Page 165 of Force Play
“I think the game is going to start soon, Casanova.”
“Yeah,” I rasp. “I think so.”
Lucia smiles at me before spinning on her heel and walking out of the dugout to join the team and training staff before everyone files back in.
I can’t explain how I feel around her because I’ve never experienced anything like this.
And now, seeing her in my damn jersey, that feeling has intensified.
Fuck.
The sun breaks through the clouds as Su-Jin Choi takes his place on the mound at the top of the first.
The rain delay set the game back about an hour, but at least we’re out here playing now.
The Denver Wildcats’ left fielder bats first, hitting a popout straight to Lane in center field. Their catcher bats next, grounding the ball just out of Josh’s reach, and he safely reaches first base.
I pay him no mind as their designated hitter takes to the plate. Choi throws a fastball down the center, and he connects on it immediately. Unfortunately for him, he batted it right at Cole, who snatches it out of the air before gunning the ball to me. I catch it and tag the base before the catcher makes it back, giving us the double play and ending the top of the inning.
“Good catch!” Josh shouts as we jog over to the dugout.
“Because Pierce has a fucking cannon for an arm,” I laugh, climbing down the stairs and grabbing a bat. I’ve been our leadoff batter since I signed with the Stars, so I’m batting first.
For as long as I’ve been in the MLB, I’ve used a Korean song—usually some upbeat K-pop song—for my walkup, switching out the song and artist a few times a season.
This season just started, but it already felt like it was time for a change.
When the music starts and my new song plays, I walk over to the batter’s box with some pep in my step. I glance back over at the dugout when I’m getting in position. My friends are laughing and smiling, the rest of the team is curious, and Lucia is dumbfounded.
Exactly what I expected.
The Wildcats pitcher starts with a curveball that lands outside the strike zone. His next pitch is a slider, and it also lands outside. With two balls and no strikes, he rears his arm back for the pitch, this time throwing a fastball straight down the center.
I connect on it easily and send the ball soaring over the wall in center field.
Home run.
The crowd cheers crazily as I jog around the bases, smiling the whole way before I head back over to the dugout while Josh moves into the batter’s box.
The team high-fives me as I walk back in, and I see Lucia standing at the back of the dugout, eyes still wide in disbelief.
“Penny for your thoughts, Spitfire?” I ask, sidling up beside her.
“You usedBailando.”
I smile at her. “Thought it was time for something completely different.”
She raises her eyebrow at me. “So you chosemyfavorite song?”
I shrug. “The song’s a lot of fun. Seems like the perfect walkup song to me.”
“You surprise me more and more every day.” Lucia radiates happiness right now, even though this wasn’t some large gesture.
It’s just a song.
Just a song that I happened to have learned all of the words to.
I don’t know what theymean,but I know them at least.
