Under the Owl Tree

by Sara Daniell

  “You’re good with her.” I nudged Dane. “Who knew? I took you as the jock type.”

  Dane laughed and put his hat on my head. “Yeah. There’s more to Dane Welch than most think. Did I ever say sorry for whistling at you on the pitcher’s mound at tryouts?”

  I adjusted the hat so it fit snugly. “Yeah. No biggie. You’re not so bad I guess.”

  “Why’d you whistle at Hailey, Dane?” Millie asked as she took her eyes off the phone.

  Dane blushed. “Hailey is pretty, and that’s what boys do when girls are pretty.” Dane looked at me. “Don’t worry; it’s not like that. I’m not into you like that.”

  I raised a brow.

  He laughed. “Whoa, that sounded bad. I think you’re really cool and hot, but it’s not… Okay, yeah, I’m gonna stop talking now.”

  We both looked up when Zach came walking over.

  “He’s awake and wants to see his little trouble.” Zach smiled a little and picked up Millie. “He also said he wants to see his little brother.” He looked at Dane. “Do you want to take her with you, or do you want me to go with you?”

  “I can take her,” Dane said as he stood. As he walked past me with Millie, he winked.

  I wanted to forget that I was totally checking Zach out in the waiting room, but I had a feeling that was going to be the ghost in the room for a while. I stayed sitting down and looked up at Zach as I moved the saltshaker back and forth between my hands.

  He sat down across from me and put his head in his hands.

  “I’m glad you’re getting along with everyone. That’s important in a team.”

  “There’s no I in team.” I laughed at myself. “Sorry. That was lame. I really suck at talking. Sorry.” I only suck at talking to him. He made me babble like a stupid girl with a crush.

  Shit. That’s what it was. I had a effin’ crush. Dear God…

  He looked at me and gave me that damn crooked smile. Adorable. So adorable. “I think you talk just fine.” His eyes stayed on mine too long, and then they traveled down my face and neck and, if I wasn’t mistaken, to my chest. He cleared his throat. “So, did you guys get to practice any?”

  I started watching his lips instead of listening. I felt like an idiot. Coach was upstairs feeling like shit, fighting cancer, and here I was checking out his brother’s damn lips.

  “You okay?” he asked, looking at me oddly.

  “I think so. Why, are you?” I looked at his eyes.

  Bad mistake. They were perfect too. What the hell was this guy made of? I cursed when I noticed I had spilled the salt everywhere. He stopped me from cleaning up by placing his hand over mine. My eyes lingered on our hands.

  “I’m sorry, Hailey. I’m sure this is awkward for you. I mean, you just moved here, and all this shit happens.”

  “It’s… it’s fine though.” I slowly inched my hand away from his.

  He dusted off the table with his hands. “It’s why I’m the assistant coach and why the school agreed to let me help. It’s been a rough year.” He finished getting all the salt off the table, then looked back at me. “I’m sure everyone is hungry. I’m going to order everyone pizza from Quinn’s. Do you want anything special?”

  I shook my head. “Can’t.”

  “Why not?” He leaned back in his chair.

  “I should probably just head home.”

  “Oh.” His face fell. “I guess you should. Tell your dad I’m sorry about practice. I will be doing practice tomorrow at the school. Hell week starts. We start at eight and end around five.”

  “Bring it on.” I smirked as I stood. “I’m gonna go say bye to all the guys. Do we meet at the school in the morning?”

  He laughed. “I like you. And yeah, eight sharp.” He stood and stretched. “I’m going to go check on my family. I will see you in the morning, Tiger.”

  “Rawr,” I said, pretending to claw at the air. I immediately wanted to hide under a table. I was never this awkward. It was like I lost all ability to act normal around this guy. “I’m… just gonna go. Tell the guys bye for me.”

  I dialed Dad’s number as soon as I was out of his sight.

  “How’d practice go?” he asked immediately.

  “Well, didn’t get much practice in. Like zero practice. Coach Elliot passed out. He’s battling cancer. Did you know that?”

  “No. I didn’t. Wait, so what does that mean for the team?”

