by Raine Thomas
Will, on the other hand, always assumed he might be entering the game. He sat with a pair of binoculars, a notepad, and a pencil, using them to watch and document Cole’s pitching strategy against each of the opposing hitters.
Sure, all the pitchers met with the pitching coaches before the game to review Arizona’s lineup, but what they knew on paper could change at any time. A hitter might slide into a slump or suddenly get into the zone and start connecting with every pitch. Pitchers had to be able to adapt their strategy as the game wore on. It was tedious and necessary, to Will’s thinking.
His teammates clearly didn’t agree with the “necessary” part. They loved to rib him for his note taking. Despite him pointing out that they all had issues with their consistency and could surely benefit from some note taking of their own, they ignored him.
That was why their bullpen was struggling so much, Will thought. It was a point of contention among the team. The starters were staying in the games longer than they should to avoid using the relief pitchers. It was taking a toll on them. When the coaches mentioned it to the relief pitchers, the relievers pointed out that they had to be ready to pitch in every game as opposed to the starters who only pitched every four or five games, and they needed to get off their backs. Will imagined it was only a matter of time before the team’s owner called a Come to Jesus meeting with all of them if they didn’t figure out a way to gel and improve as a unit.
He couldn’t understand the bullpen’s resistance to putting forth some effort to win more games. He took his role as the closer seriously, and that meant giving every game his full attention. After all, he was called in when the rest of the team had been busting their asses to win the game. One bad pitch could blow all the work they had done. It was arguably the role with the most pressure to perform perfectly every time.
Which was why when he heard Eddie say, “Who knew plumbers charged so fucking much?” he almost turned and snapped at him.
His dad’s voice in his head stopped him. They’d had numerous conversations about the bullpen situation.
“You need to lead by example,” Frank had said.
“They throw their middle fingers up at my example, Dad.”
“That’s because they don’t respect you yet. You need to connect with them. Let them see you’re someone worth respecting and following.”
So far, Will hadn’t found a way to do that. He was still in the No Man’s Land between the young, childless rookies and the older married players. Their conversations rarely touched on anything he felt he could contribute to.
Plumbing, however, was another matter.
Tamping down on his irritation, he turned to Eddie. “What problem are you having?”
Eddie looked around before pointing to himself. “You talkin’ to me?”
“Yeah. Why do you need a plumber?”
“You’re missing a pitch, Campbell,” pointed out Duane Fry, one of the more seasoned relievers.
“Uh-oh,” Tony Descalso said. He clutched at his chest as though his heart had stopped.
Will ignored them and kept his focus on Eddie until the catcher answered.
“Downstairs toilet won’t stop running,” he said. “My water bill was twice what it should’ve been last month.”
“What kind of toilet?”
Eddie’s shoulders lifted. “I don’t know, man. A toilet’s a toilet.”
That wasn’t true, but Will saw no reason to get into it. If Eddie had anything but a standard toilet, he wouldn’t have said that.
“You probably just need to adjust the float,” he said. Seeing Eddie’s blank stare, he explained, “It’s in the toilet tank. It controls the water level. If it’s set too high, the water will spill into the overflow tube and the valve won’t shut off.”
Silence descended on the bullpen. Everyone stopped and paused to look at Will with expressions ranging from interested to confused.
“It sounded like English,” Tony said to Duane, “but I didn’t understand a word Campbell just said.”
Duane shook his head.
“Look, it’s an easy fix,” Will said. “In the worst-case scenario, you need to buy a replacement valve. You can change it yourself in fifteen minutes.”
Once again pointing at himself, Eddie said, “I can?”
“Yeah.”
“No shit?”
Will nodded.
“How’d you learn all that?” asked Carlos. “Your old man a plumber or somethin’?”
“General contractor,” Will replied, lifting his binoculars to watch Cole’s next pitch. “We renovate and flip properties together.”
Tony scooted his chair closer to Will’s. “You know how to do any electrical work?”
“Some.” Will lowered the binoculars and made a note to pitch Freddy Cassetta low and outside. The guy couldn’t lay off them. “Why?”
“My kid brother thought it’d be hilarious to record himself swinging like Tarzan from my ceiling fan. The idiot pulled it right out of the ceiling and knocked out one of his teeth when it fell.”
“Damn,” Eddie said as someone else issued a sympathetic whistle.
“Ceiling fans are pretty straightforward,” Will said.
Duane got up from his chair and walked over beside him. “How about drywall?”
“All right, guys,” Will said, once again shifting to address everyone. “I’ll make you a deal. If you’ll try to pay attention to the rest of the game, I’ll buy you a round afterward and answer any questions you have about home repairs.”
The others exchanged considering glances. It was Tony who responded first.
“What the hell,” he said with a shrug. “Free drinks and a solution for the hole in my ceiling? I’m in.”
Seeing the others give similar shrugs and move their chairs closer to the fence, Will realized he might have just made a breakthrough. It had him marveling almost as much as the breakthrough he and Jasmine had witnessed just before he left on this road trip.
