I caught Silas’s gaze over his shoulder, knowing he was remembering the same game I was. A foul ball had been hit right into the stands and struck someone in the head. It was a freak accident, they’d said, at just the right speed and injust the right spot. We’d been in Cincinnati, and the stadium had sent security and an ambulance right away, but we hadn’t found out until after the game that they’d died on impact.
It had taken me a long time not to flinch at a foul ball sailing into the stands, but when one appeared to cause a commotion, that familiar dread would weigh heavily in my stomach. When I spotted security run up the aisle next to the seats, my heart seized in my chest.
I jumped out of the dugout and ran across the field, pushing over the side railing to weed through the crowd. I found Stella on the stadium floor, a bump already rising on the side of her head as she curled up in front of her seat.
I dropped to my knees, dread-laced adrenaline pumping through my veins while I slid my hand over her neck. I blew out a breath when her pulse beat against my fingers, and I almost slumped in relief when she stirred.
“Stella, it’s me,” I whispered, fighting to keep my voice even as I smoothed the hair off her forehead.
“Lee?” She peered up at me, her eyes blinking open then clenching shut. “What happened?”
“Two jackasses fought over the ball and knocked you over, then the ball hit you in the head,” Bailee told her as she knelt down next to me. “Way to be dramatic,” she joked, even though her breaths were coming as quick as mine.
“Can you sit up?” I asked, slipping my hand around the back of her head. It wasn’t wet, and I didn’t find any cuts or bumps under my fingertips. Her beautiful eyes were clear from what I could tell as she squinted up at me. I searched her face for any bruises or scratches as my heart tried to make an escape right out of my rib cage.
What if the ball had found that same spot?
What if I’d lost her too?
“Yeah, I think so,” she said, rolling onto her side.
“Slow,” I whispered, slipping my arm under her legs and bringing her to my chest. My insides shook, but I managed to keep my hands steady. “I’m going to take you to the offices before we go to the hospital.”
“I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
I looped her arm around my neck and stood, security thankfully clearing a path for us to the exit gate.
She rolled her head to the side against my shoulder, exposing a scrape on her cheek but nothing that seemed like it would need stitches.
She’s okay. She just got knocked over. It happens.
As many times as I repeated it in my head, my body still quivered as I rushed toward the trainers’ offices and gently set Stella on my table.
“Sorry I ruined your first game in the good seats,” Stella said to Bailee, wincing as she turned her head.
“No sorry needed, girl. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Bailee swept her gaze around the office. “You did promise me we’d go behind the scenes.”
Stella laughed, then moaned in pain as she pressed her hand to the side of her head.
“Don’t touch it,” I said, grabbing her wrist. I bent to open the small fridge I kept in the office for ice packs. “Here,” I whispered, holding it to her head. “One of the security guys will get you to the hospital. We can do X-rays here, but you need a CT scan.”
“The only thing that’s badly bruised is my ego. Hopefully those guys falling on top of me covered my face for the camera.” A strained smile pulled at her mouth.
“I’m going to call Carl to tell him I’m going to be late,” Bailee said, her eyes darting back and forth between us. “I’ll be in the hallway.”
“I can have them drop her home if she needs to go,” I said when Bailee left. “I’ll come with you to the hospital.”
“Lee, you’re working. Bailee can come with me, or if she has to leave, I’m okay alone if you insist I have to go.” She tilted her head. “I’ve gotten more bumps on my head than I can count, so I know it’s solid.” She chuckled, but I couldn’t laugh with her.
“I am not leaving you alone. Nothing else hurts?” I said, feeling around her neck. “Can you lift your shoulder?” I kept my hands moving around her back and shoulders to hide the shaking I couldn’t get a handle on. “Any pain in your legs?”
The adrenaline was dissipating, and the shock I hadn’t allowed myself to feel until I’d gotten to Stella and made sure she was okay took over.
“Lee, stop,” Stella said, clutching my wrists. “I’m okay.” She drifted her hands up my arms, squeezing my neck before framing my face. “It’s all okay. Breathe.”
“I can’t,” I panted, dropping my chin to my chest while I gulped back the air that had escaped from my lungs. “I can’t do this again.”
That awful day when we’d watched someone die from a foul ball had probably been a one-in-a-million occurrence. While it hadn’t been the first time something that random and awful had happened in a ballpark, it was rare to be mortally wounded from a flying baseball. Parks posted liability notices about balls in play, but that was more for the sake of injury, like those two idiots diving for it and knocking Stella over.
