I made it a point to arrive half an hour early for the next game. It gave me time to toss balls around with the team and see Jordan before the game started. Only Antonio and Lowell were on the field when I arrived. They weren’t even tossing a ball around yet. They were just standing behind second base chatting. I couldn’t remember the last time that I was so early for softball.

Antonio waved with his long, skinny right arm when I was still in the parking lot. As I jogged on to the field, he said, “Marshall! You’re so early! What’s happening in your life? Is there a new romance?”

I laughed out loud and asked, “How did you know that, Antonio?”

He turned to Lowell and gave him a high five. “It’s just a lucky guess, but now I can see the rosy glow on your face. Lowell here was just telling me how well things are going with his Nordic god Sven. They have to spend a lot of time apart this summer, but he says they are thinking about tying the knot. It would be nice to have one more married couple represented on this field.

I turned toward Lowell and said, “Congrats!” Then I asked Antonio, “And how is Lex?”

“So very handsome and sexy,” drawled Antonio. “Do you need to know anything else?”

I laughed and pounded my hand into my glove. I suggested, “Why don’t we start tossing a ball around. Isn’t that a bag of them at your feet, Antonio?”

He looked down and said, “So it is! Look at that! I told Reggie I would be here early, so he gave me these to bring along.”

Lowell, Antonio, and I fanned out into the outfield and began tossing a ball around. It felt good to loosen up ahead of the rest of the crowd. It wasn’t a problem yet, but I did realize over the past five years my muscles were taking longer to loosen up before a game or at the beginning of a practice. While I waited for the ball to come back, I windmilled my arms in big circles to try and work out any stiffness.

Ian and Blake were next to arrive, and they hauled in the bats and spare gloves for the team. Blake was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet and chatting excitedly with Ian. Just a quick glance indicated a field of enthusiastic energy was swirling around him. As he jogged out toward our small group, Antonio said, “Blake, hon, come give me a big hug. I need some of that excess energy.”

Blake stepped up to Antonio, hugged him tight, and nearly lifted him off the ground. He asked, “And how are you, Antonio? It’s a beautiful day for a ball game, isn’t it?”

When Blake let him down, Antonio said, “I think it would be a beautiful day for you even if it was raining. Do you have some big news to share or was Ian just particularly good this morning, if you know what I mean.”

Blake laughed. He said, “Ian is always good, but yeah, I’m not just Blake anymore. From now on, I’m Coach Powell.”

Lowell stepped up and asked, “We have a coach now? Since when?”

Blake laughed again. He said, “No, I’m not coach of the Soft Serves. You guys are on your own. I just got hired to be an assistant high school baseball coach.”

I said, “Wow, Blake, big congratulations! Come give me a hug, too.”

I hugged him tight while Lowell asked the next question that came to mind. “Does that mean you’re going to quit bartending at the Toolbox?”

Antonio chimed in, “I hope not. I look forward to Blake in his tight black T-Shirt.”

Blake grinned and said, “My fans! Actually, I’m going to still do a couple of shifts on the weekend during baseball season if it works out. I talked to Sally about it. Over the summer and in the fall, I’ll still do my regular schedule at the Toolbox. At least that’s the plan for now. The coaching gig is really just a part-time job, but I’m very excited.”

I said, “But I bet it could lead to bigger and better coaching opportunities.”

Antonio pouted, “Remember us all here when your team is playing for that World Series ring, Blake.”

Blake threw his arm around Antonio’s skinny shoulders and said, “Aww, guys, I’m not going anywhere soon. I just get to have one foot in baseball and the other still here in softball. That’s the best of both worlds for me.”

I turned back toward home plate and saw Jordan walking up with Shane and Joey by his side. Blake saw them at the same time, and we both jogged in from the outfield. As we turned away, I heard Antonio say, “Lowell, I think we’re just chopped liver. We’re yesterday’s news.”

Jordan looked amazing. He was dressed for summer. He had on khaki walking shorts and a deep blue tank top that clung nicely to his body. I could see his smile more than a hundred feet away as I jogged in their direction.

I stepped in front of Blake to give Jordan a massive hug and a quick kiss. Shane said, “Look at them. All kissy face.” Then he and Joey both laughed out loud.

