by Nikki Bloom
And just like that, he was gone.
1
Thorin
One year later.
I was back in that sleepy town of Elk Haven. Nothing about it had changed. The rolling fields of corn, long since harvested, remained the main attraction as I cruised along the winding roads. As I neared my destination, something foreign to my last visit loomed in the distance.
And that something was home, sweet home.
The best designers and builders money could buy had been hard at work for the better part of a year constructing what could only be called a masterpiece — and I’m not just saying that because I was going to live there. It really was a work of art with its Greek-inspired design. Parthenon columns framed the front door, kept stark white to contrast with the blue of the door. A water fountain stood guard outside the garden. The marble statue looked like it had been pulled right from a museum gallery. Window balconies. A tiled roof. Suffice to say, I pulled out all the stops because when I was off the field and actually allowed to relax, I liked to do so in the lap of luxury. It wasn’t about showing off to the locals. It was more about reaping the benefits of my hard work.
I eased the Alfa Romeo into the garage and chose to go through the front door even though it would have been easier to go through the garage entrance, but I wanted that experience of fitting the key through the lock and hearing it click. Of course, this wasn’t my first home nor did I think it would be my last. But it marked a milestone in my life. I was moving through my baseball career and the future seemed hopeful. My first year with the Rockies had been a smashing success with my batting average nearing the record-breaking level. My contract had been renewed and my paycheck doubled.
Now, it was time to celebrate.
Lucky for me, my in-house staff had stocked my fridge with single-serving banana cream pies. No one made banana cream pie quite like my grandma, but this brand was a close second. I snatched one up and ventured onto the back porch. The hot tub had been left running in case I wanted to use it, but I didn’t fancy taking a dip on my own. So, I contented myself with leaning against the railing and watching the wind ripple against the surface of the pool.
I smiled at the silence. It was comforting like a sort of blanket trying to lull me to sleep.
Caw! A crow swept through the yard, picking a worm from the grass.
A second later, my phone went off.
My moment of peace and quiet had been short-lived. Accepting this fact, I took my phone from my pocket. The name Hazel Sperrin was at the top of the screen, followed by her latest text: Hey, hope you had a safe trip. Are you still dropping by the shop this afternoon?
That’s the plan, I texted back.
Alright, was her response. When first we started texting, we could go back and forth for most of the night, chatting about just about anything. Recently, she had become a little distant — her texts much shorter than they used to be. More than once, I asked whether something was wrong — whether she wanted to talk about it, but she always argued that she was fine, just fine. I was starting to worry, but I figured now that I was back in Elk Haven she’d feel more comfortable opening up to me. I could understand how some things were better dealt with face-to-face than over text.
When I arrived at the shop, I found Hazel underneath the hood of an old pickup truck. She was so deep into the nuts and bolts of the thing that her feet weren’t even touching the ground. I couldn’t help the chuckle. “Should I get you a step stool or would you rather I give you a boost?”
She lifted her head just enough to see me. “Neither, but if you could hand me that wrench, I’d appreciate it.”
“This one?” I asked as I held the tool in my hand. “Damn, this is heavier than I thought.”
“Dad likes to invest in quality tools,” she answered. “Costs a bit more up front but it saves us money in the long run.” She was tightening something, her face screwed up with concentration.
“Do you know that there’s grease on your face?” I asked.
“There’s always grease on my face. Occupational hazard.”
I smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”
She jumped down and wiped her hands with the nearest rag. “You know, I had my doubts about you.” From a mini-fridge, Hazel grabbed a couple of bottles of pop. They were glass bottles, too. She twisted the caps and handed one my way. “When you rolled up in that twenty-million-dollar car, I thought that maybe I was dreaming. Then you left that paycheck in my hands and it felt like even more of a dream. But then the Chevelle showed up at my door and you started texting me. I’ll have to admit, you were smooth about the whole thing. First, you’d just ask me about the car and how the project was coming along, and then you started asking me more.”
“I didn’t think you had a problem with me striking up friendly conversation,” I said. “If I’m not mistaken, you always found the time to text me back, even during the middle of the night.”
“You were a paying customer. I didn’t want to lose any future business by being rude.”
