by Debbie White
PERFECT PITCH
Debbie White
Copyright © 2017 by Debbie White
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
* * *
Cover Design by: whitehausproductions.com
Contents
1. Finding Her Inspiration
2. Developing the Characters
3. The Plot Thickens
4. Final Thoughts and Edits
5. Back to the Editing Table
6. The Ending
7. Happily Ever After
Epilogue
About the Author
Chapter One
Finding Her Inspiration
He enjoyed the game too, or maybe it was the beer that he got sloshed on he loved more? She didn’t miss the belittling he was so great at, but she did miss the magic she felt when he touched her. Cierra could hear her sister’s words now. Now that she was single again, baseball could be front and center, and she liked the idea of going it alone. Her mind drifted to all the times he became an obnoxious fan yelling obscenities to the other team, or when he dumped a beer on the opposing team fan’s head. Shaking her head, glad this was all behind her, maybe she could get on with her life. A slow smile turned up on the corners of her mouth. She let out a sigh.
Cierra was in between projects. She needed some encouragement; she needed some stimulation to help her creativity flow once more. Of course she could dwell on her recent breakup, but she’d already done that. For the past six months she’d been dwelling on it. Her head told her it was time to move on, but her heart, well that was a different story. Cierra could hear her sister’s words now. “Get over him. He’s a dirt bag. He’s not worth you thinking about!” She was right. He wasn’t.
She didn’t love frequently but when she did, she loved deeply. Isn’t that what all girls do? She was angry at herself for falling for the bad boy. But, isn’t that what all girls do, too? Every girl has to have her heart broken, her spirit crushed, and her self-worth torn apart at least once in her lifetime. Don’t they? Cierra frowned. She never hated anyone so much as she did him. He shattered her self-confidence almost beyond repair.
Cierra didn’t have much of a life outside of her career and her love of baseball, specifically the Golden Bears. Who needed a social life when you had baseball? She loved the sport. She lived for all the games, and when she couldn’t see it performed live from her reserved box seat, she’d watch from the comfort of her overstuffed easy chair, with her miniature dachshund, Dash, by her side. Some would categorize her life as boring, but Cierra begged to differ. True, ballgames were more fun when others came along who shared her same fixated belief that there was no better team on earth than the San Francisco Golden Bears, and many a Saturday, Cierra tried to convince her sister, Courtney of that. She would attend most games with her if she didn’t have anything better brewing on the side.
Cierra loved her sister, but she was a free spirit, and no matter how hard Cierra tried, Courtney would not budge if she had other plans. Courtney was not now, nor ever would be the die-hard Golden Bears fan that Cierra was. .
“Hey, Sis. What about going to the game with me?” Cierra flashed her sister a wide smile.
With her hands on her hips, Courtney frowned. “Really, Cierra? You’re attending another ballgame? I swear, that’s your favorite pastime. Shouldn’t you be creating or something?”
Trying to lighten the mood, Cierra squeezed her sister in a hug. “It’ll be fun—peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and ice-cold beer! And don’t forget all the cute guys that’ll be there,” she added.
“Don’t forget the nachos. You really love the nachos,” Courtney bantered back
The two girls each stood their ground.
“My idea of a good time is getting my nails polished, or sipping delicious coffee while people-watching. Not sitting on a hard bench watching baseball.” Courtney tightened her brows.
“They’re not hard bench seats. I pay for the great seats and you know it,” Cierra said frustrated with her sister’s lack of attention to detail.
“Whatever. I’m going to find a nice stool with a view and sip on a foaming latte.” She threw Cierra a kiss and then ran out the front door. She raised her hand and tossed back a wave to her sister. “Next time. I promise.” She laughed as she descended the couple of steps to the sidewalk.
Cierra gave her sister a sloppy wave back. She knew perfectly well that there wouldn’t be a next time. She then gathered her well-worn mitt, her sunglasses, and grabbed her car keys on the hallway table. At the last minute, she gave Dash a treat and patted him on the head. “I’ll be back in a few hours,” she told him and off she went.
