Bush League: New Adult Sports Romance (2 page)

                                                      
 
Beau

                                                      
 
*****

Energized and overly-excited, I hit each corner with a combination of recklessness and excessive speed. Enzo, my catcher and my most trusted confidant, is gripping the seat of the truck like he's certain we're gonna die.

"Dude," he says while holding on for dear life, "We still got another round to win, let's not die before it happens."

"Enzo, my man," I turn my head towards him, watching his eyes instead of the road as my truck barrels down the street. "We just defeated one of the most feared teams in the conference. We're only juniors and WE'RE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!" I yell the last part out the window at some innocent people walking down the street. My enthusiasm is contagious and I see a smile creep across my teammate's face.

"Yeah, well, I hope you'll be there for it," he says and his words come with added weight, not volume. We've always spoke freely with each other but now I can tell he's holding something back.

"What do you mean, if I'll be there for it? It's the championship! I'm the best pitcher of the team, of course I'll be playing." I slow the car down and drive like a regular person to try and hear what he's attempting to spit out.

"C'mon man, everyone's talking. You miss a bunch of practices, you're not exactly present like you used to be. Whatever it is, just be here for the championship. Be here for your team."

I'm tempted to brake right there in the middle of the road to find out if he's being serious or not. "Listen, we're not gonna be in college forever. I have to look a little past that. My dad," I start to say and realize I've never spoken these thoughts out loud before, "My dad thinks we can make some good money now while the iron is hot. If I enter the draft this summer, I can get myself drafted and probably be pro in no time. It's just a couple of meetings first so y'all need to relax."

I've just confirmed the fears of Enzo and the rest of the team.

"So, you're leaving after this year?" he asks.

"I don't know. I don't know anything yet. But I'm here for the championship and you better believe I'm gonna pitch my ass off."

My words don't seem to assuage his fears and there's a heavy silence in the car and I need to break it as I'm not good in uncomfortable and awkward situations.

"So..." I start to say with the devil in my eyes, "I heard a rumor." The look I give Enzo lets him know I'm not about to drop any more devastating news so he perks up and asks what I'm talking about. "I heard Coach...Coach Steele. He's got a daughter, a senior in college, supposed to be super hot..." Enzo is begging me to continue. "Apparently she's finishing up her classes at State this summer and has been living in his house with him."

My dear and sometimes daft friend doesn't fully understand what I'm getting at. "Cool," is all he says.

"Don't you get it? Coach's hot daughter will probably be at the dinner tonight! The one we're on the way to."

Enzo gets it and just shakes his head. "You're out of your mind," he tells me. "If you think Coach Steele won't strangle even his star pitcher, you got another thing coming." We both share a laugh.

"But man, word is that she's really, really hot," I tell him.

"You're out of control," he says while still shaking his head.

The mood having been lifted, I turn the truck onto the cul-de-sac where Coach's house is, parking in his driveway as I feel the star pitcher has every right to do.

*****

The entire room turns to look at us when we walk in. All conversations stop upon my arrival in the house and there's an eerie silence for a few seconds before a round of applause starts. Hands are either clapping or patting me on the back and there are a few 'good job's', 'you did it', thrown my way. I'm soon fully embraced by my pitching coach Mac.

"Beau Tillman, I knew from the second I saw you that you were something special. You completely dominated those guys today! Absolutely well done," he compliments me. "You ready for the championship? That title is within our reach."

Before I can answer him, each member of the coaching squad comes over to shake my hand and thank me for a job well done. The only one who doesn't come over is the head coach, Coach Steele, the man whose house I'm in. The man who knows my thoughts have been elsewhere. He's otherwise occupied but it stings to think he may be avoiding me. I'm not too proud and start on my way over to him but just before I reach him, we make eye contact and he turns to the room.

"Attention everybody," he announces a few times until everybody settles down. "Thank you all for coming to my home. It's been an honor to coach each and everyone of you this season." Light applause, nowhere near the reception I got. "We've got a big series coming up, the championship series and Tech is a formidable opponent. We're going to have to be our absolute best, all hands on deck. I'm asking each of you to pledge to give complete focus on the team and a willingness to go fight this fight with your brothers here in this room."

I can feel eyes burning into all sides of me as he speaks, as if his words are intended only for me.

"If we all play together, like a team that's as good as we can be, well then I'm certain that we'll bring the championship trophy to State!"
When Coach finishes the room erupts in applause again. A wild release of energy fo
llows and in the hecticness, I lose Coach in the frenzy. More arms find their way into embraces on my body and I have more people in my ear as Coach slips away.

When we're sat down for dinner, I'm seated next to Enzo and our outfielder Hunter, our top hitter. This is the elite section of the table and I should feel honored. Instead I'm focused on the fact that Coach Steele is sitting way at the other end. There's another long table with trays of food for us to serve ourselves from and when I see Coach running into the kitchen to go get another tray, I rush in there to ambush him. I'm able to slip past the door as it swings back and forth and Coach never even hears me in there as he peels foil off of a tray.

"Jesus, Tillman," he says upon turning around and seeing me standing there. When he tries to walk past me and back into the dining room, I block his path.

"Good game, huh?" I ask, trying to draw him out.

"You pitched a hell of a game Tillman. We're lucky to have you," he says, trying to leave and I block him again.

"We cool?" I ask and his shoulders lower and face softens.

"Beau," he tells me, "with you, this team has a real shot at winning the championship. If you're present and involved like you used to be, well then we'll all have fancy rings to show off around campus. But if you're too busy, why don't you just tell everyone now and save us the trouble?"

"Coach, my father thinks that..." I start to say and he stops me.

