by Ana Shay
Just as I was about to accept her gracious offer, Cali spoke for me, “He can’t tonight, mom. He’s already got plans.” I can take a hint… Sometimes.
“Yes, I’m sorry, I’ve got a few things to do before I travel with the team tomorrow. Maybe I could take you up on those tacos another day, though?” I said to placate Cali. She kept her mouth shut as her parents said their goodbyes and trotted towards the car. I stifled a laugh when I could hear Cali’s mom yell at her dad about the hotdogs. They seemed like a cute, loving family.
“Are you a vegan?” I asked, still watching her parents walk off. Her brows were bunched when she looked at me. “Did I offend you when I cooked Lasagna the first time you came over? Is that what all this is about?” I was only half-joking, more curious why she didn’t tell me this vital piece of information.
She stopped herself from laughing, a habit I’ve noticed she’s started to do in front of me. “No. My mom only became a vegan a few years ago; I was already a hard-grained meat fan and living in the college dorms at that point.” She fiddled with her fingers, chewing her lips. “Look, Tate. Thank you for doing this today, but it doesn’t change anything.” I tried my hardest not to show annoyance, which was getting really tough because I knew she was holding back. “We already talked about this,” She added, noticing the tension radiating off me.
“Did we?” I asked sarcastically, trying to add some humor back into the conversation. “Because I remember you were talking a lot. Babbling is actually how I’d describe it.” I grinned at her shocked expression. “You also gave me very little room to defend myself.”
I grazed my fingers against hers. She didn’t stop it. In fact, she leaned closer towards me. As much as she wanted to deny it, I knew she could feel the zing between us. The tension filled our breathing space whenever we were in the same vicinity. “I know Tate, it’s just I -” I was hanging on her every word, wanting so badly to understand her better and why she’s hesitating so much.
“Thanks for arranging this, Tate,” Penn said, Cali and I both jumped out of the little world we’d created, and I smiled, moving a comfortable distance away from Cali. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to hear what she was going to say.
“Not a problem, man.” I brought him into a hug and patted his back. “Mr. Howard was the agent that scouted me.” He was watching from the bleachers today. “And Grayson told me he put in a good word for you. Mine wouldn’t have mattered much, being a shortstop and all.” I winked, coming out of the hold. “You’re a great pitcher, and I’m sure I’ll see you on the field one day soon. I can only hope it’s on my team instead of against me.”
He smiled with tight lips, too nervous to get excited by my praise. “I appreciate it.”
Cali’s hand wrapped around her brother’s arm, dragging him. “Come on, Penn. Mom and Dad are waiting in the car, and I’m starving.”
“Like vegan tacos is going to satisfy you.” He snorted. She rolled her eyes, using all her weight to pull him. He wasn’t moving. For a skinny guy, he seemed strong. Cali gave me a small, forced smile.
“Thanks again for everything today, Tate. Good luck with your next few games, and I’ll see you when you get back.” She had her professional voice switched on. It was kind of hot. Who was I kidding? She could slather herself with mayonnaise, and I’d still think she was hot. Penn mumbled out another thank you, looking down at his sister like she’d lost her mind.
As they walked off, I heard him say, “Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend?” He glanced back over his shoulder, smirking.
“He’s not my boyfriend.” She defended herself adamantly.
He threw his head back in a chortle, “And I don’t have red hair.” I could hear grumbling from Cali, but I couldn’t listen to what she said. “You’re just chicken,” Penn taunted. “You’re too afraid the tabloids will find out about your deep dark fishy secret?” Secret? Interesting. Cali ignored Penn; the only sign of annoyance was the shake of her head as they weaved through the cars. Was there something else holding Cali back? Something… Fishy? I needed to find out.
Chapter 27
Tate: Did you get my gift today?
I put my phone down, ignoring Tate’s message, and stared at the bright blue Catfish cupcakes resting on my desk. I resisted the urge to lick the icing off in public by giving half of them away to the rest of the employees. Experience had taught me that if I’m left to my own devices, I’d willingly eat myself into a sugar coma.
