Chapter Text
Harvey wondered why he had agreed in the first place.
Well, thinking back, he hadn’t really had a choice — he’d messed up, Mike was an idiot, and Jessica had wanted to teach him a lesson. A few weeks earlier, in an attempt to win an important case, Harvey had made a risky decision without consulting Jessica. Nothing unusual, really — he had simply taken a few liberties with firm policy and bypassed a rule she’d put in place to avoid conflicts of interest. In the end, the move had backfired, resulting in bad press for the firm and a compromise with a competitor they’d been trying to avoid. When Jessica found out, she was furious — not just because of the strategic blunder, but because Harvey had completely disregarded her authority. And so, she hadn’t hesitated to chew him out in front of Mike, who was doing his best not to laugh.
« Harvey, did you really think you could play boss? Not here. Not with me. If you want to run the show without thinking and drag people into your messes, go find someone foolish enough to follow you. But here? You follow the rules — or you deal with the consequences »
While Jessica was heated, Mike — doing his best not to burst out laughing — raised an eyebrow and quipped with a smirk and his usual immature flair.
« You know, Jessica, speaking of playing the boss... I think I heard about a New York baseball team looking for a coach. The Little Yankees — four-year-olds, super adorable. Apparently, they need someone who loves taking charge and understands people their ages. Maybe Harvey could help them out, huh? »
The comment had been thrown out on a whim — sparked by the baseball sitting on Harvey’s desk that he was looking at and a memory of a recent conversation with his buddy Adam — as it was a joke, obviously. Mike had only meant to be funny, teasing that Harvey had acted like a kid and should probably hang out with his own kind, but what he hadn’t expected was for Jessica to turn to him with a serious look and whisper softly.
« I want his number »
« What? » both men gasped.
« You’ve annoyed me, Harvey, and I want you out of my hair for a bit. You wanted to act smart? Let’s see how smart you feel when you’re dealing with a team of kids just as irresponsible as you »
« Jessica... Please, don’t »
Harvey had tried everything — he’d even been ready to get down on his knees — but Jessica wouldn’t budge. Her golden boy was out of options: either coach a team of four-year-olds or watch her pull every one of his clients. It was absurd, completely beneath him, but he’d screwed up — and she was clearly doing this to make him pay. So, with no real way out, he showed up on Saturday morning nearly twenty minutes early, wearing sweatpants and a big navy hoodie, sighing as he stared at the tiny field in front of him, still struggling to believe what he was about to do. Lost in thought, he was snapped back to reality by a male voice shouting behind him.
« Coach Specter! »
Noticing the teasing tone and the familiar sound of giggles, Harvey sighed without even turning around as he recognized the annoying voice instantly and muttered under his breath.
« You gotta be kidding me »
« Coach Specter! »
« I heard you, Mike — what the hell are you doing here? »
« Oh please, like I’d miss your first T-ball practice? No way »
As Mike laughed uncontrollably, Harvey sighed, already realizing that the season was going to be long — and he was nowhere near ready for what lay ahead — but if he wanted his clients and his reputation back, he’d have to make a sacrifice. So, with yet another sigh, the older lawyer muttered in a tired tone:
« I can’t believe Jessica did this to me »
« Come on… it’ll be fun »
« Fun? »
« Yeah — so, what’s the plan? »
« What do you mean? They’re gonna hit the ball, that’s it »
« Harvey… You do realize they’re four years old? I mean, this is t-ball, not Major League Baseball »
« Yeah, so what? »
« You didn’t do any research? » gasped Mike.
« Why? » said Harvey.
« Harvey, you can’t be serious — god, I can’t believe this — do you really think four-year-olds train like future MLB players? At that age, it’s all about having fun »
« You think they’ll go far by just having fun? » snorted Harvey.
