Saving Drew

by Lara Van Hulzen

  There was nothing like a ballpark.

  Tyler came up next to him in the bullpen. “You ready for this?”

  “Didn’t you see that strike?”

  The only change in Tyler’s expression was a slight lift of one side of his mouth. “Oh, I saw it. But you got a whole lot of those hanging around in your back pocket?”

  Drew smiled. “Man, I hope so.”

  Tyler’s face went stone-cold again. “I mean it though. You ready?”

  Drew nodded.

  “You got your head clear of all that stuff back in California?”

  Baylee. The honest answer was no. But hell if he was going to start spewing his feelings to Tyler there on the pitcher’s mound of the bullpen. He’d had a short phone conversation with Baylee the night before, just checking in, letting her now he’d made it to Florida. As much as she tried to sound cheery, he could sense something was off and he didn’t like it. They both had to be one hundred percent all in for this thing to work.

  The way they danced around each other, uncertain, wasn’t helping things at all.

  The crack of a bat hitting a ball brought him from his thoughts.

  “Yeah, my head is clear.”

  Tyler nodded. He was the only one associated with the Empires who knew the whole story about Drew and Baylee. Well, as much as Drew let him in on. A few of the guys razzed him about her when he first got to camp, but otherwise, it was a dead issue. Everyone was focused on playing well, securing a place on the team. Something Drew needed to get zoned in on as well.

  The rest of the day went by without Drew’s shoulder giving him too much trouble. He was a little wild though, something Tyler said would probably work itself out over the next few days. As Drew stood in the shower, letting the hot water pound against his aching muscles, he prayed Tyler was right. A month ago, this was all he had. All he wanted. Now, it was costing him something. Time with Baylee.

  He’d called her earlier after practice as he was leaving the field. It was as if any free second he had, he wanted it to be with her. Hear her voice. He’d gotten her voice mail so he called the bakery. Eva answered and said Baylee was at the doctor with Casey.

  Panic had set in. His imagination ran wild with all that could be wrong with the little boy that had made his way into Drew’s heart in such a short time. He was about to have Monica book him a flight to California, spring training be damned, when Baylee called. Casey was fine. He’d fallen on the playground at school and had gotten banged up a bit.

  Drew replayed their conversation in his mind.

  “Drew. He’s fine. Don’t you dare get on a plane. You need to say where you are.”

  “But I hate not being there for him. For you.”

  “I appreciate that. More than you know. But there are gonna be bumps in the road. You can’t hop on a plane for every single one.”

  Her words will rang in his head an hour later when he sat down to dinner with Fred, the starting left fielder for the Empires. Only a year older than Drew, the man was tall and lean, his dark hair in a buzz cut, his jeans and golf shirt typical of the man’s casual demeanor. They were friends, but Drew wanted to pick the guy’s brain about how he had such a solid marriage and good relationship with his two kids while playing in the majors.

  “What’s on your mind, Mac?”

  “Not one for small talk, eh, Fred?”

  Fred laughed. “Nope. And when you asked me to have dinner with you, I figured there was something on your mind. You’re not a chatty Cathy like some of the others. If you want to meet, there’s a reason.”

  Fair enough. He hadn’t spent a ton of time with Fred, but he’d nailed Drew’s personality all the same.

  Their waitress filled their water glasses and took their drink order. When she left, Drew asked, “How do you do it?”

  “What? Stay happily married in this circus we call a job?”

  “Ah. You’ve heard about Baylee.”

  “baking bombshell, I thought her name was.”

  Drew shook his head. It wasn’t a derogatory nickname, in truth, but it still ground against his gut like sand when someone else said it. Especially another man.

  “Sorry. I like Baylee better too.” Fred picked up his water glass and took a sip, set it back down again. “I wish I could tell you there was some big secret to it. I know that it takes a special kind of woman though to put up with lug nuts like us. I mean, we get to play in the dirt for a living like kids, paid a crap ton to do it, and have the world, and women, at our feet just because of it.”

  The waitress brought their drinks and took their order. When she left, Fred continued. “But I know this. Mary keeps me grounded. When I go home at night, she reminds me I’m human. Not some god the rest of the world wants to believe of me, of any of us. And that might sound like a bad thing to some of the other knuckleheads we play with, but not to me. Baseball? That’s what I get to do for a living. But Mary and the kids? They’re my life. My real world.”

  Drew nodded, taking in all his friend was saying. That was how he’d felt in Silver Bay. Every moment with Baylee and Casey was real life. What mattered most. But he’d loved baseball all his life. Was he ready to give that up for good?

  Baylee slammed her fist into the mound of dough in front of her on the island in the kitchen of Baylee’s Bakery. She did it a few more times for good measure, then rolled it with her hands, folding over and over again until it formed another ball.

  “What’s that dough ever done to you?” Eva asked as she breezed past to put a tray of cookie dough in the massive refrigerator.

