Page 37 of Big Pitch Energy

I Got a Feelingby The Black Eyed Peas ended and the DJ spoke again.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “it's time for our happy couple to cut the cake!”

We headed back to our table and I grabbed my water and took a long sip, thankful for the excuse to sit for a minute. My cheeks were flushed, my feet slightly sore, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

I watched the staff wheel out an elaborate cart with the wedding cake—a three-tier masterpiece covered in cascading sugar flowers.

The room erupted in applause as Leo and Anjannette made their way to the cake, fingers intertwined. The photographer circled them, capturing every angle as they picked up the silver cake server together and made the first cut. They fed each other a bite, all smiles and no smooshing in the face, just pure joy. Everyone clapped and cheered, and the newlyweds laughed as they made their way back to their seats, hands linked once again.

As we waited for the cake, servers brought out silver platters piled high with sweets and set one on each table.

Sam leaned over and said, “Leo’s family owns a deli in New Jersey. They make the most amazing food and even better desserts.”

He grabbed a piece of baklava, took a bite, and let out a low, appreciative moan. Once everyone had sampled something, the conversation picked back up.

Rusty leaned in, tipping his beer toward Sam.

“I’m just glad you’ll be back in the rotation. It wasn’t the same without you.”

The other guys agreed and started rattling off statistics that flew right over my head.

“Just think,” Trey said. “In just six more weeks, we’ll be heading down to St. Pete.”

The women had started their own conversation about the upcoming season, and I found myself caught between both discussions.

“I always forget how fast the offseason goes,” Nori said, taking a bite of the cake that had just been set in front of her.

“I know,” Abby added. “Pretty soon it’ll feel like I’m living out of a suitcase again.”

“At least we get to go to some fun cities,” Nori added.

“Do you go on the road with them all the time?” I asked.

“No, my business keeps me pretty busy, so I can’t.” Nori acknowledged with a small shrug.

“And I have the bakery, so my time on the road is limited, too,” Chloe said.

“I can travel more because I work remotely,” Ivy chimed in, “but sometimes it gets to be too much and I stay home.”

“How do you manage it?” I asked, genuinely curious. “Being apart so much, I mean.”

“We all live in Myrtle Beach, so it’s not so bad since half their games are at home,” Nori said. “And the rest of the time, we just deal with it.”

Ivy added, “Yeah, it kind of goes with the territory.”

"True, but I do hate when they're gone for those long West Coast trips," Abby chimed in. "Two weeks feels like forever."

“Spring training is the best though. I always make sure I don’t book a lot of commissions so I can go down as long as possible.” Nori’s eyes lit up. “It's so much more relaxed than the regular season. The pressure isn't as intense, and we get to spend weeks in St. Pete together. It's like a vacation.”

Ivy smiled and said, “We meet for breakfast at least once a week at this amazing hole-in-the-wall spot that serves the best food. You’re officially invited, Hope.”

“Oh, I don't know…” I trailed off, not sure how to answer her, but Sam had turned from his conversation with the guys.

“You should definitely come,” he said, his voice hopeful. “I'd love to have you there.”

“St. Pete is gorgeous in February and March,” Jimmy added.

Everyone started chiming in then, talking about their favorite beach bars. I smiled and nodded along, only half listening. The rest of my mind was somewhere else entirely.

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