Straddling the Line (7 page)

The city had grown so much, but she was still in awe of the Arch and the Mississippi River as they wound their way downtown and toward the stadium.

“So you’ll continue to play baseball until the end of the season, then you’ll head to Tampa and join the football team there?”

“Yeah. At least this season, since the Rivers have a shot of making the playoffs. It works easier that way for both teams, rather than me trying to jump back and forth.”

“Easier on you, too, I imagine.”

He nodded. “I travel enough with the Rivers. I don’t need to go back and forth with the baseball and football teams. When baseball is done, I’ll join Tampa and play out the football season with them.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know how you do it, Trevor. Trying to juggle two professional sports seems crazy.”

He pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine, then turned to her. “That’s me, Haven. Just fucking crazy.”

She laughed and got out of the car with him.

“I’ll set you up inside the boxes where it’s more comfortable,” he said as they headed into the stadium.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to sit as close to the field as possible, unless there are no seats available.”

“Are you sure? The club box seats are much more comfortable. Plus, there’s liquor and great catering.”

“I’m pretty sure I can handle it.”

“Suit yourself.” He led her inside and stopped at security, where she was given a pass. She picked it up and looked at it. “This isn’t a press pass,” she said as she hurried to keep up with his long strides.

“Yeah, I know. A press pass limits you. This one won’t. It’ll give you access to anywhere in the stadium you want to go.”

“Really. Why would you do that?”

He stopped and turned to face her, and as they stood in the sun, she was struck again by how utterly gorgeous he was. “So you have all access. But don’t go anywhere you shouldn’t.”

She laughed. “Where am I not supposed to go?”

“The locker room would be a bad idea. You don’t know who you might find naked down there.”

“Okay. I’ll avoid the locker room. Anywhere else?”

“Management offices might be a bad idea. You don’t want to get thrown out on your ass before you get a chance to interview anyone.”

She sighed. “Just tell me where I should go.”

“You should be safe at field level or in the club boxes.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll meet up with you at the exit when the game’s over. If you get hot, just head upstairs to the club boxes. They’re air-conditioned.”

He directed her to the field—and pointed out the boxes.

“Okay.”

“Do you need me to walk with you?”

“Thanks, but no. I’ll find my way around. You go get your game face on, and kick some ass.”

He grinned. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

He disappeared down the tunnel, and Haven made her way out to the field. There were press on the benches higher up. Since she had the all-access pass, she walked out to the field entrance where security waved her on.

Awesome.

She stood out on the field, and her first thought was of her dad, of how much this would have thrilled him, to be standing here at field level with her, surveying the players as they took the field for warm-ups.

She’d have brought him along, too, just so he could have the chance to meet and greet all the players.

He’d been such a fan of the Rivers. Through the years when the team had played like shit and ended the season in the basement, he’d always remained a devoted fan.

So had she, because of her dad.

She turned around, surveying the stadium. The Rivers had built a new one a few years ago, so this one wasn’t the same as the one she’d been to with her dad all those years ago.

But still, it was Rivers baseball, and she’d give anything to be sharing this with him right now.

God, she missed her dad so much right now it physically hurt. She laid her hand over her stomach, massaging the ache of loss that seemed to swell and grow inside her. Part of her wanted to turn tail and run like hell, to leave the stadium and all the memories that swirled around her like a thick cloud.

Part of her was still that little girl, eating popcorn and a hot dog and cheering on the Rivers with her dad.

The other part of her was a grown woman, scared to death that she couldn’t handle the responsibilities of her new job.

And nowhere in that scenario was the pep talk she so desperately needed from her dad right now.

But her love of baseball—of sports—was because of her father. She owed it to him to stay and give this a shot. He’d be mad at her if she didn’t, so she blinked back the tears pricking her eyes, forced back the ache of loss and the fear of failure that welled inside her, then took a deep breath to center herself. She climbed up to the field-level seats and one of the staff directed her to an empty chair where she could watch the game.

