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Chapter 32 : Jet Setting
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Catching Jane Chapter 33 : Daddy Dearest
*Noah*I’d never let Jane know it, but I want to be here about just as much as she does—as in, not at all. But she looks beautiful, the night is young and the scouting event is tomorrow, so hopefully Dad isn’t willing to sabotage that with his regular personality. I can feel how stiff Jane’s body is with her arm tucked in mine, and I do my best to try and ease her nerves as much as I can without making it too obvious. But Mom looks pleasant enough, and after I introduce Jane, she immediately stands up to give her a hug.“So, this is the famous Jane Thomas,” she says, giving a surprised-looking Jane a friendly hug. I resist the urge to breathe a sigh of relief. Mom’s always been alright, if too accepting of Dad’s shitty behavior for the sake of our lifestyle. But from the get-go, I can tell that she genuinely likes Jane. It takes her all of five seconds to form an impression of someone that will last for life.“Um, it’s good to meet you, Mrs. Baringer,” Jane says formal
Catching Jane Chapter 34 : Game Time
*Jane*When I wake up, I’m still in Noah’s arms. I let myself stay there for just a moment, soaking in the warmth, strength, and safety of his body before I slide myself out from beneath him, trying my hardest not to wake him up. The last thing I want is for him to wake up before I can do what I’m planning on doing. I take a shower and slip on one of the luxuriously soft robes hanging in the bathroom, then go to the little kitchenette area where there’s a coffeepot and some hot beverage supplies. I make his coffee the way he likes it before ordering some breakfast, and just as I’ve finished, he finally wakes up. He immediately reaches out across the bed to look for me, his eyes still closed, and when he feels that I’m not there, he sits up. A huge smile crosses his still-sleepy-looking face when he registers the coffee mugs in my hands. I walk over.“One sugar, no milk,” I tell him, handing over his mug. “And breakfast is on the way.”He takes my mug too and sets i
Catching Jane Chapter 35 : Celebration
*Jane*The hours can’t pass fast enough and when I finally see Noah walking back toward the car, I can just about manage to restrain myself from jumping outside to hear the news. But then he gets in beside me, and the downcast look on his face halts all of the excitement I’d just been feeling. I try to keep a happy face though, determined to be there for him despite the sinking feeling in my stomach. “How did it go?” I ask, wondering whether or not this is a stupid question given his expression right now. His head hangs in shame and he slides a hand over his face. “Terrible.”The driver starts up the car and begins to drive us back to the hotel. I put a hand on Noah’s shoulder, wracking my brain to think of anything to say to make him feel better. “Babe, it’s going to be okay. I know it doesn’t feel like that right now, but I promise that we’re gonna get through it and things are—”I break off when I notice his shoulders slightly shaking. I don’t know what’s going
Catching Jane Chapter 36 : Bit of Luck
*Jane*“You didn’t have to walk me all the way up,” I say as Noah kisses me goodbye. It’s the day after we got back from Miami, and he insists on seeing me right up the stairs. Despite my protests, I don’t mind having him with me for as long as I can before he disappears off to practice. Plus, there’s a big game tonight. I know the stakes for this one, and I know that there’ll be so much to focus on, I need to get as much of him to myself as I can. “You could’ve just dropped me off as usual,” I add.“Maybe I wanted more time getting to watch you walk away,” he muses playfully, crooking a finger over the waistband of my skirt and tugging me toward him and I shove him back playfully.“Don’t you have a practice to get to, slacker?” I tease. “Plus, I thought there was some universal rule about having sex the day of a big event leading to bad luck or something like that?”Noah looks horrified. “I don’t know where you heard that from, but I have to disagree. Strongly. To
Catching Jane Chapter 37 : Out of Luck
*Jane*While Oli and Noah go off to shower after the game, Rachel and I wait for them, still riding out the post-victory high.I’m sure that if you’d told us six months ago that we would be this hype about a baseball game, both of us would probably have laughed. But it’s funny how being with Oli and Noah and wanting to support them makes us genuinely want to be a part of this world. And it’s actually kind of fun.“I can’t believe you’re voluntarily going to this party,” Rachel says, looking at me as though I’ve grown three heads. “This isn’t like you at all. I’m debating whether or not I should be worrying.”“I go to parties without being forced, and you go camping now. I’d say life’s taken a very interesting turn for both of us,” I joke, and Rachel laughs.“Should we go back to the dorm first and change or are you happy just wearing the jerseys?”Rachel seems to think about it for a moment. I know that she never usually wastes the opportunity for an outfit change. But sh
Catching Jane Chapter 38 : Implosion
