Midnight Surrender: A Paranormal Romance Anthology (9 page)

Like a sense of home, the familiar baseball cap on my head was a comfort and not just because of the hot sun. The day was a blaze of light and the baseball in my hand reminded me that I was supposed to be doing something. While I waited for the next batter, my attention shifted just as I wiped at a bead of sweat on my brow.

“
Hey Paul, are you going to throw the ball or what?” a voice said off in the distance.

Turning my attention from the girls’ practice, which was taking place on the football field instead of the baseball diamond, I shifted in my stance. My team, the varsity team, got first use of the diamond, fair or not. I looked in the direction of the voice for just a second.

My catcher was ready for the pitch and was probably tired and hot like the rest of us. Hell, I’d waited while everyone else got ready. They could wait just a second more.

A quick glance over my shoulder showed she wasn’t wearing a hat. She would regret that later and I wanted to warn her about potential sunburn if only just to speak to her. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and it swayed with her every movement. The fireball next to her was attached to her hip most days.

Maggie was a ball buster that had a way of embarrassing guys to no end when they tried to talk to her. I was sure she would be just as fierce in protecting her best friend. Those two were a pair to the end. That much I knew.

When a cluster of guys came over, they followed my line of sight. I knew they wanted to see who I was checking out. This made me feel vaguely uncomfortable.

A hand clapped on my back and hung on my shoulder. “You better not be looking at my sister, Bowman,” a different voice said.

Turning to face the voice wouldn’t change what I already knew. Looking up, I saw the match to the fireball. Liam was tall with a mix of reddish-blond hair, but the resemblance was clear. Although only a year ahead of me, a junior, Liam wasn’t one to be messed with. And he wasn’t Maggie’s only protector. Her other brother was a senior, but he didn’t play baseball. He played lacrosse, so I didn’t have to deal with both of them at once.

“
No, I’m not,” I said flatly.

Liam frowned at me. “What are you saying? You don’t think she’s cute enough?”

Laughing, I wondered why the guy just admonished me from checking his sister out. “She’s cute,” I said in a nonchalant way. “But it’s her friend I’m interested in.”

Liam’s frown stayed in place. “Who, Mercy? She’s like a sister to me too.”

Sighing, I pulled my cap off my head and ran my hand through my hair. Putting my cap back on, I manned up. “Is she off limits too?”

My question, however, came too late before the rest of the team, who’d been practicing, now came over to huddle around, wondering what was going on. A few murmurs were spoken when Liam finally took it upon himself to broadcast to everyone what they’d been talking about.

“
Fellas, it seems my young apprentice Paul, here, is going to ask Mercy Moore out,” Liam announced.

“
Nice,” a guy named Doug said as he clapped Liam’s other shoulder. “Do you think I can ask your sister out?”

Liam immediately went on a rant while Doug just grinned up at him. Thankfully, the guy took the heat off of me. The guys were quickly immersed in that conversation, leaving me to glance over at the girls’ team again.

Only it seemed not everybody was watching the showdown between Doug and Liam. “So what makes you think she’ll go out with you?” another voice asked arrogantly.

I turned to catch sight of the freshman guy all the girls were going gaga over. Flynn was his name. He was tall like me and he met me eye to eye. Luke, a friend to us both, looked between us. His expression said he really didn’t want to have to pick a side. But I knew he and Flynn were close and if it came down to it, he would side with Flynn.

“
What is she your girlfriend or something?” he asked, with a little chuckle to show his confidence. Mercy was in my math class and I’d been talking to her for a while now. I was pretty sure she was interested in me too.

Flynn turned and stared in the direction of the girls. The guy flashed a sly smile. I turned back to see that a bunch of the girls had stopped practice to see what we were doing. Maggie, the firecracker and sister to Liam, started making rude gestures. Chuckling, I watched as Mercy’s face flushed and not from the heat. Other girls began to chime in with hoots about, “You can’t handle all this!”

