Page 59 of The Nicest Thing
"Woo, let's go, Finn!" I yelled.
Beside me, Emmy chuckled."You know, he's just the coach, right?"
I shot her a look."And?I'm here to support."
"My brother has plenty of that.Believe me."
"What do you mean?"
Emmy just shrugged, moving her gaze back down to her paperback."Baby Shark Finn is well-loved.A little too well-loved, if you ask me.The single moms all want him."
"Oh?" I said through a suddenly tight throat.
"Don't worry.He'd never go there."
"I wasn't worried."
"Sure.Although…some of them are really pretty," she added."And ruthless."
Glancing at the seats nearest the dugout, I noticed more than a few women.Emmy was right.They were all exceptionally beautiful with their hair done, makeup on, dressed to impress.I looked down at my "In My Baseball Era" t-shirt which I'd paired with jeans and sky blue tennis shoes.I even drew those black lines under my eyes like I'd seen sports players do.I'd felt good, cute even, when I left the house this morning.But now?
I was a street urchin amongst goddesses.
Thank goodness, I'd remembered to leave my hair down.
"Seriously, Rose," Emmy said, interrupting my thoughts."Finn would never."
I forced a nonchalant shrug."I wouldn't care if he did."
"You wouldn't?"
There was something behind her words, but before I could figure out what, one of Finn's players got a base hit.I cheered with the rest of the crowd.Mostly composed of people who Iassumed were parents and friends of the little leaguers, it was a good game—if a bit intense.
When Finn's next batter took her stance, the fans booed.
"Well, that's just mean," I muttered.
"Luce," Emmy said.
"What?"
"It's her name, Lucy Lorenz.They're not being rude.That's their cheer for her.Luuuce."
I looked at the girl who couldn't have been more than 10 and watched her smile from the plate."She has her own cheer?That's so cool."
"She's a little beast," Emmy said, setting the book aside to watch."Talented and a tiny bit arrogant, I love her.Reminds me of Dex…and Bay."
"She definitely seems confident," I said—and a moment later, I found out why.
A hush overtook the crowd.The next sound I heard was Lucy's bat as it connected with the ball.One pitch, one mighty swing, that's all it took.The ball soared right over the fence, and the crowd went wild again.
I was with them a hundred percent.
So was Emmy.
"Told you" was all she said.
"What a swing," I exclaimed.