  I got in my car and cranked it up. “It means Zach is the assistant coach and will be coaching us when Coach Elliot can’t.”

  Dad let out a relieved breath. “Good. Are you heading to the field to get some practice in then?”

  “No, I was coming home.”

  “No, you’ll practice. Meet you at the field in ten.” He hung up before I could argue.

  When I got to the field I saw Dad with his stupid whistle. Great. I got out of the car, and Dad’s eyes went straight to the hat on my head.

  “You better not be fooling around with one of the guys on the team, Hailey.”

  “I’m not. We’re friends.” I shrugged. “Just throw me the damn ball.”

  “Language,” he raised a brow.

  “I’m hungry and exhausted, Dad.”

  He got out his stopwatch. “Run.”

  While I ran, he shouted out one of his stupid speeches about how the greats didn’t complain about being hungry or tired and how they worked their assess off and gave their all.

  “Faster, Hailey!” he yelled.

  I ran as hard and as fast as I could. Sweat was pouring down my face, and my feet were killing me. I ran until I couldn’t go anymore.

  I fell onto first base, and Dad loomed over me.

  “Now, do you want to tell me you’re hungry and tired again?”

  I shook my head. I loved my parents. I really did. But I felt like this was getting out of hand. I couldn’t argue, though. I had goals and they were just making sure I met them.

  We spent the rest of the night practicing and didn’t get home until super late.

  8:00 am practice was going to suck ass.

  When I got to practice, I mixed Creatine Monohydrate powder with some blue Powerade and started downing it. I needed a boost even if it was from the one thing I was banned from last year for getting addicted. I put the powder back in my bag and got out of the car.

  I put the bag over my shoulder and walked to the field behind the school. The guys were all stretching, and Zach was looking at a clipboard. I set the bag down and walked over to Dane.

  “How’s Coach?”

  “Better. He’s taking the next week off to rest. Chemo is a bitch.”

  “Hailey, we may have a problem if you keep wearing shorts like that to practice,” Trevor said when he walked over.

  I bent over, touched my toes, and licked my lips, making most of the team blush. I started cracking up. I stood and lifted my arms over my head to stretch my back. “Stop thinking with your dicks, and we won’t have a problem.”

  Trevor laughed. “Damn, you’re a feisty one. We just might keep you around, Hales.”

  “If you want to win, that’d be wise.” I smirked.

  We all stopped laughing when Zach blew the whistle.

  Dane wiped his hand across my chin. “Drooling.”

  I smacked his hand away and laughed. “Am not!”

  Zach didn’t look happy that we were talking after he blew his whistle.

  “Since you guys have so much energy, let’s start practice off with some running.” He pointed to the opposite field poles. “Foul pole to foul pole until I blow the whistle.”

  I cringed. I didn’t want to run. My feet had blisters from running so much last night.Dane smacked me on my ass.

  “Let’s go!” He started running.

  I laughed and jogged beside him.

  I was surprised when Zach ran by us and set a pace toward the front. I was even more surprised when he took his shirt off.

  Dane nudged me. “If I was gay, I’d totally fuck that,” he sai
d in a teasing tone.

  My mouth fell open, and then I burst into laughter.

  “It should be a sin to be that hot. Right?” I said quietly through my laughter.

  “Yeah, girl,” Dane said in a feminine tone, making me laugh harder.

  We ran for a while, then came to a stop. Zach looked at all of us. “Okay, get into positions. Hales, take the mound.” He grabbed a ball and tossed it to me.

  I caught it and walked to the mound. I warmed up by tossing the ball to Gabe, the best batter on our team.Zach crossed his arms in front of his chest as he watched us.

  By the end of practice, we were all laid out on the field, dying. We were literally dying.

  “For my last meal, I want popcorn and hot dogs,” Dane said from beside me.

  “Steak. Coach Elliot’s steak,” Gabe said and then looked at me. “What about you?”

  “A big warm cinnamon roll. With ice cream.”

  I heard Zach chuckle, then felt him nudge my foot with his. “That’s your death meal? You guys need to work on your imagination. Now get home and rest up. We have another long day of practice tomorrow.” He walked over and looked down at Dane. “You staying the night again?”

