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The blonde jumped up and down and cheered, “I get first pick! Luke!”
Luke walked over to stand beside the blonde and Sheilagh frowned. “Kelly.”
Kelly joined his sister while the blonde eyed the crowd of players. Sam had a flashback to high school and being picked last. She tried not to take the silly fear seriously.
When the blonde’s eyes landed on Braydon they lit triumphantly. “Bray.”
Braydon left Sam’s side to stand beside the leggy blonde. Everyone turned toward Sheilagh. Kelly whispered something in her ear. She smiled. “Samantha.” Sam looked around thinking surely there was someone else with the same name.
When no one stepped forward she pointed to herself. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. Come on. Welcome to the winning team,” Sheilagh said tugging her between herself and Kelly.
The choosing went back and forth until every player was placed on a team. Jen, the blonde captain, had chosen Braydon, Finn, Luke, her sisters Emily and Taylor, the McCullough’s cousin Pat, and another relative named Giovanni. Sam was confused when Kelly informed her Giovanni was in fact related. She wasn’t sure where the Italian hailed from in the big Irish family.
For their team Sheilagh chose Kelly, Sam, Katherine’s husband Anthony, who everyone called Ant, a cousin named Ryan, a married couple Gina and David, a guy named Tristan, and unfortunately, Colin.
Sam refused to make eye contact with the soon to be priest.
“All right, you picked first so we bat first.” After Sheilagh’s announcement, the other team dispersed onto the field while Sam and the rest of her team lined up in the dugout.
As Sam took the last seat on the bench, she frowned. The blonde girl, Jen, was in the field laughing and pressing her palm into Braydon’s chest.
Kelly sat down beside her and followed her gaze. “Ah,” he said, comprehending what caught her attention. “They used to date. Don’t worry. They broke up for a reason. She may look nice from afar, but she’s far from nice.”
“How sweet.”
Kelly laughed but it was a sound lacking merriment. “You say that like you think you should care, but I don’t think you really do.”
Sam turned a hard eye on Kelly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you know, and so do the rest of us, that you and Bray aren’t anything serious.”
“What makes you say that?” The game started. They slid down the bench in batting order.
“I don’t know. Maybe the fact you came home with my brother, but won’t share his bed. Or maybe it’s because I’ve yet to see the two of you display anything more than lukewarm affection toward each other. But I’m guessing it has more to do with the fact that Bray’s a fool who’d pick a girl like you because you fit some concocted bill in his mind rather than actually making any kind of fundamental connection.”
“Should I be insulted by what you just said?”
“Absolutely not. I like you, Sam. I like you a lot.” That wicked gleam returned to his eyes. “But don’t go getting too excited. I’m just lookin out. I’m not trying to gain a pass at your fanny.”
He leaned back on his elbow to watch the game “No matter how sweet I bet it is.”
Colin was up to bat. Sam watched as he scuffed his foot over home plate. His T-shirt clung to his tapered waist as he swung the bat back and forth in preparation for his turn. Luke was pitching. His hat was now twisted backwards.
Colin stepped up to the plate and pointed his bat toward the outfield reminiscent of the renowned Babe Ruth.
“Is he good?” she wondered aloud.
Hearing her curiosity, Kelly replied, “Who? Luke or Colin? Luke excels at all sports, but Colin,” he laughed, “I have yet to see something Colin isn’t good at. Watch…”
The crack of the bat had the rest of her team rushing to their feet. Colin rounded first as Sheilagh slid home. By the time he was passing second, Ant earned their team another homerun. It didn’t take long for Colin to get there himself.
He was glorious. The way his limbs carried him around the diamond and back to home plate was something to behold. He smiled and laughed at his brother Luke who obviously expected no less from him.
Sam swallowed a hard lump in her throat as the involuntary yearning to run to him overwhelmed her. He was a priest! Or at least he was going to be by the end of summer. She needed to get ahold of herself and knock off the impure thoughts she was having about the man.
“You’re up, love.”
