Behind in the Count: A Portland Pioneers Novel

by Micah K. Chaplin

  Less than a year later, Portland landed one of the two new Major League Baseball franchises. There had been lots of speculation and campaigning from various cities over the previous five years. In the end, Portland and Charlotte were the two winners.

  Zella was thrilled for her home state. The Mariners would always be special to her as her first love in baseball, but she was eager to root for the new team. She maintained a dual allegiance most of the time, except when the two teams played each other. Then it was all about the Pioneers.

  But her interest in the Pioneers went beyond fandom. For years, she had entertained dreams of working in baseball, but wasn’t keen on leaving Oregon. Once she heard the Pioneers were moving in, she set her sights on working for them. She had graduated with a double major in business and marketing, and she’d completed internships in the athletics department at the University of Oregon and the front office for the Tacoma Rainiers. The first few years had netted nothing, but she wasn’t dissuaded. She continued working in the marketing department at the local community college and even took a seasonal job selling tickets for the Eugene Emeralds. While earning money and connecting with a number of sports professionals, she applied for every opening posted by the Pioneers – everything from mailroom clerk to community outreach specialist. Her persistence and networking paid off when she landed a prime position as executive assistant to the general manager. Not only was she working for her home team, she had the opportunity to learn from Kate Marks, the only female GM in the game. The job came with plenty of other perks too, including potential travel, free tickets to games, and – the only one she’d already embraced – access to top-notch fitness facilities.

  Zella had been taking advantage of the fancy weight room for two weeks. Even though there had been no regulations about when she could use it, she still preferred to go early before any of the ballplayers showed up. She didn’t want to get in their way. Until today, she’d been successful. Naturally, her first encounter with one of the Pioneers was an awkward conversation with Derek Beaman. The universe was funny like that.

  Even before she’d accepted a job with the Portland Pioneers, Zella was well versed on the story of Derek Beaman. His talent was intriguing and promising. His story was compelling and spoke to her on another level. He hadn’t been on her radar prior to his arrival in Portland, but she started researching him after his signing and Derek became even more interesting to her. Then she saw what he did on the mound. Even though she respected stats, she’d always been especially drawn to players based on how they carried and presented themselves on the field. And Derek did those things well. Even in rough outings, she never saw a hint of doubt in his face. She respected that a hell of a lot and she absolutely enjoyed watching him play baseball. She’d even been known to decline social invitations if they interfered with a Derek Beaman start. He wasn’t so hard on the eyes either – deep brown eyes that seemed to hold a lot of untold stories and dark hair she longed to run her fingers through. She wouldn’t mind getting her hands on those arms and shoulders either, although Zella vehemently denied having these thoughts when people asked his appearance was the reason he was her favorite current pitcher. Truth be told, his handsome features didn’t hurt his campaign, but she was much more interested in his pitching and his poise.

  She still felt unsettled about her interaction with Derek when her workout ended an hour later. She kept mulling it over in her head as she quickly showered and dressed in the tiny women’s locker room. It was just big enough for two showers, a sink, shower, a toilet stall, and a pair of lockable cabinets. Zella guessed this room had been a bit of an afterthought, and it didn’t look very heavily used. When she commented on the state of this to her boss, Kate said not many women took advantage of the facility even though it was open to families of players and other women who worked in the organization. The GM was among those who passed on the free fitness center.

  “It sure would be more convenient than driving to my gym across town,” Kate had said. “But I try to maintain a professional image with the players, so I think it’s best if I avoid sweating in front of them.”

  The logic made sense. Zella supposed she would do the same if she were in Kate’s role. But Kate assured Zella she was clear to use the weight room any time she wanted and Zella didn’t need to be told twice. Being able to work out and then just walk up to her office was very convenient.

  Zella sat down at her desk at 8:45, fifteen minutes ahead of her expected start time. She was always early. Not only did it reflect well on her work ethic, but she was honestly excited to get to work each day. She’d only been there three weeks, and she’d already learned so much about MLB and the business of baseball.

