by Mertz, L.
OUT OF CENTER FIELD
By L. Mertz
Being the granddaughter of a baseball legend has its perks. Getting to go to a baseball game anytime she wants with her best friend, Kelsey Smyth is living the life. Finally finishing up her college degree she now has more time to watch her favorite pastime.
Moving from a small town in Texas to a big city like Washington, DC is a major change for centerfield phenomenon Johnathan Myers. He was handpicked by the owner of the Washington Warriors which has put a target on his back adding pressure to perform.
Kelsey and Johnathan meet, with help from a meddling older man. Quickly becoming the “it” couple in town has put added pressure on both parties. When her grandfather’s health goes bad, Kelsey must step in as an owner for the ball club. Pressure from family and fans to make the right decisions regarding the ball club and each other will make or break the couple. When secrets come out, trust gets tested.
Can Kelsey and Johnathan have their love for each other and the team or will they have to lose one to keep the other?
OUT OF CENTERFIELD
L. Mertz
Copyright © 2015 L. Mertz
Cover Designer: Justin Temporado
Editor and Formatter: Ready, Set, Edit
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This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Opening Day Game 1
Kelsey
“Come on, girlfriend. We’re here to have a good time. No! A great time.”
Rolling my eyes, I plaster on a smile. “I’m ready.”
There is a heat wave in the city; it’s about eighty degrees out which is a little weird for the area. It’s normally only around the sixties in early April. Hooking my arm into Lauren’s and showing our IDs to the security guards, we walk into The Dugout. The Dugout is an open area in southeast Washington, D.C. next to the ballpark that is owned by my grandfather. I love that we have this area to hang out in before and after the games. The fans love it too. There are booths set up inside so that you can get some beer and hot dogs before you go into the stadium. There are so many booths with so many different items you can never have the same thing twice. If you want it, it’s probably here. There is also a gaming area here with corn hole and ladder golf. Sometimes there are bands that come and play on the stage before and after the games.
My grandfather is former center fielder and Hall of Fame inductee Bryan “Butch” Smyth. He played professional baseball for twenty years before retiring at the age of forty-five. He ended up managing for four teams when he finally decided that it was time to retire from that at the age of fifty-five. While playing baseball, he met and married my grandmother Evelyn and they ended up having three children: my uncles Brandon and Brent and my mother Evie. Now, Grandfather didn’t make lots of money playing baseball, but since Grandmother and he were two very smart people, they invested some of his earnings and through some endorsement deals they were able to have a good life financially. So after filling a few years of his retirement with travel, they decided to become owners of the local team, the Washington Warriors.
Walking into The Dugout, Lauren and I head straight for the make-shift bar and grab two beers. She, as usual, is scoping out the scenery, and by scenery, I mean men. She is always looking for someone or something to keep her company. I love her but I wish that she could find someone to share her life. She was burned by her boyfriend back when we were seniors in high school and then again in college and has yet to get the sting out of her system.
Lauren and I have been friends since middle school. She was overdeveloping and I was under developing, so the popular girls in school picked on us. I guess the joke is on all of them because Lauren is now a model for multiple stores in the area and during the summer, she travels to different gigs around the world. She is gorgeous, five ten, bright blue eyes, long straight dark hair and a killer body. She runs at least two marathons a year and works out almost every day doing everything from Yoga to that Insanity program that is all over the infomercials. I, on the other hand, am five three with green eyes, wavy auburn hair that can’t be tamed and very curvy. I work out with Lauren sometimes but no matter what I do I will always have these curves. I’m built just like my grandmother and mother.
“So… see anything good?” I ask Lauren.
“Nah, let’s just finish these and get up to the suite. I’m starving and you guys always have the best food.”
Downing our beers, we leave The Dugout and head into the ballpark. This is one of my favorite places in the city. In a place with so much history, the stadium is considered new. It’s opening day and the fans are starting to come and fill up the stadium. I love coming to the park on opening day especially; it’s a fresh start to the year and last year doesn’t matter. You can feel the excitement for a new year coming off the fans and the staff that fill the stadium. You can see some of the season ticket holders hugging and talking about the new season and catching up on each other’s lives from over the winter.
They have an awards ceremony before the actual game starts and I have to be down on the field with my family to give away the “Butch Smyth” award for the most valuable player on and off the field. Grandfather developed the award shortly after taking ownership of the Warriors. It is a very specific award just for the players on the Warriors. I need to change before we get on the field. I don’t think that cut-off shorts and a Warriors tank top would be appropriate, but I already know that my grandmother has my dress for the ceremony in the suite.
We enter the suite and it’s already full of people. My uncles are there wearing the typical garb of the Smyth men: team polos and khakis. I smile as I come over to hug them. Lauren does the same.. She gets to stay in the suite while I have to go on the field.
