The Mascot: A Fan & Player Baseball Romance

by Ana Shay

  His eyes bathed my body with warmth. “Missed you too.” He winked. My jaw tensed because he thought he was funny, and I found it hard to remain nonchalant. “I came because I promised Penn a session with Grayson. Remember?” He stood there with that glorious smirk on his face. “And I thought it would be better to do it now, before his playoff games, than after.”

  He made sense, and it annoyed me that I didn’t think of it before. That’s why Penn’s doing so well today. He wanted to show Grayson what he could do. I raised my eyebrows, refusing to give in to that charming smile. “Is that it? There’s no other reason why you could possibly be here?” With one eyebrow cocked, I tapped my foot, getting impatient with all the lies I’d been fed today. It was like everyone around me wanted me to fail.

  He popped his bottom lip out and looked to the sky, thinking. He shook his head, “No? Should there be?”

  I wasn’t taking his bait; he was trying to rile me up and admit that his presence here affected me. “No, definitely not.” I quipped, clasping his shoulder, and immediately regretting it because a zing of electricity coursed through my body, making me wonder why I’m resisting this gorgeous man.

  Because you’re not going to be a rebound, Cali. You will keep your stable job and not throw the chance away on a guy who might be two-timing you.

  The reminder was all I needed. “Thanks so much for helping Penn.” The casual tone made him falter; I could tell. Something I’ve learned is that Tate likes to fight. It’s the athlete in him. Always competing. Always trying to win. Well, he isn’t going to win with me that easily. “Nice to see you again, Tate. I’m heading back to the stands.” He frowned, and I almost felt bad, but I had to keep my cool. No matter how much I liked him, he lied about Sam, and that was enough to seep doubt in my mind.

  “Do you want some company?” He asked, gesturing towards the stands.

  I shook my head, looking back at him. He’d stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked gorgeous. My perfect downfall if I let him. “I’ve got company. My parents are here.”

  He bared one of those perfect smiles of his. “It’s a little early to be meeting the parents, but I’m game.” He said, and I locked my wobbling knees, too nervous they would swoon in front of him. I’m supposed to be angry.

  “What would Sam think if she saw you with my family in the news?” I bit out more to remind myself why I’m so annoyed. It made me panic and look around the ballpark. Tate was front-page news at the moment. There’s no doubt someone’s following him. When I turned back, the anger in his eyes was unmistakable. Maybe if he thinks I’m hard work, he’ll move onto his second biggest fan. Although I’m pretty sure that’s Larry. Maybe his third-biggest fan.

  He rolled his eyes, clenching his fists so tightly they were turning white. Amongst all of that, he was trying his hardest to look calm. “I already told you; nothing is going on between Sam and me.” He looked me up and down. “For some stupid reason, your stubborn butt is the only one I’m interested in.”

  Did he just say that? He’s so persistent and manly, and he was making this difficult. I tried to act like I didn’t care, stopping myself mid-laugh. Unfortunately, it ended up sounding like I was hyperventilating. “Are you okay?” He rested his hand on my back, fully ready to go full-on Heimlich if I needed it because he’s Tate, and of course, he would know first aid.

  “I’m fine.” I kept my focus on his shoes, too embarrassed to look up. He had a nice new pair of Nike’s on. They were our sponsor; I wonder how many shoes he’s got from them this season. I shook those stupid thoughts out of my head. I need to get out of here. “I’ve got to go. My parents are waiting on me.” With that, I took off faster than a rocket engineered by Elon Musk.

  “I’ll see you after the game.” He called after me, and I closed my eyes, wincing. How the hell am I supposed to survive this whole day. And wait, did he just say he was going to see me after the game? I can’t deal.

  Chapter 26

  Rounding the bat behind my shoulder, I watched Penn give me his best stare down. As much as I’d consider missing the ball on purpose to make him feel good, I don’t. He needs to learn how hard it’s going to be to get someone like me out someday. Might as well be now. The ball hurtled towards me and whacked it hard, watching it fly straight out of the park, just past the linked fence. Penn and the parents watched in awe as it disappeared into the settling evening dusk.

