Behind in the Count: A Portland Pioneers Novel

by Micah K. Chaplin

  “She’ll be fine,” Alex said.

  “So I should just hang out in the hallway by myself?” she asked.

  “I could keep you company.”

  “Don’t you have to work?”

  He shrugged. “I’m taking a break.”

  “OK,” she said. “So … Alex. Are you from Portland?”

  “Born and raised,” he said. “You?”

  She shook her head and told him the name of her hometown. She gave a vague explanation for why she’d moved to Portland. She never told new people that she worked for the Pioneers. One reason was safety – she didn’t like virtual strangers knowing where they could find her. The other reason was to make sure people didn’t start asking her for free tickets or autographs or things of that nature. She’d only told Ashley where she worked after a month of hanging out with her, and by then, she knew Ashley had zero interest in sports, so she’d be safe from requests for perks.

  “And you came to this event just to help your friend?” Alex asked.

  “How could you tell?” she asked.

  “I’m a bartender. I’ve had a lot of practice at reading people.”

  “You’re good. Yeah, I’m here just to support Ashley. She’s such a great girl, but she clams up in one-on-one situations.”

  “You’re a good friend.”

  Zella smiled at the compliment. “Thanks. I try.”

  “There were a few guys checking you out in there. So, you could take advantage if you wanted to.”

  “Nah,” Zella said, shrugging.

  “Are you dating someone or just not interested?”

  “Not interested. I have a lot on my plate right now. New job and all.”

  “Ah. Well, that’s too bad. I mean, for the guys out there. Major loss for them.”

  She could tell he wasn’t just referring to the other guys. He was attractive enough, with jet black hair cut longer on top and buzzed on the sides, eyes the color of dark chocolate, and a set of dimples that would make any girl melt. He also had an air of confidence that didn’t quite cross into arrogance, and he was obviously friendly and personable. All of it probably made him very good at his job and likely popular with women as well.

  “I’m sure they’ll get over it,” Zella said. “There are a lot of pretty girls out there.”

  “They’re down one right now,” he said. “But that’s my gain.”

  Zella was flattered by his obvious interest, but she truly had no inclination to date anyone right now. And she wasn’t a girl who was easily swayed from something once her mind was set. If she hung around much longer, he would ask her out, and she wasn’t comfortable letting people down. She smiled at him and glanced towards the bar again.

  “I should get back to Ashley now. It was great to meet you, Alex,” she said.

  This time, he didn’t try to stop her, for which she was grateful.

  “Well, you know where to find me. Come see me anytime.”

  His words followed her as she left the small hallway and re-entered the dimly-lit bar area. Chatter and laughter now filled the room at a higher volume than earlier. It seemed Ashley and Wes weren’t the only ones who had loosened up. Zella watched the pair in question from afar as she approached slowly. They seemed to be talking easily, and both were smiling. She took that as a good sign and almost hated to interrupt.

  “Sorry I was gone so long,” Zella said when she finally reached them. “My mom called, so I stayed in the hallway to talk to her. It’s loud in here.”

  “I guess it is,” Ashley said, looking around as though just noticing there were other people around them.

  With only a moment’s hesitation, she resumed her conversation with Wes. They seemed to be comparing their concert lists, which told Zella the two shared a heavy interest in music. She could hear the bubbly and confident Ashley emerging. It made her smile.

  Zella’s drink sat on a coaster next to the money she had put down for it. She saw Alex return to the bar. When she held up the cash, he waved her off and gave her a wink. She smiled back in gratitude, pocketing all but a few dollars, which she left as his tip. Picking up the short glass of clear liquid, she gave Wes and Ashley a little space and turned around to survey the room.

  While she sipped her drink, a few guys approached her. So Alex hadn’t been lying about others being interested in her. Zella made polite conversation but was careful not to indicate interest in seeing them after this evening. After the third guy, though, she was out of cucumber vodka and seltzer and ready to call it a night.

