Page 50 of The Strike Zone

“He’s center field. If you want a fair comparison you need to go with Robson Barry.”

I rolled my eyes.

I liked Robson. He usually started a couple of times a week when Riley Rivers was pitching instead of Ace, but I didn’t want to be compared to another catcher.

It was too easy.

I wanted to know the goddamn hill sprints I’d busted my guts for were at the same level as the fielders.

“What about Reeves, doc. Am I fitter than Reeves? He’s heading toward old man territory now, right?” I chuckled, wiping another cascade of sweat from my face. “Must be nearly forty.”

“He’s thirty-four and does he know you call him an old man?”

I shook my head. “Of course not, I don’t have a death wish.”

She chuckled in response, her head flicking up to one of the guys on her team as he walked into the lab. “Marnie, Scout Davison is here for you with a couple of guys. Can I let them in?”

Even through the haze of sweat and lack of oxygen, my ears immediately pricked.

Scout washere.

If my heart wasn’t still pounding from the treadmill, it would be pounding from that news. I hadn’t seen her for a couple of days, except from far across the field during the home games we’d played.

I’d been toying with the idea of going up to the fifth floor to see her but hadn’t decided if that was too much, especially because I couldn’t come up with a decent excuse as to why I’d be up there.

Which reminded me, I needed to get her number somehow.

But this…this was perfect.

Nothing forced about her doing her job while I was doing mine.

I jumped up from the seat and stood in front of the mirror. I might have been on the verge of collapsing only minutes ago, but I also lookedgood.

My muscles were popping, my skin was still wet with sweat and these shorts made my ass look super peachy. It was all on display for Scout to get her fill. I eased the waistband down an inch so it sat on the divots girls went wild for.

I couldn’t have planned it any better.

“Scout? What for?” Marnie’s eyes flicked over to me and frowned, then back at the guy by the door.

“Something for the website. She said you’d okayed it last week.”

“Dammit.” Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand to her head, turning back to her screen. “I forgot. Crap. Can you ask them to come back in thirty, can they wait until then? Parker’s done?—”

“No!” I shouted as I was forced out of another one of my fantasies where Scout fell in love with me. And if the expression on Marnie’s face was anything to go by, too loudly. My head snapped to her colleague. “Tell them they can come now, I’ll do it. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.” I turned back to Marnie. “If that’s okay, doc?”

“No, Parker. Boomer can do it, he’ll be rested. We’re doing the VO2 max test.”

I was too busy buzzing with the renewed energy of Scout being outside to panic about what I was volunteering for. “Please, doc. Just go with it. I’ll do it, get me on the treadmill again.”

Her entire face screwed in confusion. “Why?”

“Just ’cause,” I pleaded, throwing in my best puppy dog eyes. The ones I knew the girls liked. “Please, doc?”

She shrugged and puffed out an exasperated sigh and nodded to the guy. “Okay, tell them they can come in.” As soon as he left, she turned to me with narrowed eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I tried to keep my tone as casual as possible. “Just want to help out, is all.”

Suddenly her brows shot up. I could almost see the lightbulb hanging above her head, shining bright.

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