Hitching the Pitcher (A Belltown Six Pack Novel)

by Rebecca Connolly

  “You didn’t have to do that,” she told him as they moved to his car.

  “Sure I did,” he replied without the same lightness from earlier. “You’re new here. This is neighborly.”

  Was that what it was? Interesting.

  Once the groceries were in the car, they took off towards Erica’s apartment, Sawyer’s rental car comfortable enough that she could nap in it if she wanted, but nice enough that she was afraid to.

  Sawyer didn’t say much as he drove, probably still mulling over his conversation with his sister.

  There was no need to share details and thoughts with Erica, but the silence was unnerving.

  She turned to look out of the window, watching the Arizona scenery pass without paying much attention to it.

  Then something caught her eye, and she jerked to look back at it as they passed. She grinned and turned to Sawyer at once. “Was that a drive-in movie theater back there?”

  He looked in the rearview mirror. “Uh, yeah, I think so.”

  “That is awesome,” she gushed with excitement. “Whatever you're doing on Friday, cancel it. We’re going.”

  Sawyer cracked a smile, which made her heart warm. “What if it’s a terrible movie?”

  “Then I’ll buy you a cookie and make it all better,” she retorted, undeterred. “Come on, Sawyer!”

  He laughed and looked at her, his smile turning crooked. “Okay. It’s a date.”

  They shared smiles, then Erica sat back and looked forward, her thoughts spinning.

  A date? Like a date date? Or just a date?

  Either way, a date with Sawyer Bennett had always been the best.

  If she remembered correctly.

  CHAPTER 5

  “Did you find out what’s playing tonight?”

  “Nope, and I don’t really care. I’m just excited!”

  “To watch a movie in my car? It comes with a DVD player, you know. I could pop in any movie you want and we could watch it in the comfort of your parking lot.”

  Erica slugged Sawyer in the arm with a grin. “It’s not the same, and you know it!”

  “Not the good arm!” he cried, batting her hand away as they pulled into the drive-in. “Come on, we start games next week!”

  She rolled her eyes and reached into the tub of popcorn she had brought for a few kernels. “You’ll live. Besides, aren’t you already one of the starters?”

  “Sure,” Sawyer admitted easily. “But I’m new to them, remember? I got in for only three games last season, and a total of ten innings in the postseason. I have a lot to prove this year.”

  “You’ll do it,” she assured him with a wave of her hand. “Your two-seam alone should convince them, but if your cutter is still what it was…” She whistled and gave him a thumbs up.

  He stared at her in disbelief. He knew that she had gone to most of his games in college, and she’d admitted to following the Six Pack since they’d left Belltown, but was he really to believe that she actually knew the ins and outs of the game? He knew for a fact that they had never gotten into the specifics of his pitches, let alone any other details of the game.

  He wasn’t sure she had ever been more attractive to him in his entire life.

  He swallowed and forced a grin. “That’s only two pitches.”

  Erica rolled her eyes one more time. “So toss in your change-up and a slider, just for kicks and giggles. How many different pitches do you need anyway?”

  “Four should do it.” Sawyer chuckled and shook his head. “Who taught you baseball stuff, Erica?”

  “Axel.” She smiled without shame. “I had to do something while you were taking extra reps and running more laps. We’d watch you practice, and he’d show me the differences in your pitches. He even tried to pitch to Grizz to illustrate.”

  Axel pitching? Sawyer snorted in derision as he pulled the car into an open spot. “Tried would be the operative word. Axe Man has a fantastic arm, but he can’t throw a breaker to save his life. Needs a map to find the strike zone.”

  “Grizz made fun of him the entire time, no worries.” She patted his hand as if to reassure him, then her smile turned mischievous. “And Axel said he pitches as well as you bat.”

  Sawyer exhaled roughly as though he’d been punched. “Oh, that’s a low ball. Not nice. My batting average has really improved, I’ll have you know.”

  “Well, there’s only one direction it can go from where it was,” she told him without emotion. “I don’t think it goes negatively.”

  He gaped as she suddenly started laughing, and he pretended to look around for any sort of support. “Who is filling your head with such lies? This is just uncalled for. I don’t deserve to be abused in my own car on a date.”

  Erica barked another loud laugh and offered him the popcorn she was holding. “Will popcorn make it better?”

  He scowled at her. “Maybe. But candy would give it a better chance.”

  On cue, Erica produced Gummi Peach Rings from her bag and jiggled them before him.

  “Now we’re talking!” he cheered, reaching for them. “I don’t even care what we’re seeing!”

  “Good; I think it’s a rom-com.”

  He froze in the act of scooping popcorn out with one hand. “Seriously?”

  Erica laughed again, her blue eyes crinkling as she did so. “I don’t know what horrified you more, the batting insult or the movie genre.” She pulled her dark hair over one shoulder, absently brushing it a few times with her fingers. “No, I don’t think it’s a rom-com. I saw a sign that said it was classic movie night; you’re safe.”

  Sawyer wiped at his brow in mock relief and turned the car off, sitting back and rolling down the windows to let the warm evening air filter in. It would cool off pretty quickly now that the sun was going down, but he’d brought jackets for them both, just in case.

