Star-Crossed in the Outfield (All About the Diamond #4)

by Naomi Springthorp

  I walked once, and didn’t get any more hits. The 5th inning was a merry-go-round of Seals scoring 4 more on seven consecutive singles. Clay pitched a complete shut out. Seals won 7-0 and everyone was happy, well except for LA and they don’t count in my world.

  I hung out around the dugout signing autographs for the fans while Clay did the on field interview with Hannah. I caught Seno before he disappeared into the clubhouse and told him I need him to find me a woman, while he signed some autographs with me. The team wants to celebrate together and our regular place, the Batter Up, won’t work on opening day, too many fans. So, I invite the team over to hang on my patio and tell them to bring their beach blankets. I have to get food, get beer, and clean before they get there. I quickly get out of the clubhouse and run to my truck in the garage, where I find Sherry and Sam waiting for Seno.

  “You ladies need to make Seno bring you to my place. Party on the beach.”

  Sherry stares at me in disbelief, “There’s no way you’re ready for that.”

  Of course she’d know, “I’m making it work. Just bring your beach blankets, bikinis, towels, whatever.” I stop and look at her, “Any suggestions for easy food?”

  Sherry smiles at me, “Order pizza, pick up fried chicken and salads from the deli. Everyone will be happy. You’re going to need a huge ice chest for how much beer you’re going to get, or a few small ones and you can divide up the options—like one with sodas, water and non-alcoholic options.” Sam picks up her phone and orders a bunch of pizzas. “We’ll pick up the pizzas and hit the deli for you on the way to your place, but you better have a comfy place for my pregnant ass to sit.”

  Sam chimes in, “So, is everybody going?”

  “You should come, Sam. You’ll like my backyard. I think the guys are all coming and you’ll need to make sure Seno doesn’t decide they’re going home like old married people.” She nods and I’m happy they’re helping me. Though I’m worried that I might get beat for letting Sherry go to the deli for me. I take off to get things ready and I’m actually kind of excited to have everybody over.

  When I get to my neighborhood, I stop at the liquor mart and get three ice chests filled with ice. I buy all the beer that looks good and a few sodas and a case of water, my pick-up is loaded and I drive the few blocks home. I pick up inside and make sure the bathroom is clean. I get the ice chests unloaded and fill them with drinks. I pull out my few beach chairs and flip on the patio lights, which are Christmas lights that I hung up all around the fence and under the patio cover.

  Text to Sherry - Plates? Napkins? Chips? Dip?

  Text from Sherry - Already picked it all up.

  Text to Sherry - Thank you

  Text to Sherry - Is Seno bringing me a chick?

  Of course she did. What was I thinking? She’s organized and knows how to do these things. I’m still learning. No response on the chick.

  A few minutes later the team starts showing up and I lead them through to the back, so they can grab a drink and relax on the beach. I hear Seno coming through the door, “Cross! Don’t give my woman jobs to do, it makes more work for me.” He looks around and walks through the house to the patio, leaving his armload of stuff on the picnic table and going back for more. “You need to help me unload. Sherry’s going to love this place.”

  I go to help unload and find Martin leaning on the roof of Seno’s Challenger talking to the two ladies, and very gallantly escorting the two of them into my backyard while Seno and I unload. When I get back to my patio, Sherry and Sam are getting everything set out. Everything’s perfect except Seno, he’s ready to skin me. “Dude, you can take her for a walk out to the ocean. Let her get her feet wet. Whatever it is that helps her relax and will make you both happy. Then come back and make a nice spot on the sand with your beach blanket. It’ll be fun. All of us kind of camping out at the beach.” I walk back into the house and get some music playing, I set my music library on shuffle and “Rock & Roll Queen” by The Subways starts to play. I grab a beer and mingle with my teammates. It’s interesting watching how everybody responds to my bungalow and how they embrace the beach. The women enjoying the opportunity to relax on the beach while the team drinks and talks about the game. Some of the dudes split off to hang with their women. It’s kind of sexy seeing these players get close to their women. All different and like they’re in their own space. Some walking off hand in hand on the beach. Others stretched out together on a beach blanket, or wrapped in each other’s arms. The food, beer, and people are disappearing, but nobody is actually leaving. It’s cool and I think they like it here. The problem here is that there are no extra women. I want you to understand what I’m saying here, I don’t have a woman and there are no single women here for me to get to know. That’s making it hard to get laid tonight. I need to get laid to get the Seal Girl out of my head. I need to be able to focus.

