Page 139 of The Path to Loving Him
Aubree:Send me those screenshots and then upload them to the cloud.
Hattie:Should I just send the screenshots in this text thread to remind our brother that we approve?
Aubree:Probably is best.
Ryland left the group thread.
“Get your butt down,” Gabby yells at Johnson, one of the juniors on the team. “If I have to say it again, you’re doing poles.”
From the dugout, I lean against the fence and stare at the practice Gabby’s running.
I’m in fucking awe.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.
The outfielders run routes by themselves, weaving through cones, tossing balls to each other, constantly moving like a well-oiled machine.
The infielders are set up in tight formation, standing at shortstop and second with Gabby in the middle, hitting short quick hops to the boys and then tossing the ball to the other line. They’re all moving and tossing and putting balls in buckets, and I swear if I didn’t watch her explain, I’d have stood here trying to figure it all out.
“Faster feet, outfield,” she calls out.
How is she even watching them while hitting balls and tossing balls at the same time?
Fuck.
She’s putting me to shame.
And the boys, fuck, do they respect her.
They respected her the minute she came out on the field and started warming up with them.
Throwing with them.
Even getting in the dirt, showing them glove position, where to catch the ball, and the minimal stepping she wants to see from them when they get the ball and go to throw to first.
And with a few minutes left of practice, I know they’ve exhausted all energy and it’s only fall ball. They’re going to wonder what the hell they got themselves into, especially after yesterday’s conditioning.
“That’s it, a few more,” she says.
The entire time I’ve watched her, I’ve marveled at the way she commands their attention. I’ve been envious of her innovative ideas. And I’ve had a hard as hell time keeping my damn eyes off her ass in those spandex pants.
And once I saw her take charge, I just let her have it because I wanted to observe. I wanted to see how she’d run things, and I hate to admit it because I hate David so much, but fuck, she was a good hire.
No, not a good hire, a great hire.
An asset.
Someone who’ll better the team.
With her skills and knowledge on defense and my ability to fine-tune a swing, I think we will be unstoppable.
“Okay, bring it in,” she calls out, and I watch all the boys pick up the balls and toss them in the buckets before taking a knee in front of her.
Christ, she even has them hustling.
I walk up to them and clap my hands, letting them know they all did a great job today. Gabby turns to me to speak, but I gesture for her to go.
So she takes the stage. “Great first day on defense, boys. I know the drills were a little complicated to learn at first, but I’m impressed with your ability to adapt and listen. A few of you need to work on getting your butts down farther. Johnson, I’m talking to you.” He hangs his head. “But that’s something we’ll work on moving forward, and this fall, we can build your legs so they’re stronger, so you can get down farther, right, Coach Rowley?”
