Junior Year Box Set

“Don’t you ever do that again,” she said, and then her scowl turned into a grin. “Jessup and I watched the playback, and it looks great. We only have to do some minor edits.”

“So I’m not fired?” I asked.

“No, you’re not fired.”

“We could do it again. I have some ideas,” I teased.

“Don’t push your luck. Get dressed, you’re in the next scene,” Rita said and then left.

Zak came back in.

“Rumor has it you really did it on the set,” he said, fishing.

“Who said that?” I asked.

“Leah.”

He laughed when he saw my face.

“Told you she wanted you.”

Zak didn’t get to tease me any more, because there was a knock. He opened it to find Halle.

“I think I’m needed on the set,” he said and skipped out.

“You’re a slut,” Halle said with a smile to let me know she was okay.

“I didn’t plan for that to happen.”

“I know, Leah explained what she did.”

She sat on my lap, and we kissed.

I no longer thought I’d like it here, I knew it.

◊◊◊ Wednesday December 2

At breakfast, Caryn had copies of all the magazines that I’d done interviews with.

“I checked, and what made it to print was what they sent over. Frank has some more requests he wants you to do. The news of the changes in the film is making the rounds, and they want your comment about stepping in at the last minute. Frank emailed you talking points.”

“Okay, just send me what time,” I said.

“Already on your calendar.”

“Thanks.”

“Also, they had a cancelation for your hitting coach, so you can start today,” Caryn said.

Rita and Halle joined us for breakfast.

“I didn’t expect I’d still get to do that, with the change in my role,” I said.

“I thought you might enjoy it, so I left it in your new contract,” Rita said.

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“Trip wants you to stop by the beach house this evening. He said Craig Wild is coming by and would like to see you,” Halle said.

I turned an inquiring eye on Halle.

“You wouldn’t know where my jeans ended up, would you?”

“I didn’t pack those,” she said defiantly. “I thought we agreed that you weren’t going out in public looking like a farm boy.”

“Blue jeans don’t make me a farm boy. If that’s the image I wanted, I’d get out my work boots, John Deere hat, and shit-kicker t-shirt.”

“I bet you’d look good in that,” Caryn weighed in.

“He might, but that’s not the image we want for him right now,” Rita said.

I stood up, turned around, and pointed at my behind.

“Do these pants make my butt look fat?” I simpered.

“Shut up. You look fine,” Halle said.

“No, I think he has a point. His butt does look fat,” Caryn teased.

“Rosy, does my butt look fat?” I called across the kitchen.

“No speak English,” she called back.

I narrowed my eyes at all the women in the room who thought my butt looked fat and stomped off.

◊◊◊

Fritz pulled the SUV into a facility that reminded me of STIC in Chicago. Pro Baseball Instruction (PBI) was geared only for baseball, though, while STIC catered to all athletes. Fritz and I walked into a modern lobby and stepped up to the reception desk where a pretty girl greeted us.

“How may I assist you gentlemen?”

“David Dawson; I have an appointment with a hitting coach,” I said.

She checked her computer.

“Ah, yes. I see this is your first time with us,” the receptionist said. She pulled out a map of the facilities and put it on the counter. “The locker room is here, and you’re in Batting Area One. You’ll be working with Juan Revilla. From what I’ve heard, he’s one of the best in the business.”

“What do you mean?” Fritz asked.

“Juan isn’t really one of our coaches. He took some time off because some of his players live out here and he comes in to coach them during the off-season. Juan’s the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs,” she said.

I must have gone into shock because Fritz had to grab my arm and start to guide me to the locker room. I’d have to call Tami; she’d be sooooo jealous. After I quickly changed, we walked over to Batting Area One. A man who was in his mid-20s was there taking cuts with an older guy watching.

“Tony, just concentrate on the basics. Remember the five steps I taught you,” Coach Revilla said. “I’ve got a new student today. Go work on what we talked about, and I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Sure thing, Coach,” the man said, and gathered his gear and left.

“You must be David,” Coach Revilla said.

“Yes, sir.”

“They tell me you’re a pretty good athlete, but need to act like a hitter for a movie,” he said. He didn’t give me a chance to tell him otherwise, just kept going. “Why don’t we have you get into the batter’s box? There’s no better way to learn than doing.”

I’m not sure what I expected, but complete silence wasn’t it. For the first few minutes, I was nervous, and since I hadn’t swung a bat in several months, I was rusty. Then I gradually felt better, and it showed in my results. I felt like I was hitting the ball well when he had me stop.

“You play some ball?” Coach Revilla asked.

“Little League and some high school ball.”