  Ashley was still content talking to Wes and didn’t protest when Zella said she was heading out. As the girls hugged, Zella made her promise to give a full report over brunch on Sunday.

  The promise was fulfilled, and the girls had already finished their respective meals and two cups of coffee by the time Ashley stopped talking about Wes. The two had stayed at the bar past ten and reluctantly parted ways but only after exchanging phone numbers. They’d gone to check out a local band the previous night, and Ashley’s post-first date euphoria was palpable and refreshing. Zella had seen Ashley try and get excited about so many other first dates, but this was the first time it seemed genuine. She was happy for her friend.

  “I’m so glad you went with me,” Ashley said. “I know that wasn’t your thing, but without you, I never would have met Wes. I owe you big time.”

  “You don’t owe me a thing,” Zella said, shaking her head.

  “Too bad. Because I got that bartender’s number for you,” Ashley said. “He was hot, and totally into you.”

  Zella watched as Ashley pulled a cocktail napkin out of her purse and push it across the table. There, in black ink, was Alex’s name and a set of corresponding digits.

  “I told you I’m not …” Zella said.

  “I know. You said you’re not interested in dating, but I think you should give him a chance,” Ashley said.

  “Sure, whatever,” Zella said, taking the napkin and tucking it into her own purse.

  Having his number wouldn’t hurt anything. It wasn’t like she had to use it. And she had no intentions of doing so.

  Derek stared at the writing on the back of his restaurant receipt. Plenty of waitresses had tried flirting with him, but none of them had boldly given him a way to contact them. Maria was different, apparently.

  He looked up to find Reid watching him with amusement.

  “What’s so funny?” Derek asked.

  “You,” Reid said. “Your reaction to getting a girl’s number.”

  Derek rolled his eyes. “I didn’t ask for it.”

  “Exactly. Which is why it’s just entertaining and not earth-shattering,” Reid said. “But you haven’t tossed the receipt aside yet, so I like to think you’re considering keeping it.”

  “She can still see me,” Derek said. “I don’t want to be rude.”

  Maria’s interest in him had been clear from the moment the men sat down. Derek had been out of the game a while, but he wasn’t naïve. The waitress had flirted with him at every pass, and Derek had done his best to be friendly without fully reciprocating. Most women who tried to get his attention eventually gave up with a sigh. Maria had been the boldest and most persistent so far, but her confidence would not pay off this time.

  “Fair enough,” Reid said.

  The men turned the conversation back to baseball. A few weeks in, they were both still trying to gauge how the roster would round out at the end of spring training. The buzz surrounding Derek indicated he was in no jeopardy of losing his number two slot in the rotation. Meanwhile, Reid was making a solid case for himself. Right field and center field appeared to be locked up by Mitchell Austin and Luis Tapañes. Reid was in competition with Drew Jackson and Levi Seeley to see who would patrol left field. There was a possibility of a bench spot for one of the remaining candidates too, but Derek knew Reid really had his sights set on a starting role. Those decisions would be coming in the next few days, so Reid’s anxiety was measureable. He was handling i
t well though, using it to fuel his performance rather than suffer because of it.

  Derek was also turning his troubles into something positive. After Keely denied his request for more visitation with Brynn, he had arrived in Arizona a bundle of irritation. Following their first workout, Derek opened up to Reid and showed him the visitation schedule he’d mapped out and told him about Keely’s response. For those first few days, whenever he wasn’t working out, Derek was on the phone or Skype with an attorney he’d hired, trying to figure out how to proceed. He was usually frustrated when those calls ended because there seemed to be a lot of roadblocks in front of him.

  When it was time to work, Derek was somehow able to leave it behind and focus on the game and his pitching. It was actually a nice break from the legal talk and all of his fears about losing time with Brynn. His brain didn’t have room to wander when he was pitching. Once again, baseball was his escape.

  “So have you heard anything from your attorney?” Reid asked.

  “A little, but she doesn’t have anything substantial yet,” Derek said. “She’s filed the paperwork, but she expects Keely’s attorney to counter. It could go back and forth for a while.”

