Clutch Hit

by Faith O'Shea

  Casey’s eyes dipped and she shook her head. “Not that I know of. He’s been pretty upbeat about the roster that you so diligently worked to put in place.”

  Mateo was glad to hear it. Seb was too good to be cut over a dispute that had happened years ago. And now with Casey engaged, it seemed pointless to continue to carry a grudge. But when Alicia asked, “How’s Greg taking it?”, he couldn’t contain his interest. He hadn’t given that a thought. If the flame of first love hadn’t burned out completely it could potentially create problems for the newly engaged couple.

  “There was deafening quiet before the storm broke.”

  “You talked about it, right? He knows you’ll be moving to Sanford with your dad?”

  Casey’s lips were pressed together when she looked over at him.

  “Did you mean what you said? Earlier?”

  Seemed she needed to talk to her friend, and she wouldn’t do so if there was a risk that whatever she said would get back to Seb.

  “I’ll do better. I’ll work out over there and you can talk to your heart’s content.”

  He lifted the earbuds and put them back in his ears for good measure. The smile Casey gave him before he left the area was a watery one.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  A faint tremor rippled across the surface of Allie’s heart as she watched Mateo cross the room. It wasn’t from his physical prowess but his sensitivity to Casey’s need for privacy. And there was the lingering image of him singing in the car. It was the first time she’d seem him light of heart. He was usually so serious, and she’d been given a glimpse of another side to him. It filled her with a longing she couldn’t afford.

  It was the reason she’d been failing him. With any other player, she never would have assumed things, like thinking he knew what to do with an iPod. She’d always made it a point of knowing exactly where the man came from and what he’d need in terms of indoctrination. She’d done more for Heredia, the right fielder who’d been groomed in their minor league system in the Dominican Republic and had come up last year than she had Mateo, who’d come from a far different environment. She should have given him the daily monitoring she would have given anyone else in his position, but instead she’d dropped the ball, no, ignored it completely, in order to keep her distance.

  It had to stop.

  Now would be good.

  Bringing her eyes back to meet her friend, she asked, consumed by curiosity, “First, I want to know what he said earlier?”

  Casey pushed her glasses up with her index finger as a breath stuttered out.

  “That whatever happened here with us would stay here. He seems to have a chivalrous streak a mile long. The man’s here a few days and is already willing to keep Greenie secrets. And we both know he’s keeping a big one.”

  Alicia glanced back to Mateo to see him doing his push-ups one-handed. Just like in the Rocky movies. “Eye of the Tiger” began playing in her head as she watched the steady movements, the muscles bunching then rippling. A spark began to flare in her lower gut.

  “He’s a good guy, Allie. You might want to rethink—”

  She jerked her eyes back to Casey.

  “Um, you might, too.”

  Casey gasped, “What do you mean?”

  Allie fingered her forehead. That comment had been buried deep, but Casey had made her decision and she was not going to harp on it. It didn’t have as much to do with Seb as it had to do with Greg.

  “Nothing. It was just a flash of payback. That hit too close to the bone. Sorry.”

  Casey was tugging at her fingers, her expression giving away her anxiety.

  “Greg’s not taking it well at all. We had a big argument about it last night. He told me I might have to make a choice soon. Him or my father.”

  Son of a bitch. Allie had just been handed another reason to dislike the man her friend had agreed to marry. Casey’s family was her life and Greg was demanding a Sophie’s kind of choice. He came across as a nice, reasonable man, big, engaging smile, but in her book, he was controlling and selfish.

  “He said that when we’re married, he expects me to put our family before Mac’s needs.”

  Casey hadn’t known Greg that long, had met him at a fund raiser for one of the city’s homeless shelters that Mac hosted every year. She’d been there with Casey that night, always invited to Mac’s causes, as a soft touch willing to make a sizeable donation, and she’d watched him come across as smooth as an eel, all but sweeping Casey off her feet. Not dating much since Seb left, Case had been vulnerable to attention and flattery and he’d all but kissed her feet. After dating only a few short months, he’d proposed, and to her surprise, Casey had said yes. She still didn’t understand why. Case had it all. Family support if she wanted it, a good job, a head on her shoulders and had been doing fine all on her own. Now, it seemed, she’d attached herself to a man who wanted her to give up part of who she was, and it was annoying as hell.

  Anyone who wanted to extricate Casey away from her family was a not a good match.

  “You had this job when he proposed. He wants you to quit?”

  “He doesn’t mind if I keep working here. He just doesn’t want me in Florida.”

  Anger began to boil in Allie’s blood. He didn’t mind? How obliging. Casey had taken over the management of the facility when she’d graduated from college, had gone back nights for her master’s, worked hard to make it the financial success it was, spread herself so thin she all but disappeared. Allie bit her tongue so she wouldn’t say what she felt, but a light bulb went on.

  “He has a problem with your being with the team or just Mac?”

  Casey walked to the window and stared out into the distance.

  “He doesn’t know about Seb.”

  Allie took the steps needed to stand beside her, relieved to know that gem hadn’t been uncovered.

  “Does Mac know? About the ultimatum?”

  Casey flashed her a look. “No. And I don’t want him to.”

