Page 40 of Stealing Summer

“Yeah,” I agreed. “They’re a great team.”

I glanced at the guy in the red shirt, who looked impressed, before he whispered something to the person next to him. It was clear that he noticed Reese and Parker’s chemistry, too. I wondered who else had caught his eye so far. If Reese kept this up, he’d certainly be on his radar, but I wasn’t quite sure if Boston would make an impression tonight, and I knew how badly he deserved it.

“Strike three!” the umpire bellowed.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Reese pumped his fist. It was now the bottom of the third inning and Reese hadn’t allowed any hits so far. I watched him walk back to the dugout, scanning the bleachers until his eyes landed on me, shortly before Blair caught his attention.

“Reese!” Blair called out, making him pause. “You got this!”

With a wink toward the bleachers, he disappeared into the dugout.

A pang of jealousy hit me as Blair flashed a smile and batted her long eyelashes at Reese. I scowled and turned away. There were more important things happening that I needed to focus on. I found myself leaning forward in anticipation once more as Boston stepped up to bat. My stomach churned. Boston had two balls caught already today. Another bad at-bat and his opportunity to be noticed could be toast.

The crack of the bat echoed through the stadium as Boston sent the ball sailing into the outfield. He took off and rounded first, then second. The crowd roared, urging him on. The third base coach was waving frantically, and Boston put on a final burst of speed, as he slid into third in a cloud of dust.

I looked over at the guy in the red shirt again. He sat up straighter and then typed something into his phone. I clenched my fists, heart pounding. His focused expression was intent on the game, jaw clenched. He lived for these moments.

The next batter made it on first, and Boston slid into home plate. The next few innings our team continued to shut down the batters and bring in a few more runs keeping us ahead. The crowd erupted into cheers after the final out was made in the last inning.

I joined in, clapping and hollering, but through the raucous celebration, one thing stood out to me—the silence that came from beside me. Ms. Riley’s hands came together in a gentle clap, completely unlike her.

“They just won!” I shouted trying to lift her spirits.

She offered a weak smile, nodding appreciatively. “Yes, they did great,” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the noise.

I frowned, watching her as she rose hurriedly, her movements edged with an eagerness to leave.

“Are you not going to wait for Boston?” I asked, surprised by her rush.

She glanced back, her eyes skirting mine. “I’ll just wait for him by the car, honey. It’s been a long day.”

Her response felt like a brush-off, and my concern spiked as I watched her weave through the crowd, head down, her cap pulled lower.

I knew something was off but I still couldn’t contain my excitement as I rushed from the stands onto the field. I ran straight to Parker and threw my arms around his neck. “You did it!” I squealed. Parker laughed and spun me around. I caught a glimpse of Boston jogging over, his wavy blonde hair damp with sweat. Letting go of Parker, I leapt at Boston, nearly knocking him over.

“Whoa there,” he said, steadying himself. His icy blue eyes crinkled as he smiled down at me.

“I’m so proud of you!” I said.

For a moment, Boston held me tighter, his hand lingering at the small of my back as I melted into his gaze before the team engulfed us in a massive group hug, hollering and cheering.

As we pulled apart, Boston kept his eyes on me, like he wanted to say something more. But then the guys tackled him again, and the moment slipped away.

I felt a hand lightly grab mine which surprised me. I turned to find Reese’s intense eyes burning into mine.

“Hey, you,” he whispered, pulling me close as he swept me up into his strong arms. I could feel the energy radiating off him from the game mixed with his charm, and I knew that I was powerless against it.

"Well, well, looks like you've actually impressed me," I teased with a wink.

"Oh, I’m just getting started." His voice dropped into a low, seductive tone before he insisted we celebrate at his house tonight. "The team will be there and I want you there too," he added with a sly grin. How could I resist that smile?

“Of course!” I agreed, my mind still fluttering with excitement over the game. “I’ll be there.”

The team whooped and hollered, already heading for the parking lot. I walked between Parker and Boston, our arms linked together. I was still caught between the excitement of the win and the mystery of Ms. Riley’s uncharacteristically muted behavior. By the time I reached the parking lot, I watched Boston greet her with an embrace beside her sedan under the dim glow of a streetlight.

“Mom, you sure you’re okay?” Boston’s voice carried across the quiet lot.

“Of course, sweetheart,” she said, pulling back from the hug. “I’m so proud of you. You played phenomenal tonight.”

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