Seamus doesn’t smile but he replies and I can tell by the look in his eye he’s proud of his friend.
“I think when I met him he had a baseball in his hand. It’s been his dream since I can remember and he’s so goddamn good, it blows my mind that he continues to just get better and better.”
I shift excitedly in my stance as I go into the stats from his college years, the short stint he had in the majors before his injury, and even some of his minor league stats as well.
I realize I’ve been talking for minutes on end and when I look down at Hannah she’s gleaming up at me. The same proud look that Seamus had in his, she has in hers.
“You sure know a lot about him,” Seamus adds questioningly.
He knows EVERYTHING aboutbaseball.Hannah types out on her phone and flashes it toward Seamus.
“Is that right?” Seamus’ face lights up and there’s an instant kindred moment that silently passes between us. “I’m a fan of whatever team Hudson is on but I’ll always check in on the Dallas Dust Devils because they were my team growing up. Hudson loved the Houston Mavericks so that led to some heated fights between us.”
“Oh man, I bet that broke the friendship a time or two.” I chuckle, imagining these two massive guys going at it over rival teams.
We easily dive into conversations about the season and Seamus shares a couple of stories about Hudson when he was a kid.
I peek over at Hannah and Mimi watching them as they converse together. Mimi’s patience with Hannah as she types out her answers is endearing.
Seamus and I continue to chat as the stadium fills and time passes quickly. The National Anthem begins to play and we all remove our caps and stand a little straighter as the lyrics filter through everyone in the stadium.
I see the lineup of players on both sides and try to imaginethe flood of emotions they must be feeling. To get to this point in their career, standing on a field at game seven of the World Series. It’s the moment every team dreams of and in a short while one of them will be celebrating the biggest professional accomplishment of their lifetime, while the other will drown in all the ‘what if’ thoughts and devastation after a loss.
Baseball isn’t in the cards for me anymore. I know it never will be. But I’m starting to see that removing it all together isn’t an option either.
“I only ever want your happiness.”
Hannah slides her fingers in between mine and squeezes as if she knows exactly what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling.
Maybe there’s something different out there for me. Something that doesn’t involve me standing in the shadows of my father. Just maybe.
43
DANE
Ilinger in the corner of this expansive suite for far too long watching Ethan and Hannah talk to my friends like they’ve known them their whole lives.
Mimi and Hannah I wasn’t concerned about at all.
Seamus and Ethan…I thought they’d be standing there looking at the field like two awkward sloths next to each other. But no, they’re talking animatedly, smiling, and laughing while a bromance blooms in the air.
Ethan continues to talk, laying out a silly facial expression while he tells a story and Seamus watches him in anticipation as he comes to the punchline. Seamus chuckles then places his hand over Ethan’s shoulder to balance himself as he leans forward laughing.
I repeat. Seamus is fucking laughing.
I don’t even get him to laugh like that.What the hell?
This annoys me even further about these two because it just goes to show how perfect they are. For me and for how easily they slip into my friend group so quickly.
Also, the fact that I’ve got Hudson as my best friend, I willcertainly whip out that card with Ethan, using all my resources to get them to fall in love with me.
It’s not beneath me.
Hannah looks unbelievable in her Smashers jersey. Her dark wavy hair flows half way down her back and covers all of the lettering but the number displayed is Hudson’s. It’s the same jersey that Ethan is wearing, except he topped his off with a backward cap and I could fall over and die from how hot he looks.
I make my way toward the bar and ask for three espresso martinis, smiling at the memory from when we had way too many of these at the club in Paris. The flashbacks of the moments after at the forefront of my mind.
“Are you sitting anywhere, sir?” I point over to where Seamus and Ethan are standing, behind a small row of seats that Mimi and Hannah are sitting in. The game is just starting and I swear everyone is already on pins and needles. “Great, I’ll bring them over to you,” she adds with a smile.
