Out of Centerfield (Washington Warriors Novel Book 1)

by Mertz, L.

  “Yeah, well then Hank can suspend me for a few games I don’t care.”

  “You better care. This is your career. You can’t throw away your career for me.” I’m upset this was my biggest fear.

  “I’m not throwing anything away for you. I was worried about you especially after the announcement today. The guys were talking…”

  “The guys what? They starting saying that they couldn’t play for a little girl. That I don’t know enough about the game on or off the field? That I only got the job because my grandfather is the owner? Huh? What did they say to you?” I’m getting angry now. I know what they were saying it was the same crap the fans were saying. This wasn’t my idea. I wasn’t planning to be an owner or co-owner of a baseball team. This isn’t my dream. I don’t know what my grandfather is thinking.

  I stand up too quickly and sway to the side grabbing my head with my hand, “Whoa.” Johnathan reaches out for me putting his arms around my waist to steady me.

  “Let me take you to your room before you fall over and break your neck. I don’t think that anyone would like me if I let that happen.” Johnathan guides me to my room laying me down on the bed. He removes my sneakers before working the button on my shorts. Slowly he pulls them down off my legs and throws them on the floor. I position myself further up the bed as I feel the tequila take over making me tired.

  Johnathan removes his clothes and joins me in the bed cradling me in his arms. I hope that I don’t have to sit in on the meeting that I know will happen tomorrow since he left the game early tonight. I fall asleep while he runs his fingers through my hair relaxing me.

  Johnathan

  After the announcement about Kelsey being a co-owner most of the guys on the team starting giving me crap about dating the boss’s daughter, well granddaughter. But now she was my boss too. Things in the locker room got a little hairy when four of the players started telling the skipper that they wouldn’t play for a woman owner. I don’t care who the owner is I just want to play and thank God that most of players feel the same way I do. We went out on the field and got warmed up I ignored the reporters that were standing behind the batting cage during practice. They kept trying to get my opinion about the whole things but I didn’t want to talk to anyone.

  I could feel it the minute Kelsey left the stands. I didn’t know where she was heading and I was glad that she headed straight from home. I followed her in the shadows of the streets because I didn’t want anyone to know that I had left the stadium and followed her home. Skip knew that I left because I told him and I didn’t care about the repercussions I just cared about getting to her. I was so mad at Butch for just throwing this new opportunity on her without consulting her, but he’s her grandfather and knows her better than I do. I expected her to be upset when I arrived but I didn’t think that she would lose her cool like that. She exploded and I was taken aback at her reaction. When I finally got her to bed she seemed to have calmed down. I know that tomorrow is going to be a hard day. I’m going to be suspended for leaving early but I don’t care. I love playing but I think that I might love Kelsey more. And that’s a scary feeling.

  Johnathan

  “You’re suspended for the first series away starting tomorrow. So three days.” Brent tells me he’s flanked by Butch and Hank. These three men have the ability to make me or break me. I don’t want to disappoint them so I take my punishment like any grown man should.

  “I understand and I know what I did was wrong, but I don’t regret it for a second.” Looking Butch in the eye, I tell him, “I love your granddaughter Butch and I will do anything to be with her or protect her.”

  “Even if it means that you should step away?” this coming from Brent.

  “Step away? I will never step away, Brent. I’m with Kelsey no matter what.”

  “Brent, leave the poor boy alone. He knows what he did was wrong last night and he will make up for it with the suspension. Over and done with right, Hank?”

  “Yes, Butch.” He nods as he answers. “Myers get your bag packed and let’s get to the airport.”

  I get up and leave the office not knowing where Kelsey is. I left her place before she woke up because I didn’t want to start an argument over my leaving the game early and the other stuff that I think is going through her head. I go down to the locker room and grab my stuff putting it all in my duffle bag. Daniel is down here also packing up his equipment.

  “So, you get suspended?” he asks not looking up from his own duffle.

  “Yeah first three games.”

  “Was it worth it?” He finally looks up at me.

  Running my hand through my hair. “I don’t know man. Last night when I left here and went after her it felt worth it, but now.” I sigh and start replaying everything from last night. Me going to her place, her yelling, then just holding her in my arms letting her fall asleep. “Yeah man, it’s worth it.”

  He walks over to me slapping his hand on my shoulder, “Then you need to focus. On yourself, your game, and your woman. It’ll be hard, but you should be able to do it. If you’re strong enough.” He leaves the locker room with his bag in his hand and I’m left there to think over what he’s just told me. I need to see Kelsey before I leave since we will be gone for a week and a half. I finish packing and grab my bag throwing it over my shoulder. Heading back up to the office I look and find Kelsey sitting at her desk. She’s on the phone with someone. I sit down in a chair and wait for her to finish up. This time next week I doubt she’ll be sitting here at the reception desk answering the phones. She’ll probably have her own office or share a space with her grandfather.

  She hangs up the phone. “Hi,” she says softly.

  “Hey.”

  “Heard you got suspended for three games.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I told you that that would happen. I also told you that you need to not worry about me and focus on your career.”

