Baseball Ch 02 The Hot Corner

1. All characters are 18+

2. No characters resemble real people

3. Enjoy the fiction

Baseball Ch. 02 - The Hot Corner

Most of the season schedule for Triple A baseball is set up with six games a week, Tuesday through Sunday, then Mondays off. After our win at home on Sunday, the team hopped on a bus for the first road trip of the year. This week, we'd be playing three games in Buffalo, then three more in Syracuse.

I'd leaned from bus trips in college that busses were a great place to sleep, normally. This bus was quiet and comfortable. But I was having trouble sleeping today. My mind was stuck on Casey from last night. What was that look she gave me? Was she jealous of Lola, the girl I had been getting cozy with? Maybe disgusted that I'd be kissing on a girl I'd just met?

The games of the road trip breezed by, for the most part. I didn't hit another home run, but I did get some hits and some RBI's. I played catcher in two of the six games. And in the one game I played first base, I wasn't amazing, but I didn't embarrass myself.

It was the off-hours that dragged. I kept myself busy or distracted so I didn't think so much about Casey. Ken, who was my roommate in the hotel, noticed my distraction. I ended up telling him that I had an awkward encounter with Casey, but didn't tell him all the details.

"I met her when I came up last year," he told me, "and she's certainly more than meets the eye. But you really don't want to mess with her."

"Because she's basically the adopted little sister of the team, or because she's the owner's daughter?"

"Both. And both are reasons to be extra careful." He reminded me, "You don't want to be the guy who makes her mad."

I nodded, knowing that was good advice. I didn't need the rest of the team kicking my ass, and I didn't need to get fired by Casey's father.

----

We got back into Allentown late Sunday night. I decided to spend time Monday morning at the stadium's weight room, working out. I figured most of the team would be taking the day off, so there would only be a few other people there.

When I entered the weight room, Casey was the only other person there. She looked extremely hot in a pink sports bra and matching tight shorts. She was facing away from me, riding a stationary bike, but she faced a wall- length mirror, so she saw me enter.

"Hey, Casey," I said, coming towards her.

"Oh. Hi. I didn't recognize you without that leech wrapped around your neck." Her response was rather cold.

"I'm sorry," I said, a little shocked. "I assume you mean the girl from last week."

"I know who she is," Casey told me, "she's one of those team-chasing sluts."

That was true, but it was annoying to hear it. "Wait a minute. Why do you suddenly care? You're not my girlfriend. You said yourself, you don't date ballplayers, remember?" She stopped pedalling, a little taken back by my tone. "Plus, you don't hear me complaining about you and that smarmy rich boy you were out with that night."

Her irritation faded quickly into embarrassment. "You... you saw that?"

"The guy you sat with at the game? Who held your hand?" I said. "The one you went to dinner with? Yeah I saw."

Casey sighed and got off the bike. "Fine. Fair point. For your information, the guy you saw me with is Landon. His father knows my father, and my father wants me to date him."

"Okay, so he's another rich kid."

"Yeah, but that's about all we have in common. He says he likes baseball, just to make me and my dad happy, but I can tell he just doesn't care."

I nodded. "Yeah I noticed him not watching the game the other day. Like, very much not watching."

"Oh my God, yes. He'll go to games and not look at the field at all. What a waste, right?"

"So why bother with him at all?"

Casey frowned. "My dad likes him. He keeps setting us up on dates, pushing us together. He's nice," she said, then after a slight pause, continued, "but I'm not entirely sold. Sometimes he acts interested in me, but sometimes it seems like he's more interested in my dad and his business."

"So, you're going out with him to make your father happy?"

She just shrugged. "He's about the only guy around the city my father approves of." She poked a finger in the center of my chest. "What about you and the bar tramp?"

"I was drinking. And honestly, sore about seeing you with that douchebag." I decided to go for it and be blunt. "I'll just say it. I like you. And I think you like me. Am I wrong?"

Casey looked around, blushing at my boldness. We were still alone in the room full of equipment. "Yes. But you know I can't date you."

A booming voice startled us both from the other end of the room. "Mills! Glad you're here, you saved me a phone call," said Chuck, standing in the doorway. "Come to my office, on the double." Then he left, back down the hallway.

Casey and I looked at each other silently. I think we were both wondering how long he'd been there, and how much he'd heard. "I'll be back," I told her. "Can we finish this conversation in a minute?"

