Page 20 of Double Play

No, it would have to be something he did on the field. But how could he plan ahead for an amazing fielding play? Some games he barely got a chance at the ball. Others, he was busy from the first inning to the last. And how many opportunities came along for a truly eye-popping move? It was in the hands of fate, or the baseball gods, or maybe the ghost of ErnieBanks.

Someone must have been smiling down on him, because on a muggy day in August, the first game back from the Catfish’s swing through the southwest, something happened that no one had ever seenbefore.

The entire game, Jim felt the magic build. It started when he saw Nina settle into the seat he’d reserved for her and blow him a kiss. It felt like a blessing winging through the air toward him. He pretended to catch it and press it to his heart. Then he stashed his glove under his upper arm and put his hands together in aheartsign.

When Dan Farrio gave him a look, he quickly put on his game face and hisglove.

But the knowledge that Nina was there at his invitation, watching him, awaiting something special—it fired him up. He felt power running through him, coming out his fingertips like sparklers. Something was going to happen, he just knew it. But he didn’t worry about it. Nope. Nina’s smiling presence made him too happy forworry.

The game against the RiverCats went smoothly for four innings. Then in the top of the fifth, the RiverCats loaded up the bases with no outs. The Catfish fans catcalled Dan Farrio, the right-hander who’d suddenly lost his stuff. Duke came out to give him a pep talk—which in Duke’s case consisted of a gruff “get it together oryou’reout.”

Then the RiverCats’ best slugger came up to bat. A fearsome two-hundred and forty-pound bear of a player, he hit hard but ran slow. Jim positioned himself inside the baselines. After a few mighty warm-up swings, the batter stepped into the box. Damn, the guy was intimidating, staring down Farrio like anassassin.

But his arrogance got the best of him. Surprising everyone, he actually swung at the first pitch. It ripped right back toward Farrio, who flung up his glove. The ball bounced off the tip of the glove and came sailingtowardJim.

Jim had already launched himself into the air to back up Farrio. In mid-air, he twisted around and stuck his right hand—the one without the glove—into the path of the ball. Shockingly, it slammed into his palm. He wrapped his hand around the ball and landed on the ground, flat out on his side. In the same movement, he twisted upright and whipped the ball to T.J. Gates at third base. The runner was frantically trying to get back on base, but Jim’s throw just beat him, by a whisker. T.J. in turn ripped the ball to second, where that runner was also caught offguard.

Three outs.A goddamn 6-5-4tripleplay.

The roar of the Catfish fans shook the stadium. Jim lay on the field for a moment, soaking it in and catching his breath. Then he came to his knees and stood up. The entire crowd was on its feet, stomping and yelling and shouting his name. Lie-Ber-Man. Lie-Ber-Man. Lie-Ber-Man.

In the chaos, it took a moment for him to locate Nina. When he spotted her bright splash of sunflower hair, moving up and down with her excited leaps, his heart nearly exploded with joy.Thank you,baseballgods.

The rest of the game—which the Catfish won—passed in a blur. All he wanted was to finish the game and find his way to Nina. Not even the “nice play” compliments and pats on the butt from his teammates distracted him. Finally, the game ended, he rushed through his shower, bolted out of the clubhouse and out the players’ exit. For once, a small knot of fans waited forhiminstead of Trevor or Dwight. He quickly signed their baseballs and programs, scanning the lotforNina.

Then finally he caught sight of her, waiting off to the side, her face radiant, her hands clasped under her chin. The fact that she was glowing with joyfor him, that he’d impressed her, that she was rooting for him…for a moment, amazement overcame him. He pushed his way through the crowd of players and family members and autograph seekers. He reached her and she opened her arms in a wide embrace and then they were pressed together, Nina’s sweet body nestled against his, her lips parting in a smile as she tilted herheadup.

Without thought, without worry, he touched his lipstohers.

And that was the most dazzling momentofall.

Her fresh taste instantly erased his entire slate of past history. No one else existed, or had ever existed, once he’d immersed himself in her kiss. The whole world felt new and wondrous, as if rain had washed everything else away and sunshine sparkled in every corner of the old Catfish parking lot. He drank her in, ran his hands down her back to the dainty curve of her hips, inhaled the heady fragrance of her lemon-mintshampoo.

Her heart raced against his. He felt its pitter-pat all the way through his body, even through all the layers of clothes between them. He wanted her naked, wanted her fresh skinagainsthis.

And that thought finally made him pull away. The Catfish parking lot was no place for naked fantasies about Nina Stark. He stared down at her, speechlesswithwant.

“Wow,” she whispered, running her tongue across the seam of her lips. “Thatwas—wow.”

He could have kissed her feet in that moment. “Did you seetheplay?”

“Of course I saw it! It’s on all the news channels too. Everyone’s talking about it!” She gave a little hop of excitement. “You sure know how to make a grand gesture, JimLieberman.”

“It was all for you.” He touched her cheek, because he just couldn’t keep his hands off her anymore. “Everything I did over the past week, it was allforyou.”

“I knew you could do it.” She was practically beaming. “I’m so proud of you. Did you see that big old RiverCat player? He was so mad, he slammed his bat into the dirt andbrokeit.”

“Did he?” Jim grinned. He’d missed that moment in all the chaos following The Play. “It’s got to suck hitting into atripleplay.”

She took his hand, setting every one of the nerve endings in his hand on fire. “Let’s celebrate! Are youhungry?”

“Starving. I skipped the food in the clubhouse because I was so anxious to see you. How about barbecue, with ice cream cones fordessert?”

Here came another of her adorable little hops of happiness. She stood on tiptoe and tilted her face for another kiss. He was just bending down to oblige when his phone beeped. She stepped back so he could answer it, though she kept hold ofhishand.

With the other hand, he dug his phone from his pocket. “Lieberman,” heanswered.

It was Duke, speaking so loudly Jim had to pull the phone away from his ear. “Damn it, boy, where’d you get off to? Looked in the clubhouse and you were gone. Get your ass back in here, I have something totellyou.”

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