  “I know what you said Kelsey, but I’m my own person and I am the only one who can make decisions for me.”

  She stands up pulling her shirt down tightening the silk fabric against her chest. I can’t help but stare. “If that’s what you think then I think it’s best that we take a break. You’ll be out on the road and I’ll be here.”

  I stand up now. “I’m sorry what?”

  “We should take a break.” There’s a slight waver in her voice and I know that she doesn’t mean what she’s saying and it’s pissing me off.

  “You’re going to let them win? All of them? All of those people that are against us. I didn’t take you for a quitter.” I’m so mad and disappointed right now. I don’t know what to do.

  “Johnathan…”

  “No, just stop.” I look at her and see that her eyes are glassy with unshed tears. Walking toward her, I say, “If this is what you want then it’s what I’ll give you. I don’t agree with it. I want you to know that right now.” Reaching out I grab her face with my hands kissing her softly on the lips. “I still and will always love you.”

  Dropping my hands I turn away and pick up my bag from the floor and leave the office not looking back as I shut the door to the office with a soft click. I couldn’t look back knowing that she is probably crying on the other side of the door.

  Kelsey

  I crumble to the floor, the tears steadily falling down my cheeks. Feeling my heart break at the same time. It had to be done. We can’t be dating when I am now a co-owner of the Warriors. Too much of mixing business and pleasure. I stand up and make my way into my grandfather’s office to his private bathroom. He’s on the phone as I walk through and I lock myself in the bathroom to get myself collected. Turning the water on I wash my face free of all the make up I caked on this morning to hide the dark circles under my eyes. I didn’t sleep well last night not fully resting. Johnathan left just before dawn I felt him get up, kiss my head and leave. I started crying after I heard the door clicked shut knowing that this would be the last time I was in his arms. I knew then that I ha
d to break up with him. It is for the best. Grabbing a hand towel, I dry off my hands and face knowing that I now have to put on a mask of indifference and do my job. Today is day one of training with my grandfather. Opening the door, I walk out and see that he is no longer sitting at his desk, but the chair is even turned over on its side. I rush over to the desk and see my grandfather lying on the floor, unconscious.

  I check his neck for a pulse and I can’t feel anything. I grab the phone on the desk and call 9-1-1. The next events pass in a quick blur. I remember calling my uncle Brent and he comes rushing in right behind the paramedics with Brandon right behind him. Mom enters the room as Butch is placed on the gurney and starts getting wheeled out of the room. I ride with him in the back of the ambulance to the hospital while my family tries to reach my grandmother. The entire time on the way it feels as if time stands still and my world feels like it’s slowly crumbling around me.

  We are met at the hospital with doctors and nurses rushing toward my grandfather. One nurse grabs my arm as he’s put in a room and asks me to wait in the waiting area and once she knows more she’ll come get me. I just nod my head and sit in the uncomfortable chair. I don’t know when but soon my mom, both uncles, and grandmother are surrounding me asking questions.

  “What happened?” Brent asks looking confused.

  “I don’t know I was in the bathroom and when I came out he was on the floor.” I shake my head trying to think. “He was on the phone when I first went in the office. He looked fine. He was laughing even.” And that’s when the tears start back up. I feel a set of arms wrap around my shoulders and I find very little comfort there. Then I start crying for a totally different reason.

  ********

  It’s a few hours before the nurse I had originally talked to comes back out to give us an update. Mom is pacing while Brandon is sitting with Grandmother. When the nurse starts talking, explaining that happened, he had a stroke and is now stable. There’s a collective sigh from the group when she says this. He’s waiting to be moved to a room and is still asleep, but my grandmother insists on being at his side. The blonde nurse takes her back to his room. I’m exhausted and hungry.

  “I think I’m going to go home.”

  “You can’t go home!” this coming from my mother.

  I turn and look at her like she’s lost her mind. “Why not?”

  “We need to make an announcement.” She points down the hallway that my grandmother disappeared through. “He’s not well enough to own the team right now and since he appointed you the co-owner you are now the owner. You have work to get done. I can only thank God that the team isn’t home playing a game right now.”

  “The team. Oh my God. Has anyone called Hank? We have to tell him.” I start freaking out because my mom is right. I’m now in charge and I’m very much underqualified.

  Sensing my freak out, she says, “Calm down, Kelsey. We’ll figure something out. Go home get cleaned up and I’ll be there in about an hour or so, okay?” I give my uncle Brent a hug and then grab a cab outside of the hospital and head home.

  Riding in the back of the cab I reflect on the day; it’s now dark outside and I suddenly become very tired. This day has been emotional for me and I still haven’t wrapped my brain around everything that has happened today. The driver reaches my building, I pay him and get out walking towards my condo I see a box sitting by my door. I pick it up and walk inside my home dropping the box on the dining room table leaving it there. I decide that a shower is in order so I go to my room and strip down to my bra and panties then go into my bathroom. I start the water letting it get warm. Testing it for the correct temperature I take the rest of my clothes off and get in the steaming shower. I stand there for a few minutes and let the water rinse the day away. I can’t fully relax knowing that my uncle is on the way over and we will have to talk about the next step with the team and my new job title.

