The Perfect Game (21 page)

“I’m just playing. I’m proud of you. You deserve it.” He kissed the side of my head. “Hey, bring it with you today. Gramps said he wants to see it in action.”

“I love him,” I said with a laugh, imagining Gramps limping around with a giant-sized professional camera.

“And I love you. Now hurry up, ’cause we need to get to the house before the cameras do.” He pushed me and smacked my behind.

I tumbled forward before gaining my balance. I turned toward my handsome boyfriend and said, “I’m proud of you, you know? I’m excited for you today.”

His eyes brightened. “Thanks, Kitten.”

“Are you nervous?” I asked, realizing he never expressed any fear when it came to this subject.

“Not really. I’d be nervous if I wasn’t sure whether or not I was getting drafted, you know what I mean? If I had to sit there and wait to find out if they were going to crush my dreams or let me hold on to them a little bit longer. Those are the guys who have it rough. Not me.” His eyes held mine in a serious gaze.

“So you’re one of the lucky ones?”

“I’d like to think so.”

“You’re not worried about anything? The money, where you’ll be playing, or what team you’ll get on?” 

“I’ll be getting paid to play baseball. Paid…to play…a sport I love. I don’t care about the team, how much they pay me, or where I have to go to play it. I just want to do this for as long as they let me,” he answered, flashing the dimples on his cheeks.

“Well, I think they’re the lucky ones,” I explained, “whatever team drafts you. They’re lucky to have you.” 

He avoided my gaze as his cheeks flushed with color. “Thanks, Kitten.”

I slipped into some white dress shorts paired with an off-the-shoulder tan sweater. I brushed my hair, letting the golden strands fall down around my shoulders. When I stepped back from the mirror, Jack whistled. “Kitten, the whole world is going to be in love with you after this.”

“What are you talking about? I’m in shorts and a sweater,” I argued, looking down at my attire.

“You clearly don’t see the way yourself the way guys do. If I was watching ESPN today, I wouldn’t care at all about Jack Carter. I’d want to know everything about Jack Carter’s girlfriend.”

I felt my cheeks warm. “Shut up. You’re totally embarrassing me.”

“Maybe you should stay here. It’s one thing to have half the school in love with you, but I don’t think I can handle half the viewing population wanting my girl.” He sniffed, running his hand through his black hair. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

He inhaled one long breath before shaking his head with his exhale. “I’m gonna have to put a huge rock on your finger before I leave so everyone knows you’re unavailable.”

My pulse quickened. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Crazy about you,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

“No, I think you’re just crazy.” I laughed as I willed my heart to calm down.

*****

Jack led me through the screen door, his fingers intertwined tightly with mine. “Gran? Gramps? We’re here!” he shouted into the house. 

I looked around as Gran walked from the entryway in the kitchen wearing a light blue floral dress, a short string of pearls resting at her throat. Gramps followed behind her, dressed in carefully pressed brown dress slacks and a tan button-down shirt. 

“You two look so nice!” I squealed.

“So do you, dear. Come here and give me a hug.” Gramps shuffled toward me with a smile. 

I hugged him and he whispered in my ear, “Did you like your present?”

“I did! It’s amazing. I can’t wait to show it to you later,” I said with a large smile. 

Gramps clasped his hands together. “Oh good! I want to learn all about it.”

Gran reached for me and I leaned down toward her to give her a squeeze. “You look lovely, dear. I’m glad you’re here,” she said happily.

“Thank you. I’m happy to be here.” My heart squeezed with love as I watched Gran meander back into the kitchen, humming happily. 

“Have you heard anything about that internship yet?” Gramps asked, his wrinkled face looking hopeful.

“I got it!” I shouted, then winced a little at how overexcited my voice sounded.

“That’s great, dear. Oh, that’s just great news.” Gramps beamed at me with a wide smile. 

“You got the internship, sis?” Dean’s voice cut through the noise in the room as he appeared, rubbing his tired eyes. 

“I just found out. I wasn’t going to take it, but now I can.” I shot a thankful glance toward Jack before finding myself wrapped in Dean’s arms.

“Congratulations. That’s awesome.” Dean caught me up in a tight bear hug, then released me with a proud smile.

A quick rap at the door reminded us all why we were gathered there in the first place. Jack pulled the curtain back and peered toward the porch. “It’s just Marc and Ryan.”

He opened the front door for his two well-dressed agents, who sauntered in with their hands filled with paperwork, a bottle of champagne, and a box of baseballs. “How you feeling, champ?” the taller of the two asked Jack.

“Good, thanks,” Jack responded confidently, reaching out his hand to help carry the load. 

“Hey, Dean. How you doing?” Dean smiled at the men as they playfully boxed in the living room, almost dropping their things. 

I resisted the urge to pull my brand new camera out of my bag and shoot the interaction. The taller man stopped as he noticed me and walked in my direction, his arm outstretched. “You must be Cassie,” he said before shaking my hand.

I smiled and nodded. “I’m Marc and this is my partner in crime, Ryan.” He gestured toward the other gentleman.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I responded politely.

“It’s nice to meet you too. Jack, you held back on how good-looking your girl is.” Ryan winked at Jack with a chuckle.

“Settle down. I haven’t signed any agreements with you two yet.” Jack smirked before wrapping his arm around my waist and pressing me against him.

“This is fun!” I wiggled my shoulders with excitement, then leaned into Jack’s hard chest. 

“Oh, you like this, do you?” He dropped his arm and started to tickle my side.

I screamed and ran away, pretending to hide behind Dean for protection. “Save me, Dean,” I shouted, grabbing his arms and cowering as he moved his body to block me from Jack’s playful attack. 

