Page 12 of Batter Up!

“I can’t believe he’s married. That’s gotta be hard,” I said a few minutes later as we destroyed the enemy squad together.

“Yeah. That’s why I’m unattached. Too much drama and distraction,” Cooper replied as I looked over to see he was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on top of an ironing board. Cooper saw me looking and shrugged, “The ironing board was in the closet and works as a table. One less thing to buy.”

I just shook my head and wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew I wouldn’t ask my family for any money. I just wanted to play baseball.

“You got a girl?” Hayden asked as he shot a nearby opponent.

“Nah,” I said. “I had a girl in high school, but when I got injured, she ghosted.”

“What a bitch.” Cooper’s reply came with a mouthful of food.

“Yep.” I recalled how upset I had been when Aubree had stopped responding to my calls and texts after teams had decided not to draft me because of my injury. Everyone thought I was going to be drafted right out of high school. It’s amazing how fast life can change.

“Scott has a girl back home, and she comes to games every once in a while,” Cooper said, bringing me out of my memories.

“Is she back home?” I asked.

“Yeah, but it’s only a few hours drive. Quinn and her best friend, Allie, are definitely coming for Opening Day.”

“Allie is hot!” Cooper said with a wink at Hayden.

“Don’t fucking go near her again,” Hayden said but didn’t have much bite in his tone.

“I’ve already been there, done that. I was thinking about our new boy here.”

“Yeah, no thanks,” I said with a groan. I did not want sloppy seconds.

“You know what? We should go to Fulton’s tonight,” Hayden said, and I was glad he was changing the subject.

“What is Fulton’s?”

“The only bar in town. Fulton sponsors the Raptors, is a season ticket holder, and knows we don’t make much, so he gives us beer cheap since we can draw a crowd,” Cooper explained. “We don’t have the thing where we meet the new coach until ten tomorrow.”

Hayden rolled his eyes, “That means Coop won’t be out of bed until 9:55.” He then turned to me. “I usually run five miles in the morning if you want to join me.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said. “I’m in for tonight and tomorrow morning.”

The Tequila Sunrise strikes a perfect balance between sweet and tangy flavors. The sweetness comes from the grenadine syrup, while the tanginess is derived from the fresh orange juice. The tequila adds a subtle kick, resulting in a harmonious blend of tastes.

I was exhausted after bringing all the things I stuffed into my car up the stairs to my new apartment. I also made lists of things to sell and things I would need to buy. My friends all made fun of my list-making, but it helped me make decisions. I was lost in my list of items I would need for the bakery kitchen when I heard my text notification sound.

Meadow: You better be getting ready to go out tonight!

Me: Yes, I’m going out. There is only one bar in town so hopefully there will be at least one cute guy to talk to there.

I quickly went upstairs and looked at my outfit in the mirror. I was wearing my favorite ripped jeans that were a little tight and made my ass look awesome. I remember my mimi shaking her head when she first saw the ripped jeans and couldn’t believe someone would pay money for damaged pants. I was also wearing an old t-shirt and decided to change that. As I was changing into a simple black tank top, my phone dinged again. I took a selfie in the mirror and knew immediately that Meadow would say it wasn’t cute enough. She was always dressed to impress. I grabbed a red crop top Meadow had insisted I buy last summer. I hadn’t worn it yet, and even though it was the beginning of March in the Midwest, I could pair it with my jean jacket. I sent her both selfies.

Meadow: Wear the red shirt! ??

I applied a light coat of mascara and some lip gloss. I took my long red hair out of the ponytail and brushed it until it curled naturally down my back. Then, I got into my car and drove the short distance to the only bar I had seen in the small town.

The parking lot of the bar was full, indicating this was definitely the place to be. I got out of my car and walked towards the door. I could hear music playing and a lot of talking as I opened the door and headed inside. I walked over to the bartop and sat on a barstool. I ordered my favorite drink, a tequila sunrise, and munched on the chips the bartender sat in front of me. I looked around the bar but didn’t see any unattached guys that caught my eye. There was a group of good looking guys playing pool but they were surrounded by a bunch of girls wearing a lot less clothing than I was. After I finished my drink, the bartender asked if I wanted another.

“I’m going to use the restroom, then I’ll take another,” I said, and he gave me a nod and pointed to the back corner where the restrooms were. After I finished my business and washed my hands, I reapplied my lip gloss and ran my fingers through my hair.

After exiting the bathroom, I ran into what felt like a wall. My breath was stolen from my lungs but not because of running into him. He was the best-looking guy I had ever seen. I looked from the green henley shirt he wore over a very muscular chest up to the scruff around his chiseled jaw and over his nice, straight nose. I had to practically strain my neck but locked onto his beautiful green eyes. He was well over a foot taller than me, but I couldn’t bring myself to take my eyes off of his.

“Hi,” I said.

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