  I wash my body and hair then get out of the shower changing into a pair of cotton shorts and a loose t-shirt. I throw my wet hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Walking out to the living room I hear a quick knock on my door, checking the peephole seeing my Brent on the other side. I unlock and open the door and he walks through.

  His eyes almost immediately go to the box on my table. “What’s that?”

  “I don’t know it was sitting by my door when I got home just now.” I walk into the kitchen and grab both of us bottles of water even though I’m secretly wishing for something stronger. I hand him a bottle as we both sit down at the table.

  “Are you going to open it?” he asks.

  “Maybe later. I need to know what we’re doing now though. Did you call the team?”

  “Yeah, the skipper and the rest of the coaching staff know but they want to wait until after the game to tell the boys. We don’t want them to lose focus.” He winks at me, which I find slightly off putting due to recent events surrounding my grandfather.

  Brent pulls out a folder from his bag and places it on the desk. “I need you to look over the press release we’re going to put out so the new outlets can report at ten tonight. It just says that Butch suffered a stroke but is in stable condition.”

  “Yeah, okay. That’s fine.”

  “It also states that effectively immediately you are the acting owner of the Washington Warriors. No other personal changes have been made. I will be there to help you every step of the way so don’t worry.”

  “What? Why? Can’t you just be the acting owner?” I slam my head on the table and start grumbling.

  “Kelsey, look at me.”

  I lift my head, slowly. “I don’t want to do this, Brent. I don’t think that I can.”

  “Yes you can and you will. You need to focus on the bigger picture here. Yes, this happened way before you were ready. Hell, I wasn’t ready but Dad did what he wanted and you know he’s always been like that. He sees something in you and that’s why you are now the owner not me, not Brandon, not even Evie. Though she’d love to be where you are. You have no idea how jealous she is of you right now.”

  “Oh I can imagine all right,” I say back to him, taking a deep breath. “I know what you’re saying and I’ll try my best. But I was just thrown into this and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “You will be fine. Here—” he hands me a pen “—sign this.” He points to the signature line at the bottom of the page that will change my life.

  Game 130

  Kelsey

  It’s been about a week since Butch’s stroke. He’s home with a nursing staff helping my grandmother take care of him twenty-four seven. He was lucky that he didn’t suffer any permanent paralysis to his left side. His memory is fine but he is slower to do things. He is starting physical therapy in a few days. We found someone that is not only a licensed physical therapist but also does holistic treatments also. She is an amazing older lady that had been a therapist for over thirty years.

  Being the owner of a baseball team is hard. So many phone calls and meetings with other owners and the scouts. I haven’t been worked this hard in my life. Brent has been great helping me as best as he can. He knows everyone that my grandfather knows, and they all know me because of my grandfather. I’m not getting the respect that I think I should have but it has only been a week since I took over the ball club. The “good old boys” don’t want some “little girl” coming in and taking over, but what choice do I have. We have an organization to run and I’m in charge.

  Lauren has been helping me grow a backbone when it comes to dealing with these men. “Tell them to fuck off, Kelsey.”

  “Lauren, I cannot tell the owner of the Cubs to fuck off when I want to do a trade no matter how much I think he’s trying to rip me off by low balling me for our player.”

  She continues to chew on her salad. “I guess I just don’t get all of this. And I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you when you really needed me the most.”

  “It’s okay. It was like you were just hanging out with some random dude and
not wanting to be with me,” I say, smiling at her because I know that’s exactly what she was doing.

  “Well I was hanging with some random guy but it was work related.” She winks back at me. “And before you ask. No we did not have sex.”

  I fake surprise when I say, “I was not thinking that.”

  “Bitch, please.” She throws a piece of bread at me and misses.

  “You throw like a girl!” I start laughing because she’s never had an athletic bone in her body since I’ve known her.

  “Bitch, please! I can throw better than that excuse of a closing pitcher you have right now.”

  “Oh God! Don’t remind me. I have to deal with that crap after we finish lunch here.” I grab the top of my salad container and close it up throwing the whole thing away. This seems to be the only time we can catch up right now, over lunch.

  “Well you have fun with that. I’ve got to head into the office and check in with Valarie about my next set of shoots I have lined up.”

  “See you at home.” I walk around the desk and give her a hug. Lauren leaves and I grab my personal folder on the pitcher in question heading for the locker room.

  I knock on the skipper’s door and he yells for me to come in. We chat about what we want to do with Ramos. Coming up with a plan that we think will work for all of us he leaves me in the office while he collects the pitcher.

  I stand up when both men return. “Hey, Ramos. How are you doing?” I ask extending my hand. He just looks at me hand not taking it then glares at me. I gesture for him to have a seat.

  “No I’m good. What’s going on?” He leans up against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest.

  I look to Hank and he starts explaining the situation to Ramos. “So we were thinking that maybe if we send you back to Syracuse they can get you back to where you should be pitching wise then we can bring you back up here.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”