Page 60 of Wild Pitch
To his credit, Luc maintained eye contact, asked relevant questions, and genuinely seemed interested in the field of epidemiology.
“For now, I have an entry-level disease assignment. Mostly pushing paper. But after six months, I’ll have an option to prove myself.”
“You’ll do it.”
I heard the pride in his voice and wondered how he could be proud of me with my job when his ex-wife was one of the most famous women in the country.
“Ky?”
“Yeah?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Umm—I am comparing myself to your ex-wife.”
“Stop.”
His eyes bore into me. There was no question, just a command. I shook off the thoughts about Skylar, taking a deep breath, and refocused on our conversation.
“Where do you see your career in five years?”
This was something I had thought about non-stop since I moved back from Washington. I had turned down a couple of jobs on the West Coast that might have offered quicker growth, but those opportunities meant nothing because they were so far from my family.
“I hope to be promoted and maybe eventually lead the team. I’m where I want to be but at the lowest rung of the ladder. What about you?”
“I had planned to play baseball, not coach it. But I shattered my elbow in a career-ending injury my rookie year. When I switched to coaching, Sky had hoped it would be a passing phase. What she missed is that coaching means more to me than playing ever did. I don’t do it because I’m trying to hold onto what I missed. I do it because it is part of who I am.”
“I tore my ACL playing soccer my senior year. I might be able to play pickup in a beer league, but my competitive days are behind me.”
Luc studied me. “Huh. I should have asked you more about your injury. It seems we have more in common than I thought.”
“Kelsey, Kendra, and I were all fortunate to have enough athletic skills to earn college scholarships. Kelsey ran, I played soccer, and Kenny played lacrosse. Kelsey’s degree got upended by Crew, but she has a plan to finish.”
I silently hoped that Kelsey’s relationship with Sam didn’t derail what she had planned for her future. But more than that, I hoped that if her plans did change, that they matched what she wanted from life.
“It’s the most heartbreaking part of professional sports. Every time I see an athlete leaving the field injured, I know what’s running through their heads.”
“Is this the end?” Luc asked rhetorically, and I could see the emotion in his eyes.
“I didn’t have a pro career waiting for me, but soccer was my heart and soul until it wasn’t. It took a long time for me to find something else that fulfilled me. Studying for my degree helped, but it was hard to replace the adrenaline rush I got on the field.”
“What do you do to stay in shape now?”
“I run and lift. What about you?”
“I take advantage of the team training rooms for weight training and run.”
We ate our dinner and continued to make small talk. As his hand found my knee under the table, I lost track of what I was saying. His eyes crinkled in amusement as his fingers danced along my inner thigh.
“What do you think, Kylie? You think I can make you come right here and now?”
My eyes darted around the restaurant; there were only two other tables of customers, and the staff was distracted. My knees parted on reflex, and I laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“I have absolutely no control over my body when I’m with you.”
“That’s because I do.”