Blake asked, “Are the two of you a couple? Since when?” He paused for a moment, and before either of us could respond he added, “That’s great. Seriously, the two of you are great together.”

Shane asked, “And we call you Coach Powell, now?”

I pulled back from the kiss but kept my arm around Jordan’s waist. We both looked at Blake as he said, “Yes, you do, and I can tell you to drop and give me ten any time I choose.”

Shane whispered, “Yikes, he’s gonna be a hard-ass.”

We all laughed, and Jordan said, “So it looks like there’s a lot of good news all the way around.”

“A lot of good news,” said Blake. “And we’ve got a game to win today. Reggie says that if we win, we’ll guarantee at least a tie for first at the top of the league when the first half of the season ends.”

---

The game was a close one. We took the lead three different times only to have our opponents come back and tie the game. We came to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied. We needed to score just one run to win and keep the game from moving into extra innings.

Lowell led off the inning, and I was due to bat fourth. At least one of my teammates had to get on base for me to come to the plate, and I hoped that I wouldn’t be there with the fate of the game resting on my shoulders.

While Lowell stepped up to the plate, I sat on the bench leaning forward keeping my mental fingers crossed that the three batters before me would find a way to collaborate and score a run.

Reggie walked up and squatted down in front of me. He looked up into my eyes and said, “I can feel it in my gut, Marshall. We’re gonna need you this inning. We’re either gonna need you to get on base or drive home the winning run.” He gently reached out a fist and punched me lightly in the abs asking, “Do you have it there in your gut, buddy?”

I wasn’t at all sure if I had it in my gut, but I wasn’t going to raise doubts in Reggie’s mind either. I said, “Yeah, I’ve got the fire in my belly. We’re gonna win this one, Reggie.”

Reggie grinned at me and said, “That’s my man. Today just might be your chance to be a hero again. Don’t let us down, Marshall. Don’t let us down.”

As Reggie moved on to give Antonio a pep talk, I sighed heavily. I glanced over toward the stands and saw Jordan hunched over on the bleachers intently watching the game. I didn’t just have the burden of my team on my shoulders. I wanted my boyfriend to see me at my best, too.

My worst fears about the game materialized. I came up to bat with Lowell on third base and two outs. Antonio nearly drove him home, but the first baseman made a miraculous catch of a bad throw to get Antonio out at first and leave Lowell on third base.

Shane’s voice was easy to pick out in the crowd behind me. He was telling me to murder the ball again. Then I heard Jordan shout encouragement for the first time. Normally, he was quiet. He just leaned forward and watched the game in silence. I heard his distinctive voice say, “Take it easy, Marshall! You’ve got it!”

I smiled at the words. Amid a chorus telling me to tear the hide off the ball, he was telling me to take it easy. I thought about my arms wrapped around him and smiled. The first ball came loping to home plate, and I couldn’t hold back quite long enough. I swung hard and completely missed the ball. The umpire responded, “Strike one!”

I looked out toward third base. Lowell was leaning toward home plate. He was ready to run home and give our team the victory. I dug in and readied myself for the next pitch.

This time I hit the ball, but I was instantly worried that I didn’t hit it hard enough. Lowell dug as hard as he could for home plate, because, if I was out, what happened to him didn’t matter. I tossed the bat in the dirt and ran toward first base. I kept my head up and heard a roar from the bleachers as the ball looped just over the infield and fell to the grass in front of a diving right fielder. My blooper of a hit won the game!

The team streamed out of the dugout. Reggie was the first to reach me and he grabbed me tight. The crush of my other teammates threw me off balance, and I tumbled to the ground. We ended up like the pile up after a massive football tackle. Everyone just began laughing as they peeled themselves off the stack.

Once I finally climbed back to my feet amid high fives and slaps on the ass, I saw Jordan standing by himself next to the chain-link fence behind home plate. Shane and Joey were busy talking to Blake again about his new job. I broke from the crowd and jogged up to Jordan taking him in my arms. I said, “This doesn’t happen often, but my hit won the game!”

Jordan grinned and said, “It was a perfect ending. You’re my hero!”