He couldn’t wait to hear that giggle from Katie again.
Unfortunately she hadn’t done it again during their time together in Philly or on any of their daily FaceTime calls, but that was fine. He’d waited a year and a half to hear any sound from her at all. He could wait a little longer for more progress. Maybe one day soon, he’d hear a full laugh from her.
And maybe one day, he’d experience the joy of hearing her call him Daddy.
He had spent a lot of time thinking about that miraculous giggle. Between how rocky things had started between him and Jasmine in Everly’s waiting room and Katie’s usual aversion to females, he found it ironic that this breakthrough had happened during their dinner together. It hadn’t escaped him that Jasmine’s presence in their lives had made a huge impact on his daughter.
Katie smiled more. She danced all the time. She engaged more in her sessions with Gareth.
Will knew she loved spending time with Jasmine. Hell, he did too. He looked forward to every lesson with an almost embarrassing amount of eagerness.
It prompted him to reconsider his dad’s suggestion of asking her out. He suspected the invitation would be well-received. Jasmine had said a few things that made him think she was interested in him as more than a client or, after more than two months working together, a friend.
But would it put their growing friendship at risk?
Well, Campbell, he told himself as the ballgame came to an end, there’s only one way to find out.
* * *
“You’ve come a long way, Jasmine,” Everly said as they sat together after their last PT session. “You’re officially cleared to get back to your pre-injury exercise and practice regimens and start auditioning again.”
Jasmine had been waiting seven months to receive this news. While it did produce a smile, it also caused a twinge of fear.
Was she ready to return to the career that had caused her terrible injury? Now that she knew how difficult it was to recover, was she brave enough to put herself at risk again? W
hat if her recovery had put her too far behind the competition?
Dr. Smythe was helping her learn how to cope with the mental challenges she still needed to overcome. For now, Jasmine put them to rest and focused on the positive news.
“Thanks, Everly. I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done.” She reached into her gym bag and pulled out the small gift she’d brought along. “This is a little something for you.”
Everly accepted it with a smile. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to. I can’t fully express how much you’ve helped me in our time together. This was the least I could do.”
Opening the dark blue outer envelope, Everly pulled out the certificate inside. Jasmine was pleased to see her smile.
“The spa assured me they offer packages that are perfectly safe for pregnant women,” Jasmine explained. “Since you’re in your fifth month, they said you can make an appointment any time.”
“This is so thoughtful.” Everly tucked the certificate back in the envelope. “I appreciate you thinking of it. Goodness knows I’m going to need some serious help with back pain in another month or so.”
“I can well imagine.”
Everly grinned and ran a hand over her stomach. “Yeah. This little guy feels like he’s going to be eleven pounds come mid-September.”
Jasmine’s eyes went wide, making Everly laugh.
The session officially concluded a few minutes later. Everly gave Jasmine a file folder with her relevant notes and recommendations for future strengthening exercises before they both got to their feet.
“I hope you’ll keep in touch,” Everly said as she walked Jasmine out. “I’d love to hear about your progress.”
“Of course I will.”
Once she got into her car, Jasmine took a moment to look at Everly and Cole’s house and fully absorb that this was the last time she’d be there. It surprised her to realize she would miss it.
Well, maybe not the PT, she amended as she started her car.
She had just cleared the gate at the end of the driveway when a call rang through the car’s Bluetooth connection. Seeing Will’s name on the stereo’s screen, she accepted the call.
“Hey there,” she said. “Welcome back.”
The team had returned from their road trip the day before. Will had a game that evening, so she hadn’t expected to hear from him. Her next lesson with Katie was scheduled for the following day.
“Thanks. It’s always good to be home, even if it’s only for a few days. I wanted to call and see how things went. Are we popping champagne the next time you’re here?”
“Champagne?” she asked blankly.
“You just finished your last appointment with Everly, right? Or did I get the date wrong?”
She didn’t immediately reply. She and Will sometimes talked about their days when they were together. She kept him updated on her PT progress, largely so he’d be prepared when the time came for her to take a step back from her work with Katie to concentrate on her dance career. She never imagined he paid close enough attention that he’d remember this big appointment.
“Jasmine?”
Shaking herself out of her daze, she said, “Sorry. Yes, today was the big day. I’ve been given clearance to return to dance again.”
“That’s the news I wanted to hear.” He paused a beat. “Unless you’re going to miss the pickup lines and marriage proposals from the fine clientele at Steamy Beans, of course.”
That made her laugh. “Sadly, auditioning doesn’t bring in the money. I’ll have to put myself at risk of come-ons and proposals for a while yet.”
“That’s a shame.”
“It’s not so bad. I’ve kind of gotten used to getting hit on every time I’m there. I’m worried I might go into withdrawal once I leave.”
“If it would help, I’ve got all kinds of bad pickup lines. I’m happy to toss one at you every once in a while.”
She snorted on another laugh. “I appreciate the offer.”
“Sure. Consider it open. Ironically, I actually called to ask you out, so I guess all of that was kind of one big pickup line.”
Her mouth opened on a silent Oh.
