Page 55 of Mom Ball

“Are you trying to mimic anyone?”

“I dunno?”

I cross my arms and wait for her to answer honestly. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Brooke’s face glow with amusement and try not to laugh.

“Maybe the pitcher on Ethan’s middle school team, and the guy I saw on TV the other night, and sometimes Roy in pickup softball at the church picnics.”

I raise one brow.

“That’s fair, I see your point.” Morgan grits her teeth.

“Can you stand more—” I catch myself before saying “normal” and get in my stance instead. Morgan follows my lead.

“Good. Now when you bring your foot up, maybe don’t take so long.” I hand her another ball. “Try it.”

She squares up, sets, and pitches. She hits just below the spot I told her to.

Brooke gasps.

“I did it!” Morgan jumps and claps once the shock wears off.

“You did. Throw a few more. One isolated pitch doesn’t mean you can pitch.”

We watch her throw several more pitches, most of them decent.

“Good job.”

She lifts her chest and smiles. I scan the field to see what’s going on with the circus outside the ring. “Can you help with the kids hitting off tees while I coach Brooke?”

She follows my gaze to the corner of the field. I set up a station for the boys to hit off the tee toward the fence and put Carlton in charge. He seems like a bright enough guy. After all, he is a pharmacist.

But he’s also a golfer, and he’s got the kids taking golf swings at the baseballs.

Morgan’s face sours when she watches him try and get Charlie to start swinging low. “Yeah, someone needs to fix that.”

“I think that could be you.” I give her back an encouraging pat.

She hands me the glove she’s wearing and marches toward Carlton.

Brooke and I watch her a few seconds, then face one another. My pulse picks up when I realize we’re only inches apart. I hold up the glove as a makeshift buffer. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

Her fingers touch mine for a millisecond, but it’s long enough to keep me wanting more. She puts the glove on and takes a deep breath. “I’ve never tried to pitch before.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” I drop a ball in her glove to keep from accidentally touching her again.

“Do I stand like this?”

“A little to the left.”

She turns her entire body.

“Not so much.”

She turns back the way she was before.

“Just your hips turn.” I reach one hand and gently put it on her waist.

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