Cobb

All of the cars came to a stop at the baseball field at the same time. Monroe was in my car with me, Amity was with Silas, Everly with Urban, but Brooks and Jenner Greene—Silas’ best friend and our teammate—rode together. My sister… she insisted on driving herself even though.

 

This was going to be fun.

​

Baseball was out job but we loved it. Yet it was somewhat rare that we got to play just for fun. This all-star break was the perfect time. We had to leave tomorrow for Cincinnati but today was for fun. The all-star game was fun too but whoever won got to host the world series and honestly, every player wanted their league to be the host. Your league, your rules.

 

Monroe got out of the car slower than I did but I was hyped up. I went to the trunk and grabbed the gear which happened to be what every one of my brothers were doing. Today Monroe wore jean shorts with a T-shirt and regular tennis shoes while having her hair up in a bun as tiny wisps of hair fell from it.

 

She was hot as hell but also cute as fuck.

 

When I came around to her, I wrapped my hand around hers to lead her to the field.

 

“Are we really doing this?” Amity called out though they weren’t far from us.

 

“Of course we are,” Silas told her. “I’m disappointed in myself that we haven’t done it earlier.”

 

I could practically hear Amity’s eyes roll. “I’ve hit a baseball before. I grew up with my brother, didn’t I?”

 

I chuckled as we made our way to the diamond. It’d been a long time since I’d heard anyone mention her brother casually and it was like an ever present shadow had been chased away. When her brother died, it hit all of us because he was Silas’ other best friend and we’d played baseball with him since forever. Not to mention their dad was all of our coach in high school.

 

That had been rough.

 

But we were here to have a good time.

 

We dropped our equipment and started to get situated.

 

“Who’s catching?” Urban asked. “It’s not like Brooks can do it.

​

Brooks scowled. He wouldn’t love being reminded that he was injured right now and using crutches. He couldn’t catch even if he didn’t squat. Not if he wanted to be back playing after the all-star break.

 

“I can,” Jenner offered. “I used backup catch remember?”

 

That was right he had but not in a long time. Since this wasn’t a serious game, it didn’t matter. We were just hitting some balls.

 

While Jenner worked on getting Brooks’ non-game gear on, Urban asked, “Who’s going first, ladies?”
I smiled and bit into my bottom lip. “I think Monroe should go first.”

 

Amity would be able to hit something. She did play with us growing up. Not on a team but when we were dicking around in the yard. Everly didn’t know baseball and Monroe knew only a little but had been learning. Camden… could hit. There was no question about that.

 

But I wanted to see my girl hit a ball.

 

She groaned. “I’m not going to be able to hit it.”

 

I snickered. “Yes, you will. I’ll make sure.”

 

After letting out a little sigh she slowly walked over to the bats. She went to grab one and dropped it. “That’s really heavy.”

 

All of us guys laughed. It was. It was supposed to be. That was a weighted bat we’d used in high school for conditioning.

 

“Use this one.” I handed her a much lighter wooden bat. “This was Camden’s.” And much easier to handle. “Come on.”

 

I led her to the plate where Jenner was standing and explained to her how to stand. Where to put her feet. How to plant her weight and to swing with all of her body strength. Not just her arms. She took it all in and did what I told her to do.

 

Then I brushed my hand over her cheek and down her neck as I stood behind her, not missing how her breath caught in her chest. I leaned in and whispered, “You got this.” Before kissing her on the cheek.

 

Now it was time to get to the mound. Jenner had her move a couple of steps back so I could throw a few warm up pitches.

 

Warm up for me and for him. With each pitch, Monroe too a step back.

​

“All right,” Jenner said as he stood for a second. “Come on over.” He waved at Monroe who stood there with big eyes.

​

Jenner snorted and flipped up the face guard. “Come on, Monroe. It’ll be all right.”

​

“What if he hits me?” she asked him making me scowl.

 

“Baby,” I called out to her. “You think I’m going to hit you?”

 

“I’ve seen batters get hit.”

 

“A lot of the time that’s on purpose,” Brooks told her.

 

She turned to him. “A lot of the time? What about the rest of the time?”

 

Shit. She was really scared I was going to hit her. This was supposed to be fun. I didn’t want her scared. I hurried to her from the mound.

 

“Monroe,” I said as soon as I was close enough to put my hands on her shoulders. Sure, one of them had a glove on it. “I’m not going to hit you.”

 

“Uh, I think you’ve hit batters before. And in that last game, you threw a ball a hundred miles an hour.”

 

“A hundred and one,” Jenner corrected so I threw him a dirty look that hopefully told him to shut his damn mouth.

 

“I’m not going to throw the ball a hundred miles an hour today.” I leaned down so that we were at eye level. “I did that because I had to get that guy out. So I had to throw faster than he’d probably see it. I don’t need to do that here.” I dropped a kiss to her warm forehead. “I’d take Jenner’s head off before I’d ever hit you.”

 

“Hey,” he grumbled and I had to try not to laugh.

 

“And if he thought for a second that the ball was going to hit you, he’d make sure it didn’t.”

 

“How the hell would he do that?”

 

“He’d push you out of the way. Jump in front of you. Something. I promised.”

 

“Yeah,” Jenner agreed. “That part is true.”

 

“I’m right behind you,” Brooks told her. “If that ball is coming anywhere for you, I’ll ditch the crutches and get to you.”

 

Even injured my big brother looked out for me. Clearly, I wasn’t going to do anything to put Monroe in harm’s way but wild pitches happened and he’d make sure she was all right. That’s what I’d want him to do.

 

She sighed. “Fine.”

 

“No. If you really don’t want to do this, I’m not making you.”

 

Her eyes met mine as she wet her lips. “No. I’m being a baby. Let’s do this.”

 

Once Monroe was at the plate again, I headed back out to the mound. Silas and Urban were standing on opposite sides of the field just beyond the baseline. Then Silas let out a big yawn. Asshole.

 

Brooks hobbled over closer to where Monroe stood. I’d thank him for that later.

 

Her chest rose and fell as the other woman sat in the dugout cheering her on. They’d be out of the sun in there.

 

With the first pitch, Monroe didn’t swing. Her apprehension was in the way she held herself. Too rigid. Too straight. When the ball didn’t hit her, her shoulders relaxed. The next pitch she swung but didn’t put her all into it.

 

Now, I was lobbing the ball in there already but I’d slow it down. If she could get a piece of it, she’d feel better.

 

The fifth pitch was the magic one. She hit the ball and it went past me to Silas. I turned so he could toss me the ball then I ran toward Monroe as she headed for first base. That was what we’d set up.

 

When I got to her, instead of tagging her out, I wrapped her up in my arms and lifted. “You’re out.”

 

“This isn’t a game.” Her words barely came out through her laughter.

 

“It’s not. But these were the rules we set up.” When I put her back on her feet she turned to me with a smile on her face.

 

“You hit the ball.”

 

“I did but probably only because you didn’t throw it a hundred miles an hour.”

 

I chuckled. “I would never.”

 

We stood there for a moment before heading back toward home plate.

 

“Who’s next?” I asked but kept my eyes on Monroe as she walked toward the dugout.

 

Everly headed to the plate while Urban jogged toward her. It was his woman and he’d want to instruct her his own way. That was fine. It meant I could watch Monroe a little longer.

 

She caught me watching her and raised an eyebrow. I slowly bit into my bottom lip causing her cheeks to turn pink. Maybe they turned red given that I could see her from here.

 

Fuck, I loved that woman. In a time when I didn’t want to find anyone, I found the one.