Champagne Brunch: The Stiletto Sisters Series by Ainsley Claire (easy readers .txt) 📗

stretch, Jeremy still hasn’t allowed any hits. People around us are whispering about a no-hitter—or even a perfect game.

“It ain’t over ’till it’s over,” Nate reminds everyone. “It’s bad luck to speculate before the last pitch is pitched.”

The whispers stop.

At the top of the ninth, the Rockies still have no runners on base, and true to his usual form, Jeremy remains on the mound. There are two outs, and everyone is quiet. Jeremy has been throwing consistently in the one-hundred-and-ten range. And now he’s aiming to join the elite group of twenty-three pitchers who have thrown a perfect game—no hits and no one on base in all nine innings, forcing a shut-out.

I’m holding Mrs. Hamilton and Axel’s hands, so anxious for Jeremy. He’s one strike away. My stomach is tight. Jeremy winds up and throws a fastball, and the stadium explodes before I can even see clearly what has happened. Everyone leaps to their feet, and I find the jumbotron with his pitch speed. Not only has he broken his own record at 112.8 miles an hour, but the batter swings and misses. Jeremy has broken the fastball record again while also pitching a perfect game.

San Francisco police officers immediately take the field and line up around the perimeter to keep the spectators in the stands. Both teams’ dugouts empty and everyone meets Jeremy on the mound to celebrate, lifting him into the air.

The box is in chaos, and Jeremy’s parents are hugging everyone in sight. The next thing I know, I see Nolan Ryan’s head. He’s here? Or am I seeing things? I look over at Axel, my eyes wide.

He grins and shrugs. “He came in with me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You’ll get the chance to meet him. He’ll be at Nate’s this evening with his wife.”

I clap my hands like a child. I can’t even believe it!

Axel stands. “James and Mary, are you ready to go surprise your son?”

“Yes!” Mrs. Hamilton exclaims.

“Can you come, too?” Axel asks me.

I look at Peter, and he shakes his head.

“I’d better not. I’ll watch from here. What time is everyone going over to Nate’s?”

“It will probably be a while. The press is going to be incredible today, but Nate was clear that we were going to celebrate at his place.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you there,” I promise.

Peter and I sit back down and watch the pandemonium on the field gradually subside as the owners’ box empties out.

When Nate and Nolan Ryan walk out on the field, the crowd goes crazy. Jeremy sees his parents and runs over to them to be covered in hugs. I can see on the television screen that Bryan is right there with him. Their faces are pure jubilation. Jeremy’s smile has taken over his entire being. I couldn’t be more excited for him.

Nolan Ryan walks over to shake his hand, and they exchange a few words, all captured on the jumbotron. I wipe a tear as it falls. I’m so grateful to be here today.

I look around the remaining people in the box, but don’t see Lilly, so I text her.

Me: Did you know Nate invited everyone over this evening to celebrate?

Lilly: Yes. He just told me. Ha! Thankfully his assistant took care of catering or I’d string him up and I don’t care that he’s the CEO of my company and my fiancé.

 

Me: Thanks to Viv, I can’t go on the field. Are you okay if I come over now, or would you prefer I show up later? Be honest.

 

Lilly: Come now so we can visit before the crowds arrive.

 

Me: Awesome. Thank you. Peter and I are on the way.

It’s relatively easy to navigate the streets since Peter and I leave before most of the other forty-six thousand attendees exit the stadium.

As we make the drive across the Golden Gate into Sausalito and Nate’s home, I decide to call my sister.

“Hey,” she says, her voice sounding muffled into the phone.

“Did I wake you?”

“Yes.” She yawns. “But don’t worry about it. I’ve been working on a new album, and we were in the studio until after four.”

With the sixteen-hour time difference and her crazy hours, I always seem to disturb her sleep. “I’m sorry. Do you want to catch up later?”

“No.” Ava yawns again. “I’ve been meaning to call. I’ve been watching the US news and see Viv has you plastered all over. You look too skinny.”

“Mom hasn’t called to tell me that,” I snark. My mother is always obsessed with our weight. We can never be skinny enough.

“Yeah, Mom will never call with that, but I do think you need to eat more.”

“Well, today I ate a ton of junk food at the baseball game, so I’ll probably gain back anything I lost.”

She sighs. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good. My dating app is doing well.”

“I know. The rollout here is going strong. I’m surprised you didn’t come out for that.”

My breathing stops, and my stomach turns inside out. “What? We haven’t rolled out in China. We’ve not rolled out beyond San Francisco. It’s not even officially live in the US yet.”

“Isn’t it called Flirt?”

My stomach drops. “Yes.”

“I’ll go to the website and send it to you. It may be different, but it sounded just like everything you described.”

I rub my hand over my forehead, feeling hot all over. “I’ve heard of technology being pirated, but this is so early. It’s not even fully tested and the kinks fixed.”

“If it has been pirated, Marvin and I will help you with a piracy lawyer. You know we had a good one with my recent hit.”

“Thanks. Ugh… Not to change the subject, but send good vibes my way. Axel wants to have a conversation tonight about us.”

“Oh shit.”

“My