who grinned back at him, almost laughing like he knew that the whole point of this was not to win but to avoid the pies.
He also felt like Martin maybe understood the whole reason he was standing here.
It wasn’t because he wanted to participate in the festival, and he wasn’t even sure how much of it was because Race had asked him to.
His eyes caught on the dark head beside him. He was pretty sure the whole reason he was here was right there.
Weird. He couldn’t recall ever doing anything this crazy before, and definitely not for a girl.
Although, he knew plenty of guys who had done really crazy things for their women.
He’d never thought he would join those ranks.
His leg gave him a little twitch as they moseyed to the starting line. It was the first time today that he’d felt it, despite having taken a three-mile run when he woke up this morning.
He made a mental note to make sure he was doing the exercises his trainer had given him down to the letter. Training camp was just a week away, and he didn’t want to show up out of shape.
He was confident he wasn’t, spending several hours in the gym each evening.
Regardless, he definitely felt he was in good enough shape to be able to run down and get a Christmas tree and, seriously, at least not come in last in this small-town festival contest.
How hard could it be?
Chapter 14
This was going to be easy.
The upside-down gingerbread house had thrown her for a bit, but Dante had come up with a really great solution.
Obviously, as a pro ballplayer, there was a whole block of his life that she really knew nothing about, but she was pretty sure that he would almost have to have a competitive streak the proverbial mile wide.
He wouldn’t want to lose.
She didn’t either, but more because of the pie.
Regardless, she figured he was probably aiming slightly higher, and she would do her best to accommodate.
There were five stations, and everyone was starting out at a different station, even though there was room at each station for more than one team to participate.
As Mr. Albright drew names and assigned each couple to a station, Dante shifted beside her from foot to foot.
She assumed that meant he was nervous.
She had to admit, as Mr. Albright pulled their names and assigned them to the chimney first, her own stomach was flipping.
She didn’t think she could blame it all on the pies.
“Nervous?” Dante leaned over and asked as they walked to the line in front of the chimneys.
She nodded. “Is that terrible? I mean, it’s just a small-town festival.”
“I don’t think so. Just my opinion, but I’ve played in some pretty big ball games, in front of a lot of people, and this is definitely right up there in the nervousness department. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever been quite this worked up.”
She eyeballed him. The very most he was doing was shifting from one foot to another, and that only occasionally.
“You don’t really look nervous.”
His grin was self-effacing. “Normally, before a ball game, I don’t talk. At all. Just totally focus on my role in the game, the game plan, the opposing team, and what the coaches have said. You know, getting my head right. For some reason, I’m talking. I think that pretty much shows the extent of my nervousness.”
“I guess if you say so. I just know I feel like I’m going to throw up, and that’s telling me I’m nervous. Or that I have the stomach flu. It’s pretty much the same thing, isn’t it?”
He laughed. “Let’s not talk about the flu.”
“Yeah, that would be pretty bad. He didn’t say anything about stopping the time to have bathroom breaks.”
“If you desert me, I can’t guarantee that I’m going to stand up on that stage and become a pie target by myself.”
“I don’t think I can desert you. I have to live here. If you skip out, you never have to show your face in town again.”
He looked at her, almost like he was going to say something, like he was going to deny that. But she was right. He didn’t have to come back to town.
He was a big-name ballplayer, in town because of the friendship between his coach and her dad. She could almost guarantee he wouldn’t be back.
And maybe, when he left, she’d have lost a friend, but nothing more.
“Everyone, get ready. I’m gonna start the timer in five, four,