Free Lexington and 42nd (The Off Field Series #1) by Kim Carmody Page B

talking about. You must think I’m an idiot with half the things that come out of my mouth.”
    Dana laughed. “Hardly. If I did what you’ve done and went to work in another system, I’d be just as lost. You’ll pick it up much faster once the season starts.” She bumped my elbow with hers and finally looked at me. “And if you’re not in awe of Jensen yet, you will be when you see him playing for real.”
    I glared at her. “If that was supposed to be a less than subtle dig, you can forget it. I’m not in awe of Will.”
    Dana laughed and threw her arm over my shoulder. “Calm down lady, I’m just teasing.”
    I reluctantly smiled. “Well don’t. I’ve had enough with the teasing for one week.” I shook my head. “Bloody Will and his dancing.”
    “Oh don’t worry, he’ll back off. He just thinks you’re playing hard to get. All men love a chase.”
    “Ha! Only I’m not playing hard to get…I’m just not going to go there.”
    “You sure about that?”
    I glared at her again. “ Of course I’m sure.”
    “Well good.” Dana nodded. “Because I’ve seen what can happen when things get messy and it’s not pretty.”
    “Really? Not pretty how?”
    “Never mind. All I’ll say is if things went bad and it started impacting Jensen or the team…” Dana shrugged. “Well, unless you’ve been hiding an awesome throwing arm, I think you’d find yourself on the next plane back home.”
    Dana’s phone vibrated between us. “It’s James. They’re five minutes away. Looks like it’s show time.”
    We both clambered ungracefully off the ground. It was going to be a long afternoon.
    Only minutes later, five hundred children exploded onto the field like they’d each had two liters of red cordial and for the next hour we all laughed our heads off watching them have the time of their lives. When Will, Buck and Randall returned to the field to meet them—even though I didn’t think it was possible—the noise level went up another notch as they went wild with excitement.
    The kids were broken up into smaller groups and moved around a series of drills and skills testers. I tried to make myself useful by keeping the youngest group of kids under control, but as far as helping with the coaching, I was way out of my league.
    “Excuse me?”
    I knelt down to the eye-line of the little girl at my side. “Hi Sweetie, what’s up?”
    “I need to use the bathroom.” As if to emphasise the point, she crossed her legs and bobbed up and down a few times.
    “Well, we best get you to a bathroom then. Come with me and we’ll get you sorted out.” I put out my hand to her and she latched on. She couldn’t have been more than five years old with bouncy red curls and vibrant freckles spattered across her cheeks that she would more than likely despise throughout her teens.
    “What’s your name?”
    “Sadie,” she said, although with her slight lisp it came out more like Thadie .
    “I’m Emma, it’s nice to meet you Sadie.”
    Holding open the bathroom door for us, I led her through to the cubicle. “Now you’re okay to go on your own?” She nodded at me with a big smile. “Yep, mommy says I am a big girl now. I can do it all by mythelf .”
    I returned her big grin. “Good girl, I’ll wait right here.”
    She came out just as I was starting to get worried she’d fallen in but by the way her bottom lip quivered I wasn’t quite sure we’d had success.
    “Is everything all right?”
    The mass of red curls shook violently in protest but no words came out. “Okaaay…what’s the matter?” The quivering bottom lip picked up pace. “It’s okay sweetie, you can tell me, I won’t be mad.”
    Tears overflowed as stuttered words tried to escape her. “I…I…I couldn’t re…reach the b…b…button, its no…no…not flushed!”
    Oh thank God that’s all it was. I gave her a smile. “That’s all right, you want me to do it for you?”
    She nodded but the wave of tears was no closer to