“Make sure you guys stay here if an adult hasn’t come to pick you up, okay?” Simon called as his kids began to disperse. He watched with pride as they left, high-fiving each other before they were hauled into hugs by their parents. Proud as punch and high on the victory of a Little League win for his little team that could, Simon felt a lightness in his chest that hadn’t been there in weeks.
Maybe things were finally looking up for him.
He didn’t like to be dramatic, and he definitely didn’t like to be negative. So it felt silly for him to act like everything had been so doom and gloom since he’d left A Novel Idea. That hadn’t been the case, although he had been sad and Kit, though he loved her terribly, had a habit of acting like an under-the-weather Simon could be compared to a monster storming the set of Neighbourhood and wiping the smile clean off of Mister Rogers’ face. So perhaps the idea of his less-than-enthusiastic moods lately had been drilled into him by his sister, convincing him that maybe he had hit rockbottom after all.
But that was all in the past! Things were looking up now! He’d finally gotten his affairs in order and kickstarted his banana ball team, due to start in the minor leagues this season. The contracts had been a little confusing - maybe he should have paid attention during all the work experience days spent at his dad’s law office - but Kit had roped Lo in to help. Apparently the entertainment industry required you to have a keen nose for business and an understanding of all that jargon, so his friend had been super helpful in that regard! Plus, his teammates were onboard! Kenny had been enthusiastic about it, and even Théo, normally quiet and unsure, had allowed Simon to coax him into a ‘yes’. Wilhelm, after seeing a single Savannah Bananas TikTok video, had given him a blunt and resounding no, but he’d eventually come around when Simon told him he could choreograph the dances instead of performing them on the field. Some people just wanted to play baseball without any fanfare and Simon respected that. But he was excited. He finally felt like he’d figured out what his path in life was. He wasn’t just wandering around aimlessly, feeling simple and out of place as everyone else he knew took their own life by the wheel, steering it in the right direction.
He’d been so busy. Dividing his time between his new team and his little leaguers and Jenna and his pets. He’d been so incredibly busy - but still hadn’t managed to stop thinking about Billy from A Novel Idea.
He didn’t say it out loud because he didn’t want to hear Kit’s disappointed sigh. But he didn’t want to download an app or go on a date with a friend of a friend of Lo’s like his sister suggested he should. He wanted to take his own time in getting over Billy.
Billy who was standing in the middle of the Central Park baseball field when Simon stood up after collecting a rogue ball from second base.
“What,” was all he managed to say. He couldn’t even make it sound like a question, stunned as he was.
He blinked rapidly, just to make sure that was indeed Billy standing there amidst the setting sun of New York and the rattle of batting cages. Simon’s hand tightened on the ball, as if he’d find some sort of comfort in the action and be able to focus on that instead of the way that his heart had leapt into his throat at the mere sight of Billy McHale.
He lifted the visor of his baseball cap. Almost like an old-fashioned gentlemanly gesture rather than a way for him to get a better look at the other man. Yep, he was definitely standing there.
“Hey, Billy,” he said gently.
Then, because he figured he’d earned the right to be confused, he asked, “What are you doing here?”