“I…I just wanted to say goodbye,” I finally said.
“Goodbye then,” he said and it was quiet again.
“Sawyer,” I began softly. “I know you’re not happy about this…about Adam and me. I know you’re mad at him, but please, Sawyer…please don’t be mad at him…and please don’t be mad at me.”
He didn’t say anything right away. He looked away with a harsh glare in the direction of the truck before bringing his eyes back to me.
“I’m not mad, Caroline,” he sighed. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing, Sawyer, but really, do any of us know what we’re doing when it comes to this stuff?” I asked quietly, folding my arms and scraping the toe of my shoe against the dirt. He looked like he wanted to say something, but his mouth remained closed until the silence started to grow uncomfortable.
“I just hope, for your sake, Adam really is the man he says he is now.”
The silence settled in again and I looked at my brother uneasily.
“I hope so too,” I said, surprising myself with my words. I could hear the doubt that was always there, even when I told myself it wasn’t. I couldn’t help it though. It was too deep, even though my heart told me everything Adam said to me was the truth.
“I’ll see you in a couple of days,” Sawyer finally said, pulling me in for a quick hug before letting go and disappearing into the barn.
I didn’t move for a few seconds as I stared at the door my brother had just walked through, but then I slowly turned and looked at the truck and the man waiting for me. I walked towards it, opening the passenger door and meeting Adam’s eyes.
“All set?” he asked and I nodded, climbing inside.
I buckled my seatbelt and then I felt Adam take my hand.
“Here we go,” he said, kissing the back of it and backing out of the driveway. As he turned towards the highway, I wasn’t prepared for the feeling I got when I looked back and my family’s little farm faded into the distance. It had been our sanctuary and now we were leaving it. I tried to push down the nerves and told myself it was going to be a great weekend.
Twenty-Eight
It’d been forever since I’d been to Boston and I’d almost forgotten how crowded it was. As Adam navigated through cars and one way roads, I was reminded of when my parents brought us to Boston to tour The Freedom Trail. We’d been standing outside of Paul Revere’s house when a giant RV pulling a small sedan behind it appeared on the narrow street. I remember staring at it, wondering how in the hell it was going to fit through everything and that was exactly how I felt as Adam maneuvered his monstrosity.
“Why in the world did you get such a huge truck when you live in the city?” I asked Adam after we crossed the Charles River and made our way into a neighborhood that didn’t seem as crowded as the rest of the city. It seemed quiet actually. I even noticed a woman out walking her dog. It all seemed too normal for what I’d been expecting. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was I was expecting. Maybe some kind of gated community, but it wasn’t something as ordinary as this.
“My truck is not that big.”
“Yes, it is. Unless you live on a ranch.”
“It’s just a truck.”
“But, you live in Boston. This city is hard enough to get around without being in something the size of a tank.”
“I don’t drive it much in the city anyway so it’s not a problem,” he said, grinning over to me. “So, I manage just fine, Miss Hale. See, I got us here in one piece, didn’t I?”
“We’re here?” I asked and he nodded, turning onto a cobblestone street and easing into a spot in front of a townhouse.
“This is it,” he said, turning off the engine.
I peeked out the window for a moment and then opened the door, stepping out into the humid summer air. I immediately reached for the elastic around my wrist and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. It felt hotter here. Probably from all the asphalt and buildings trapping the hot air. It felt claustrophobic compared to the open spaces of Silver Falls.
Adam walked up beside me then, bringing me back from my thoughts. He had our bags in his hands and then gestured towards the door.
“Ready to go inside?” he asked and I nodded.
“Yeah,” I said and followed him to the steps.
He punched in a security code and then he opened the door. I followed him in and then stopped in the doorway, looking around the place Adam called home. I was surprised at how impersonal it seemed. It was as if he’d hired someone to come in and buy the furniture and decorate. It was masculine, just as I’d expected with dark colors, mostly grays, blacks and blues, with a linear, modern feel, which didn’t quite seem to fit in with the history of Boston.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding the last couple of years,” I said.
“No. I’ve only lived here a year. My first place in Boston was a far cry from this,” he said and I followed him into the kitchen. Just like the rest of the apartment, it was nice. Crisp and clean with top of the line appliances, but impersonal.
We passed through the kitchen and I followed him up the stairs and down the hall until he opened a door at the end. He walked inside and I saw it was his bedroom. I followed him in as he tossed our bags onto the king sized bed that was covered with a gray comforter.
“It’s…it’s really nice.” He turned to look at me skeptically.
“I sense hesitation.”
“No,” I said quickly. “It’s an amazing townhouse.”
“Then what was with the pause?” he asked and I was quiet for a few seconds, wondering what I should say to him.
“I guess…I guess it almost seems too perfect,” I said, wincing a little as the words left my mouth, hoping I hadn’t offended him.
“How can something be too perfect?” He was smirking at me now and I could tell he was curious.
“Well, c’mon…is there even a speck of dirt anywhere?” I said with a laugh.
“I haven’t been home in almost two months, so I haven’t been able to make a mess, plus I have a housekeeper come in once a week or else this place would look like a dump.”
