Page 9 of Passed Ball

"Me?" He smirks, hopping off the bench. "I'm no rookie, but I reckon you can call me whatever you want."

"Huh, the way you act, I'd never have guessed you had much experience with being a teammate. Either way, you're free to go." Braxton laughs like it's a joke, but Vivi stands there, shoulders pulled back, eyeing her nails, barely sparing him a glance. "Think I'm funny, Hayes? You're the last person I want around my kids. From what I've seen, you're a shit teammate and a poor excuse for a human. That's not behavior we want to model at Double Play." She finally looks up at him, her gaze frigid. "If you're not going to listen to me, you can explain to your captain why Xavier's nanny left him high and dry."

A chill races up my spine. Vivi is bold, unyielding, and tough as nails.

And she might hate Braxton more than me.

My scorned teammate's mouth hangs open a moment too long, looking as dumbfounded as I felt when Vivi put me in my place last year. He recovers with a huff of laughter. "Fine by me."

He takes the dugout steps, disappearing into the tunnel below.

When he's gone, Vivi turns back to me. "Being pissed at him doesn't mean I've forgotten about you. Are you sure you're in the right headspace for this today? These kids need someone reliable and stable."

Forget what I said. She still hates me. Her words settle deep in the pit of my stomach, joining the weight of everything else.

"I've got it." It's not a claim I'm confident enough to make. I'm no better than a pile of hot trash at the moment, failing at nearly everything because I'm stretched so thin that I can't do any single thing well.

For fuck's sake, I forgot to pack diapers yesterday when I took Holland for a walk.

And that's nothing compared to the fact that, somehow, my nanny and teammate were fucking around after only a week on the job and I had no clue.

Dean strolls back, Holland fast asleep in his arms, and passes her off seamlessly. He makes it seem so easy, yet every time I try to set her down, she's wide awake the second I think about moving. I'd give anything to be half as good at this as he is.

"How'd you do that?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"I got lucky is all." He pats my back, his pity making me flinch.

I might not have the hang of this dad thing, but I'm not suffering, not in the traditional sense. Having Holland is the furthest thing from misfortune. Pity has no place in my life.

I stand off to the side, useless as my teammates and Vivi go over the plan for the day. Doubt creeps in while they set up the stations. Someone else taking my spot would have been better for these kids, for Holland, for Vivi.

The longer I stand there, the worse it gets. My annoyance builds with every passing minute, until I realize I'm pacing, my teeth grinding together, jaw aching, and head throbbing. A whimper from Holland snaps me out of it.

My tension doesn't only affect me anymore, so I take three deep breaths, forcing my shoulders down. When I look up, there's a girl with dark hair and green eyes--not unlike Vivi's--bouncing over from where Vivi stands. She can't be more than nineteen, barely old enough to take care of herself.

"I'm Tenley, Vivi's niece, and you look like you could use help." She extends her hands expectantly.

"Are you infant CPR certified?"

"Sure am. I'm in nursing school. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. We'll take a quick walk behind the net, away from the flying balls and bats, and find a seat." She points to the safety of the area behind the dugout. "Promise."

I glance around, as if another option will magically appear--an experienced older woman with a whipped cream mask, perhaps. But all I see is Vivi tapping her foot, gaze narrowing in on me.

Right.

"Here's her bag. I'll be over there." I point to the station behind home plate. Grabbing the diaper bag, I lead Tenley to the seats. "Sit."

"You know I've carried a baby before, right?"

"I don't particularly care." My nerves are frayed and I'm being an ass, but all my control has been stripped away. "Look, I'm sure you're fine."

"Fine," she scoffs. "Okay. I get the new dad stress, I've watched my uncles go through the same thing. The whole protective, scared thing? On brand. I sympathize. But here's the deal, you either trust that I can handle your baby for a couple hours--maybe feed her, change her--or you deal withher."

She rises on her tiptoes, glancing over my shoulder. I don't need to turn around. I can feel Vivi's eyes burning into me. Tenley's grimace when she drops back down to the concrete confirms it. She's my only option.

"Oof . . . That vein on her temple is pulsing. That's when you know you're in trouble. Quick, hand me the baby for safekeeping because she's seconds from kicking your ass. You don't mess with her kids."

Tenley lips curve into a sugary sweet grin and she plops into the seat, arms extended, lashes fluttering up at me.

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