But if she learned that was the case, how would she live with the knowledge he’d wanted to end his life?
“I know what you’re thinking,” Ace said, taking the notebook, “but you’re wrong. Linc loved you and your parents. He would never have done anything to intentionally hurt you.”
Closing her eyes, she realized she wasn’t strong enough to go through Linc’s things all over again. It had almost killed her to help her mother do it the first time. “Thank you for offering to share these things with me,” she said, closing the lid on the box. “But I don’t think I really need to see—”
“Just this then,” he said, withdrawing a small black binder.
“What’s that?” she asked, frowning.
“Did you know your brother wrote poetry?” he asked with a half-smile. When she shook her head, he said, “It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? A big tough guy like him writing poetry?”
“It is.” But she knew there had also been a sweet and sensitive side to her twin that he hadn’t shared with most people. Not even his best friend.
“There’s one here I think you need to read.” He turned to a page of loose-leaf halfway through the book. “It’s called ‘Two Hearts, One Mind.’ It’s about being a twin. I think it characterizes how he felt about you better than anything—”
She covered her mouth to muffle her sob as tears filled her eyes.
“Hey,” he said, setting the book down beside him as he put his arm around her. “I’m sorry, Dani. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought you’d want to…”
“It’s okay.” He’d called her Dani again, even after she’d asked him not to. She wasn’t brave enough to tell him the only reason she didn’t want to hear him say that was because it was a painful reminder of how much she’d loved him.
“He wrote one about me too.” He withdrew his arm from her shoulders, easing back on the sofa. “It’s called ‘Brothers.’ You want to hear that one first?”
“Sure.” She already knew Linc considered Ace his “brother from another mother,” as he’d put it. He’d told her dozens of times.
Ace set the binder upright between them as he cleared his throat.
“One day at a time he became my brother,
Every secret shared and dream told solidified that bond.
He taught me the meaning of loyalty and trust,
Standing up for me when no one else would.”
“Ace.” She couldn’t listen to any more. Hearing these things reminded her of how much her brother had loved this man. How much she had loved him. “How do you know he wrote it about you?” There was no doubt in her mind, yet the question gave her a reprieve from hearing the potent words.
He showed her the page. Linc had printed “Mace” in block letters in the corner of the page. Ace flipped through the other poems to show her the names of the people who’d inspired each poem. Her name was on the poem marked “Two Hearts, One Mind.”
“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I thought I could. I just can’t.”
“I understand.” He put the binder back in the box and replaced the lid. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
They traded a look that couldn’t be mistaken. He was talking about more than just the box now…
“I’m so confused,” she said, remembering how incredible it had felt to be kissed by him. No one had ever been able to turn her on the way he did with just those soft, full, sensuous lips. God, he knew how to kiss.
“About what?” he whispered, sounding raspy.
“You. Me. What we’re really doing here.”
“I know you don’t want to be, but can you admit you’re still attracted to me?”
She nodded, knowing it was pointless to deny it. He knew her too well.
“That doesn’t mean you have to act on it,” he said, clearly trying to give her a way out. “Just know I feel the same way.” When she closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands, as she tried to make sense of what she was thinking and feeling, he said, “That’s not why I arranged to see you again. I swear, Dani, I would never intentionally hurt you or try to—”
“You called me Dani again.”
“Sorry.” He smirked. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”
“It’s okay.” It was stupid to be upset about something so insignificant when she had real problems staring her in the face. Like how to come to terms with her feelings for the man responsible for her brother’s death. “I really don’t mind if you call me Dani.”
“Good, ‘cause I can’t seem to help myself.”
They were skirting the real issue, and she knew they couldn’t do that forever. She did have options. She could get up, walk out of this room, and never see him again. But that seemed impossible, given how she was feeling now.
“I want to kiss you,” he murmured, his eyes fixed on her lips. “But I know I shouldn’t.”
“I want you to,” she whispered back. “Even though I know I shouldn’t.”
He moved in slightly, as though he was waiting for her to come to her senses and stop him while she still had the chance. His lips hovered above hers, his minty breath teasing her. “Just say no, Dani.”
“I can’t.”
She closed her eyes as soon as his hand grazed her cheek, and the memories came flooding back. He’d always gone beyond kissing to worshipping her mouth with his, and this kiss was no different. If anything, the depth of emotion made it even more intense.
As soon as his tongue touched hers, she moaned, wondering if she could ever get enough now that he’d reminded her how sexy this simple act could be. It didn’t last nearly long enough, though she was certain they’d kissed for several minutes.
He finally curled his hands around her cheek, resting his forehead against hers. “I think we’re in trouble here.”
“I know we are.”
Chapter Seven
“Have you heard from Danielle?” Rowan asked Ace as he sat on the bench beside Ace in the locker room.
They were preparing for their last game of spring training and they’d been on a five-game winning streak, but none of that mattered when the regular season rolled around. They had to carry that momentum into the games that would shape their season, and that meant Ace had to keep his head in the game for the sake of his team. They were counting on him to come through, and he couldn’t let them down.
