47. Ari
forty-seven
Ari
“There’s no way this game is starting on time,” I sigh, leaning against the railing of the dugout next to Cole.
“Definitely gonna be a rain delay. Hopefully, it clears up soon.”
I readjust my hat on my head and stare out at the downpour, making a complete mess of the field. If this doesn’t let up, we’ll be lucky if the game doesn’t end up postponed.
The rest of the team is hiding out in the clubhouse while the fans are seeking shelter within the stadium, trying to stay dry.
Cole and I are the only two still out here watching Mother Nature decimate our playing field.
“Do anything fun recently?” he asks, eyes still staring straight ahead.
“Yeah,” I reply. “I spent the day with Lucia in Koreatown last week.”
Cole turns to face me now. “You spent the day together outside of your penthouse?”
I shrug. “Yes. I thought it would be fun to introduce her to a little bit of Korean culture.”
He smiles and shakes his head, and I know exactly what he’s thinking right now, but he doesn’t go there, thankfully.
“Sounds like a good day. Did Luc have fun?”
“She did,” I grin, remembering the amazing time we had together. “She really liked me showing her around.”
She also liked it when I put the jade necklace on her.
And I liked it when I kissed her.
But I keep those to myself.
“It’s been nice to see you two become friends,” Cole says.
“Nice for us, too,” I chuckle. “I spent so long disliking her only to find out how incredible she actually is.”
Cole eyes me curiously, and I swallow past the lump in my throat. I know how that sounds.
“Good,” is all he says. “That’s good.”
We’re silent now, eyes fixed on the rain that finally seems to be slowing down. We remain that way for a few minutes before I speak up again.
“She knows about me,” I say softly.
“You mean…”
“Yeah,” I nod. “She knows that I’m bisexual. I told her last week.”
“That’s fucking awesome, man,” Cole smiles as he turns to face me. “What did she say?”
“She was completely unbothered.” I shake my head in disbelief. “Lucia didn’t care at all. She said she was already starting to wonder, so my telling her was just confirmation.”
“I’m happy for you, Ari. Happy you found another person you’re comfortable sharing yourself with.”
“It felt great getting it off my chest,” I admit. “I feel like I’m not holding back anymore.”
“You know,” he says softly. “Even if you two are just friends, it’s been great to see you happy. It’s clear how much you like spending time with her.”
“I do.”
“What are you two still doing out here?” Cole and I both turn around as Lucia walks into the dugout with us. In yet another fucking jersey.
“Enjoying the rain,” Cole shrugs.
“Which of these fuckers’ jerseys are you wearing this time, Luc?”
The look on her face is nothing but pure mischief. “This fucker’s.”
Lucia turns around and brushes her hair over her shoulder, and I stare at her wide-eyed.
Morgan. 22.
My jersey.
Lucia is wearing my fucking jersey right now.
After months of her wearing my friends’ jerseys to annoy me, I don’t think I can form words to describe the way this makes me feel.
Cole throws his head back and laughs. “Gotta agree with you, Luc. Ari’s definitely a fucker.”
I smack him with my hat. “Get outta here, Pierce.”
He exits the dugout and heads to the clubhouse, laughing the entire way.
Now, I’m alone with Lucia in an empty dugout.
“You’re wearing my jersey,” I choke out.
Lucia steps closer to me, smiling sweetly as she does. “I am. Think this jersey might actually be my favorite one.”
The rain slows down more, and I know I should get back to the clubhouse with the rest of the team, but I can’t stop staring at Lucia.
She’s standing in front of me, wearing my name and my number.
I’ve spent the night with both men and women who wore my jersey, but it never looked the way it does on her.
My breathing quickens, and my heart beats wildly as Lucia glances around to make sure we’re alone before giving me a soft kiss.
“I think the game is going to start soon, Casanova.”
“Yeah,” I rasp. “I think so.”
Lucia smiles at me before spinning on her heel and walking out of the dugout to join the team and training staff before everyone files back in.
I can’t explain how I feel around her because I’ve never experienced anything like this.
And now, seeing her in my damn jersey, that feeling has intensified.
Fuck.
The sun breaks through the clouds as Su-Jin Choi takes his place on the mound at the top of the first.
The rain delay set the game back about an hour, but at least we’re out here playing now.
The Denver Wildcats’ left fielder bats first, hitting a popout straight to Lane in center field. Their catcher bats next, grounding the ball just out of Josh’s reach, and he safely reaches first base.
I pay him no mind as their designated hitter takes to the plate.
Choi throws a fastball down the center, and he connects on it immediately.
Unfortunately for him, he batted it right at Cole, who snatches it out of the air before gunning the ball to me.
I catch it and tag the base before the catcher makes it back, giving us the double play and ending the top of the inning.
“Good catch!” Josh shouts as we jog over to the dugout.
“Because Pierce has a fucking cannon for an arm,” I laugh, climbing down the stairs and grabbing a bat. I’ve been our leadoff batter since I signed with the Stars, so I’m batting first.
For as long as I’ve been in the MLB, I’ve used a Korean song—usually some upbeat K-pop song—for my walkup, switching out the song and artist a few times a season.
This season just started, but it already felt like it was time for a change.
When the music starts and my new song plays, I walk over to the batter’s box with some pep in my step. I glance back over at the dugout when I’m getting in position. My friends are laughing and smiling, the rest of the team is curious, and Lucia is dumbfounded.
Exactly what I expected.
The Wildcats pitcher starts with a curveball that lands outside the strike zone. His next pitch is a slider, and it also lands outside. With two balls and no strikes, he rears his arm back for the pitch, this time throwing a fastball straight down the center.
I connect on it easily and send the ball soaring over the wall in center field.
Home run.
The crowd cheers crazily as I jog around the bases, smiling the whole way before I head back over to the dugout while Josh moves into the batter’s box.
The team high-fives me as I walk back in, and I see Lucia standing at the back of the dugout, eyes still wide in disbelief.
“Penny for your thoughts, Spitfire?” I ask, sidling up beside her.
“You used Bailando.”
I smile at her. “Thought it was time for something completely different.”
She raises her eyebrow at me. “So you chose my favorite song?”
I shrug. “The song’s a lot of fun. Seems like the perfect walkup song to me.”
“You surprise me more and more every day.” Lucia radiates happiness right now, even though this wasn’t some large gesture.
It’s just a song.
Just a song that I happened to have learned all of the words to.
I don’t know what they mean, but I know them at least.
I watch the rest of the inning now, my girl standing beside me in my jersey with her favorite song playing in my head.
Life is a lot different from how I expected it to look right now, but it’s been a lot of fucking fun.