I snort and move over to them, holding out my fist so that each one can bump in solidarity. “Thanks. I appreciate you having my back.”
“Always,” Kane says. “We know you have ours too.”
“Always,” I assure them. “Now, let’s go kick some Seattle Storm ass, which will be as satisfying, and legal in every way.”
CHAPTER 23
Riggs
It’s with a level of confidence never experienced before that I walk into the Sneaky Saguaro following the game. It doesn’t even bother me that a small group of reporters by the entrance get in a tizzy when they see me approaching. I’m holding Veronica’s hand, and Janelle is on the other side of her, farthest away from the shouted questions about our mother. We all ignore them and walk inside.
The confidence comes from many sources, I suppose. The fact we killed the Storm tonight and that apparently my focus intensifies when I know Veronica and Janelle are cheering me on. My play was nearly flawless. It also has to do with the fact that I’ve bared myself to my team, and they have accepted me—warts and all.
Mostly, though, no one has made me feel like shit for waiting so long to get my head out of my ass.
In deference to Baden, the management relocated our team hangout from the second floor to the first. While Baden can do stairs, he doesn’t want to risk it in a busy, public place, and I don’t blame him.
The management also does an amazing job of kicking out the reporters who follow me, Veronica, and Janelle into the restaurant. I glance over my shoulder at them, wondering how many days it’ll take with me refusing to comment before they give up. I thought about calling my mom to tell her to cut the shit before I sue her for slander but decided against it. She wants me to engage in battle with her. I guarantee she’ll try to use the promise of her silence to get me to drop the charges against Shep or even to ask for more money.
What she doesn’t understand, and may be too uneducated to figure out, is that it’s not up to me whether Shep gets charged. That’s totally up to the district attorney, and there’s no way in hell I’d do anything to discourage said charges. Shep has had this coming to him since he dared lay a hand on my sister.
We find the team in the back, several tables congregated in a roped-off area so we don’t get swarmed by fans. On any given night after a game, sometimes significant others will come out and sometimes they won’t. Tonight, I see most of the guys are on their own, other than Aaron and Clarke, Bishop and Brooke, and Kane and Mollie. To my surprise, all the guys are here, except Erik, who has a new baby at home, and Tacker, who has a very pregnant wife at home. I suspect they all made an effort to come out tonight as a show of support to me.
This is even more obvious when we approach the table and everyone calls out shouts of greeting and congratulations on my game play.
Granted, I played great tonight. Like I said, super focused. But so many other guys did too. It’s just their way of laying it on thick since this new camaraderie is long overdue.
Baden waves me over, and I see he’s been saving three spots beside him. I hold out a chair for Veronica while Janelle plops down on her own. I sit between Veronica and Baden, and the first thing I do is introduce them.
“We already know each other,” Veronica says but reaches across me to shake Baden’s hand.
“You do?” I ask.
She nods with a sly smile, and Baden smirks.
“What?” I demand. What am I missing?
“Nothing, other than Kane and I once hit on her when we went with Aaron to the bookstore.” Baden grins.
My gaze moves around and locates Kane who’s sitting at the end of the table talking to Mollie. It moves back to Baden. “You’re lucky I’m in a peaceable mood tonight.”
Baden chuckles and gives no indication he finds it weird that Veronica is with me, but I make it clear she is by looping my arm over the back of her chair.
It only feels slightly awkward, but I go with it.
It’s a school night for Janelle, but I don’t care. We order a late dinner—a bunch of appetizers—and Veronica and I each have a beer. The banter is fun and easy. My teammates circulate, those who haven’t met Janelle introducing themselves. I use the opportunity to introduce Veronica as well, using her official title as my girlfriend.
It gets easier each time, especially since the guys don’t make a big deal of it in front of her. I’m sure at practice tomorrow, I’ll get a ration of shit.