Page 46 of Spotlight
“He didn’t let a single batter on base,” she says like duh, weren’t you watching?
“Really?” I glance back to the field as Flynn is getting to the dugout. A few players tip their head to him as he makes his way to the bench.
My sister’s only response is to laugh at my surprise, and possibly my inability to look away from Flynn.
The innings pass with more of the same. While the Mustangs are up to bat, I’m willing them to hurry up so Flynn will run back out onto the field. And when he’s out there, I can’t look away.
Gigi and Ruby are talking about some book tour Ruby’s publisher wants to send her on; meanwhile, Greer is playing happily with her stuffed pink rabbit. She chatters quietly. I only hear enough to know she’s explaining to Bunny about the game and using words she must have picked up from Grandpa or the announcers. “Wooowee, that was a beautiful slider,” she says as Flynn throws another pitch.
I bite back a smile and turn my attention to the man on the mound. JT tosses the ball back to him. Flynn catches it in his glove and then grabs it with his right hand. His fingers move over it as he gets back into position.
He takes his time, adjusting his hat and wiping his brow, even looking out at the crowd for a beat before he gets into the familiar pitcher stance.
Anticipation thrums under my skin as I watch him.
Flynn stares down the batter. His hair curls up around the back of his blue hat, broad shoulders and muscular arms fill out the jersey. He’s tall and imposing in his uniform and his usually playful, boyish smile is gone.
He shakes off two signals before nodding at JT. He does that thing pitchers do, checking the bases. There’s a runner on first and he takes two sidesteps toward second. Flynn looks away from him and then quickly back, firing the ball to the first baseman. The runner barely gets back in time.
“Safe.” The umpire makes the signal, and the ball is thrown back to Flynn.
I lean forward in my seat as he gets set again. A shiver rolls through me as he goes through his whole routine. The more I watch, the more turned on I get. Who knew baseball was so sexy?
I can’t tell a good pitch from a bad one, but I know he’s throwing fast and hard based on the way the crowd reacts. When Flynn fires another pitch to JT, an older gentleman in front of me takes off his hat and fans himself with it.
Chuckling, he says, “That kid’s got some arm on him.”
The man next to him agrees with a nod.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” Greer says to me, drawing my attention away from Flynn and the game.
“Can you wait until the inning is over?” I ask her. I’ve started tracking and I know the count is full and there are two outs.
“I’ll take you. I want to get a hot dog or maybe nachos,” Ruby says, standing and holding out her hand to Greer.
She flashes me a smug knowing grin. “Need anything? An ice water maybe?”
“No, thank you,” I say pointedly, but I can’t help let a small smile slip. Sisters are somehow the best and worst at the same time.
Gigi moves down to sit beside me after they’re gone. She studies me for a moment. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed, honey.”
“Must be the heat.” I train my gaze back to the pitcher’s mound.
“The heat?” She scoffs. Rightfully so since I haven’t taken my sweatshirt off. “Are you sure it isn’t that cutie pitcher you’ve been staring at for four innings?”
My jaw drops and I give her my full attention, as if that could prove her wrong. “I was not.”
She laughs, probably at the high-pitched squeak of my voice – a dead giveaway I’m lying.
“He’s cute. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
The tension leaves me, and I laugh with her.
“Want me to ask your grandpa to introduce you?”
“Definitely not.” I shake my head as a new kind of panic washes over me. The last thing I need is my grandfather talking to Flynn about me. What would Flynn think about me if he knew my grandparents are trying to set me up? He’d think it was hilarious probably.
“Fine. Fine. We’ll just keep staring at him then. Maybe he’ll look over here and notice you in this big crowd of people.”
