Page 68 of Play the Field

By the time the pitcher and catcher got themselves in order, the bases were loaded – a teal shirt at every corner of the diamond.

“All you, Cleo.” Marla smacked my back as I headed out onto the field, throwing the sweaty batter’s helmet on my head.

Sighing, I laughed as I walked to home plate. I was never much of a batter, long ago I was a bit better than Cat but that wasn’t saying much. But I knew all I had to do was get it as far out as possible. I just needed to give Bri a chance to make it home without getting out myself.

I nodded to the umpire as I stepped up to the pentagon, dusty from all the gameplay.

Lifting my arms and the bat into place, I took a deep breath.It’s just a game.Behind the pitcher’s head, Cat watched me closely. A smile played at her cheeks, eager to watch one more play on the field with me.

As the pitcher wound up, I prepared for a fastball. But this time, I wanted to surprise her. I wasn’t going to wait to learn her pitch, I’d already figured her out.

So when the ball left her palm and soared toward me, I pulled my arms back and took a swing. I felt the ball lift off the metal bat before I heard the louddingof the leather being forced out into the field.

Tossing the bat to the sidelines, I took off. The crowd roared, standing to their feet as the ball kept growing farther and farther into the outfield. Watching it, my pace slowed as my jaw dropped.No fucking way.

Bri, Cat, and Annie moved toward their next base, all eyes on the sky as the neon yellow ball started to sink down. The left fielder sprinted toward the back fence, making a desperate attempt to catch the ball and keep the game tied up. But as the ball crashed to the ground just past the chain link, their hopes were dashed.

Bri and Cat cheered as they jogged around the bases. Like a performance, Bri danced on home plate as she passed over it. Cat rounded third base, shaking her head as she watched me move to first.

She crossed home too, with the crowd erupting behind the backstop.

Knowing I’d locked in the game, I laughed and kept jogging. I rounded second base and lifted my arms, taking in every chant and cheer from the watching crowd. As I made the rounds, the Dangers stuck out their hands for me to high-five.

By the time I was turning from third base to home, the entire Teal Steal had come out onto the field. At the front of them, Cat hooted and hollered with arms. I grinned from ear to ear as I joined my team at home plate. As soon as my foot hit the hard rubber, the team swarmed me and wrapped me in their arms.

“Cle-o! Cle-o! Cle-o!” They screamed.

As the group separated into smaller groups, Cat held my arms and shook her head. “Cleo Fontaine, you are a wonder.” There, in front of everyone, Cat’s hands met my neck as she pulled me in for a kiss. Our lips pressed together, as the field lit up with excitement.

43

CAT

Once I managedto pull myself away from Cleo, our team lined up across from the Orange Dangers. Walking toward each other, we started the parade of high fives and “good games”.

It might have been my favorite part of the game, a tradition to end the game as a good sport no matter the loss.

Cleo headed the line and filed in not far behind them, happy to let them shine. By the time the formality had finished, each team started to head off the field toward their friends and families.

But some people were waiting for me that I was a little anxious to speak to. I wrapped my arm around Cleo as we walked back to the dugout. “Sorry, I hope it’s okay that I just announced our relationship to like… the entire town.”

As we walked over to the bench, Cleo raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so it’s a relationship now?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such a little shit.”

From behind them, I could see my former co-captain and the press crowding the exit. Sighing, I looked at Cleo. “Just give me a second to deal with them?”

“Take your time, I’m packing up.” Cleo waved me off as they started changing into sneakers.

Swallowing hard, I stepped out of the dugout and into the afternoon light. A few sports journalists waited there. But before any of them could get to me, my co-captain, Katie, stepped forward. She brought me in for a quick hug, smacking my back. “Good to see you out there, dude.”

I nodded. “Thanks for coming.”

“So look,” Katie lowered her voice. “I’m going to tell them you’re ready to come back and they’ll be in touch. Cool?”

She dapped me up, saying congrats again.

But before she left, I lifted my hand to stop her. “Katie, just tell them I won’t be back before spring training. If they want to do any press, they’re going to have to come here.”

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