Juan spoke up, the next one passing me by, “That’s why Reese went after her, making sure we didn’t end up at that casino. Remember that one time?”

Crusky raised his arm, already outside. “Oh yeah. That one time.”

Juan went down the stairs, but flashed me a grin over his shoulder. “Wish us luck, Staff Member.”

Direction Girl to Staff Member. I wasn’t sure if I’d been demoted or not.

Reese was the last one out except for one of their staff in the back of the bus.

He stopped at my seat, a backpack on and his hands resting on the straps. “They’re hazing you, just a little bit.”

Another gurgle escaped my throat.

“You guys don’t get it.” I had to blink a couple times. “This is—a wet dream for me.”

But no randoms came out of me. I just now realized that, and as if reading my mind, Reese said, “Why do you think Pete was talking to you the whole time? I might’ve had a word with him earlier.” Then he was moving past me.

“Wait.”

All of them were going up into the plane. I was looking around. “Where is Pete?”

“He’s on the plane. He wanted to get on first because his knee was giving him problems earlier. We’ll have a bus waiting for us at the next airport to the stadium.”

“But—”

Reese chuckled. “Have a good one, Direction Girl. We’ll be back after we win.” He didn’t wink, but his smirk had enough punch behind it. I lost my train of thought for a second, until I clued back in that he was getting off and crossing the tarmac to get on that plane too.

They all had been, except one.

The last staff guy was holding a bag of garbage, coming back down the center aisle. I asked as he passed me by, “Do I have a ride home?”

He glanced up and shrugged. “I don’t know, but you gotta get off the bus. I have to lock it for Pete.”

I got off. He locked the bus, jogging over to the plane, and I was left standing there, my mouth hanging open. All the while as the plane closed up and took off, long after I saw it disappear into the air.

I’d been ditched, and I wasn’t even sure who had ditched me.

Then the airport office door opened and a woman waved at me. “You Direction Girl?”

I groaned, heading over to her. “Yeah.”

She smiled, laughing. “They told me to wait until the plane was long gone to tell you that I’m your ride back. Give me a minute to close up, then I’ll drive you.”

I didn’t know if I should laugh or curse.

I did both.

Chapter Thirteen

Two days later, they’d won their first preseason game and were back practicing.