"Son, I get it. You have to think about your future and I don't blame you for it. The fact is though,  you can't be half into both. You have to decide which path you're gonna choose. Commit to one of them or else nothing is gonna turn out the way it should."

I nod that I understand what he is saying but the fact is I'm nowhere near making up my mind as of yet.

"I'm working on it, Coach. Promise. But hey, even if I'm not here next year, you got a hell of a team for next season."

My statement was supposed to be supportive but instead Coach looks even more concerned.

"Not to put the pressure on but if we don't win the championship this year and you're not coming back next year, well, the school has been pretty clear that I should start sending out my resume."

The awkwardness is everywhere and inescapable as we stand there in silence, the facts laid out and more grim than I had understood. I don't know what to say and my stomach starts to hurt. Just when I think I won't be able to take it any longer, someone else appears in the room. Coach and I both turn to the stairs off to the side of the kitchen and my heart almost stops beating upon seeing her. Standing there in the kitchen like a deer in headlights is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Shoulder length brown hair with tiny curls at the bottom, big saucer-like doe eyes that feel like they're hugging me, and a body that she clearly works on. This angel realizes she just walked in on something awkward and is frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Quinn, I thought you promised to stay upstairs," Coach finally breaks the silence.

"I'm so sorry," Quinn says while outright staring at me, her voice like music. "Let me just grab one thing." She hurries to the refrigerator, grabs a bottle of something and scurries up the stairs, turning back one last time to look at me before disappearing. I watch her the entire time, mesmerized. Before I know it, I can feel Coach's breath up against my face and his free hand gripping my arm.

"No matter what you decide," he says in a low murmur into my ear, "If you go anywhere near her, I'll kill you. I'll rip your head right off of your body. You got it?"

When I tell Coach I understand, he loosens his grip on me and brings the tray out to the hungry team. With the door swinging again after his exit, I stand frozen in the kitchen, staring at the steps the beautiful girl just left on, and it takes all of my strength not to go up there to find her.

*****

Quinn

*****

I'm a little flushed when I head back up to my room, dizzy and excited from the quick meeting in my kitchen. I had promised I'd stay far away from my dad's ballplayers but that was before I looked out my window and saw just how good looking they are, well, how good looking at least one of them is. After watching from my perch as he walked inside, I couldn't help myself from trying to set up a chance meeting before diving back into studying.

When I return to my room, Becca's face fills my computer screen and I watch as she entertains herself with something else while waiting for me to come back.

"Hey," I call out, "I'm back."

Becca snaps to attention upon hearing my voice. "Sooo, see any hot guys down there? Personally I don't know why you don't just throw yourself into it. Make your dad kick you out. There's way too many hunks down there for you to be stuck up here talking to me."

I laugh with her. "Yeah, that's not gonna happen. I have to get this paper ready any way and that's what I'm here for. I ain't got time for silly boys."

"But there's so many down there," she whines. "Baseball players. The hottest guys in the whole school right underneath you."

"When I first moved back to town, I thought you were gonna show me the best places on campus, maybe where to get something to eat, not where the cute boys are," I explain.

"You don't need me to tell you where the boys are because they're all in your house!" Becca makes herself laugh. "Anyway, I'm glad you're joining me at State, even if it wasn't by choice."

"Yup, dad made it clear that I need to go while I can still go for free. If he gets fired, at least I'll have my degree if I can finish in time."

There's a silence between us as I ponder the situation I'm in. An awkward silence hangs over our conversation as Becca fusses with the phone in her hand. I try to find a way to get her attention again.

"So, I did see one boy down there. He was really cute too," I tell her.

"Tell me more!"

I start to give Becca the details of the guy, slowly at first and then I get lost in my own recollection.

"And a cute dimple right here," I explain while pointing to a spot on my cheek. I'm so lost in the memory I don't immediately notice that Becca's mouth is wide open in shock. She returns to her phone for a moment, typing frantically.

"Was it this guy?" she asks and turns the screen of her phone to the camera so I can see. The guy on her phone looks an awful lot like the person who was in my kitchen.

"Yeah, I think so. You know him?"

The look on Becca's face makes me nervous.

"Everyone knows him Quinn, especially all the girls on campus. That's Beau Tillman. If I'm not mistaken, he's the best player on your dad's team and the biggest player on campus, if you catch my drift."

I'm disappointed. "Oh, so he gets around quite a bit, huh?"

"Um yeah" she says, "Little bit."

"Well good thing I have to hurry and get my degree this summer. No time for guys like that."

"You still singing?" Becca asks, remembering the old me.

"That's another thing I'm forbidden from. If my father caught me spending time with my guitar instead of studying, I'd be in big, big trouble."

Becca understands and we lose the steam to our conversation because I'm distracted. Though I never would act on the impulses I felt when looking at this Beau Tillman, it's a little heartbreaking to hear that he was even more off limits. I tell Becca I'm going to return to my paper and we hang up the call. My notepad, textbook and pen are within reach but when I try to go back to them, my guitar that I've hidden in the corner of the room demands my attention. Just five minutes, I assure myself and put it on my lap. I strum the guitar mindlessly until I hear some commotion outside. Wheeling my chair to the window, I keep strumming as I check out what's going on out there. Right under my window is the famous Beau, chatting with a few of his teammates. The boy is impossibly sexy and I'm shocked by how drawn I feel to him. He's confident and leading all conversation outside, people waiting for the chance just to speak with him. He's in charge and in control. My face feels flush and just when I tell myself I'll pull away from the window, he looks up. We lock eyes and I freeze for a moment, the two of us connect in a way stronger than anything I've ever felt before.

"Quinn?" my father calls from downstairs and it brings me back to reality. I dive away from the window embarrassed, off to find out what it is my father wants.

*****