33. Callie
Chapter 33
Callie
“So how was your day off?” Adam asks the moment I slide into the back of the car he had waiting for us.
“It was…” Mind blowing. Life altering. “Great. It was nice to have a day off before games start.”
It took quite the amount of self-restraint to not pull Will back into my hotel room the moment his foot stepped out of the door. The interruption this morning might not have been a part of our plan, but there is now a bright side—we have a little hope.
At first, when I heard Beck at the door, I assumed the worst and expected Will would want us to call it quits. But when he agreed that we’d make it work, I was beyond relieved. All the unknowns are still really daunting when I think about them too much, but Will and I can keep it professional. We can stay out of drama. We have to.
After buckling and getting settled I realize that Adam’s in his uniform. “Hey, I haven’t gotten to see the uniforms in person yet! These are nice!”
I looked at a million pictures with Shannon, and I hate to say it, but she picked out a good jersey. It’s white with royal blue pinstripes. “Blues” is written across the front, and on their hats have the bird logo on the side.
Adam looks down at the jersey. “Yeah, I figured I’d just put it on now. I brought some clothes for a workout after, if I have time. So, you may have to get a ride back with one of the other players if that’s okay?”
“Oh yeah.” Cool, calm, and collected, Callie. “I don’t mind.”
“I would ask Will, but when I asked if he needed a ride this morning, he said he was taking his bike. The guy bought a brand new motorcycle, out of nowhere.”
It’s a little odd to me that Adam’s so shocked by this. I mean, yeah, I guess it was a little extravagant, but they are million dollar athletes.
“He’s an adult, Adam. I think he knows how to handle his finances.”
“I know he does. What I’m saying is it’s just out of character for him. I mean, he bought that one when he first signed with the Mavs, but he’s never mentioned buying another. He’s going to have to get it transferred back to Boston. Just seems like such a hassle.”
“It’s his life.” I shrug, trying to be nonchalant about it.
I can see why Adam thinks it’s odd behavior for Will. I thought that at the beginning of our date as well. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He told me in Seattle he was basically just surviving, but since this trade, I think he’s actually living…and I’m a part of that. That thought sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach and I can’t help but think about what it could be like for us if this does actually work out like we hope.
Once Adam and I get to the stadium where we’ll be taking our headshots and team pictures at, I barely make it in the front door before my phone rings. I don’t even have to look to see who it is. It’s the same person who’s already called me four times since my alarm went off.
“Ugh, go ahead without me, Adam. I have to take this.” Adam nods and when he walks off I plaster on a fake-ass smile because it forces my voice to not come off so snarky. “Hi, Shannon.”
“Callie, are you at the stadium yet?” Shannon snaps with her usual accusatory tone.
“I’m walking in now.” I check my watch. I’m here ten minutes earlier than the time written on my schedule.
“Oh,” Shannon mumbles. “Well, I’m running behind. Just stall the shoot until I get there.”
My fake smile tactic is really struggling right now. For years I’ve used it to hide my true emotions, but Shannon’s testing my patience.
“Why do I need to stall the shoot?” I know for a fact that her name is not on my list of headshots I need today, nor do I need her hovering. At this point I’m not even sure what she does during the day other than try to micromanage me.
“I think I should be there. I have the list of pictures we need.”
My eye has to be twitching right now.
I hear the front door open behind me and Olsson strolls in with a smile.
“As do I,” I reply with the least amount of sarcasm I can manage. “But I’m here now, I’ll let Olsson know you’ll be here when you can.”
It might be a little rude, but I hang up before she can retort. All she was going to do was argue with me. And despite what she thinks, she’s not my boss.
“Good morning, Callie. You ready for today?”
“Good morning,” I chime back to my actual boss. “I am. I have the full lineup printed out, so we should be able to knock pictures out pretty quickly.”
“Sounds great. I don’t know how we lucked out, but we’re the only team at this stadium today. A lot of teams decided to do this yesterday, I guess. But after headshots, I was thinking of engaging in some friendly competition with the players and having a scrimmage. Think you can stay and get some pictures of that too?”
Can I? I’ve mostly been taking pictures of them at the training facility or staged branding photos. I have been dying to get some game-time pictures, and I know an opportunity when I see one.
“Can I be slightly reckless and be out on the field?”
Olsson raises an eyebrow at my request. I’m sure he’s picturing every liability now. My camera getting hit. Me getting hit. Medical bills and scrambling for a new photographer.
