The Hitting Zone
chapter-634

We spent at least half an hour talking about the A's and what the playoff picture might look like. But with half of a season left to play, it was too soon to tell. Jeremy treated all of them nicely and it felt almost normal. Almost. Andy couldn't speak up at all, seemingly star-struck. Which was weird since he seemed pretty chill when I gave him an autographed baseball card by Jeremy.

As it got later, it was time for everyone to go. Zeke took the girls home, Julian and Andy left together, and Mr. Miller and Stu went their own ways as well.

We had already put a bag of clothes in the car before Jeremy and I went to see Dr. Moore, so we were ready to hit the road. Noah had Zeke take his baseball bag back so there wasn't anything extra to carry.

"You know what can't happen tomorrow?" Noah told me, excited. We both sat in the backseat together, leaving Jeremy alone up front in the driver's seat.

"Hm?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Zeke can't make me run!" Noah laughed.

I laughed with him. That seemed to be the theme of the summer: trying to get out of running. With Mom and Dad back, Zeke could leave me in the mornings and make Noah go on longer, and probably faster, runs.

"Ah." Jeremy made some noise up front. He glanced back using his rearview mirror. "Would this be a bad time to tell you guys that Zeke asked me if I could show Noah some of my endurance training?"

Noah's jaw dropped. "You didn't agree, did you??"

Jeremy grinned.

Noah was in despair. "I can't escape!"

I laughed some more.

Noah glared at me, but I could tell he wasn't serious. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you! Who knows...Zeke might make you do extra running and workouts when you get healthy again." He smirked. "You'll be running before school, after school, and in the evenings."

It was my turn to be distressed. That sounds like something Zeke would do. Off days were scarce. "Are there anymore holidays coming up?"

Noah laughed. "My birthday, but I doubt Zeke would give us that day off. If anything, we should be extra prepared for his pranks. At least the twins won't be there."

I reached out and gave his shoulder a few pats. "Correction: you should be prepared. It's not my birthday."

Noah feigned being hurt. "Jake...I thought we were in this together??"

"The twins promised to go easy on me for my birthday." I said, apologetic.

Noah sighed. "I guess that's only fair. At least this year, it's only me versus Zeke."

"My condolences." I tried not to laugh.

Noah slapped me on the arm. "Jerk."

"Okay, okay, let's talk more about what's going to be for dinner." Jeremy intervened. "I know you two aren't that picky, so how do you feel about eating at a steakhouse near the water?"

We agreed easily and Jeremy made a stop along the beach. When he said the steakhouse was near the water, he meant over the water. The restaurant was on a pier over the ocean.

As we walked down the pier, we came across others who were either going to the restaurant or coming from there. And they all had something in common...they were dressed nicely. Like suit and tie kind of place.

I wasn't the only one to notice. Noah looked at them, then at himself. "Uh...Jeremy? Do you think they'll still let me in like this..?" Noah was still in athletic shorts and his bright blue softball shirt.

"Sure they will." Jeremy wasn't bothered.

Noah and I exchanged looks.

"Don't worry about it guys. I know the owner." Jeremy reassured us.

We reached the end of the pier and walked into the restaurant. Jeremy greeted the hostess, speaking quietly. She grinned, grabbed some menus, and then told us to follow her. She led the way towards the back wall, almost to where the kitchen was. But instead she opened up a door that revealed a stairway. She started to climb it. We continued to follow.

I couldn't tell from outside that there was a second floor, but here it was. A single room, like it may have been an attic converted for private dining. A table for four was set by the window, well lit by the setting sun over the ocean.

"Wow! What a view!" Noah sprinted to the floor-to-ceiling window. He pulled out his phone and started to take some pictures. "Jake! Come here! You've got to see this!"

I joined him by the window. It was the coolest view I've ever seen. The sun hovering over the ocean.

Noah took a few selfies of us with the view as a backdrop, but the pictures couldn't do the sight any justice. When we were done messing around, we joined Jeremy at the table, both sitting across from him.

We looked over the menus that the hostess had placed before us.

"Thirty dollars for a steak!?!" Noah's jaw dropped.

I was also scared off by the prices that were shown on the menu. "This...isn't this too expensive?"

"Nah. It's on the house." Jeremy grinned. "The owner will foot the bill so don't worry about the cost. Just order whatever you want."

"Do you know the owner that well?" Noah asked.

Jeremy grinned. "I know him as well as I know myself."

Noah was immediately suspicious. "Wait...are you actually the owner?"

Jeremy laughed. "You caught me." He looked at me. "I wanted to tell you a little more about myself. I invested in this restaurant right after I got drafted. Everyone thought I was crazy to spend a million dollars at 18 when I didn't even know the outcome of my baseball career. But me...I saw it as an investment. Now, four years later, it brings in more money than I've put in." He looked out the window. "I made it, right?"

"Of course you've made it!" Noah told him. "You're a millionaire. And you're about to sign an even better contract with the A's. You're a multimillionaire!"

Jeremy laughed. "Yea...that's true. I'll never have to worry about money again."

"Do you really play baseball for the money..?" I asked. Dad was adamant that Zeke didn't choose to go pro because of the money. He had to pick because it was what he wanted to do.

Jeremy looked surprised by my question. He tapped the table slowly. "Yes and no. It's a loaded question. With an even longer answer."

Noah senses the shift in the atmosphere. "Can't you simplify it for us?"

He chuckled lightly. "It's not that easy. Maybe when you guys get older, you'll understand."

Noah scoffed. "Playing the age card. Annoying."

I nodded in agreement.

Jeremy grinned. "I'll get to play it all my life against you two. When you two try to make the Majors, I'll already be a long-time veteran."

Noah frowned and started to count on his fingers. "If I enter the draft out of high school and only spend one year in the minors, I'll be 19. You'll be 26. And..."

"And it would potentially be my sixth season in the MLB." Jeremy finished for him. "If I last that long."

"You should! You're the greatest, youngest player right now!" Noah told him. He looked at me. "Wouldn't it be cool to face Jeremy in the big leagues? We could beat him and rub it in his face forever and ever."

I laughed.

"Hey!" Jeremy laughed too. "That's not nice. You guys are only in high school. It'll be quite some time until you can catch up to me."