Dropped Third Strike (Portland Pioneers #1)

by Micah K. Chaplin

  Maybe that’s intentional on her part.

  The thought disappointed him a little although he wasn’t sure why, and he didn’t want to try and figure out why either.

  He shook it off and continued his study of the man standing in front of him.

  “Reid, this is Neal. He’s visiting from Minnesota,” Kate said. “I was just showing him around the ballpark.”

  “Nice to meet you, Neal,” Reid said, offering his hand. “So you’re the one who convinced Kate to take a few days off last month. I didn’t think anyone could do that.”

  Neal laughed and Reid wished it were an annoying laugh. He wished for the guy to snort or sound like Janice from Friends. Reid wanted something to dislike about Neal – other than the fact that Kate seemed so enamored with him. Sadly, it was just a normal chuckle.

  “I guess so,” Neal said. “We had some fun that weekend, but she kept up with work and the team. Trust me on that.”

  “I’m not surprised,” Reid said. “Kate’s built this team and she’s done a fine job of it. We were fine for a few days.”

  “Would you guys stop talking about me like I’m not here?” Kate said. “We’ll leave you to your work now, Reid.”

  She took Neal’s hand and started leading him away.

  “See you around, Reid,” Neal called over his shoulder.

  “Sure thing,” Reid said.

  Damn it, the guy actually seems nice.

  He watched them walk a few steps, but then quickly went into the batting cage. He’d seen enough of those two for the morning.

  Out of sight didn’t mean out of mind though. Reid was distracted for the rest of the day. His workout didn’t feel as good as usual, and he felt bad for the young hitter he was supposed to be helping. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t see half of the swings the kid took.

  His preoccupation even stretched into that evening’s game and, if he was being honest, through the rest of the series. With Texas in town, Reid should have been paying attention to how his hitters were responding to the tough Rangers pitching. Instead, his gaze and thoughts kept drifting to Kate and Neal as they sat in Kate’s usual seats. To Kate’s credit, she kept appearances very professional and almost platonic, but Reid knew better. He saw how relaxed Kate appeared with Neal and how comfortable they were together. Worse yet, he couldn’t stop imagining Kate and Neal touching and kissing the way they had in the hallway. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he also began picturing them in more intimate settings and activities. It made him feel sick and uneasy. It made him feel a lot of things he rarely felt. Things he didn’t want to feel.

  He and Kate were long since over, and as cold as she was to him, it didn’t seem like there was any chance of reversing that. Until now, Reid wasn’t even sure he wanted that. But after seeing her kissing Neal, Reid was eaten up with envy. That realization surprised him. And scared the hell out of him. Envy made a man vulnerable. Reid didn’t do vulnerable.

  He wrestled with his realization and mixed emotions for the next few weeks. Neal was gone, so Reid hoped his envy would leave too. He tried to get lost in his work, and work was busy, but not busy enough. Even though the Pioneers were in second place in the division and rosters were expanding to prepare for the playoff hunt, Reid still had too much time to think. And he didn’t like the direction his thoughts had gone.

  Baseball wasn’t doing enough to keeping his mind off Kate, so Reid decided he needed to find another method. There was only one other way he knew to quiet the thoughts in head.

  After the Pioneers finished a sweep of the Seattle Mariners, Reid changed into street clothes and walked to a bar a few blocks from the ballpark. He sat down at the bar and ordered a whiskey and Coke with an emphasis on the whiskey.

  “And keep ‘em coming,” he said to the bartender.

  Reid put a large bill on the bar to underscore his request. The bartender, who didn’t look much older than most of the guys on the Pioneers roster, was happy to oblige the request. As Reid downed the brown liquid, he didn’t look at anyone – except to the bartender when he was ready for another. One man recognized him and tried to make conversation about the Pioneers, but Reid quickly shooed him away. A few women tried to flirt with him, but Reid barely glanced in their direction so they took the hint and moved on.

  He was four drinks and as many shots in when Derek Beaman sat down next to him.

  “Hey, Coach B. Some guys said they saw you come in here.”

  “Yep. Gotta celebrate, you know?”

  “Yeah, we had a good win.”

  “You pitched lights out tonight. You should be celebrating too.”

  “I had a late dinner with the guys. You taught me that was a better way to celebrate.”

  “Did I?”

  “Yep, which is why I’m confused to find you here with your breath reeking of alcohol.”

  Reid shrugged and took a long pull of his drink. He signaled for another, and Derek sighed.

  “Not too long ago, you talked me out of making a really bad decision. I’d like to return the favor. Let me drive you home, Coach.”

  “I don’t want to go home.”

  “Then I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, as long as it’s away from here and not another bar.”

  Reid looked at his drink for a few moments, then quickly finished it and laid some money down on the bar. He waved to the bartender as he stood and turned to Derek.

  “Let’s go then.”

  Derek seemed a little shocked at Reid’s quick agreement, but he didn’t say anything. He just walked out to his car and got in the driver’s seat. Reid leaned back and gave Derek an address.

  “Sounds fancy. Is that your place?”

  “No.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just drive.”

  “I told you I’m not taking you to another bar.”