“Here me out. Every game from here on out I’ll have to be in my own little space, or somewhere out in the crowd. But since this isn’t an actual game, I could move around and get some different angles.”
Olsson sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose while he thinks. “Okay, you’re right. Just, please, don’t hurt yourself.”
I just smile back to that because I make no promises. “Oh, and Shannon said she should be here soon,” I add.
“Here? She’s not supposed to be here today. She said she was working from the hotel.”
She what? Oh, that bitch. Then what was she calling me for?
Okay, deep breath. We’re drama free, right?
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she just wanted to get some fresh air or something.”
“Well, if she’s getting out I’ve got some errands she could run. I’ll give her a call and you can start with the players first.”
“Will do.”
I walk out to the field where some of the guys are crowded around. I scan for Will, but I don’t see him yet. I try not to let worry take over my brain, but it’s hard. Seeing him brings me a little bit of peace when things feel like they could get overwhelming.
He’s probably in the locker room changing. Man, I really want to see him in his new uniform. It’s been entirely too long since I’ve seen him in baseball pants. Goodness, probably since they won the World Series back in Seattle. But now, I don’t have to feel guilty about appreciating his ass in God’s gift to women—baseball pants. I just have to be secretive about it.
“Hey, Callie Bear,” Beck says as he comes up behind me and hangs his arm around my shoulder. “How was your morning?”
I roll my eyes. I do trust Beck to keep our secret, but I knew the moment he said he was a romantic that he was about to be up in our business any chance he could get.
“It was fine, how was your morning?”
“Only fine? Anderson not fulfilling you already?” Beck whispers, then slows us down to a stop before we make it over to the group on the field. Taking his arm off my shoulder he turns to me. “Listen, I’m really sorry about this morning. I didn’t mean to?—”
I chuckle. “Beck, you’re fine. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, it was your idiot boyfriend’s. But still, I saw the worry in your eyes, Cals. I promise your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that.”
“But, I do have to say one thing. I gotta put it out there.”
I can tell by the mischievous smirk on Beck’s face that this is not at all about to be serious.
“If this does blow up in y’all’s face, I'm lobbying for you to keep your job. Will can manage just fine, and I know he’ll agree with me.” Beck puts his hands on my shoulders. “So, no matter what happens, I got your back, okay?”
Well, I was wrong. “Damn it, Beck, don’t make me cry on a baseball field right now.”
Beck starts to laugh, but it’s cut off.
“Daines, hands off,” Will barks as he walks up beside us. “You’re going to make this fucking hard on me, aren’t you?”
“Oh yeah.” Beck winks at me then removes his hands before turning to Will. “That’s a non-negotiable, but you can relax since apparently Callie has doomed me in the brother-zone. Friendzone is clearly escapable, but a sibling label? I’ll never recover from that.”
I snort a laugh. “I said you look like my brother, not that you are my brother.”
“Eh, I’ll take the role anyway.” Beck shrugs before walking off to the group ahead, leaving Will and I alone for a moment.
“Am I crying? Will you make fun of me if I start?”
“Damn fucker. Just tell me my chances of keeping you if he dyes his hair.”
I roll my eyes. He thinks after last night some sweet words and box dye would sway me? Magic eight ball says “not likely.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Will.” I give him a small smile before walking away to get started, but I don’t make it very far before I’m interrupted again.
“Callie!” Miles shouts as he races toward me on the field. “Can I help you take pictures again today?”
I chuckle as he bounces up and down in front of me with such vigor. Dex comes up behind him and places his hands softly on his shoulders.
“Before she even answers, what are we not going to do if she says no?”
Miles looks up at his dad with such confusion on his little face. “She’s not going to say no.”
Suddenly, I see the same look I’ve seen on Wyla’s face a million times—the I won’t be a smart ass back to my child look, and it’s usually accompanied with a deep breath.
When Dex exhales, I cut in. “He’s really fine, I promise.”
“See!” Miles yells.
Poor Dex’s shoulders slump. “Callie, I’m serious, you don’t have to?—”
“I know I don’t. And if it helps…” I reach into my bag and pull out my shot list. “I put him to work. Don’t I, Miles? We’re hard workers, aren’t we?”
“Yeah!” Miles cheers as he takes the paper from my hands.
I chuckle. Miles is great, and this is really what I like when it comes to kids—fun for a few hours then I get to send them back to their parents. Growing up, I had always thought I wanted them, but now my cool aunt status feels like the right fit for me right now.