  Despite her early arrival, she had yet to beat her boss to the office. After turning on her computer, she approached Kate’s office door with a notepad to go over the agenda for the day.

  “This is very cliché, but the first thing I’m going to have you do is run out for coffee,” Kate told Zella after they’d exchanged greetings. “I had an early conference call with someone on the east coast and I barely made it here in time. I have meetings all day and then dinner with the owner tonight. My Keurig is not going to be sufficient. This is a job for espresso.”

  Zella laughed and jotted down a note. This would not be the first time she retrieved an Americano for Kate. She doubted it would be the last. Until this job, Zella had no idea GMs were so busy in the off-season. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but it wasn’t the eleven-hour days Kate Marks seemed to put in with regularity. The women continued their review of Kate’s jam-packed calendar. When they were done, Zella stood to go.

  “Oh, I almost forgot,” Kate said. “I need you to accompany Derek Beaman to the Kiwanis Club luncheon today. I was going to go with him, but something came up.”

  Zella felt her stomach knot a bit. After the morning’s events, she had hoped to avoid Derek for a while until he forgot about her awkwardness. Clearly, that wasn’t in the cards.

  “Why does he need someone to go with him?” Zella asked curiously.

  “I don’t like to let him – or any other player – fly on his own during these events,” Kate said. “People start asking for free stuff, and our players are nice so they sometimes have a hard time saying ‘no.’ That’ll be your job, stepping up and insisting that all requests need to go through the front office.”

  Zella nodded and asked for the time and location of the luncheon.

  “Derek has all that information, and he’s supposed to come up here around eleven so you two can ride together,” Kate said.

  Great. Not only would she be eating lunch with Derek Beaman, she’d be spending time in a car with him.

  “I’ll look for him then,” she said.

  Zella kept a smile on her face though she wasn’t sure how sincere it looked.

  After she retrieved the coffee order, she sat down at her desk and tried to focus on her to-do list. It was a good thing her boss wasn’t lingering, as she was afraid her distraction might show. Kate had left right after the coffee delivery and Zella knew she wouldn’t see her until much later, if at all.

  She tried to will the morning to pass slowly, but it didn’t work out that way. Far too soon, the elevator doors opposite her opened and Derek Beaman stepped out. He was dressed much differently than this morning, having traded in the sleeveless shirt and shorts for a brick red button-down shirt tucked into gray dress pants. His dark hair was still damp at the ends, indicating a recent shower. She realized she’d never seen him without a baseball cap on, and his thick hair was even more tempting without a hat hiding it. He had tidied up his facial hair a little as well. He still had a beard, but she could tell it was trimmed a bit more. The boy cleaned up well.

  “Hey, it’s you,” Derek said, stopping in front of her desk. “From this morning.”

  Oh no. Now she had to stop staring at him and actually talk to him.

  “Yeah, I didn’t really get a chance to introduce myself,” she said
. “I’m Zella Hansen, Ms. Marks’ new executive assistant.”

  She was surprised by how calm her voice sounded considering her stomach felt like a mosh pit. Her insides stopped moving around entirely and turned to pure liquid when Derek shook her hand. She wasn’t even sure when she had extended her hand to him. Apparently her body was on autopilot while her brain was busy trying to keep her heart from freaking out over the fact that she was touching Derek Beaman.

  “So, um, is Ms. Marks in her office?” Derek asked.

  “Um, no, she’s gone to some meetings,” she said.

  “Oh,” he said, looking confused. “I thought I was supposed to meet her for Kiwanis. Do I have the wrong day?”

  “No, it’s the right day,” she said. “But something came up for her. I’ll be going with you instead.”

  “Oh … OK,” he said.

  He sounded less than thrilled, and that made Zella’s heart sink a little bit. She knew it was silly for her to feel that way. His reaction wasn’t about her. He didn’t even know her. Still, his clear disappointment in spending time with her cut right through her. She did her best to ignore the feeling and focus on her job.