Cierra started the ignition and turned up the radio. Kelly Clarkson’s new “Heartbeat Song” was playing. That song always made her smile. She took a quick peek in the vanity mirror. Satisfied with the way she looked, she put the sun visor back in position and began to drive. Cierra hummed to all her favorite tunes as she made her way to the ferry that would take her to the Golden Bears’ stadium in San Francisco. The team’s ballpark was one of the best in the league. She’d traveled to several, and this park was the best by far. Not only was the park nice, but the food was also delicious, and the fans were the absolute best. As a season ticket holder, she had access to all the games. However, sometimes she just couldn’t make a game. When she knew ahead of time she’d not be able to attend, she’d post it on StubHub for sale. She never had a problem selling her tickets, either—the Golden Bears were that popular. They’d won the championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014. They were hot, and the fans loved them.
The hour flew by and soon Cierra was pulling into the ferry terminal parking lot. She waited in line with all the other noisy Golden Bears fans, many of them decked out from head to toe in orange and black. Children were carrying hats that represented brown bears in honor of one of the players affectionately named Baby Bear. One by one, fans showed their credentials to board the ferry. The excitement of attending a game on a beautiful day grew with the crowd as they walked up the gangway in single file to enter the boat. When it was Cierra’s turn to show her ticket, the purser smiled at her as he’d done with every fan that he interacted with. From the ticket master to the hands on the dock, Cierra could tell they all loved their jobs.
She found a window seat and sat down, anxious to get going. No matter how many games she’d been to, she was always excited to see her boys play. Cierra’s thoughts drifted to Courtney. She’d wished they’d share the love of baseball like they shared so many other things. She could at least fake it, Cierra mused. The ferry had barely pulled out into the water when the fans began ordering drinks from the bar. These fans knew how to get ready for a game. She was about to get up and order herself a drink when she noticed a gentleman eyeing her first and then the empty seat beside her.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked.
Cierra looked up to find a handsome man staring down at her. He had the most intense brown eyes that seemed to smile. His lashes were long and curled up at the very edges. His face was ruggedly handsome, and he had just enough stubble that Cierra found sexy. With her eyes widening slightly, delighted he’d chosen her to sit by, Cierra was momentarily speechless.
“No, this seat is not taken, but I was just going to get myself a drink,” she said, eyeing the bar beyond him.
The handsome man looked toward the bar. It was already crowded with fans buying beer and mixed drinks. He turned his attention back to Cierra.
“I was going to get myself a beer. What would you like?”
&n
bsp; Cierra swallowed hard. Something about his character reflected a bold confidence and Cierra viewed this as fascinating and sexy. She was always sizing up people—it was what she did. She was always looking for interesting prospects for her projects.
“I’ll have a Bloody Mary—with extra olives, please,” she said coyly.
Cierra watched as the man made his way to the bar. She scrutinized him intently and when he suddenly turned, she quickly lowered her eyes, avoiding his. When Cierra looked back up, he was paying the bartender. She fantasized briefly about a future relationship with him, but quickly returned to reality when he returned with their drinks. Cierra knew one thing for sure: he was a Golden Bears fan. He couldn’t be all that bad. Then a moment of her former boyfriend pouring beer over someone’s head entered her mind. She shook it off. She snuck in a few more looks before he turned back around armed with drinks. Cierra wiggled in her seat and smiled. Handing Cierra her Bloody Mary, the handsome stranger smiled back. He extended his hand to introduce himself catching Cierra off guard.
“Thanks again for sharing your space. My name is Zach.”
Cierra quickly dried her hand off on her jeans and took hold of his hand. “My name is Cierra.”
Zach and Cierra hit it off. She discovered he was as much of a fan as she was. She found out his favorite players’ names, they discussed records—which player had the best batting average, who’d stolen the most bases, that kind of thing, and before they both realized it, they were pulling alongside the dock near the ballpark. It was a perfect way for Cierra to spend her day.