  I find Seno leaning against the outside of my patio fence with Sherry sitting in his lap and his arms wrapped around her. “Dude, I need a chick. I keep thinking that I see the seal or the girl and neither are really there. I just need to fuck her out of my head.”

  “I’m not helping you get a chick when you’re just trying to get laid. Call the twins or one of the baseball skanks.” Seno was forceful with his words as he held Sherry tight.

  “Twins?” Sherry questions.

  “He’s got this pair of twins that he’s hooked up with a few times.” I glare at Seno, thanking him for sharing.

  Sherry looks at Seno, “I told you he wasn’t ready. He’s still just a kid. Give him a break.” She turns to me, “Sweetie, you should call the twins. Twins sound like fun. Do you know their names? How can you tell them apart?”

  I think I might die now. Then I realize that I can’t remember their names. “The older one keeps her hair shorter and the younger one usually has her hair tied up in a ponytail.”

  “What if they change their hair?”

  “They both have little tattoos. One has a baseball and the other has a heart. But, you’d never see those.” I say and blush as I remember finding them hidden low on the inside of their hips. “I always call them Chip and Dale because they remind me of happy little chipmunks.” I smile hoping that keeps me out of trouble and think that the twins might not be a bad idea. Except, I don’t bring chicks to my place and I have the team over, so I can’t leave. Why did I feel like I had to share all of that?

  Text to Chip and Dale - Hi Ladies! Just wanted to let you know I’m back in town. ;)

  But, there was no response from Chip or Dale. I move on to my other guests and enjoy the evening. I drink more than I should, but there are no girls so I figure it’s safe. When I finally climb into bed, everybody’s gone except for Mason who’s passed out on my couch. It’s a good thing tomorrow’s game isn’t an early one. I can’t sleep. I’m horny and I’m tenting the sheets. I don’t like being thought of as a kid. I know what I want. I just need to figure out how to get it. Maybe I can play that kinky shark attack in my head and handle business to get me through.

  Chapter Six

  Chase

  Over the next few weeks, I manage to stay out of trouble. The team is winning and my place has become the preferred post-game destination for early games. I’m cool with that, maybe a little flattered. I’ve got it down. I always have the drinks on hand and order pizza delivery from the place that does chicken, too. All I’ve done is play ball, work out, surf, hang with the team and spend time at home. No chicks. With the winning, and my hitting streak—it’s going to stay this way. I know it’s superstitious, but I never mess with a streak. I’m not going to wear dirty clothes or anything like that, but I’ll keep my daily routine the same. Over the last eighteen games I’ve got a hit in fifteen of the games and the team has won thirteen of the games. We all know the games we won were the games with Seno behind the plate, Lucky on third, Mason at short and me in center, but none of us have said a word. That’s not true, Sherry has pointed out that her lineup wins a couple of times. It
happens to be the lineup that she shared with Seno while he was suspended last season. The other games had us moved around or gave one or more of us an off day. It all has to happen and every member of the team should get to play. If we can do it from first place in the division, even better.

  It’s a Saturday game and we’ve been playing at home for over a week. I’ve gotten control of seeing the mascot roaming the park. I’m out on the field stretching pre-game when I hear the public address announcer’s voice fill the stadium. “Welcome to Seals Stadium. My name is Kristina. I’m the gofer this year, and I’m covering as PA Announcer for Kenny who’s out ill today. So, let’s get this rolling!” I recognize the female voice, but I don’t know why. It’s different, our announcer has always been a dude. I look up to the control booth, but can’t see anything. I look at the Jumbotron, and there she is. My Seal Girl, or at least my vision of the Seal Girl from my dream. She’s here. She’s the stadium gofer. She’s probably been here all season and I just haven’t seen her, or maybe I have and I’m not losing my marbles like I thought I was. I run into the clubhouse to send a quick text.