  “That sucks,” Reid said.

  “Yeah. I’m not good at waiting,” Derek said. “And in the meantime, Keely and I aren’t talking. Which means no more FaceTiming with Brynn.”

  “Seriously? That seems pretty childish,” Reid said.

  “True, but I guess I’m the one who told her our communication had to be through lawyers, so in a way, she’s just doing what I asked her to do,” Derek said. “Which is ironic, given that we’re fighting over something I wanted her to do.”

  “Do your parents still get to see her?” Reid asked.

  “Not as often as before, and that makes them sad,” Derek said. “I feel bad that this is hurting them now too.”

  “I’m sure they understand,” Reid said.

  “They do. And they support me one hundred percent,” Derek said. “But that doesn’t keep them from missing her.”

  “I suppose not,” Reid said. “I hope it gets worked out soon.”

  “Me too,” Derek said. “I hate not knowing when I’ll get to see her again.”

  Reid fell silent. He didn’t seem to know what else to say, and Derek didn’t blame him. It was a situation where there were no right words. There was nothing anyone could say to diminish his pain and anger over the situation. He simply had to trust in his attorney and wait for the courts to issue some kind of schedule for him and Keely to follow.

  “So how are things going with your girl?” Derek asked.

  “Good, I think,” Reid said, clearly relieved at the shift in subjects. “We talk almost every day.”

  “Is she going to come see you?” Derek asked.

  Reid shrugged. “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?” Derek asked.

  “She has a lot of work to do,” Reid said. “And I also think she’s just not ready. We had only gone out a few times before I headed here, and she warned me she just got out of a semi-serious thing and wanted to take things slow.”

  “Ah,” Derek said. “I guess there’s not much else you can do then.”

  “Nope,” Reid said. “I really want to see her, but I don’t want to push her away. So I’ve let up on her a bit. I can wait for her to be ready.”

  Their return was still three weeks out. Knowing what he did about Reid and his patience when it came to women, Reid’s words were a bit surprising. And revealing.

  “You must really like her,” Derek said.

  “I do,” Reid said. “She’s different than anyone I’ve ever dated before. In a good way.”

  “I hope I get to meet her at some point,” Derek said. “I have to see the woman Reid is willing to wait for.”

  Reid laughed. “Come on. You make it sound like I’m a manwhore.”

  “I wouldn’t say anything quite that mean,” Derek said.

  “Then what are you saying?” Reid asked.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your attention span with women has been … abbreviated,” Derek said.

  “That’s putting it nicely,” Reid admitted.

  “This one must be special if you’re still feeling good about her despite not physically being with her for most of this time,” Derek said.

  “Good point,” Reid said. “I’m just trying to do things differently this time around. I don’t want to keep making the same mistakes.”

  The men shoved away from the table to leave. Maria tried to catch Derek’s attention as he passed her, but he kept walking without a glance in her direction.

  Back in their shared hotel suite, Derek retreated to his bedroom. After hours of workouts with his teammates and dinner with Reid, he needed time alone at the end of each day. It allowed him to reflect, relax, and mentally prepare for what he needed to do the next day.

  He occasionally used this time to check in with family as well. Tonight, he dialed Mike’s number. Derek filled his brother in on his baseball work and the latest with Brynn, and then Mike took his turn, chatting about his job and his new girlfriend. Mike was still pretty secretive about her, but it sounded like Derek’s parents were finally going to meet her the upcoming weekend.

  “You sound nervous about that,” Derek said.

  “I am, I guess,” Mike said.

  “Why? Mom and Dad are so easy going,” Derek said. “And I can’t imagine you dating anyone they wouldn’t approve of.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just … a big step,” Mike said.

  “It doesn’t have to be a big deal,” Derek said.

  “It is a big deal,” Mike said. “No offense, D, but you haven’t brought a girl home since you were fifteen. Things were a little different then.”

  Derek couldn’t argue. “Valid point. I still think it’ll be fine. You should bring her to spring training with you guys so I can actually meet her.”