  I glanced over my shoulder to the only person I wanted to impress today. Cali was sitting in the dugout, a high school sweatshirt now wrapped around her body with her arms crossed to keep the warmth in. Her lips were pursed, and it looked like she’d just smelled some seriously stinky fish as she stared at the patch in the sky where my ball was last seen.

  “Good hit.” She said loud enough so I could hear. There’s a subtle change when she looks down at Penn. Her face is more relaxed, with the hint of a smile on the edges of her lips. Why does seeing that slight curve make me so happy? I’ve dated women in the past, none of which have kept me on my toes quite like Cali. She’s unpredictable. A little crazy and doesn’t care that I’m a baseball player. In fact, I can only surmise that’s the main reason she’s staying away from me. She doesn’t like the attention that she might get, and she doesn’t believe that as a ballplayer, I could be faithful to her. That, and she thinks it will affect her job, which it won’t. She wants nothing from me, but I want everything from her.

  I dragged my eyes back to the field; players from the Catfish and Penn’s team were scattered around, waiting for the next throw. We’ve been out here playing a semi-serious game since Penn’s team won about an hour ago. The light’s drawing in, and the air is getting colder, but everyone wanted to stay.

  Grayson stalked towards the mound. His presence was felt by everyone. “That was a good pitch, but there’s a slight change in your grip that should get this idiot out in a heartbeat.” He pointed his thumb back to me. I rolled my eyes, kicking up dirt with my shoe and playing with my bat while I waited for Grayson to finish his lesson. I did everything possible not to look back at the beautiful sour-faced girl sitting on the bleachers.

  Penn blew out a breath, getting his placement on the mound before looking at me. Swinging my bat over my shoulder, I stared him down, waiting for him to throw the ball. He’s harder to read this time. Less nervous, I suspect. As the ball leaves his hand, I guess it’s a fastball and swing, spinning myself around because I put so much momentum into it, gloriously missing it.

  My eyes darted to Cali, her smile wider as she clapped with excitement for Penn. Well, if her smile is the only thing to come from my bruised ego, I can’t complain. Dust billowed around me, covering my baseball pants as Grayson laughed hysterically in the dugout. “That’s exactly it. Good job, Penn.” I was surprised at how well Grayson took to mentoring. He’s always been more of a lone wolf, using mathematics and his own critiques to improve. He rarely shared with others but sharing with Penn seemed natural. It’s that, or maybe he’s getting softer in his old age.

  I wiped my sweaty palms on the back of my pants, nodding. “He’s right. You got me good.” I admitted, trying to avoid looking too tarnished by the miss. Seven years in the league, and I can still be caught out by a high schooler. He pitched to me a few more times, and each one, I miss just as spectacularly as the first.

  Wiping my bat down, I noticed Austin standing by the dugout. “You know what, I think I need a break from the ass whopping. You can take over Addison.” I handed the bat to Austin, who stared at it with wide eyes. “Show them what a rookie can do,” I whispered. He nodded with determination like we were in the bottom of the ninth, one hit away from winning the world series.

  As I walked over to the bleachers, I patted down my thighs, doing my best to get the dust off. I wanted Cali to find the look sexy, not choke on the sand. By the time I got to the bleachers, she was gone. My eyes darted around; I knew she was here somewhere. She wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Penn.

  The flash of her b
londe hair waved in my periphery as she walked briskly through the bleachers heading towards the parking lot. I didn’t know where she was going, but I knew I was about to find out.

  I called out her name when I was close enough, noting her back visibly straightening at my voice. It looked like someone had poked her in the butt. Something irked my mind. That sudden movement looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place where I’d seen it before. She slowly turned, her eyes watching every step as I advanced towards her.

  “Hi Tate,” She squealed, her hands were clenched at the side and her jaw set.

  “Are you okay?” I asked with a tilted head and a smirk.

