After checking out the rest of the facilities and making a listof supplies we need, I head over to the gym area where Caden is working with Rhett and Ben on the mats.
“Lark!” Rhett’s deep voice booms. “Y’here to save us from Caden’s torture?”
“Nope,” I reply cheerfully. “Quite the opposite. We need to make sure your knees are strong, especially since you, Rhett Darlington, aren’t getting any younger. I’m here to see what I can add to Caden’s plan.”
Rhett clutches his chest. “Damn, darlin’. Way to hit a guy where it hurts.”
I arch my brow. “Oh, so it wasn’t you that was complaining about knee pain last fall? Hmm. I seem to recall recommending cortisone shots to someone.” I tap my chin. “You sure it wasn’t you?”
“I plead the fifth.”
“You play for Canada, Rhett, we don’t have that up there.”
“Semantics. Besides, we’re in the good ol’ United States right now.”
I chuckle and move over to Caden’s side. “How’s it going?”
The muscular fitness trainer looks at the two players on the mats. “Good. I think they’re both fine as long as we focus on quad strength. Can you add in some fascia work on their hips?”
“Got it.”
I wave goodbye to the guys and move on, at last heading out to the field. The real work for me will start soon, once the guys start needing treatments like taping and massage. For now, I can observe and help as needed.
Outside, the sun is hot, but not too uncomfortable. At least, not for me, standing in the shade of the dugout. For the playerson the field, it’s likely worse. One group is doing some fielding drills, while more are working on batting into a net.
Eventually, I find Dan standing with the other first-string catcher, and a couple of the second-string guys who are here to train with the team, even if they never actually play this season. They’re laughing about something, and I watch him for a minute.
“Whatever yips he had are gone now that you’re here.”
I startle at Kai’s voice as he leans on the railing next to me. “Oh?”
He nods slowly. “It was strange. He didn’t want to leave Vancouver, then we got here and all was good. Then, a few days later, something changed and Monty’s dropping balls and missing shit all over the place. You arrive, and our boy’s back on top.” His gaze shifts from the field to me. “Everything all good with you, Lark?”
Kai’s normally a boisterous, outgoing, happy guy. So being under this level of scrutiny from him is unnerving.
I lick my lips. “Everything’s great, Yami.”
A smile covers his handsome face. “Good. That’s really good.” He pushes off the railing and moves to the stairs that lead to the field. He pauses, and I think he’s about to say something before he changes his mind, I guess. Tapping the rail with his glove, he gives me a smile, his eyes dropping down to my stomach and back up again before he jogs onto the field.
It might be harder than I thought to keep this baby a secret.
Chapter thirty-eight
Monty
I let out a whoop as Yami throws yet another strike. “Three up, three down, baby!”
We jog toward each other, meeting in the middle with a chest bump. “That’s what I’m talking about,” he cheers. “Fuck, man, I think we found it.”
“Hell yeah, we did.”
We walk over to the dugout with the rest of the players that were on our team for this practice game. I jog down the stairs, setting my catcher’s helmet on the bench before sinking beside it and taking a long drink of water.
“Lookin’ good out there, hot stuff.”
My head turns, my grin at the ready at Lark’s voice. “Hey, Birdie. Did you see that? Yami was on fire.”
“You both were.” She bends over and kisses my upturned face. “You’re sweaty.”
