Joey wondered how’d she let Jen talk her into this as she sat in the crowded Fenway Park on opening day. She cast a furtive glance at the aisle and wondered if she could make a run for it.
“Don’t even think about it.” Patrick’s deep voice interrupted her thoughts and she slumped back in her seat. He smiled good-naturedly and offered Joey a hotdog. “Want?”

She shook her head with a disapproving frown. “No thanks. I don’t believe in eating animal leftovers.”

He took a purposeful bite in front of her and chewed slowly before chasing it down with a drink from the giant container of soda in his other hand. He shrugged. “It tastes good to me.”

She turned with a sigh and tried to spot Jen in the press box. She knew she’d been a bit rude but she didn’t care. Since Jen was already guaranteed entrance, she suggested giving the extra ticket to Patrick her latest boyfriend and dubbed him as Joey’s bodyguard to make sure she wouldn’t chicken out.

When Patrick had first arrived to pick her up, Joey thought she might like him. He was impressive with his tall, lean frame, blonde hair and deep green eyes. He was what’d you call ruggedly handsome, and he smiled revealing two sets of dimples. Joey decided right then and there he could put any of Mea’s romance heroes to shame.

He was smart too, had a good sense of humor and on the ride to the stadium Joey had discovered he was a history professor at Boston University. She’d have never guessed. With his strong and looming frame, Joey would have figured him for some athlete Jen had picked up. Big and dumb. Then she felt bad when she realized she hadn’t given her friend enough credit and always figured the blond to be somewhat shallow, though now she knew better.

The liking of Patrick faded however when they arrived at the stadium and he’d kept his eye on her, true to his word for Jen. She almost turned back twice and when she tried to lose him by saying she had to go to the bathroom, he went with her and waited outside the door. Finally, she gave up; and was forced to wait with him while he bought snacks, but she found herself too nervous to eat or drink anything.

She shifted back in her seat and watched the field, hoping that by some slim chance she could survive this without having to see Pacey though she knew that was impossible.

The two teams filed out of their respective dugouts to stand along the baselines, the Yankees on the third base line and the Red Sox on the first base line. A voice boomed through the speakers, “Please stand for the singing of the our national anthem by Denise Roth.”

Joey rose to her feet and immediately sought out Pacey’s familiar form. She stopped when she caught herself and instead focused her eyes on some unseen spot in the distance.

The song ended amid the cheers of the sold out crowd and people moved to sit down. The players then retreated to the dugouts, except for one. The man in the gray and red uniform stepped up to the microphone before one of the grounds keepers could take it away.

When she was seated, again Joey tried to scan for another opening so she could make an escape. If only Patrick weren’t sitting in the aisle seat.

The figure tapped on the microphone, “-still on?” He smiled faintly when he heard his voice came through the speakers. “Thanks.”

Joey froze in her seat and slowly turned back to face the field.

Pacey cleared his throat, “Uh, before we start the game, which is of course, what you all came here to see, I have something I need to say.” This was a precedent for a baseball game, for any sporting event really, and he’d captured the attention of the entire stadium.

Joey swallowed nervously and watched him with wide eyes, drinking him in. He looked even better than she remembered.

He inhaled a deep breath, “I’m Pacey Witter. Fairly new to the Boston area, but I’m glad to be here.” The crowd gave an enthusiastic cheer. “You have a beautiful city, with beautiful people, but that’s not why I’m so happy to be here.”

Her face contorted in confusion as she wondered what was going on and she spotted Jen who wore the same puzzled expression on her face.

“When I came to Boston, it was because the Red Sox offered me more money. Such is the case for many athletes. Coming here, I expected to play ball, make some friends and have a good time. When I walked into the hotel restaurant on my fourth day in the city to meet with a reporter for the Boston Globe, I certainly wasn’t expecting to fall in love.”

Her heart caught in her throat and Joey had to remind herself to breathe.

His mouth curved wryly at the corners, and he avoided looking in the direction he knew Joey was supposed to be seated at, “It’s funny, when I first met her, I thought she was someone else. Then, I thought she was a man,” he chuckled, “You’ve all heard of Joey Potter, right?” The crowd roared a reply.

“I assumed Joey was short for Joseph, then six weeks ago it was finally made clear to me that Joey was short for Josephine.” He paused, “She’s a brilliant writer,” a touch of pride colored his husky voice, “Sports Illustrated is going to publish her articles on the Boston Red Sox next month.” The crowd again cheered enthusiastically.

She prayed a hole would open up and swallow her.

“I’ll admit, I’m a very stubborn man...stupid too.” He paused, “See, I screwed everything up. I’m not going to air my private for the world to see, at least, not any more than I already am, except to say that I said things I didn’t mean,” he pursed his lips. “The worst part, I think, isn’t what I said, because that can be forgiven...it’s what I didn’t say.”

Joey’s eyes watered, a traitorous smile beginning to cross her lips.

He turned to the dugout and the row of seats behind it; he smiled when his eyes met hers. Climbing over the railing he came to stand in front of her, microphone still in his hand, “In front of thirty-three thousand witnesses, Josephine Potter, I love you.”

She wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around the man she’d given her heart to and kiss him. That’s exactly what she did.

His arms tightened around her, and the crowd around them disappeared. “I’m sorry, baby, I love you.” He murmured. “I love you so much it was killing me.” He kissed her again, “Please forgive me.”

She nodded and her eyes brimmed with tears as she held on to him. “Oh, Pacey, I love you.” She smiled. “Even if you are annoying and stubborn.”

“I am not,” he denied with a smile on his face, he kissed her again, love for her flooding his heart.

She pulled back after a few minutes and bit her lip as she studied his face. A slow smile came over her lips when she saw the look in his eyes. She kissed the corner of his mouth. “You better go.”

He glanced back over his shoulder to see Al Martin glaring at him, “Probably.” He agreed, his eyes glimmering, “I’ll see you after the game?”

Her mouth turned up slightly. “I’ll have to think about it.”

He kissed her softly, and murmured against her lips, “We have catching up to do.”

She grinned. “I think you better go before Al hates me.”

“No one could hate you.” He released her and put his baseball hat on her head, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Turning around he hopped over the railing and gave Al his most innocent smile. “What are we waiting for? Let’s play ball!”