I find my grandmother. She tells me to go and change in the bathroom, and that my dress is already in there. I hug her and grab Lauren to come and help me change and get ready, which she loves to do. My dress is cherry red with a sweetheart neckline and A-line skirt that comes to about an inch above my knees. I have a pair of black heels to go with it. I don’t know how I’m supposed to walk on the field in these damn things. Lauren has me sit on the bench to fix my hair and make-up. My hair she leaves loose and curly and keeps my make-up to a minimum except for the red lipstick that matches the dress perfectly.
“You look so great, Kelsey,” Lauren says after I blot my lips.
“Of course I do. I didn’t pick anything out and you did my hair and make-up, which I totally love by the way. I can’t wait until I get back in my shorts though,” I say, tugging the dress up to cover my breasts and checking over everything one more time. Walking out the bathroom door, I run into a huge, hard body.
Looking up getting ready to apologize I just stare int
o the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen. I lose all train of thought and just stare with my mouth hanging open. That’s when I feel Lauren pinch the back of my arm.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to…umm…sorry,” I somehow get to come out of my mouth.
“It’s okay. I probably shouldn’t have been standing so close to the door anyway.” I take a harder look and realize that I have no idea who this person is standing not only in my way, but also in my family’s private suite. That’s when I hear my grandfather.
“Oh, Kelsey, I see that you have met Johnathan Myles.”
“Oh? Nice to meet you. I’m Kelsey Smyth.” Taking his hand in mine I feel a jolt of something. What, I don’t know, but it is something. I also take a closer look at him. He is tall— at least six feet— has dark hair, green eyes and there is a little bit of stubble on his face. He has a nice hard jawline and a killer smile. I immediately don’t trust that smile. No good has ever come from a smile like that.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” I hear Lauren say from behind me.
“Oh, sorry. Johnathan, this is my best friend Lauren Walker.” Lauren grabs his hand, shakes it, and gives him her killer smile.
“Excuse me, but I need to go and see my mother for a minute. Nice to meet you, Johnathan.”
“You too, Kelsey, hope to see you again soon.” He drops Lauren’s hand and looks at me as he speaks.
I walk over to where my mother is sitting with my uncles since she wasn’t here when I first arrived and didn’t get to see my outfit for the ceremony. I watch her talk to my uncles and it’s clear that something is going on between the three of them. They look mad and so does my mother. About what, I don’t know, and I will find out but not today. I have more important things to worry about like not falling over in these damn shoes I’m wearing.
“Hey, Mom, how are you doing?”
Turning around she beams. “Oh, Kelsey, look at you. You look so pretty in that dress. I love it.” Mom comes and grabs me into a big hug as if she hasn’t seen me in years. I just saw her last week after my one class when we went out for lunch. “Turn for me, dear.” I do as I’m told. “Gorgeous,” she says to me.
“Yes, Kelsey, you look beautiful,” my uncle Brandon says.
“We aren’t done talking, Evie,” says Brent. “You do look pretty, Kelsey,” he says to me, kissing my cheek.
“We will see you two downstairs soon,” Brandon says.
“Yes, we will be down with Mom and Dad,” my mother says with a nod.
“What was that about, Mom?” I ask as soon as they leave.
“Nothing that you need to worry about, dear. Just adult talk,” she says, still looking at where they left from the room. She still thinks I’m a child and sometimes talks to me like I’m nine when in reality I’m twenty-four and finishing my Bachelor’s Degree. “So, who was that gorgeous man that I saw you talking to earlier with Grandfather?”
“I have no idea, just that his name is Johnathan Myles.”
“Oh, that’s Johnathan Myles,” She says with some hesitation. “I haven’t had a chance to meet him yet. He just came up from the farm team in Pennsylvania and was signed to the team as a center fielder.. He’s a great player from what your grandfather has said and I’m sure he is a player off the team as well, no one that cute can’t not be.” I raise my eyebrow at her. I’m confused by that last comment.
As I sit back and think about what my mother has just said to me I know most definitely that he is off limits. A ballplayer and a killer smile. I’m not going anywhere near that ever. Grandmother grabs all of us and we get into the elevator and ride down to the field to start the ceremonial stuff for the day. Johnathan stands behind me and since there isn’t a lot of room he ends up putting his left hand on my hip and pulls me a little closer to him. I stop breathing when I feel his lips near my ear and he starts whispering to me.
“You are a very pretty girl, Kels,” he says.
Everyone around me is talking and not paying attention to our exchange. All I know is that I heard what he said to me and my heart is beating out of my chest and I’m starting to feel faint. I hear the elevator ding announcing that we are on the bottom floor. I almost stumble after I feel him push me forward to leave the elevator. I turn toward him and I can feel myself blushing. What is wrong with me? I don’t stutter nor do I blush, but this guy has made me do both of these things in less than an hour. He winks at me and I feel myself flush even more.
