“Strike three, you’re out!” the umpire yelled.
Suddenly Raz whipped the bat into the air and threw it into the fence behind home plate. Raz’s mother and Evan’s mother jumped back, shocked.
“Son, you’re out of here!” the umpire shouted, then Coach Hardwick scrambled out of the dugout, scurrying to home plate.
Chris patted Jordan on the back. “Don’t let this get to you. You’re doing awesome. Keep it up.”
Jordan nodded, tense, and the team watched as Coach Hardwick marched Raz to the dugout, where everybody parted for him, stunned and nervous. Raz stalked inside and kicked the folding chair.
“Raz, enough!” Coach Hardwick bellowed, then pointed to Evan, who was next in the lineup.
The Musketeers burst into cheers for Evan, and as the game went on, they dominated inning after inning, scoring three more runs, and Jordan hit as well as he pitched. Chris spotted Jordan’s mother Heather arriving late, an attractive woman with dark blonde hair in a white sweater and jeans, and he kept his eye on her throughout the game, waiting to make his move. He needed to get as close as possible to Jordan, and winning over his mom would help the cause.
The final score was five to nothing, the Musketeers’ first win, and the team rushed Jordan on the mound, piling onto him and each other. They shook hands with Upper Grove, then streamed to the grassy area behind the visiting dugout, where snack food and drinks had been put out by the Boosters. Coach Hardwick said a few words, parents started talking to him and each other, and Chris made his way to Jordan’s mom, standing at the periphery. He approached her with a grin, sticking out his hand.
“Hi, I’m Chris Brennan, the new assistant coach. Are you Jordan’s mom? I saw you cheering for him.”
“Oh, nice to meet you. Yes, I’m Heather Larkin.” She extended her hand, and Chris clasped it warmly.
“Great to meet you. I also have him in AP Government and I’m so impressed with him. He’s able, responsible, and hard-working. You guys raised a great son.” Chris knew there were no “guys,” only Heather, but he couldn’t let on he knew.
“That’s true, he really is.” Heather beamed, and Chris noted she didn’t correct him.
“I was thrilled to see that he started today, and you must be very proud of him.”
“Oh, I am, I really am!” Heather’s hazel eyes shone. “I’m so glad I came. It’s my first game! I can’t believe how great he played!”
“He really came into his own, and it’s wonderful that you were there to share it with him.”
“That’s just how I feel!” Heather bubbled over with happiness. “I’m so happy I quit my job!”
“What?” Chris didn’t know if he’d heard her correctly.
“I quit my job and I feel so great!” Heather burst into laughter. “I hated it, only I didn’t realize I hated it! The new bosses are terrible! I’ll find another job and I feel so happy to be free! And I got to be here!”
“There you go! Some things are meant to be, aren’t they?” Chris grinned, though inside, he was shaking his head. She was a sweet person, but somebody should tell all the sweet people in the world, Don’t volunteer so much to complete strangers. Don’t tell them the most personal things. Don’t post every detail about your private life. You have no idea who is out there, preying on you, using that information to their advantage. Like me.
“It really is meant to be! Thank you so much for coaching him!”
“I’ve only coached him for a day, but I’ll take the credit.” Chris laughed, and Heather joined him.
“Why not? That’s the spirit!”
“Right!” Chris said, but just then, a stray sniffle came from one of the moms nearby, evidently about Raz’s father.
Heather’s pretty face fell. “What a shame. Neil was a great guy. He used to drive Raz and Jordan everywhere until they got their licenses.” She leaned over, lowering her voice. “I think Jordan feels bad about starting instead of Raz.”
“I can tell.” Chris matched her subdued tone, liking the way this was going. The more compliments he paid Jordan, the happier she got, like any good mother. “He doesn’t relish beating his friend. He’s got a good heart.”
“He wouldn’t let it show though. He’s not like that.”
“I know he’s not, he reminds me of someone—basically me.” Chris was ad-libbing, but Heather smiled again, so he kept going. “I’ll tell you what I told Jordan about the situation with Raz. I told him, ‘You have every right to this position because you earned it. You are a combination of God-given talent and hard work, and that’s what this is all about. Baseball, life, everything. You can’t let anything hold you back. You’re stepping into your destiny.’”
“You told him that?” Heather’s eyes went wide, and Chris worried he was laying it on too thick, but she was lapping it up. She was eager to hear him, and he could tell she was lonely. She was cute in a natural way, with a great body, but he shooed his horniness away. His goal wasn’t to take her to bed, but to manipulate her, so he kept talking.
“I love coaching baseball, but the thing you have to know, is that baseball is about these kids and their maturity, and helping them grow into who they were really meant to be. That’s how I think of it. That’s why I got into teaching in the first place.”
“Really.” Heather beamed.
“In fact, just FYI, I’m having a get-together tonight at my apartment for the team to introduce myself. Now it will be a victory celebration, thanks to Jordan.”
“Oh.” Heather blinked. “He didn’t mention that to me, but he doesn’t always tell me what he’s doing.”
“Of course, he wouldn’t.” Chris could see her falter, so he rushed to reassure her. “I didn’t keep my mother posted on everything I did, either. No boy does.”
“Right.” Heather’s smile returned.
“I just wanted you to know that I’m going to take very good care of him. And if you ever need to reach me, my number and email’s on the website.”
“Thank you so much.” Heather nodded.
“I better go. Congratulations.”
“You should say that to Jordan!” Heather shot back, with a final smile. “I’m just the mom.”
“I meant congratulations for quitting your job.”
“Oh, right!” Heather rolled her eyes, adorably. “God knows what happens next.”
“We’ll see!” Chris knew exactly what happened next, but that was for only him to know.
Chapter Twenty