  “Just let me grab my purse, and I’m ready to go,” Zella said.

  Silence reigned as they rode the elevator down to the lowest level and then crossed the parking area. She was walking slightly behind him and nearly ran into him when he stopped suddenly.

  “This is me,” he said, gesturing to a black Dodge Charger.

  It was a nice car, but far more modest than she expected a major leaguer to drive. In her mind, every athlete drove top-of-the-line luxury cars or huge SUVs with every feature imaginable. Derek’s car was sleek and clean, but very simple. This information did little to squash Zella’s interest in him. Quite the opposite. She found him even more intriguing. This was trouble.

  She tried to compose herself as she climbed into the passenger seat of his car. She didn’t want to feel like this around Derek Beaman. She needed to get it together. She needed to be a professional around him. She pulled out her phone and pretended to read emails while he drove. The lack of conversation should have unsettled her, but instead she was grateful she didn’t have to try to form words at the moment.

  “Ms. Marks must keep you busy if you’re still checking emails during your lunch hour,” Derek said, breaking the silence.

  “She does, but I don’t mind. I like what I do,” Zella said. “I love that I get to be around baseball.”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty fun. There are still days I can’t believe I get to play a game for a living,” he said.

  “And you’re pretty good at it too,” she said.

  “Thanks,” he said softly.

  The compliment had come out of her mouth before she realized it and she felt heat rising to her face. She glanced at him and thought she saw a bit of pink filling his cheek and ear as well. Had she really made Derek Beaman blush?

  “Are you excited about the new season?” she asked.

  “Very. Last year was pretty great, and I’m hoping we can pick up where we left off,” he said. “There are some new faces, and I’m anxious to see how they fit in.”

  “Spring training will be here soon,” she said.

  “I head to Arizona in two weeks,” he said. “I can’t wait to get there.”

  “I actually get to go down for a few days this year. It’ll be my first spring training experience,” she said. “It’s not really required for my job, but when Ms. Marks heard I’d never been, she insisted I go.”

  “Ms. Marks is pretty cool like that,” he said. “Are you a big baseball fan?”

  “Absolutely,” she said. “I grew up watching the Mariners. Every night from April through October, our TV was tuned in to a game. Working in baseball is a dream come true.”

  Zella had to stop herself from gushing too much. She didn’t want to bore Derek with a bunch of word vomit.

  “I know that feeling,” Derek said, turning his head to smile at her.

  His coffee-colored eyes sparkled slightly, and Zella thought she saw a hint of a dimple hidden beneath his beard. Her face filled with heat and her insides went liquid once again. She’d heard of panty-melting smiles, but she’d never actually experienced one. Until now. Her professional resolve was knocked down again. Building an immunity to Derek Beaman was proving to be a formidable task.

  He turned his attention back to the road, and she attempted to regain her poise. She felt a great deal calmer by the time he put the car in park outside a church. It was clear Derek knew where he was going, so she followed him through the front door and down a few hallways until they reached a door. He pulled it open and held it while she walked through.

  The room was already full of men and women, most of whom were dressed in suits and dresses. Zella was grateful she’d chosen her dark blue pencil skirt and blue and white striped knit top for the day. The dress code at the Pioneers was business casual, but Zella took her cues from Ms. Marks, mimicking her level of professional attire.

  One of the suited men approached Zella and Derek. His nametag read, “Doug Johnson, President.”

  “Mr. Beaman, it’s great to see you again,” he said, extending his hand to Derek. “We’re happy to have you as our guest today.”

  “Glad to be here,” Derek answered politely.

  “And who’s your lovely date?” Doug asked.

  Derek and Zella exchanged an awkward glance. She could only describe the look in his eyes as horrified. His mouth opened and shut again like he was trying to find words but failing. Somehow Zella found hers.

