Clutch Hit

by Faith O'Shea

  Motts’s tone was filled with sarcasm. “They told me last year that I had a lot to live up to. Thank God her natural position is shortstop.”

  “I’m going to have to toss you for it this year, dos Santos. And if they’re short women on the field, I’ll win.”

  “We can’t split it?”

  “Maybe.”

  Mateo asked, “Who else plays?”

  “Last year we had an intern who played volleyball in college and was she able to play a mean first base. There’s actually six or seven of us who are part of it every year. We belong to a sports organization because we love sports. It usually translates well.”

  Bellasario said proudly, “My wife played right field last year. She’s hoping we invite her back.”

  “We will. She got a couple of hits.”

  Mateo noticed that Lyra had snuck into the dugout, and she was hiding in the background as the ninth inning got under way. Buzz had the ball, and he knew the guy was jittery about his comeback. All eyes were on the field, one pair more focused than the others. He’d heard that she’d been holding the pitcher’s hand, not sure it was because Allie had been unavailable or because she wanted to.

  “Is there something going on between Lyra and Buzz?”

  Allie’s head spun toward him and followed his eyes as he motioned to where Lyra was standing.

  “I don’t know. She told me she spent last night talking to him. I didn’t understand why because Verdi was with them… Now, I’m beginning to think… We really have to stop becoming involved with our players.”

  “Too late in your case.”

  She slid her hand into his and put her eyes back on the pitcher’s mound.

  “Much too late.”

  Buzz had struck out the first batter he faced, then threw a curve that failed to do what it was supposed to.

  Allie yelled out, “Come on, Buzz. Get it done.”

  And as if by royal command, he did just that, striking the next two batters out. He heard Allie release her breath as if she’d been holding it.

  Mac was out on the field, congratulating the guys coming in, and everyone in the dugout was throwing around high fives. The guys were streaming into the clubhouse, excitement rampant among them. There was chemistry no matter who was out on the field. It felt good to be part of such an enterprise.

  He gazed at his wife. He owed it all to her. “You will wait for me?”

  “I have some work to catch up on. Why don’t you shower and change, eat and I’ll call when I’m done.”

  Every game was followed by dinner so the guys could eat together, commiserate a loss or celebrate a win. It was another way for them to bond as a team.

  “I have heard that promise before.”

  “Yeah, but this time I mean to keep it. I’m sure Casey will be okay with it. I heard you met our other left fielder.”

  He gave her a perceptible nod. “I stopped by last night to see if you were back. I felt I’d let you go too easily.”

  “Seb doesn’t—”

  “I figured that one out for myself. My lips are sealed. It’s her story to tell and I made a pledge that I intend to keep. I hung out with them for an hour or so. Charlie told me some stories about you that would have made me laugh if I wasn’t hurting so much.”

  “I’m sure there’s dozens more. We’ve lived together off and on since college.”

  “You are part of a triumvirate, too.”

  She laughed. “I guess you could say that. Now that you know, you can just go over whenever you’re ready. I’ll let them know. You can stop by my office before you leave and I’ll give you a key.”

  “Be prepared for very little sleep tonight. I have a couple of nights of loving you to make up for.”

  “You must have been loving me while I was away because I couldn’t close my eyes without missing you.”

  “I was always loving you. Since the moment I was born.”

  She kissed him again.

  Bellasario yelled over, “Hey you two, making out isn’t allowed in the club house. It’s Allie rule number thirty-three.”

  She blushed but it didn’t stop her from kissing him one more time for good measure before rushing out.

  EPILOGUE

  Allie stood with Mateo at the end of another concourse in another terminal, waiting for his mother’s arrival. They’d gotten the text two days ago from Jelani telling them that Mariposa’s visa had been approved and they’d scrambled to get her on a flight into Orlando and a place to stay. Allie had been able to lease another condo in the same complex, and they were moving in to be with his mother. He didn’t want her to be alone her first few months, and she’d had to agree. Casey hadn’t batted an eye, but then her friend was embroiled in a drama that made hers look like a walk in the park.

  Mateo was pacing, nervous and excited, and if his mother didn’t walk toward them soon, Allie had a feeling her husband would breach all protocols and go charging toward her arrival gate.

  “She has to clear customs, Mateo. It’s going to take a while.”

  “You told her what to fill out on the form?”

  “I did. There will be people there to translate for her if she doesn’t understand.”

  “Her English isn’t as good as mine. I should have insisted you go get her.”

  She’d offered but Marisol had turned it down. She said she’d handled more adversity than a simple plane ride and knew that Allie was needed where she was.

  “It wasn’t your decision to make. She’s an independent woman and you insult her thinking she can’t do this alone.”

  “But this country is so different. I remember the first time I walked up to a revolving door. I had no idea what to do. If she has to get on an elevator, she might never get off.”

  She forgot how many things were novel for him. He was so fluent in the language, so comfortable with the customs, she’d thought his move had been easy. After many discussions, she’d learned it was only because he’d traveled internationally, lived in Brazil for months, that he was able to navigate the culture. But he also told her there were things that still stymied him.

