The Mascot: A Fan & Player Baseball Romance

by Ana Shay

  “I’m sure she doesn’t like it.” Was my response. I would love to know how Cali feels, so I can protect her if that’s not the kind of attention she wants.

  Grayson whistled with a chuckle. “Trouble in paradise already? I told you women weren’t worth it.”

  “Who hurt you?” Austin asked.

  “No one. That’s the beauty of not letting anyone close enough to care about what they do.” He wrapped his arm around Austin’s shoulder. “Do you want to know the key to winning at baseball?” Austin nodded fervently. “It’s to focus on baseball, and baseball only. Women are dispensable and should only be used to get your rocks off. That’s it.” He leaned back, and I watched as Austin’s ears and cheeks pinken. If this is the kind of world-changing advice Grayson has for the younger generation, maybe I should introduce Penn to Max instead. He’s single, but at least he doesn’t treat women like garbage. “Letting them get in your head during the most pivotal point in your career is not good.”

  “So, you’re never planning on having kids?” I was surprised Austin was still engaging Grayson in this ridiculous conversation.

  He shrugged. “Didn’t say that. But right now. Definitely not. Women only want your cash. Cash you won’t get if you don’t play well enough to earn it.”

  I leaned over the table to get Austin’s attention. “Please ignore him. Baseball is about feeling. It’s about the love of the game. We aren’t all robots like this jackass. Why are we even friends?” Grayson barked out a laugh.

  “Because you’d be bored without me.” He said. “Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got a meeting with Atlanta tonight.”

  “Atlanta? That’s her name, and she lives in Atlanta?” Austin’s eyebrow quirked.

  “No,” I answered as Grayson’s chair screeched across the floor. “That’s his name for her because he doesn’t bother with actual names.”

  Grayson tucked the chair in and bent forward, whispering. “I’ve got a different one in every city we visit. Imagine trying to remember all those names.”

  “Don’t forget the game starts at 11 am tomorrow.” I hollered as he walked away.

  “I’m not starting, remember.” He said casually over his shoulder as he confidently walked towards a girl who was dressed like I’d imagine my lawyer would if I got into some deep trouble. She barely registered his approach, too busy talking on her phone and staring at her screen. When he sat down, there was no smile like his regular pickups. She almost looked annoyed that she had to entertain him for the rest of the night.

  Austin watched Grayson in awe. “Ready to head upstairs?” I asked, wanting to get him away from the bad influences. He’s only young, and lord knows we don’t need another Grayson on the team.

  “Uh huh.” When we were in the elevator, I texted Cali, asking if she had time to talk tonight. I wanted to talk to her. To hear that sweet melodic voice of hers. I wanted to ask her about her day and find out if Josh took my warnings to heart. It’d been weeks since we’d actually been together, and even now, I couldn’t get her off my mind.

  The bubbles popped up, and I watched as she quickly typed back, telling me that she was working late tonight. I rolled my eyes. Clearly, nothing had changed, and she still wasn’t getting paid. I’d need to speak to Jonah when I get back after the game tomorrow.

  Chapter 21

  “Don’t you think that bobblehead makes him look… I don’t know, like a vampire?” I whispered to Mary as we sat in the boardroom. Josh was presenting the latest selection of bobbleheads for the rest of the year, and so far, I couldn’t say I was impressed with any of the designs.

  I feel like I should mention that they’ve got Tate’s features all wrong. They’ve made his perfect teeth way too big for his head, and that golden tan of his looks whiter than a carton of milk. Granted, it’s not as bad as the colossal butt they gave Austin. He may have well-developed quads, but his bobblehead was more akin to a rhino than him. Poor guy.

  Mary tried her best to suppress a giggle, but a few people heard it, flicking their heads in our direction with disapproving glances. Crap. I hope Josh didn’t notice. He’s only just started to lay off, and I didn’t want to get on his bad side again.

