David took a deep breath, looked up at the clear blue sky, and felt himself relax. This was why he went out for baseball, to play the game he loved.
The Holy Cross batter took his place, and Rex went home with the first pitch. The Crusaders’ leadoff hitter hit a sharp one up the middle. David recognized that neither Bill nor Jackson would get it. He’d been on his toes, so he exploded forward to grab the grounder. Their runner rounded first but had to dive back when David fired the ball to Andres at first. He wanted to let everyone know that they weren’t picking up extra bases today.
The next batter worked the count full on Rex. David did a little fist pump when he got a called third strike. Then the third batter was walked.
With two on, Rex now faced their cleanup hitter. It took just one pitch for the Crusaders to be up 3–0 as he hit a towering shot over the fence down the first base line.
This was how you could tell what a pitcher was made of. How does he react when facing early adversity? Many got rattled, and everything went downhill from there. Rex acted like the home run never happened. He retook the mound and struck out the next two batters he faced.
“We need base runners,” Coach Deneau called out. “Don’t try to get it all back at once. Just get on base and let your power hitters clear the bases.”
The Crusaders’ pitcher was even more nervous than Rex. He gave up two base hits and then walked the third batter. It was now up to Andres to get them home. He hit a weak pop-up to the first baseman, and then Bill hit into a double play, stranding David on third.
David came up again to lead off the third inning. They were still down 3–0.
“If you can, hit it down the first base line. Their right fielder tweaked his arm last week,” Coach Deneau told him.
Hitting a baseball into a particular place wasn’t that easy, and David hadn’t been working on it much. He was more focused on hitting with authority, so placing his hit was a bit of a crapshoot. David mentally ran through the five steps to batting: rhythm, seeing the ball, separation, staying square, and weight shift and transfer. He stepped into the box and focused.
This was the second time through the batting order for the Crusaders’ pitcher. His body language told David that he wanted to make a statement. If David hadn’t become good at picking up body movements and interpreting what they meant, he would’ve been hit square in the ear. He called time so he could brush himself off.
“That one almost got you,” their catcher said to try to intimidate David.
He shouldn’t have done that; pissing David off was the last thing an opponent should ever do. David felt himself drop into the zone. He was looking for something low and away so he could push it down the first base line. On the next pitch, he guessed right and crushed the fastball. The first baseman didn’t have time to react as it screamed over his head. Their right fielder sprinted to the corner and dove for the ball. David had run full-out to first. Coach Hob waved him to second when the ball smacked off the wall.
David looked to the third-base coach, and he was signaled to continue to third. Coach Homer gave him the universal sign to slide. David hit the dirt and felt the ball catch his hip. It bounded over the third baseman’s head, so David jumped up.
Coach Homer screamed for him to go. The Crusaders’ left fielder had done his job and backed up the play, and the kid had an arm. Their catcher was down blocking the plate when the ball sailed a bit toward the backstop. That caused their catcher to have to reach for it. David took a line towards the infield and dove for the bag. As he stretched for the plate, he felt the catcher suddenly on top of him.
“Safe!” the umpire called.
From that point on, it was all Trojans. Rex settled down, and the Trojans’ bats came alive to give them a 6–3 win.
It was great not to be the face of the program. Andres got nabbed after the game to talk to the press. David hurried up and got out of there. Lexi was waiting for him at the players entrance with several girls who tried to get his attention.
David acted like he was picking one out when he pointed at Lexi.
She wasn’t amused but went with him.
“I thought about rejecting you,” she grumped.
“That brunette looked eager enough,” he fired back.
“She’s still there.”
“And that is where she’ll stay,” David said as she put his arm around Lexi’s waist.
“She’d better,” Lexi said as she kissed his cheek.
She handed him her car keys, and he drove them to a Chinese place for some carryout. When they got to his suite, they walked in on Alex getting head in the living area. David and Lexi just ignored him as Alex played on his phone while the girl gave him a hummer. He gave David a nod as they went to David’s bedroom.
“You up for a movie?” Lexi asked while David unpacked the food.
“I should study.”
Her eyes scanned his face to see if he was serious. She started to give him a retort, but he cut her off.
“But as long as you don’t make me watch a chick flick, that sounds like a better option.”
He grinned at Lexi, which made her give him a calculating look.
“Dude. You’re just asking for an old-school Julia Roberts marathon.”
She grinned when David made a face.
“How about we eat and then decide?” he ventured.
While they ate, Lexi perused his streaming video service for the movies she knew would make him cringe. David was no fun because he knew she hated chick flicks as much as he did.
When they were done eating, he disposed of the containers and then struck a sexy pose.
“Tell me that’s your best attempt at trying to seduce me.”
She crossed her arms, silently daring him to deny it.
“Exactly. I started with the seduction of your mouth by feeding you some carryout. Now that I spent money on you, I know you won’t turn me down.” David said.
He leaned against the wall and gave her a knowing smile. Lexi got up to answer the challenge. She got close enough that he could smell vanilla with a hint of floral. She had a twinkle in her eye.
“I won’t?” she asked as she gave him a ‘gotcha’ look.
David could read her like one of his scripts. Lexi was thinking that he couldn’t believe she would seriously do whatever he suggested. The corner of his mouth twitched in a ghost of a smile.
“No, you won’t. Because you’re curious as to what I have planned. And you know that my plans make you wet,” David said.
“You’re right,” Lexi admitted as she bit her bottom lip.
David knew she hated that he was her weakness. He gave her a predatory leer.
“I plan to make you scream my name and send you home a quivering mess.”
“So, no movie?” she asked and then squealed as he grabbed her and tossed her onto the bed.
Developmental Editors: XofDallas and Bud Ugly
Line / Copy Editors: Bud Ugly, TheMikeBomb, Zom, and Old Rotorhead
Last One Through: Bud Ugly
Chapter 25
Cassidy
Cassidy had been hiding a secret. Well, two, actually.
Her plan for college had been to follow David to wherever he picked for football. He’d agreed to let her be his trainer while she went to school. After that, she would follow in her father’s footsteps and join the Marines as an officer.
At the time, David had narrowed his choices down to USC and Oklahoma. Her best friend, Brook Davis, had been proactive and gotten Cassidy a scholarship to USC on the women’s rowing team. She’d done it because Cassidy hadn’t been the most diligent student in high school. And why should she if she could get solid ‘Bs’ without cracking a book?