Page 14 of The Perfect Game

Where did Serena live? The thought caused me to pause. I really shouldn’t worry about her. A girl like her would never go for a guy who struggled to put two sentences together around her.

Then again, I’d surprised myself by keeping the stuttering to a minimum when we were sitting on the bench. I even felt somewhat cool when I entered my number into her phone. And she’d smiled like she couldn’t believe I’d done that.

Man, I liked her smile.

Giving out my number was something I’d never had the guts to do before with other girls, but some unknown courage helped. Maybe it was the thought of what Jake or Dax would do that helped me not panic. If only I were as smooth as they were instead of tall and awkward.

With a full summer of baseball ahead of me, I was better off forgetting about her. That would make going into senior year a whole lot easier. But there were some challenges I still couldn’t back down from, and asking Serena out was now one of them.

Eight

Ben

I spent Monday morning at baseball practice and then helping my mom with her flower gardens. She spent so much time out there day after day that I liked to tease her that they were her favorite child. She didn’t love that, but she’d learned I was usually kidding when I said it.

Daniel and I had built a sandcastle that sunk on one side in our play area around back. At least it was under a large weeping willow, giving my body time to acclimate after being out in the heat all morning.

“Where are you going with the bucket?” I asked Daniel as his little legs ran through the crabgrass toward the house. He put it beneath the outside faucet and turned the wheel, sending water crashing into the bucket and then all around. By the time he got it turned off, his shirt and shorts were soaked, as were his socks. It didn’t seem to faze him as he beamed, picking up the bucket and lugging it with uneven steps over to the sand pile.

“We need a river,” he said, turning the bucket over. Instead of landing in the hole we’d called a moat, it splashed over the castle, making it look like the sand was melting away.

I laughed loudly as I watched his face go from excited to confused as he knelt by the smooth mounds of sand.

“I killed it.”

“You definitely did that, Daniel. Can we play later? I have to go to work and then Nate’s.”

“Can I come?” he asked, his hands clasped together as he stared into my eyes. It was always hard to turn him down when he did that.

Breathing out a sigh, I said, “If Mom says it’s all right, I’ll come back and pick you up.”

He hopped up and down, practically bouncing around the yard. I’d taken Daniel with me to hang out with the guys a few times, and it was usually pretty fun. Daniel’s infectious personality made it hard not to love him.

I walked inside to grab a different hat than the one I wore to games, and threw on my work polo and some cargo pants.

“I can’t go.” Daniel stood at the door to my bedroom with tears in his eyes.

With my phone and wallet in hand, I turned and squatted down, making it easier to be eye level with him. “Mom said no, huh?”

He nodded. “She said she’s taking me to the store. I got holes in my shoes and need new ones.”

I ruffled his hair and pulled him to me, giving him a big hug.

When he stepped back, I said, “What if we have a movie night or something tomorrow? I don’t have work or practice, and we can ask Mom if we can make popcorn. Maybe she’ll let you get some treats when you’re shopping.”

He danced from foot to foot, his eyes bright with the idea of a movie night. “Can I pick the movie?”

I stood, feeling the numbness in my legs from squatting for so long. “Of course.” It would be the same movie he’d watched every chance he could for the past month, but I’d survive one more viewing of it. I practically had the thing memorized.

Stepping past him, I walked over to the stairs. “Be good for Mom, okay?”

I saw him nod before I turned and sped down the stairs. “Mom, I’m heading to work and then Nate’s,” I called.

She stepped out of the laundry room on the other side of the kitchen. “Okay, just remember not to stay out too late. You have a dentist appointment in the morning.”

“I know, Mom,” I said, trying to keep my tone even. She was just trying to watch out for me, but I was usually on top of my schedule. It made me wonder how she’d react if I weren’t so responsible.

I drove to the clinic, glad I had an earlier shift than usual. That meant I wouldn’t have to stay and wipe everything down after everyone left. To be honest, work wasn’t the first thing I wanted to do now that it was summer, but it was worth it to get some experience and a little money.

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