  “There are no elevators, and the only revolving door we’ll encounter will be on the way out, and we can guide her through.”

  “You have filled the freezer with ice cream?”

  “Of course. You know I begin to panic when we’re down to a quart.”

  “She has never tasted the flavors you love. Hell, there wasn’t any at all in the years after I was born. No fruit. No…”

  He finally spotted her, her head held high, her stride confident, a small bag in her hand. A smile emerged on her face as soon as she spotted them, and she picked up her pace.

  He swung her around as soon as she reached them. “You’re here.”

  Her accent was thicker than her son’s, but she articulated her words, so they were understandable.

  “I am. I do not think I want to go on another airplane, though.”

  “You didn’t like it?”

  “It was noisy—how do you say it? Cramped, and hot.” She nodded her head and added, “The food was not bad, though.”

  “We’ll have to take one to get home. But then you don’t have to ever board one again if you don’t want to.”

  “I may have to rethink that if I want to see you play in other cities. And I would like to see this new country of mine. I will resolve to do it.”

  She left the confines of Mateo’s embrace to hug Allie.

  “It is good to see you again, hija. Thank you for making this possible.”

  When Mariposa took her hand, she fingered the ring, brought it into the light so she could see it.

  “Good. A more appropriate one than your grandfather’s, although when I saw her wearing it, I knew you loved her. You would not have parted with it otherwise.”

  Allie hadn’t known the significance. Would it have made a difference in her original reticence if she had? She doubted it. Her fear had had to be wrestled with and tamed from the inside.
It was finally lying peacefully at her feet.

  Mariposa’s eyes were shining when she looked at her son. “You are happy. I can see it on your face.”

  “I am, Mama. But we must hurry. There is a game this afternoon and I am excited for you to see it.”

  They drove right to the ballpark, and after Mateo kissed Mariposa’s cheek, he took off for the locker room. Allie escorted his mother to her office, where she’d have a view of the field.

  “This is what I always wanted for him. The fans were fanatical, yes, but here…here he can play with pride in his surroundings.” She turned and met Allie’s eyes. “And with a women he adores watching him.”

  “I have to be honest. It took us some time. Me, anyway, but I have loved your son from the moment I saw him.”

  Maybe lusted after was the honest truth but she wasn’t going to nitpick. He could still turn her legs to jelly with a look, but it had grown much deeper than just physical need. It was, as Mateo had told her, soul deep.

  There was a rap on her door before her father walked in. “Hope you don’t mind me dropping by, but I wanted to meet Mateo’s mother.”

  After Allie made the introductions, and after the Cuban hug Mariposa gave her father that Allie was still getting used to, Bob said, “Maybe we can all have dinner some night. I want to welcome you into the family with more than a hello. My wife and I love your son and look forward to many bambinos.”

  She gave him a sour look.

  “Don’t go there, Dad. We’re taking our time with that one.”

  Jumping into the marriage was one thing, taking on the responsibility for another life was quite another. Besides, she wanted to enjoy her time with him. Exclusively. Her job would give her access, and she was going to take advantage of that.

  “Look, they are running out to the field. There, there he is.”

  The pride on Mariposa’s face was evident. The smile was radiant.

  Allie watched her mother-in-law with more interest than she watched the game. Mateo was flawless at his position, snagging a ball that could have given up a run. He made two double plays with ease, and at bat, well, that’s where his true strength was. He knocked one out of the park and earned another three RBIs, adding to his growing number. He now led the league in them, his knack for coming up with key hits a significant part of his game. He also had a knack for coaxing the best out of people.

  Just look at her.

  To My Readers

  I had read a lot of stories about Cuban defectors and how they’d risked life and limb to come to America to play ball for Major League Baseball. So, when I was deciding who my new Greenliner third baseman would be, I decided it might be interesting to tap into the Cuban story. As I created Mateo’s biography, I had to answer the question how did he get here? Did he have one of those harrowing midnight boat rides, was he held for ransom or did he slip quietly into a Mexican port, having learned from the ones who’d come before?

  While debating that, Alicia Nilsson entered the storyline. As VP in charge of Player Development, she’d have an important role to play in Mateo’s assimilation. So why not have her meet him in Mexico and come to the conclusion the only way to get him on her roster for the current year was to do something far outside of her comfort zone?

  The inclusion of Rumi was not initially part of the plot. I had picked up a copy of his teachings and found his tenets to be divinely inspired and just the right sentiments for Mateo to espouse. And they were part of the allure that Allie could not deny.

  This book was a pleasure to write. I did a lot of research on Cuba and after learning so much about the country and the people, I’d love to see the island, feel the pulse, and experience the culture. I can only hope someday that will be possible.

  I hope you enjoy.

  Faith

  About Faith

  Faith O’Shea is a contemporary women’s literature writer who admire strong women, truth, justice and love stories that touch the heart. Writing has always been her passion, but she had to wear many hats before making it her life’s pursuit. Through her work in banking, real estate, teaching, and retail she has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the human condition, creating depth in her unforgettable characters.