  He wasn’t sure what had made him call this a date, but Erica hadn’t denied it. And he didn’t want her to.

  Despite his arguing with Mace earlier in the week about just being neighborly and not dating, there was nothing to argue about here. This was absolutely a date, and he didn’t mind admitting that to himself.

  Dates were not commitments. They were not relationships, engagements, or promises. It was just a date.

  With an ex-girlfriend who had been his favorite girlfriend and a close friend and someone with whom he would gladly spend as much time as he could.

  That was all.

  Oh boy, he thought to himself as the movie screen kicked on and the opening credits started. This could get out of hand.

  But could it? Starting next week, his availability would be significantly compromised. It wouldn’t be impossible to continue to see Erica, if she wanted to see him, but it would definitely get more complicated. His mind would be elsewhere most of the time, and he would have other responsibilities. Practices were tough right now as it was, but once they were starting games, he literally only had two days out of the entire preseason where he did not have a game of some kind.

  Who would want to be limited like that?

  “Ohhh,” Erica said slowly from the passenger seat. “I’ve seen this one. It’s one of my dad’s favorites.”

  Sawyer glanced over at her. “Do you want to leave?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. It’s a pretty good one. And now I don’t have to pay that much attention.”

  He nodded and tossed some more popcorn in his mouth. “How is your dad, anyway?”

  “Fine,” she replied. “Busy. They did well last season with the harvest. Farmers’ markets always sell out of the jam, and Meg thinks we ought to try selling on a bigger market. She and Jeff are trying to get buyers interested, so that’s got the whole family stressed. Bryant and Amy moved into the guest house last year with Livvy, and it’s really helping to have Bryant on site. He’ll take over when Dad retires, and Amy’s about a step and a half behind Mom when it comes to the jam and pie side of things. Livvy’s actually gotten really good about feeding the animal
s, which is great for a four-year-old.”

  Sawyer listened and noted the nostalgia in her tone. “Do you miss it?”

  “Eh,” she said with an indecisive head shake. “Sometimes. I’m not sure a farmgirl ever really leaves it, you know? I still help work it when I’m home, and I usually spend three weeks there in the summer to help with the orchard. I think I appreciate it more being away from it than I would if I had stayed.”

  “Were you thinking about staying?” That would have surprised him. As much as Erica had always loved her home, she’d also had some decently grand aspirations for herself that wouldn’t have been particularly well suited to life on a farm, no matter how quaint it would have been.

  Erica nibbled on some popcorn, but shook her head. “Nope. Dad offered, but I said no. I took a few business classes at Belltown out of curiosity, so I could have managed, but I wouldn’t have liked it. If I didn’t have a future brother-in-law who actually works in the field of business, I’d probably be the one doing all that. Thankfully, I do, so I’m free.”

  “Do you want to be free of the farm?”

  “No, not really. But I don’t want to be tied to it either.”

  “Fair enough.”

  They watched the movie in companionable silence, and it really was a fairly entertaining one, though it seemed familiar in a way.

  Then it came to him.

  “I’ve seen this,” he whispered, leaning over. “We had to watch it for my Film in American Culture class.”

  Erica looked at him in bewilderment. “When did you take Film in American Culture?”

  His cheeks heated faintly. “Last year.”

  “They offer that one online?” she asked, her gaze a little too questioning.

  He managed a nod, returning his attention to the movie. “Yep. A little more required than the on-campus course, but they have movie nights at the Dav for those students. Those of us away from main campus have to watch them on our own.”

  Erica made a noncommittal sound. “I think I’d rather watch them on my own time than be forced into watching anything with a group at the Davisson Theater, thank you very much.”

  Sawyer snickered at that, remembering only too well how uncomfortable the ancient seats in the Dav were. No one enjoyed seeing anything there, he was sure of it.

  “What else are you taking right now?” she whispered, fishing out chocolate from her purse. “Besides my riveting course on Museums and Culture.”

  “History of Sport,” he whispered back. “I figured that would be an easier one to work with during the season.”

  “Depends on who’s teaching it, I guess.” She settled more comfortably in her seat, sliding her shoes off and tucking her knees into her chest.

  He waited for more questions, and ones with a deeper inquiry behind them.

  Why was he taking courses at all?

  Did these courses fulfill any sort of requirement?

  What did Film in American Literature have to do with anything?

  Why hadn’t he graduated?

  She had to know he hadn’t. It was everywhere in the news, or it had been at the time of the draft. Op-eds had been written about athletes turning pro without a degree, on both sides of the argument, and he was used as an example more often than not.

  He was one of the only members of the Six Pack that hadn’t done school talks. The other was Levi, and that’s only because he refused all the offers.

  It wasn’t that Sawyer was sensitive about the subject; he was just a little defensive. Slightly aware. Insecure.

  He waited.

  She never asked a single follow-up question.

  Sawyer stared at her in wonder. This woman was a born teacher, however little she was using those talents at the moment, and he had never met anyone that had been so dedicated to and excited about education. She’d singlehandedly saved the GPA of the entire Six Pack individually and collectively. When their professors wouldn’t extend deadlines for them, she was the one who had vouched for the need, and never failed to succeed in changing their minds. The guys hadn’t cared about impressing their professors; it had always been about impressing Erica.