*Noah*The anger I felt at seeing that jackass hurting Jane follows me all the way to practice the next morning. I’m waiting to see Preston, finding myself looking forward to seeing what damage was done, but when I get there, Preston isn’t with the other guys on the field. Coach isn’t there either, and I’m told to head to his office the second I step into the building. A restlessness begins to build as I make my way there, the back of my neck and ears heating up. I have a bad feeling about this. I make it to the outside of Coach’s office just before Preston slinks out, one eye black, his nose swollen, and his arms wrapped around his ribcage right where I kicked it yesterday. He avoids eye contact as he passes me, my fist clenching as he does so. The scaly bastard. The feeling of dread I had earlier only amplifies, now having an idea of what’s waiting for me. But I enter anyway, steeling myself for the inevitable. Coach is sitting behind his paper-filled desk with
Catching Jane Chapter 39 : Chasing Victories
*Noah*Three days. That’s how long it’s been since I last spoke to Jane, and every single one of the ninety-eight messages I’ve sent since then have gone read but unanswered. Which I suppose is only fair since I was the dumbass who told her I wanted to be alone. I groan, tossing my phone onto the couch. Not only did I mess up with the suspension, but I probably made Jane feel as though she was responsible for it. I threw her attempt to make me feel better back in her face. The Yankee tickets … She went through all that effort and I know that those seats were not cheap. But even worse than the wasted money were the things I said to her. The way I just shut her out after all that talk about us having each other’s backs. What the hell was I thinking? I knew better than that. I was better than that, or at least I should’ve tried to be. The time on my own did nothing but make me realize what a big mistake I made, and now I am paying for it. Two of the three-game s
Catching Jane Chapter 40 : The Playoffs
*Jane*“I mean … it’s okay,” Rachel muses, her voice prickly, but her eyes can’t lie. They rove across Noah’s apartment, taking in the splendor of it all, but she’s trying so hard not to look impressed. She hasn’t let him off the hook entirely, and I think this act is part of some kind of plan of hers to keep him humble just in case he messes up again. I press my lips together to keep from laughing while Noah scratches the back of his head in awkward embarrassment. “I’m glad my place at least somewhat meets the standard,” he says, trying to be lighthearted, but Rachel sideyes him and just about makes a noise of approval. “Well, I have to get to the field. I’ll see you guys tonight.”I pull him in for a hug, trying to calm him down. His body is tense with nerves, something I picked up since the start of the week. The Bulldogs need just one more win to get to the playoffs, and tonight’s the game that either makes or breaks their chances. I’ve been nervous too, but at le
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Catching Jane Chapter 50 : The Ninth Inning
*Jane*I knew that Noah was going to be picked. There was never a doubt in my mind, even if I could tell that he was beginning to question. But when the announcer called out his name, inviting him onto the stage, I couldn’t contain my happiness and excitement. I watched as Noah walked up, and received the Yankees hat. I watched as he shook hands with who I knew were very important people. I watched as he stood for photos and I’m watching now as he speaks to the press, all vying for information on this new rising star and his plans for the future. It fills me with such a feeling of pride and contentment, watching all of this. And I truly am so happy for him. But …There’s a small, nagging part of my brain that can’t help but ask the question … What now?What truly is next for Noah and me?If he joins the Yankees, that means he has to move. The whole long-distance thing is something I always thought would never work. But then again, I never planned on falling in l
Catching Jane Chapter 49 : Draft Pick
*Noah*One whole month has passed since we beat Ole Miss and I still can’t quite wrap my head around what that means. It’s been an absolute whirlwind since then, with things never really slowing, but Jane has been there for the whole ride. That’s what made the whole buildup so much easier and the celebration that much sweeter. Ever since the night I opened up to her, things have only gotten better. She’s the first person I’ve felt secure enough to be vulnerable to, and I trust her fully to guard that. It’s difficult to imagine a life before or after her, it feels like she’s always been here. And she’s the one who’s there when the invitation to the MLB draft comes in. “Noah, this is amazing,” she squeaks, jumping into my arms. I hold her tightly, enjoying the closeness. “It’s still up in the air,” I say shakily, but I can’t keep the smile off my face. “Nothing’s one hundred percent certain yet.”“You know where I stand on all of that.” She draws back to look at
Catching Jane Chapter 48 : Home Sweet Home
*Jane*This is it. The months of hard work and the struggles coming from the toll that took on Noah’s personal life are about to be tested to see whether they were worth it all.But I can tell how it weighs heavily on him. The game is tomorrow and he’s still lying awake at nearly midnight. I roll over and put my hand on his shoulder. “You’re still up?” I ask.He raises his head and turns back to look at me with a guilty smile on his face. “Yeah. Sorry, I thought you were sleeping already, babe. Didn’t mean to wake you.”“I’ve been up,” I tell him, adjusting myself and propping myself up on my elbow. He turns over completely so we’re facing each other. I can see the dark circles under his eyes and the weariness of his face. He’s tired but anxious. Reaching out, I caress his cheek with my knuckles. “It’s nothing you don’t know already, but you need to rest up, Noah.”“Yeah, I do know that,” he says. “So talk to me. Why can’t you?” He hesitates.