  Faith resides in Massachusetts with her husband Jeff, her two dogs, Cooper and Molly, and cat Isis. Her adult children live close by and she visits weekly for grandma time for her five grandsons. In her spare time, she reads for research and pleasure, walks Cooper, dabbles in the kitchen, and has dinner with friends. A member of Facebook, and Twitter, you can visit her on any of her social apps or find her through her website at www.faithoshea.com.

  Books by Faith O’Shea

  The Greenliner Series

  Thrown for a Curve

  League of Her Own

  Clutch Hit

  Out in Left Field

  The Scalera Family Series

  Cold Sweat

  Edge of Forever

  Thin Blue Line

  Coming Home to You

  Finding Joy

  Fire and Ice Series

  Consumed by Fire

  Skoli on Ice

  Heart on Fire

  Heart of Ice

  Tendril of Ice

  Rekindling the Fire

  Out in Left Field

  Casey Calipari has a secret and she knows with her move to Sanford for the Greenliner’s spring training, it’s bound to come springing out of the jack-in-the-box. Okay, so she’d agreed to the big reveal when her father took the job as manager, but she was still stalling.

  Sebastian Layden, rookie left fielder for the Greenliners, is looking forward to his first spring training with the Boston baseball team. What he isn’t looking forward to is seeing his high school sweetheart there. He’d broken her heart when they were just teenagers, something he’s begun to regret. And it wasn’t just because she was the manager’s daughter.

  When Seb finds out what he’s been missing for the last seven years, he begins to see what else he’s lost. He wants to go back and pick up where they left off but Casey’s not so eager to repeat the past. Can he convince her he’s in it for good this time, or will he find himself out in left field for good?

  Excerpt from Out in Left Field

  Casey Calipari sat gazing at home plate from one of the offices at Citrus Field, watching her father lob some balls to a pint-sized batter. Even from here she could see the intensity on Charlie’s face as she swung away, trying hard to make contact.

  She groaned, snatching her finger from out of her mouth. She’d been nibling on her nails, a habit she thought she’d left behind a few years ago, but the stress of the last few days had finally caught up and she’d reverted to her old soothing technique. In the background, she could hear Allie, talking on her cell. Her friend was putting the final touches on the upcoming travel days that would take the Greenliners to different cities in the area, as they geared up for the upcoming spring baseball season. Casey had invaded her space, agreeing to come to the field early, in order to avoid another confrontation with Charlie, who’d become intractable, and to satisfy her father’s incessant demands that get some time with his granddaughter.

  She wondered again, for maybe the hundredth time, what the hell was she doing here.

  Her father, the new manager of the Greenliners, Boston’s national league professional baseball team, had requested her presence, but it was becoming apparent he didn’t need her for much more than social secretary. She’d thrown her life into a tailspin, accompanying him to Florida for spring training to be more gopher, rather than right hand. Mac Calipari, Greenliner icon and legend, had been depending on his coaches and staff to re-organize the team he’d inherited when the former coach died of a heart attack just a few weeks ago and it had left her very little to do.

  She swore under her breath, knowing exactly why she’d done it. It was because he was the sun and she was one of the satellites. Her mother was his other. It had been that way all of her life and it seemed some things neve
r changed.

  When she’d dropped by his office this morning, to give him the details on the team barbecue he’d asked her to arrange, he’d suggested, “Why don’t you and your mom take Charlie somewhere fun. Orlando’s not far. You could spend the day there. Maybe she’ll stop being so angry with us.”

  Irritation curled in her gut. “Is that why I’m here? To occupy Charlie? I could have done that at home.”

  Should have. At least until February vacation was over and Charlie was back in school.

  He must have heard the tinge of sarcasm in her voice because he gave her back some of his own. “She wanted to be here, Case. The problem is we’ve never denied her access to the field before. She thinks she’s being punished and my explanation that this is a whole different league isn’t computing.”

  That wasn’t exactly the truth. He wanted her mother, Galen, here and that meant Charlie had to tag along. They’d both arrived in Sanford on Saturday and Charlie hadn’t been allowed her usual freedoms. She’d had the pool at the house her parents had rented, and her skateboard and Switch, but hadn’t been allowed to attend the first several games of the Grapefruit season and the resulting tantrum had been full out. Charlie didn’t understand why she’d been imprisoned at the house and there was no plausible reason to give her. Not one she’d understand at least. There’d always been an open-door policy with the team Mac coached. She’d spend time in the dugout during games, and attend the parties held at her parents Pittsfield rental, even play catch with some of the more family-oriented guys. She knew every player and every stat, just like Casey’s best friend Allie had when they were kids. Today said friend was Vice President in charge of Player Development for the team and they were rooming together for the next six weeks.

  For now, Charlie would just have to deal.

  “Yeah, well, I can’t help that.”

  Her father’s voice was tight when he said, “I don’t think it would hurt for her to be in the stands. Who’s going to know?”