Page 11 of Nailed at Home Plate

Maybe it was some sort of protective mechanism to stop myself from doing something stupid. Because if Jamie and I were ever alone, my body would definitely want to do something stupid. Especially with Tiffiny egging me on.

I wasn’t the kind of person to fling myself at a man who made my panties wet. My reaction was to give the man awideberth because something utterly absurd was sure to come out of my mouth. Or nothingat all. It was safer to stay back and maybe, just maybe, they’d approach me. Not that they ever did.

“Oh, come on, he can’t be that bad. From what you told me before he seemed…charming. Is charming the word I’m looking for? I don’t understand baseball.” Tiffiny looked a bit confused as she raised her beer bottle to her lips. She was the furthest thing away from a sports fan. Her days were spent hiding in bed and reading. Being a mascot, all she had to do was get the crowd hyped and entertain them. Nothing about that needed her to completely understand the rules of the game.

“Considering how long you've been with the Sillys, I'm still surprised you haven’t picked up one thing about baseball.”

“I mean…there’s the catcher guy.” Her brown eyes looked off thoughtfully as she mused. “A baseball. Some gloves…and a ref?”

I was mid-sip when I snorted so hard the beer burned my nasal cavity. “Jeezus, Tiffiny. I mean…you’re off to a good start.” I desperately tried to keep my laughter under wraps, but it was a lost cause.

“Oh, it's not a ref, is it?” Tiffiny furrowed her brow as she thought about the matter. “Wait, refs wear those Hamburglar shirts.”

It took me a moment to understand what she was talking about but when I did, I lost it. I couldn’t help the deluge of laughter that spilled forth. I had to put my beer back down on the table lest I drop it in my unbridled mirth.

“I mean…you’re technically not wrong.” I choked out with tears in my eyes. All I got was a tongue out from her in response. Those vivid black and white striped referee shirts weren’t easy to forget. Except on a referee they were vertical. “It’s an umpire for baseball. The guys in all black behind home plate. And at first and third base.”

“Oh.” She nodded, rather noncommittal. “Yeah. Those guys.” The tone of her voice led me to believe that she still had no idea what I was talking about.

“During all those games, you haven’t watched a second of baseball, have you?”

“Nope.”

“What the hell do you do when you aren’t on the field?”

“Read.”

I already expected that answer. For the most part, the mascot came out on the field during specific, previously scheduled intervals. Sometimes they had to go out to hype up the crowd during a tense part of the game. But usually, it was the same innings each game. Aside from how long each inning took, it was an easy-to-follow schedule.

“Lucky…” I muttered and nibbled on another nacho.Some days I wished I was the one sweating my ass off in a fur suit. It was a tough gig working with the team and with a man that I’d been salivating over for years.

I was essentially living every fangirl’s fantasy. I went from watching my sports crush on TV to working with the man day in and day out. Too bad he was the equivalent of a male ice queen. But maybe, just maybe, I could chip away enough at that rough foundation surrounding his usually stoic nature to have him let loose and be the perfect addition to the Sillys. And me with a front-row seat to watch hisveryfine ass as he did it.

Unfortunately, the man had been reluctant every damn step of the way. The few times I dared to gently nudge his body to adjust his stance mid-dance might have inspired quite a few solo sessions between the sheets for me. The man washard. No baseball player needed to have that kind of muscle definition to stand around, or in Jamie’s instance, squat. That thought made my mind wander on just what kind of power that man had in certain body parts from straddling home plate day in and day out.

It was enough to make my mouth water.

I needed to be professional. The man was a major league player, and in injury recovery no less. All I had was a few weeks, months if I was lucky, to stare at him and boss him around before he left, and I went back to watching him on TV. I needed to enjoy every damn moment while I still could. Even if his attitude was a complete turn-off.

His piss-poor attitude did dull the perfect fantasy I had of him. The saying was true, “Don’t meet your heroes, you’ll only end up disappointed”. While Jamie hadn’t disappointed me yet, he sure had diminished the once-tasty fantasy I had outlined in my head.

Lately, my fantasies were inspired by his gruff demeanor. In my head, the man turned that attitude into full, unbridled passion towards me. It did nothing to help the in-person situation awkwardness for me.

If only it could be real life. The man all but recoiled every time I touched him to readjust his positions during a routine. He was a certifiable robot when it came to dancing. Which, in some dance styles, he would have done well with. But fuck if I’d ever explain the popping dance style accuratelyenough for him toactuallywant to try it. That would surely throw him through a loop.

I only had until the end of the month to get him ready enough to be out on the field with the rest of the guys. Topper was breathing down my neck to get him to Sillys’ entertainment level. The Sillys social media team was already having a field day hyping up the fans to get them to come out to see Jamie’s debut. Games were starting to sell out because of him. Maybe having him here would give the Sillys the morale boost they needed to get through the season with a strong finish. For once.

“Yo, earth to Cadence.” I jumped in surprise as Tiffiny waved her hand in front of my face. “They’re talking about yourboyfriendon TV.” Narrowing my eyes at her, I moved them to the television she pointed to.

“Vince, can you believe Philly sent Gold Glove catcher Jamie Rheems to their Entertainment League Baseball team?”

“You know, Adam, I can. Aside from hoping that Rheems’ appearance in the league would get them some ticket sales, he was literally, maybe a game away from being benched for the season. Heck, maybe the rest of his career. His stats have been abysmal since he came back from the IL. I think it was high time for them to bring in some fresh blood from the minors…”

My jaw dropped.

I knew that Jamie hadn’t had the easiest time since he came back from his surgery recovery. But I had no idea it wasthatbad. Topper never explained the sudden roster change for the Sillys but with the television commentary, it all made sense.

I knew the team didn’t have the best ticket sales. They were literally in the MLB team’s shadow. I had no idea that there was something else motivating this unprecedented roster move. The Sillys were Jamie’s last stop before, maybe, being dumped by the organization that he’d given the biggest chunk of his professional career to. If he didn’t get his shit together then he’d be out on his ass for good. Either forced into retirement or traded to another team for maybe a year or two before he’d find himself, yet again, in the same position.

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