Chapter 9
Cricket
Seven innings in . . .
My enthusiasm has waned as the other team scores again. “What the hell?” I grumble. Standing up, I cup my mouth and shout, “Come on, Armadillos.” My shouting may not change the trajectory of the game, but it feels good to release some of my pent-up frustration.
Maybe I should be yelling at the man on third base since he hasn’t hit that much-needed homer he promised me, and it would be really nice about now. Or he could catch a ball and take a few players out for me instead. If only one would fly his way.
“The money raised still gets divided between the two schools,” Savvy says like watching these pro and former pro ballplayers doesn’t mean as much.
“We worked hard bringing these players together. Is it wrong to want our team to win?”
“No. Just making sure you knew.”
She knows I know. I glance at her. Her cheeks are pinker as the heat kicks in during the hottest hours of the day.
A hat shields her eyes from the sun as she stares at the field in the distance, but it’s her bouncing knee that makes me wonder why she’s acting out of character, even for her. “Everything alright, Sav?”
Peeking at me briefly, she stops bouncing her knee.
“Blake is going to be in a pissy mood if they lose.” She leans forward on a heavy breath, resting her arms on her legs as if that will keep the nerves abated.
Looking over at me again, she says, “That means no going to that new pizza place in Peachtree Pass.” Her tone has changed, resolve taking over, and a string of disappointment runs through her words.
It's in direct opposition to her usually chipper tone.
Wrapping my arm around her back, I lean in. “Talk to me.”
“It’s just that . . .” She exhales, shaking her head. “It’s hard to date a pro athlete. I know you have in the past.”
“Years ago and it wasn’t serious, so my situation is different. You’re engaged to Blake.”
“He’s playing out of Austin right now, but it’s looking like he might be called up for the majors.”
“Ah.” I sit up, grabbing my bottle of water to pick at the label. “You might leave.” Not a question but I know she hears it in my voice.
“I don’t know what I’ll do. It’s not a conversation he wants to have at this time.”
I don’t like that, which is not something I should admit to her. It would make her feel defensive, and that’s the last thing I want my cousin to be with me. “What are your thoughts?”
That prompts half a grin out of her. “Is it wrong to want to know which city first?”
I laugh. Lightly, but it is funny. “I’d feel the same.”
She nods with a smile growing on her face. “I knew you’d understand.”
“I’m always here for you and forever team Savvy.”
Bumping into my arm, she laughs this time. “We’re Team Dover forever.”
“Team Dover forever.” The teams on the field swap, sending the Armadillos into the dugout and up to bat. “I knew this couldn’t be about pizza.”
“Oh, it’s about pizza, alright. If Blake loses, he’ll get home and zone out playing video games for the rest of the night. No talking. No dinner together. It’s just his method, his way to grieve, relieve the stress, and then he’s ready to play again the next day.”
I’m hearing a lot about him and nothing about my strong and beautiful cousin. It bugs me. “If they lose, how about you and me go to the pizzeria?” I eye an Armadillo taking first base in my periphery.
Her grin spreads on solid ground, more like herself. “That’d be fun.”
“It’s a plan, then.” We watch another batter hit a single, sending the other to second in a close call of being taken out by the ball. We both clap. “This is our comeback,” I say. “I can feel it.”
“If they win, though, we can all go. You can ride with us. Sound good?”
Do I want to be a third wheel to their twosome?
It would be fun to get out, even with Blake there, taking up all my cousin’s time.
“Sure.” It’s been too long since my social life involved anything outside of work obligations and family events.
“Judy said she’ll stay late if I need her to, so that sounds good. ”
The whack on the bat sends everyone to their feet to get a better view of the action. I clasp my hands together in front of my chest. My excitement grows as I watch the ball flying through the air. My breath halts in my throat in anticipation of turning this game around.
As soon as the ball crosses over the fence on the far side of the stadium, cheering erupts into a thunderous roar of celebration.
“Homerunnnnnnnnnn,” the announcer’s voice echoes through the speakers of the stadium.
“Griffin Greene is rounding the bases along with two other players to put the team in the lead by one. Get on your feet, Armadillo fans, and let’s cheer to bring ’em home. ”
My clapping slows, and I’m just about to sit down when I see him point at me. “Jesus. That man has the arrogance of the Trojan army.” I sit, too embarrassed to remain standing any longer.
“It didn’t work out well for them.” She side-eyes me. “But history doesn’t always have to repeat itself.”
“You’re about to be kicked off Team Dover. Maybe Team Greene takes traitors.”
She bursts out laughing. “I’m starting to think all this talk about number twenty-two is not just talk.”
I remain silent, choosing not to indict myself.
With a nudge of her elbow, she says, “It’s okay. Anyone with eyes can see the guy is more than hot. He’s gorgeous. And I’m not upset about that for you. It’s been a long time, cuz. If memory serves, the last time you hooked up was in Costa Rica.”
My heart starts thumping in my chest, the beats filling my ears. I take a breath to calm it down, hoping everyone in the stadium can’t hear it. “And I ended up pregnant, so I’ve been a little busy since that trip.”
“Too busy to live a life outside of being a mom? Come on, Crick, it’s okay to want more for yourself. It’s not selfish to have needs or want to fulfill them.”
I turn to look at her. “Are we really talking about sex in the middle of this baseball game?”
“Seems like a good time to me.”
