CHAPTER 11
Sixty feet. That's the distance between the pitcher's mound and the batter's box. I stood there on the hill, toeing the rubber while contemplating my next pitch. Jake was in full catcher's gear behind home plate, giving me signs I was set to ignore. He wanted me to throw a curveball. I shook him off. He signaled I should throw one high and away. I shook that one off, too.
Edward stood ready in the batter's box, bat raised and muscles coiled to swing. I knew what he expected: a fast ball right down the middle. If I delivered, he'd probably send that thing right back at me. With the crack of his bat, that red-stitched bullet would be delivered in a hundred-mile-an-hour line drive. I wouldn't have time to flinch or duck; I'd just take a hit right in the face.
The idea made me pull nervously at the neck of my itchy uniform. I was sweating bullets. Of course I would be. It was a humid eighty-nine degrees in downtown St. Louis, and I was dressed in… a fuzzy lamb costume? What kind of baseball game was this?
I woke in my bed, heart pounding, and rubbed at my eyes with the heels of my hands. What a freaking nightmare!
It really was no wonder I was having bad dreams. I'd been internally obsessing over the last conversation Edward and I had shared all evening. Even the chick flick Alice insisted we watch at the theater wasn't enough to distract me from thinking about her brother. Alice sniffled and wiped at her eyes during the romantically sappy gestures that played out on the big screen, while I chewed on the end of my soda straw and contemplated Edward's tells and what he really told me without saying much of anything at all.
If I could assume anything based on our conversation, it was that Edward was nervous about being hurt. Taking a hit to the chest, I think he'd said. Couldn't he see I stood just as much risk, even being willing to step onto the field with him? For that matter, why did I even think I should? It was like he was on the all-star team and I was still playing for a pee-wee league. I was definitely not prepared for the big show.
Frustrated, I kicked off my blankets and went upstairs to warm some milk. I needed to be able to get back to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Not only did I have to work, but Alice had convinced me that I should go with her to see the Cardinals play a home game.
I was standing near the counter, blowing steam across the top of my mug, when I heard Edward speak behind me.
"We have to stop meeting like this," Edward said with a soft chuckle.
"At least I didn't freak out and break my mug on the floor this time." I smiled as I turned to face him in the half-lit room.
"And I didn't yell and hurl insults at you." He grinned.
"I'm so glad we're past all of that." I wrinkled my nose. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't wake you."
"You didn't." He shrugged. "I came down for some water. May I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"What is it with you and the warm milk thing?"
"Ahh." I cupped my mug in my hands and smiled. "My dad used to make me warm milk when I couldn't sleep."
"You had a very strong relationship with him." Edward frowned. "I envy that."
"I miss him." I nodded, wanting to ask Edward about his own father but quickly thought better of it. It was almost midnight, and he had to play tomorrow. Now wasn't the time for any prolonged conversation. "Well… I'll just take this downstairs. Goodnight."
"Bella?" Edward stopped me. "Alice said you're going to the game with her tomorrow night."
"If that's all right."
"Of course it is." He smiled. "I just wanted to tell you I'll have a box with your ticket and everything you might need delivered tomorrow."
"Thanks, Edward."
A box was delivered the following day about an hour after he left for batting practice, and Edward had gone completely overboard.
"You gotta be kidding me," I grumbled, digging through a large pile of Cardinals merchandise that had been folded and placed in the package. Red. White. And more red. T-shirts. Jerseys. Hats. Earrings? Some of the clothing bore simple team emblems. Some of it had Edward's name and number silk-screened to the fabric. One t-shirt simply said "Team Edward."
"What's that?" Alice asked, walking into the room to see what I was doing.
"Edward had this package sent," I told her, holding up a gaudy cuff bracelet decorated with a silver STL logo. "I hope he doesn't think I'm going to wear all of this stuff!"
"He probably just wanted to give you plenty to choose from." Alice shrugged. "I might've let it slip that you told me you didn't have a team shirt to wear to the game."
"Right. I needed a t-shirt, not the entire merchandise store!"
"Just leave everything you don't want in the box. I'll pick it up later and add it to the items we donate to charity."
In the end, I chose to wear a plain white t-shirt with an emblem that depicted two redbirds sitting on a yellow bat. For the fun of it, I donned one of the red caps and pulled my ponytail out above the adjustment strap in back. I was going to a ballgame, not a fashion show. And just because I wanted a souvenir, I put one white Jersey with Edward's name and number across the back in my closet before I re-taped the box and set it aside.