  He flipped to the next slide, Grayson’s face appeared on the screen, and now it was my turn to hold back the laughter. The bobblehead was mid-throw, with a giant ball. Unfortunately for Grayson, the expression on his face makes it look like he’s in a losing battle with the toilet. It’s awkward to look at. He’ll hate it if he takes any notice of this kind of thing.

  I twiddled my pen, doing my best to listen to Josh. I wouldn’t say he’s the most captivating orator I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. His voice is monotonous, and there’s no enthusiasm in his body language. It’s like working here is just a job to him. I looked around the room, and it seems like my colleagues are having the same difficulty. If they aren’t sneakily looking at their phone under the table, they’re openly reading emails on their laptops.

  Josh was interrupted mid-flow by a light knock on the door. I nearly faint when I see the Head of Back Office, Jonah pop his head inside the room. I imagine for most people, this is the same feeling as meeting their favorite celebrity. He looks around, bares his teeth, and waves. It’s like I’ve suddenly lost control of my body. I can’t move because being in a room with such greatness is beyond comprehension. He is the man who has made the Fish marketing what it is today and why it’s one of the most followed franchises in the league.

  “Hi, sorry, was I interrupting?” He asked Josh, who waved him off almost immediately.

  “No, sir. I was told you’d be coming in today.” Josh spoke with more enthusiasm than I’d heard in all the months I’d worked here. “I can finish this in our next meeting. Would you like to take over?”

  Jonah pushed himself further into the room, adjusting his blue tie with a little Catfish on the point, as he did. “That would be great.” His presence swallowed the room with each step he took. I grabbed Mary’s thigh to let her know how excited I was. She swatted me off and gave me a heavy side-eye.

  He rubbed his hands on the front of his jeans and waved again. “Hi guys, I don’t know if you know me,” I snorted. Heads spun in my direction, but I kept my gaze focused on Jonah, knowing I was turning red. “I’m head of operations, and I’ve got some great news for the interns.” Interns? As in me? I hope he’s not going to insist we play in the staff baseball tournament. Let’s just say I played one game of softball my entire life. It ended in a hospital visit for two of the players, and I broke my ankle. I have never stepped foot on a field in a player’s capacity again.

  “Can the eleven interns we have this year stand up, just so I know who I’m talking to?” I made eye contact with a couple of the other interns before scraping my chair back and standing. “I’m sorry I haven’t had the time to meet you all, but I wanted to thank you for all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into this team. I’ve heard good things about you, and we’re proud to have you onboard working for the Fish.”

  We all mumbled a thank you, still not sure why he came all the way in here just to say that. “On that note. I would like to extend some good news. We’ve received a generous donation which was given to us specifically on your behalf. As of this month, we will be paying you for all of that hard work and dedication you’ve shown.” He said with a grin. I wanted to jump up, scream and dance around the room, but I opted for a slight toe lift and a smile instead.

  Is this actually happening?

  Employees clapped and congratulated us. Only one thought ran through my head, I’m an actual paid Catfish employee. It made me feel all the more legitimate and dedicated. It’s all I could think to myself while I did my best to stop from hurling with excitement. The rest of the meeting went by in a blur of thank you’s and hugs from my colleagues. I couldn’t believe it. I was finally getting paid for all the work I put in. I could afford more than macaroni and cheese for dinner (not that it would stop me having it anyway), and maybe I cou
ld save some to get a nicer apartment closer to the stadium.

  When we filtered out of the room, Mary stopped at my desk, enveloping me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you, Cali. You deserve it. You’ve put in more time and hours than me this past year, so I’m glad they’re finally acknowledging it.” Her eyes were deep and blue as she proudly smiled.

  “Thank you for helping me get this job.” Is this what it felt like to accept an Oscar? Stomach constantly flipping because you’re brimming with excitement. I pulled out of the hug. My smile was still wide. It wasn’t going to leave my face for days.