“I’m sure it does. I’m just glad my kid left three innings ago. Wouldn’t want him to overhear his auntie exposing his origin story.”
“All great superheroes have a backstory they must overcome to reach the highest level of their superpowers. Jakey’s getting it easy if his mom hooking up a random hottie in Costa Rica is the worst of it.”
Other than mortification starting to make me sweat, I can just feel Greene’s eyes on me again as if he has nothing better to do than stare at me. It’s not like he’s in the middle of a baseball game or anything . . . “Can we please not revisit this again?”
“Jake reminds me of him.”
I still, bracing myself from her words. Gripping the edge of the metal bench, I steady my voice, and whisper, “Not me.” Guilt coats my throat, the lie burning as I swallow the words back down.
She looks at me but doesn’t stare. Returning her gaze to the field, she nods, not saying anything else, which I’m grateful for.
By the ninth inning, we leave the stands with the Armadillos still in the lead, praying the other team doesn’t score on us again.
With the large checks in hand, we rush back to the tunnel at the edge of the field and watch the final batter step up to the plate.
I’m holding my breath when he hits the ball, sending it into the outfield where it’s promptly caught.
“Yes!” Savvy and I hip bump in celebration of winning the game.
We’re also thrilled by the amount of money raised.
The teams are shaking hands and chatting as they line up in a designated area.
The two high school teams run out to join them when Savvy and I walk out with the checks.
Coach Barth speaks on sportsmanship, camaraderie, and our community.
The Dover Creek Bank president shares words of gratitude, then introduces me.
After a quick wave to the cheering in the stands, I make my speech.
I didn’t write it down, wanting it to be genuine and from the heart.
That’s easy to do when we raised so much money.
“I’d like to thank the volunteers who made this possible, our sponsors who supported this event and the continued growth of these high school programs, the players,” I say, looking off to the side where they’re standing.
Those eyes aren’t hard to find in a crowd, especially when I’m so drawn to them.
Even standing in the back row doesn’t hide him from me.
“You made this day possible, you brought in the crowds, and the opportunities you have given these future pro ballplayers are because you gave up your time and paychecks to be here. Thank you.”
Savvy steps up to the microphone. “We are thrilled to present checks to the baseball teams at Dover Creek High School and Peachtree Pass High School. Enough was raised to support their programs for the next two seasons, including travel fees and new uniforms. We’re also hoping to make this a yearly ev—”
A round of applause drowns out the rest of her words, so we take the opportunity to hand the checks to the teams.
When everyone disperses, Savvy runs and jumps into Blake’s arms. Since we won, I guess it’s going to be a good night after all. After thanking Coach Barth and the players again, I head back toward the tunnel.
He doesn’t say anything yet and isn’t next to me to see, but I can feel his presence behind me. So I say, “Thanks for the homer.”
“My pleasure.” His voice is deep, cockiness ever-present in his tone. His words shouldn’t, but for some odd reason, having confirmation that he’s near makes me smile.
I keep walking, but then stop just on the edge of the grass.
I don’t turn back but stand there, allowing everyone else to pass.
He doesn’t—I knew he wouldn’t. I don’t have to be a player to be cocky like he is.
A thrill flows through my veins like butter on hot pancakes.
Satisfyingly predictable. He’s exactly who I thought he was.
When the scuffle of cleats and the chatter of the others leaves me in silence, I turn around.
My eyes connect with his, and that smile he retrieved from me grows.
Like my joy is contagious, Greene’s grin looks suspiciously like I planted it on his face myself.
“If you’re not careful, I might get the wrong idea. ”
“Wrong ideas are sometimes the most fun.”
“Hmm.” He’s not wrong . . . Tossing my arms loosely from my sides, I ask, “What do you want, Twenty-two?”
That smile turns on a dime, a smirk replacing it in point two seconds.
With his baseball glove wrapped around his other hand, he takes a step closer.
My breathing shallows as he keeps his eyes locked on mine like the prey he’s ready to devour.
“So many things come to mind, Little Chirp. None of them are appropriate for my boss.”
My lips part, my lungs desperate for air.
I picked this man out of a crowd four years ago.
I’m feeling that same draw to him now. But I exhale and take a step back, needing the space and clarity without him causing my hormones to go haywire.
“Probably best to keep them to yourself then.” I turn to walk away because it’s what I need right now.
Otherwise, I’m going to end up in bed with this guy. Again.
“Hey, Cricket?”
I stop at the sound of my name, having never felt a pull to the very sound of it before. I hate that I like the way it rolls off his tongue with such ownership. Looking back at him, I ask, “What?”
“The fun’s all over.” A smile has lifted his cheeks but not enough. If he’s not careful, I might think he’s being genuine. “You going to miss seeing me come tomorrow?”
I grin because, annoyingly, the guy can be kind of charming when he wants to be. Also, that he’d think I’d miss him is just funny. “In your dreams, Greene.” I start walking away again.
“If that ain’t the truth.”
This time, I don’t turn back, and I don’t slow down, my pace picking up before I feel the need to counter again by flirting with the enemy.
When I enter the parking lot, Blake’s pulled up in his truck. With the window down, Savvy leans over from the passenger’s side, and says, “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
I get in the back seat of the King Cab and shut the door. Sitting back, I see Griffin’s build shadowed in the tunnel as he walks toward us. I slide down but spy on him. “Me too,” I reply, but I’m not talking about pizza.