It Had to Be You (A Christian Yelich Story)

Prologue

Author's note: I had a story request, so I'm giving this a try.

***

Anna hated flying. It's not that she was afraid of flying, it was just a lot of bodies crammed into a tight space, and she couldn't stand the idea of not being able to move around when she wanted to.

To make matters worse, they were headed to San Diego for opening day 2018, and she had never flown with a professional sports team before. Despite generally being a confident and reasonably put together person, she couldn't shake off all the nerves.

Fortunately for her nerves, Bill Schroeder, one of the Brewers' television announcers, threw his carry-on into the overhead compartment and plopped into the seat next to her. "Hey, Anna. You ready to start life on the road?" he asked with a kind smile.

Anna returned the smile. "I'm pretty sure, but I have that annoying nagging feeling that I forgot to pack something really important."

"Oh, yeah, you'll forget something important every time — usually a phone charger. You'll have to stop at a Walgreens every single road trip — guaranteed. You just put it on your Brewers corporate card and call it a day. How have the first official days on the job been? You were only in Arizona with us for a week, so I imagine this is all a big life adjustment."

Anna nodded. "There's just so much happening and so many people to meet. I can't wait for things to feel more routine and relaxed."

"Give it a month, and you'll be a pro. I promise. Have you had a chance to meet a lot of the players?"

"I think I've met most of the opening day roster."

"Make sure to let me know if anyone isn't nice to you. I pull some major weight around here. Seriously, I'm a big guy."

Anna laughed at Bill's dad joke. "Everyone has been so kind — the players, their wives, the organization, you and the other broadcasting team members — but I'll keep your offer in mind if something happens."

"Also, Anna, some of these guys go a little stir crazy when they're stuck in hotels and have weird sleeping schedules due to a lot of night games. Don't let them cross a line with you just because you're around. I know players — I was one — so my advice is to always have your career in mind and keep boundaries between you and the boys.

Anna had every intention to keep things professional, but she knew Bill's advice was coming from a good place. "I'll do you proud."

"I know it," Bill concluded.