“I guess I’m just used to being in a house that actually seems lived in. I’m almost afraid to touch anything.”
He grinned at me, his eyebrow raising mischievously and then he went back to the bed and the bags he’d set on it a few moments before. He started undoing the zipper on his duffel bag and then before I realized what he was doing, clothes were flying through the air, landing all over the room.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I laughed, bending over and picking up a pair of his boxer shorts that had landed at my feet.
“Trying to make you feel more comfortable,” he said, continuing the shower of clothing.
“By tossing your clothes all over the floor?” I said, still laughing as the clothes kept flying.
“It looks lived in this way, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I feel like I’m back home with Sawyer just down the hall from me when we were kids. I said it should feel lived in, not like a pig sty,” I said, still laughing as I began walking around and picking up the clothes.
The barrage of clothes stopped and then I felt Adam’s arms around my waist. He spun me around, my arms still full of clothes. Our eyes met and he took the pile from my hands and tossed them onto the chair in the corner.
“I love it when you laugh, even when it’s because I’m driving you crazy,” he said, leaning in and kissing me before I could say anything else. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Caroline. I know it’s been a crazy couple of days, but maybe this is what we need. You,” he said, kissing me softly. “Me.” Another kiss. “Just us,” he said, kissing me once more.
“I’m glad I came,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes, trying not to think about the last couple of days and the conversation I’d overheard between Adam and my brother just a few hours earlier. I didn’t want to focus on the negative. I just wanted to focus on
the positive.
“I was thinking we could go to the game tonight,” he said, his arms still wrapped around my waist, his eyes looking down on me with a smile on his face.
“The Red Sox game?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’d like to see the team and,” he said, giving me another slow kiss, “I’d like to show you around the ballpark.”
“Are you serious?” I asked as the excitement started brewing.
“Yeah. Totally serious.”
“I’ve only been to Fenway once. It was forever ago and we had the worst seats in the bleachers. I got so sunburned that day,” I said with a laugh.
“I assure you, your seats will be much better at tonight’s game. Whaddya say? Are you in?”
“Yeah. Definitely,” I said just as he leaned in for one more kiss.
~~~
The first pitch was set for seven o’clock. Before we got to the ballpark, Adam took me to a cute restaurant in Little Italy. Adam spoke to the hostess and we were able to get a table in the back where the lighting was lower and we were able to enjoy our late lunch in relative anonymity. It wasn’t until we were leaving the restaurant that a group at a table recognized him and just like every other time I’d been out with him and fans approached him, he handled it with ease. He stopped for pictures, signed some autographs and listened to the guys at the table bitch about the pitching rotation.
We eventually left though and made our way to Fenway. As suspected, the traffic to get to the field was bad. Traffic was usually terrible in Boston, but Adam eventually pulled his truck into the player’s parking area and the madness that surrounded Fenway Park seemed to disappear.
“You okay?” he asked, looking over to me before we got out.
“Yeah. Just incredibly nervous for some reason.”
“Don’t be nervous.” He took my hand, kissing the back of it before letting go and getting out. We met at the front of the truck and then he took my hand again. He led me to a gate and reached for his credentials, but the old man manning it, just waved us through.
“Good to see you back, kid,” the man said, patting Adam on the back.
“Thanks, Chuck. Hopefully it won’t be too long till I’m back on the mound again.”
“Any news?” he asked.
“I’ve got an appointment tomorrow. I should know something then.”
“Good luck. The team misses you.”
“Thanks,” Adam replied and then led me into a hallway. “That’s Chuck,” he said, turning to me. “He’s been working here at least thirty years. Good guy. Loves the game.”
“He seems to love you too,” I said, with a playful smile.
“Everyone in Boston loves me, Sweet Caroline.” He grinned and I nudged into him causing him to laugh. “You wanna see some batting practice?” he asked a moment later and I nodded.
“That’d be awesome,” I answered as we continued walking. He stopped a few times to say hi to people, but a few minutes later, we stepped through a door and the green walls of Fenway Park lay before us. We were nearly on the field and I looked towards home plate. Players were gathered around tossing the ball or watching their teammates hitting. Growing up a fan, I found myself staring, wide eyed and open mouthed, in awe of being here and being this close and mainly because my boyfriend, whose hand I was holding right now, called this place his office.
“You look a little stunned.” He laughed quietly and when I finally tore my eyes from the field and looked over at him, I saw a huge smile on his face.
“I am,” I said, looking back at the players. “This is incredible. I mean…this is Fenway Park and I’m…I’m almost on the field. The players are right there. It’s amazing.”
“I’ve impressed you then?”
“Yeah, just a tad,” I said.
“I hope it’s only the first of many times.” He squeezed my hand and our eyes met for a few seconds. For a moment, I forgot about everything else and I was simply happy. I loved seeing him like this. It was the first time since he’d shown up in Silver Falls that I saw his love of baseball. I’d wondered if he really loved the sport and looking at him now, it appeared that he did.
~~~
The night was a blur. It all seemed to stream together, but it had been an amazing time. We sat in the clubhouse for most of the game, but in the middle of the eighth inning, Adam led me out to the stands.