  “I’m Zella Hansen, executive assistant to Kate Marks,” she said. “So I’m here in a professional capacity.”

  “My apologies,” the older man said, laughing nervously. “I just assumed ….”

  The discomfort and awkwardness had suddenly expanded from Derek and Zella to Doug. It was that palpable.

  “It’s fine,” Zella said, attempting to reassure him. “Maybe Derek can bring a date next time, but this time he’s stuck with me.”

  “Somehow I doubt he minds being stuck with such a beautiful girl,” Doug said, causing Zella to blush.

  Derek was still silent next to them, and he seemed a little tense.

  “Well, it’s nice of you to invite him here to talk about the Pioneers,” Zella said. “Do you get to many games, Mr. Johnson?”

  Doug was all too happy to shift the conversation to baseball. He told Zella he attended at least one game per home stand and was hoping to talk his wife into splurging on season tickets in the near future. Then he showed Derek and Zella to their seats so the lunch could begin.

  After standing for the pledge and a quick prayer, Zella half-listened as the Kiwanis went through their usual business. She focused on eating her lunch, which wasn’t easy with Derek next to her. Since he was left-handed and she was right-handed, their arms bumped occasionally.

  “Maybe I should have sat on the other side of you,” she teased when their elbow battle made her lose some of the salad off her fork.

  “Sorry,” he murmured.

  Other than that, he was mostly silent during the meal. The only other words he’d uttered since they sat down were “thank you” to the person who’d delivered his food.

  When it was time for Derek’s talk, Zella finally looked at him. Standing at the small podium, he appeared only slightly less confident than he did when he was standing on the mound. Clearly, public speaking didn’t intimidate him. In fact, it seemed to come pretty naturally to him. He didn’t have any notes, but he spoke easily and smoothly, thanking the Kiwanis and sharing a few anecdotes about the past season and the season ahead, clearly trying to bolster enthusiasm about the team. It must have worked because the room broke out in applause after Derek’s closing statements. She saw him glance at Mr. Johnson, who nodded.

  “Looks like I have a few minutes left,” he said. “I’d be happy to answer some questions.”

  A woman in a bright red blazer asked about
his diet, commenting that he appeared to be in good shape. The compliment flustered Derek a little, but he recovered fairly quickly.

  “I try to think of food as fuel and eat only things that my body can use for good energy and strength … most of the time,” Derek said. “Now, I can’t turn down my mama’s mac and cheese or apple pie, but I try to keep those indulgences to a minimum. I think that makes me enjoy them more, actually, because I don’t have them all the time.”

  Zella liked his logic on that front. It was nearly identical to her own philosophy on food. She also thought his answer made him seem more “normal” and hinted at his attachment to his family. Why did he have to be so damn likeable?

  She was so lost in her head that Zella zoned out during the next few questions and answers. She thought she heard some discussion about television shows and batters Derek liked and hated to face.

  “Which batter on your own team would you most like to pitch to?” Mr. Johnson asked.

  Zella straightened a little and studied Derek who was giving the question some serious thought. It was a good question. A really good question.

  “Reid Benjamin,” Derek said finally. “He was our hitting coach last year and became one of my best friends. I’ve watched him in the cages a few times. He’s aggressive, and as I mentioned earlier, I like trying to going after those players. Don’t tell Reid, but I think I could strike him out.”

  The room erupted in laughter and Derek offered a quick thanks to the group and returned to his seat next to Zella. He seemed more relaxed now. Doug offered his gratitude to Derek for his time and briefly introduced Zella as well, which caught her off-guard. She waved and smiled, hoping she didn’t look as surprised and unnerved as she felt. Unlike Derek, she was not good at being the center of attention.

  Chairs scuffed against the floor and mingled conversations filled the room as the members started dispersing. Zella followed Derek back out to his car and wondered if she was in for another silent ride. The first few miles were just that, but then Derek spoke suddenly.