She took out her laptop and started making some notes. People started filing in. A lot of women, too. Wives and maybe girlfriends
of the players, no doubt. She wanted to talk to them, as well, but not tonight. She’d do that some other time.

When Trevor took the field, her heart skipped a beat. She’d seen him play on TV, of course, but never in person. He was so tall, and God, he looked mouthwateringly good in uniform as he trotted out to the field to warm up. She’d thought she was over the crush she’d had on him in college.

As she watched him run, she realized what she felt was nothing more than the rush of close proximity, the fact that she had one time with him. He was paying attention to her, giving her his time. If there was one thing Trevor had, it was charm, and he knew how to use it. He’d always had a reputation with women, and for all his talk about focusing on nothing but sports in college, that hadn’t been the case at all. He’d had plenty of girlfriends—or at least he’d gone through a lot of women.

From the initial research she’d done about his adult life, it appeared he was still going through them. Approaching thirty, he remained unattached and hadn’t had a serious girlfriend. She wondered why. She made a note to ask him, then focused on the practice.

They got into positions while the pitcher warmed up. Trevor was in left field. She knew a lot of these players, though the team had made a few changes in recent years. Gavin Riley was still at first base, anchored by Dedrick Coleman at third, the veterans who were still the glue that held this team together. They’d traded for a hotshot shortstop, Chase Henderson, who looked to be an up-and-comer.

She had high hopes for the team this year. The Rivers were currently in second place with two weeks to go until the end of the regular season. They were three games out of first and in the hunt for at least a wild card spot.

She loved sports, and always had. Maybe it had been a product of her growing up around sports players, being around them all the time because of her parents. The sports dorms had housed players
of so many different sports—football, baseball, lacrosse, tennis—any sport imaginable. And her parents had treated every boy who’d gone to college there as one of their own. They’d often gone to the games, and if there was one thing her father had been good at, it was spotting a boy in trouble—someone who needed a little extra TLC.

Haven remembered her dad spending a lot of time with Trevor, though she hadn’t known why, by that point not paying so much attention to Trevor because she’d been in college herself, focusing on her own studies, her own social life. Whatever pitiful social life she’d had, anyway. One would think she would have been incredibly popular since she’d known all the jocks.

Not so much. None of the guys had wanted anything to do with her. She might as well have had
Off-Limits
tattooed across her forehead. Being the daughter of the dorm parents was just as bad as being the daughter of one of the coaches. No one had touched her. Not that she had wanted any of them.

Except for Trevor, who continued to wow her with the distance on his throws. He had one hell of an arm.

He was simply too good at this. Which, she supposed, accounted for his popularity, and the reason the teams made allowances for him playing two sports.

Seats were filling in all around her, but she barely paid attention because the teams were taking the field. She focused on Trevor in the outfield as the Rivers were on defense first and Chicago came up to bat.

Garrett Scott was pitching today. Her mom said Garrett had come by a few weeks ago to visit, along with his fiancée, Alicia, who also worked for the Rivers as a physical therapist.

Mom had loved that visit. It had brightened her spirits.

Haven saw Alicia out on the field working with one of the players. Very pretty woman, and, as it turned out, she was Gavin Riley’s
cousin. Alicia and Garrett were getting married at the conclusion of the baseball season. She couldn’t wait to go to the wedding.

Closing her laptop, she focused on Garrett. His shoulder looked completely healed because he was throwing a combination of pitches out there, all of them hitting the mark. The first batter grounded out to second base. Garrett struck out the second batter, and the third batter hit a pop fly that Trevor ran down and caught.

Easy top of the first. Now the Rivers were up. Trevor batted fifth in the lineup, so she wasn’t sure she’d get to see him in action this inning.

The first batter grounded out. But when the second batter singled and reached first base, and the next doubled, unless Gavin Riley hit into a double play, she’d get to see Trevor hit.

