Free Double Play by Jen Estes Page B

forget it. Really, I’ll be fine. Carmen’s just upset because
     it’s been a long night.”
    Cat gave him a
     long look. He didn’t seem upset. Why not?
    “ I had
     no idea you and she hated Buffalo so much.”
    “ Not
     me. I love Buffalo. I grew up wanting to move here.”
    He reached his
     good arm up and pulled down the neck of his hospital robe,
     displaying his smooth, molded pec. “See?”
    “ You
     work out, I get it.”
    Ryan laughed and
     pulled it down farther. “No, this.”
    “ Ah.”
     Just to the right of his heart was a tattoo, a charging blue bison
     with a red stripe streaming from its horn—the Buffalo Bills’
     logo.
    He let go of the
     robe and dropped his hand back to the mattress. “I’ve had this
     since I was sixteen. All my friends rooted for the Toronto
     Argonauts, but I was an NFL fan. I love this town and everything in it. ”
    “ I
     don’t get it. If you heart Buffalo so much, why didn’t you sign an
     extension?”
    She’d asked him
     that question several times over the season and the answer had
     always been “We’ll see at the end of the season,” which was usually
     player/agent code for holding out to get more money and a longer
     contract. Cat didn’t blame them. She’d hold out for a bigger
     paycheck and job security, too; that is, if sportswriters were ever
     in the position to demand that.
    “ Carmen hates it here. We met at a fashion show in Milan, got
     married and moved here. Soon after that, her agent dropped her. Now
     the only runway she sees is the one at the airport. I think she
     blames her career dwindling on living here.”
    “ Is
     that the reason?”
    “ No.” He looked out
     into the empty hallway. “She’s twenty-six. If models were horses,
     she’d be on her way to the glue factory.”
    Cat winced,
     taking a second to shake off that horrible image. “Why don’t you
     just get a penthouse in Manhattan, then? You could at least live
     there in the offseason.”
    He tugged at the
     robe to display the tattoo again. “Our offseason is the Bills’
     season.” He shook his head. “It’s not just that. I believe she
     thinks that if I was on a more high-profile team, it would put her
     back in the spotlight.”
    “ I
     guess.”
    “ She
     knows I love it here and I know she hates it here, but as long as I
     was under contract, there was nothing that could be
     done.”
    “ Until
     now.”
    “ Five
     days after the end of the season, to be correct. She’s got the day
     I’ll hit the market as a free agent circled on our refrigerator
     calendar.”
    “ So
     what now?”
    “ My
     agent was here earlier. He explained to Carmen that it might be
     wise to at least meet with the Soldiers and discuss an extension,
     just in case my arm scares other teams off. If they come through
     with a good offer, I might be able to talk her into staying.” A
     smile crept across his face.
    “ Either that’s the painkillers kicking in or you’ve found the
     bright side of this accident.”
    “ Little bit of both.” He settled back onto the pillow. “How’s
     the team holding up?”
    The
     team!? How about me?
    “ Well
     enough.” She spotted Detective Kahn’s card on his nightstand.
     “There’s a cop asking all these questions though.”
    “ Yeah,
     he’s been here, too.”
    “ What’s he want with you?”
    “ I
     don’t know. I told him I fell but I think he was looking for
     something else. Must be a slow week at work.”
    “ Wish
     I could say that for me.”
    Ryan pointed at
     the television. “I caught part of your press conference on Buffalo
     Breaktime. How’s it feel to be behind the microphone for a
     change?”
    “ Awful.”
    Ryan chuckled.
     “Every reporter should have to do it once. It might give them some
     perspective, like how shrinks have to get shrunk before they can
     put anybody on their couch.”
    Cat peered at the
     signatures on his cast. “I see Adam’s been here.” The cursive AA
     took up a fourth