She shook her head. "I've got class soon, I was just wrapping up here."

"Okay," I said. "See you... soon?"

"Tomorrow. I'll be at the game tomorrow night."

"In the box? Or first base side?"

"First base. Dad's out of town, so I'll be by the field all week." She grabbed her stuff and left. "We'll talk later."

I smiled. It made my week just that much better, knowing she'd be close by.

----

"Have a seat, Mills," Chuck offered as I entered his office. "I wanted to know how pleased I am at your ability to pick up a new position fairly quickly, these past two weeks."

"Thanks, skip. I'll do whatever the team needs," I said, then saw the look on his face. "Oh. Oh no."

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"Simons got traded?" I asked, thinking I just became a starting first baseman.

"No! No, he's staying," Chuck said, but I wasn't relieved yet. "I don't know if you noticed, but Damon wasn't doing well."

"I guess I didn't really notice." Damon Smith was the third baseman, and he wasn't a guy I had really been close to.

"Well, he's been sent back down to Double-A. Me and the other coaches think maybe we brought him here too soon." Chuck drummed his fingers on the desk.

"So you're gonna cover that spot with... one of the shortstops?"

"Yeah, primarily. But I'm hoping I can get you to cover that spot once in a while."

"But..." I protested, "Aren't you getting another third baseman from Double-A? In exchange for Damon?"

"No, they're sending us a guy who plays first base and right field. So, you won't have to worry about first base anymore. Silver lining?"

"Yeah, great," I muttered. "Chuck, I'm willing to help, but I'm here to catch."

"I know, son, I know. But I'm also trying to get you more appearances, more at-bats."

"I realize that, and I am grateful."

"Okay then, it's settled. Grab a trainer and start working out at third," he said, waving me a dismissal. "This Thursday, you start at the hot corner."

----

I had the trainers work with me on third base drills. Fielding liners and grounders wasn't all that different, it was just what I did with the balls afterwards. I had to practice throwing to second, and then the long throw to first. It's technically the same distance as when I'd throw from home to second, to catch a runner trying to steal second. But I usually did that while jumping up from a kneeling position. For some reason, it felt weird to do that throw standing, without the leap.

I sat out Tuesday night, played catcher Wednesday, and debuted at third on Thursday. I saw Casey sitting in her normal first base side seat all three games, but the third game she was with Lani, her friend from the bar when I'd first met Casey.

I hadn't been able to talk to her since Monday, and as far as I was concerned, we still had unfinished business. So I was happy when, as I stood on first base after being walked on my first at bat, Casey motioned and pointed in the direction of Eddie's. I nodded, indicating I'd meet her there after the game, inwardly thankful for another chance to talk.

But when I arrived, Casey was sitting there with Lani. Our private conversation would have to wait. I worried that Lani would be hostile to me, a repeat performance from the last time we met, but she actually smiled as I approached the table.

"So, Casey tells me you're not just a total fuckboy jock," she said, "Maybe you and I could get along after all."

Relieved, but still a little apprehensive, I replied, "I'll take it. Any praise from Casey is high praise indeed." Casey seemed to approve of my comment.

The three of us sat for about half an hour, chatting. I learned that Lani was not only a friend, but Casey's roommate. Casey could, of course, afford her own apartment, but Lani could not, and the girls liked rachel other's company anyway. The girls liked to tease me about my nervous, not quite smooth playing at third base. Lani asked if I'd be asked to pitch next. I shrugged and just said anything seemed possible lately.

Then the topic turned to men. "Thankfully, the rule about not dating players only applies to the princess here," said Lani, making Casey roll her eyes.

"So who are you dating then?" I asked.

"Dirk. We've been going out since last summer."

"Dirk Pence?" My mind recalled the locker room talks where he bragged about having multiple women dangling for him. "That Dirk?"

"Do you know any other Dirk?" Lani laughed.

"So why isn't he here now?"

"He's kind of a private guy," she told me. "He likes more private dates, just the two of us. He's a real romantic."

That didn't jive at all with the cocky asshole I knew. Either Dirk was all talk in the locker room with the guys, and genuine with Lani, or he was playing her. Based on his personality, I was betting on the latter. But could I tell that to the lovestruck Lani?

This time, as we left the bar, Casey gave me her phone number. "Now we can talk without awkward hand signals," she joked.

