Page 56 of Payoff Pitch

TANNER

It’s been weeks since theSportsIllustratedparty. Things were a little awkward with Bailey for a bit, but they’ve gotten much better.

In fact, she’s been acting completely unaffected by it all. I’m the one who’s pining after her while she’s seemingly moving on. She even mentioned leaving for a date the other night. I nearly put a hole in my wall in frustration and jealousy after she left.

We’ve settled into a routine now that Harper’s school year is underway. During the evenings Harper is with me and Bailey doesn’t have a game, I come home to dinner in the oven, and Bailey and Harper are either in the batting cage or the pool. I think Bailey’s bikinis are getting sexier and sexier each time, but it might be my imagination.

Both the Cougars and the Anacondas are well into the playoffs, so we’ve unfortunately seen a little less of Bailey for the past two or three weeks. I do my best to schedule my meetings on the small handful of afternoons and earlyevenings that she’s available right now because when she’s not, I have to leave work early to get Harper.

Tonight will be the last home game for the Anacondas. They’re down two to one in the best-of-five championship series. If they lose tonight, their season is over. If they win, they’ll go down to Miami later this week for a decisive game five.

The Cougars won their World Series game this afternoon. They’re up two to one in the best-of-seven series. They’re off tomorrow but then play in Philly the following two nights.

Harper and I are at the Anacondas’ game. The buzz is electric. The stands are overflowing. Ticket prices were through the roof. I love how much the city has embraced this team. Their tough, gritty play has truly ingratiated them to the Philly fans.

Harper is wearing herB. Hart, number thirty-four jersey, which Bailey had signed by everyone on the team. Harper probably wears it at least five times a week. I warned her that it might fade, but Bailey promised her a new one if it did and told her to keep wearing it and supporting the team. She’s so good to my daughter, which makes me that much more attracted to her, as if I needed any help in that department.

Harper didn’t want to sit in the owner’s box tonight. She wanted to be in the action, as close to the field as possible. We’re sitting with Cheetah, Layton, Quincy, and Ezra. I warned them all to be on their best behavior.

The game hasn’t even started, and they’ve already removed their shirts to reveal a giant anaconda that continues across each of their chests. Naturally, Cheetah has the tongue on his and manages to roll his belly in a way that makes the tongue look like it’s moving. Harper was in a fit of giggles when she saw it.

As he always is at Anacondas’ games, Cheetah is wearinga cowboy hat. I don’t know why he does that because I’ve never otherwise seen him in one. Perhaps it’s because he’s from Texas. Regardless, he keeps placing it on Harper’s head, and she’s having a blast. He’s so sweet to her.

The Anacondas take the field. As she does every time he’s at a game, Arizona’s eyes immediately find Layton and he blows her a kiss.

He’s a different man. He was the biggest playboy I’d ever met until she entered the picture. Now he’s a complete goner for her.

I’ve noticed Quincy paying a lot of attention to Ripley lately. I wonder if anything is going on there.

Ripley is the best pitcher I’ve ever seen, but she must be getting tired after a long season. She hasn’t had her best stuff lately. She’s still great, maybe the greatest ever, but not as perfect as normal. It’s a good thing the team has scored a lot of runs in the playoffs. Kamryn and Bailey have both been on fire lately, leading the offensive charge.

I notice Ezra staring at Bailey as she takes the field. I realize he’s wearing her jersey too. Why does that make me insanely jealous? They make perfect sense together while she and I don’t. But the thought of another man’s hands on her drives me insane.

I glance at Bailey to see if she’s looking at him, but she’s smiling and waving to Harper, who’s in heaven over the attention.

The game is moving along, and we’re down a run heading into the bottom of the last inning. Arizona, the leadoff batter, bunts her way on base and then easily steals second. She’s probably the fastest baserunner in the league. The second batter lays down a perfect sacrifice bunt, moving Arizona to third base as Bailey steps into the box.

I lean over to Harper. “There’s one out. What does Bailey need to do here?”

Harper shouts, “Hit a home run!”

I shake my head. “Nope. That’s not what the team needs. The team needs Arizona to score to send this game into extra innings. All Bailey has to do is either hit a ground ball to the right side or hit a sacrifice fly. She shouldn’t be swinging for the fences. It’s called situational hitting. It’s also called being a good teammate.”

Harper nods. “Right. That makes sense. You don’t want to swing your hardest and risk striking out.”

“Exactly.”

“Do you think Bailey knows?”

I smile at her naivety. “I’m confident she does.”

I notice Bailey choke up on the bat and nudge Harper. “You see that she moved her hands up on the bat. She’s just trying to make contact. She’s doing the right thing for the team.”

Harper watches on with rapt fascination. I love sharing my love of the game with her. The small nuances of this sport make it a thinking person’s game. It’s so perfect for Harper.

She squeezes my hand. “I’m nervous, Daddy.”

I squeeze hers in return. “Me too. I believe in Bailey though.”