My fingers twitched in desperate need to respond to Tate’s message, but I was forcing myself not to. I can’t fall desperately in love with someone just because of a few nice things. Okay, what he did for Penn wasn’t just nice. It was incredible, and I would never be able to thank him enough for all he did. Penn practically peed his pants when he got a call from one of the scouts after the game. He’s been invited to train with Charlotte’s minor league team, the Minnows, next month. None of us could believe it, but his dreams are coming true, and that’s all because of Tate.
I texted Tate the good news because I thought it would be rude not to. I knew it was opening something up; I didn’t realize Tate would view it as an open invitation to text me every spare moment he had. Not that I minded too much. I still didn’t let him know that, though. He had the week off since it was the All-Star Game, and I was busy working my butt off, making sure all the pieces were coming together.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
Another message from Tate, no doubt. I wish I had more time to spare. We needed to talk; I’d finally admitted that much to myself. I found it hard to come to terms with how much I liked how hard Tate was trying to get my attention.
It was especially hard to admit when I dragged my eyes across to the other gifts he’d left for me the last few days; a helmet from the game where he hit a cycle, a signed baseball with all the player's signatures, and a bat he used last week. As if I couldn’t look any more obsessed with baseball, Tate somehow found a way to do it, and that stupidly brought a giant smile to my face. He knew me. He knew what would make me happy, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought about how happy I was with Tate. Every couple has their obstacles, maybe ours weren’t that bad, and I was overreacting.
I couldn’t hold back; I reached for my phone, about to respond when a reminder flashed on my screen. ‘All-Star Game Catch up.’ My body deflated. The mere mention of spending time with Josh had that effect on me. Yes, he’d been better with me recently, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed his company. Mainly because the only reason I think he’s being nice is because he let it slip that Tate said something to him. It made me feel like a fraud.
Plucking a cupcake from my leftover stash, I made my way to his office, papers in hand, fully prepared to show him I deserved the praise because of all the hard work I put in. It had nothing to do with the highest player on the team doing my bidding. “Morning Josh,” I hummed with a little extra pep. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Jonah sitting next to him. “Morning, Jonah,” I added, looking down at the lonely cupcake in my hand. My pulse spiked. Should I go out and get Jonah one too? Or can they split this one?
“Hi Cali, it’s nice to formally meet you,” Jonah smiled; my legs went wobbly. Not the kind of wobbly that I got when Tate was around wearing his worn uniform. The kind that made me worried about my job and my future here. What if Josh told him about my player fraternization? After Tate mentioned a few girls from accounting were dating players, I didn’t think it was much of a problem. Maybe it’s the Mascot part of my job making it all difficult. Was this Josh’s plan all along? To get me fired for dating Tate even though it’s allowed.
I looked over to Josh to gauge his reaction. He was staring at his shoes and hadn’t even attempted a hello. It was probably the nicest greeting the guy had ever given me.
I smiled at the two men, knowing it looked awkward. But what else was I supposed to do? The big Kahuna was watching me. I needed to play it cool, pretend my firing wouldn’t hurt like a bitch. “Nice to me
et you too, Jonah. I brought cake.” I gestured to the little cake in my hand. “There’s more outside,” I muttered politely, gently placing the cupcake on the desk and then sat on one of the chairs.
As I faced them, I smiled, nervously adjusting my skirt. If I’m going to get fired today, I at least want to look presentable when I walk out there. Jonah gave me a small smile in return. Josh was still staring at his shoes with his arms crossed.
“Do you know why you’re here today?” Jonah asked.
I nodded, opening up my notepad and placing it on my lap. I played with the notepad edges that held my checklist while I spoke. “Yes, Josh mentioned last week that he wanted to go through all the work I was given for the All-Star game to make sure everything’s on track.” I could hear my voice pitching. If they were going to fire me, I just wanted to get it over with. I didn’t want to sit here and pretend everything was okay.
