She took out her laptop and started making some notes. People started filing in. A lot of women, too. Wives and maybe girlfriends of the players, no doubt. She wanted to talk to them, as well, but not tonight. She’d do that some other time.
When Trevor took the field, her heart skipped a beat. She’d seen him play on TV, of course, but never in person. He was so tall, and God, he looked mouthwateringly good in uniform as he trotted out to the field to warm up. She’d thought she was over the crush she’d had on him in college.
As she watched him run, she realized what she felt was nothing more than the rush of close proximity, the fact that she had one time with him. He was paying attention to her, giving her his time. If there was one thing Trevor had, it was charm, and he knew how to use it. He’d always had a reputation with women, and for all his talk about focusing on nothing but sports in college, that hadn’t been the case at all. He’d had plenty of girlfriends—or at least he’d gone through a lot of women.
From the initial research she’d done about his adult life, it appeared he was still going through them. Approaching thirty, he remained unattached and hadn’t had a serious girlfriend. She wondered why. She made a note to ask him, then focused on the practice.
They got into positions while the pitcher warmed up. Trevor was in left field. She knew a lot of these players, though the team had made a few changes in recent years. Gavin Riley was still at first base, anchored by Dedrick Coleman at third, the veterans who were still the glue that held this team together. They’d traded for a hotshot shortstop, Chase Henderson, who looked to be an up-and-comer.
She had high hopes for the team this year. The Rivers were currently in second place with two weeks to go until the end of the regular season. They were three games out of first and in the hunt for at least a wild card spot.
She loved sports, and always had. Maybe it had been a product of her growing up around sports players, being around them all the time because of her parents. The sports dorms had housed players of so many different sports—football, baseball, lacrosse, tennis—any sport imaginable. And her parents had treated every boy who’d gone to college there as one of their own. They’d often gone to the games, and if there was one thing her father had been good at, it was spotting a boy in trouble—someone who needed a little extra TLC.
Haven remembered her dad spending a lot of time with Trevor, though she hadn’t known why, by that point not paying so much attention to Trevor because she’d been in college herself, focusing on her own studies, her own social life. Whatever pitiful social life she’d had, anyway. One would think she would have been incredibly popular since she’d known all the jocks.
Not so much. None of the guys had wanted anything to do with her. She might as well have had Off-Limits tattooed across her forehead. Being the daughter of the dorm parents was just as bad as being the daughter of one of the coaches. No one had touched her. Not that she had wanted any of them.
Except for Trevor, who continued to wow her with the distance on his throws. He had one hell of an arm.
He was simply too good at this. Which, she supposed, accounted for his popularity, and the reason the teams made allowances for him playing two sports.
Seats were filling in all around her, but she barely paid attention because the teams were taking the field. She focused on Trevor in the outfield as the Rivers were on defense first and Chicago came up to bat.
Garrett Scott was pitching today. Her mom said Garrett had come by a few weeks ago to visit, along with his fiancée, Alicia, who also worked for the Rivers as a physical therapist.
Mom had loved that visit. It had brightened her spirits.
Haven saw Alicia out on the field working with one of the players. Very pretty woman, and, as it turned out, she was Gavin Riley’s cousin. Alicia and Garrett were getting married at the conclusion of the baseball season. She couldn’t wait to go to the wedding.
Closing her laptop, she focused on Garrett. His shoulder looked completely healed because he was throwing a combination of pitches out there, all of them hitting the mark. The first batter grounded out to second base. Garrett struck out the second batter, and the third batter hit a pop fly that Trevor ran down and caught.
Easy top of the first. Now the Rivers were up. Trevor batted fifth in the lineup, so she wasn’t sure she’d get to see him in action this inning.
The first batter grounded out. But when the second batter singled and reached first base, and the next doubled, unless Gavin Riley hit into a double play, she’d get to see Trevor hit.
Gavin took two pitches low and away for balls, the next right in the strike zone. He hit the next one into left field, which scored the two runners and sent Gavin to first base.
The stadium erupted into wild cheers. The Rivers were up by two runs, Trevor was up to bat, and there was only one out.
She could see how serious he was as he stepped into the batter’s box. Her stomach twisted in knots as she waited for Chicago’s pitcher to throw the ball.
Trevor took a strike on the first pitch, then two balls. He fouled off the next pitch.
Two balls, two strikes. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward.
The pitcher’s next throw resulted in ball three.
Full count now; she waited for the next pitch. It was right on the money, and Trevor slammed the ball. Unfortunately, it went foul.
So did the next ball, and the one after that. He was hanging in there, though, and she hoped he’d get a piece of one of these pitches.
He did, on the next pitch, sending it sailing into the left-field corner. She launched out of her seat, screaming along with the rest of the stadium as Gavin rounded the bases and headed for home. Trevor stopped at second base.
Excellent.
The next batter was out on a high pop fly, and the batter after that struck out, stranding Trevor, but he’d gotten an RBI and the Rivers were up three to nothing after the first inning.
The rest of the game was just as chock-full of excitement, with Chicago scoring two runs in the fifth, and the Rivers coming back to score four more before it was all over.
What an exciting game, and one the Rivers needed to stay in contention. Every player had given it his all. Haven had been tense the entire time.
She headed to the locker room after the game.
“Hi, Haven.”
She turned and saw Alicia standing there. They hadn’t had a lot of interaction, but they’d spent some time together at the hospital and getting to know each other after the funeral.
“Hello, Alicia. How are you?”
“I’m good. How are you doing?”
“Great. It was a good game today. Garrett pitched so well.”
“He did. Those three runs kind of sucked, though. He’ll be pissed about that.” Alicia paused. “Oh, I probably shouldn’t have said that. Are you covering today’s game for your news station?”
