by Ana Shay
“Maybe it’s a one-off.” She offered. “Tim’s not supposed to start until tomorrow. Maybe he offered to start a day earlier so we could do a cute little sketch?” I took some deep breaths and immediately regretted pinching my nose. The bruises there were still tender and hurt to touch. “Jonah would have to ask you to agree to that first, and he would have to run it by me.”
My phone was buzzing because I was late, and I knew Barry, the sound guy, would be on my case if I didn’t get my butt in gear. “Whatever it is, you can speak to Jonah about this later. I should get out there. I don’t want to let the team down.” Mary looked hesitant before handing me the costume. I ignored her looks, getting dressed as fast as I could.
Under the Sea roared as I stood at the entrance of the dugout, bouncing from foot to foot. With the first beat of the chorus, I ran out with an extra skip in my step. I figured trying to be a little more feminine wouldn’t hurt the look.
I waved as seductively as one can with a fish hand on towards the players, who in turn played along, pretending to check out my butt. At least I hope it’s pretending. While some of New York’s players warm up by throwing a ball, I run between them, trying to catch it. Failing miserably, obviously. Show me a fish with fins that can catch and I’ll eat my shoes.
After a couple of minutes playing on the field, the fans started chanting, “Cat-ty, Cat-ty, Cat-ty.” It draws my attention to the crowd, and I smile when I see Tim dressed as Catty standing on top of the dugout. He’s pointing at different audience members while pulling out some dance moves that Tim never threw in rehearsal. Did that broken leg somehow give him rhythm? I swear he was about to attempt the worm.
When Catty whipped his head and saw me on the field, the music stopped; that lovestruck song you hear in those bugs bunny cartoons took over. Fins on his heart, he dropped to his knees, hyping the crowd to no end. This love story must have been what they planned all along. However, I wonder who did this in marketing because usually, I’m part of the meetings.
Catty pointed his fin, motioning me to join him in the dugout. With an invitation like that, how could I say no? The players and fans cheered me on when I curtsied and strolled over to the dugout. Weirdly, Grayson was grinning as I walked through the gate that he eagerly held open for me, watching me walk through. He looked different without his usual scowl. He normally hates getting involved in my shenanigans. I gave him a high-five as I walked past. “Go get him, Catalina.” He said my name seductively and winked.
Max and Austin had an arm on either side waiting for me, and I decided to take advantage. I slipped a fin through each of their offered arms and let them lead me to Catty. I would have preferred this to be choreographed, even if the audience is loving it. I have no idea what’s going to come next, and I like to be prepared.
Standing on the plastic, Catty was still on his knees, pretending to sweat while he watched me make my way towards him. His fin was clutched to his heart as he crawled over, then jumped up onto his feet, taking my fin in his. I could see flashes of his skin showing at the edges of his costume, almost like it was a little too small for him. Maybe we shrunk it when we washed it.
Catty’s thumb grazed across mine, the only visible part of our hands touching, and that in itself made the whole thing feel weirdly intimate. Tim was handsy. There was a callous running along the top of his thumb, which seemed odd because I’ve only ever seen him typing behind his desk for the last six weeks. He must be really hitting the keys hard.
The kids giggled when Catty lifted my arm up, twirling me around, only for him to dip me down and stare his googly eyes into mine. We were putting on quite the show, and I have no doubt if this does well, they’re going to ask me to keep making appearances which is not what I want. I want to retire gracefully. I’ll have to do my best to convince Jonah to tailor this costume to Mary’s measurements instead. That could be her comeuppance for dating my brother. Yes, I gave them my blessing, but it still freaks me the hell out.
It felt like hours of dancing in these costumes under the July heat, but it seemed like there was nowhere else Catty wanted to be. He backed away and pointed at the big screen above the outfield.
‘Catalina’ was written across it in bold white lettering, the black background making it easier to see. My name faded away, and another set of words appeared in its place.
‘When I first saw you, it was love at first sight.’