“No.” He’d already showered and was lacing his shoes as he tried to ignore the familiar tug of longing that accompanied the mention of her name. It wasn’t the first time one of his buddies had mentioned his ex. Since they met her at the wedding, they’d all been on him to either hook up with her or give one of them the green light to call her. The latter was definitely not happening.
“Why the hell not?” Rowan demanded. “Just call her already.”
“It’s not easy, you know that.” If she’d been any other girl, he would have been relentlessly trying to build on that incredible kiss they’d shared in his suite, but he’d already hurt Dani so much. Could he really risk that again?
“We’re heading home tonight,” Rowan said. “I have her home address. Why don’t you pass by and give her tickets to the home opener tomorrow night?”
“Why do you have her address?” Ace asked, frowning.
“When she was planning the wedding, she asked me and Tenley to meet her there one night. We were supposed to meet at her office, but she got tied up across town and said it would just be easier to meet her at home.” Rowan pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. “Here it is.” He flashed the contact to Ace. “What do you say? Should I text it to you?”
Ace had already invited his parents to the game, and they’d have a million questions if they saw Dani there. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Why are you doing this?” Rowan asked, staring at him. “You know you want this girl, and she’s obviously still into you or she wouldn’t have kissed you.”
Ace knew
it had been a mistake to tell his best friend about that. “How can I expect her to forgive me for what I did?” Thankfully they were alone in the locker room, although most of the guys knew Ace had done time as a teenager and the reason for his incarceration. “I’m not even sure I’ve forgiven myself. And what about her parents? She’s close to them, and being with me would bring all kinds of trouble that she doesn’t need or deserve.”
“She’s a grown woman,” Rowan argued. “She can make her own decisions, man. Point is, you’re not even giving her an option. That’s not right.”
Ace had been making himself crazy, wondering whether to contact her, but in the end, he’d decided it was best for her if he kept his distance. He’d said what he intended to at the hotel: that he was sorry and would do anything to bring her brother back if he could. It was best to leave well enough alone.
When he noticed Rowan placing a call, Ace asked, “What are you doing?”
“If you’re not man enough to invite her to the game, I’ll do it myself.”
“No, don’t!” Ace made a grab for the phone, but it was too late. He jumped up, slamming his locker door shut as he tried not to listen to Rowan’s side of the conversation. But when he heard his name, Ace gave up all pretense and glared at his friend.
“You’d like to come?” Rowan asked. “Awesome. Would it be okay if Ace passes by your place with the tickets tonight? I promised Tenley we’d meet up with her brothers when I get back into town. Perfect. He’ll see you in a few hours. Yeah, I look forward to seeing you too, Danielle. Believe me, it’s my pleasure.”
“What the hell was that?” Ace demanded, throwing his hands in the air. “Are you crazy? It’s the season opener, man. I need to have my head in the game. How am I supposed to do that if I know Dani is there?”
“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have made yourself crazy wondering if she was at home watching.”
He had him there. “Still, you had no right to—”
“I’m your best friend,” Rowan said, standing. “That gives me the right.” He slapped Ace on the back as he walked past. “I’ll text you her address. You’re welcome.”
“Son of a—”
“I heard that,” Rowan called over his shoulder.
“Good!” He could think of a few more choice names he’d like to call Rowan. Not that it would do any good. The damage was already done. Now Ace just had to figure how to get in and out of her apartment without kissing her again.
***
Danielle had already changed her clothes twice since she’d found out Ace would be passing by with the tickets, which was ridiculous since she’d changed from one pair of jeans shorts and tank to another. By the time he’d texted to let her know he was fifteen minutes from her building, she was practically hyperventilating. It had been two months since that kiss, and she’d given up on the idea of seeing or hearing from him again. So what did it mean that Rowan had been the one to extend the invitation to the game, yet Ace was the one dropping off the tickets?
She was checking her hair in the mirror for the tenth time when he buzzed up to let her know he was in her lobby.
“Come on up,” she said, trying to get a read on his mood.
He sounded tense. Had his friend pressured him into this meeting? The Ace she knew couldn’t have been coerced into doing anything he didn’t want to do, but she had to admit she didn’t really know him anymore. People changed… and he clearly had.
“Hey,” she said, greeting him at her door when he stepped off the elevator. God, he looked yummy in a pair of faded jeans and a black Henley with the sleeves pushed back to reveal his powerful, inked forearms.
“Hey, yourself,” he said, grinning. “Long time, no see.”
“Too long.” The words popped out before she could stop them, but it was true. She’d missed him. “How was spring training?”
“Awesome. Feels like we’re really in the groove. I can’t wait for the regular season to start.”
He passed her a white envelope, presumably containing the tickets. He probably could have emailed her an e-ticket or left the tickets at the box office for her, yet he was here. That had to mean something, didn’t it?
“Would you like to come in for a drink?” she asked, stepping back.
