Callum gritted his teeth. “Your sister and I were just talking.”
“No,” Fallon corrected. “You were talking. She was looking for the nearest exit.”
I couldn’t stop the laugh that burst out of me.
Callum bristled. “This isn’t really your business.”
“When it involves my sister, everything is my business.”
Fallon may have annoyed the shit out of me regularly, but I never had to doubt that he had my back when it really mattered.
Callum turned to me and gave me one last lingering look. “Enjoy your evening. Feel free to find me later if you can shake your guard dog.”
I grabbed Fallon’s arm before he could do something stupid that would turn into a massive headline. Callum smirked and walked away.
Fallon glanced down at me and asked, “You good?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for stepping in.”
“Of course.” He bumped my shoulder with his. “You’ve got terrible taste in men, and I was worried you’d fall for Callum’s charms.”
I snorted. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“You know what I mean. You always go for the ones who have nothing to offer or are wondering what they can get from being seen with you. You need to find someone who likes you for who you are, not because of your family or status.”
I shrugged. “Maybe someday.”
“And when that time comes, he’ll be a hundred times better than Whitmore.” A server passed by with a tray of miniature pastries, and Fallon snagged one before wandering off to find Rhett.
Better than Whitmore wouldn’t be difficult, and I was certain the two guys I was interested in were.
5
Jase
Three MonthsLater
I tookshortstop for a cold gameday in February. After warmups to start the inning, I got set at my position.
Martin took the mound, and his first pitch was right down the middle. The batter watched it zip by for strike one. The hitter squared early on the next pitch, as if he were going to bunt, then pulled back, watching the ball hit the right corner of the strike zone for strike two. The third pitch came at the knees, and he hit it toward me. I moved for it, took the hop clean, and threw it across the diamond for the out at first base.
Cal Poly’s next hitter battled and drew a walk. With a runner on first, the third batter chased a ball away and outside, chopping it toward Ortiz at second. He gathered the ball and fed it to me, my right foot sliding over the bag for the force as I fired the ball to first.
Double play.
Inning over.
Coach Michaels met us at the top step, giving each of us a high five as we entered the dugout. “Good half inning. Let’s get those bats hot.”
Murillo led off, fighting through seven pitches, then took a walk. Christensen bunted him over to second, taking the out at first. Then I was up. The first pitch missed, coming inside and a little too close to my hands for my liking. I choked up a little on the bat and waited for the next pitch. The hurler threw a curveball, and I swung, sending it into right center. Murillo scored from second, and we were up 1-0 just like that.
Dylan batted next and popped out to left. Farlow followed, and although he hit five foul balls, he ultimately struck out for the third out.
In the top of the second, the Mustangs dropped a hit into center. Dylan charged and held the runner at first, where he stayed because Martin was on fire, striking out the next three batters.
It was a close game. Dylan worked the count even in the fourth, got a fastball up, and drove it to the right-center alley. He took second standing and turned it into a triple when the relay missed the cutoff. On the next pitch, Ortiz lifted a deep fly to left, and Dylan tagged up and scored.
2-0.