Catty clutched his heart and pointed at me. This is a cute idea; he must be confessing his love to me, or, I should say, Catalina, and he wants all the fans to witness the start of our love story.
Catty wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me as close to him as the costumes would allow. I wrapped my fin around his waist, kicking one leg up, so my skirt flared to give the audience a show. There were coos and aws alongside the cheering this time.
‘Did you know that catfish mate for life?’
He was looking at me, expecting an answer, and I shook my head. I wonder who approved that wording. Is that appropriate for kids? Catty backed away and dropped onto one knee. He felt his pockets searching for something but came up empty. The crowd roared, thinking he was about to propose to me. Dancing on my toes, I brought my fins to my mouth in excitement, waiting for the proposal to happen. This is going to be so cute. Except, I only have a fin and thumb visible. Where on earth is he going to put a ring?
Catty pointed at the screen again, drawing my attention to the final words because I was too busy watching him.
‘There is no other fish out there for me.’
‘Will you please be my girlfriend?’
The crowd were chanting now. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” He handed me a rose that Austin was holding. At least we wouldn’t have to deal with where to put the ring. I nodded my head enthusiastically and jumped up and down, clapping my fins together in excitement. He, in turn, jumped up from his kneeling position and hugged me. What a fun way to end my time as Catty.
He hugged me tightly, soaking in the audience cheers. It startled me when he suddenly moved away. His fins grabbed his head, and I could tell he was about to out himself as Tim instead of Catty, which would be a crime against Mascotery. Tim exposed his neck, which seemed to be a lot thicker than I remembered. Anger boiled over. I wanted to kill him. All the hard work I’d put into playing Catty, and he’s going to ruin it on his first outing. What an idiot. I might just break his leg all over again.
I shook my head, trying to grab him with my fins, but it was no use. He was going to reveal himself, and all I could imagine were the children’s screams and cries in my head when they find out Tim decapitated catty. That is not how this love story should end, but what more could I do? My life moved in slow motion as he lifted the head further up.
Realization at what was happening sunk in when I saw the stubble on his chin…
Chapter 33
I threw the Catty head to the floor, ignoring the children's cries and screams as I unmasked their favorite mascot. The only person I could see was the half-fish, half-girl standing in front of me. Sweat drenched my hair, and I’ll need a shower before the game, which is in fifteen minutes. I’m glad I convinced them to push back the starting time a little. I don’t know how she stays in that hot suit for so long, but it makes me admire her that much more and gave me a whole new appreciation for what she did for the team. I should have donated more money to pay for this kind of sweat and determination. At least I know Jonah gave her a fat bonus for all this work.
I flicked my hair to the side, the only thing I could do without the use of my hands and drew my attention back to the crowd. The cheering had died down to stunned mumbles the minute I killed Catty. When I waved up to the masses, I flashed my usual Tate smile, which made them roar in appreciation. I guess finding out your favorite mascot is also your favorite player isn’t such a bad thing.
I turned back to Catalina, or should I say Cali, and laughed. She stood there frozen on the spot, the only movement coming from the twill of her skirt in the wind.
Too shocked to move. Her back straightened like I’d seen her do so many times, in and out of the Catty costume. Now that I know it’s her under there, I couldn’t believe it took me so long to figure it out. The way Catty’s arm’s flailed and the hop in his step was always Cali. Not to mention how much she’d clam up and get flustered at the mere mention of his name. It was like she was cheating on me with the mascot or something.
I pulled my fins off, throwing them down into the dugout where Catty’s head ended up and stalked over to Cali, who was quaking at the end of the dugout. I could see Grayson in my periphery smiling and hollering. If the only thing our friendship ever fosters is his help in this moment, I’ll be forever grateful. Catalina’s costume was perfect, and I only had Grayson to thank. He got his tailor to make a bespoke outfit in three days for this. It was perfect. Before reaching Cali, I gave him a thumbs up and a wink. I was doing it. I was finally getting my girl and make those damn magazines shut up about Sam.