“Is that all it was?” I asked. “And here I was thinking I was getting special treatment.”
The corner of her lip twitched upwards. It wasn’t quite a smile but it did light up her eyes just enough to let me know that my teasing was being well-humored. “Come with me,” she said before moving toward a vehicle covered by a tarp. “Would you mind?” She tilted her head toward the back of the car. “It’s easier when two people do it.”
Together, we removed the tarp, revealing the beautiful Chevy Chevelle hiding underneath. I whistled like someone catcalling a woman in the 50s. “Damn,” was all I could say. “You did all of this?”
“I can’t take all the credit. Dad helped me from time to time, but yeah, I did most of it.”
“Can I hear her run?”
She threw me the keys.
I caught them and got behind the wheel. The interior had been completely refinished as well with leather seating and a wooden dash. I ran my hand along the sleek finish before turning the key. The engine roared. I could feel its power running through the entire body. Unable to resist, I revved the engine. The sound was deafening and that’s exactly what I liked to hear.
“Roll it into the sun. I think you’re going to like what you’re about to see.”
I did as I was told. The midnight purple paint came alive. The pearl made it shimmer and gave it a sense of movement. And the silver pinstriping? Oh, it brought the whole car together. “Man, this is something else. I expect this kind of quality coming out of my shops and to think you managed it with just you and your dad.”
She took a seat on a nearby crate. “Yeah.”
I stopped drooling over the car just as soon as I heard the tone of her voice. Something was wrong. I walked up to her and took the crate right beside her.
She looked confused. “Shouldn’t you be looking underneath the hood? You’ll want to see the block I installed. Something of a bitch to find but —” She fell silent when she felt my hand on her arm. “What are you doing?” There was an edge to her voice, but I was glad to see she hadn’t pulled away.
“I know something is bothering you.”
“I’m fine.”
“We both know that’s not true and I can understand if you don’t want to pour out your heart to me because outside of texting, you don’t really know me on a personal level. I get that, but don’t keep lying to me and telling me that you’re fine when you’re not.” Her expression softened but she remained silent. “In any case, I just want you to know if you need someone —”
“It’s my dad.”
I leaned forward with my hand still on her arm. “What about your dad? Has something happened?”
Hazel toyed with the name tag stitched onto her jumper. It was fraying at the edges. She pulled a loose thread and wrapped it around her fingers before speaking. “Shortly after you rolled in last November, my father was diagnosed with mesothelioma. We were pretty hopeful at first. The doctors were telling us a
bout all these new treatments and how they’ve done well in clinical trials. We agreed and crossed our fingers, but dad has been taking a beating and he’s only getting worse. Most days, he’s so fatigued he can’t get out of bed.”
“And that’s why you restored most of the Chevelle yourself?”
She nodded.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Hazel. Every interaction I’ve had with your dad has been one to remember. You know he called me to coach me on my form one time? Said he knew a foolproof way to get me a home run every time I stepped up to the plate. I humored him and that cost me about two hours of my life, but he was so serious that I didn’t have the heart to hang up the phone.”
“Thanks for humoring him.” Hazel looked up. There was a certain glassiness to her eyes like she was about to cry but she kept her composure, hands firmly placed on her knees, back rigid. “I remember that night. You made his day. He spent the entirety of dinner talking about how you’re this upstanding guy and that there should be more guys just like you.”
“It makes me happy to hear that.”
“But what I don’t understand is why you would take time out of your busy schedule —”
“Because your dad is worth my time. You are, too. It’s obvious you two are down to earth people and that’s not something I get to see every day. Trust me, it’s much more pleasurable to hold a conversation with you or your dad than some guy in a suit who just wants me in his commercial.”
“Right.” Hazel got up and leaned against a stack of nearby boxes, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I have to thank you,” she said after wetting her lips. “Not just for humoring my dad but for paying for the Chevelle’s repair upfront. That check has really helped pay for his treatments. I am not sure what we would have done without it.” She rolled back her shoulders but still some stiffness seemed to linger. “So, if you have anything else I could work on to generate a bit more income for the business, I would really appreciate it. And you know that whatever you leave in my garage will come out looking like it belongs on a showroom floor.”
