Page 47 of Off Season

I see all the guys sitting together with Tanner and Harper. Cheetah and Harper are laughing and dancing together. He’s cute with her. He’s kind of the perfect man. Too perfect for me.

I know my ghosting him the way I have is upsetting him, but it’s better this way. It’s funny how much shit the guys give him when he’s far and away the classiest of the bunch. First-class men deserve to be around first-class women, and I’m no such thing.

It’s been weeks since that night in the club. I put on the performance he needed to see to hopefully move on. I felt bad doing it to him, but I’m doing thisforhim.

I do get a kick out of the fact that he’s wearing a cowboy hat, as he has for every game he’s attended since he heard my walkup song. I love watching him laugh. His smile lights up everyone around him.

Maybe in a different life, if I were a different kind of woman, I would be worthy of someone like Cruz Gonzales. In this life, I’m not.

As I throw my grape bubblegum into my mouth, I look over to the front-row seats I left for Justin and Trisha. She’s seated, looking uptight and nervous. He’s walking down the steps, looking at me. I wave to him. He smiles and waves back, but he loses concentration and trips down three steps.

Fucking hell. This poor guy is hopeless.

He lands right at his seat on the aisle, so Trisha immediately moves to help him up. He seems okay. Maybe this will be a conversation starter for them.

I look around the stadium. It’s filled to capacity. I feel so fortunate.

Arizona throws her arm around me. “Isn’t it amazing how many fans we have? We’re so lucky that we get to do this for a living. Sometimes I need to pinch myself.”

I nod. “I was just thinking the same thing.” I nod toward Ripley warming up in the bullpen. “What’s going on with her?”

Ripley is the best pitcher in softball. There’s no denying that. But she’s been distracted this week and isn’t throwing her best stuff. I would never blame any loss on one teammate, but her being distracted has undoubtedly played a significant role in us being down in this series. We’re the better team.

Arizona shakes her head. “I don’t know. Something is up but she won’t talk to me about it. She was on the phone with June all morning chatting about her mechanics, so maybe she’ll get it together for the next two games.”

I gasp. “Mama June!” IloveRipley’s mom. June St. James is the mother I wish I had. She’s a great mom and one of the funniest, least-filtered people I’ve ever met. She was an Olympic pitcher who coached Arizona and Ripley from their early childhood until they left for college. She still lives in their hometown in Northern California. She embarrasses Ripley, but I love her sense of humor, playfulness, and adventurous side. She and I ended up dancing topless on a bar one night when she visited us in college.

Arizona nods. “Yep. Let’s hope June fixed her.”

I see Reagan Daulton approaching us with a tall, attractive, muscular, older blond man. She smiles at us. “Kamryn, Arizona, are we ready to kick a little ass and get back into this series?”

We both nod, and I answer, “Hell yes. It’s in the bag, your highness.”

She smiles while the man chuckles. Reagan points to him. “This is my uncle, Declan McGinley.”

“The photographer?” I ask. Declan McGinley is a well-known professional photographer. He’s unique in that he photographs both landscapes and models. Most photographers do one or the other.

Reagan nods. “The one and only. At my gentle urging, he was just commissioned by Hubba Bubba. As in five minutes ago.” She points to her private club box in the stands. “The CEO is my guest tonight. He’s flipping over the excitement for this game. Kamryn, keep blowing big bubbles and hitting bombs. I’m thisclose,” she pinches her thumb and index finger so they’re close together, “to selling you as their next spokesmodel. It would be real money for you. Do your thing.”

I smile. “Thanks for the added pressure. Lucky for you I’m a diamond and thrive under pressure.”

Declan, who I assume is in his fifties, gives me a big smile. “I like you, Kamryn. I hope this works out. I’d love to photograph you.”

“Are you flirting with me, Declan?”

He lets out a laugh before he winks at me. “I don’t think my beautiful wife, the love of my life, would like that.”

Reagan lets out a laugh. “Yep, his wife definitely wouldn’t like it. She’s my mom’s husband’s ex-wife. She’s also one of my mom’s best friends.”

We give her a dumbfounded look and her smile widens. “Welcome to my crazy, fucked-up family tree. My mother’s other best friend married my stepbrother.” She wiggles her fingers. “Anyhoo, have a great game. Kick some ass.”

She and Declan laugh in amusement as they walk away.

Arizona and I stare at each other. She fans her face. “I have no idea what she just said, but fuck, he’s hot. He should be in front of the camera, not behind it.”

I nod. “Totally. Too bad I don’t have a daddy fetish like my sister.”

As if on cue, Bailey walks over to us. “Who was that guy with Reagan? He’s so sexy.”

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