Jonah looked to his side. “Yes, I saw the list of your work. It was extensive, to say the least.” It sounded like Jonah was almost amused at this. Josh was now kicking the toes of his shoes together. It was weird; he was completely ignoring this meeting. Jonah glanced back at me and then down to the paper in front of him. “I’ll take you through the list if that’s okay?”
I nodded fervently, feeling like one of my bobbleheads. Jonah held a pen to paper as he started reading from the list. “Have you arranged the printing and installation of the all-star banners around the stadium?”
“Yes, the banners are being printed today, and they will be installed tomorrow evening.” Thankfully, it was the first thing on my list, so it was fresh in my mind.
“Good. What about the press passes?”
“Those have all been sent off with a few freebies to each press office. Maps and instructions were also included, so they already know the timings for the day.”
Jonah’s brows crossed, “What about the promotional t-shirts for the t-shirt gun?” He asked, almost like it was a challenge.
“They’ve been screen printed and delivered. I’ll be able to brief the team on them the day before I get into the Catty costume.”
“Have you sorted out Catty’s dance routine?” He asked quickly. I felt like I was in an exam room, and I forgot to prepare for it. Like he was trying to catch me out or something.
“Sorted, and the audience interactions have also been planned.”
He was silent for a beat, and I waited to see if he had any other burning questions. “Is that all?”
Jonah chuckled. “You’ve done a lot in the last couple of weeks, haven’t you?” I pursed my lips, not sure if the question was rhetorical. He blew out a breath when I didn’t respond. “Well done.” He said quickly. I blinked at him a few times, processing his words. “I’m impressed you got all of this done so far ahead of the game.
“Um, thanks.” I didn’t know what else to say because this is not how I thought the conversation would go. Heck, I was fully expecting to come in here, and Josh take out all his frustrations on me like he usually does. “If that’s all, I’ll just be heading back to my desk as I’ve got a few more things to do.” I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. You know, give them as little opportunity as possible to fire me or bring up my extra-curricular activities.
I scurried towards the door; I was almost home free, “Cali, wait,” Jonah said as I got there. “That’s not all.” My body sagged; here’s the but. Here’s where he’s going to say I’ve done a great job, but I shouldn’t have been having a relationship with Tate.
“I’m sorry,” My face was burning as I rushed back to my seat.
“Did your paycheck come through?” Again, not expected. I was silent for a beat, processing the words and doing my best to feel less awkward that he asked me about it. I hated talking about money, especially in front of my boss and my boss’s boss.
“Uh huh.” I quipped.
Jonah relaxed back into his seat, “Great. It was well deserved. We really appreciate all the hard work you’ve been doing.”
What is going on? The back office's head is throwing out compliments to me like a priest at church handing out communion. I tried to subtly pinch my leg, wondering if maybe I was dreaming this whole thing. “Ouch.” Well, that hurt.
“Are you okay?” Damn it, he probably just saw me pinch myself, and now he thinks I’m crazy.
“I’m fine,” Why am I such a goofball?
“I also wanted to let you know that we’ve decided to change a few things around here.” My eyes grew wide. Here’s the kicker. They’re going to tell me I’m paid for a month, and then they’re going to fire me. “It’s not what you think,” Jonah chuckled. Josh was still as quiet as when I first arrived, looking out his window and pretty much ignoring this entire conversation. “Looking at the intern's workload, I’ve decided to shuffle a few things around. You no longer need to speak to Josh about your assignments. You just need to go straight to Mary as per the original plan from when you arrived.” My eyes flittered over to Josh. His mouth was screwed up while his hands were clenched tight.
Wait a minute. Is Josh the one in trouble?
“Um, okay,”
“We also don’t expect you to be Catty anymore. Tim will be back in action in a couple of weeks, and we are more than happy to say Catty is having a vacation if you’d prefer not to do it until then.”
The idea of letting Catty go felt funny. As much as I’ve hated wearing that stupid costume day in day out, I kind of feel connected to him. I can’t just suddenly stop wearing it. I need to say a proper goodbye. “I’m more than happy to do it until Tim is fit and well.” I blurted out, surprising myself.