“Uh, I try to stay away from alcohol during the season.”
“Sweet tea maybe? Or lemonade? A soft drink?” Anything to get him inside. She’d had a lot of time to think since their talk, and one thing was painfully clear—she couldn’t stop thinking about him no matter how hard she tried.
“Uh, sure. I guess I’ve got some time before I have to get home. I like to be well-rested before a big game.” He stepped into her spacious condo, looking uncharacteristically awkward as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Nice place.”
“Thanks.” She’d shared it with her ex, but when they split, she’d had the money saved to buy him out. “I like it.”
He glanced at the cardboard box by the door. “Are you taking that down to storage? If so, I can do it for you. It’s a pretty big box, must be heavy.”
She was touched that he’d offer and hated having to admit the truth. “It’s Mike’s. He said he was going to pass by tomorrow to pick it up.”
“Mike? Your ex-fiancé?”
“Yup,” she said, leading him into her small white galley kitchen.
“Has he been giving you a hard time?” Ace asked, leaning against the counter while she withdrew two pitchers from the fridge to give him a choice.
“If you mean has he got it through his thick head that we’re done, the answer would be no.” She held up both glass pitchers and smiled when he pointed at the tart lemonade. That had always been his favorite, which was why she’d whipped up a batch when she found out he planned to pay her a visit.
“How’d you find out he cheated on you?” Ace asked, crossing his arms. “He told you?”
“No, my friend Brian told me. He was at the bachelor party with Mike when… it happened. Brian is also his friend, so I guess Mike thought his secret was safe, but Brian said he couldn’t live with himself if he let me go through with the wedding knowing Mike had already cheated on me.”
“Sounds like a good friend,” Ace said, accepting the glass with a grateful smile.
“He is,” Danielle agreed. “He’s my best friend Rosanna’s fiancé, actually.” She pointed toward the living room, where she had two white chairs and a pale gray sofa. Plenty of seating if he was nervous about getting too close and repeating the mistake they’d made in his hotel room. Except she didn’t consider that kiss a mistake and hoped he didn’t either… but with the way he was acting, she had to wonder. “Do you have time to sit for a bit?”
“Sure.” He gestured for her to precede him into the living room.
“Thanks for dropping the tickets off. It was really nice of Rowan and Tenley to invite me.”
“No problem. It was on my way home anyhow.” He looked around the open room, his eyes settling on some framed photos of Danielle with family and friends. There was also one of her with her brother, taken the year before he died. “Did you and your fiancé live here together?”
“Yeah.” She sipped her lemonade, wishing one of them was brave enough to mention the elephant in the room… that damn kiss.
“So you don’t mind living here by yourself?” he asked, looking at her over the rim of his tall glass. “No bad memories after sharing the place with him?”
Danielle loved all the feminine touches she’d added since he’d moved out: fresh flowers, brightly colored cushions, and fresh abstract art that Mike would have hated. “No, not really.”
Ace shook his head, staring at the fluffy white area rug under his feet. “I know I have no right to say this, but you couldn’t have loved the guy all that much. If I’d shared a place with the woman I loved and we split, I couldn’t go on living there. It would hurt too much.”
“What about Stacey?” Danielle asked, curling her hand around the cool glass. “Did y
ou go on living in the place you shared with her?” He shook his head, and she felt a sharp pain. “Oh.”
“Not because I was a wreck when we broke up. It wasn’t like that. We were both cool with it. The relationship had run its course, and I wanted to let her go so she could give it another go with her ex.”
“That was big of you,” she said, trying not to smile.
“Not really.” He shrugged. “I guess I just wanted to see her happy, and I couldn’t make her happy.”
“Why not?” She hadn’t intended to pry, but she was curious.
“I wanted it to work with Stacey, but it didn’t take long for both of us to realize we were trying too hard. You shouldn’t have to force it, ya know?”
“I do know.” Her relationship with Mike was a lot like that. He’d seemed like the perfect guy for her, so she’d tried to ignore the fact that she never felt those infamous butterflies. The kind she still got every time she saw Ace…
Ace frowned when they heard a key in the lock.
Only one other person had a key to her place…
“Mike,” she said, jumping up. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow to pick up—”
Ace set his drink down and stood, facing Mike.
“Ace Phillips?” Mike asked, his eyebrows disappearing into his auburn hair. “What the hell? How do you two know each other?”
Danielle had told her ex-fiancé about the accident that had claimed her brother’s life and that her boyfriend had been behind the wheel, but she’d never told him that boyfriend had gone on to become one of the best players in baseball, with both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to his credit.
“Um, Ace, this is my ex-fiancé,” Danielle said, ignoring the question. She didn’t owe him any answers. “Mike Bernard.”
Ace frowned instead of offering his hand, no doubt thinking about the reason they were no longer engaged.
“I can’t believe this,” Mike said, slamming the door. He turned on Danielle. “Is this the reason you won’t get back with me? Because you’ve been banging this guy?”
Hit and Run (Summer Rush #2) Page 6