"What was awkward? I knew what you meant."

Lani called from down the street as she was walking away already. "Come on, Case, we have class in the morning."

"Text me," Casey ordered. "We need to figure this out," she said, gesturing between us.

"Agreed. I will definitely text you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Johnny."

"Sweet dreams, princess."

I swear she blushed just a bit as she turned to follow her roommate home.

----

Texting with Casey started slow that Friday, but only because she had classes in the morning, and I had workouts and drills in the afternoon. My first text to her was around 10 in the morning, a simple "Hi" with a smiley face. Her response was a smile with the tongue sticking out, around noon. It picked up from there, but it was just basic chat. I finally got the nerve to ask her what she was doing for lunch Saturday.

"Are you asking me on a date?" she replied.

"I know you're not allowed. Call it lunch with a friend?"

There was a long moment and I thought she'd shoot me down, but instead she sent, "I'd like to. But I don't know if we can just hang out alone. People might see and tell my dad."

I frowned. She wasn't even allowed to hang out with me? I was trying to think of what to respond, when she texted again, "Do you have your own place? We could have lunch there."

I couldn't help it, I pumped my fist, even with no one else around to see. I responded, "Yes. Absolutely, I'll make lunch. Noon?"

"Sounds good." Smiley face emoticon.

----

I didn't start on Friday, but I did get a pinch hitting appearance, where I walked. I was relieved, as my mind was mostly focused on seeing Casey tomorrow.

On Saturday, it had started to rain. And a rainy day in April is a perfect day for soup. I had cooked up some tomato soup and was grilling some ham and swiss sandwiches when Casey arrived right at noon. She laughed a bit at my choice of lunch, but agreed it was a nice, warming meal.

She asked, as we ate, what I planned to do after my playing days were over. "I guess coach somewhere," I said with a shrug. "My degree was in psychology, so I want to help people. But I love baseball, so I guess I want to help people do that."

She smiled. "That's a good dream."

"My ex didn't think so."

"Oh?" Casey said, now smirking. "Tell me about this ex."

"You sure you want that can of worms?" I asked, and she nodded. "Her name is Renee. She and I dated in college. She liked baseball okay, and she came to a bunch of my games, but she always thought it was just a hobby. She wanted me to pursue the psychology, become a psychiatrist and make lots of money. She didn't understand that I wanted to just play baseball."

"Sounds like some people I know," she said, "Like my dad, for one."

I nodded. "So when I got drafted, she didn't understand. We fought and broke up. She said I wasn't planning for the future, or something."

"Hmm. Maybe she wasn't aware of your intentions. Or maybe she was, and was kidding herself."

"That was my conclusion too. But I tried not to psychoanalyze her to her face." I sighed, shaking my head. "That's enough of that. What about you? Any crazy ex stories to share?"

She shook her head, looking downwards. "Not really."

"No exes? At all?"

She played with what was left of her soup. "I mean, I've dated, I've had boyfriends. But nothing serious. Does that make sense?"

"Sure. I mean, you've got plenty of time. You're still young."

She snorted. "I'm still young? You're only one year older than me. I think we're both still pretty young." She looked back into my face. "I'm glad you came here."

"Me too." Then there was a silent tension. "Casey?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I'm not supposed to do this..." I started, then I kissed her. And after a moment of surprise, she kissed me back. It was perfect. A small, honest kiss in my small apartment, sitting together at my small table, on a rainy day.

When we broke the kiss, I immediately said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, breathlessly, then grabbed me to kiss me again, more deeply this time.

Honestly, I could have kissed her all day. It felt right. We kissed for the better part of a minute, but it felt longer, until Casey's phone rang.

She looked at it, and her eyes got a little wide. She put her finger on her lips, giving me the international symbol to be quiet, and answered. "Hi Dad. No, I'm not at the apartment right now. Where am I? I'm out to lunch. With a friend. Not Lani, a different friend. Oh, you're back in town early? Great! Yes, we can definitely have dinner before the game. Bruno's at 5:30? Okay, see you there. Love you too, bye."

She hung up and looked at me. "Um, yeah. I should probably go. I'm sure you need to get to the stadium soon."

"We might get rained out."

"You need to go in anyway."

I sighed. "I know." I came to her and wrapped my arms around her. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for lunch," she replied. "I'm sorry, I just..."

