Page 59 of Break Away
Zoey glanced at Levi, half expecting him toroll his eyes at the predictable name. He didn’t, instead reachingdown to pet Sparky, who promptly rolled on his back for a tummyrub. The rest of the players trotted onto the field as they wereintroduced. Sparky scrambled to his feet and reached up to tug onthe bandana around Lucy’s neck. Lucy tolerated it for a minute,then opened her mouth in a wide yawn before lifting a big paw toknock Sparky to the ground and hold him there, which sent Marcusand the crowd into gales of laughter.
With the introductions over the game started.Zoey returned to her seat to find Eva there wearing a HLFD baseballcap and a red and white baseball jersey. While the rivalry betweenthe teams may have been real, Zoey and Eva joined most of the crowdin cheering for both sides.
The contest was fun, especially because shegot to watch Levi. That long, lean body stretching to catch a wildthrow or swinging the bat to hit a ball over the head of theshortstop for a base hit was plain yummy. He moved with pureathletic grace, and she thought his enthusiasm reflected his sheerenjoyment in the game.
Enjoying the game, she was starting tounderstand the strategy of putting Monica Valdez at bat early inthe lineup. Whenever she got on base, she challenged the pitcherand was a great base runner. Both she and Diego were fast and gotthe crowd excited when they stole bases. The crowd’s enthusiasmpeaked whenever Jack or Tank came up to bat, because both menseemed to hit home runs with effortless ease. Lucy followed theball, and Zoey had a tight hold on the leash to keep the dog frombounding onto the field after the ball.
The woman Levi had called Charissa cheeredwildly whenever he made a play or came up to bat. She’d removed thejacket she’d been wearing before the game, and now sported the Gunsjersey, and while team members’ jerseys weren’t personalized withtheir names, hers was. Across the back “Gallagher” had beenstenciled in black lettering.
Toward the end of the sixth inning, Zoeyexited the bleachers to be ready for Levi to drive her and Lucyonto the field in an HLPD SUV. They rode behind the fire truckdriven by Tank; Marcus was sitting in the front passenger seat withSparky on the boy’s lap, and the pup’s head hung out thewindow.
The official vehicles were parked at the edgeof the field, and Zoey and Marcus led the dogs to home plate. Bradand the fire chief shared the microphone as they worked the crowd.Levi brought out a bag of tennis balls. He hurled balls one afteranother onto the field and Lucy took off after them, Sparky doinghis best to keep up. The puppy tripped over his feet, sprung upagain, and had the crowd roaring when he began to bark hisdisappointment as Lucy chased down the balls. The big dog snaggedthree tennis balls and trotted back with them in her mouth, Sparkytrailing behind her.
When it was time for the game to get underway again, Zoey clipped on Lucy’s leash, whereupon she lay on herback, paws in the air, and refused to get up. Zoey cajoled,threatened, and tugged on the leash to no effect. Sparky sentMarcus into fits of laughter when the little dog imitated Lucy,rolling onto his back with his paws hanging.
“Come on, Lucy, time to go.”
Lucy sucked up the attention. She closed hereyes, her tail swishing in the dirt.
“Hang on,” Levi spoke in Zoey’s ear. “I’vegot an idea.” He trotted to the dugout, returning a minute later.He took the microphone from Brad. “Watch this, folks. Lucy, muchlike her owner, is after my own heart.” The “aww” from the crowdhad warmth creeping up Zoey’s cheeks. She felt a little like a deerin the headlights. Levi held up the familiar red and yellow packagefor the audience to see. Lucy opened one eye when she heard thecrinkling of plastic. “All I have to do is mention her favoritefood, and Lucy will do anything. Watch this.” He eyed Lucy, thenspoke again into the microphone. “Slim Jim.”
Lucy sprang to her feet, planted her rear tosit, her gaze riveted on Levi. Sparky must have figured somethingwas up because he also jumped to his feet. Levi tore off a piece ofSlim Jim, Lucy’s gaze following every movement. He tossed it andshe snagged it from midair. Levi made sure Sparky got some, thenlured both dogs off the field to the audience’s cheers.
Both teams came off the break with acompetitive spirit, each determined to win. The score remained tieduntil the final half inning when Levi hit a double, and Jackfollowed it with his own double, allowing Levi to score the winningrun. He crossed home plate to be met by a crush of his teammates,and then, instead of returning to the dugout, trotted to open thegate. With a flashing grin of triumph, he tilted Zoey’s head backfor a searing kiss to the accompanying cheer of the crowd.
With Zoey’s hand in his, he led her and Lucyout onto the diamond, where both teams met to shake hands. Soonother family members and friends were spilling out onto thefield.
Brad and the fire chief took the microphoneto announce the dollar amount the fund-raiser had garnered tosupport local kids’ programs. This brought a round of applause,plus hugs and high fives. When the crowd began to break up, Levihad to run to the dugout to get his sport bag. Zoey made her way tothe parking lot with Lucy.
She stopped short when she saw her car.“SLUT” had been scrawled in big red letters with what looked likelipstick on the driver’s window. She was starting to really hatethat word.
Emma and her kids were coming toward the car.Zoey whipped out her phone and snapped a photo, then tugged offLucy’s bandana to wipe away the lettering. No way did the Gallagherchildren need to see that foul word.
With Lucy secure in the backseat, Zoey foldedthe bandana so the lipstick was on the inside and stashed it in theglove box. By the time she’d helped Emma get the kids buckled in,Brad and Levi were back and helped stow the gear.
The plan was for the Gallagher clan to meetup at Emma and Brad’s lakeside home for an early evening barbecue.This gave Zoey a couple of hours to get home and put together thepasta salad she’d prepped, and for Levi to shower.
A barbecue would be fun, and she truly lovedthe Gallaghers, but she was starting to feel uncomfortable beingconstantly paired with Levi. He acted like they were a couple,other people saw them as a couple, and even in her own head shecaught herself thinking in terms of her and Levi. And while she’dbe damned if she’d allow herself to be intimidated, she wasstarting to think the choice of the word “slut” might havesomething to do with Levi.
What bothered her the most was that despiteher efforts to limit their relationship, her feelings for him haddeepened to something she wasn’t sure she wanted to put a label on.Maybe she needed to ease back a bit, let things with Levi rideuntil she had a better handle on them.
Levi dropped into the passenger seat,twisting around to pet Lucy. “You’re amazing, Luce. Taught littleSparky a thing or two.”
Zoey drove out of the parking lot and ontothe highway. She glanced at Levi, then away when his gaze methers.
“What’s going on?”
He was nothing if not perceptive. She pickedup her phone off her lap and handed it to him, holding her thumbover the home button to unlock the screen. “Go to photos and lookat the most recent picture.”
He did as directed, then stared at thescreen. “What the hell? This was today?”
“It was on my car when I came out after thegame.”
“You wiped it off? That was evidence.”
“Yes, I wiped it off. Your brother’s familywas parked right next to me. I didn’t want those kids to seethat.”
He grunted. “I can’t blame you for that. Whatdid you use to wipe it off with? Did you throw it away?”
