Page 23 of Home Sweet Home

Josh shrugged. “I’m here.”

“All right,” West said, slapping a baseball into a gloved hand and looking out over his team.

The boys quieted immediately. She’d never seen a group of teenaged boys give more attention to anything else, except maybe a crush or a video game. Josh leaned against the dugout wall, arms hugged around himself like he couldn’t care less, but even his eyes were focused on West.

“I’m West, in case you didn’t know.”

Evie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the laughter that followed at West’s obvious joke.

“And this right here is Miss Evie Cauley, our assistant coach. What she says goes. I know her well enough to know you won’t be getting away with anything less.”

Dozens of pairs of eyes blinked at Evie, and all the attention made her face feel flushed.

“It might not seem like it, but I’ve sat on that same bench you all are sitting on right now. I sat there more often than I sat anywhere else. Even my own kitchen table, which sure pissed off my mom. I lived my whole life on that bench. Out there.”

West looked out toward the field, squinting in the sunlight even underneath his baseball cap. It was so quiet, Evie could hear the breeze as it rolled in, shaking the chain-link fence, rustling up the dirt, sending particles floating up before settling down back into the ground.

“I know some of you want to be here, and maybe some of you don’t.”

Oliver shifted on the bench, pulling down his shirt, which had ridden up.

“And I can’t promise you we’ll win any games. That’s up to you. But I do promise that I’ll do whatever I can to help each of you get better. Whatever it is that being out there means to you, I’m here to help you do that.”

Evie wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. Some rehashed motivational speech from whatever sports movie had just come out, maybe.

“Now.” West clapped his bare hand into his mitt. “Enough talking. Five laps.” No one moved, looking at him like he’d said it in Klingon. “I mean it. First game against Bend’s in three weeks, and we’re not going to win sitting on our asses. Five laps. Now.”

The boys shuffled out of the dugout one by one, starting slow laps around the edge of the field. Josh glared at Evie for a few seconds before peeling off his hoodie, throwing it on the bench, and joining them.

“I’ll refill this,” Evie said, grabbing the orange water cooler on the bench.

West grinned. “They’re gonna need it.”

* * *

By the timethe boys finished their laps, they were panting and sweaty, clutching their sides like the grip was the only thing keeping them upright.

“Time to practice throwing and catching,” West said.

“There’s more?” Oliver asked. He was doubled over, his palms flat above his knees, his chest rising and falling erratically as his lungs tried to draw in air.

“Lots,” West said with a wicked grin. “Pair up. Grab balls, and if you didn't bring a glove, grab one from Evie.”

As the boys picked partners, Evie had flashbacks of high school gym class. The older, stronger boys gravitated toward each other like metal and magnets. Josh stood on the outskirts, his hands tucked in his pockets, eyes darting around, but he didn’t move forward to ask someone to be his partner. After a minute, everyone had paired up. Everyone except Oliver, who stood a few feet away from Josh, still catching his breath from the jog. There was no one else left. Oliver adjusted his glasses and looked at Josh, who sighed and trudged over to Evie.

“Having fun?” Evie asked, handing him the gloves and ball.

Josh’s dark hair clung to his forehead, and he gave her a look that could have withered the healthiest plant before turning back to the field.

With the boys out on the field, Evie had nothing to do, so she rested on the dugout bench in the blissful shade, watching them practice. After a few minutes, Evie could tell they were dealing with a wide variety of skill levels and baselines.

“Good arm, Freddy,” West said. Every time Freddy threw the ball, it arced through the air and landed in his partner’s mitt with a loud thud.

“Thanks, Coach,” Freddy said with a gleam in his eye. “So… your girlfriend coming to any practices? Games? Anything?”

There was a pull in Evie’s stomach, like someone had dropped a fishing hook down her throat and tugged gently. It hadn’t occurred to her that West was dating anyone, and she tried to shake it off.Why should I care if he has a girlfriend?

West laughed. “Put all that energy into your aim, yeah?”

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