"You're not dressed, yet?" I asked Alice when I returned to the main level of the house.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, shaking her head. "I'm going to have to catch up with you there. A client called and needs to meet with me, and I'm not sure how long I'll be."
"Okay." I shrugged.
"Just grab some dinner up in the suite, and I'll be there as soon as I can."
"See ya!"
While I wasn't accustomed to being chauffeured to events, I was actually very grateful for the luxury vehicle Edward had sent. The driver dropped me off right in front of Busch Stadium. I couldn't begin to imagine driving my truck downtown in the madness that surrounded the ballpark. I was pretty sure my truck would've overheated in the nearly stand-still traffic, and finding parking would've been a wretched ordeal.
Once I stepped out onto the sidewalk, I was enveloped in a sea of red. Baseball fans of all ages rushed through the area, lining up to get through the gates. I thought I might've been intimidated by the sheer size of the stadium because I was there alone, but I found myself caught up in the excitement of it all—the colors and noises and smells. I could already tell this was going to be way more fun than watching the game on television!
My enthusiasm was dampened slightly when I found the suite where I was to wait for Alice. The private door led me into a bright, modern, and nearly sterile sort of room decorated with cream-colored leather sofas and chairs, glass tables holding vases of fresh flowers, and glossy television monitors on three walls. It had the feel of a corporate office and none of the appeal of the crowded concourse I had walked through to get to this exclusive space. The only saving grace was that beyond the wall of smoked glass that faced the playing field, I could see a section where I could sit outdoors. That seemed like a much better option than staying inside with the group of well-dressed people who were already milling around the suite and sipping drinks while sharing quiet conversation. Besides, if I wanted to sit on a couch and watch the game on a screen, I could've just stayed home.
I skipped the prime rib and champagne that was offered to me by an attendant and opted instead for a hot dog and a beer. With my hands full, I walked through the glass doors to take a seat. I nearly groaned out loud, however, when I walked down the steps and saw Victoria standing there, speaking to a man and a woman who were already seated. I hesitated a moment too long, trying to decide if I should continue on my path or retreat into the box suite, and in that time, Victoria looked up and locked eyes with me. Crap.
"Well, well…" Victoria drawled, a cold smile on her face as she walked toward me. "Did I miss an event on the marketing calendar? Is it Send an Employee to the Ballpark Night? We usually dedicate a section or two for tickets like that so we can keep all the charity freebies together. This area's typically reserved for those associated with management."
"Don't mind us," a sweet voice said, speaking loudly from behind me. The cavalry had arrived. Alice had found me and not a moment too soon. "We're just here for the open bar. If you need us during the game, we'll be down there behind the dugout, you know, sitting with the players' wives. Come on, Bella! They're about to announce the line up!"
I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the angry look on Victoria's face. Eagerly, I followed Alice up the steps and back into the suite.
"Do we really have seats near the field?" I asked. "This is the only ticket Edward sent."
"Honey, the players have reserved seats for friends and family. You don't need a ticket. Your name's on a list. The suite pass is one that can be scanned at the gate to get you into the ballpark."
I was a little worried that the players' wives wouldn't take too kindly to sharing their reserved area with a stranger, but once Alice and I got down to the seats near the field, I saw a couple of friendly women I'd previously met at Alice's picnic. They smiled and waved from their seats further down the row. Alice stopped once to speak to an attendant who held a clipboard.
"Hello, Miss Brandon," the man spoke. "Who do you have with you this evening?"
"Isabella Swan," Alice replied for me. "Edward put her on the list."
"Ahh. Here it is." He tapped his paper and smiled at me. I felt shy when Alice's announcement caused a couple of other ladies to turn and stare at me with curiosity.
"Why are they looking at me?" I whispered to Alice, lowering myself into my seat.
"Don't mind them." Alice waved her hand. "They just want to know who Edward reserved a seat for. It's pretty rare he has anyone sitting down here. Since all of our family is in Washington, his seats are typically empty."
"Oh."
"And that really pisses Vickie off." Alice smirked. "I mean, she likes to play like she's queen of the castle up there in the Executive Suite, but she'd give her left fake tit to have Edward offer her one of these seats."
"You don't like her."
"That's an understatement."
"Why?" I asked. I took a bite of my hotdog.
"She's DTF, and every player in major league baseball knows it."