  Baylee continued to roll the dough over and over, pushing it with the heel of her hand with each turn.

  “You wanna talk about it, boss?”

  Baylee said nothing.

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  She stopped at that and quirked an eyebrow at her friend. “You’re gonna keep pushing until I talk, aren’t you?”

  The attempt Eva gave at an innocent look fell flat.

  Baylee sighed and wiped her hands on her apron. “Things are fine. Really.”

  “You are aware that when we women say the word fine, that means all hell is breaking loose in our head or our heart or both and we are anything but fine.”

  Baylee rolled her eyes, but had to concede. She wasn’t fine. Her conversation with Drew a few days ago had stayed with her. Sure, they’d talked since then, but nothing special, just. “How was your day?” and checking up on Casey.

  When she’d gotten the call from school that he’d been hurt at recess, her heart had risen in her throat so hard she could have sworn she could swallow it back down. But he was truly fine. Just a few bumps and bruises. When she’d picked him up from school, he’d faced it like he did anything else. Factual and without drama.

  Hearing Drew’s concern about the situation and that he’d even thought of flying back just to be with her and Casey warmed her heart like nothing else. The knowledge alone of him even considering it showed how much he loved them. But if they wanted this to work, to be together, they’d have to learn to get through bumps and bruises without him rushing back every time. She was a single mom before she met Drew, she could be a single mom with him not in town.

  And there was the rub. Being with Drew had its rough spots. But being without him? She couldn’t even think about it without tearing up. She’d tried to get out of Drew how things were going, how his pitching was, but he was cryptic about it and changed the subject back to her and Casey.

  She looked at Eva. “You’re right. Saying I’m fine isn’t the whole truth. But it’s the best it’s going to be for the situation it is.”

  “That makes absolutely no sense.”

  Baylee laughed. “It sounded better in my head. I just mean that, Drew’s life is complicated. Our relationship is complicated. So, it’s as fine as it’s gonna be, for what it is.”

  “Still talking some nonsense, but all I want is to make sure you’re good.”

  “I’m good.”

&nbs
p; Baylee’s cell phone buzzed in her apron pocket. She looked at the screen. An unfamiliar number stared back at her.

  With a frown, she answered. “This is Baylee.”

  “Hi, Baylee. My name is Tyler. I’m Drew’s trainer.”

  “Oh, yes. He told me all about you.”

  The man’s deep chuckle vibrated through the phone. “All good, I hope.”

  “Yes. All good. I promise.” Baylee’s heart rate sped up and she tried to tamp down the anxious thoughts that ran through her mind.

  Why was Drew’s trainer calling? Was Drew hurt again? Was he cut from the team already and couldn’t bring himself to call her?

  “Look, I’ll cut to the chase, here. Drew isn’t throwing well. And it’s not because of his arm. It’s in tip-top shape. Our ace? It’s all mental. My gut tells me, it’s you. He needs you.”

  He needs you. He needs you. He needs you.

  His words rang through her head like a bell chime. All she could think was get to Drew.

  To her surprise, what came out her mouth was, “I’ll be on the next plane out.”

  The next few hours ran by in a blur. After talking to Tyler, Baylee called her mom who kicked into gear, getting Baylee a flight to Florida, a hotel near the field where they held spring training, a shuttle from the airport, and a promise that Casey would be fine in her care for as long as Baylee needed her. All the while, Eva stepped up and covered all the needs at the bakery for the next few days.

  By nightfall, Baylee was on a plane to Florida, doing the most spontaneous, crazy thing she’d ever done in her life. And yet, as she leaned against the window to look out at the night sky, everything in her world had never felt more in place.

  Drew wiped his brow with his forearm and put his cap back on. He’d thrown like crap the past few days. The first day was his best, but it had all gone to hell after that.

  He’d played his conversation with Fred in his mind over and over again. And deep down, he believed he and Baylee could make things work. But he missed her down to the core of his soul. Their goodbye had uncertainty all over it, and the air between them when they talked was laced with tension. Unknowns. It ate at his gut.

  He finished practice, throwing the worst he’d thrown since camp started. Maybe the right thing was to walk away? Maybe it was his time. He could move to California, be with Baylee, put baseball in his past. His heart sank a bit at the thought. Yes, he wanted Baylee, but he still didn’t want to end his career on a low note.

  As he walked off the field, he scuffed his cleats into the dirt. He raised his eyes to the stands for a moment, catching a glimpse of gold right above the dugout. He put a hand up to block the sun. The heat had to be playing tricks on him. It couldn’t be her.

  He moved closer to the stands, his vision getting clearer. Like an apparition from his dreams, she sat in a stadium chair about ten rows up. Her golden curls moved in the breeze, her green sleeveless sundress showcasing her tanned, well-toned arms. Their eyes met and she smiled wide. Still in shock, he could only stand there.

  Baylee? She was really here?

