Triple Play - Cassie Cole Page 0,6

entire expression changed as he reconsidered me. “The pitching coach? No way. I’m not falling for that prank again.”

He was on the verge of busting out laughing. This famous, millionaire baseball player was about to laugh in my face. And after the day I had had, I couldn’t take any more ridicule.

I grabbed my food and rushed from the room.

3

Rafael

The three of us watched Natalie hurry out of the hotel room. Darryl looked more confused than ever.

“The new pitching coach is a woman? That’s not a joke?”

“It’s the truth,” I admitted.

Darryl put down the pizza and snorted. “She only got hired because she’s a hot piece of ass. I wonder who she slept with to get here.”

I didn’t agree with his conclusion, but there was no denying that Natalie was hot. An hourglass frame, long legs, and an ass that looked like it could crack a walnut. A heart-shaped face with lips that held a delicious pout. Red hair that I found myself wanting to run my fingers through. She was very different than Coach Schultz.

“I don’t think she had to sleep her way up the chain,” Joel said. “Her daddy’s a scout. Must have connections.”

“Probably big connections to jump straight from high school ball to the majors,” I mused. “Putting aside her gender and young age, when was the last time you heard about someone doing that?”

Darryl bit into a slice of pizza. “Did she say you were tipping your pitches?”

“She did!” Joel answered for me. “Fucking called him out on it like it was broccoli in his teeth. I can’t believe you didn’t flip your shit, Rafa.”

I shrugged. “She’s new. Probably trying to make a splash after my bad outing. I didn’t take it personally.”

Darryl gestured with his pizza. “As if someone could spot that on their first day.”

“Like Good Will Hunting walking up to the chalkboard and solving the math equation,” Joel added.

Darryl blinked. “Good Will Hunting?”

“Yeah, you know. The movie. I know you’ve seen it.”

“I know the movie,” Darryl replied. “But what do you think the main character’s name is?”

Joel looked at me, then back to Darryl as if it was a trick question. “His name’s Good Will Hunting. He’s the title character.”

Darryl barked a laugh.

“His name’s Will Hunting,” I explained with a smile.

“So you thought that was his full name?” Darryl asked, still barely holding back his laughter. “First name Good. Middle name Will. Last name Hunting?”

“I guess… Yeah. I meant his name was Will Hunting. I knew his first name wasn’t Good.”

“Did you? Are you sure about that?” Darryl insisted.

Joel threw his pizza crust at him.

I smiled while they joked with each other. Eating pizza in a small hotel room while giving each other shit. It reminded me of the years the three of us had spent together in the minor leagues. Back when things were simpler.

“Man, I don’t know,” Joel said when we switched topics. “I know I’m good enough to be the fifth starter, but my numbers don’t show it yet. They’re going to choose Ramirez.”

“You need some fucking swagger on the mound,” Darryl insisted. “Intimidate the hitters.”

“I’m just saying I’m under a lot of pressure. You guys don’t understand.”

I scoffed. “I’m under a lot of pressure too.”

“Why?” Joel replied. “You were the fucking rookie of the year last season.”

“Exactly. Expectations are high. You know how many rookies of the year flame out? Most of them. I don’t want to just be a flash in the pan. Plus, with Minor getting Tommy John surgery I’m the ace. That’s a lot of pressure.”

Darryl shook his head. “You’ll be alright. All you do is throw the ball. Much easier than my job.”

Joel and I chuckled. “All you do is swing a stick,” I said.

“Yeah, but I swing it really fucking hard,” he replied with a sneer.

“This motherfucker right here,” Joel said with an annoyed gesture. “A batting average of three hundred means you’re only successful thirty percent of the time. Thirty percent! Name another job where you can fail seven times out of ten and call that a success.”

“Thirty percent is how often you’re successful at the bar,” Darryl shot back.

“Exactly!”

All three of us laughed.

“Speaking of the ladies,” Darryl said, “y’all haven’t found anyone?”

I shook my head. “None that we think is right. Just a bunch of thirsty groupies hanging around the stadium all day.”

“There was one girl I met, Daniella or something,” Joel replied. “But I got the feeling she’s looking to find herself a baseball husband.”

“I don’t want anything that serious,” Darryl