“Let’s get out of here, that cream cheese bagel didn’t do anything for me and I’m fucking starving. I need some real man's food.”
With one last kiss to my nose, he helps us both up from the floor and takes us back out of the stadium the way we came.
Chapter Thirty
Nate
Two Months Later.
Babe Ruth once said, “Never let the fear of striking out, get in your way.”
He was right.
I was petrified that I was striking out on my career when the PT sessions were at the point of unbearable. That I was ready to say fuck it and go get a regular job. The fear was getting the best of me. When one day, in the middle of one of my sessions, Eliza came bursting through the doors. She demanded that Simon, my therapist, hightail it out of there. The poor guy didn’t even dare tell her no. She was fucking scary. When I think about it now, it’s funny, but at the time it so wasn’t…
“Nate, come on. You can do this. Twenty more reps on the machine dude, fight through it.”
“I’m going to stick your head in the weights in a minute and do twenty more reps on your head if you keep on.”
I’m in pain, I want a shower and I want to go get my girl and lose myself in her body.
“You can threaten to hurt me all you want, Michaels. They aren’t going to work with me, now twenty more reps.”
Climbing off the machine he has me on, I storm over to the bench where my towel and water bottle are and snatch them both up. My temper is at an all-time high and if he keeps pushing, I’m gonna lose my shit.
“We both know until I think you’re one hundred and ten percent fit, you aren’t going to be playing anytime soon, so….”
“Just fucking stop.” I throw my towel and my now empty water bottle across the team’s gym. “I’m never going to fit enough again; my leg is fucked. I know it, you know it and the twats upstairs know it. I’m done. My careers over.”
Bending at the waist and resting my elbows on my knees, I try to control the shaking that’s taking over my body. When in the background I hear a door slam so hard, I’m positive the plaster would have come off the wall.
“Simon, leave us please. I need to have a word with Mr. I know fucking everything here and if you know what’s good for your balls, you won’t come back until I say so.”
The sound of her heels as she marches across to us, echo around the room. When I see the red of her shoes in my peripheral vision come to a halt and one foot starts tapping impatiently, I know I’m in for a round of fucks off her.
“What in the gods name do you think you’re playing at? Don’t give me the same shit, you just did Simon, Nate, because we both know that is was total balls what you just spewed at the poor guy.”
Still bent over, too scared to look her in the eye, I finally stand and sit on the bench behind me.
“I’m scared okay? I’m scared that I’m not gonna be the player I used to be. The captain the team need me to be.”
The fire she seemed to have marched in here with, dims a little as she comes and takes a seat next to me on the bench.
“You are still the same person, Nate. You just needed a little fixing, but you have to let Simon and me help you. Not going around and throwing water bottles in gyms, that’s not gonna help anyone. The team needs you, now more than ever. So, if you don’t want to do it for yourself, then do it for them. The Nate I know isn’t a quitter and you aren’t going to start now. So get back on that machine and do the twenty reps I heard Simon ask you to do. You do it and I might just blow you in the shower later…”
Boy, did I do them reps quicker than I’ve ever done them before, I got home and got the best blow job ever.
“Michaels you ready?” I hear Clayton, one of my team mates ask me, bringing me out of my memories.
Wrapping my hand around my faithful pitchers’ mitt and ball, I grip them both so tight my knuckles turn white.
I’m ready, more ready than I’ve ever been.
“Cap? You okay?” Jason one of the best catchers I’ve ever seen and someone I happy to call a friend asks me, as he clasps my shoulder.
Inhaling breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth like El showed me. Rolling my neck from left to right and taking my cap from my locker, I face Jase and with nerves of excitement in my stomach and declare, “I’m ready, let’s go kick some Red Sox butt.”
“Fuck yes. There’s our Cap.” Jase roars.
With several slaps to my back we all enjoy the positive energy that surrounds the locker room. Today is the day that whole first team are back together. It’s my first game back as their captain. I’m not gonna lie, I woke up this morning and puked my guts up with nerves, but after nearly an hour of being between Eliza’s legs. Those nerves went away and were replaced with a feeling I haven’t had in a while. Exhilaration, happiness that I finally had what I’ve always wanted. My career and the woman I love by my side, watching me lead my team hopefully to the world series playoffs.
The roar of the crowd as we all walk down the tunnel rattles through me. I can smell the euphoria as I enter the field. In the crowd of over twenty-five thousand people, I can pick my girl out straight away. I’m wired to know where she is, without even looking. Without even having to think about it, I jog over to where she is in the seats in the dugout behind the home plate. I wanted her front and center for my first game back and front and center is exactly where she is. Where she belongs. She’s got my number twenty-four jersey on. If I didn’t have a game to play, I would have her on her back and with her legs around my neck in seconds. Instead, I settle for a heated kiss and discrete boob grope… for good luck of course.
“Go get em, Michaels. It’s your time baby, it’s your time.”
Standing on the mound, I do a few warm up throws to get me into the swing of things. I’ve never felt more ready. Even getting the evil eye from Rodgers, my arch enemy doesn’t faze me. That fuckers going down. He’s still pissed because one, I handed his backside to him last season and two I won the coin toss when we first arrived earlier today. Which means I get to pitch first and show him exactly how it’s done.