“No. I’m actually doing a feature interview on Trevor Shay.”
“That’s interesting. And should be fun. We love Trevor around here. He’s great and has been an incredible asset to the team. All the guys love working with him.”
Haven wasn’t sure if that was the truth or just the company line. “I’m glad to hear that. And you work for the team as well. That must have been so complicated for your relationship.”
“Are we on the record here?”
Haven laughed. “Not at all. I’m not writing about you and Garrett.”
“Then, yes. It was complicated as hell for a while. But we worked it all out. And the team has been great about it. I just don’t work with Garrett in any official capacity.”
“You do sports medicine, right?”
“Yes. So if he’s injured or needs any kind of physical therapy, one of the other therapists works with him. The only interaction we have together now is at home.”
“I guess that makes sense. No conflict of interest that way.”
“Exactly.”
“Have you worked with Trevor before in therapy?”
“I have, though mostly for general conditioning. He’s like . . . bionic or something. The guy has never been hurt. He knows his body well and knows how to take care of it. And considering that he plays two sports, I’m surprised he hasn’t had any issues. Doing as much as he does is hard on a body. But not on his.”
Yeah, he had a hell of a body, for sure. “I guess that’s a good thing, though, right? For both of his teams.”
“That’s what the coach says, though Manny—that’s the Rivers’ coach—grumbles a lot about Trevor playing football for Tampa. He wants him dedicated to baseball.”
Haven’s lips curved. “I would imagine Trevor hears much the same thing from the Tampa coach.”
Alicia laughed. “You’re probably right.”
The doors opened and the players started appearing. Garrett walked over and put his arms around Alicia, giving her a kiss that made Haven’s cheeks heat up.
“Good game, babe,” Alicia said.
“Eh. Gave up three earned runs. But I recovered and shut them down after that.”
“You did.”
Garrett turned and smiled when he saw Haven, then came over and folded her into a hug. “Haven. I didn’t know you were here today.”
She wrapped her arms around Garrett and hugged him back. “I’m here on assignment. It’s so great to see you. You pitched an amazing game.”
“Gave up a few runs, but at least we won. So it’s all good. And what kind of assignment?”
“With Trevor. I’m doing a feature story on him for the network.”
Garrett’s brows shot up. “No shit. Are you sure the rest of us will be able to handle the ego burst from him getting all that media attention?”
“Oh, suck it up, Scott. It’s about time someone besides you pretty-boy pitchers got some focus around here.”
Trevor came up to stand next to Haven.
“Please. I’m not the one with all those endorsement deals like you, Shay,” Garrett said. “Every time I turn on one of the sports channels, I see your ugly face.”
“If I was ugly, you wouldn’t see my face so often, now would you?”
“Aww, he thinks he’s pretty. Are you sure you can handle spending so much time with this guy?”
Haven nearly swallowed her tongue as Gavin Riley joined the crowd. He kissed his cousin on the cheek and nudged Garrett in the ribs.
“Haven, this is Gavin Riley. Who’s just jealous because he thinks he’s prettier than anyone else on the team. This is Haven Briscoe. She works for the network and will be doing a feature story on me.”
She laughed. “Nice to meet you, Gavin.”
“You, too, Haven. Sorry you have to spend so much time with Trevor.”
“The network’s paying me to do it. Otherwise, no way.”
Gavin laughed and looked at Trevor. “I like her.”
“Haven and I have known each other since college. That’s why I chose her to do this whole The-Life-and-Career-of-Trevor-Shay thing. She’ll do justice to it and portray me in a fair light.”
“So you think,” Haven said with a wink to the others. “How do you know I won’t spill all your deep, dark secrets?”
“Mainly because you don’t know any of them.”
Gavin laughed. “Okay, I gotta go. Liz and my little princess are waiting at home for me.”
“I read about the birth of your baby girl, Genevieve, Gavin. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I’m pretty stoked to be a dad. And surprisingly, even my work-obsessed wife is super excited about being a mom. Her maternity leave is about to end and she’s dreading having to go back to work.”
“I can imagine.”
“Hey, before you go, we’re doing a couples wedding shower thing after the game on Sunday,” Alicia said. “Will you and Liz be there?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Gavin said. “I’ll have Liz call to confirm.”
“Okay. See you then.”
After Gavin left, Alicia turned to Trevor and Haven. “Several people from the team are coming. It’s very informal. Just a get-together celebrating our impending wedding. Trevor’s invited. Will you come, Haven?”
Haven looked at Trevor.
“We’ll be there. It’ll give Haven a chance to meet everyone.” Trevor turned to Haven. “Don’t you think?”
Haven just nodded. “Sure. I’d love to. Thank you for the invite, Alicia.”
“You’re welcome. Do you have the address, Trevor?”
“Of course I . . . probably don’t.”
Alicia rolled her eyes. “This is what happens when I leave it to Garrett to invite people.” Alicia pulled out her phone. “Are you ready?”
“Why don’t you put all that in your phone?” Trevor said to Haven. “I think mine’s in the bottom of my gym bag somewhere.”
“Oh, sure.” She dug her phone out of her bag and typed in the date, time, and information. “Got it.”
“Great. See you all later.”
Trevor led her outside to his car. There were several people hanging outside near the fences.
“Do you mind waiting?” he asked.
“Not at all.”
He went over and spent fifteen minutes signing autographs and taking pictures. She liked that he took the time. Many athletes didn’t. A lot of the rookies did, because they wanted to establish themselves. But once fame hit, many felt they didn’t need their fans any longer.
Garrett and Gavin had lingered, too.
She liked this about these athletes. It showed class that they cared about their fans.