Read Online Summer Ball by Mike Lupica - Free Book Online Page A

forgot,” she said. “Tess called.”
    Danny stood there in the old phone booth and couldn’t help feeling ridiculously excited. But he wasn’t going to let his mom in on that, even if she had her good radar going tonight.
    So all he said, making his voice as casual as he could, was, “How’s she doing?”
    â€œWe didn’t talk all that long. She just wanted the address up there,” his mom said. “I hope it was all right that I gave it to her”—Danny heard the smile in her voice as she added—“even in a time of war.”
    â€œC’mon, you know it’s not war,” Danny said, trying to use the same tone of voice, like this was no biggie, either, the subject of Tess. “It’s much more serious than that.”
    He heard her laugh, a sound that had always made him feel better about everything, and then she said, “Love you.”
    Knowing he was safe inside the phone booth and that no one outside could hear him, he said, “Love you, too, Mom.”
    â€œHere’s your dad.”
    The next thing he heard was Richie Walker saying, “Hey, champ.” As soon as he did, Danny cut him right off. “Dad, promise you won’t tell Mom any of what I’m going to tell you.”
    â€œPromise,” Richie said.
    Then Danny told him as much as he could, as fast as he could, about Coach Ed Powers. He was out of breath when he finished, like he’d just had to run more laps.
    Richie told him to relax, they could talk freely, his mom had just gone out to the store.
    â€œI can’t believe you pulled him for a coach,” Richie said.
    â€œDad, the guy hates me.”
    â€œHe hates anybody who thinks basketball is a sport and not chess with live pieces. And minds of their own. I don’t know how this guy got to be some kind of offensive guru, but he did.”
    â€œHe acted like every single thing I did today other than go to the water fountain was dead wrong.”
    â€œThat’s him,” Richie said. “But remember, it’s still only the first day. He probably just wanted to scare you all half to death to get you with the program. Even he has to know this is summer camp and not boot camp.”
    â€œBut Dad,” Danny said, “it’s not just me. It sounds like he hates you, too.”
    â€œOh, God,” Richie said. “Did he give you all that BS about how I changed my mind at the last second about going to Providence, back in the day when he still let his players actually play?”
    â€œHe made it sound like you changed your mind at the very last second.”
    â€œDon’t even get into it with him,” his dad said. “But just so you know, I turned them down way early in the process, and then turned them down again after one of their rich alums offered me some money under the old table. I’ll tell you the whole crazy story when you get home.”
    Danny said, “It’s like basketball by numbers, Dad. That’s not me. That’s not ever going to be me.”
    â€œYou’ll just have to win him over,” Richie said. “’Cause the guy’s probably going to be as obsessed with winning there as he was coaching college. And he’ll see that you can help him win.”
    â€œNo way,” Danny said. “Remember that kid Rasheed from Baltimore we played in the travel finals? Coach already announced that it’s his ball.”
    â€œTake it from him.”
    There was a knock on the door. Danny saw Nick out there, pointing at his watch.
    â€œCoach Powers is gonna wreck my whole camp. I just know it,” Danny said.
    Now he really did sound like Zach.
    Richie said, “Only if you let him.”
    â€œBut, Dad—”
    â€œListen, I’m not gonna try and tell you that you didn’t get a bad deal,” Richie said. “You did. But you’ll figure it out.”
    â€œI can’t play for him.”
    â€œGuess