  Text to Sherry - The PA girl—I think it’s her. My Seal Girl.

  Text from Sherry - Really? Let me see what I can find out.

  Text from Sherry - Go play hard and stay focused! She isn’t going anywhere.

  That’s what I needed to hear.

  Text to Sherry - Okay :)

  Kristina

  I’ve been on a high since I found out I was covering the PA Announcer today. It’s my dream job. It’s the perfect media position for me. I get to announce and I’m never on camera other than an occasional shot on the big screen. The fact that it’s at the baseball stadium is interesting. I know baseball very well and I’m comfortable with all the ins and outs.

  I went to every high school baseball game from my sophomore year on, home games and away games. I dated a utility player and when he got switched to pitcher he asked me to be his girl. I was loyal and I loved him, even when I heard rumors about him with other girls. They were simply jealous and wanted my guy. I helped him with his homework and he knew I’d always be there to support him. We did everything together for the first time. He got a full baseball scholarship and went away to college, while I went to a school specializing in communications, media, and journalism a couple hundred miles away. He dumped me after his first homecoming week and then posted all the pictures of him partying with other women—even a couple from high school. Baseball players suck.

  The worst part is that I should’ve learned the first time. I didn’t. I love the game and jumped at the opportunity to announce at a little league championship game. I didn’t consider that the volunteer coach played on his own college team. I adored that he was coaching the team of eight year olds, it endeared him to me and I let my guard down. Of course, he wasn’t what I thought he was unless we were in the same zip code. Yes, he believed that he could have a different girl in every zip code. He had someone waiting for him at every away game and me at every home game, not to mention all of the little league games he coached. Well, until I realized he was also fucking a couple of the little leaguers mothers. He was into MILFs. Jerk. I love the game, but the players suck.

  Baseball players aren’t an option for me. I’ve learned my lesson. I need to stay focused on my stadium internship and achieve my goal. I can’t screw up my chance to show them what I can do. I need to stay away from Chase, he can’t be a distraction. He’d be my downfall. I’d end up blacklisted in baseball media and labeled a player chaser, or simply thought of as a silly girl that can’t handle her own emotions. I need to remember, he’s nothing but cheating baseball player number 3.

  It’s my first time and I thought I’d be nervous, but I’m not. This is my opportunity to shine. Stadiums need more female announcers. The Seals need me. I keep repeating this to myself as I’m directed through the process by the control booth staff. Everything is timed and typed out. It’s basically reading clearly on queue. It’s obvious they’re making it easy for me this time and I hope they take me seriously. I read through the required greeting and emergency information on queue and wait for my next mark while the control booth runs the disabled list on the big screen to the theme of an old hospital drama. It’s time for the visitor’s lineup and I read through the names plainly, perfectly on my mark. I want to put my own spin on it and show them what I have to offer, but I’m told to speak clearly and not go crazy. Then I get my queue for the home team, “And now for your starting lineup as written in by your manager Butch Hopp.” I’m told to stop and wait for a beat. I’m told when to announce each player in the lineup. Time is going slowly in my head and I don’t want to be plain, I want them to remember me. Never waste an opportunity. I can be plain for everything else. But the lineup? No way! And I get my queue. “Leading off and playing in Center Field, number 17, Chaaasse Crooosss!” I get a thumbs up from the booth director as I’m looking out over the field and see Chase smiling up at me. No distractions. The beat between each player gets quicker and quicker, but I know its really just in my head. It’s timed perfectly. I’m just falling into sequence. “Hitting second and playing at Short Stop, number 28, Jooonesss Maaaaasson!” The wait gets shorter between announcements, almost non-existent. “In the third spot, your first baseman, number 2, Krrrrisssss Maartinnn! Hitting fourth, your catcher, number 6, Rrriickkk Seeeenooo! Hitting fifth and covering the hot corner, number 13, Luuuckyyyyyy Luuuciiiiine! In the sixth spot and playing in Left Field, number 15 Caaaaaaiinn Siimmmmmms! Hitting seventh, your pitcher, number 8, Coooreeeyy Graaaaaaace! Hitting eighth, in Right Field, number 10, Maaaaark Roooock! And, hitting ninth, your second baseman, number 29, Aaandreeew Braaandt!” There’s room to breathe now as I wait for my next mark and I glance around the stadium. They’ve got me on a small corner of the big screen and Chase Cross is focused on me, along with a portion of the crowd. He’s just a guy. I don’t like baseball players. I’m not interested. Clear your head! The stadium is full and buzzing, ready for the game to start. Ready for the Seals to get another win.

