“I have a call with Seattle. They’re looking at a couple of our prospects. Might have some good options for us,” he stated.
“Banyan and Moore?” Jason asked.
“Yeah. Good on base percentage and decent fielding. Banyan has potential at first, good back up for Lockhart, especially if he continues to struggle.”
Everyone sat, lost in their own thoughts. First base continued to be an issue for them. Lockhart struggled at first and at the plate. Sometimes new players couldn’t translate their success in the minors to the majors, and sometimes they let nerves get the best of them. No one could figure out what happened with Lockhart, why he was having so much trouble, but they had to fix it, or find someone else. The pressure was on because they all knew Seamus Callahan was coming back soon, calling more frequently, and he would demand a decision. They’d prefer to have a plan in place rather than letting him force a change that wouldn’t be in their best interest.
“Can Banyan step in to first now or does he need time in Triple-A? And why are they getting rid of him?” Miranda asked, always looking for the bad deal.
“They are deep at first, too many players, not enough playing time. Banyan will never reach the majors with them unless he changes position.”
“So what do they want in exchange?” Jason asked.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Cole admitted. “They need relief pitching. I think they want Hanley or Polonio.”
“Damn,” Jason echoed the sentiment of everyone in the room.
“What does Sam think?” Miranda asked, referring to the manager of the team.
“He wants Banyan. Bad. We’re losing runs due to errors at first. We need to shore that up.”
Miranda glanced at Lucas. “What do you think?”
All eyes turned to him, not one of them with any animosity. They had all accepted him as a member of their team. Even Cole, who had been the most suspicious.
Lucas nodded. “We need Banyan. I’d trade Hanley. He’s a right hander and he’s been hit hard this season. Will Seattle take him?”
“They think he’ll fit in their ballpark. I’ll offer him and see what we can get.” Cole wiped his hands, nodding to Lucas, and headed out.
Jason and Stacia followed quickly, quietly shutting the door, leaving Miranda and Lucas alone in the conference room. Lucas set his empty plate on the table and studied her. Miranda sat primly in her seat, looking everywhere but at him.
“Thank you.”
Her radiant smile made it all worthwhile. “We’ll celebrate more later.”
The promise in her words heated his blood yet something was still bothering him. He had been accepted by everyone, judging by the birthday party. What would they think if they knew what he knew– that Roger was trying to replace their leadership with someone new, and install Lucas as president over their beloved Miranda? He couldn’t share that information. No one would believe he didn’t know about it. And even if he rejected the idea, he still felt like he was deceiving them, lying to them about what was going on. And he was lying by omission. Not telling Miranda or any of them about his conversation was wrong but he feared them thinking he was acting on the motives they accused him of when he started– of trying to take over the team for his father. No, he had to stick to his plan, which was to help the team succeed. That hopefully would be enough to block Roger and his plans.
Hopefully.
*
“You’re awfully quiet.”Miranda leaned into his side.
Automatically, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close, when deep inside, his emotions roiled like the ocean after a hurricane.
She laid her head on his shoulder. “You’ve been in an odd mood since your birthday cake. Didn’t you like it?” She sounded anxious, nervous about his reaction. “I know you hate being made a fuss over.”
He smiled and hugged her. “It was perfect. I never expected it.”
“Everyone wanted to do it. You’ve become part of our family.”
Her words stabbed him in the heart. He had been a part of them, then left, and was now back again. But for how long? Until his next job? Until Roger’s plan came to fruition? And even if he didn’t agree, would they all reject him when, and if, they found out? Because they always found out, Lucas knew. Secrets never stay secrets for long. If he wasn’t such a coward, he’d come clean now and take his chances. But he wanted one last night, one last chance with Miranda. Then, he’d deal with tomorrow.
Besides, it was his birthday and didn’t she promise him something special?
He unlocked the car and opened the door for her. He braced his arm against the roof of the car, blocking her entrance. “What was that about a special celebration?”
A sexy smile crossed her face and she ran a finger down his chest, sending goose bumps along his skin. “We have to wait until we get home. But here’s a little preview.”