“What’s going on?” Gran’s voice echoed into the living room before she popped her head in. “Oh dear, stop it! Come sit at the table…that esspen will be here any minute now!” 

I laughed at Gran’s pronunciation of ESPN. She said it like it was a word, instead of separate letters. No matter how many times everyone told her it was E, S, P, N, she still insisted on pronouncing it
E
SS
-pen
. 

“Are you okay, Gran?” Jack dropped a kiss on the top of her head before enveloping her frail frame in his strong arms. 

“I’m just a little anxious is all,” she admitted, her voice cracking.

“It’s going to be great, isn’t it, fellas?” Jack narrowed his eyes toward his soon-to-be agents.

“Of course it is,” Ryan reassured. 

“This whole thing is nerve-wracking,” Gran declared. “Why aren’t you nervous?” she asked her grandson, and I watched the smile take over his face.

“Because there’s not
hing more I can do
. I’ve worked my ass off and I’ve left it all out on that field every day for years
.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “
I
t’s out of my hands at this point.”

Her cheeks scrunched as she beamed with pride. “How’d you get so smart?” She cupped his face with both hands and planted a kiss on each cheek. 

“I learned it from you. Now come sit with us and relax.” He led her by the hand toward the kitchen table when the chime of the doorbell stopped them. “You sit, Gran. I’ll let them in,” Jack told her sweetly.

The chatter of voices filtered from the open front door and into the kitchen where we all sat waiting. Jack walked in followed by two cameramen, a reporter, and a producer. They discussed how things would work—that we would basically be filmed waiting for the phone to ring and for Jack to get his offer. They would film the reaction when the call came, and then interview Jack and possibly us after. And they kept reminding us not to look at the cameras and to act natural. 

I laughed and all eyes turned to me. “What? It’s not natural to have huge cameras following your every move and filming your private expressions. I’m a lot more comfortable
behind
the lens than I am in front of it.”

“I know it’s a little weird. Just do your best to pretend that the cameras aren’t here,” the director told me.

We sat around the kitchen table making small talk while the cameras filmed mere feet from us. Waiting for a phone call to come was nerve-wracking enough, but being filmed while you were waiting was a completely different experience entirely. 

I jumped when the phone clanged to life, the sound startling me and waking up my dormant emotions. Fear suddenly ripped through my body, followed quickly by nerves, and then elation. My stomach twisted as Jack walked toward the old yellow rotary phone.

“Hello?” His eyes scanned each of our faces, but never the camera. “Speaking.” A huge grin spread across his face making the dimples I loved even deeper. “Thank you so much. Yes, sir. I’ll be in touch. Thank you.”

He slammed down the phone before turning toward us. “
Arizona
!” he shouted and everyone cheered, including me. I wasn’t sure why we were cheering, but I screamed and clapped along. “I’m a Diamondback!”

“Bonus amount?” Marc asked, leaning his elbows against the table. 

“Hold on,” Jack said before walking over to his Gran and kissing her cheek. Then he squeezed Gramps and Dean before leaning down to kiss my mouth and I instantly forgot we were surrounded by cameras and strangers.

“Congratulations, babe. I’m so happy for you.” I looked into his soft brown eyes and noticed the peace there. 

“Thank you,” he whispered into my ear before pressing his lips against my neck. 

“Carter, come on. Do we have to call these guys back and negotiate or what?” Ryan interjected in a vain attempt to get Jack’s attention.

“They said five,” Jack answered with a smile, refusing to look away from my face.

“Yeah? Did they say five?” Ryan’s eyes lifted.

“That’s what they said.”

“Well, alright! How do you feel? Should we push?” Marc asked as he scribbled notes furiously onto his pad.

He turned. “I think five is more than fair. I’m happy with it,” Jack acknowledged.

“I know it sounds like a lot of money right now, Jack, but you’ll lose half in taxes, we take our cut, and you won’t be making much for the next few years in the minor leagues. We could probably get them to budge some,” Marc suggested, still writing.

“I’m happy with it. I just want to play ball.” Jack’s tone was firm.

“Alright then. We’ll accept the deal as is. Congrats!” 

Jack pulled his chair next to me and tossed his arm low across my back. “Five million isn’t a bad signing bonus, right? Am I being naïve?”

I almost choked. “That’s what it is? Five
million
dollars?” I asked.

“What did you think?” He laughed, his eyebrows pulling in.

“I don’t know, but I didn’t think that. Holy shit, Jack, that’s incredible.” I was so stunned I had to remember to close my mouth since my jaw kept dropping open.

“I should sign, right?” 

“Absolutely. I mean, have your lawyer look over the contracts, but of course you should sign! Why wouldn’t you?” I grabbed his face and pulled him to me before planting a loud kiss on his lips. “You’re awesome. My baby’s a Diamondback!” 

The reporter tossed Jack a Diamondback jersey and hat and asked him to put them on while they interviewed him for a piece to air later that day. I watched as he tossed the jersey over his black shirt, buttoning the top button before placing the cap firmly on his head and tucking the stray hair underneath. 

“How do I look?” he asked, modeling the crimson red jersey with
D*Backs
written on it.

“Like a ball player,” I responded with a smile. 

“Like a million bucks.” Gramps punched the air.

Dean grinned. “More like five.”

“Can I get my camera? Are we allowed to take pictures?” I asked, longing to use my new camera for this special moment.

The producer turned to me. “As soon as we stop rolling. Otherwise the shutter sound of your camera will filter into the sound bytes.”

“Okay,” I responded with a huge smile, turning my camera on and exploring its new features so I’d be ready when it was time. 

When the television crew cleared out, I grabbed Jack and his family and posed them in the backyard, under a giant oak tree. I took a few group family shots and then individual ones.