“The team has to attend a benefit in a couple weeks,” Will said. “The opening of a new boys and girls center on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I was hoping you’d agree to come with me.”
A thrill ran through her. “I’d like that,” she said.
“Really? I didn’t even offer to tap you like a keg.”
Another laugh burst out of her. “I must be desperate to get out,” she said.
“I’ll take it.”
She shook her head, a wide smile on her face.
“We can firm up the details when we see each other tomorrow,” he said. “I was going to wait until tomorrow to ask you out in the first place, but I chickened out on the face-to-face approach. It’s been so long since I asked a woman out that I figured I’d get all awkward, you’d say no, and I’d end up battling unmanly tears through the entire lesson.”
“I’m kind of sad I missed that opportunity.”
He made a sound of amusement. “You have a rather dark, twisted side to you, don’t you, Jasmine Li?”
“Just wait and see.”
“Oookay then. I’ve got plenty to fantasize about now.”
“You’re welcome.”
When they ended the call, Jasmine caught sight of her smile in her rearview mirror. Her heart was performing jetés around her chest in a way it never had before.
She loved how Will made her feel. He was such a serious guy when it came to his family, his property investment business, and his baseball career, but he also had such a great sense of humor. He was helping her remember how to enjoy life outside of dance.
There was the high likelihood she’d have to stop working with Katie in the near future as her dance career finally took shape. For right now though, she was determined to live in the moment. As her injury had shown her, things could change in an instant. She might as well enjoy the time she had with Will and Katie while she still had the chance.
Chapter Fourteen
A few days later, Will attended a poker game at Cole’s house. He’d received the invitation just before they returned home from their road trip. Due to the short notice, Will suspected he might have been a fill-in for someone who backed out. That hadn’t kept him from accepting the offer. He knew a few other pitchers would be participating too, and he thought it would be another good bonding opportunity.
In the six games since he’d broken the ice with the bullpen players by addressing some of their home repair projects, there had been a noticeable shift in their attitudes. He had gone out to Tony, Duane, and Eddie’s homes to help them with the ceiling fan, drywall, and toilet repairs. They had all expressed their gratitude for his willingness to help them out.
“Can’t say I ever pictured you with a hammer in your hand, man,” Duane had said. “You’re so focused on baseball. I figured a ball and glove was it for you.”
Tony and Eddie had made similar comments. As he had with them, Will took the opportunity while he was in Duane’s personal environment to explain himself.
“I am focused on baseball,” he said as he sanded the spackle he’d used to repair the hole in Duane’s drywall. “I consider it a privilege to play the game. While I have that privilege, I’m going to give it one hundred percent of my attention any time I’m on the field. I know baseball won’t last forever. I need to make the most of it while I can. Plus, I really want a World Series ring. Don’t you?”
He wasn’t sure if his indirect lectures had gotten through to them or not, but he deemed it a minor victory that they listened to what he had to say. The poker game was another chance for his teammates to get to know a different side of him.
And, apparently, for Evan Dorsey to take all of his damn money.
“Why didn’t anyone warn me that Dorsey’s a ringer?” he muttered as the Aussie collected the chips from the cente
r of the table yet again.
“Misery loves company,” Randy cheerfully replied.
The starting pitcher was one of seven other players sitting at Will’s table along with Cole, Evan, Javy, Tony, Eddie, and Reynaldo Lagares, another pitcher in the team’s starting rotation. Cole had two poker tables set up in his impressive game room, both of them with eight players each. Over Will’s shoulder, he heard right fielder Kyle Kintzler taunting first baseman Dylan Cordero at the second table. It sounded like Kyle was raking in the lion’s share of the winnings at that table.
“Yeah,” Javy said in response to Will’s complaint. “Aren’t you supposed to be sleep deprived with a newborn at home, Dorsey?”
“Sierra’s moms are helping us out,” Evan said.
Based on his lack of a smile and the coolness of his dark blue gaze, Evan might have been thrilled to have the help or desperate to send his mothers-in-law packing. Will supposed his unreadability was what made him such an excellent poker player. It definitely made him the most unapproachable teammate Will had. He had yet to determine if he really even liked the Aussie.
“Must be nice,” Randy said to Evan as Cole dealt the next hand.
“Yeah,” Evan said.
Again, Will wasn’t sure if the third baseman was being sincere. How was he ever going to find the guy’s tell?
“Free up your schedule next home stand, Campbell,” Duane called out from the other table. “I’m about to win enough to cover the new entry tile you recommended.”
“You into home improvement?” Cole asked Will as the players at the other table told Duane to fuck off.
“You could say that.” He reviewed his cards and contemplated his options. “My company buys properties, renovates them, and sells them for a profit. My dad and I do a lot of the work ourselves. I spent many summers with him on construction sites once I was old enough to wear a hard hat.”
“The other guys hirin’ you to do stuff at their houses?” Javy asked.
“He offered,” Tony said before Will could reply. “Saved my ass with the landlord by replacing my ceiling fan and repairing a crack in the ceiling.”