"DTF?" I asked, taking another bite of my hotdog and instantly regretting it.
"Down to fuck," Alice replied. She slapped me on the back when I started coughing.
"You mean…" I reached for my beer to wash down the bite that had nearly choked me.
"A dirt bunny and the worst kind. She likes to think she's above it all, since her uncle is one of the team owners and basically handed her a big-time job with the organization, but she's hopped on more fields than this one. She's slept with players on just about every team in the National League."
"Really? Is that why you two don't get along? You don't want her sinking her fangs into Edward?"
"Oh, she's already been there and done that." Alice rolled her eyes, and I started coughing again. "What? You didn't know?" I shook my head and wiped at my eyes with a napkin. I was happy to give the uneaten portion of my hotdog to an attendant who'd stopped by to clear away empty cups and offer fresh drinks.
"Two more beers, please," I ordered. I thought I might need to switch to something stronger to handle the information I'd just been given, but Alice wasn't done.
"He probably didn't mention it because he's embarrassed." Alice shook her head and placed her hand on my forearm. "I mean, they dated for about six months right after he was traded to the Cardinals. He didn't know anything about her then, and I think he thought he was getting off on the right track, trying to be a one-woman man and all of that. Before he started dating her, he'd gone through his whole whore phase."
"'Whore phase'?"
"Don't even let it bother you." Alice smiled. "A lot of these guys go through it, and Edward—thank God!—has finally come to his senses. I mean, he hasn't dated anyone that I know of since he and Vickie broke up, and that was, like, eight or nine months ago."
"I don't think she's over it." I frowned.
"Not to be gross, because he's my brother," Alice shrugged and then pointed at the back of Edward's jersey as the team took to the field, "but look at him, at all of this…" She glanced around, indicating the thousands of screaming fans. "Can you blame her? I don't think it'd be that easy to give up."
Seeing the game from seats close to the field was an absolutely thrilling experience. It's a well-known fact in St. Louis that the Cubs are our biggest rivals, but despite all of the good-natured razzing that goes on between the fans, the Chicago team was actually very good! And the game was intense. It was a battle on the field against worthy opponents. I screamed and cheered so loudly throughout the game that I was certain I wouldn't have a voice left with which to speak the following day, especially when Edward stepped out to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning and sailed a ball into the Cardinals bullpen for a walk-off homerun! The team rushed the field, jumping up and against each other. Someone threw an entire cooler of water over Edward's head, and Alice and I screamed and hugged each other while fireworks blasted high into the night air above Busch Stadium, signaling the team's victory.
"That was amazing!" I croaked, my throat feeling scratchy and raw as I watched the players leave the field and file into the dugout.
"It's not done, yet." Alice smiled and pointed. The crowd was on its feet, still cheering and clapping. I watched and saw Edward re-appear, holding the game winning ball above his head victoriously while tipping his helmet toward the crowd. The response of his audience was deafening.
I stood there clapping, watching Edward accept the accolades, and felt my face heat instantly when Edward's eyes dropped from the crowd and he looked directly at me. A smile more joyous and satisfied than I could ever imagine pulled across his handsome features just before he took two steps forward and tossed that baseball right at me.
Thank God I didn't fumble the catch. I caught the ball in both hands and immediately pulled it tight to my chest. He nodded once in our direction before disappearing once more
"Oh, wow!" Alice smiled widely. "You know that's a big deal, right? That hit just placed him as the leader in the homerun race!"
I didn't know what to say, so I quickly pushed the ball into my bag to keep it safe. I don't know why Edward had chosen to give me that token, but the gesture made me feel very special, and I was on cloud nine as I walked back out through the crowd to get into the car that waited for me outside.
As the noise of the stadium faded away, reality started to seep back in. Alice had given me a lot to think about tonight, and once more, I felt my mind grow heavy with worry. How many other girls had been made to feel special and singled out by Edward Cullen? I knew he was divorced, and Victoria was obviously still nursing wounds left behind in his wake. And according to Alice, Edward had gone through a "whore phase" and probably had girls waiting for him in every city he ever played in! How many hearts had been broken by the Lion on his road to success? Would I allow myself to be another name on that roster? Did I even have a choice at this point? I had a feeling there was no way I'd get through this summer unchanged and unharmed. I could only hope that when it was time for me to go, I wasn't hurt so badly that I ended up on the permanently disabled list.
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