  I follow along with the game and the scheduled announcements that are interspersed with introductions of the players coming up to bat. I have to be ready, but I get to watch the game and it’s a great view of the field. I can see everything from the bases to the outfield wall and into the Seals dug out. It’s going well and I haven’t caught any flack for how I announced the home team. We should all be excited for the home team.

  It was a great game! Seals won 8-5. I hope I get a chance as PA Announcer again.

  Chase

  The game went well, and we won. I admit I was slightly distracted, but it was good to listen to her voice over the loud speaker for the whole game. Sherry was right, she isn’t going anywhere. And, now I know her name—Kristina. I need to figure out how to talk to her, get her to go out with me. Yes, I need her to go on dates with me. I’m not screwing this up. Martin was the player of the day again, it seems like it’s his year. While he’s doing the on field interview, I walk over to the net to find Sherry.

  “How do I get her to talk to me? I want to take her on a date.”

  Sherry stares at me like I just grew three heads, “What about the twins?”

  “I haven’t been with any women since we got back to San Diego. I don’t want the twins or the groupies. I want my own chick. I want her. I still haven’t stopped thinking about her.”

  “Are you sure? The twins sound like a lot of fun.”

  “I want to date Kristina.”

  “Are you allowed in the control booth or up in the press boxes?”

  “I can get up there, but they might not let me in everywhere.”

  “Okay. We need help from somebody in the office or maybe Carter. Or, are you up for something kind of public?”

  This could be bad, “Like what?”

  “Well, you could go get interviewed on the field now and use the opportunity to talk to her and ask her to meet you before she leaves the stadium. It’s th
e quickest way to get to her.”

  It sounds crazy, but Sherry’s right. I’ve been waiting for her and I don’t want to wait any longer. I walk over to the dugout and nod at Hannah as she finishes the interview with Martin. Hannah waves me over, “Chase, that was a great catch you made at the wall this afternoon and your hitting has been off the charts. What do you attribute your hitting success to?”

  I check the control booth to see if Kristina’s still there and paying any attention to me at all, “I’ve been more focused on the game this season, trying to do everything right to make my game better. I want to be a Seal permanently and I’m trying to make that happen. I’d like to compliment Kristina on a great job as PA Announcer today, it was nice to hear a female voice coming out of the control booth for a change.” I glance up to see her sitting there stone cold and move forward with my plan. “Kristina, you should come out and celebrate with the team tonight, you earned it.”

  “You both were awesome today. Thanks, Chase.” The camera goes off and Hannah starts talking to me, “I didn’t think you guys paid any attention to people like Kristina.”

  I smile, “We don’t notice everything. Some people stand out.”

  “I’m going to be talking to the control booth, would you like me to pass along a message?”

  “Can you do that for me? That would be great.”

  “I’m happy to.”

  “Give Kristina my number and ask her to call me or text me, please. Or, get her number for me?” I know I’m asking for too much, but she offered and I’m going with it. “Would it be easier to ask her to meet me somewhere in the stadium?”

  Hannah looks at me like a horn is growing out of my head, “Let me call up and see what happens.” Hannah turns away and makes the call. A couple minutes later, “She’s not interested and she’s getting ready to leave the control booth right now.”