Page 2

2

Ripley

I’m still riding the high of our win as I stride into the locker room, cleats clacking against the concrete. The place reeks of sweat and sports drinks, but for me, it smells like victory—despite the fact that the new umpire did everything in her power to sabotage me. Okay, maybe not everything, but she sure as hell handed the other team a free run with that balk call. If we’d lost, I might’ve lost my mind.

I drop onto the bench in front of my locker and start unlacing my cleats. Fenway’s the first to wander over, a lazy grin on his face. “Hey, Riptide. Nice job out there, minus that hiccup.”

“Hiccup?” I glare at him, but I can’t help smirking. “That ‘hiccup’ almost blew the game for us.”

“Dude, we won!” Fenway says, slapping my shoulder. “Way to bounce back.”

Mike, toweling off his hair, jumps in. “And you can’t blame the newbie ump for calling it like she saw it. Maybe you should have made your move less… questionable.”

I huff. “Questionable? Come on, that was a clean pick-off attempt. She just—she didn’t see it right, that’s all.”

Jace, never one to miss an opportunity, laughs. “Or maybe she saw it fine and you’re just salty.”

“Shut up, Jace,” I grumble, which only makes him laugh harder. I roll my eyes and change the subject. “By the way, did any of you notice who was under that umpire’s mask? I mean, she pulls it off, and—bam.”

Fenway wiggles his eyebrows. “So Riptide did notice. Thought you only had eyes for the strike zone.”

“She blindsided me,” I admit. “I wasn’t expecting someone who looked… well, like that. Didn’t mean I appreciated the call. But still.”

Mike whistles low, clearly amused. “I sense a little tension in the air.”

“Yeah, the tension of me wanting to never deal with her again,” I say quickly, trying to rein in my thoughts. She may be beautiful, but still. I shrug and push up from the bench. “Anyway, I’m out of here. I gotta pick Juniper up from my sister’s place.”

“Give the kid a high five from me,” Fenway calls.

“Sure thing,” I say. “If she’s still awake.”

* * *

I swing by Hattie’s place around nine. She lives in a cozy little house in a cul-de-sac with a big oak tree out front that Juniper loves to climb—at least, whenever Hattie lets her. The moment I knock, the door flies open, and Juniper barrels into me, nearly knocking me off my feet.

“Daddy!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I heard you won your game!”

“That’s right, Junebug,” I say, ruffling her curls. “We pulled it off. Barely.”

Hattie appears behind her, hands on her hips. “Barely, huh? I was watching the highlights online. Looked like you gave everyone a heart attack.”

I roll my eyes and lead them back into the living room. “The new umpire—Kali something—decided to call a balk on me. A balk !” I throw my hands up dramatically. “Totally unnecessary. She’s brand new, and she’s already going rogue.”

Hattie snorts and plops down on the couch. “So, is this ‘rogue’ umpire also the one you were staring at when she pulled off her mask?” she says, arching a thin brow in a way that suggests she’s heard rumors. “I think everyone noticed.”

I feel heat rush up my neck. “I—I wasn’t staring,” I protest, dropping my duffel bag near the coffee table. “I was surprised, is all. I thought she was just another guy behind the plate. Didn’t expect…” I realize Juniper’s eyes are on me, big and curious. “Never mind.”

Hattie laughs. “Oh, come on, lighten up. So you had a balk called on you. Did your buddy Fenway have anything to say about it?” Her eyes dart nervously around.

It’s no secret my sister’s had the hots for my best friend, Fenway. I’d just never allow it. I mean, it’s weird, right? I choose to ignore her lame attempt for more information about him, and simply answer her question.

“Fenway was telling me to calm down,” I grumble. “He’s a rookie, but he’s not wrong. Anyway, I kept it together—for the most part. Don’t want to make it easy for them to toss me out.”

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.