  Dane sat up and wiped sweat from his forehead. “Yeah. If that’s cool with you?”

  “Of course. You wouldn’t have your own room if I minded.”

  Dane stood and held his hand out to me.

  Once everyone had gone and Zach was picking up the equipment, I limped over to the bench. Before I had even untied my shoes, Zach was kneeling in front of me.

  “You’re limping. Why?” he asked as he gently pulled my shoe off. He cursed. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you had sores on your feet?” He continued to pull my sock off slowly.

  “No pain, no gain, right?” I really had to stop quoting shit to him. I smiled. “I’m fine. I’m used to it.”

  “Yeah, if you’re in the military.” He grabbed a Ziploc bag full of alcohol pads out of a first aid kit and opened it. “In baseball, it’s a good way to get an infection. This is going to sting.” He wiped my foot with the pad, and I hissed. He stopped and blew on it. “Better?”

  “Sort of.” This was weird. I didn’t like anyone babying me. I pulled my foot back. “I’m fine.”

  He grabbed my foot again. “Do I need to sit on you like I do the other guys on the team?” He raised an eyebrow at me.

  I shook my head.

  “Good, then let me get your feet cleaned up and wrapped.” He worked quietly until he had both my feet fixed up. “Done.” He repacked the bag and grabbed up his stuff.

  I put my shoes back on, and Dane walked me to my car. “Why do your feet look like that anyway?”

  “It doesn’t matter, Dane. Talking about it won’t change anything.” I put my bag in the trunk.

  “Why don’t you come over tonight? I’m sure Coach Elliot would love to see you.”

  I heard Zach chunk the bags in the back of his truck. “You’re always welcome,” he said before getting into his truck and starting it up.

  “I need a shower. I stink.”

  Dane nodded and made a face. “Yeah, you do, but we all do. So, go get a shower, and come over.”

  “I’ll ask the rents.”

  He nodded. “Cool. Just text me if you’re coming. We always have fun.”

  “Will do.”

  I went home and cleaned up after getting permission from my parents to go out. I ran my fingers through the blonde curls so they’d loosen into light waves. I grabbed my leather messenger bag and put it over my shoulder before sliding my feet into a pair of sandals.

  I went downstairs and smiled at my parents who were making out in the kitchen.

  “Ewww guys.” They pulled apart and started laughing. While majorly disturbing to catch your parents like that, it was nice to know after so many years they were still crazy about one another.

  “You look nice!” Dad said, taking my hand and spinning me around. “Not trying to impress anyone, are you?”

  Mom laughed. “Craig, stop it. She knows dating isn’t allowed. She has too much to focus on.”

  “I just feel like looking like a girl. I sweat like a pig all day.”

  Mom looked at my feet and saw how bad they were. “Your feet look terrible, Hales.”And just when I thought she might realize how hard they make me work and feel a little sorry for me, she ruined it by saying, “Looks like hard work. Good job, honey.”

  I looked down at my feet and kicked off the sandals. “I’ll go put on my Toms instead.” I hugged my parents and slipped on the black Toms on my way out the front door.

  I PULLED UP to Coach Elliot’s and Zach’s and parked behind Dane’s truck.Dane came out of the house and jogged over to my car.

  I got out, and he lifted my chin with his hand. “What the hell?” I smacked his hand away.He laughed. “Just seeing if it’s really you or not. What’s that shit all over your face?”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s called make-up. I’m a girl, ya know.”

  The door opened, and Millie came running out. She wrapped her arms around one of Dane’s legs.

  “You look pretty,” she said with a smile.

  I raised a brow at Dane. “See, that’s how you talk to a girl who looks nice.”

  Dane laughed and picked up Millie, putting her over his shoulder. She giggled the whole way into the house.I was shocked to see Quinn, her husband Brink, Zach, and Elliot. I felt like I was intruding on family time. Coach looked a little better. I walked over and gave him a hug.

  “I heard you’re doing amazing in practice.” Coach smiled.