  She stared straight into my eyes, her cheeks reddening. “Yup. I’m absolutely fine.” She quipped, still staring at me intently. It was like she didn’t want to look down. She rocked her head from side to side like she was trying to rid her mind of all that nervous energy, which was weird because she was fine with me earlier. Cali’s eyes refused to look anywhere but my face. It was strange.

  “Are you sure?” She bit her bottom lip. She was so red; it looked like she might explode any minute. Her eyes flicked down for a fraction of a second, and that’s when it clicked. She has a thing for me in my worn baseball gear. How could I forget?

  I slapped my hands against my thighs, letting the dust waft between us, and noticed her eye twitched. I walked into her space, just enough to mess with her. She can say she doesn’t want to date me all she wants, but I can see how much she wants me in that lusty gaze of hers. “Did you enjoy the show?”

  She visibly swallowed, her eyes darting from side to side. She was doing her best to look anywhere but directly at me. “Yeah.” It was haughty and wistful all at the same time. “Thanks for arranging this for Penn. I can tell he loves this.” She watched her brother striking out Austin with pride. I purposely moved into her field of view, and her eyes finally connected with mine again. They softened like her body, but she remained quiet.

  I decided to help her out. “At the risk of sounding like a nineties boyband, I’d do anything for you.” Hushed laughter left her mouth as she shook her head.

  “Tate, you’ve got to stop saying stuff like that.” She put her palm out to push my chest, and I grabbed her hand before she could take it away, using my thumb to stroke the back of it. That little connection alone sent tingles to my chest, and I knew the feeling between us was right. I just needed to convince her of that too.

  “Why?” I asked in barely a whisper.

  She scuffed her shoes against the metal of the bleachers. “Because we aren’t dating.” It sounded so lackluster. She didn’t feel that way; she was just trying to convince herself she did.

  I tried my hardest not to crack a smile. “Say that to my face instead of your shoes, and maybe then I’d believe you.”

  That’s when she did it. She looked me directly in the eyes; her mouth was slacking over the words I knew she couldn’t say. She was being irrational, and she knew it, punishing me over the tabloids and an ex that I had no interest in. Did she not see I arranged all of this for her?

  Kneeling down to look directly into her worried eyes, I said, “The tabloids are paid to make up stories. I care more about the gum stuck on the bottom of my shoe than Sam. The only girl I’m looking at is you, and once the tabloids realize that, they’ll get bored and stop reporting on it. They want drama which we wouldn’t give them.” I reiterated for what felt like the thousandth time. Her brows pinched in a knot, no doubt trying to figure out how I knew about that. “You will not get fired, and a relationship with me won’t be frowned upon. Three girls in accounting are dating or married to players. I checked.”

  She stared back at me, processing all the information I spouted. I’m sure she was shocked, but she shouldn’t be. It was all things I’ve said before.

  “Hot Dog?” A man with scruffy red stubble held out the meat-filled bun to Cali, and she kept her lips tight, her face getting redder by the second. He completely ruined the moment without realizing it. She rolled her eyes, letting out a giant, exaggerated huff before looking at him sardonically.

  “I’m okay, dad.” She eyed the hot dog suspiciously. “Where did you even get one of those this late?”

  He studied it, licking his lips. “Daryl decided to stay open when he saw the guys kept playing. If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.” I swear he was salivating just looking at it. “This is the only piece of actual meat I’ll be able to eat this week.”

  She waved her hand, “Go ahead, Dad. I’ll come to find you in a minute. I just need to finish up here.” She pointed at me as though I was a bank transaction she needed to fix.

  He chuckled. “Yeah, with your favorite ballplayer.” He stressed the favorite as though I didn’t already know that. “I thought I’d come over and introduce myself.” He smiled in my direction. “I’m John.” He adjusted the hot dog awkwardly, giving him just enough space to hold his hand out in my direction. For all intents and purposes, he looked like your stereotypical baseball Dad. Slightly protruding belly with a baseball hat and jersey proudly displaying ‘Collins’ on the back. Absolutely nothing about him would suggest that he would be hipster enough to consider naming his children after a couple of states.

