Page 28 of Play the Field

Without waiting for her answer, I went back to the plate and got into position.

But from the mound, Cat bit her lip. “Is that all we are? Old friends?”

I was glad she was so far away as a blush took over my face. Of course we were more. “Friends” didn’t even scratch the surface of the history playing out on this ball field.

“That would depend on how the next throw goes.” I quipped, trying to draw us back to the moment.

“Bet.” Cat smiled as she drew her hands to her chest, preparing her pitch.

In one fluid motion, Cat’s arm wound the ball over her head and down toward her hip in an even windmill. Before I knew it, the ball was flying toward my head.

Lifting my glove, the ball made a loudsmackas it met the leather. A cloud of dust rose in front of my face, the familiar feeling of catching one of Cat’s perfect strikes rushing back to my body.

Cat smirked as she held up her glove. “How was that?”

With a nod, I tossed it back to her. “Getting there.”

18

CAT

Being backon the field was a mixed bag. But being back on the field withCleofelt like a dream.

By the time we were walking back to our cars, we were back to teasing each other like the old days. It was familiar but somehow entirely uncharted territory.

“All I’m saying is, I’m not the only one whose form is off. Those rec women are letting you get away with murder.” I raised my hands in surrender.

Rolling their eyes, Cleo shoved my shoulder. “Yeah, right.”

“Ow!” I hollered as I feigned pain.

“Grow up.” They groaned as we approached the parking lot, the gravel crunching under our cleats.

A silence fell over us as we watched a couple walk into the field with their dog. New Winford was awake now, as stay-at-home parents brought their toddlers to play at the park and retirees strolled through town.

Our cars, parallel but a few feet away, forced us to stop walking forward. Instead, we stood in an awkward standoff, unsure who would decide to turn back to theirs first.

But I cleared my throat as Cleo rocked on their heels. “Sorry again that I was late. I appreciate you coming out to help me.”

They nodded. “Yeah, happy to help. Your pitch was getting cleaner by the end there.” Their hair was slicked back from sweat. Looking at their face, I felt my throat tighten. They’d grown more beautiful since our twenties, light wrinkles freckling their skin.

“That was all you.” I rubbed the back of my neck, my equipment bag rustling as I moved. I still wasn’t sure what exactly had worked about their methods. It may have just been stripping back to basics.

But a part of me knew that it was just having Cleo there.

Cleo shrugged. “Probably. See you next time?” Without waiting for my answer, Cleo turned around and headed toward their Corolla, unlocking the car as they moved.

Watching them for a moment, I felt my stomach flip. I hated watching them walk away. I’d let them do it one too many times.

“Cle,” The nickname was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

It stopped them in their tracks, looking over their shoulder. “Yes, Catherine?”

“I forgot that I was so good back then because I was trying to impress you.”

My heart pounded harder every millisecond that they didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure why I’d said it – other than the fact that it was probably true. But a part of me needed them to know that it wasn’t just the coaching; it was their presence too. That even now, after all of these years, I still wanted them to be amazed by me.

Chuckling, Cleo opened their car door. “Well, I guess you don’t want to show off anymore.” They winked at me as they hopped inside the small sedan, and turned on the ignition.

---