Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
Hattie raises her eyebrows. “You can’t afford to get ejected too often. That temper’s gonna catch up with you one of these days.”
“I know, I know,” I sigh.
Juniper climbs onto my lap, swinging her little legs back and forth. She’s only six, but she’s been around baseball her whole life. “Did you argue with the umpire, Daddy?” she asks, tilting her head.
“What if I did?” I reply, ruffling her hair again. “She made a bad call. I had to let her know.”
Juniper gives me a pointed look. “You probably deserved it,” she teases in that singsong voice. Hattie bursts out laughing, and I can’t help but join in.
“You little brat,” I tease right back, giving her a playful nudge. “You always side with the ump?”
“If you broke the rules, then yes,” Juniper declares, mimicking a serious expression. “No exceptions.”
Hattie claps her hands. “That’s my girl. Holding you accountable already.”
I shake my head, grinning at my daughter’s sass. “Okay, Miss Baseball Expert. How about you let me show you how it’s really done?”
“Actually, Dad, I wanted to talk to you about that!” Juniper says, eyes shining. “I want to learn to play! Aunt Hattie found a flyer for a coaching program at the rec center.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, yeah?” That place is about ten minutes from here, a nice little facility with beginner leagues and training camps. “You want to be a baseball player, huh?”
“Or softball. Or maybe an umpire! Or both!” Juniper bounces on my knee. “I want to learn how to pitch and catch and hit home runs. Aunt Hattie said you might teach me.”
I glance at Hattie, who gives me a warm smile. “I figured you’d want to hear it from her.”
I look back at Juniper and see the excitement brimming in her eyes. Suddenly, all the stress from the game, the balk call, and the new umpire’s glare fades into the background. “Sure, Junebug,” I say softly. “I’d love to teach you. Let’s sign you up.”
She squeals in delight, then throws her arms around my neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Hattie stands, nodding at the clock on the wall. “We can register online tonight if you want. It’s a beginner’s program—Saturday mornings, I think.”
I grin. “Saturday mornings work for me. We’ll have to see about road games, but I’ll make it happen.”
Juniper wriggles off my lap and starts spinning in the middle of the living room like a tiny tornado of excitement. “I can’t wait!” she exclaims. “Can we get a pink glove? And maybe a sparkly bat?”
“Whoa, one step at a time, kiddo,” I say, laughing. “We’ll find you the right gear, I promise.”
Hattie pats my shoulder as I rise to my feet. “I love seeing you like this—a proud dad. You know, maybe you should thank that tough new umpire. She knocked you down a peg. Keeps you humble.”
I roll my eyes dramatically. “Let’s not go that far. I’m happy for Juniper, but that umpire, Kali… She’s on my list.”
Hattie snorts. “Your list of what? People who actually know the rules?”
“Ha-ha,” I deadpan, grabbing my duffel. “Keep it up, Sis. I’ll remember this.”
“Sure you will.” Hattie smirks, guiding Juniper toward the hall to grab her overnight bag. “In all seriousness, I’m just glad you survived another game without getting ejected. And that you won.”
As Juniper races back, backpack swinging wildly, I swoop her into my arms. “All right, you ready to head home, slugger?”
“Ready!” she chirps.
I share a smile with Hattie, who waves us off. “See you soon, big shot. Don’t let the umps get under your skin.”
“I’ll do my best,” I say, making a face. And as I step out into the warm night air with Juniper in my arms, I realize that no matter how annoying that balk was—or how unexpectedly stunning that umpire turned out to be—there’s a whole lot more in my life that matters than just one bad call. Still, I can’t help thinking about Kali again. Maybe I should forget her. Then again, maybe that’s going to be harder than I thought.
3
Kali
I’m weaving through the narrow streets of downtown Starlight Bay, one hand on the wheel and the other propping my phone up so my sister, Bristol, can see my face. The Saturday morning sun is bright, shimmering off every window I pass, and the tourists are already out, strolling along the sidewalks with iced coffees and sunglasses. The air smells like fresh bagels and the ocean just two blocks away—a sweet reminder that no matter how small this town is, it has its own little charms.
“Come on, spill it,” Bristol insists, her eyes sparkling through the phone screen as we Facetime each other. “You can’t drop a bomb about calling a balk on Ripley ‘Riptide’ Johnson and not give me the juicy details.”
I snort, easing my ancient Honda into a parking spot near the rec center. “I told you what happened. He broke the rules, I called the balk. End of story.”