

      “Nah. I’m not that talented.” He laughed like they were old friends, sharing an old joke. “Maybe when I was a rookie five—okay, eight years ago. Of course, back then I was excited to have even one chick into me, you know what I mean? No. I guess you don’t know what I mean.”

      “I’m not really a monk.” Johnny had spent half his career explaining himself. “I’ve been known to swear, have a beer. I’ve even had relationships with women before.”

      “No, man. I didn’t mean anything.” Bryce rubbed his temples. “Except you seem to be smarter than the rest of us.”

      “I doubt that.”

      “You’d think I’d learn. She wasn’t interested in me. The real me. She was just looking for another jock to add to her collection.” He laughed again, mostly at himself. “I came out of the bathroom and she was typing into her phone. Couldn’t even wait for me to get dressed before updating her blog with her latest conquest.”

      “How’d you find this out?”

      “She sent me the link.” Bryce uncapped his water bottle and drained it. “I did get a ‘Homerun’ rating. So that’s good. I guess.”

      “She’s got a rating system?”

      “Sure. Single, Double, Triple, Homerun and Strikeout.” Bryce rested his forearms on his knees, not ready to work out anytime soon. “So I guess I should be proud of hitting one out.”

      Johnny didn’t exactly know what to say about that.

      “She’s coming to Arizona.” Bryce stretched. Rolled his neck from side to side. Then he exhaled loudly.

      “You going to meet up with her again?”

      “Hell, no.” Bryce laughed as if Johnny had told a dirty joke. “I’ve got a one and done rule. Besides, she’s got her sights set on you, big guy.”

      “I’m not interested.”

      “Exactly. That’s the challenge.”

      “She’ll have to find someone else. I don’t play that game.”

      “She was pretty hot, though…” Bryce leaned back on the weight bench. “But I guess you’re more into blondes.”

      “I’m only interested in getting ready for the season.” Johnny pulled down on the machine he’d been working on, thinking the conversation was over.

      “I don’t know about that.” Bryce started his reps. “There was that one woman, in the blue sweater. She was there with her kid.”

      Johnny concentrated on lifting and lowering the weights. Maybe if he ignored Bryce, he would do the same.

      “She was married to your roommate, huh?” Not working. Bryce was a chatty fellow. Oblivious to the fact Johnny didn’t want to talk about it. “I get it, now. It’s not a religious thing. Or a…gay thing. You’ve got a thing for your college buddy’s wife. That’s the secret behind The Monk.”

      Johnny’s weights slipped, crashing down with a bang.

      Bryce sat up.

      “So, you are in love with her.”

      “No. I’m not.” Damn.

      “Hey, she’s not married anymore.” Bryce grinned.

      If he’d had a ball in his hand, Johnny would have thrown it at him. Wiped that smug look off his face

      “I got a vibe…she was just as into you.”

      “She’s not interested in me. Not anymore.”

      “Oh, so she knew you were hot for her?”

      “We dated three years in college.” Why did Johnny share that?

      “And she married your roommate? Harsh.”

      “You have no idea.”

      “Most guys in your situation would have gone the opposite route.” Bryce leaned in, fully engaged in the conversation now. “Banged anything that moved. Hell, most guys would do that anyway.”

      Johnny had always known he wasn’t like most guys.

      “When my wife left me…” Bryce let out a low chuckle. “I took advantage of every opportunity that came my way. She didn’t want me anymore. There were plenty of women who did.”

      “Must be the uniform.” Johnny was only half joking.

      “Yeah. Sometimes I feel like a baseball card with batteries.” Bryce started lifting again.

      Johnny took that to mean the conversation was finished, so he got back to work. He couldn’t remember how many reps he’d done, so he started over.

      They worked out in comfortable silence for the next hour, only the sound of the clanging machines and grunts as the two men pushed their bodies through the exercises.

      “You work with kids much?” Johnny asked, feeling the need to talk to someone. Anyone. Even bad boy Bryce Baxter.

      “A little. Why?” Bryce rolled his neck and shoulders.

      “Javier asked me to fill in for this charity thing. A minicamp.”

      “Yeah? You’ll be fine. Just teach ’em what you know.” Bryce stretched his arms overhead and leaned forward. “Clinics are easy. Hospital visits are tough. Visiting kids you know probably won’t be around next season, that sucks.”

      “Yeah. I hate those, too. I feel so helpless.” And insignificant.

      “So when is this camp? It’s gotta be soon, since we have less than two weeks before we head down to Arizona for spring training.”

      “Tomorrow.”

      “Doesn’t give you much time to prepare. But you’ll do fine. “ Johnny wished he had Bryce’s confidence.

      “My ex is running it.” Johnny had no idea how much time he’d be forced to spend with her. She’d emailed a bunch of information to him last night. Along with a very impersonal message about how she was looking forward to working with him and his teammates. She’d agreed to meet with him this afternoon, so that was something.

      “Awkward.” Bryce seemed to think the situation was amusing. But then he was the kind of guy who found most things amusing. Baxter’s reputation was pretty much the opposite of Johnny’s. Enthusiastic. Fun-loving. Charismatic. Always happy to be the center of attention, especially when the attention came from attractive and willing females.