Gavin took two pitches low and away for balls, the next right in the strike zone. He hit the next one into left field, which scored the two runners and sent Gavin to first base.

The stadium erupted into wild cheers. The Rivers were up by two runs, Trevor was up to bat, and there was only one out.

She could see how serious he was as he stepped into the batter’s box. Her stomach twisted in knots as she waited for Chicago’s pitcher to throw the ball.

Trevor took a strike on the first pitch, then two balls. He fouled off the next pitch.

Two balls, two strikes. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward.

The pitcher’s next throw resulted in ball three.

Full count now; she waited for the next pitch. It was right on the money, and Trevor slammed the ball. Unfortunately, it went foul.

So did the next ball, and the one after that. He was hanging in there, though, and she hoped he’d get a piece of one of these pitches.

He did, on the next pitch, sending it sailing into the left-field
corner. She launched out of her seat, screaming along with the rest of the stadium as Gavin rounded the bases and headed for home. Trevor stopped at second base.

Excellent.

The next batter was out on a high pop fly, and the batter after that struck out, stranding Trevor, but he’d gotten an RBI and the Rivers were up three to nothing after the first inning.

The rest of the game was just as chock-full of excitement, with Chicago scoring two runs in the fifth, and the Rivers coming back to score four more before it was all over.

What an exciting game, and one the Rivers needed to stay in contention. Every player had given it his all. Haven had been tense the entire time.

She headed to the locker room after the game.

“Hi, Haven.”

She turned and saw Alicia standing there. They hadn’t had a lot of interaction, but they’d spent some time together at the hospital and getting to know each other after the funeral.

“Hello, Alicia. How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you doing?”

“Great. It was a good game today. Garrett pitched so well.”

“He did. Those three runs kind of sucked, though. He’ll be pissed about that.” Alicia paused. “Oh, I probably shouldn’t have said that. Are you covering today’s game for your news station?”

“No. I’m actually doing a feature interview on Trevor Shay.”

“That’s interesting. And should be fun. We love Trevor around here. He’s great and has been an incredible asset to the team. All the guys love working with him.”

Haven wasn’t sure if that was the truth or just the company line. “I’m glad to hear that. And you work for the team as well. That must have been so complicated for your relationship.”

“Are we on the record here?”

Haven laughed. “Not at all. I’m not writing about you and Garrett.”

“Then, yes. It was complicated as hell for a while. But we worked it all out. And the team has been great about it. I just don’t work with Garrett in any official capacity.”

“You do sports medicine, right?”

“Yes. So if he’s injured or needs any kind of physical therapy, one of the other therapists works with him. The only interaction we have together now is at home.”

“I guess that makes sense. No conflict of interest that way.”

“Exactly.”

“Have you worked with Trevor before in therapy?”

“I have, though mostly for general conditioning. He’s like . . . bionic or something. The guy has never been hurt. He knows his body well and knows how to take care of it. And considering that he plays two sports, I’m surprised he hasn’t had any issues. Doing as much as he does is hard on a body. But not on his.”

Yeah, he had a hell of a body, for sure. “I guess that’s a good thing, though, right? For both of his teams.”

“That’s what the coach says, though Manny—that’s the Rivers’ coach—grumbles a lot about Trevor playing football for Tampa. He wants him dedicated to baseball.”

Haven’s lips curved. “I would imagine Trevor hears much the same thing from the Tampa coach.”

Alicia laughed. “You’re probably right.”

The doors opened and the players started appearing. Garrett walked over and put his arms around Alicia, giving her a kiss that made Haven’s cheeks heat up.

“Good game, babe,” Alicia said.

“Eh. Gave up three earned runs. But I recovered and shut them down after that.”

“You did.”

Garrett turned and smiled when he saw Haven, then came over and folded her into a hug. “Haven. I didn’t know you were here today.”

She wrapped her arms around Garrett and hugged him back. “I’m here on assignment. It’s so great to see you. You pitched an amazing game.”