  “It’s not a bar. Now, start the damn car and take me there.”

  The younger man hesitated for several moments, just studying Reid. With a sigh, Reid reached for the door handle.

  “If you’re not going to take me there, I’m going back in the bar to drink.”

  “No,” Derek said quickly. “No, I’ll take you.”

  The tone in Derek’s voice told Reid he was having doubts. But he started the engine anyway and put the car in gear, driving them away from the bar and across town to the mystery destination Reid had chosen.

  Kate had just fallen asleep when her doorbell started ringing. A loud pounding followed the chimes and then the pattern repeated. She pulled a short robe over her nightgown as she made her way downstairs to investigate all the noise, which was continuous. She flipped on the outside light and when she looked through the peephole in her door, she groaned.

  “Katie, I need to talk to you,” Reid shouted.

  He sounded drunk, and she really didn’t want to deal with him. But she didn’t feel like she had a choice. If she didn’t let him in, he would wake her neighbors … if he hadn’t already.

  She pulled the robe tighter and barely had time to step out of the way as Reid grinned at her and stumbled forward into her foyer.

  “How did you get here?” Kate asked as he pushed past her. “Please tell me you didn’t drive in this state.”

  Only then did Kate see Derek standing on her front porch. She tightened her robe a bit more.

  “I’m so sorry, Miss Marks. If I’d known this was your place, I wouldn’t have brought him here,” the young pitcher rambled. “He was at the bar, and I just wanted to get him out of there, so I told him I’d take him anywhere he wanted to go.”

  “It’s OK, Derek. You did the right thing,” Kate reassured him. “You should get home. Are you alright to drive?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I haven’t had a drop to drink this season thanks to Coach B,” he said. “That’s why I was surprised to find him so blitzed.”

  “He’ll be fine. I’ll take care of him from here,” she said. “Good game tonight.”
/>   “Thanks,” he said.

  But he didn’t move from the step. He craned his neck to look beyond Kate, apparently reluctant to leave Reid there.

  “He’ll be OK. Reid and I are old friends. I know how to handle him,” Kate said. “Have a good night.”

  Derek nodded, turned slowly, and headed back to his car. Kate heard the car start and pull away from the house as she locked the door. She took a deep breath as she prepared to face Reid, who was sprawled out comfortably on her living room couch. She crossed her arms as she stood across the room from him.

  “Make yourself at home,” she said sarcastically.

  “Being with you is kind of like being home,” Reid said.

  Kate rolled her eyes. “You are definitely drunk. Why are you here, Reid?”

  “To see you. We have unfinished business.”

  “We do? I’m pretty sure you took care of finishing things years ago.”

  “You don’t understand, Katie.”

  “I gave up on understanding you a long time ago. I don’t need to, and I don’t want to.”

  “But I want you to. Please, hear me out.”

  “Of course, because it’s always been about what Reid wants.”

  “Katie, whatever I did to hurt you, I am so sorry, and I honestly didn’t mean to.”

  “You’ve said that a few thousand times this year. You can stop anytime.”

  “Not until you believe me and forgive me.”

  “I do forgive you.”

  “No you don’t. And you don’t believe me either. But maybe if I knew for sure what I was apologizing for, it would clear things up.”

  “As I’ve said before, if you don’t know then you probably aren’t really sorry.”

  “Damn it, Katie,” Reid said, standing up.

  Or at least he tried to stand up. The whiskey had clearly messed with his center of gravity. Kate watched as he wobbled. This was not a familiar sight for her. Reid had always been so strong, athletic, and in control. It was strange to see him unbalanced. Kate didn’t like it. The steady, confident version of Reid rattled her, but this version just made her sad.

  Even though he was still wavering a little, Reid made his way toward Kate. With overly deliberate steps, he slowly crossed the distance, as if he was expecting Kate to bolt or back up. But she decided to stand her ground. She could handle him – especially in this state. He was less intimidating like this.

  “Katie.”

  He was close enough now that she could smell the booze on him. And the way he drug her name out gave her an extra dose of his breath. She made a face, but didn’t budge.

  “Katie, please. Tell me why you are so mad at me.”

  “Reid, I think you need to sleep this off.”

  “My ride is gone. You’re stuck with me.”

  “I’m calling you a cab.”

  She pulled out her phone and quickly made arrangements for a pick-up. She was dismayed that a car wouldn’t be there for almost half an hour. That was half an hour more than she wanted to spend with Reid. Then again, with this much whiskey in him, she figured he was pretty harmless.

  “How long are you going to avoid this conversation?” he asked.

  “What conversation?”

  “About our past.”

  “Forever if I can.”

  “What are you so afraid of?”

  “I’m not afraid of anything. I just don’t want to talk about our past.”

  Reid smirked a little. “Then maybe we can relive some of it.”

  She wasn’t sure what he meant by that, and she was caught off-guard when he reached out and touched her cheek. His coordination suddenly didn’t seem the least bit compromised as his thumb gently stroked her skin just to the left of her mouth.

