Page 50 of Spotlight
“I’m not dating right now.”
Gigi makes a noise that I’m pretty sure is a disbelieving huff.
We start to walk down the aisle to leave, but something makes me turn back.
I lean over the railing to call at him, “Flynn!”
He stops and glances back over his shoulder.
“You pitched a great game today.”
His lips curve up as he flashes me that charming smile that I feel everywhere. “What was that?”
“I said, you?—”
I stop when he starts chuckling. He totally heard me and just wanted me to yell it again. I shake my head at him, and he winks at me just like he had Greer before he turns away.
11
FLYNN
A week into our spring training games and they’re all starting to blur together.
While I warm up, my gaze drifts to the seats beyond first base. The ones where Olivia and her family sat last weekend. She hasn’t been back, but every game I keep checking just in case.
I fire another pitch. It’s feeling good today. I’m locked in and ready to have a better showing than Tuesday, where I had a setback with inconsistent throws. Some days I can’t seem to find that rhythm no matter how hard I try, and other days it comes so easily. Our pitching coach, Wayne, says to give it time, but time feels like the one thing I don’t have. I only get into a game twice a week and the rest of the time I’m sitting on the bench impatiently waiting for my next turn. I know how important it is to get it right when opportunities show up and today feels like one of those moments.
JT stands with the ball in one hand. He lifts his face mask. “Be right back. I think I got something in my left eye. I can’t see for shit.”
I nod and he takes off toward the dugout. I’m in my head, trying to lock in this feeling right now. Turning it over in my mind, memorizing it. What did I eat for breakfast? Which shoe did I lace up first? Without thinking, I glance back to the crowd trickling into their seats and my heart stops.
Olivia.
Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and she wears the same Arizona Mavericks’ hat she had on last time. Is she trying to torture me by wearing my brothers’ team swag?
My pulse races as I watch her take her seat. She’s looking at Greer next to her, but I stare long enough she finally looks up at me. My mouth curves into a smile and I lift a hand in a wave. She turns around like she thinks I’m waving to someone else.
I laugh to myself. This girl.
“How’s the arm feeling today?”
The question startles me, and I turn my attention to Earl, the facilities’ guy, as he approaches me.
I look at him, then back to Olivia, who no longer is staring my way.
“Really good,” I say, giving him my attention.
I like the guy. Every time I see him, he has a kind word and a smile for me.
“That’s what I like to hear. My wife’s coming today, and I promised her a good game.”
“That makes two of us hoping to impress a woman.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
“Ah, I see.” His smile grows. “In that case, I like our odds. Men tend to do their best work when they’re motivated by a woman.”
