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Back The Sweet Spot Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. CHAPTER ONE PALMER
  6. CHAPTER TWO PALMER
  7. CHAPTER THREE COLE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR PALMER
  9. CHAPTER FIVE PALMER
  10. CHAPTER SIX PALMER
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN COLE
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT PALMER
  13. CHAPTER NINE PALMER
  14. CHAPTER TEN PALMER
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN COLE
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE PALMER
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN PALMER
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN COLE
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN COLE
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN PALMER
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN COLE
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN PALMER
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN PALMER
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY COLE
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE PALMER
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO PALMER
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE PALMER
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR COLE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE PALMER
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX COLE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN PALMER
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT PALMER
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE COLE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY PALMER
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE PALMER
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO COLE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE PALMER
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR COLE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE PALMER
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX COLE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN PALMER
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT COLE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE PALMER
  44. CHAPTER FORTY COLE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE PALMER
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO COLE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE PALMER
  48. EPILOGUE PALMER
  49. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  50. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I set my phone on my lap and look at the ceiling. My heart flutters so hard that I can barely breathe. I look at the screen again as it buzzes.

Cole:

Promise you’ll blow on it?

Me:

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Cole:

Ha! Getting a call. Gotta go. See you tomorrow. imageImage

Me:

Image

I wait to see if he replies, but he doesn’t. He just leaves me hanging.

Instead of being frustrated, I’m intrigued. Also a little turned on. The rest of the day feels daunting, and not thinking of him and his hard present will be impossible.

Fucker.

Before I get out of my car and go back inside, I decide to even the playing field a bit.

Me:

They’re pink.

His response is instantaneous.

Cole:

What is pink?

Me:

Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to send that to you.

Cole:

WHAT IS PINK?

Me:

My boss is yelling for me. Gotta go. See you tomorrow. imageImage

I smile, turn my phone on Do Not Disturb, and head to Fletcher’s for a sandwich.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX COLE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

COLE

Whoa. Hold up just a second.” I walk toward home plate from the outfield. “What are you trying to kill over here? You’re swinging that thing like your life depends on it.”

Braylon blows a snot bubble. “I’m trying to hit a dinger, Coach.”

These kids and their dingers.

I take the bat out of his hands and refocus. “Hey!” I shout in a generalized way. “Everyone come in here for a second.”

A dozen boys race toward the infield. Their cheeks are pink from the drop in temperature. Knees are dusted with grass stains and red dust from the field. They remind me so much of me.

I know the sparkle in their eyes from playing a game they love. The high from stretching your muscles and using your body is a power that I’ve chased all my life. But the camaraderie, the spirit of family they’re experiencing with their teammates? That’s the best part of all.

And that’s the one thing I don’t know how I’ll replace in retirement.

“We have our first game in two weeks,” I tell them. “You’ve really come together as a team. I’ve seen you supporting each other, cheering one another on, and working as a unit. I’m very proud of you.”

A kid they all call “Sandbox” cracks his gum.

“So far,” I say, “we’ve concentrated on the basics of fielding, base running, and a little hitting.”

“We need to do more hitting,” Braylon says. “I want to hit a homer in the World Series just like you.”

I grip his shoulder and smile. “You can . . . if you practice the right way.”

He slumps and sighs. Not what he wanted to hear.