“Butch, it’s been a pleasure meeting your family. I’ll do my best today on the field and now I should go and get ready with the rest of the guys. I’m running late and on my first day too.” He smirks at my grandfather.
“Good luck, my boy. Don’t worry about being late I’ll talk to coach for ya if he gives you any trouble.” Butch grabs Johnathan’s hand and gives it a good hard shake and a smile.
As he leaves, Johnathan looks back at me and I stop breathing again. He winks at me and that’s when I know that I’m done for.
Johnathan
Finally, all of my hard work and dedication has paid off. I get to play in my first Major League game today and it’s opening day for the Washington Warriors. Parking my pick-up truck in the lot and walking over to the clubhouse entrance, I show my ID badge to the security guard on duty and head for the locker room. I arrived at the stadium for practice at eight this morning. Finding the locker room and locating my locker, I see my new uniform hanging up. I change out of my jeans and sweatshirt putting on my dry-fit shorts and shirt. As I’m tying my laces on my sneakers, I look up and see Coach coming over to me.
“Hey, Skipper, I’m just heading out to the field,” I tell him as I grab my hat and glove out of my locker.
“Myers, Butch needs to see you after practice in his suite. So just head on up there once we let you go, okay?”
“Sure thing, Hank.”
Now I’m nervous. Owners typically don’t want to see a player for any reason except to sign the contract and I did that a few days ago. I have a five-year contract for five million with a one million signing bonus. For most guys that’s an okay amount, but for me it’s a lot.
I didn’t have the best life growing up in a small town outside of San Antonio, but baseball saved me. My dad left my mom and me when I was seven. He left the house like any normal workday and never came back. Mom took it really badly, but we had the help of the town and my mom’s grandparents; everyone helped us out with what they could. My grandfather had me join little league one summer and I fell in love with the game and now here I am, playing on a major league team and doing what I love.
I walk out onto the field for practice and get started by stretches with the rest of the guys. It’s the same thing every time. I could do these in my sleep. Once we are done stretching, the outfielders go through our throwing routine. Then the whole team starts in the batting cage. This whole process last about two hours; the air is warming up and the sun is sitting high in the sky by the time we are done. I go down to the “playroom”—which is full of TV screens and video games— to chill out for a bit with the team and grab a bite to eat. I look at the time and see that I really should head up to see Butch. I get into the elevator and look myself over in the reflection of the doors. I didn’t even shower after practice. I smell my armpit and thank God that the deodorant I put on this morning is still there.
The elevator doors open and I walk down the hall to the owner’s suite. I’m wondering if I should knock, but I decide just to walk in. I see Butch and he smiles at me then walks over.
“Johnathan, glad you made it. Is everything okay at the condo?” He grabs my hand for a quick shake.
“Yes, Sir, everything is great. I just have a few things to unpack still.” I’m still confused as to why I’m here. “Sir, Skipper told me that you needed to see me.”
“Oh, yes, yes, ummm...now, where is she?” Butch says, more to himself than to me.
“Where is who, Sir?” I ask.
“Oh, no one, my boy. Let me introdu
ce you to my wife.” I follow Butch over to an older woman who is sitting in a plush chair. She has her hair perfectly styled in curls and despite her age her eyes are still a bright green…
“Hello, Mrs. Smyth, I’m Johnathan Myers, center fielder,” I say, extending my hand to her.
“Hello, Johnathan. It’s nice to meet you. Butch here hasn’t stopped talking about you. You sure are a handsome young man. How old are you?”
“Thank you, ma’am. I’m twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five in August.”
“That’s perfect,” Mrs. Smyth says, smiling.
“Ma’am?” I ask raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, nothing to worry yourself about, dear. You just worry about winning us some ballgames.”
“Johnathan, come with me,” Butch says, turning from his wife. I follow without any thought as to the weird exchange between Mrs. Smyth and myself. “I want you to meet someone, but I can’t seem to find her. Just hang out here for a minute and I will find her.”
I grab a bottle of water from the bar in the suite and turn to see two girls about my age, I’m guessing. They are both beautiful but the shorter one of the two grabs my attention. She’s dressed in a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a red, Warriors tank top. She’s gorgeous. The other girl with her is very tall—super model tall— and she is pretty too, but I can’t stop staring at the shorter girl. She’s standing over by Evelyn and they have a quick chat before both girls run over into the bathroom.
As I’m waiting on Butch, I start talking to April Brandon Smyth’s wife. She’s a very nice lady and starts asking me questions about where I grew up and when I decided that I wanted to play baseball. I excuse myself from her when I decide that it’s time that I leave to get ready with the team for the game. I go to find Butch, and when I can’t, I end up by the bathroom door. As I turn to walk by, a little red bullet hits me. I grab her shoulders in both hands to stop her. She looks up at me and I look right into the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen. She’s blushing and is looking at me and not saying a word.