  “Are you going to tell Tate?” She asked. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, that was one of the first thoughts that popped into my head while I was still in the meeting. My mom and dad wouldn’t be bothered; Penn would think it’s cool. But Tate, Tate would be proud.

  A loud chortle interrupted my thoughts. “Tate already knows,” Josh laughed sarcastically, trudging next to us.

  “Sorry, Josh, but this was a private conversation,” Mary said.

  He raised his hands. “If you want to have a private conversation, maybe you should have them in the bathroom next time. The office is like an echo chamber, and your voices are particularly loud.”

  He strode past. “Josh. Wait.” He stopped when I stood up to look at him. “What did you mean Tate knows?”

  A wicked smile spread across his face. “Rumor has it; he was the one that donated the money. It would make sense, considering I saw him walking into Jonah’s office with a check the other week. Coincidental timing, don’t you think?” He paused, looking like a little angry tomato. “Must be nice having a player fight all your battles for you.” He gave me the once over, snarling before turning on his heel, walking away. He didn’t say it, but the implication was there, hanging around like a bad smell. He knew I was sleeping with Tate. If he knows, then the whole office must have figured it out.

  “Does Josh know about Tate and me?” I asked, nervously playing with my hands.

  Mary scrunched her face, “No, of course not. He’s just messing with you because he knows Tate came up to visit you that one time.”

  “And about the flowers…” I trailed off, realizing just how obvious Tate had made it, even if it wasn’t his intention. My eyes flittered around the room, looking at the other interns who were happily getting on with their work. If they found out their salary was donated by a guy I was sleeping with, I’d be mortified.

  “You know it’s not against the rules. There’s nothing he can do,” Mary shrugged.

  “Except make me feel like crap and embarrass me by telling everyone that Tate did it because he’s sleeping with me.”

  “You don’t know if that’s true…” Mary leaned against the desk, watching my reaction while I thought back on Josh’s words. Tate was the one that donated the money. Tate?

  “Come on. It doesn’t make sense. Why would Tate donate money?” Mary asked the very question that was running through my brain.

  “I told him I didn’t get paid,” I said despondently, trying to figure out what this all meant and why he would do it.

  “So, if it’s true, and that’s a huge if because this is Josh we’re talking about. Maybe Tate was being generous. He wanted you and the other interns paid for your work.” She said brightly, clearly not as bothered as I was about me accepting money from someone I’ve slept with. Does this technically make me a hooker? A high-class one because I also helped others get paid. Are the other interns technically my pimp because of it?

  “He went quiet when I told him I wasn’t paid. Maybe he did it because he was embarrassed for me.” I surmised, feeling queasy at the thought.

  She adamantly shook her head. “No. That’s not it. Tate’s not like that.”

  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. “You’re right. He didn’t do it because he felt sorry for me. He did it as a form of a payoff.” Saying the words out loud made me feel filthy.

  Her mouth gaped open, “What?” She barely stuttered out and then furrowed her brows. “Cali, you’re going way off base with that one.”

  “No. I’m not. Think about it. What if all those rumors are true and he is getting back together with Sam. It’s not like the story has died down over the last few weeks. Maybe this is his way of saying, ‘thanks for the memories’ and keeping me silent.” I fell into my seat, “I was only the girl he used to try and take his mind off Sam for a while. When he had the chance to get her back, he took it.”

  Mary knelt in front of me to ensure she got my full attention. “Woah, Cali. Stop. You’ve gone and invented this whole scenario in your head. Did you ever talk to Tate about the Sam thing?”

  “No,” I leave out that I’ve been avoiding him in fear that he just wants to officially break up with me. My little baseball-loving heart couldn’t handle hating one of my favorite players. It’s much easier to think I had control over the situation and let it naturally fizzle out, so Tate had no choice but to go back to his ex than admit he was never that into me in the first place. There’s no need for it to be confirmed that he used me for sex, only to go back to his ex because I wasn’t good enough. This payment just adds insult to injury, “But I don’t have to. It’s obvious to everyone but me. Tate’s best friend is Grayson, after all. The same guy who openly talks about sending contracts to women before he sleeps with them.”