Gently placing my hands on either side of Catalina’s cheeks, I tried to look into her eyes, asking permission to unmask her. It was hard because I could only see little black dots as holes. When I lifted it slightly, she didn’t stop me, so I kept going. In fact, she hadn’t moved since I took my head off. She was too stunned. I wanted to get hers out of the way just to make sure she was okay under there.
When I plucked the head off, Austin caught it in the dugout, and I was finally able to see Cali. The girl I couldn’t stop thinking about. The girl that is perfectly neurotic. She was staring with wide eyes; her mouth gaped open in confusion. Wisps of blonde hair were stuck to the sides of her face, neck, and forehead with sweat. Tinges of yellow and purple surrounded her eyes and nose from that fall against the fountain. My heart constricted because she was the most breathtaking woman I’d ever seen. Nothing was ever going to change that.
I brought my hand up, and she jumped in surprise when I placed my palm on her cheek. Her glassy and confused eyes focused on me, waiting for an explanation. I grinned, leaning my forehead against hers. “You said yes to being my girlfriend, Cali. You can’t take it back now.”
My smile grew wider, barely acknowledging my words. “What the… Huh. How did you know it was me under here?” She rattled out; confusion and hesitation ran thick through her voice.
I chuckled, shaking my head. “I’ve known it was you under there for a while now.” She looked down, her fins visibly shaking, her eyes darting from side to side. No doubt trying to remember all the times I’ve talked to Catty and figure out when I realized. I’ve had an inkling since she was in my apartment, acting all jittery like she needed her next hit at the mere mention of the mascot. It all came together when I saw her straighten her back one day. It was so familiar and distinct. After that, I went rooting around the marketing department and got Josh to confess who was under there to Jonah. Apparently, the asshole was telling Jonah it was him to get a bonus. That little tidbit and his behavior towards Cali all led to his firing.
Once I knew it was Cali, everything made sense. It wasn’t Catty that was my lucky charm. Whenever Catty was standing on the dugout, and I’d batted in a run or scored a homer, it was her bringing the luck. It was always her. She’s the reason and the motivation behind doing so well this season. If I get MVP, it will be because of her, and she doesn’t even realize it.
She was still quiet, so I used the tip of my finger to draw her eyes back to mine. Her perfect blue orbs stared at me. I wanted to kiss her so badly. But first, I needed to make sure she wanted this. “What do you say, Cali? Will you be my girlfriend? No pressure or anything.” Only Cali could hear me over the chants. I laughed when the crowd chanted MVT. She nodded, huffing a breath out and nearly falling.
I broke out in a grin, pulling her tighter into my arms, so happy we could finally admit to everyone that we’re together.
Kiss.
Kiss.
Kiss.
Grayson started, and the chant caught on. The big screen had a blue heart around
us, and Kiss Me played. This moment was perfect. I looked back down at her still shocked form. “Is that a yes, you’ll be my girlfriend?” I needed to hear her say it. A nod wasn’t enough.
“Yeah.” She wisped out. That was enough for me. I couldn’t wait any longer. Raising my hand to her chin, I bent down and sealed my lips against hers. A buzz of energy ricocheted through me the minute our lips touched. It had been too long since I’d kissed her and really felt at home. We were both sweaty, flustered, and tentative with the cameras on us, but it was a kiss I’ll never forget.
When I pulled away, she grinned, and I smiled back. She nuzzled into my neck, embarrassed from all the attention. I lifted her up into my arms in a bridal carry and walked her back for the field where Tim waited in a Catfish-themed golf cart. Apparently, health and safety forced them to sell the ATV after it dented the dugout. Since it was the one that nearly offed me, they got a considerable sum to donate to the children’s charities of Charlotte.
Cali was holding her skirt, trying to cover the Catfish’s modesty. She was mumbling and grunting with every step, but I had a hard time hearing her since she was snuggled into my neck. I gently placed her onto the back of the golf cart. She was still as flustered as when I took Catalina’s head off. “Are you okay?”
