Page 6 of Play Along

“About what?”

“If I take the job. You can’t tell anyone about what Dr. Fredrick said or about my qualifications.”

“You might be the first doctor I’ve ever met who doesn’t want everyone to know she’s a doctor.”

“Isaiah, please.”

Those two little words stop me in my tracks.

My name. She sounds good saying my name.

She sounds good begging too.

I search her face, desperation plastered on it. “I won’t say anything.”

“And about what you overheard?”

“You mean the part where I learned that Dr. Dick is a woman hater?”

“Yes, that part.”

“No, I’m saying something about that. Right now, in fact.”

She grabs my forearm to stop me with her pale and freckled hand, starkly contrasting my suntanned skin from all my time playing baseball outside.

But before I can memorize the differences, she pulls away in an instant. “If I’m going to work for him, it’s going to be difficult enough. I can’t start off this working relationship with a complaint to the field manager or team owner. I can handle this on my own.”

Independence and determination radiate off her, and though she’s got to be sitting somewhere around 5’3”, her shoulders are squared and pushed back, giving her as much height as possible. Making her as big as possible.

Good. She’s going to need that resolve working for that piece of shit.

“When,” I correct. “When you work for him.”

Her knowing smile matches mine, like there’s a secret only she and I know.

“Will I see you around?” she asks.

“Oh, I’m fairly certain you’ll be seeing plenty of me.”

“Rhodes!” Cody, our first baseman, calls out when he turns the corner and finds me standing in front of the women’s restroom. He’s in full uniform, ready for our team photos today. “There you are. Hurry up! Pictures are starting in five and your uniform is hanging in your locker stall. Monty sent me to come find you.”

Cody turns with that and jogs back into the clubhouse.

I slowly face Kennedy, my most innocent smile plastered on my lips.

Her already pale skin is even more drained. “You’re a player?”

“Shortstop.” I wink.

Any sign of a previous smile is long gone, and her demeanor instantly shifts. I can physically feel the ice in the air around her. She’s shocked. Confused. A little bit pissed.

“This conversation never happened.” She doesn’t hesitate, bolting away from me, Dr. Fredrick’s warning blaring in her mind, I’m sure.

“Hey, Kenny!” I call out and she stops, reluctantly facing me. “I promised I’d make sure the other guys don’t give you a hard time, but I never said anything about me.” Her lips slightly part and I shoot her with another wink. “See you around, Doc.”

“Where have you been?” Travis, our rookie catcher, asks as I pull my T-shirt over my head and drop my jeans at my stall, needing to get into my new uniform like the rest of my teammates.

His locker is to the left of mine while Cody’s is on my right.

---