That quieted Liam, who held his hand out to either side as if he were saying, “Why,” suggesting to his sister he wasn’t pleased. Meanwhile, the cat calls like, “Why don’t you come over here with that sweet ass of yours and find out,” rained out on the guys’ side. This caused Liam to push some kid, and it all seemed to get a little out of control from there.

Coach must have been talking to someone on the phone because he’d yet to break this up. Meanwhile, I blanked out on all the noises around me. Instead, I focused solely on Mercy. She returned my stare with a shy smile and a hint of a dimple. That smile ignited something in me no girl ever had. She was pretty without knowing it, which made her sweet as homemade pie.

Taking a step forward, I planned to make my move. Holding eye contact, I was sure she would move towards me once he started forward. A firm hand grasped my biceps. Turning, I looked to meet the furious glare from Flynn. “Where are you going Cassanova? We’ve got practice.”

Shrugging, I shook out of Flynn’s hold. With my fist gripping the ball, I almost said something. However, Flynn was right. We were at practice. There would be time later to ask Mercy out.

Glancing back, I would have ignored Flynn, who stood his ground if Mercy looked like she was heading my way. However, when I turned back, the girls had dispersed back into their practice formations. Mercy’s back was now to me. The moment passed. Flynn spoiled it. I looked up and met Luke’s eyes. The guy’s facial expression was blank. He turned and headed back to his spot at second base, taking Flynn with him. I couldn’t get a read on Luke. We had gotten to be good friends last year. Things changed once his buddy made his way from middle school here. I watched the freshman, rather Flynn, go back to the catcher spot’s pulling the mask on. The guy wanted it all, my pitcher status and maybe even the girl I was after.

Working my shoulders, I waited while Flynn bent down. The guy signaled for a fastball. Doug, who was up at bat, swung warm ups in anticipation. Even though it wasn’t a real game, and it was pre-pre season, we practiced like it was real. It was one of the coach’s secrets to success. Always play to win. So with that, I prepared and gave everything I had on this pitch which would catch them all by surprise. Especially, the little freshman cock blocker who ruined my moment. I would get him back with the heat off my wicked curve ball.

****

Rushing through my shower, I got dressed. Readying myself to head home, a couple of guys walked by and clapped me on the back. Looking up, one said, “Good going Bowman, that girl’s got nice melons.” The guy’s hands were in front of his chest like he was holding something.

Just when I was about to say something, Luke sidled up to my side, diverting my attention from the loser patrol. “A word of warning,” Luke said. “That thing out there, throwing a different pitch than called, wasn’t cool.”

I rolled my eyes. If he came to warn me about his friend, I would let the guy know I could handle myself. “Look, unless you have a death wish, I wouldn’t do something like that again. Flynn’s cool. And although he acts like a pretty boy, his bark comes with a nasty bite.”

“
Thanks, but I can handle myself. Why don’t you tell your friend to back off Mercy,” I said in challenge.

The guy arched an eyebrow. “Your funeral,” he muttered and walked off. What was that supposed to mean. Did Flynn have his eyes on Mercy?

Doubling my efforts, I rushed to get outside hoping to reach Mercy in the parking lot before she went home. I’d felt a connection earlier and didn’t want to miss this opening to asking her out.

Headed out of the locker room door, I felt eyes on the back of my head. Turning, my eyes locked on one Flynn McCallister. Not having time for that, I ignored him and made my way outside. Turning the corner and getting a good view of the mostly empty lot, I saw Mercy on the passenger side door of the redhead’s door.

“
Hey,” a voice behind me said. Turning, I caught a glimpse of Doug racing towards me.

“
What’s up?” I asked, still walking in a somewhat fast pace. I wasn’t ready to turn on the jets. That may make me look a bit more desperate than I was ready to admit. The worst that could happen was I would miss talking to her today and could talk to her tomorrow.

“
Going for it?” Doug asked, about two steps behind me at this point.

Nodding, I said, “You?”

