“Likewise,” Hayden replied before shaking Chase’s hand as well.
I introduced Aron and Drew next.
“Gotta say, I was excited when I saw all of your names on the roster for today since I’ve been a fan for years,” Hayden said “Although I can’t say I enjoyed it much when the Rockies beat the Red Sox in the World Series.” He directed the last part to Chase and Drew who had both been a part of that team.
“Best series of my career, but I get it,” Drew said playfully.
“It’s always fun to meet a fan, even if you root for the wrong team,” Aron teased.
The seven of us chatted for a minute, and then I watched Flirting with Fire enter the stadium.
“I’m going to go say hi to Slate and Vaughn,” Aron stated. “Want me to introduce you to the band?”
I nodded and our group followed Aron to where the guys were gathering behind home plate. Hayden went off to the side and started snapping pictures. Aron made the introductions, and it took a second for me to speak. I’d been looking forward to meeting Flirting with Fire for months since I was a huge fan of theirs. “Thank you for coming. It means a lot to all of us that you took the time to be here.”
“When we heard what you were raising money for, we couldn’t say no,” Vaughn stated, and his husband Slate beamed at him.
“I love your music, so I’m excited to watch you live.”
“Tyler performed some covers of your songs with his band in high school,” Chase added. “He plays the guitar like his father.”
My cheeks flushed. “That was years ago.”
“Really?” James, their lead singer, asked. “Do you still play?”
I shook my head. “Not anymore, but I’m finishing my degree soon and will pursue a career in music journalism after graduation.”
“That’s cool, man. Maybe one day you could write about us,” Stix, who played drums, said.
“Maybe.” I smiled. That would be a dream come true. “For now, we should let you guys get ready. If you need anything, please let me know.”
It didn’t take long for the field to fill with players, and once Ford told me everyone had checked in, I grabbed the microphone Tim had brought over and started my announcement.
“Good morning, everyone,” I called out to get everybody’s attention. “On behalf of Sigma Epsilon, I want to thank you all for being a part of this event. A lot of local LGBTQ+ youth programs are going to benefit from the money we raise today, and we are grateful for your support.” I paused as everyone cheered. “We’re going to open the gates in about fifteen minutes for the meet and greet. Have a great game and I hope you all win.”
We had multiple lines roped off and had limited the number of tickets for this portion, but I was still concerned about it all running smoothly. After going to the tables and completing one last check that everything was ready, I noticed Emmett Cooper headed in my direction. Since I’d talked to him over the phone, I thought it would be a good idea for me to introduce myself.
“Emmett Cooper?”
He smiled. “That’s me.”
“I’m Tyler Statler.” I shook his hand. “We talked on the phone. I just wanted to thank you again for joining us last minute.”
“Of course, and call me Coop,” he replied, and then introduced me to his teammates. “Butcher, Sexton, Tyler is one of the organizers of the game.”
“Nice to meet you both,” I said, shaking their hands as well. “Just so you know, this event sold out as soon as we announced you all would be part of it.”
That was true. Our sales had done well, but after we posted on social media that a couple of Bruins players would be participating, the last of the tickets had been scooped up in less than an hour.
“Really? That’s awesome.” Coop paused and gave me a questioning look. “Have we met before?”
Shit.He probably recognized me from the game in Anaheim. I didn’t think Hayden had told him we were in a relationship, and I wasn’t going to say anything.
“I get that a lot. I must have one of those familiar faces.”
Thankfully, Fallon announced the gates were opening, bringing an end to my conversation with Coop and his teammates.
* * *
