At some point, Rosie goes to grab us a round of drinks, stepping past me and momentarily blocking my view.
Thankfully, Gareth isn’t on the field, so I don’t miss a single move.
Still, I’m completely engaged, trying to figure out the sport he loves so much and learn what I can about both the game and the players.
And then, in what seems like the blink of an eye, the game’s at the bottom of the ninth.
All bases are loaded. Gareth’s stationed at third, and every time the camera pans to him, he’s wearing a smug grin. The game is tied, tension thick as the final pitch is thrown, and the batter sends the ball sailing.
The stadium sinks into a somber silence when each of the Raptor’s players runs through home plate, solidifying the Bears’ loss.
“Well, shit.” Rosie sticks out a pouty lip. “Would’ve been cool to see them win in person, but it was still a great game.”
Elle stands, stretching her arms up over her head. “It was so much fun though. We should do this more often.”
“If you’d stop popping out babies, we could,” Rosie quips, nudging her in the side.
Elle recently had baby number three—a little boy.
“Hey, I can’t help it if I like to climb my man like a tree. It just keeps resulting in babies.”
“They make things to prevent that,” Rosie deadpans, and a laugh tumbles out of me.
As Rosie and Elle start to playfully bicker, I glance out at the field again, but both teams are gone. Part of me wishes I could text Gareth right now and tell him I’m here, but I know I’d only be torturing us both.
So instead I text my brother, which I know is just as reckless, but there’s a voice inside of me who wants me to tellsomeone.
Just went to my first baseball game. I can see why boys like it so much.
I slide my phone back into my pocket just as Rosie loops her arm through mine.
“Alright,” she says, her voice dripping with honey. “You and I are going to have a little chat on the way home, missy.”
“About what?”
We fall into step, descending the stadium stairs with Elle a few paces behind us.
Rosie bumps my shoulder with hers, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. “Well, if more games are in our future, I refuse to sit in the nosebleeds again. So we’re going to discuss yoursituationwith this baseball player of yours.”
CHAPTER SIX
Anger seethes through me as I slam my locker shut, then head buck naked to the showers.
I can’t believe we lost.
Team morale is low—we should’ve had this in the bag. The Rocky Mountain Raptors are getting traction, but they’re not on our level yet, and them beating us is infuriating.
Call it bad sportsmanship—whatever.
I’m also furious at myself for having such an off game. I can’t figure out what it is about today, but something felt off the second I arrived at the stadium. My eyes kept wandering the stands, my stomach in uneasy knots. For nine straight innings, my head was in the clouds rather than on the field like it should have been.
Hot water cascades down my body as I step under the spray, rinsing off the sweat and dirt. Exhaustion settles in my bones, and I debate getting out and spending some time in the sauna. It sounds good, like a place to let my mind settle, but I’m not sure I have the energy for it. Instead, I push the idea away and finish soaping up before rinsing off the suds and shutting the water off.
I don’t immediately reach for my towel. My head hangs low, shoulders slumped, and water droplets weigh down my shaggy hair. I need a haircut, but it hasn’t been a priority. Nothing except for baseball.
Baseball, and my all-consuming thoughts of Indy.
With an exasperated huff, I grab my towel and quickly dry, then tie it low around my hips. I round the corner to my locker just in time to see Austin slam his palm against his in frustration.