She bit her bottom lip while grinning and gave me a quick nod. “Well then, wave to your fans,” I said, half-joking as I did exactly that. The crowd was going wild for it.
When I sat next to her, I grabbed her hand, rubbing soft circles around her palm. “I can’t believe you did all this.” She said, still in disbelief.
For a brief moment, I stopped waving at the crowd and looked at her, “Why? I already told you, I always get what I want. And I wanted you.” I winked cheekily, and she laughed. Then, Cali’s face turned serious for a second. “You good?”
She answered by placing her palms against my cheeks and gently kissing me. “You know this is going to be all over the internet, right?” She said when our lips parted.
I laughed at her flustered cheeks. “It’s better than the last time you went viral, I suppose. You remember, right? When you humped my leg.” I chuckled as Tim started driving the golf cart across the field to one of the exits.
She pushed me gently. “Did you have to remind me?”
Wrapping my arm over her shoulders, I kissed her temple. “I will always remind you because it was the first day I met you. Therefore, it was the best day of my life.”
I could see the hint of a smile below as she drew her arm around me, hugging me tightly. “Plus, if I had known it was you, I wouldn’t have stopped it.” She giggled at that. “Wave to the crowd, Beautiful,” I whispered, kissing her forehead before raising my hand and waving to the fans myself as we rode off into a tunnel.
Today was perfect.
Just like her.
Epilogue
A Couple of Months Later
Panting, I locked the entrance to the locker room, threaded a bat through the handles, and rolled a metal crate with bats in front of the door. That should do it. I paused for a beat, folded my arms, and looked on proudly at my handiwork. They aren’t going to be able to get through that quickly.
I wiped the sweat from my brow, still feeling the prickle of perspiration from all the hard work on the field. Luckily, I got out of there before they could throw a bucket of water over me and ruin what I had planned.
The crowd was so loud; I could hear the cheers reverberating off the walls in here. Celebrations were high, and my adrenaline was still pumping, knowing that we’d made it through to the playoffs and that I’d played the best year of baseball in my career. This is my MVP year; I could feel it in my bones. And see it in my stats.
Walking further down the tunnel to the changing portion of the locker room, my eyes softened when I saw Cali sitting there. Back straight, playing with her fingers, waiting for me. She was in that damn pencil skirt again. It made me rock hard every time I saw her in it because it reminded me
of that time I ate her out on the desk. Something we’ve done several times since. With a few variations.
She looked up when she heard my footsteps. “Tate.” She breathed out, running towards me, and jumping into my arms. “You did it!” I caught her with ease, pecking her on the lips while walking her towards my locker. “I’m so proud of you.” Her whispered tones were turning me on even more.
“I know.” I could feel the grin slowly growing on my face because I knew what we were about to do. When I got to my locker, I leaned her back against it and planted one final longing kiss on her lips. When I finally pulled away from her, she looked a little delirious. We haven’t even started yet.
She slowly opened her eyes; a small smile brushed the edges of her mouth in satisfaction. “Why did you want me to meet you down here?” She asked with pinched brows. “You should be out there celebrating with your team,” I stifled a laugh.
“I can celebrate with them any time.” I balanced my arms against the locker, so my hands were on either side of her face, surrounding her. “I’m perfectly fine in here.” I husked out, studying her features; the soft point of her nose perfectly framed the arch of her lips. I could study her face for hours and still not feel prepared enough to take an exam on it. “Celebrating.” I continued, kissing that sweet spot behind her ears, and she gasped, clasping my wrists. “With you.” My lips traveled down her neck. If she didn’t already know what I wanted, I made it perfectly clear when I pushed myself against her core so she could feel just how hard I was.
A moan erupted in her throat before she forced my gaze up. Her eyes were dancing with trepidation as she looked down at my used uniform and then over my shoulder. “We can’t do that in here.” She said aghast.