« Hey buddy, this is a forty-five-minute class on a Saturday morning for kids who can barely stay upright. Don’t be too hard »
« Fucking Jessica… »
« Come on, get the gear — and don’t forget the uniform »
As Mike handed him a whistle and a Yankees cap, Harvey let out yet another sigh before snatching them from his hands and heading toward the equipment shed until he opened the door — and immediately gasped. Plastic bats. Foam balls. Brightly colored cones. It looked less like a baseball setup and more like a toddler birthday party as Mike burst out laughing at the sight of his horrified best friend. Without saying a word — or rather, silencing Mike, who wouldn’t stop teasing — they got to work setting everything up, just finishing as the first parents began arriving. Most were moms: half thrilled to have an hour of peace, the other half clearly intrigued by the handsome new coach. The dads, for their part, all lined up to shake Harvey’s hand, eager to dive into conversations about the latest Yankees stats and roster moves. Harvey could already feel a headache coming on — clingy parents and screaming kids were definitely not his scene — when he suddenly froze.
She had just appeared in the distance. Tall, with long, slightly wavy red hair, dressed in that effortless, classy New Yorker style as she walked confidently onto the field, holding the hand of a little boy, both of them laughing and chatting as they approached. In a second, Harvey completely tuned out the dad next to him, who was apparently going on about Heliot Ramos hitting a homer for the Giants. As the redhead stopped in front of him with a bright smile, and Harvey couldn’t remember a single thing he’d planned to say.
« Good morning — Are you Coach Specter? »
Up close, she was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. She had large, hazel-green doe eyes, a straight nose, and a mouth that was neither too thin nor too full — just perfect for kissing, he couldn’t help but think. But mostly — what was driving him crazy was the delicate freckles dusted every visible inch of her skin, like sun-kissed constellations. The moment she spoke — a simple question, light and curious — Harvey extended his hand with his most charming smile, leaning in just slightly as he answered in a smooth, seductive voice.
« I am, yeah — and you are? »
« Romeo’s mom »
« Well, nice to meet you, Romeo »
« You can call me Romy » smiled the little boy.
As Harvey reached out to shake the little boy’s hand, Romeo glanced at his mom first, who gave him a warm smile and a wink. Hesitant at first, the boy shyly took Harvey’s hand, and Harvey paused for a moment, observing him closely. He looked so much like her — the same big hazel-green eyes, the same sprinkling of freckles across his nose and cheeks, though his hair was brown with reddish auburn highlights. Harvey would definitely say this was the cutest kid of the bunch. As much as he would’ve liked to continue admiring the redhead, Mike quickly pulled him back to reality as a small crowd of about fifteen kids gathered around him. God, I have no idea what I’m doing, Harvey thought. But hey, he was Harvey Specter — he was going to do what he did best: bluff — and it wasn’t a bunch of toddlers who were going to intimidate him. With renewed confidence — and one last, lingering glance at the redhead in the bleachers — he straightened up, his voice commanding as if he actually knew what he was doing.
« Alright, who here has played baseball before? »
Some kids eagerly raised their hands, and soon, they were all talking at once as Harvey realized this was going to be anything but easy. He quickly shifted gears, deciding to start with the basics: getting the kids familiar with the bat, the tee, and the balls as he let them handle the equipment, showing them how to grip the bat and how to position the ball on the tee. It was a solid way to kill some time, all while sneaking occasional glances at the redhead in the stands. With each look, she seemed more beautiful than the last.
Meanwhile, Donna watched her son with a growing sense of irritation. She wasn’t naïve — she’d noticed the way the coach kept looking at her. Sure, he was handsome — very handsome and so sexy, in fact — but that wasn’t why she was there. These baseball classes were important for Romeo, and the coach’s apparent lack of focus was starting to get under her skin. She didn’t need that kind of distraction for her son. After every child had taken a turn at the tee, Harvey moved on to the next — still completely improvised — drill while in the bleachers, Mike was laughing hysterically at the scene unfolding on the field.
« Alright everyone, we’re going to place the ball on the tee and take turns hitting it. Make sure you look at the ball and hold your bat tight — alright? I’ll show you once, then it’s your turn »
Taking one of the mini bats, Harvey aimed to be as precise as possible. He swung, hitting the ball with just enough force to send it flying, and a cheer went up from the kids, their little faces lighting up in awe as Harvey couldn’t help but chuckle at their reaction. As each child took a turn, he tried to figure out what was typical behavior for a four-year-old, making small corrections when he could. Most of them were just excited to hit something, oblivious to the technique — but when it was Romeo’s turn, something about the boy made Harvey pause. The little one stepped up quietly, then whispered something to him.