I joined her. “Of course,” I said. “I actually think I have just the project. Every year, I hold a charity event for the Saint Jude Foundation in honor of my late brother.”
She raised her eyebrow in silent question.
“Leukemia,” I answered. “He didn’t make it to the first grade. The doctors were excellent and they did everything they could, but it was an impossible fight. Markus hung on until the very end, but there came a point where he had to let go. I like to think that he’s at peace now and that every time I hit a home run, he’s up there watching.” My voice became choked and my throat a little tighter. It was the first time I had become emotional over my brother’s death since becoming an adult. I had told his story so many times I thought I had become immune to its heart-wrenching grip, but something in Hazel’s expression made me feel that weight of sadness all over again.
“I’m sorry.” Now it was Hazel who rested a hand on my arm. “Your brother sounds like he was a good kid.”
“He was. He was big into trading cards. I would sit by his bed for hours listening to the stories and stats of all these made-up characters because it always brought this big old smile to his face. I miss that smile more than anything else and that’s why I hold this charity event every year. I want there to be survivors — kids who actually make it into the second grade.”
She squeezed my arm as soon as she heard my voice waver. I became quiet, head bowed toward the ground. As I said, I’ve told this story before but with everyone else, it was like I was reading off a script. With Hazel, it felt like I was actually pouring my heart out to her. Why? Was it that thoughtful expression or perhaps the way she listened, head cocked ever so slightly. Whatever the reason, I felt a certain freedom in sharing that story with someone who actually seemed to care.
“Thank you.”
“For?” Hazel cocked her head a little more to the left.
“Actually listening.”
“You don’t have to thank me for that.”
“You’d be surprised how many people fake it on a daily basis. So, when I see that someone is genuine, it means a lot to me.” I took a step back just to give us both some space to breathe. “Anyway, sob stories aside, I need a really good looking car to auction at this charity event. The goal is to start a bidding war so we can raise as much money as possible for these kids. So, whatever you do, you’ve got to make the type of car everyone wants in their garage.”
“That’s a pretty tall order, but I’m your girl. I’ll get it done. When’s the deadline?”
“I’ll need it right at the start of spring. So, February 16th, I’ll need to drive it down to the stadium.”
“February 16th?” Hazel could be seen doing some mental calculations. “That’s a little short of three months. It’ll be tough, but I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, especially when there’s so much at stake.”
“So, do we have ourselves a deal?”
“I’ll be honest, it won’t be easy. I’ll have to work on nothing else for the next three months, but I think I can make it work so, yes, you’ve got yourself a deal, Mr. Gorecki.”
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Marrying My Best Friend's Sister (Secret Love Series Book 2)
My best friend’s sister hates my guts.
I don’t even know why.
As far as I know, I haven’t done a single thing to earn it.
So marrying her would have been the last thing on my mind,
but I did so anyway.
You know what? Her not liking me is none of my business.
I have other things to worry about.
Like snagging the CEO job at Tech Dyne.
Unluckily for me, my reputation is a bit well…wild.
The upper-crusters turn their noses up at visible tattoos, motorcycle clubs and low-brow strip clubs.
Yeah I belonged to a motorcycle gang in my very wasted, long past, youth.
An MBA from Yale and a proven track record ruthless success in business was not enough for these people.
They want pedigree.
So when I was presented this idea,
I was skeptical.
I didn’t want to risk my friendship with her brother.
Nor did I know how I was supposed to live with someone who hates me.
But you know,
sometimes things don’t turn out like you expected…
and the past doesn’t stay dead.
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Also By Nikki Bloom (FREE w/ KU)
Lover’s Knot Series
Engaged to the Boss
Mechanic’s Home Run
His Fake Fiancé
Protecting the Babysitter
Seasonal Love Box Set
Sincerely, Summer
XOXO, Winter
Love, Autumn
The Billionaire Encounter
Freezing Touch (FREE on the next page)
Coming soon
Secret Love Series
Billionaire’s Unexpected Baby
Marrying My Best Friend’s Sister
Boss’s Accidental Baby
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