Page 75 of Pitcher Us
“It’s his life.” I shrug, trying to be nonchalant about it.
I can see why Adam thinks it’s odd behavior for Will. I thought that at the beginning of our date as well. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He told me in Seattle he was basically just surviving, but since this trade, I think he’s actually living…and I’m a part of that. That thought sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach and I can’t help but think about what it could be like for us if this does actually work out like we hope.
Once Adam and I get to the stadium where we’ll be taking our headshots and team pictures at, I barely make it in the front door before my phone rings. I don’t even have to look to see who it is.It’s the same person who’s already called me four times since my alarm went off.
“Ugh, go ahead without me, Adam. I have to take this.” Adam nods and when he walks off I plaster on a fake-ass smile because it forces my voice to not come off so snarky. “Hi, Shannon.”
“Callie, are you at the stadium yet?” Shannon snaps with her usual accusatory tone.
“I’m walking in now.” I check my watch. I’m here ten minutes earlier than the time written on my schedule.
“Oh,” Shannon mumbles. “Well, I’m running behind. Just stall the shoot until I get there.”
My fake smile tactic is really struggling right now. For years I’ve used it to hide my true emotions, but Shannon’s testing my patience.
“Why do I need to stall the shoot?” I know for a fact that her name is not on my list of headshots I need today, nor do I need her hovering. At this point I’m not even sure what she does during the day other than try to micromanage me.
“I think I should be there. I have the list of pictures we need.”
My eye has to be twitching right now.
I hear the front door open behind me and Olsson strolls in with a smile.
“As do I,” I reply with the least amount of sarcasm I can manage. “But I’m here now, I’ll let Olsson know you’ll be here when you can.”
It might be a little rude, but I hang up before she can retort. All she was going to do was argue with me. And despite what she thinks, she’s not my boss.
“Good morning, Callie. You ready for today?”
“Good morning,” I chime back to my actual boss. “I am. I have the full lineup printed out, so we should be able to knock pictures out pretty quickly.”
“Sounds great. I don’t know how we lucked out, but we’re the only team at this stadium today. A lot of teams decided to do this yesterday, I guess. But after headshots, I was thinking of engaging in some friendly competition with the players and having a scrimmage. Think you can stay and get some pictures of that too?”
Can I? I’ve mostly been taking pictures of them at the training facility or staged branding photos. I have been dying to get some game-time pictures, and I know an opportunity when I see one.
“Can I be slightly reckless and be out on the field?”
Olsson raises an eyebrow at my request. I’m sure he’s picturing every liability now. My camera getting hit. Me getting hit. Medical bills and scrambling for a new photographer.
“Here me out. Every game from here on out I’ll have to be in my own little space, or somewhere out in the crowd. But since this isn’t an actual game, I could move around and get some different angles.”
Olsson sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose while he thinks. “Okay, you’re right. Just, please, don’t hurt yourself.”
I just smile back to that because I make no promises. “Oh, and Shannon said she should be here soon,” I add.
“Here? She’s not supposed to be here today. She said she was working from the hotel.”
She what? Oh, that bitch. Then what was she calling me for?
Okay, deep breath. We’re drama free, right?
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she just wanted to get some fresh air or something.”
“Well, if she’s getting out I’ve got some errands she could run. I’ll give her a call and you can start with the players first.”
“Will do.”
I walk out to the field where some of the guys are crowded around. I scan for Will, but I don’t see him yet. I try not tolet worry take over my brain, but it’s hard. Seeing him brings me a little bit of peace when things feel like they could get overwhelming.