  “I think it’s best if I hold off on that. You might scare her off,” Mike said, chuckling.

  “Or steal her,” Derek teased back.

  “Yeah, right,” Mike said. “You have no game off the mound.”

  “A girl gave me her number today,” Derek said.

  “And are you going to use it?” Mike asked.

  “I already threw it away,” Derek said.

  “Then it’s a moot point,” Mike said.

  “A what?” Derek asked.

  “Moot point. That means it doesn’t matter,” Mike explained.

  “Oh. Well, it still counts,” Derek replied.

  “It only counts if you call her, bro,” Mike stated, in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “Who let you make the rules?” Derek asked.

  “Me,” Mike said, laughing. “Seriously though Derek, one of these days, you should go on a date again. There are some decent girls out there.”

  “I’m sure there are, but … I don’t have time right now,” Mike said.

  “No one has time. They make time,” Mike said.

  Derek didn’t know how to respond, and he didn’t want to discuss his dating life – or lack thereof – again. He changed the subject back to the only girl he cared about – Brynn. Mike was as frustrated with the whole deal as Derek was.

  “I saw Keely the other day,” Mike said. “I walked over to try and see Brynn, but she wouldn’t let me. I almost let her have it right there in the grocery store, but I decided not to make a scene.”

  “I think that was the right choice, even though I don’t know if I could have held back,” Derek said. “I hate that she’s keeping Brynn from us through all of this. I never imagined my request would make her close off all contact.”

  “And it shouldn’t have. She should have continued the way things were until the lawyers got everything sorted out,” Mike said.

  “I just hope it’s soon. I really miss Brynn,” Derek said.

  “I know. We all do,” Mike said.

  The brothers chatted a little while longer and
despite the heavy and stressful nature of some of the subjects they discussed, Derek felt better when he hung up.

  Even though it was spring training, Derek tried to keep his game day rituals the same for days he was slated to start.

  Twenty minutes of stretching and quiet right out of bed. No morning shower. Three eggs and whole wheat toast with strawberry jam for breakfast. And it had to be Welch’s strawberry jam. No other would do. Plain chicken breast and brown rice for lunch, eaten at least two hours before game time if it was an afternoon start. For evening games, he went with a meal replacement shake no less than 90 minutes before first pitch. He arrived at the ballpark exactly two and a half hours before the start and listened to his iPod as he prepared his mind for the game ahead. He spoke to no one until it was time to warm up, and even then he only spoke to his catcher or the pitching coach.

  Even after just one season, his teammates all knew the drill. They’d learned quickly. New guys heard the rundown before they caused a problem.

  His routine was a bit more difficult during spring training, with required meetings and workouts, but he still went through his day as though it was a real game day. He believed that was important in setting the tone for the rest of the season.

  His mind felt clear and his body felt strong as he went to the mound for the Pioneers’ afternoon match-up with the Milwaukee Brewers. The first inning was a one-two-three affair, and only two runners reached base during the next few innings. He was disappointed when the skipper came out to get him. He didn’t feel done, but he knew pitch counts were still being enforced.

  He’d been oblivious to the crowd during his outing, but he heard applause as he left the mound. He looked into the stands as he made his way to the first base side and his gaze locked on the section behind home plate.

  Kate Marks was sitting in her usual spot, but it was the person in the seat next to her that kept Derek’s attention. A Pioneers cap covered her glossy brown hair and shaded her face from the hot Arizona sun, but he recognized her instantly. He vaguely remembered Zella mentioning she’d be attending spring training, but he hadn’t thought about it – or her, really – since the day he left Portland for his visit to Oklahoma. Despite the dark sunglasses hiding her eyes, Derek could tell Zella was looking back at him. Especially when she gave him a little smile and a thumbs-up. After the way he’d talked to her, he was surprised she would extend a friendly gesture. He successfully resisted the urge to respond with a wave, but he wasn’t able to stop the smile that hit his face.