« Can you show me once more, please? »
Adorable and well-mannered — Harvey wasn’t exactly surprised — in addition to being beautiful, this mom clearly cared deeply for her son and was raising him right. Romeo seemed a bit embarrassed, and Harvey, recognizing the moment, stepped in smoothly. He took his place, explaining each movement carefully while Romeo listened and watched attentively. With a patient smile, Harvey hit the ball, then stepped aside, giving the little boy his turn.
« Alright, go ahead, I’m sure you’ll do great, buddy »
Harvey wasn’t used to kids, in fact, he usually avoided them. The only child he really knew was Hayley, Marcus’s daughter, but he only saw her a few times a year and never really paid much attention. So, standing in front of this little boy, feeling something strange and new — maybe it was because of the hot mom, maybe it wasn’t — Harvey just smiled, watching Romeo swing the bat. The ball flew a little farther this time, and the little boy looked at him expectantly, almost as if waiting for some kind of approval as he softly murmured.
« Was that good? »
« That was great. Come on, let’s move on to the next exercise »
Quickly, Harvey drew the attention of the small group of little monsters causing chaos and suggested an endurance exercise, having them run to retrieve the scattered balls. As they scrambled off, he couldn’t help but cast occasional glances toward the redhead, who was now on the phone as each time he glanced over his shoulder, she seemed more distant, absorbed in her conversation. In the meantime, Donna, watching all of this unfold, sighed, the sound barely audible as she listened to the coach chattering in the background.
« Are you okay? »
« This coach is starting to annoy me, Rach »
« What do you mean? »
« He won’t stop looking at me »
« So what? Is he ugly? Old? Creepy? »
« No, actually, he’s only a few years older than me, and he’s really good-looking — like, super sexy — but I’d rather he focus on my son than on me »
« Donna… »
« He needs this, alright? I don’t want Romy to refuse to go just because his coach is more focused on the moms at the sidelines than on a bunch of four-year-olds — they’re fragile at that age »
« Hey, come on... Romeo is not made of sugar, you know? Everything’s gonna be fine, and I’m pretty sure he won’t even notice that his sexy coach has a thing for his hot mom, huh? »
« Oh, please — anyway, I’ll let you go, the training’s almost over. It was only a half hour today »
« Alright, keep me updated? »
« Of course, see you Rach »
« Bye, Donna »
As soon as she hung up, Donna watched as all the children rejoined their parents, the redhead heading down from the stands to join Romeo. While the parents crowded around Harvey, eager to know if their child had the potential to be the next Aaron Judge, the lawyer couldn’t help but scan the crowd for the redhead, even though everyone else seemed to have monopolized his attention. While some continued talking to him, he simply hummed, his eyes still tracking as Romeo’s mom helped him into his jacket, both of them chatting and laughing together. Meanwhile, as Romeo showered his mom with a few kisses on her cheek — probably to imitate her affectionate gestures — Donna murmured softly to herself.
« Was it nice? »
« So nice! »
« So you really like baseball? You want to come back next week? »
« Can I? »
« Of course, baby, if you tell me you like baseball and want to come back, then next week I’ll drop you off here with Coach Specter again »
« Thank you, mommy »
After one last kiss, the redhead and Romeo headed toward the exit. After a few minutes, Harvey finally freed himself from the crowd of parents surrounding him and, with a swift glance in her direction, ran after them as he called out in a strong, assured voice.
« Romeo’s mom? »
As the redhead paused, she turned to face the coach, who was approaching with his trademark charming smile. Harvey gently bit his lip, then seized the opportunity to speak, his voice smooth and seductive as he let his gaze linger on her, taking in both her stunning figure and beautiful face.
« I didn’t get a chance to ask your name… »
As Harvey expected her to give him a name — something classic like Victoria, Daisy, or even Grace — he knew it would stick in his mind forever, just like Amy, his first crush in middle school. But as he looked at her with a confident smile, he lost focus for just a split second as she turned toward her son, softly murmuring something to him, and for a moment, Harvey couldn’t help but watch, the connection between mother and child pulling him out of his usual self-assured rhythm.
