Chase handed over another dollar bill and dunked Rudy three more times.
After his fifth dunking at Chase's hands Rudy wiped the water from his face, making no move to get back on the bench. "Okay, Wonder Boy, you've still got it. How about we let the pretty lady have a chance?"
"I don't know," Eden raised her voice. "Maybe I should just pay for more balls for Chase to throw."
Rudy climbed onto the bench before calling back. "Nope. Everyone has to throw their own." He smiled at Eden. "Let's see if the city girl knows how to throw?"
Talk about pressure. If I fail, I make city people everywhere look bad.
Eden's hands grew clammy as the girl taking the money handed her the first baseball. It felt way too small and completely foreign in her hands.
Have I ever even held a baseball?
She must have a time or two back in her high school gym class, but that seemed like eons ago. She rolled the ball around in her hand for a moment, praying she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself, before letting it go.
It sailed over the bullseye and hit the backdrop.
A collective groan rippled through the surrounding crowd.
Chase rolled closer to her. "Keep your chin tucked, your gaze leveled on the target, and put some power behind that ball. Even if you hit the target, you won't knock him down with how softly you're throwing."
"Looks like she's all beauty and no brawn," Rudy called with a teasing grin.
A chuckle rippled through the crowd, and Eden glared at Rudy through the glass.
He stared right back, holding her gaze. Then he winked at her.
Rotating her body slightly to the right like she'd seen many of the teenage athletes do, she followed Chase's instructions, and threw another ball.
It glanced off the outside edge of the target.
"Good. Now more power on the next ball," Chase said.
"I'll make you a deal, DuPont," Rudy said, still grinning. "You dunk me, I'll give you a kiss."
The crowd hooted and hollered, and warmth that had nothing to do with the hot July day filled her cheeks. She'd been hoping all day that Rudy would pull her behind the city offices or under a low-hanging tree and kiss her. Every time he leaned in close, and she thought he might do just that, he ended up pulling away.
Chanting rose across the crowd that seemed to have multiplied. "Dunk him. Dunk him."
So much pressure.
Deciding not to let it get to her, but rather to just give it her best, she took the next ball and again followed Chase's instructions.
It hit the bullseye, and Rudy dropped with a splash.
The crowd cheered, many of them clapping her on the back.
Rudy emerged from the water wearing the biggest grin he had yet today. "That's my girl!"
Heat again filled Eden's cheeks, but she didn't mind this time. She liked being called Rudy's girl.
Several people closed in to congratulate her, and before she knew it, Rudy had emerged from the dunking booth and stood in front of her. Judging by the dangerous look in his eyes, he intended to kiss her. Right here, right now. In front of all these people.
"Rudy, no." She took a step back but found her retreat blocked by teenagers.
"Oh, yes." He continued to close in on her, the look in his eyes growing hungrier and darker by the second.
"Kiss her. Kiss her." The crowd chanted, growing louder by the second.