"It's okay, I get it. It's your dad," I reassured her. "Can we figure something out? I'd still like to see you."

She nodded. "I'd like that too." Then she leaned her head up, and we kissed again, briefly. "See you tonight, weather permitting."

----

The game was delayed by the rain, over an hour, but we did end up playing it once the sky cleared up and the tarp came off the field. I got the start as catcher, which meant I would probably get Sunday afternoon off. And I did spot Casey in the box with her father. It made me miss my dad a little.

Sunday's game, I wasn't starting, but of course I had to be there anyway, in uniform, ready to play. I spotted Casey in the box again that day, with her father on one side, and Landon on the other. From what I could tell, she was trying to get Landon to wear a ball cap on the sunny day. He was pointing at his perfectly gelled coif, so I'm guessing he didn't want to mess up his hair. Casey eventually gave up on the argument.

Tragedy struck in the sixth inning when our third baseman twisted his ankle, trying to steal second. He made it safely, but was too hurt to stand. "Mills!" Chuck's voice boomed. "Go pinch run. And you're going in at third next inning."

"Got it, skip," I said, and jogged out to second while the trainers were helping off my wounded teammate. Once in the game, I was able to score from second on the next batter's hit to left field. I then completed the last three innings at third base; only two balls were hit in my direction, and I was able to field them cleanly and fire them to first base for the out.

We won, but the mood was slightly soured since we were down a man. Chuck reassured us all in the locker room he'd have a replacement up from Double-A by our next away game on Tuesday. That was a great relief for me, as I didn't want to suddenly become the primary starting third baseman.

After the game, I led a few guys to Eddie's. I liked it a lot better than that other bar we had been before. Most guys still went there, though, since that's where the girls were. I didn't feel any need to see Lola ever again.

I wanted to text Casey we'd be there, but I wasn't sure if it was safe. I knew she was with her father and/or Landon. If they saw me texting her, I could be getting her into trouble.

I ended up not needing to text her, since she texted me instead. "Where are you?"

"Eddie's. Care to join?"

"Not really. Leaving dinner. Your apartment in 10?"

I shot off a quick thumbs-up emoji. "I'm heading out, guys," I told my teammates. They gave me shit about leaving do early. "What, do you have to be tucked in by 9:00?" one teased.

Another one guessed much closer to the mark. "I saw you texting a second ago. Got a girl to meet up with?"

I quickly lied, "Old girlfriend wants to talk. See you later."

When I got to my apartment, Casey was waiting in her car in the parking lot. "What took you so long?"

"They saw me texting, and I had to think up a plausible lie," I told her. "What's up?" I asked, as I unlocked the door to my apartment.

She quickly followed me in and shut the door behind us, then pressed me against the wall with a steamy kiss. "I've been thinking about that all day," she explained.

"Wow," I remarked. "Um, wow. What brought that on?"

"I was arguing with Landon earlier, and then later he went to kiss me, and it made me realize how much I really don't want to date him. Then I watched you playing, and I just... I liked watching you. You play like you really love the game. You always do, you like the game as much as me. You're the one I wanted to kiss, not him. Does that make sense? Please tell me you feel the same."

I waited for her word vomit to quit before responding. "It makes total sense. And I've never met a girl who loves baseball as much as you do. Especially one who looks like you. You're amazing, Casey."

She kissed me again, hard, and we let ourselves melt into each other. When we paused again, I asked hopefully, "So, no more Landon?"

Casey huffed. "I wish it was that simple. My dad still wants me to date him. And if I'm suddenly done with him, Dad will look for someone else for me that he approves of." She frowned. "I don't know how to handle that yet."

"We don't have to tell him anything yet," I offered, "we can figure out something together."

"So, what are we doing? Are you, like, my secret boyfriend?" Casey said with a playful smile.

"Only if you're my secret girlfriend. Remember, I can't tell the team about this either. If word gets back to your father, I'm toast." I held her in my arms. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, but it's better than nothing, right?"

"Yeah," she said, snuggling into my chest. "Which brings me to my other topic."

"What other topic?"

"Your road trip this week. You're going to Scranton."

I thought for a minute. "Um, yes. What about it?"

"I've heard rumors about the girls there," Casey warned me. "Now that you're my secret boyfriend, I don't want you hanging out with those sluts."