“It doesn’t matter what promises you make or how much you apologize. I’ve made up my mind. You can explain to your father why I’ve decided to resign and why we’re over.” She reached down and clicked send. It was done. No taking it back now.
His begging continued. “Camdyn, please stop. Just listen to me.”
She picked up her bag, clicked off her computer, and headed for the door. She was not going to waste another moment of her time on him. “We’re over, Ricky. Let me go and leave me alone.”
As Camdyn left the building, he followed behind her all the way to the parking garage, pitifully trying to convince her to listen to his excuses and lies, but Camdyn was decisive, and she always learned from her mistakes. She would not give him more of her time.
As she drove away with him reflected in her rearview mirror, Camdyn felt lighter. She should have broken up with him months ago. She took a deep, steadying breath and drove on towards her place, but she knew she couldn’t stay there. She needed to escape Phoenix for the weekend. She would not put it past Ricky to come over in an attempt to love bomb her. She now recognized his previous relentless pursuit as just that. Funny how she hadn’t recognized that narcissistic trait when he’d begun to devalue her in their relationship. They say love is blind, but she hadn’t loved him. She didn’t know why she’d been blinded, but it didn’t matter now. She would not re-engage or give him an opportunity to coerce her. She’d be gone when he came around.
She could always go home to Oasis. It was only a few hours away, and her parents would be delighted to see her, but they’d have questions. So would the extended family; her grandpa and uncle would be over as soon as they heard she was in town, and she didn’t want to talk about what had happened yet. She needed to process. Camdyn didn’t make bad decisions, so it was hard to swallow that her judgment had been so poor. She needed a little time to herself to regroup and plan, then she’d catch everyone up.
She could go to Oasis and stay with her bestie, Izzy, but Izzy’s man normally worked out of town, and he was home this week.She didn’t want to intrude on their time. And her family would still track her down at Izzy’s if they heard she was in Oasis.
Her younger brother, Callahan, lived in Phoenix, like her. She could go to his place and lay low, but he was on the road. Cal was a professional baseball pitcher and she was pretty sure he’d be ending a three-game series tonight in San Diego. She’d been a lousy sister lately. Here it was, the end of May, and she hadn’t been to any of his games other than opening day, back in March.
That reminded her of another reason she and Ricky didn’t work. Ricky didn’t like baseball, a fact that had every person in her family giving the guy a side-eye. She should have ended things with him in March when he’d complained all throughout the season opener. Instead, she’d just avoided the games she enjoyed attending to make him happy. Where had her backbone been for the last few months? Why had she been sacrificing her happiness? Never again would she do that.
If she went straight home and threw some clothes in a bag, she could make it to San Diego before the first pitch. She could message Cal, and he’d reserve her a ticket. He could probably book her a room at the hotel he was staying at, too. A refreshing weekend in SoCal sounded like just what she needed.
CHAPTER 2
A good catcher is the quarterback, the carburetor, the lead dog, the pulse taker, the traffic cop and sometimes a lot of unprintable things, but no team gets very far without one.
– Miller Huggins, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, 1964
Javier La Costa was still buzzing from his new team’s win when he exited the locker room lugging his equipment bag. Catching requires far more equipment than the other positions on a team, and while quite a few players got great endorsement deals for gear, Javi was new to the big leagues. He’d had to invest in his own high-dollar equipment while playing in the minors, and he wanted to make sure to treat it with care because that stuff didn’t come cheap. He didn’t trust the equipment manager to handle it. He’d seen how that kid slung the bags when loading the bus.
Since he was normally one of the last out, it was no surprise to find only a few people left standing around the family waiting area. But there was no one waiting for him. His dad had passed years ago, and his mother was in Florida. She hadn’t wanted to relocate to Arizona with him. But she’d attended all hisminor league home games in Pensacola, and he wondered if she’d watched tonight’s game on television. With the time zone difference, she had probably already gone to bed for the night. So he’d call her tomorrow on the bus ride back to Phoenix. He tried to check in frequently because he didn’t like her living all alone; it was worrisome.
As he headed out to where the autograph-seekers would be, he saw Jones and Sanchez with their parents. He gave the guys chin lifts as he passed, and they reciprocated. He was still adjusting to and learning his new teammates.