Catching Jane Chapter 47 : Moving On Up
*Noah*I firmly believe that Jane Thomas is a good luck charm on top of being a curveball because the second game played after we made up is a clean sweep. Another day, another relationship-ending crisis averted. However, my behavior did force me to look at the way I let my father influence my life. I never want him to have that kind of power over me again and I definitely don’t want Jane to ever have to bear the brunt of that again, regardless of whether it was what I intended or not. But I’d just gotten so sick of hearing that kind of shit from him, from my coach, and so many other people who just saw me as a free ticket to whatever places my career could take me. And maybe a small part of me was terrified that Jane might be changing her mind about that too. It was just easier to ply myself with alcohol and pretend that I didn’t have to think about anything else. Jane getting pushed out of that was my fault. But it’s never happening again. My phone buzzes with an i
Catching Jane Chapter 46 : Turning Tables
*Jane*When I wake up, I wake up alone. It puzzles me how short an amount of time it took for that loneliness to feel so unfamiliar. But then again, Noah and I have spent every single night together for the past month, so I guess it’s not that strange. New habits form quickly. But I still hate the emptiness of the bed, how cold it feels without another body laying next to me. I’m still meant to be pissed off though, so I shake all thoughts of Noah’s arms from my mind and head into the en suite shower. The sun is just barely piquing the horizon, but I can’t sleep anymore. As the hot water runs over my body, I think about how I’m going to go around facing him today. It’s bound to be uncomfortable. Plus, we’re stuck in the Airbnb together between games, so unless he’s decided to run off in the middle of the night half-drunk, I know that I’m going to have to face him sometime this morning. I put on one of the bathrobes hanging off the rack and stick my head out t
Catching Jane Chapter 45 : Wild Pitch
*Jane*I find my way back to the Airbnb by myself. I head straight for a shower, wanting to wash off the sweat and vibes of the afterparty from my skin. It was the first time I felt so … invisible. Usually, I could rely on Noah to always try and make me feel comfortable. But tonight just seemed like it was all about him. I get changed into my pajamas, then crash into bed with the book I haven’t finished reading yet. I pretend as though I’m taking anything in.“Baby?” Noah’s slurred voice calls out two hours later. I can hear as he barely manages to shut and lock the door behind him, and I’m surprised that he was able to find his way back here at all. I don’t move from my spot on the bed and I don’t even bother putting the book I’m reading down. I’m pissed. I’ll admit that. I know I wanted him to be able to enjoy his win with his teammates and fans and be able to focus on something other than his father but still… The fact that he was willing to let me walk out of
Catching Jane Chapter 44 : More Surprises
*Jane* “Hello? Have I seriously been having a conversation with myself this entire time?”With a small shake of my head, I bring myself back to the present. Rachel’s looking at me with a raised eyebrow and knowing smile, her hand outstretched palm side up like she’s waiting for something.“Sorry, what?” I ask, slightly embarrassed.My thoughts had been completely overtaken by memories of last night. I kept replaying how Noah spoke to me through it, how he held me, and how his body felt against mine. I’d completely lost track of where I was. Rachel was over at our Airbnb, getting ready with me for the big game today while the boys went off to the stadium. But I’d evidently been so distracted, that I hadn’t realized she’d been speaking to me the entire time. “Your eyeliner,” she says. “I asked if I could borrow it.”“Oh, yeah. Sure.” I hand it over, but the look on her face doesn’t change. “What?”“You know exactly what. I take it the date went well last night.
Catching Jane Chapter 43 : Starlit Dreams
*Jane*I’m reading a book on the couch when Noah walks in from practice, his hair still wet from his shower. He looks so excited to see me, even more than he usually does, and I immediately put the book down. We’re currently staying in the Airbnb that he’s booked for the entire week we’re spending in Omaha. It’s beautiful, complete with a pool and full catering that I’m eternally grateful for because we don’t exactly have much time to go around searching for decent food stops. I get up to greet him, beaming, and he takes me into his arms and sweeps me into a kiss that curls my toes. He pulls back, a sweet boyish grin on his face. “I have a surprise for you,” he says like he can barely contain it anymore. I quirk up an eyebrow. “And how exactly would you have had time to put together a surprise?”“I have my ways,” he replies cockily, running his hands down my arms and taking my hands in his. He leads me upstairs, telling me to follow him. There was one section
Catching Jane Chapter 42 : Making It Big
*Noah*“And that does it folks, the Billmore Bulldogs are headed to their first College World Series!”The announcer’s words ring in my head over and over, swirling around like water down a drain as I replay the broadcast. It doesn’t feel real. None of this feels real. I made it. I actually made it. This is by far the biggest step of my career so far, and I can’t seem to wipe the smile off my face when I think about it—which is almost all the time. It’s a funny thing, reaching a huge milestone that up until this point has always just felt like a pipe dream. Something big enough to crush your spirit when you are pulled further away from it, but still too far ahead to really bank anything on without some degree of delusional faith. And now here it is, the opportunity to catapult myself onto a proper stage. But the resting thought side by side with what feels like the culmination of all the hard work I’ve done throughout my life so far is Jane. Jane Thomas.
