Behind the Plate (The Boys of Baseball #2) - J. Sterling Page 0,76
could walk here too.
I got to the game a little early, and I made my way to the ticket booth, where I showed my student ID and picked up a free ticket.
“Danika?”
My name being called made me spin around.
“Hi, Mrs. Carter,” I said with a smile as she pulled me into a hug. I didn’t know why I hadn’t even considered the fact that she would be here, too, but it hadn’t even crossed my mind.
“Please call me Cassie. Mrs. Carter is so weird,” she insisted.
I looked around her for Jacey but didn’t see her anywhere. “Are you here alone? Where’s Jacey?”
“She didn’t want to come. Said she’s tired of watching baseball all the time. Can’t say I blame her really. I’d be tired of it, too, if I didn’t love it so much,” she added with a proud smile. “Plus, seeing Jack in uniform is something I’ll never get tired of.”
I chuckled, loving that she still loved her husband that much. “I never thought about that. Jacey, I mean. Did she grow up, going to a lot of games?”
Cassie full-on laughed. “Her life revolved around the ball field. Sit with me, so I’m not alone? I have an extra ticket.” She flashed two tickets in front of my face.
“Are you sure? Will Chance mind?”
Her face narrowed, her green eyes reminding me so much of her son’s. “Why on earth would Chance mind?”
“I don’t know. I just”—I paused for a second—“didn’t tell him I was coming to the game today.”
“So? He won’t care.” She waved off my concerns and looped her arm through mine.
I walked in step with her down, down, down and stopped right behind home plate.
“These are your seats?” I had to force the words out.
“Yep. Right behind home plate, so I can watch Chance catch and see my hot husband.”
“We’re so close,” I said, feeling super uncomfortable as I glanced to my left and noticed the clear view into the dugout. “We can see right in there,” I practically stuttered.
“You’ll get used to it.” She tried to comfort me. “Here, I’ll sit in the seat closest to the dugout, so you aren’t in full view, okay?”
“Thank you,” I breathed out with relief.
Sure, I’d only moved one seat over, but it was one seat farther away from the team, and I could shield myself with Cassie’s body if I needed to.
I could feel her eyes on me, studying me before I turned to look at her.
“I forgot how nerve-racking it can be,” she said, sounding almost sympathetic.
“Being here, you mean?”
She nodded. “Yes, being here. I used to get nervous, watching Jack play.”
“I can’t imagine you ever being nervous about anything,” I said because Cassie handled herself with such confidence that it radiated throughout her very being.
“The girls were pretty mean back then.”
“It’s funny how little we change. As females, I mean. When it comes to other females,” I said, but I wasn’t sure that I’d made any sense.
“Our competitive nature against each other runs deep. Are they mean to you for dating my son?”
“Well”—I laughed—“we’re not dating, so I don’t know.”
“That’s right. You have a boyfriend.” She closed her mouth and stared out at the field, where the other team was taking infield.
“Not anymore,” I said.
She faced me with a giant smile. “Does Chance know that?”
“Not yet.”
“Oh, this is going to be fun.” She clapped her hands together right as her husband stepped onto the field, and I swore I heard her gasp. “That is one fine specimen of a man,” she said as Jack walked up to the fence separating the field from the stands.
“Hey, beautiful. Can I take you out after the game?” he said, looking directly at Cassie.
“Depends,” she said in response.
He grinned, looking confident and cocky, and I wondered if this was how he had been when he was Chance’s age.
“On what?”
“Will you be wearing that?”
His smile grew lopsided as he asked, “Do you want me to wear this?”
“Definitely.” Her head nodded.
Their flirting was adorable—and a little uncomfortable to be in the middle of.
“Then, I wouldn’t change for the world,” he said. “So, is that a yes?”
“Hell yes.”
“Good. Hey, Danika.” He waved before walking away.
“Hi,” I mumbled under my breath.
Cassie giggled. “Sorry about that. I can’t help myself sometimes.”
Watching Jack and Cassie together made me realize that true love really could exist. It was easy to forget sometimes, especially when real life crept in and smacked you to your knees. What they had was special and rare, but it was possible. And I wanted