  Not yet understanding what kind of opinion Casey wanted, she walked out on the tightrope and asked, “Because he might insist you stay behind?”

  Casey nodded.

  “And you want to go.”

  Casey nodded again as if saying it out loud might mean confessing something she didn’t want to confess.

  “Why won’t you admit that you still love him?”

  Casey turned and met her eyes. “Because it doesn’t do any good. There are too many reasons we can’t go back.”

  “I can think of one why you should. I know how you feel about it, but—”

  “Don’t. I made that decision years ago and I haven’t changed my mind.”

  “People change, Case. He might take to commitment better this time around.”

  “Sure, he might, but the situation hasn’t changed at all. I still don’t want him to feel cornered.”

  “He has a—”

  Casey cut her off as her assistant walked toward them.

  “Ms. Calipari there’s a call for you on line two. Someone from the high school asking about renting the space for the girls’ soccer team. Do you want to take it?”

  Allie glanced up at the clock and noticed they’d gone over their hour allotment and it was time for both of them to get to work.

  Casey must have noticed as well, a frown on her face.

  “Yeah. I guess I can skip the shower. I haven’t even worked up a sweat.”

  Before leaving, she gave Allie a hug and said, “I’ll figure it out. Thanks for listening. I guess I’ll see you when you drop Mattie off for the meeting with Dad.”

  Placing her hand firmly on Casey’s arm, she said, “Don’t let Greg talk you into something you don’t want.”

  She gave her a half-hearted smile. “I wish I could be more like you. If you want something you go after it.”

  Allie almost laughed outright at that. There was a definite downside to that. The confirmation was across the room.

  Shifting her focus back to Casey, sh
e said, “If I had to choose between Greg or Mac, I’d pick Mac every time.”

  “Of course, you would, but he’s my father, not my future. I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”

  Casey kissed her cheek and strode across the gym and across down the hall and into the administrative wing.

  Mateo had just placed what looked like a thousand-pound bar back on the stand and was wiping his neck with a towel. When Allie placed a hand on his shoulder, he almost jumped out of his skin.

  He ripped the earbuds out and glared before scanning the area for Casey. She was nowhere in sight. He showed his concern by asking, “She good?”

  Allie gave him a shrug of her shoulders, suddenly wishing she could talk to him about Case’s dilemma. She had a feeling he’d keep it to himself, but Casey was right. How many Greenie secrets could she expect him to honor?

  “Why don’t you shower and change. We’ve got some things to do before I drop you at Mac’s.”

  She glued her hands to her hips, where they were safe. Sweat glistened on Mateo’s shoulders and she wanted to slide her hands over them. Her body had instantly surged at the sight of the moist skin, and the abs created a kind of inner tension she wasn’t used to. She’d dated but had never been attracted to anyone the way she was attracted to him. She’d been ready to crawl all over him at the bar, the Etta James song, “I Just Want to Make Love to You” a deep growl in her chest. She hadn’t wanted to bake him bread, she wanted him to toast her. There was something about him that touched her to the core of her being. And the brief kiss at the altar had felled her. She’d never tasted lips as sweet or savored a mouth the way she’d savored his. He’d done some damage to her armor and she had to keep her distance or things could go south very quickly.

  He seemed to be looking around. “Can you point me in the right direction?”

  “The men’s shower room is through that door. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  She couldn’t keep her eyes off him as he walked away. He had the type of build that could hit four-hundred-and-fifty-foot bombs out into the harbor. There was power in the breadth of his shoulders and yet a fluid grace to his gait. She felt a shiver of need shoot through her as she caught herself staring and bolted toward the women’s locker room before she made the mistake of going after him.

  She pushed through the door, and when it closed, leaned against it, her heart beating like thundering horse hooves. What the hell was it about him that made her want to throw caution to the wind and jump his bones? Sure, he had a great build, but so did a lot of the guys she’d interacted with. She worked with athletes of all shapes and sizes, all ages, all nationalities, all temperaments, but he seemed to be the ideal, his package just part of the allure. He was unlike anything she’d expected. He wasn’t cocky, and he certainly had the talent to warrant it. He wasn’t in over his head with all the new trappings of wealth at his disposal, acting no different than the man she’d met in Mexico. He spoke almost perfect English, if you didn’t consider his accent. She had a feeling he’d handle all the expected accolades with humility and grace, and she could almost believe he wouldn’t disrespect her if their secret came out. That was where the danger lay. If she thought, she could trust him…

  Her mind was in turmoil and her heart was in an uproar as she stepped into the shower. She took more time than was necessary dressing, applying a couple of extra touches to her make-up that she might have skipped had she been alone.

  He was sitting on the bench that ran the length of the entrance when she came out, his hair still wet, brushed back with one curl hanging limp against his forehead. She wanted to slide her finger into it, feel the texture, see if it was as soft as it looked. Instead, she shoved her hands in her pants pockets.

  “You ready?”

  He rose and faced her. “I am.”