We’re well into the ninth inning and we’re up by three points. If the Sox get a home run they’ve won and I will have failed. I cannot let that happen. I have to throw the perfect ball; my concentration is glued on Andrews, the Sox’s best batter. To take this jerk off down, I have to come up with something pretty magnificent. I’m pretty sure he hates me just as much as Rodgers does, but his reasons are entirely different to his captains. He hates me because he wanted to play for the Dodgers. He was at the pick and instead of drafting him, they chose me and ever since he’s held a grudge.
Oh well, not my fault is it.
Hitting my mitt with the ball, I eyeball him and the crowd goes deathly quiet. They know just as well as I do, that everything is riding on this last pitch. Emptying my mind of everything, I throw the ball and he swings the bat. Missing it by a fraction. Repeating the same throw he misses again; he knows he’s only got one more chance to hit this and the sweat is rolling off him. He’s scared, he wasn’t expecting me to come back and kick his ass.
You should never underestimate me, asshole.
Pulling my arm back, I get into position and throw the best curveball I’ve ever thrown. I know in an instant that he’s not gonna hit it. When he misses, the crowd goes up in tandem and the roar from them is ear piercing.
“Strike, you’re out.” I hear the umpire call above the noise.
I throw my mitt on the mound and jump in the air, at the same time my team mates come rushing at me giving me slaps on the back and way to go’s. I’m on cloud nine, I can’t believe we won. I’ve got my team to the playoffs. The guys part and before I know it, Eliza is jumping up into my arms.
“You did it, Nate. You won. I told you, you could.”
She doesn’t care that she’s in the middle of a stadium full of fans. Doesn’t care that TV camera crews
are very much filming this. She’s just here and with me, planting kisses all over my hot and sweaty face, but if she doesn’t give a fuck, then neither do I.
After a mini celebration in the locker room and a much-needed shower, I text El and tell her to meet me out by the turnstiles. Dean and Sammi came with her to watch the game, but they both had to leave straight afterwards. Leaving El sat in the stands until I was ready, which she was more than happy to do. Picking up my duffle bag, I sling it over my shoulder and head out, saying bye to the guys as I go. They’re all off to some fancy club to celebrate, only I don’t want to go. My celebration is currently waiting for me at the turnstiles and I’m going to enjoy every fucking minute of it.
Heading out into the car park hand in hand, I can’t stop smiling.
“I’m so proud of you, you nailed it today just like I told you, you would.”
Her words are smug, but I can also hear the pride in her voice as well. Having her feel that way about me makes my heart beat that little bit extra. I’m glad that she didn’t let me give up when I wanted too. She saved me from myself. Yanking her into me, I kiss her lightly at first, but it soon gets heated. I have to pull away before I do something that could get us arrested.
“I love you, get your butt into the car, I have a bed with our names on it.”
I unlock the car with the button on my keyring as she laughs at me. Just as we’re about to climb in I hear my name being called from behind me.
“Nate.”
Turning on my heel, I see the two people I wasn’t expecting to see today.
“Mom? Dad?”
Chapter Thirty-One
Eliza
I always knew my time with Nate would run out, I just never expected it to be so soon.
The thrill of watching him watching him play and win, has been buzzing through my veins since he stepped out onto the field. It just all multiplied when he threw that last ball and took his team to victory. I wanted nothing more in that moment than for him to strip me down and have his way with me in the middle of the stadium. Fuck anyone who was watching.
Waiting for him to leave the locker room was painful, I wanted my man and I wanted him all to myself. Dean and Sammi knew I wasn't going anywhere unless it was with him when the game ended. So they said their goodbyes to me and declared they both had other plans. Watching the stadium empty one by one as I sat there, I couldn't have been happier. He was back doing the thing he worshipped and he came back with an almighty bang. Nate wasn't just loved by me; he was loved by thousands. If I wanted to stick around that little bit longer, then I would have to get used to sharing him. Which I was fine with, what I was not anticipating was his parents showing up out of the blue.
Since being back in each other’s lives, he hadn’t mentioned them once to me. Making me believe I might get away without ever having to tell him my secrets. Standing next to his car and hearing, “Mom? Dad?” My body stilled and a cold chill ran all through it, right down to my toes. The thought of ever having to lay my eyes on Mr. and Mrs. Michaels again, is enough to make me want to scream out loud and lose my stomach all at the same time. Nate has no fucking clue how evil and devious his parents are, what great lengths they will stoop to, to save face and their perfect image.
But I do.
My hand is frozen to the handle of the door, if he asks me to go speak to them, I’m scared that I will give something away.
“What are you two doing here? You didn’t say you were coming.”
He sounds just as surprised as I am by their sudden appearance.
All I want to do is get out of here, call Sammi and get mind numbly drunk now. The excitement of celebrating with Nate on our own, fizzled out as soon as I heard her high pitched and condescending voice.
Keeping my head down, hoping and praying that they don’t recognize me, I listen to what’s being said.