  He had sinned against every educational foundation she held dear, and she wasn’t questioning it, offended by it, or, apparently, all that curious about it.

  He saw her glance at him out of the corner of her eye, then return her attention to the movie. The tub of popcorn tilted invitingly in his direction without a word.

  Forget everything and anything he’d thought about the difficulty of his schedule and any resistance against whatever it was he was doing with Erica.

  He was all in right now.

  He took the tub and set it between them, then reached over and took her now-free hand in his.

  Erica didn’t even stiffen. She adjusted her hold on his hand, then laced their fingers together.

  A jolt of intense delight hit him in the gut, and it was all he could do to avoid exhaling in complete relief.

  Then Erica reached into the tub of popcorn and flicked three kernels up at his face.

  “Seriously?” he hissed.

  “Shh,” she scolded in all solemnity. “I’m watching a movie.”

  * * *

  Hotchkiss Park was almost completely dark, which wasn’t surprising, as all of the players and staff had left it several hours ago.

  But that didn’t stop Sawyer from pulling into the lot, turning off his car, and waving at Erica to follow him as he left the car and headed towards one of the doors.

  “Normal people don’t go into places once they’re closed,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she followed him against her better judgment.

  The movie had been fun, but she could honestly say she remembered very little after Sawyer had taken her hand and after she linked their fingers. She couldn’t have told anyone why she had done that, but she did know that it had been an instinct. Whether it was an instinct born of the habits of the past or one to rekindle whatever that had been, she really had no idea.

  But she’d loved it.

  Really loved it.

  So when he’d asked if she wanted to go somewhere else when the movie was over, she’d agreed.

  She hadn’t thought they’d be breaking and entering the property of the Columbus Black Racers, possibly risking their freedom and spotless criminal records.

  Who did this sort of thing on a date?

  She pulled her borrowed fleece around her more tightly, taking a moment to briefly inhale the scent of Sawyer for good measure, in case they were shortly to be apprehended by local police.

  He still smelled better than she remembered, and she’d loved to smell his sweatshirts then.

  Sawyer stood by a door to the stadium, smiling at her in an unreadable manner.

  She made a face at him. “Is this where you lead me into my life of crime?”

  He nodded very soberly. “It is. And this is your initiation.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key, handing it over to her with a bow fit for a butler. “Would you please commence with the breaking and entering?”

  Erica took the key, then looked up at him. “Wouldn’t it be trespassing?”

  “It would,” he conceded with another nod. “If I weren’t allowed on the premises. As a valued member of the staff, technically I’m just coming into the office in my spare time.” He flashed a quick grin. “Go on in. I want to show you around.”

  “Oh, so you’re a workaholic,” she replied, turning to put the key in the lock. “Everything makes so much more sense.”

  “That’s me,” Sawyer told her, holding the door as she opened it. “Working every moment I can. I was on edge the entire time we were at the movie, afraid I would enjoy myself and lose valuable working time.”

  Erica made a tsking noise as she stepped in, moving aside for him to lead the way. “I didn’t realize you were paid by the hour. Who knew?”

  He chuckled and took her hand, his smile turning more fond. “I forgot how much fun it is to ba
nter with you.”

  Strange how such an odd compliment could make her want to smile hard enough to break her cheeks. She settled instead for rubbing her thumb against his hand. “So did I,” she admitted.

  He smiled at her for another long moment, then turned and began to pull her gently along behind him. “Okay, time for a grand tour, if you can bear it.”

  “And to our left...” Erica said in her best tour-guide voice.

  “The left is nothing important,” Sawyer corrected. “That’s the janitorial closet. Don’t ask me how I know that. But to our right…”

  As he led her around, he could have passed as a decent guide for the tourists coming to Hotchkiss Park, if he needed a side job. But he was probably counting on her not knowing the historical facts of the place, and he could easily have been making them up. It would have been a very Sawyer thing to do, so she made a mental note to look into her local resources for fact checking.

  Not to disprove him, but for her own information.

  She was a nerd like that.

  Eventually, the tour led them out to the actual field, which was almost enchanting by the light of a full Arizona moon.

  Slowly, Sawyer led her down the first baseline, their fingers still loosely tangled with each other’s. “How’s museum stuff going?” he asked in a low voice.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s all right. I honestly am not needed down here. The staff have everything so under control and ready for the transfer to our display, with notes and all, that I’m just superfluous.”

  “And what a lovely superfluous part you are,” he teased with all grandness.

  Erica curtseyed slightly. “Thank you, thank you.” She rose and laughed a little before turning almost serious again. “I don’t mind it, really. I wouldn’t be doing that much back home either. At least here I feel useful. They’re putting me on staff for their Kids Day coming up, so I’m learning the flow of the museum and the talking points. Apparently we get appointments from different classes in the area to come for a field trip, so we could get almost any age.”

  “That’s great!” Sawyer said with real enthusiasm. “It would be like teaching for you, right?”