  She felt the heat of his gaze as he visually inspected her. She’d worn a pair of skinny black pants with a crisp white blouse and cardigan. It was Sunday, and she could get away with a more relaxed look. She didn’t expect a compliment, but when he said, “You look very nice,” she felt a flush creep up her neck. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him did as well but she kept it lodged in her throat. Flustered, unwilling to say anything that might egg him on, she hefted her bag over her shoulder and said, “We better get going.”

  They spent the next hour in her office, where he sat patiently waiting for her to finish her calls and review a new print-out of stats she needed to memorize before her scouting trip. Jill, one of her roommates and a member of the marketing department must have heard Mateo was here and scouted them out. They not only lived together but interfaced at times when planning community events or themes for game nights and were known to hit one of the city bars for a nightcap before going home. It had to be simple curiosity that had prompted the visit. Jill knew she’d moved in with the Cuban and probably wanted to see one of the team’s new attractions. Her roomie wasn’t the only one. She couldn’t believe how much traffic moved through her office while Mateo was there. Dan had come in to ask him how he was doing, and Krasnick dropped by to tell him how glad they were that he’d joined the team. And a dozen women from various departments walked by and peered in, their drool all but staining her carpet.

  Before another one paraded by the man of the hour and she let go of the scream that threatened, she said brusquely, “Let’s get out of here.”

  He gave her such an innocent smile, she knew he knew why she was hot and bothered. She tucked the irritation neatly away, knowing it was too late to do any good. She was not jealous, just annoyed at the brazen way women looked at him. Like he was nothing more than a slab of beef. Prime sirloin. When the word loin hit her consciousness, she groaned, coming to the dire conclusion that before this was over, before the divorce was in place, she’d know what kind of power he exerted there as well. It was almost freeing.

  She drove them to Downtown Crossing, where she rushed him through a few stores, collecting bags along the way. They purchased two new suits, ties, a dozen dress shirts, jeans, several pairs of slacks, long-sleeved tees, sneakers, socks, and a pair of Sketcher boots with traction rubber soles. She didn’t allow him time to admire anything. He could do that later.

  So, could she. She’d done her best not to peer too closely as he was fitted for the suits and tried to keep the moans to a minimum, but the tiny shocks of pleasure pulsed through her body every couple of seconds or so. It could cause severe injury if she wasn’t careful.

  Her voice was a bit too high-strung when she said, “Time to meet Mac.”

  They started for the garage where the car was parked. On the way, he fumbled with the heavy load in his arms, shifting the bags for a better grip, almost dropping the suit bag in the process so she took it away and slung it over her arm.

  His eyes held what might have been embarrassment. “I should have kept a new pair of pants on. I look like a refugee.”

  “You are a refugee. He’ll understand.”

  He stopped dead in his tracks. “Is that how you see me? Did I shame you?”

  She quickly glanced over at him. She’d never thought about how he might feel at being out in public dressed in his old clothes. They might be a bit shabby, but they were clean. The shirt also showed off his muscular assets. That thought sparked additional irritation.

  “The only shameful thing about this shopping trip was the way those women tripped all over themselves waiting on you.”

  He now wore a sarcastic smile. “They were extremely helpful.”

  “It was heroic the way you held back your appreciation.”

  “How could I do less with my wife sitting right outside the dressing room?”

  She could feel a frown coming on. “If said wife wasn’t there?”

  “Then I wouldn’t have been there, either. Besides, I told you I would do nothing to disrespect you. Flirting back would have done that. That’s not who I am.”

  She almost believed him but almost wasn’t the guarantee she was looking for.


  You’re looking for a guarantee from him? What the fuck?

  As if he couldn’t feel the tension wafting in his direction, he said matter-of-factly, “I can’t believe we found everything I needed in one place, with no lines. No black market. I can’t wait for my mother to get here.”

  His mother was a safer subject. How could she think about his hands, his lips, his abs when he was talking about the woman who’d birthed him?

  Less prickly, she asked, “Have you talked to her lately?”

  “Yes. Now that she has a phone that works, we’ve been texting. I hear from her every day. She is worried.”

  Concern popped up out of nowhere. “About what?”

  “With my defection, the government is keeping a close eye on her. Her tenant noticed and moved out.”

  “She doesn’t need the rent anymore, right? She got the money we wired to her?”

  “She did, yes. She is updating the house for sale as best she can. Money might be available to her, but materials are still hard to come by.”

  “We’ll get her paperwork started as soon as we can. I’m not sure how long it will take, but the lawyer we’re hiring is one of the best in the city. She’ll know how to expedite it.”

  “You have used this lawyer before?”

  “I have. Jelani Ramirez helps me out with the immigration program. She works for the law firm Woodley and Fisher, an extremely reputable firm on that front. She’s the best and that’s who we want.”

  They’d reached the car and dumped everything in the trunk before Alicia drove out of the city and hit the highway toward Lexington, her brake foot tapping to an exotic beat as she did.

  Twenty minutes later, they were standing at the front door of Mac Calipari’s home, waiting for someone to answer the bell.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Mateo wasn’t surprised when Casey answered the door. She’d told him she’d see him later before disappearing into her office at the complex. She was dressed much differently than she’d been this morning, more professional in a suit and heels. She gave him a small smile and welcomed them in. “We meet again.”