  “I’m trying.” I looked at Zach who was smiling proudly.

  Quinn reached out her hand to me. “I can go hang up your bag in the closet.”

  I slid it off my shoulder and handed it to her. “Thanks.”

  “Well, babe, I have to head back to work,” Brink said as he kissed Quinn.

  “But it’s so late,” she whined and wrapped her arms around him.

  Coach Elliot chuckled.

  Zach rolled his eyes. “She’s using that tone, Brink. You may as well give in and stay home. It will save you time.”

  Dane pulled up a stool for me and patted it.I sat down at the bar next to him.

  Brink looked down at Quinn. “I have a big case tomorrow. I need to go look over my notes.”

  “Can I come with?” She smiled really big. She was like Barbie. Perfect. There was no way he’d say no to that face.

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “I get nothing done when you come. If I say yes, I may as well not leave the house.” He kissed her nose.

  Coach Elliot was watching them as he played with his wedding ring.

  Zach burst out laughing when Quinn pouted and Brink frowned.

  “I’ll behave. I swear,” Quinn said, lightly touching the buttons on his shirt.

  I smiled at Dane. “They’re cute.”

  He laughed. “You have no idea.”

  Brink sighed. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  Quinn followed him out practically skipping.

  “Told him she’d get her way.” Zach shook his head and went into the kitchen. “It’s why I have that damn restaurant,” he muttered.

  Coach got up and went to the couch with Millie.

  “What are we eating tonight?” Dane asked and got up.

  “What do you want?” Zach asked, turning to look at both of us.

  “I can eat later. You guys don’t have to feed me.” I tucked my hair behind my ears.

  Dane laughed. “Shut up, Hales.”

  “We are feeding you,” Zach said as he looked at his phone. His expression turned angry. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he snapped and headed for the backdoor, dialing a number on his phone.

  “What do you want to drink?” Dane asked as he fixed himself a Coke.

  “Not that, that’s for sure. You’re allowed to drink that during the season?”

  “He’ll work it off in practice,” Coach said with a smile. />
  “My parents would freak out.”

  Dane shrugged. “Well, they aren’t here.”

  “I already corrupted you, Dane. Don’t corrupt Hales, too,” he teased.

  Dane poured two drinks anyway. He handed it to me and motioned for me to follow him outside. Coach Elliot laughed as we walked out the door. We went out on the deck, and Dane set his cup down.

  “Watch this.” He flipped a switch, and the entire backyard lit up from lights strung in the trees.

  “Whoa!” I took off into the yard with my drink in hand and stood in the middle. I looked up at the lights that hung everywhere. There had to be millions.

  Dane stood beside me. “Pretty amazing, huh?”

  I nodded.

  “Coach Elliot did this for his wife who passed. Sometimes he’ll come out here and just sit for hours. She loved the lights.”

  “How’d she die?”I took a drink and closed my eyes. “Mmmm, heaven. This Coke is my best friend right now.”

  Dane laughed, but it faded. “She died giving birth to Millie.”

  “Damn...” I looked at him sadly. “That’s terrible.”

  “Yeah. This family has been through a lot. I think it’s why they get me like they do.” Dane smiled when I took another drink. “Good, huh?”

  “It’s glorious.”

  We both laughed.

  Zach came out with a beer in his hand. I noticed Dane scrunch his nose at the sight of it. “Did you guys decide what you want for dinner? I’m going to cook so Elliot doesn’t have to.”

  “Hales is rebelling tonight, so, go big. Cook the unhealthiest thing you can.”

  I frowned at Dane. “No.”

  Zach smirked. “You sure? I make a mean cheeseburger.”

  My mouth watered just at the thought of it. “Okay, but no bread.”

  He laughed and went back inside.

  Dane took my hand and pulled me further into the backyard.

  “Where are we going?”

  We stopped, and he took my cup from me, setting it down in the grass next to his.

  “Dane, what the hell?”

  He laughed and put his finger to his lips. “Shhh.” He crooked his finger at me to come closer to him.

  I raised a brow and crossed my arms in front of my chest. “You’re being weird.”