Alex could hear the crowds cheering in the stands. The first game of pre-season and it was already a sold-out game. The ceiling above the locker room was shaking. Russel was shaking too, standing facing his locker and staring at the floor.
Jason was standing in the corner, nervously writing and rewriting notes on his clipboard. Alex put her hand on Russel's shoulder.
"It's time. We need to go up."
Russel kept staring at the floor and didn't say anything. He'd played in practice the day before and his shoulder had held up okay, but playing in front of a crowd would be different. He'd been withdrawn all morning, unable to muster his usual enthusiasm for the game.
Tom, the manager, arrived at the locker room door.
"How are we doing down here?" he asked, eager to get the game moving.
Alex looked at him, trying not to glare. "Give us a minute," she said, shaking her head.
Tom quietly left the locker room. Alex could tell he was still standing in the hall.
"Russel, look at me." Alex said. Russel slowly turned to face her.
"You were okay during practice yesterday, right?" She asked.
He nodded.
"And you're happy with how your replacement was playing, right? You trust him to have your back if you can't pitch the way you want to?"
He nodded.
"Well, then. What's the worst that could happen?"
Russel nodded, patted Alex on the shoulder, and jogged out of the locker room into the dugout.
Alex exhaled with relief. She turned and saw Jason facing her, smiling. She blushed.
They hadn't had any time alone since their night in the sauna: the days had been long and grueling, with no more than a few hours to sleep each night. Alex hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since, and even looking at him at work was getting harder and harder for her.
"Should we go watch the game?" She asked. Jason nodded and followed her into the hall.
Tom was still standing there, listening. "Excellent work, you two. Jason, today's a big day for you." Tom winked.
Jason nodded. Tom left them and went to a VIP box at the top of the stadium. Jason and Alex walked to find Phil in the stands and watch the first pitch.
Alex could tell Jason was nervous and she knew that his job, in some ways, depended on how today's game went. She reached and squeezed his arm, feeling the muscles bulge as they walked. He looked at her and smiled subtly.