  Mary clasped my shoulder. “I think it would be better to talk it out with him than making yourself crazy. The last time your eyes shifted this much, two girls ended up in hospital.” Did she have to bring up the softball incident again?!

  “I’ll think about it,” I said more to appease her than anything else. I spun on my chair, checking the time. The game was going to start in ten minutes. “I better go; I’ve got to get dressed as Catty.” I really wasn’t feeling it today, especially because one of the things we had planned involved Tate. “Penn’s coming after the fourth inning, and we’re going to watch the rest of the game together.”

  “Will you be done by then?”

  I shrugged. “Probably not, but he can wait for me.”

  “Do you want me to sit with him until you get back?” She asked, and I noticed a little color in her cheeks.

  I stood up. “Sure, whatever.” I waved off, limping my way to the locker room to face my fishy doom for the day.

  I hurried to the seats, grumbling to myself with each passing step. As if I couldn’t be in a worse mood with Tate after Josh revealed he paid for me, Tate had to go and annoy me while I was Catty too. What did he do? Well, he was nice to me, patting me on the back, hugging me, and dancing along with my routines. He even walked with me around the stadium to sign autographs before the game. I wanted to push him over, maybe slap him in the face with a wet fish a few times, but every now and again, he’d flash that perfect smile of his making me forget how annoyed I was. My body always seemed to melt at the memories of being with him. I liked him more than I cared to admit.

  Penn’s bright red hair flashed in my vision, and I took a moment to compose myself. Adjusting my blank Carolina Catfish t-shirt (because I refused to wear Sorenson on my back today), I walked through the empty plastic blue seats to Penn and Mary. He laughed at something Mary said when I got to them, focusing on her so intently that he didn’t notice me at first. “Hey, guys,” I muttered, slumping into the empty seat next to Penn.

  “Hey, sis.” Penn greeted me with a broad smile and an arm over my seat. “Mary was just telling me about how you were nearly decapitated last week.” He barked out a laugh. I shook my head at the memory. Max got distracted by something, threw a wild pitch that not only whacked me but also hit one of the reporters in the dugout. It was carnage; her nose was bleeding, glasses were broken, and she’s still sporting a black eye. I’m surprised he didn’t see it on the local news. Although I guess there was no one to report on it because he hit the woman that would have done it.

  “You might want to look into a life insurance policy now that you’re getting paid,” Mary add
ed.

  Penn shucked my shoulder with his fist. “Congrats, C. That’s awesome news.” Great. Now my brother knows about my unintentional hooker ways.

  Mary stood up from her seat. “I better go. I’ve got some work to finish up.” She told us, looking between Penn and me anxiously. I thought she’d already finished that big focus group project she was working on, but I guess not.

  “Are you sure? We were having such a good time. You should stay.” Penn said with a smirk plastered across his face. I rolled my eyes.

  Her eyes lingered on his as she reluctantly shook her head. “I can’t. I should go. I’ll see you later, Cali. See you soon, Penn.” She waved, quickly striding through the seats like a mouse. She didn’t need to walk so fast; it’s not like she was in anyone’s way since it was a late afternoon weekday game.

  When she left, Penn slid further down his seat until his head rested on the back. He let out a low groan before shoving his fist in his mouth and biting hard. I rolled my eyes, shoving him in the shoulder. “She’s my best friend, you sicko.” Ever since we were kids, Penn’s always had a crush on her. He’s made no effort in hiding it either. It’s disturbing.

  “I can’t help it. She’s so hot.”

  Groaning, I scrubbed my face. I didn’t need this right now. “Please. Stop. I cannot bear the thought of my best friend dating my brother. The same brother who hasn’t graduated high school yet.”

  He scrunched my hair. “I graduate next month, and I turned eighteen in December. It would all be perfectly legal and fine.”