Page 22 of Love Rewritten

The game is tied.

Both teams huddle once the top of the inning ends. They send Dante back out to the mound. Dallas prepares behind home base. Dante shakes his head a few times before okaying one of Dallas’s signals. He throws two fastballs and then a changeup. First batter out. The second batter makes contact and hits one to right field, but Oxly misses the catch, and the other team stays at first. The third batter hits, leaving one on first and second. The fourth batter hits one far into left field. It hits the ground before Oxly picks it up. The other team rounds third, heading for home. Logan catches the throw just before someone lands on third and throws it quickly to home base. It’s too close to tell if the opposing team made it before Dallas catches the final throw. Everyone waits, breaths held firm before the ump calls it safe.

That’s the game. Oxly loses by one.

Almost on command, a crack of thunder rips through the sky, and the clouds open, sending everyone scattering for shelter.

The other team jumps into a huddle to dump their remaining water jug onto their coach.

Oxly gathers in their dugout for a final few words before disappearing into the building again. I shelter myself in the small, covered entrance of the building and check the radar. It won't be long before this passes. I might as well wait it out, at least the worst of it.

Players file out of the building slowly. Dallas and Logan eventually exit, too.

“Good game,” I say when Dallas stops next to me. Logan runs through the rain for the bus.

“Thanks. It was a good challenge. They have a better batting average than we do.”

“You’ll get them at the next one.”

“Let’s hope, otherwise we won’t be going anywhere after that.”

“Well, I believe in you.”

He smiles and places a kiss on my forehead. “You going to be okay riding in this?” He looks out at the rain now coming down in slanted sheets.

I shrug. “I’ll wait until it dies down. The radar says the worst of it should be done soon. A little rain never hurt anyone.”

He looks down at what I’m wearing, my usual skinny jeans and black shirt. A sweatshirt is tied around my waist. Then he looks to his chest, his white shirt. “If only that shirt were white, we could have a wet T-shirt contest when we get home, " he smirks.

I poke him in the stomach, and he flinches away with a laugh. “Who says you’d win? Because I guarantee you'd still choose me if the decision were up to you.”

“Oh, I don’t care who actually wins. It’d be a win-win for me either way.” And then his eyes run the length of my body. Heat pools at my core at the thought of us standing in the rain, drenched. And part of me wants to do just that. I fight the urge to pull him backward with me into the rain. I’ve never made out with someone in the rain before. I think that’s on a lot of people's bucket lists. I know it’s on mine.

I peek toward the bus where his teammates' faces are glued to the windows in anticipation of what might happen. “Okay, hot shot. Put your dick away before you have to ride home with your bag on your lap.”

“Too late,” he says before leaning down to kiss me. Whistles and chants sound from the open windows on the bus. Dallas smiles into the kiss, prolonging it before pulling away. “Ride safe,” he says, eyeing me seriously.

“I will.”

His teammates' heads stick out the windows, watching the display. He jogs through the rain and hops on the bus. They dip their heads back in when the doors close and the bus pulls away moments later.

When I get back, drenched from the rain that didn’t let up like it was supposed to, Dallas meets me at the front door. He had to have been waiting for me. He opens the door for me quickly when I approach. He takes my helmet from me and kisses me all in one motion. “You want to go for an afternoon snack?”

I’m still getting used to all the “normal” kisses. The ones from the hellos and goodbyes. The “just because I can” ones. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that so casually. Sam and I stopped at some point. I don’t remember when, but that piece of the relationship died off. With Dallas, it’s easy, natural.

I look down at my dripping clothes and the braids hanging over each shoulder. “Do I have time to shower first?”

“If I had to guess, I’d think you already took one.”

I laugh but head up the stairs in front of him. “Where are we going?”

“I figured we could go see Rose at work. I haven’t seen her since we met up at Mom’s office, and I think she could use some company. She texted me saying it’s been dead all afternoon from the storm and she’s bored.”

“I could go for a smoothie.”

After a quick shower and throwing on some dry clothes, we head back out.

The shop is cute. It’s decorated to the high heavens in pastels. A large, pink neon sign that reads “Beans and Berries” hangs on the left wall over an array of fake vines. The opposite wall is lined with small booths of varying colors. Small two-seater tables sit scattered around the open floor. Not a single person dwells in the café.

---