« Baby, will you wait by the car? I’ll be there in a second »
As she watched Romeo take a few steps toward the car — far enough that he couldn’t hear them but close enough for her to keep an eye on him — she heard the coach murmur, his voice smooth and confident.
« Hey, is everything — »
« Are you forced to do this? »
« What? » gasped the lawyer.
« Maybe all the other parents are fooled, but I’m not... You’re not really interested in teaching baseball »
« Hey, they’re four years old… »
« It’s important for my son, alright? So please, if you could spend more time focusing on what they’re doing rather than on the moms at the sidelines, it would really reassure me »
Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed toward Romeo by the car, helping the little boy into his car seat before sliding into the front seat herself, never giving Harvey a final look while the lawyer stood frozen in the parking lot next to the field, a mix of confusion and discomfort settling in. Maybe it was because he wasn’t used to being shut down by a woman — most were usually charmed by him, after all — or maybe it was because she was different, and the way she’d dismissed him had stung. Whatever the reason, he felt off balance. He didn’t move for a few seconds, lost in thought, until a male voice behind him broke the silence:
« That was pretty tough »
« Shut up, Mike »
« What did you do to that poor woman? »
« I don’t get it… »
« Yeah, I don’t either… Are you gonna stand there like an idiot or help me pick up all the balls? »
« Do it yourself… » whispered Harvey.
« What? » gasped the blonde man.
Without another word, Harvey grabbed the bag he had left by the stands and left the field, the brief conversation with the redhead and the way she had stood her ground replaying in his mind. He didn’t understand why, but one thing was clear — he was shaken up, more than he would have thought. That night, sleep didn’t come easily. At least, not without the aid of a few glasses of whiskey, which threw him into a state of drunkenness that was perfectly balanced — just enough to avoid a hangover the next morning while dulling the memory of the earlier conversation enough for him to finally drift off. The next morning, as he arrived at the office, a list of tasks in hand, Mike joined him at the reception. They walked toward Harvey’s office, both stopping short when they saw Jessica sitting at his desk.
« Look who’s here… Coach Specter… »
« I don’t have time, Jessica »
« What? Was it that bad? »
Before Harvey could respond, Mike snorted, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips as with a teasing tone, he murmured under his breath, glancing up at Harvey before speaking softly.
« It’s just that he got shut down by a hot mom and didn’t expect it »
« Mike… » groaned Harvey.
« Seriously, Specter? I punish you for being an idiot by making you endure an hour of torture with kids, and your only concern is what? Hitting on the moms? What’s wrong with you? »
« I didn’t hit on her, alright? I asked for her name and she shut me down — can we move on now? »
Harvey, clearly uncomfortable and a little pissed off, didn’t hide his frustration as Jessica, sensing it wasn’t worth pushing him further, smoothly changed the subject and began discussing the clients for the week — the whole baseball and rejection story was left behind. Thankfully for him, the rest of the day passed quickly, and the topic of the redhead was never brought up again, much to Harvey’s relief. He hadn’t quite gotten over that encounter — something about it still gnawed at him. He didn’t quite understand what was happening. Normally, he didn’t care about leaving a bad impression — he was used to controlling situations, charming people, imposing his will, and having others follow his lead without worrying about the consequences — but with her, it was different. Her reaction — sharp and direct — had unsettled him in a way he couldn’t explain. In an instant, he’d felt like he knew her, like he was at ease with her, even though she had pushed him away. It was as if something had shifted inside him.
Normally, he wouldn’t have bothered to make things right. But with her, he felt an overwhelming need to prove he could be more than the image he projected. So, the next day, after a long day at the office, he found himself scrolling through the internet for tips on how to become a better t-ball coach. It was absurd, he knew that, why was this woman and her son having such an effect on him? He wasn’t the type to care about someone else’s opinion, especially after such a direct rejection, but somehow, he realized he was willing to put in the effort, to learn, just for them, for her. Maybe it was the way she’d taken charge, or the way she had looked at him — whatever it was, something inside him told him it was worth it. If he could do better, he would — even if it meant reinventing himself for a few moments spent coaching a group of kids.