As Cierra exited the ferry, waves crashed against the dock causing it to sway slightly. She inhaled the smell of the warm wind coming off the bay. The sea breezes wafted up her nostrils, reminding her she was near the ocean. This smell was like paradise to her.
The roar of excitement as the fans clomped their way to the ballfield entrance reminded her of their passion. Golden Bears fans were loyal through and through and was especially evident in the huge crowds that entered the gateway to the stadium. Zach and Cierra found a corner where they could briefly exchange words. The commotion from the hundreds of fans echoed chaotically. Cierra fumbled with the zipper on her purse. Her cheeks were flushed and the muscles in her stomach clenched tightly, anticipating his next move. She wondered why she was feeling this way. It had been only six months since her last heartbreak. She didn’t want to jump into anything.
“Thanks for the great conversation during our ferry ride,” Zach said softly.
At that very moment, Cierra experienced a hot flash and wondered if her cheeks were flame red to match how she felt inside. “I enjoyed it, too,” she said. Cierra looked down at her feet and tapped her toes a couple of times. Looking around and feeling a bit awkward, Cierra smiled, then cleared her throat. “Maybe we can sit together on the way home?” she asked.
He gazed at Cierra intently, flashing a broad smile. “I’ll look for you,” he said.
Cierra nodded and just as she was about to acknowledge him, she saw a familiar face in the crowd. She locked right onto his eyes. He flashed that sexy smile and waved. It was Cory. She swallowed hard. He still rocked it with his great looks and super-hot body. She gave him a slack wave back. Zach turned around to see who she was waving to. He turned back around suddenly and reached out and gently touched her arm.
“Hey, enjoy the game,” he said as he walked off into the crowd.
Cory sauntered over to Cierra. “Hey there, baby. How’s it going?”
Boy he could put on the charm, Cierra thought. “I’m doing okay.”
“Hey, maybe you and I can get together?”
Cierra wrinkled her brows. “Was he serious?” she said under her breath. Then more loudly, she replied lying right through her teeth, “Listen, gotta run. Nice seeing you again.”
All this time he’d thought they’d mutually broken up, so they could see other people and all of that crap that guys like to toss around like it’s nothing more than fluffy marshmallows. She agreed because what else could she do? She was finally moving on with her life even though it was at a snail’s pace as Courtney reminded her. Cierra made her way through the crowds and headed straight to the food counter. She wanted to get as far away from him as possible.
With hands full carrying nachos, and a drink, Cierra found her seat and sat down. She was ready for the game. Soon she was surrounded by her fellow fans which always made the game that much more exciting. When Goldie the mascot made an appearance, the fans roared. It usually meant she was giving away something, or providing a photo-op. One time she got lucky and as the fan mobile raced around the field tossing tee shirts she caught one. This time she caught a bag of roasted peanuts. As she cracked the shells, she smiled. What a way to spend the afternoon. She’d just looked down for a second to crack open a nut when the sound of a ball on bat, followed by cheers, had her jumping up. She just barely caught glimpse of the ball soaring over right field and landing in the water in McCovey Cove. The spectators cheered—splash hits were special. Balls had to go a distance of over four hundred feet and boats and kayaks waited on the other side to collect the home run balls. Talk about fanatics.
The game was fantastic, and the ride home would prove to be even better. Just as she’d secretly hoped, she ran into Zach again. The two made their way toward some empty seats. Zach motioned for her to sit near the window. She liked that he remembered she liked the window seat. They talked about the game, and when they pulled up to the ferry landing, they’d both come to the conclusion that they’d exchange phone numbers.
Cierra looked at the paper he handed her. “Zach Richards,” she said out loud.
He laughed, and she blushed.
“I just like the sound of your name, is all,” she said.
Winking, he drew up his mouth and examined her scribbling. “Your name is pretty awesome, too, Cierra Ward,” he said.
An overwhelming urge to laugh hit them both at the same time. He gently touched her shoulder. Cierra felt tingly all over and filled with such physical desire that she almost forgot how to breathe. She couldn’t help it. Cierra wondered if maybe the time was right to let someone else into her life. She’d been pretty lonely these past few months.
