Page 4 of Double Play

“Who was the other player?” she asked Nina while shesigned.

“That’s DwightConner.”

The nurse, an older woman, gave a sigh. “Dwight Conner isthehottest player. The nicest too. He comes here almost every week. The children justlovehim.”

Dwight Conner. Maggie’s brain rattled through his stats. Six feet, two hundred and four pounds of perfectly honed male physique. His batting average was .294, on base percentage a healthy .365. Of course, her data didn’t mention his power and vitality, or his singing voiceeither.

“Everyone loves DC,” Nina agreed. “He’s probably the most popular player. Crush says he’s a future star, that he has that mystique. This entire town will go into mourning when he getscalledup.”

“Hm.” Maggie kept her focus on the clipboard. According to her model, although Dwight Conner had huge potential, he would initially have big troubles in the Major League. Minor League stats didn’t always tell the whole story, which was why she included psychographic data in her model. Dwight scored low in her program, meaning he would struggle to adjust. Luckily, so far the Friars hadn’t requested data on any of the current Catfishplayers.

She handed the clipboard back to the nurse. “Thankssomuch.”

“I hope we won’t be seeing you. You take care.” She patted Maggie on the shoulder andhurriedaway.

“Well, that’s done. Thanks for bringing me, Nina. I had no idea how far things would be in Texas. I’m used to walking everywhere or takingtheT.”

“Oh hey, no worries, what are roomies for?” Nina slung a friendly arm over her shoulder as they turned toward the exit. She wore a peach sundress and gladiator sandals and looked like some kind of ice cream dessert. Maggie really needed to go shopping. Her computer nerd t-shirt-and-corduroys wardrobe worked for Cambridge and MIT, but not for Texas in the summer. “Want to go grab a burger? My treat. It’s a ‘Welcome to Kilby’ kind ofthing.”

Maggie didn’t want to mention that she didn’t eat muchmeat. “Um—”

“You know there’s only one way to welcome someone to Kilby.” A vibrant voice resonated from halfway down the hallway. They both spunaround.

Dwight Conner and Jim Lieberman were walking toward them, and it was pretty much the most hilarious thing Maggie had ever seen. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the way their ballplayer physiques strained the seams of those princessgowns.

“It’s gotta be barbecue, and it’s gotta be with a couple of Catfish players.” Dwight’s smile blazed so brightly, Maggie felt it all the way in her gut. “Hi there. I’m Dwight Conner.” He shook her hand. She felt that too, down to the soles ofherfeet.

“I’m Maggie Blythe,” she said, ending the handshake before it got her too rattled. “I’m a big fan ofyouboth.”

“Yeah? Been watching our games? Haven’t seen you at the stadium,”Dwightsaid.

“No, I meanFrozen. Greatmovie.”

He threw his head back in a laugh that sent his thick blond braid swinging past his broad shoulders. “I wanted to doMoana, but Bieberman refused to wear a grassskirt.”

Jim Lieberman shook himself out of the trance the sight of Nina had apparently inspired. “I didn’t want to scare the kids with myhairylegs.”

With a mischievous look, Nina lifted the hem of his dress to reveal boots and lots of hair on hismuscularlegs.

Lieberman blushed to the roots of his hair. “I told you I was hairy, but they say it’s a sign of virility—not that I’m saying that—ordenyingit—”

Dwight stepped in with a calming hand on the shortstop’s shoulder. “What my manwantsto say is that we hope you’ll join us for some barbecue after we’re done entertaining thekidshere.”

“Yes.” Lieberman nodded emphatically, then adjusted the wig that kept sliding off. “That’s exactly what I wanted to say. It would be our honor to welcome Maggie toKilby.”

“Just Maggie?” Nina askedteasingly.

“No! You especially. I mean, both of you.Equally.”

Maggie bit her lip to keep from laughing at poor Jim Lieberman’s confusion. Obviously he liked Nina just as much as she liked him. She stole a glance at Dwight, shocked to find that he was looking right at her. His expression was somewhere between curious and friendly. He had such a sparkle in his eye. Something lit up inside her, a spark of excitement, a kind of hiddenthrill.

“Well, Ms. Maggie Blythe?” he asked her. “Will you and Nina join us?” He tilted his head toward the other pair, just enough for her to get the hint. He was trying to get the two of them together. She was definitely in favorofthat.

“Sure, but I don’t usuallyeatmeat.”

They all stared at her for a shockedmoment.

“This is Texas,” Ninapointedout.

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