Outside, he found Miller and his wife talking to a woman he recognized as one of the hot Baseball Annies who’d been shouting at players from behind the bullpen. Miller was signing a card for her. She had to have sweet-talked security to let her around the partition that divided the exiting players and their families from the fans. The Annie was gorgeous. Shapely, with dark hair and pretty features. He could see why a security guard might risk his employment in hopes that she might settle for him if a player didn’t pick her up. She was wearing a thin-strapped tank, jean shorts, and an unbuttoned team jersey. The jersey had Callahan Gallegos’ number on it, and Javi was pretty sure he’d seen Cal at the fence talking with her at one point during the game. But she was still here, so clearly the El Conquistador hadn’t been interested; he’d left ages ago.
Suddenly, Javi had an itch that he was willing to scratch tonight. He didn’t normally pick up Annies. He didn’t have time for their drama, and he sure didn’t want to end up like Waitkus, a player from the 1940s who’d been shot up by a groupie named Ann in a hotel room. Hence, the reason players referred to them as Baseball Annies. But he might make an exception for this one if she didn’t have her heart set on the pitcher.
“Hey, Mister!” called two young Hispanic boys who were trying to get Javi’s attention.
He had a soft spot for kids, so he diverted to the boys. It wouldn’t take him a minute of time to make their night.
He remembered his dad taking him to a collectible card convention in Orlando when he was about their age. The Canseco brothers, though retired by that time, had been featured guests. They’d each signed a ball and taken pictures with Javi and his dad. It had been an incredible experience to meet fellow Cuban Americans who’d had such success in baseball. And Javi hoped to one day be an inspiration for children like Jose and Ozzie had been for him. Javi took the kids’ outstretched marker and scribbled on each ball while keeping the Annie in his peripheral.
The truth was these kids probably had no clue who he was and they were just happy to get an autograph from any player. After all, Javi had only been with the team for five games, but they had won all five. He wasn’t saying he was the reason why; heck, he’d been caught looking tonight at his first at bat in San Diego, but he’d later hit a line drive that’d brought home the winning run. So he wasn’t saying that hewasn’tthe reason why either. It wouldn’t hurt if the team thought he was their new lucky charm.
He’d been traded and brought up from the minors to replace an injured player. Once that player healed, Javi could be sent back. To stay in the big leagues, he needed to make himself invaluable to the team.
That said, even though he was trying to be a good player and an asset to the team, it didn’t make him an angel. Not that he wasbad—he didn’t have a horrid reputation like some players—but tonight he felt like letting loose. His teammates were going out and he planned to join them. On the drive over, the guys had talked about San Diego having some of the best Latin clubs they’d ever been to, so they planned to hit one since their bus wasn’t heading back until the morning. Some of the guys hadwives and girlfriends that had also driven over. Others would pick up someone at the club or grab an Annie after the game.
Javi was curious to see how the clubs there compared to the ones in Miami, where he’d lived until he’d been drafted to Pensacola. Northwest Florida was very different from South Florida. Like how there were no Latin clubs. Occasionally some would have a Latin night, but the vibe was not the same. Maybe he could convince this Annie to go out with him tonight.
As he approached, Miller and his woman broke off, leaving just Javi, a crowd of autograph-seekers, and the Annie. She started to turn and he called out, “Hey. Are you waiting for Gallegos? ’Cause he was one of the first out.”
She smiled indulgently. “No. I saw him, but he was in a hurry to get back to his room. He was tired, and I got busy talking to the Millers, so he left me.”
Javi’s jaw nearly dropped. What the heck was wrong with Cal? The woman, based on appearance at least, was Javi’s version of perfection. A curvy brunette who liked baseball.Oh well, he thought.Cal’s loss. My gain. “That was rude, but the Millers are a nice couple. I’m meeting up with them and some of the other players tonight at a club not far from here. They say the club has an excellent Latin room. Gallegos won’t be there, but if you’re willing to settle for the catcher, you could go with me.”
She gave him an odd look that he couldn’t read. Her expression hadn’t changed, but something had flickered in her eyes. Maybe surprise? Then he realized he hadn’t even told her his name. That had probably caused the look. His game was rusty. “Sorry,hermosa.” He adjusted his bag strap, then extended his hand with his most flirtatious smile. “I should have introduced myself. I’m Javi.”
She shook his hand, and he noticed how soft and manicured hers was. His own hands were rough from years of hard labor and baseball. Her skin was also a couple of shades lighter thanhis tan. She obviously didn’t spend as much time in the sun as he did.
