The Sweet Spot - Strike Zone Series Book 1

Chapter 2

Thank you for reading Enjoy 😉

Chapter 2

      It's a ridiculously hot and humid summer day out. My shirt is sticking to my skin making me more uncomfortable than I already am. The bandage on my knee is soaked with sweat already. Those summer storms that hit us will be starting soon enough.
      My brother, Dillon, and best friend, Reese, decided to go with me this afternoon to get the MRI on my knee. Driving myself wasn't going to happen for me any time soon. Carson, our trainer, got me crutches last night and Dillon got me home, which was a good thing. I really didn't want to deal with Carla last night. I was hot, sweaty, in so much pain, and pissed over circumstances out of my control. It was much better that my brother dealt with me than her.
     Of course, Carla did call and tried to get me to let her come over. She made a few tempting offers of giving me some sexual distractions that I know my brother wanted no part of with her. He doesn't like Carla anymore than our sister Molly does but he was willing to leave me in Carla's incapable hands if I wanted her. I held firmly to my ground. I didn't, under any circumstances, want her to take care of me. It's not that Carla isn't good at what she was offering, she can handle herself just fine in bed but her bedside manner lacks desperately.
     She's not the kind of woman that everyone can handle. She's what I called luxury maintenance. On top of her needy nature, lately things between us have changed. When we aren't arguing over her red carpet requirements, it's over my traveling schedule. We don't mesh like we once did. We just been ... missing something. Maybe I'm just bored with her again and need a break. It's not like she doesn't have her own side piece. I know she has several who are waiting to use her to get in the spotlight. It goes with the territory of being famous. Carla and have had an agreement for a long time. No commitment, no ties. Exactly the way I like.
      This morning, getting up and heading to breakfast with Dillon was good for me. We talked about our plans for the Fourth of July, our parents are coming to town, Molly, who has begged us to see about helping her get a Physical Therapist in-training position for the team and then the dreaded conversation about the game. Neither of us want to approach the subject, but it's right there sticking out from under the dash.
     "How are you feeling? Any better?" Dillon wonders as we head to get Reese.
     I shrug, still annoyed at the situation. I don't look over but stare out the window. Watching the coast pass by, we head south down I-5 for Reese's place, just off the beach, and high on the cliffs. He's got a sweet house and no one is there most of the time. Like me, he has a hard time wanting a relationship with someone who you rarely see. We're on the road so much, we are barely home a good part of the year. The sweet nightly calls of phone sex always end up turning quickly to arguments over media photos that some idiot snapped of a fan kissing you. Most of the time there's nothing to it, but the seeds have been planted and it just goes downhill from there. 
     So single life is our choice. I've got Carla, an actress model, who likes her freedom but wants a man who is willing to accommodate her needs for a high profile date on occasion. She gets her hot date, I get laid without the strings, we're both happy. My parents, the team  and even Molly hate her. Which is why I keep them all separated again in their own corners.
     I never ask Carla to join me for family events - ever. Reese has the same kind of set up with some chick he sees too. She's a fan though, and follows us on the road. She tends to drive him a little nuts sometimes with it, but he takes a break from her when he needs to then goes right back to her when he feels the urge. No strings, no stress.
     Taking our time up the walkway, I limp along with the crutches as Dillon shoves his hands in his pockets and whistles along like he doesn't have a care in the world.
    Opening the door, Dillon calls out to him, letting him know we're here. We head into and hear him in the kitchen rummaging through the refrigerator. "Did you guys eat? I'm starving!"
   "Yep!" I pop the 'P' when we walk into the kitchen seeing his head in the fridge.
     "That means I need a drive thru run. I've got no food in here. I've got to hire someone to stock me up. Do you guys use any of those services?" Reese asks, grabbing an apple and water.
     "Molly takes care of mine." I remind him.
     Running my hand through my hair, I adjust the ballcap on my head. I'm trying to not get noticed today. The last thing I want is to have to be nice to fans when I'm still fuming over the hit I took. I'm dressed down in shorts and a Cubs T-shirt with a Cubs hat on. Who's gonna believe it's me wearing another team's logo, right?
     "Mine, too." Dillon nods as we follow Reese out the front door and back to the car. We climb in and start down the drive.
     "Think she'd do me?" Reese asks, causing both of us to glare to the back seat where Reese is sitting. "What? I need to be fed, too." And then he catches it. "Aw, shit! That's not what I meant! I mean... not that Molly isn't hot, but she's family, like a sister."
     "Yeah, you keep it that way, too. You think of her as a sister and we're fine. My sister is off limits to you, Reese. Don't even go there... like ever." I warned him once again. Every so often I need to remind him, he's never going to be good enough for my sister, no matter what anyone else thinks.
     He knows Molly isn't one of his girls that follows him around and wants to play with him. She's off limits, completely and utterly, off limits for him and every other guy in sports. I know the mindset of these guys, none of them are worth her time, it doesn't matter what the sport is. I won't let it happen. And Molly hates me for it. I'm okay with that, too.
     "Anyway, you think she'd shop for me, too?" Reese gives us his cheesiest grin.
     "Why don't you ask that chick you're always hooking up with? I'm sure she'd do you." Dillon asks, getting a chuckle from me.
     "Hell, no! She's good in bed, but I don't want her to know where I live!" Reese growls, like he's the one in pain.
     "Wait! Doesn't she already know that?" I ask, confused. Carla is in and out of my place all the time. I'm okay with it, except if we're taking a break. She is usually pretty good about understanding the boundaries though.
     "I don't tell her that, man. We go to her place for anything we do. That chick would never leave me alone. I've got enough trouble with her, that would just be asking for more." Reese shakes his head then shivers. "No, Molly is good. I can handle Molly in my place."
     "You are not gonna do anything with my sister, anywhere!" I grumble at him again. I swear, he says this stuff on purpose. Dillon is laughing as he pulls up into the medical center. He drives up to the front door and stops.
     "Are you good at getting inside on your own? I'm gonna take Reese for food and come back." Dillon tells me so I'm not late for my appointment. I know what he's doing though. "I want a cheeseburger and a coke, dude."
     Butthead! He thought he would sneak a burger in without me.
     I get out with my crutches in hand, limping slightly before I relent to using the stupid things and head into the building. I'm not looking forward to this. Taking the elevator up, I get a few pitying looks from a few ladies who recognize me, a couple of call outs from a couple guys who saw the game. Just what I wanted this morning. Giving a polite wave Molly would be happy about I head down the hall to the doctors office. After going to the front desk and checking in I wait my turn.
     "Mr Segler?" The girl at the front desk calls me and smiles sympathetically in my direction.
     The last thing I want is sympathy. I want to know I'm going to play again. I want to not have to explain myself to every fan who sees me. Just once I want to be anonymous I get through the day without being asked questions or posing for pictures.
     She gets to her feet so she can see me better because I refuse to stand up again. Her big blue eyes look over at me, I'm already irritated by the attention I've gotten. I'm in no mood for anything more to screw with my day.
      I notice the large coffee stain on the front of her blouse. Guess she's not having a good day either. "We're running a little behind today. I'm sorry, we'll call you as soon as we can." She lets me know before I can get to my feet.
     Well shit! Now everyone is staring at me, knowing exactly who I am. So much for staying low today.
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