Page 42 of Her Defiant Warrior

“Can I ask you a question first?”

Amber nodded.

“When you’re up to bat, what usually happens? How many balls, and how many strikes are there?”

“It’s usually three strikes and I’m out.”

“Is that because you swing at the first three balls?”

Amber nodded.

Jase grinned. “You’re a lot like me. I don’t have a lot of patience either. I want to swing and get ‘er done. Is that what you’re thinking?”

Amber grinned. “Exactly. Those girls who just stand there and let the ball pass them by slow down the game.”

Jase held out his fist and Amber bumped her fist against it. “I hear you, Amber. But do you ever have to work on an assignment with a partner at school?”

Amber rolled her eyes. “Yes. I got Lori last time.”

“Was she helpful?”

“No, she hardly did nothing. I had to do everything. I wanted to tell my teacher, but I don’t snitch.”

Jase nodded. “So, you understand everybody should do their job well, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So don’t you think the pitcher on the other team should do a good job?”

Amber sighed. “I thought you were going to tell me secrets. This is boring.”

Bonnie fought back a giggle.

That’s my girl.

“Stick with me for another two minutes, will you?” Jase asked.

Shit, he’s using his puppy dog eyes.

Amber sighed again. “Okay.”

“So, if you agree that the pitcher on the other team should do a good job, then she needs to pitch you good balls to hit. And until she does, you shouldn’t swing. You deserve good balls to swing at, don’t you think?”

“How do I know if it’s a good ball?”

Go, Jase! You’re getting my daughter to understand!

“Well, this machine only throws strikes. So, you’re going to learn to hit these pitches, and learn to hit them well. Then once you do, you’ll know if the pitcher from the other team is throwing a good ball to you. Yeah?”

Amber grinned. “Yeah.”

“Let’s get you hitting some balls.”

The next twenty minutes were spent with Jase showing Amber things like not resting her bat on her shoulder. Instead, she needed to have it angled up a little past parallel to the ground. He showed her where her feet should be, and how to shift her weight on her back foot when the ball was thrown.

“I know I told you a lot of things, but the most important is to keep your eye on the pitcher, and then on the ball. Pretend she is Lori, and it’s your job to watch how she does her job. Don’t look at your bat. Don’t look at your feet. Just relax and watch Lori, then watch the ball as it comes to you.”

Jase stepped back. Amber took a soft swing and the ball popped off her bat.