Jonah grinned, “Well, that’s great. We really appreciate all the overtime you’ve spent wearing that costume. I know it couldn’t have been easy managing your heavy workload and mascot duties.” There was a pointed silence. “We’ll also make sure you get the acknowledgment you deserve.
Acknowledgment? Would that mean outing me as Catty? Tate finding out that I’ve been under there the whole time, and all those secret conversations he’s been having about me were with me. I waved him off, “No. No. I’m happy for Tim to get all the credit. I enjoy being anonymous.” Really, it would make my life a lot easier.
Jonah’s lip straightened with that comment. I noticed a slight tick in his jaw. “Mhm, well, in this department, we like to make sure the correct people are getting the credit for all the work they’re putting in.” His eyes drifted to Josh for a second. Something passed between them, but I wasn’t sure what.
Chewing on my bottom lip, I decided it was time to leave. They clearly needed to talk about something. “Um, okay. Well, I’ve got a few more loose ends to tie up before the game, so I’m just going to finish those off.” Jonah nodded.
“That’s fine. Thank you for all the work you’ve done for us. You’ve made a bigger difference than you’ve been given credit for.”
I hated all the praise. It felt weird and made me uncomfortable. “Thank you for the opportunity. I’ll always work hard for the Fish.” I said while leaving the room. When I shut the door, I heard Jonah’s loud voice say something to Josh. I would have stayed to listen, but the walls were made of glass, so they’d be able to see me standing there.
Something’s going on; I’m not entirely sure what, but Josh is in trouble. That much is for sure. I needed to find out what happened and the only person who could tell me was the one person I’d been avoiding for the last few days. My new boss. Mary.
It took me the whole day to garner up the courage to go to Mary’s desk. She’d sent me a few work emails, all pleasant and transactional. Like normal. But things weren’t normal. Now she was officially my boss and officially dating my younger brother. I still hadn’t spoken to her since Penn’s game. It was childish of me, but I needed some time and space to digest everything that happened that day.
When I got to her desk, she was wearing headphones, bopping to a song while writing emails. She didn’t notice me immediately, so I gave her sh
oulder a slight tap. She jumped at the touch but relaxed when she saw it was me. Pulling out her earbuds, “We need to talk.” We said simultaneously.
I chewed my bottom lip. It was a discussion I didn’t want to have, but we had to have it. She’s been my best friend for the better part of ten years. Silently, she motioned for me to follow her to one of the meeting rooms with a large window overlooking the field. I was still admiring the view when she shut the door and started rambling like she was going to die in the next ten seconds and needed to get this all out before she did. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Penn earlier. I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you.” She fiddled with her hands. I was about to say something, but she continued. “That day when I went to meet Penn to watch the game while you were working. He started flirting with me.” She chuckled lightly. “Not that he didn’t always flirt with me, but something about it this time felt… Different. Something about it made my heart beat faster. It was so loud; I could hear the thumping in my ears.” She had a blissed-out smile adorning her face as she talked about my brother. It was at this point I was happy I hadn’t gorged on those cupcakes. Otherwise, Larry would be cleaning up my vomit.
She looked out of the field, sighing wistfully. “Then the next day, he came to my apartment with roses and kissed me. Just like that. It felt right. Like that’s how it was always meant to be between us. It was like I was finally seeing through the fog and seeing him for who he was instead of just your awkward little brother.”
I wanted to yell at her. Tell her my brother was off-limits because he’s only just turned eighteen, but then all I see is hope in her eyes. Who am I to ruin anything going on between them? Plus, Mary’s the reason I got this job in the first place. She’s been my sidekick for so long; I can’t break her heart like that. I was about to open my mouth to say as much, but she stopped me, seemingly anticipating my next words. “I know. I know. I shouldn’t have let it go this far, especially without talking with you first. It hasn’t gone that far really, anyway. I mean, we’ve only been on a couple of dates. After each one, I told him I wouldn’t go on another one until he told you, but he’s been putting it off at every opportunity.”