Dex still hovers hesitantly, but I don’t take it personal. I’m not fully versed on the extent of what happened, but according to Shannon, Miles’s mom got a job at a major law firm, then left Dex and decided she only wanted to see Miles one weekend out of the month. My heart hurts for the kid but from what I’ve seen, Dex gives him his all. I know he’s been worried about how everyone would respond to having a five-year-old so present during the season, but so far, everyone has loved having Miles around.
I squat down in front of Miles and point at the list of players and their numbers. “Okay, bud. We’ve got a lot of pictures to take, and I need your help getting everyone in order. Think you can help me keep ’em in line?”
Miles nods eagerly. “You got it!”
I take a quick glance down the list and note that I won’t need Dex for several shots. “But first, tell your dad it’s not even close to his turn so he can go work without worrying right now.”
“Hit the road, Dad,” Miles snaps, and then snickers. “I’ve got work to do!”
And, boy, did he take his job seriously. I was allotted three hours to get every player, every coach, and team pictures done. But with my little drill sergeant of an assistant, we got it done in two.
Apparently, the key to keeping grown men in order is to have a five-year-old yell at them. Miles also wasn’t afraid to throw some threats around. I heard him tell many players that he would have me draw mustaches and black out some of their teeth in their photos if they didn’t listen.
With the team all set up for the final picture I look down at Miles. He’s looking at the guys so proud. “Psst, hey, Miles.”
He jerks his head up to me. “Yeah?”
“Do you want to take one with everybody?”
“Can I really?” Miles squeals.
With a chuckle I turn back to the players. “Okay, two more. Ready?” I click the last one I need and now for the one I want. “Okay, Miles, go where you want to stand.”
As he makes his way up with a little strut in his step, all of the guys start cheering his name. With a massive smile on his face, Miles runs next to his dad, and Dex pulls him onto his shoulders.
“Alright, Miles, you ready?” I yell, and when he gives me a thumbs up, I take the last picture. “Okay, Mr. Olsson, I’m all good here.”
I know I need to get resituated for the scrimmage, so I head back to my bag so I can start reorganizing my things and changing my lenses. But before I can put anything away, Dex comes over with giggling Miles still on his shoulders. “Hey, Callie. I hate to ask, but could I possibly get one more picture?”
“Ah, of course!”
I move Dex over to the side so the stadium is in the background as opposed to all the players. “Ready, one, two, three.”
It was around two that Miles threw his hands up with peace signs and the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. Goodness, melt my heart into a million pieces.
I pull the picture back up and step up to show Dex. “I must say, the best picture of the day.”
Dex smiles at the photo then turns his head up to his son. “What do you think?”
“The best picture ever!” Miles cheers. “Callie always takes the best pictures.”
“Miles, you flatter me,” I joke as Dex places him back on the ground. I kneel next to him. “Thank you for helping me today. And listen, you did a really great job, but I’m about to take some pictures on the field and I need you to do me the biggest favor ever.”
Miles bounces up and down at the excitement, and I hate to burst his bubble, but I know I can’t risk him getting hurt.
“I’m going to need you to stay in the dugout with your dad, okay?”
“Oh,” Miles pouts. His lip hangs so low I fear he may trip on it.
“Hey, I promise there will be so many more times that you can help me, but this time I think your dad might actually need your help. Think you can keep the players in the dugout in order?”
Miles nods his head quickly. “I can do it.”
“That’s my boy.” I hold out my hand for a high five and he smacks it as hard as he can manage then bolts down the field.
I chuckle as I stand back up. “I’ll send that picture to you first thing, Dex.”
“Thank you, Callie. I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do when he starts kindergarten this fall, but for now, you’ve been a huge help.”
“Eh, I do what I can,” I say with a smile. It feels good being appreciated here and the weird thing is, I didn’t feel overwhelmed or anxious at all today. I was in charge the whole morning, and yeah, some encouraging looks from Will were nice boosts, but I felt confident in my abilities today.
“Callie!” Olsson calls from where he’s standing in front of the team, waving me over.
Damn it, I should have knocked on wood.
When I walk up, Olsson turns back to the team. “While I want this to be an actual scrimmage, I’m going to have Callie out on the field getting some action shots.” Olsson takes a huge sigh. “If anyone hurts my photographer, I will send your asses so far back into the minors, you’ll be a rookie all over again. Understood?”
Why is everyone on this team trying to get me to cry happy tears?