“We can’t miss this,” he’d said to me as Sweet Caroline started playing over the loudspeaker. He’d taken my hand and along with the rest of Fenway Park, we’d sung the chorus loudly, punching our fists in the air to the beat. When it was over, he reached over and kissed me. It’d taken me by surprise, but it was the best memory of the night. He’d pulled back, smiling at me in a way that told me he loved me and wasn’t afraid to show anyone. It left me breathless and I knew whatever happened, it was a moment I’d always cherish.
We were back at the apartment now, the lights and excitement of Fenway Park just a memory. We’d come back to Adam’s place after eleven. Neither of us was that tired, but Adam had to be up early for his doctor’s appointment and we decided to go to bed.
We each took a shower. It’d been a long day with the drive from Vermont and then the walk around Boston in the humidity made it necessary. He took one in the master bathroom while I went into the guest bathroom. When I was done, I slipped into my pajamas, towel dried my hair and then brushed my teeth. I took a deep breath before I opened the bathroom door and headed for his room. The door was open a crack and I peeked inside. He was already in bed, sitting up against the pillows, the blanket pulled up to his waist. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and just the sight of him like this caused all kinds of thoughts to run through my mind.
Slowly, I pushed the door open and his eyes raised to meet mine. He didn’t say anything at first, but I saw the way he looked at me. His eyes moving slowly down my body told me he’d been having the same thoughts as me.
“How was your shower?” he asked as I leaned against the doorframe, my arms folded across my stomach as I looked at him.
“Nice. How was yours?”
“A shower’s a shower…unless it’s with you of course,” he said, one side of his mouth rising higher than the other. I couldn’t help but laugh, looking down at the ground as I pushed a piece of damp hair behind my ear.
“Is that something you’d like to try some time?” I said as I looked up again, meeting his eyes.
“Now that’s just about the dumbest question I’ve ever heard. Of course I would,” he said and I started to laugh before walking to the other side of the bed and pulling down the covers, climbing in beside him.
The sheets were cold as I settled under the covers, resting my head on the pillow and then turning on my side. He reached over and turned out the lamp on the nightstand next to him and then scooted down so he was under the covers and facing me too. We laid in silence for a few moments as his feet began rubbing over mine.
“So, it was a good night then?” Adam finally asked, breaking the silence.
“Tonight was amazing, Adam. Thank you for everything.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m just glad you had a good time.”
“I did, Adam. Truly,” I said, reaching up and resting my hand on his cheek that was starting to get rough from the regrowth since his morning shave. “I can’t believe you get to live that life every day.”
“Sometimes I can’t either.”
“You miss it, don’t you?” I asked and he nodded.
“Part of me didn’t think I did, but after being back at the park, seeing the guys, feeling the crowd, I know I do.”
“You’ll be back at it soon,” I said, trying to reassure him, even though neither of us knew for certain if that was true.
“Maybe,” he said and I could sense the worry in his voice. “I’ll have to wait and see what the doctor says tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry, Adam,” I said gently. “I’m sorry you’re going through this right now.”
“It’s fine
. It’s life. Shit happens and unfortunately, it happened to me.”
I scooted closer, looking into his eyes. There was just enough light trickling in from outside that allowed me to make out the silhouette of his face and the shine in his eyes. I moved closer, gently pressing my lips against his for a few moments.
“But, it’ll be okay,” I said quietly, our lips still close.
“When I got to Silver Falls and I left this all behind,” he began softly, “I was relieved. I wanted to leave it behind. I wanted to be done with it and I’m glad I was…for a little while. The time away…it…it brought me to you, Caroline, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy, not with anyone, and I love you for that.” He kissed me sweetly and when he pulled back, I could make out the smile on his face in the darkness of the room. “But tonight…being at the ballpark with you…seeing your excitement…it made me realize how much I want to be out there again, to have you in the stands…” His voice faded off as he leaned in, kissing me slowly for a few seconds. “I’m scared, Caroline,” he whispered. I could see the fear in his eyes. This was Adam DeLain. I didn’t think he was afraid of anything, but this man lying next to me was frightened and my heart ached for him. “I’m afraid of what the doctor will tell me tomorrow. That my arm is shit. That I’ll never pitch again. I can’t do anything else, Caroline. I never even graduated college. Baseball is all I know. What am I gonna do if I learn tomorrow it’s all over?”
“Adam,” I whispered, resting my hand on his cheek again and looking into his eyes. “It’ll be okay. Whatever happens tomorrow, whatever the doctor tells you, it will be okay. I wish I could tell you not to worry, but I can’t, but I do know you’ll be okay no matter what news you get tomorrow.”
He was quiet for a moment, but then he laughed quietly.
“Something tells me to believe you, Caroline.”
“You should believe me,” I said, smiling back to him before kissing him again.
“I’m glad you agreed to come with me. I know it wasn’t easy for you,” he said a few moments later as we continued to lay on our sides, our faces only inches apart.
Catching Caroline (Silver Falls Book 1) Page 24