  She stood and came down the steps to him and didn’t stop until they were toe to toe. He blinked, afraid to reach out and touch her, afraid if he did that she’d disappear, a figment of his imagination.

  “Hey you.” Her emerald eyes shined up at him.

  Still not trusting himself, all he could do was stand there and stare.

  Tyler walked by, patted Drew on the shoulder. He stuck out a hand for Baylee to shake, which she did. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Baylee. Glad you came.” He moved on without another word, disappearing into the dugout.

  Baylee’s gaze followed him as he left then turned back to Drew who still hadn’t taken his eyes off Baylee.

  “You just gonna stand there?”

  “You’re here.”

  “I’m here.”

  She took his hand in hers, the one without a baseball glove on it. He rubbed his thumb along her skin, soaking in the reality of her standing in front of him. It was real. Not his mind messing with him.

  Other players walked by, nodded at her, told Drew they’d see him later. After a minute or so, all that was left were a few workers doing field maintenance.

  They stood alone on the field.

  “Tyler said you’re struggling. Talk to me.”

  Drew shook his head. “Tyler?”

  “Yes. He called me. Said you weren’t throwing well. That it was mental. Your arm is fine.”

  “And you just got on a plane and flew across the country?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “Yes.” Her laughed floated through the air. “But you were considering the same thing a few days ago when Casey got hurt.”

  “That’s different.”

  “How?”

  “Casey was hurt.”

  “Casey’s fine. Tyler said you needed me.”

  He lifted an eyebrow at that. “He did?”

  “So, I’m here.” She leaned up and kissed him, her hand still enveloped in his. “I had a lot of time to think of the plane, Drew. And I figured it out.”

  “You did, huh?” His brain was still spinning from her kiss, from the reality of her being there. With him.

  “I did. I’m all in. One hundred percent. I never said that to you before you left. We didn’t make that clear. I want you to go for it, to make this season the best you’ve ever had. Go out swinging. Is that the right phrase to use?”

  He kissed her scrunched up nose. “If you want it to be it is.” His lips moved to hers as his arms came around her waist, his glove still on one hand.

  Her arms wrapped around his neck, sinking into him, right where she belonged.

  He pulled back and looked at her. “You save me, Baylee. You’re my Adrian.”

  Her smile lit up his world. “Yeah, I guess I am. You okay with that?”

  “I’m more than okay with that. I don’t want to do this – anything – without you.”

  “We can do this Drew. I’m all in. Are you?”

  “You’ve got me. All of me.”

  He picked her up and twirled them, her skirt flying around them.

  Then he set her down and kissed her again, this time to the applause of his teammates who had gathered in the dugout.

  Tyler whistled, which echoed through the empty stadium. Baylee laughed, his favorite sound in the world. This. This was all he wanted. Baseball in his life and Baylee by his side.

  Epilogue

  2 months later

  It was opening fay. The Empires were up against the Twins and Drew was starting pitcher. After Baylee had come to spring training, they’d talked things through, agreed to do whatever it took to make things work and, like Tyler predicted, Drew’s focus cleared and his pitching went back to its full potential. He’d gained back his spot on the team.

  He was able to make a quick trip back to Silver Bay to see Baylee before the season started but, more importantly, to have a long talk with Jenny. Baylee didn’t know it, but Drew had asked Jenny for her blessing to marry Baylee and amidst more tears than made Drew comfortable, she’d said yes.

  From the dugout, Drew scanned the crowd. It was a full house and the weather was outstanding. As if God called in a perfect day just for Drew. His eyes found his baking bombshell in the stands with the other wives and girlfriends. Casey sat beside her and Jenny on his other side. They’d flown in the see Drew pitch, but afterwards, he and Jenny had planned for her to take Casey so Drew could show Baylee around New York.

  Excited to be with her in the city, the best part of the evening would be a rose filled carriage ride, followed by a proposal.

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers and the Empires took the field. As Drew settled onto the pitcher’s mound, he glanced at Baylee and gave her a nod of his cap. She waved, the blush of her cheeks evident even from where he stood.

  “Let’s play ball!”

  Drew took a deep breath and rubbed the baseball
in his fingers.

  Life didn’t get any better than this.

  The End

  Check out Lara Van Hulzen’s new series....

  The Silver Bay series

  If you enjoyed Saving Drew, you’ll love the next Silver Bay story!

  Book 1: Return to Silver Bay

  Book 2: Loving Kate

  Book 3: Saving Drew

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  About the Author

  Lara is a published author and public speaker with a degree in journalism.

  Writing stories since she was a young girl, Lara’s dream of being a novelist became a reality with her Men of Honor Series.

  An avid reader, she worked as a book reviewer for 18 years with various organizations such as Crossings Doubleday, YouthWorker Journal, and www.radiantlit.com

  Lover of movies, music, art, travel, baseball, CrossFit and her dog, Lara lives in California with her husband, teenage daughter, and teenage twin boys.

  Visit Lara at: www.laramvanhulzen.com

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