  Now it was Kate who felt off-balance. She knew she needed to pull away, but her brain was not relaying that message to the rest of her body. Or maybe it was, but her body was not listening. The messages got even more muddled when he leaned in to kiss her. It was Kate’s turn to feel intoxicated. Reid’s kisses had always floored her, and this one was no exception. She could feel her knees weakening and her pulse quickening. Her body was betraying her and she felt powerless to stop it. Reid’s lips and tongue currently held all the power, and Kate couldn’t help but melt against him. As nice as Neal’s kisses were, they were nowhere near the caliber of Reid’s.

  At the thought of Neal, she knew she needed to stop this. She put her hands up to his chest to push away, but her body’s betrayal continued. Instead of creating distance, her hands slid along the strong muscles of his upper body and met at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. The thin layers of her satin robe and cotton nightgown provided very little in the way of a shield. She was keenly aware of every inch of him that was pressed against her. He was all heat and muscle. She heard a moan and was surprised to realize it had come from her.

  “Now that’s the Katie I remember,” Reid murmured against her lips.

  His voice broke through the haze, and Kate finally managed to back out of his touch. Her lips still tingled and her body was alight with arousal, but her strong resolve was returning.

  “No, no this isn’t me,” she said.

  “Sure it is,” Reid said, seeming more sober. “And I kind of like it. I think you do too.”

  “No, no, no,” she said, shaking her head.

  She had found the will to resist him, but the logic side of her brain was still a little impaired.

  Reid laughed, clearly amused by this, and took another step toward her, putting a hand on her waist.

  “Come on, Katie,” he said. “Let’s have some fun. We used to be good together. I bet we’ll be even better now.”

  “No,” she said, pushing his hand away. “I’m with Neal, and besides …,”

  “What?”

  “This would be a disaster,” she said, gesturing between them as she accentuated the word “this.”

  “Why do you think that?” he asked.

  “Because I’ve been through this before with you.”

  “Through what?”

  “You and me. The insane chemistry.”

  “Right. I don’t understand why that’s so bad,” Reid said, as he reached for her again.

  “Of course you don’t. You got what you wanted. That’s all that matters to you. You just played me and left. You’ve done that twice, and I’m not going to let you do it a third time.”

  The lust and desire that had been coursing through her body were now replaced with anger and fury. The change was evident in her tone, face, and body language.

  Reid dropped his hand and took a step back.

  “What did you say?”

  “It’s true, Reid. I used to think you were different than other guys – smarter and kinder. But you’re really not. You are just like them – selfish and mean,” Kate said. “I was stupid enough to give you my virginity before I learned my lesson. That was my second mistake with you. There won’t be a third.”

  “Katie … that’s not how it was.”

  “Maybe not for you, but that’s how it was for me. You have no idea what you put me through,” Kate fumed. “Did you know I got pregnant?”

  Reid’s eyes widened and his face went white. He looked like he’d been hit. Well, in a way she supposed he had, but his expression made it seem like he’d been physically hit. He appeared to sober up even more.

  “You what?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You had broken my heart. And then I miscarried, so what was the point?”

  “You still could have told me. I would have …,”

  “You would have what?”

  “I would have been there for you.”

  “I handled it just fine on my own. And don’t worry, I didn’t tell anyone so your reputation is safe.”

  “I’m not worried about that.”

  “I don’t want you to worry about me either. You didn’t care about me back then, so don’t start now.”

  “Yes I did, Kat
ie. I wish you had told me.”

  “Why? I’m really not sure why I’m even telling you now,” she said. “It’s not like you’ve ever cared about me, and the last thing I need is for you to realize the kind of power you have, I mean had, over me. I have no desire to stroke your ego … or anything else of yours for that matter.”

  “Katie …”

  “Stop calling me that!” she shouted.

  “Kate …” he tried again.

  “I don’t want to hear it, Reid. I just want you to leave. Your cab should be here any minute.”

  She walked over to the front door and looked out the window. Her driveway and the street in front of her house were both empty. She wasn’t sure exactly how long it had been since she called the cab. A lot had transpired since she made that phone call, making it feel hours later even though it was probably only a few minutes. She just knew she needed to get away from him. Her emotions were swirling, and her mind was a jumbled mess.

  Naturally, Reid followed her into the foyer. She heard his footsteps behind her as she peered out into her quiet neighborhood. Every house was dark, indicating her neighbors were all still in bed – just as she should be. She wished she felt as calm as the scene before her. She wished she’d never opened the door for Reid. She wished she’d never told him the secret she’d kept between herself and Jill all these years. She took a deep breath and turned around to face him, crossing her arms in front of her.

  “You’ve had a chance to explain your side. Let me tell you mine,” Reid said.

  “I’m not interested in hearing it,” she said. “I don’t need some lame excuse about why you did what you did. What’s done is done, and nothing you say can undo it.”

  “I just want you to understand. There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”

  “And I don’t want to. I know enough.”

  She heard a car pull up and honk.

  “Your cab is here,” she said, opening the door. “Good night, Reid.”

  He stared at her for several moments, unmoving.

  “If you don’t leave, I will call the police,” she said. “So you can go home or you can spend the night in jail.”