Doug nodded, “Hell, yeah. That girl is something else.”

“
Her brother didn’t scare you then?” I asked. Liam could be a bit intimidating.

“
It’s worth it,” the guy said, shooting forward. Apparently, he didn’t care if red saw him as eager.

I started to run to. But then realized if Doug stopped Maggie, my problem would be solved. Plans however changed when Doug’s friend stepped out of nowhere to stand next to him by Maggie’s car when Doug made it over there. The guy was looking at Mercy. Yet, she was looking at me.

Jogging, I made the decision to keep her attention on me. Breathing slightly harder than normal, I said, “Hey.”

How lame was that? “Hi,” she said with a shy smile on her face.

“
Eme,” Maggie called her from the other side of the car. “Doug wants to go get ice cream or coffee. Want to go?”

Mercy’s body was half turned in the other girl’s direction, giving me a profile view of her entire body. “Yeah, okay. Give me a minute.” Moving to face me, she said, “Sorry about that. Did you want something?”

Doug and his friend had beaten me to the punch. Asking her out now might not be the best idea. Maybe she liked that guy. “I was hoping you could help me with our math project.”

Was that surprise I saw with the flicker of movement in her eye? Was she hoping I would have asked her out instead? “Sure, tomorrow?” she asked.

“
Okay, after practice we could go to the library and then I could take you home.”

Nodding, she said, “That’s cool. See you tomorrow then.”

Stepping back, I held out the door for her as she slipped into the car. Doug and his friend were gone. I guess they were getting in their own ride. Closing the door, I gave her a salute. Giggling, she waved. Did I really just do that? A salute. What the hell was wrong with me? This girl had me so confused.

****

Getting up early, I spent longer than usual in the bathroom getting ready. I already got a knowing look from my mom. Fiddling with my hair in the mirror, I looked at the clothes I decided on. Tilting my head back, I wondered what the heck I was thinking. It was just a girl. I didn’t even know if she was into me for certain. Shaking my head in disgust, I headed out the door. But first, I took a second look.

Grabbing my favorite baseball cap, I headed downstairs.

“
Who’s the lucky girl?” my mother asked.

“
There’s no girl, mom,” I said.

“
Look at you. You spent extra time this morning getting ready. There’s a girl. I should tell your father.”

Groaning I rolled my eyes. “Dad’s busy with work. Don’t bother him about something that’s nothing.”

“
I hear more about your sister’s life than I do about yours and she’s off in college,” my mother complained.

“
Mom, there is nothing to tell,” I protested. Then I took a bite into a huge cinnamon roll. My mom was a good cook. “You really shouldn’t cook like this. You’ll be the death of us all,” I teased her, trying in vain to change the subject.

Mom looked up. “Your sister never complains. In fact, she was telling me the other day how the cafeteria food just wasn’t like home.” She continued to talk and, unintentionally, I tuned her out. My sister and my mom could do without my mom’s cooking. But I would never tell either one of them that.

“
I gotta go. I’m going to be late,” I said with the other half of my cinnamon roll in my hand.

During school, I wasn’t allowed to wear my hat. With my lucky hat on the passenger seat, I sat in my car and finger combed through my hair before I made an appearance. My only class with Mercy didn’t come until after lunch. So again, I wondered what the hell I was doing.

Getting out of my parent’s old beat up car, I knew another thing that was a must. A job. My dad said that he would match whatever I put down for a new car. After baseball season was over, that was tops on my list. What girl would want to ride around in this monster?

Finally, after the day dragged on to high heaven, lunch came. Not that I was excited about what the cafeteria was serving. Not with a mother who made everything she fixed taste good. Grabbing a burger, I made my way out of the line and outside to the quad. The sun was out and almost everyone was taking advantage. Mercy was sitting by herself and not wanting to miss another opportunity, I headed her way. She glanced up from a book she was reading with one hand and held half of a sandwich in the other.

“
Mind if I join you?” I asked.