They walked in silence toward the parking lot to locate her car. Cierra found her car and unlocked the door. She paused a moment turning toward Zach. “I had a nice time. Hope we can do it again soon,” she said.
Cierra felt him moving in closer. She anticipated the next move. The kiss. Just like in movies and in books. The predictable kiss. But instead, he reached out and gently touched her arm above the elbow.
“I’ll be calling you soon. We’ll get together, I promise.”
Cierra smiled at his gesture. “Sounds good,” she whispered.
“Hi there, buddy. How’ve you been?” she said, patting her faithful companion Dash on the head. Wagging his tail, he followed her into the kitchen. He knew the deal. It was dinnertime. He waited patiently as Cierra opened the can of dog food. She scooped the can’s contents into his bowl. Soon he was doing a dance—his patience was gone—he wanted his dinner. Cierra set it down near his water dish. She walked into the living room and clicked on the television remote. She’d get caught up on the day’s news while looking at the day’s mail.
A day of fun, sun, nachos, and sangria had Cierra ready to retire for the evening sooner than later. She trotted off down the hallway toward her bedroom. She reached into her pockets and pulled out receipts for food, two folded twenty-dollar bills, and the parking receipt with Zach’s number scribbled on it and laid them on the dresser. She looked at the wadded up items for a few minutes. Cierra grabbed the receipt with Zach’s number. She thought about her sister who was always dating. Cierra wondered if maybe, just maybe Zach would be the one. He was cute, and they had things in common. Or at least, they had baseball in common. She tossed the paper back onto her dresser. Time would tell.
Cierra was an attractive woman, according to her family and friend
s. She never thought of herself as pretty, though. Never having the patience for glamming it up, Cierra had adopted the tomboy style early on, and it stuck. She kept her blonde hair long, but most of the time it was in a ponytail or pulled up somehow. Her complexion was fair, and Cierra made sure her face was covered with sunscreen to keep the harmful sun rays from damaging her skin. She would brush her lashes with mascara, wear a light foundation, and some lip gloss. That was the extent of the makeup Cierra wore. The one thing she did love to add to her daily routine was jewelry. It was simple jewelry, though. She loved dangly earrings, but not huge ones. Cierra especially loved the ones her mother left her after she passed away. She dressed simply as well—jeans during the winter and capris for summertime. The weather in California was mild, so the only coat she owned was a lined windbreaker. She did own a few pairs of dress slacks, and a couple of broomstick-style skirts. Everything in her closet said casual. She didn’t need to dress up. She was fortunate that she didn’t have to go to an office each day. Her office was her home. She was a budding author, and she’d sit for hours at the keyboard typing out the next romance or women’s fiction to hit the bestseller charts.
She thought about her conversation with Zach. He’d make a great character in one of her books. She thought about it for a moment longer. She realized she may be sitting on one of the best plots for a contemporary romance, and she didn’t even realize it. A female fan meets a male fan, and a promising relationship develops. Baseball would be the theme, and their relationship could develop on the ferry and at the stadium.
She began to write it all out on her plot board. When she wrote Zach’s name down, she quickly erased it. She wondered aloud what his profession would be. Salesman? She didn’t like that idea. Teacher? Maybe. Independently wealthy? That might be good. She wrote down and put a question mark by independently wealthy and moved on. As Cierra jotted these ideas down on the whiteboard, her mind was flooded with other details she could bring to the story. She was excited about the book, and she couldn’t wait to pitch the story to her sister. She was her best critic. Whenever Cierra would finish a manuscript, Courtney would read it and give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. Courtney was her number one fan now that their mother was gone. Cierra knew she’d need to do more research for her book. That would mean more ferry rides, and attending more games. She would need to see how other couples interacted, and maybe even eavesdrop on a couple. That was right up her alley. She quickly looked at the schedule for games. The Golden Bears would play two more times during the week, and then it would be a travel day for them. She picked up the phone and called her sister.
