Renegades

Thank you

I woke up with a pounding, and I mean pounding headache. Looking around I realize I'm in my own bed in the clothes I went out with last night. What the actual hell happened to me last night? I remember meeting Dansby, Logan and Zach at some bar. I remember ordering lots of drinks.

Sitting up I groggily looking around the room. My phone catches my eye plugged in on the bedside table. I see a note next to it and reach out grabbing it.

Ashton, give me a call in the morning and let me know your Alright. I had a really great time talking to you last night.
~ Dansby xxx-xxx-xxxx

I start trying to think back and slowly things begin coming back a little bit. Dansby got me home last night when I couldn't even function, he got me home and didn't try a single thing. He was so sweet, caring and concerned about me last night.

Taking the note and my phone I push myself out of the bed and make my way down my steps. I was actually surprised to see Dansby had left the hall light on when I walk out. Getting down to the kitchen I decided to make me some pancakes and sausage for breakfast. I also make myself a large cup of coffee and take some Advil to help with my hang over.

As I'm making my pancakes my phone rings and Emma is calling me. "Hello." I answer flipping one.

"I would just like apologize for being a complete shit friend." She immediately says.

I chuckle shaking my head at her. "I'm alive and home that's all that matters."

"I still feel sooo bad! Ash I was so trashed and I don't know but somehow I ended up back home with Logan." I could here the regret in her voice.

"It's fine Em, look Dansby got me home. I'm safe and nothing bad happened." I assure her once again.

Emma sighed loudly on the other side of the line. "Well I'm taking you out to dinner to make up for it anyway." She informs me. In the background I heard her name being called and a smirk rise on my lips.

"Em are you still at Logan's?" I question.

"Shut up." She mumbles quietly.

"Walk of shaming!" I sing before she cuts the call short making me erupt in laughter.

As I dive into my food my mind wonders back to Dansby. From the conversations I remember having with him last night he was super sweet. I know I need to thank him so I type the number into my phone and let it ring.

The phone rings before going to voicemail. "Hey you've reached Dansby Swanson, leave me a message and I'll call you back." His southern voice rings.

The tone bings and I take a deep breath. I didn't realize I was nervous until then. "Uh hey Dansby this is Ashton. I uh I just wanted to thank you for last night and apologize. I was a mess and I feel bad you had to deal with it. Anyways I Uh just thank you. Yea give me a call back.... if you want." I mentally hit myself in the face as I hung up.

"Way to be awkward Ash." I groan throwing my fork onto my plate.

After cleaning up my mess I decide I probably need to be productive today. Getting dressed in some work out clothes I head to my gym. As I pull into the parking lot my phone starts ringing. Looking down I see it's Dansby. Taking a deep breath I hit the answer button on my steering wheel.

"Hello?" I ask trying to keep my voice calm.

"Hey Ashton, it's uh Dansby." He says.

"Yea I know." I chuckle. Dansby does the same on the other side.

"Right, Uh, so I got your message, so I'm yea calling you back." He awkwardly says.

Glad we can all be awkward here. "I can see that." I smile. "I'm glad you did though, I want to thank you, so I figured being a baseball player and always having late games and such you don't get a lot of home cooked meals..." I trail off.

Dansby chuckles on the other end of the line. "That's true."

"Great, so I was wondering if Uh maybe you wanted to come over one night and I can cook you what ever is your favorite meal." I offer. "I feel really bad about you having to take care of me, this will be my kind of thank you."

"It was no problem Ashton but I would love to do that." He agrees making my heart flutter. "We actually have a day game tomorrow since it's Sunday and normally I go over to my parents for dinner then but they are out of town."

"Yea that works great with me." I nod even though he couldn't see me. "What's your favorite meal?"

"Nah just cook whatever is easy for you." He tries.

"Dansby seriously just tell me." I laugh wanting him to tell me.

"Ashton. Whatever you want will work. Any home cooked meal is good with me." He says making me sigh.

"Oh my gosh you men are so difficult." I groan making him laugh. "How bout this do you like stake?" I ask knowing most athletes love stake.

"Absolutely." He confirms.

"Ok now we are talking. How about a good southern stake meal then?" I offer hoping that's okay.

"You're talking my language now." I couldn't help but chuckle at him.

"Sounds good, then prepare to have the best meal of your life." I tease making him laugh. "Wanna come over around say 7?"

"I could..." He trails off. "Or I could get you like 2 tickets to the game and you could bring Emma?" He offers. "You like baseball?"

"Love it. My brother actually plays at UGA right now." I say, wow if I keep talking I'm never going to get into the gym.

"No way is it Austin Kennedy?" He asked automatically.

"Yea you know of him?" My brother is good but knowing that a Major League player knows about him is wild.

"Yea! But look I've gotta start heading to the field but how about I give Logan the two tickets and y'all can meet up with him so y'all aren't lonely." He suggest.

"That sounds great." I agree.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yea see you then." With that I hang up. Smiling like an idiot I call Emma.

"Helloooo." She sings as always answering the phone.

"You're still my baseball buddy right?" I ask, back in high school I use to drag Emma with me to all of Austin's games or tournaments.

"Of course." She chuckles. "Why?"

"Because we are going to a Braves game tomorrow and we're meeting Logan there." I add knowing it will mess with her.

"Oh my god." She groans. "Wait don't, focus Emma." She mumbles to herself. "Doesn't a certain curly haired guy play for the Braves?" Now it was her turn to tease.

"Yea, but it's nothing and I know how you are so will you just drop it before the words even come out of your mouth." If I didn't warn her she would be teasing me for life.

"Fine fine. I'll watch my mouth around him and Logan but I'm going to tease the hell out of you when no one is around." I roll my eyes at her

"Emma it's nothing, seriously. I just wanted to thank him for getting me home so I offered to make him dinner and he invited us to the game." I tell her.

"Y'all are going on a date!" She shrieked.

"Really!" I groan. "Ok look I'm gonna go, you get it through your thick skull that it's nothing and call me back in a few hours." I say before hanging up.

Gathering my gym bag I head into the gym and do my normal since it was arm day. I started with 30 minutes of cardio before heading to the weights. I focused on my back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. After 2 hours in the gym I head home and shower before heading to the store.

I decide on making stake, creamed corn, fried okra and some biscuits. I was also going to make a brownie trifle, what ever we don't eat I can just take to work Monday. Once I got everything inside I fell onto my couch wore out. Tomorrow should be fun, I haven't had a chance to go to the new park here but Emma says it's amazing. I can't wait to see it.