“Oh good! I was wondering when these would come in,” she says, taking a seat and looking over what the event company sent for us to review.
The event will consist of kids of all ages participating, spread out over four hours. They’ll start the morning getting tours of the facilities, followed by some time out on the field with their favorite players. We’ve got full range of putting every player to work for this event. Once the field time ends, they’ll be led up to the concourse, where we’ll be feeding them a baseball staple of hotdogs and chips. We figured most kids would love that. Once they’re done eating, they’ll be led back down onto the field, where they’ll find each player at tables, ready to sign jerseys, T-shirts, hats, or other memorabilia, as well as pose for pictures. All the kids will be moved to the stands, where they’ll cheer on the guys as they play a few innings amongst themselves to cap off the event.
“I think the timelines look great. Do we have a headcount, yet?” Carly asks.
“I know we’d discussed having two days, but in the end, we’re going with just one for this year. We’re completely full with two hundred kids signed up.”
“If this goes well, then we can add a second day or session next year.”
“I completely agree. I think two hundred for our first year is a good start. It will be hectic, but as long as everyone does as they’re assigned, I’m confident we can pull it off.”
“Agreed. Just tell me what you need from me next and consider it done,” Carly states. She’s been a great addition to our team. She started around the beginning of the year and has quickly become my right hand in all things.
“Thanks. I’m going to call Janet and see what they need from us, and then I’ll let you know what our next steps are,” I tell her, noting that I need to call the event company.
Three
Lucas
I stand in the batters’ cage, adjust my glove, tap the bat against the ground and then take my spot at the plate. The machine makes a whooshing sound as it sends a fastball my way. I swing, missing the ball completely. I right my stance, ready for the next ball that it sends my way, this time ball and bat connect, and the ball goes flying into the outfield.
“Damn, boy. We need you to hit like that in the game tomorrow night,” Justin “JJ” Johnson, our catcher, states, walking up to the cage. He watches as I hit a few more balls.
“That’s my plan,” I tell him as I take a break, sucking down half of my bottle of Gatorade. It is hot as hell out here today. I’ve soaked my tank top, so it doesn’t do much when I pull up the hem and attempt to mop the sweat off of my face.
“I heard you got on Carmen’s shit list,” he says, toeing the dirt with his cleat.
“I guess you can say that.” I smirk and think back to how hot she was when yelling at me. Seeing her all hot makes me want to see what she’d be like in bed. I start to get hard just thinking of her curvy body pressed against my own. What her skin would feel like under my fingertips. How expertly I could play her body, pulling multiple orgasms from her, all while she’s screaming my name. “She wasn’t too keen on the fact that I followed a stripper home last night.”
“Damn, boy.” He laughs, not even hiding it behind the fist pressed to his lips. “Guess someone has to take over my place on the team as the playboy. I was always causing her trouble before my daughter showed up on my doorstep.”
“Yeah, what’s that all about?” I ask. I never really pay attention to the tabloids and what they’re saying about other players. I know how they like to take a picture and run with whatever crazy story they can come up with that they think will sell the article for them.
“Eh, a girl I used to hook up with never bothered to tell me she got pregnant, until she showed up on my doorstep when our daughter was a few weeks old. She’d tried to do it all on her own but realized she wasn’t cut out for it, so she brought Evie to me. It’s been a whirlwind few months, but the best months ever, at the same time. She’s everything I never knew I needed in my life; and she also brought me the love of my life, so like I said, it’s all been for the best. Kinda funny how things work out that way.”
“I don’t think I’d look at that situation the same way,” I tell him honestly. “Plus, the thought of settling down with one woman gives me hives. Women equal drama,” I state.
“Six months or a year ago, I would have agreed with you, one-hundred percent. But when the right woman drops into your lap, you’ll know it. She won’t like you or want you because of the uniform you put on, or the car you drive, or the connection you can get her for her social media following. She’ll like you for you. For the way you treat her and the way that you only let your guard down for her. When you make her feel special and like she’s the center of your world, she’ll do the same to you.”
“Aren’t you dating Derek’s sister or something like that?”
“Yep,” he says, popping the p before continuing on. “Riley came to my rescue when Evie was dropped off. Like, dropped everything and moved into my house to help me. I didn’t know my ass from my elbow when it came to babies, and Evie was less than a month old when she arrived. Riley had been a nanny before and knew exactly what to do. Whatever she didn’t know, Derek’s wife, Jillian, was right there to answer. We both fought the connection for as long as we could, but in the end, we decided to see what came of it, and well, it’s the best decision we’ve made.” He gushes, all in love like. It almost makes me want to puke.
“Sounds like a messy situation.”
He laughs at my comment. “It was definitely messy.” Our attention gets pulled for a few seconds to a group of guys that are all laughing as they come out of the dugout and onto the field. “Have you gotten all settled in, now that you’ve been here a few weeks?” JJ asks.
“Yep, got all moved in to my apartment. I’ve been exploring the city when I can, finding the best places to blow off steam, if you know what I mean.” I smirk, knowing that he damn well knows what I’m talking about.
“Yeah, I heard all about you blowing off steam.” He chuckles. “Just keep yourself out of the spotlight, and you can blow off all the steam you want,” he adds.
“I can’t help it if the camera loves me.” I strike a pose for the pretend photographer.
“An attitude like that will do nothing but get you into trouble, and being in trouble will forever keep you on Carmen’s shit list,” JJ says.
“What’s her deal?” I ask, hoping that my interest isn’t glaringly apparent.
“Don’t even think about it,” he warns. “She isn’t your type, or better yet, you aren’t hers.”
“I was just wondering why she’s always so pissed off or acting like she’s got a stick up her ass.”
“When you cause problems she’s got to clean up, you aren’t going to see her fun and friendly side. Maybe try doing something that brings you good publicity and see how she reacts.”
“Eh, what’s the fun in that?” I joke. “I’ll be honest, I kind of like seeing her all worked up.”