Maiden with a Sparkling Eye

Josh was standing in the middle of the field during batting practice the next day.

John was beside him with Jason holding the wallet, trying to compare every woman that walked into the park to the girl on the license.

Josh glanced at Dustin, who was tapping his chin with his pointer finger and studying the section of seats near the dugout.

"You guys are idiots," Josh said, "you wont find her by the first base line. The wallet was other there." He pointed to the on deck circle, where Dustin was standing currently.

"Shut yer trap Beck, we know what we're doing." Jason shushed Josh and looked back at the wallet, his catchers mitt under his arm.

Josh felt a presence behind him and turned to see Terry Francona, looking at the group of men skeptically.

"What're you doing? Tek, you should be warming up with Bucky right now."

He looked over Jason's shoulder and cocked an eyebrow.

"Why do you have that wallet?"

"I found it by the on deck spot last night in a puddle and I picked it up. Now we're trying to find this Haley chick." Josh glanced back to his right where Dustin was excitedly jumping around with Jonathan Paplebon.

"Then he's going to ask her out." John told Terry, not looking away from the wallet.

"Really Joshy?"

Josh rolled his eyes at his manager, and looked over to see Dustin running towards him.

"I think I found her Josh." Dustin pointed over to the stands and spotted a girl no older then 24, leaning all her weight on her arms as they rested on the wall in front of her.

Her short brown hair was pulled back, her curls flowing out behind her head.

There was a slight smile on her face as she watched a few of his teammates take batting practice.

"Shit," Josh muttered, "gimme the wallet."

John slapped the wallet into Josh's waiting hands.

"Uhm, hello. Where's my thank you?" Dustin jutted his hip to the side.

Josh raised a hand and brought it down to make contact with Dustin's butt.

"Thanks man." He smirked and walked towards Haley.

"Well I didn't mean like that, but okay!" Dustin called after him, picking up his bat and heading toward home plate to get in some BP.

As Josh got closer, he noticed Haley was much more beautiful then the piece of plastic made her out to be.

He felt nauseous now. He didn't want to do this. He couldn't do this.

But the only thing that kept him walking towards the girl was the fact that her wallet was in his hands.

He was only a few steps away from her now, and she was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, nodding at something the girl beside her was saying.

He sensed that she could feel another body near her, and her eyes widened once she realized who it was.

He laughed when she turned to the girl whom she was talking to and slapped her on the arm.

She looked back toward Josh and smiled, a blush covering her cheeks.

Josh returned the smile and took the four steps to cover the space between them.

Haley noticed herself blushing more the closer Josh got, and she could feel the heat creep throughout her whole body.

Regina noticed also, and couldn't help but laugh at how embarrassed her friend seemed.

"I, uh. Hi." Josh chocked out, feeling himself get nervous. He laughed awkwardly.

"This is yours." Josh held the wallet out to the girl, "I uh, found it last night in a puddle and looked in it to see if there was an ID. I didn't look at anything else I swear. And all your money is in there." Josh held up his right hand in a scouts honor as Haley slipped the wallet into her back pocket.

She giggled at him, something Josh found to be a magical sound.

"It's aright. I'm just glad someone trust worthy found it." She held her hand out to him, "I'm Haley."

Josh smiled as he took her hand in his and shook it.

"Josh." He smirked.

"Thank you so much. I honestly don't know how I could ever repay you."

She noticed how warm his hand was.

"Well," he began, "I noticed you're from Boston. You could let me take you on a date when we return."

Haley's breath hitched in her throat and she could feel her heart beating faster by the second.

What does she say? He's a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and he has tons of woman falling all over him, and here he is holding her hand and asking her on a date.

"I- uh. Well I have work..."

Josh felt his heart sink and he dropped his hand to his side, letting go of hers in the process.

"Oh. Well you have the weekend right?"

"Well, I don't know. I'm really busy..."

He felt like his heart was about to fall out of his butt. It was a foreign feeling to him. He wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Actually Josh. Mr. Beckett. Haley here would love to go on a date with you. Wouldn't you Hals?" Regina came up beside Haley and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Well, um. I guess."

"You don't have to.." Josh looked around nervously, wanting her to just tell him off so he could go sulk in the dugout alone.

"No!" Haley's eyes went wide, "No, I'd really really love to go on a date with you."
She smiled at Josh reassuringly.

"Awesome then." Josh winked and walked away. Looking at his teammates, he gave them a thumbs up and earning hoots in response.

Haley looked at Regina, all of the events finally setting in.

"Holy fuck I have a date with Josh Beckett."

"Haley! Wait, I um. Forgot."

Haley looked to see Josh running back toward her, his teammates standing a few yards away laughing at him.

"I kinda need your number." He blushed in embarrassment.

"How about this," she said, reaching for her phone in the pocket of her shorts, "you give me yours and I'll text you later so you'll have mine."

Josh smiled a toothy grin and took her phone, adding himself to the contacts.

"Okay, I'll uhm, see you later then." He smiled once more and walked back to the field.

"That was awkward." Regina stated, earning a whack from Hayley.

"I thought it was adorable, thank you."

"Of course you did."