  I shook his hand firmly. I had a strong sense that I would be spending a lot of time with him, and I wanted to make a good first impression. “It’s nice to meet you, Sir.”

  “Has Cali told you about the signed jersey of yours she has hanging above her bed yet?” He laughed, finding no problem embarrassing his daughter.

  “D-ad!” Cali stressed. “Stop it.” She was squirming, and I loved it.

  He laughed innocently. “It’s not my fault you worship the man like he’s your own personal Buddha.” That sentence had my mind trailing places it shouldn’t, especially when talking to her father. Judging by that comment, I’m assuming she hasn’t mentioned that we’ve been dating the last couple of months.

  I cocked a brow, studying Cali’s pointed features until she met my gaze. “No. She didn’t mention that.” I also knew that currently; it wasn’t hanging above her bed. Maybe it was the first thing she removed when she cleansed her room of me the first time I came over.

  Her ears and nose pinkened as she shook her head, staring at the ground. “It’s nothing.” She answered flippantly. “Besides, it’s not up there anymore because Austin is my new favorite player.” She looked over my shoulder to the field, where no doubt Austin was most likely standing. She sounded more desperate by the second.

  “But he’s not a shortstop.” Her dad added, taking a large bite out of the hot dog. “Shortstops are your jam.” He smirked, seemingly enjoying her strained and frustrated face.

  “They were.”

  “Uh oh. I know that tone when I hear it. What did you do, Tate?” He looked over to me, and I froze. Oh, nothing really. I just ate your daughter out on her desk, fingered her in bed, then banged her in my bed. Only for her to decide that I apparently want my ex-girlfriend more than her. Yeah, I might keep that little tidbit to myself.

  “Nothing.” She quipped, grabbing her dad’s shoulder and turning him in the opposite direction. “I think Mom’s looking for you.” She searched the venue, tiptoeing to get a better view. For a second, I wondered what her mom looked like. Penn took after his dad, but did Cali? I wasn’t sure.

  “I’m not looking for him. I’m right here.” A woman said from behind me. When I saw her, everything fell into place. She’s the reason that Cali and her brother were named after states. Her long flowery dress, wavy blonde hair, and huge dangly earrings told me everything I needed to know.

  “Mrs. Collins.” I breathed out at the spitting image of Cali, only older. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Tate Sorenson.” I needed to impress her if I wanted to convince Cali to give us a chance.

  She took my hand, throwing me a blissed-out smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Tate. Although, the way my children talk about you, I feel like I’ve known you for years.”


  Cali grumbled behind. “Oh my God.”

  “Watch your language, Cali,” Her mother said pointedly. She then looked over my shoulder at Cali’s Dad. “John, I hope that’s vegan?” He shoved the last bite of the hot dog in his mouth before she could take it away.

  When he finished chewing, he ignored his wife and smiled at me. “Thanks for coming and helping Penn out today.” Her Dad changed the subject. “The team loved it.”

  “Ah, it was nothing. Anything to help Cali.” I elbowed her, inadvertently pushing her forward. She seemed surprised that I touched her in front of her parents.

  “And you did all of this for her?” Cali’s dad asked suspiciously with a cocked brow. He could see through me that much was obvious.

  I nodded with a shrug. “She’s a great girl. When I met her in the first aid room, she was limping and wide-eyed; I couldn’t say no to her.”

  Her dad whipped his head in her direction. “First aid room? What did you do this time?” His exasperated tone answered the question I had from the other night since I learned how prone to getting hurt she was.

  Cali shook her head, “Nothing. Just a stupid accident.” She babbled. “Anyway, I’m just going to finish up with Tate. I will see you guys at the car.” She tried her best to get them to leave, and I think they finally took the hint.

  “Tate, we would love it if you would come to our house for dinner.” No one could unhear the desperate squeal from Cali. “You know, as a thank you for organizing all of this.” She looked at Cali in disappointment and then eyed up the used hot dog wrapper residing in John’s hands. “We’ve having mushroom tacos.” She smiled eagerly.