“We flew in last night when we heard you were playing your first game back today. Your mother thought it was would be a good idea to surprise you and then take you to dinner. I on the other hand wanted to tell you we were coming, but you know what she’s like, she always gets her way.” His dad explains.
Boy does she always get her own way. Vile bitch.
“I’m certainly surprised, you succeeded there with that one.”
Keeping my head bowed down, my hair covers my face in hopes that they won’t question him about who he’s with. If luck is on my side, they will think it’s just a random hook up and agree to see him another time.
“Look, mom, dad. I appreciate you both coming out here, but I already have plans for tonight. Any chance we can do dinner tomorrow maybe?”
Neither one answers him straight away, instead I hear a murmur of disapproval before whispers start.
“I’m sure you can just get rid of your floozy for the night, ask her to come back some other…”
“Mom, just stop. She isn’t just some girl I’m spending my time with.”
God, no, no, no.
I know what’s coming and I can’t do anything to stop him from saying it.
“It’s Eliza, mom. We’ve been back together for a while now.”
A sharp intake of breath rings out in the quiet parking lot.
“E… E… Eliza? As in your college girlfriend Eliza?” His mother stutters out.
“Yes, mom. The exact same one.”
I can sense the shock and the hatred pouring my way, without even looking over the roof of the car at them. Concentrating on specific spot in the gravel, I still don’t lift my head up. They’re talking about me, not to me, so I continue to pretend that I’m not actually here. That is until I see Nate’s Chucks in my line of sight. Grasping my chin, he lifts my head up until we’re looking at each other eye to eye.
“It’s gonna be okay, El. Let’s get this over with.”
It’s never gonna be okay, is what I want to scream at him.
He knows they weren’t my biggest fan when we were younger, but the hope I see in his eyes says he thinks they’ll have changed their mind now. People like his parents never change. They break you and then throw you away once they’ve gotten their own way. Wrapping an arm around my trembling shoulders, he leads me around the car. Until for the first time in over eight years, I come face to face with the people who ripped my entire world away from me. The people, who to save their reputation and image, threatened to have me killed if I didn’t give not only my boyfriend up, but also my baby.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Nate
Having my parents turn up out of the blue, is not what I need or want right now.
To get my mother off my back about the girl I was with, I did the one thing I wasn’t ready to do yet. I told them that it wasn’t just any girl I had picked up. They knew how I felt about her back then. They watched me fall apart when we broke up. At one point, I’m certain they were close to having me committed, in fear of me hurting myself. Me going off the rails over a chick was unheard off when I was younger. That alone told them how much I loved her. The problem was they never liked her; said she wasn’t good enough for me, because she came from a trailer park in Queens. A small part of me was glad I told them. I wanted them to see how far she had come. What she had made of her life and that they were wrong about her.
I can feel Eliza shaking under my arm as I guide her to where my mom and dad are standing; something isn’t right with her, that much is clear as the nose on my face. From the minute she heard their voices it was like she shut down. I tried looking at her to silently telling her to stay with me, but her head was bent down. Suddenly she found the ground very appealing. Everything was okay until they turned up. I never told her about their dislike for her, so whatever has caused this reaction from her is something I don’t know about.
“Eliza.”
My father sneers at her, my mother can’t even look at her. Dread fills the pit of my stomach, to the point I begin to get too scared to ask what’s going on.
&nb
sp; “Mr. and Mrs. Michaels.”
Her voice wobbles as she acknowledges them. Turning into my chest, I feel her lips kiss my chest over my t-shirt, before she looks up at me and I see silent tears fall down her cheeks,
“I’m so sorry.” She mouths to me and before I can stop her, she pulls away from me, pushes past my parents and runs from the parking lot. I try to go after her, but my father grips my upper arm stopping me.
“Let her go son, she was never good enough for you anyway.”
I thought I felt red hot anger when I found out that Dean had kept her being in L.A. a secret from me, but what I’m feeling right now, doesn’t even come close to that. I am beyond furious; they don’t even know her. They didn’t bother even to getting to know her back then and they certainly don’t know the woman she’s turned into.
“How dare you say that? You don’t know her; you didn’t want to know her and all because of where she came from. I love that woman more than life itself; you have no fucking right to tell me who is or isn’t good enough for me.”
“Nate…” My mother tries to interject.
“No mom. You have no fucking clue, that girl had my heart eight years ago and for some unknown reason she left me and that nearly killed me. I won’t let her go again, I don’t care what you say or think.”
Pulling free of my father’s grip, I get right up in his face, something I’ve never done before and spit, “I’m a grown ass man now, you can’t control me anymore.”
“Nathanial, don’t you dare speak to your father like that. We only want what’s best for you and she isn’t it.”
Scoffing at my mother's words I glare down at her and say, “She is what’s good for me, without her I’m nothing. All of this…” I wave my arm behind me in the direction of the stadium, “Means nothing if I don’t have her to share it with. You don’t get it, do you? Nothing and no-one will ever come before her, so you can either get used to it or go.”
Us Again Page 15
