Page 46 of Fake Love

It might actually be a good night, but a few practice pitches don’t make a game.

The cheers and the booing from the stands quiet down a few minutes before the game starts.

As I throw a few more practice pitches, I take in my surroundings, take in the fans since it’s not something that you can do at bigger stadiums.

A few kids see me looking around so they throw me a wave and they smile when I throw them one back.

A benefit of playing in a field this size is more fan interaction.

I look around for a few more seconds, sending a few more waves and nods toward a few more kids. I’m about to get back in the pitching head space when a sign captures my attention.

#13 I drove 3 hours to see you play! Better not suck!

Normally those type of signs would piss me off, but when I see who’s holding it, instead of getting pissed, a smile spreads across my face.

Her blonde hair is in a ponytail and mostly covered by a Miners baseball hat, but I can still see it’s her.

Jen.

She’s here to watch me pitch a full game.

The second her eyes meet mine, it's as if all the nerves disappear.

She sends me a wave and bright smile just before the umpire calls the start of the game.

As I take my position on the mound and take one last look into the stands, I have a feeling deep in my gut that it’s going to be a good game.

All because of a blonde with a beautiful smile.

…

Jennifer

“What do the K’s mean?” I ask sometime in the fourth inning.

At least I think it's the fourth inning if I’m reading the scoreboard correctly.

“What?” Selena asks, her attention shifting from the game to me.

I point to the Ks next to Maddox’s picture on the scoreboard. “Those Ks, what do they mean?”

Selena looks over like she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. “Oh, they’re the number of strikeouts he’s thrown in the game.”

“Why are some of them backwards?”

“It means that the batter didn’t swing at the last strike,” she answers before narrowing her eyes at me. “How do you not know this already?”

“Because you’re the baseball fan out of the two of us?” I say taking a bite of my hotdog. I would kill for some garlic fries right about now.

“Yes, but I’ve dragged you to enough games for you to know at least the basics.”

“True, but you know that I only went to those games for the food and to fawn over the baseball pants.” I say with a shrug, taking another bite of my food.

“And what is your motive for coming to games now?” I don’t even have to turn to face her to know that she has a smirk on her face.

“We made a deal. I would come to his games.” I tell her, finishing up my food.

“So because you made a deal with each other, you abruptly decided to drive 3 hours from Seaside to here and drag me along?”

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