“Kyle said I could hang out at the stadium tomorrow since it’s Saturday and I don’t have school!” Michael blurted out.
“Yes, I said that, but we have something more important to discuss first.” Kyle lightly nudged the boy. “Well?”
“Right.” Michael stepped closer to Julia’s desk. “I didn’t know you and Kyle were once a thing! But thank you for gettin’ him here. For me.”
Julia blushed, the heat flushing her cheeks. “We weren’t… We didn’t… You’re welcome.” Once again she shot Kyle a glare.
Kyle shrugged. “Just giving credit where credit was due.”
“Thank you,” she said, oddly touched. And still embarrassed. “Now, what’s this about a day at the stadium?”
“Well, that can only happen if you come along because I have to be in the dugout and I can’t very well keep an eye on him.” Kyle gestured toward Michael, who looked at her with big, imploring eyes. “I’m going to try to get him in as a batboy, but even then it’ll be a help to have you there.”
Julia felt stunned. First, because Kyle’s generosity was staggering. Macy, the publicist, had promised a meeting. That’s all. And second, because the man had actually made promises to the boy dependent on her agreement. And the unrepentant man stood there grinning as he stared her down.
“Come with me, please?” Michael practically hopped up and down with excitement, begging her.
“Unless you have other plans?” Kyle asked, his laughing blue eyes begging her, too.
“He said you can sit in the owner’s box! But I can’t go without you cuz my mom has to be here with Manny.” Michael’s voice dropped at the reminder of his brother and the potential disappointment that might be heaped on him if Julia said no.
Not that she would. She’d never turn Michael down. As for Kyle…
Julia shook her head at the two ganging up on her.
“Well, what’s it gonna be, sweetness?”
Kyle used his old nickname for her and everything inside her melted. Danger signals pummeled every part of her body, even those that enjoyed the sensual onslaughts caused by the sound of that name coming from his sexy lips.
Somehow she forced her stare away from Kyle and looked at Michael. “Of course I’ll take you,” she told him. “If your mother says its okay.”
“Yes!” He pumped his fist in the air, letting loose all the joy he’d been withholding for the last few months.
“You said you wanted to meet Manny, right?” Michael asked Kyle, the teen obviously in hyperdrive. “So let’s go now and I’ll ask my mom.”
Kyle shook his head and laughed at the boy’s enthusiasm. “I’ll meet you there, okay? I want to talk to Ms. Caldwell.”
“About what?” Michael asked, sticking his cute, curious nose where it didn’t belong.
“Yes, about what?” Julia asked him, curious herself.
Kyle rolled his eyes. “I was going to ask her over for dinner tonight. I’ll even cook.”
The teenager grimaced. “Hey, real men don’t cook!”
“If they want to eat they do,” Kyle assured him.
And Julia knew that knowledge came from years of painful experience. But she didn’t think being alone with Kyle was a good idea. Too many unresolved feelings were involved, at least for her.
And all the reasons she wouldn’t have gone along with him almost ten years ago, even if she hadn’t had a terminally ill sister, still remained. Magnified now by his status and success, and her own inability to trust.
“Scram so we can discuss this in private,” Kyle said lightly. He turned from Michael to Julia. “Unless you want to answer me right now so I can walk with Michael to his brother’s room?” He sounded teasing, yet was deadly serious. She saw the determined intent in his gaze, the same intent that had gotten him this far in the major leagues.
He wasn’t above using his new young friend to get her to agree, either. Dirty pool, Julia thought.
“What is this?” she asked them. “Tag team?”
“Is it working?” Kyle tipped his head endearingly.
Oh, she had it bad. Again.
“Is it?” Michael mimicked. “Say you’ll have dinner with him, please?”
She wondered if Kyle had put him up to this or if they just played off each other naturally. If so, Kyle Hansen would make a great father. She shivered at the thought and knew she had to get him out of here.
“Well?” Michael pushed.
“Okay. I’ll go to dinner.” The words were out before she could stop them.
The gleam in Kyle’s gaze told her how pleased he was that she’d agreed, while the butterflies in her stomach told her this was a really bad idea.
Kyle wasn’t accustomed to using a kid to get what he wanted from a woman. Most women would throw themselves at his feet for the opportunity to have him cook them dinner at his home. He liked that Julia made him work for it. She’d always stood out from the other girls and she was still unique. Worth any effort he had to put in.
He wanted to get to know her again, and Michael had been the catalyst to make that happen. He was a good kid, Kyle thought. Whether he was as talented as he was passionate remained to be seen. He’d bring him on the field, hit some balls, let him pitch and see what he was made of. Kyle saw a lot of himself at fourteen in Michael Cortez. The sullen moodiness that was a cover for lack of attention at home, the arrogance barely kept in check and the all-encompassing love for baseball.
One look at Michael’s brother, Manny, and Kyle knew exactly how consumed their mother had to be with the other boy’s illness, how left out Michael was and how much emotional pain he was in. If Kyle could give him this one day out of time, away from the awful reality of his life, he would. Whether or not Julia had been able to join them. It was to his benefit that she could, even if it had taken a little arm-twisting.
Right now, he had a home-cooked meal to worry about. One that was less about impressing her with his skills than invoking old memories. And since he’d insisted on picking her up at her apartment instead of having her drive to his place, he didn’t have all that much time left to prepare.
Good thing his plan wasn’t complicated. It just involved simple food, some catching up and a whole lot of seduction afterward.
A few hours later, with everything at his house under control, he drove over the bridge connecting the island where he lived to the MacArthur Causeway and the rest of Miami Beach. Her apartment was fairly close to the hospital, an up-and-coming neighborhood, far enough from the bad areas to keep her safe. It was way different from the suburban neighborhood in which she’d grown up, though, with large houses on spacious lots, reflecting both an upper-middle-class mind-set and wealth.
To his surprise, Julia met him outside her building, not waiting for him to come ring the bell or even step out of the car to open the door for her. He wondered if this was her way of making sure he knew they weren’t on an official date.
Little did she know.
“You look beautiful,” he said, taking in the floral sundress that bared her tanned skin. A nice change from the more conservative pants and top she wore to work.
A light blush stained her cheeks. “Thank you.”
He pulled onto the street and headed back to his place. He’d already decided not to let silence reign. “So where did you go to college? And how long have you been working at the hospital?” He figured the best way to relax her was to talk about the present.
“Well, let’s see. I went to the University of Florida and did my graduate work at Nova. I did certification work at Caridad del Cobre, and of all the places I interviewed, it was the one that really made me feel needed.”
“I can see why. I met Michael’s brother today.” He caught her somber nod before refocusing on the road and felt compelled to ask, “How do you do it?”
“Work with sick children?”
Nothing so simple, Kyle thought. “No, work with them and not revisit your own memories every single day?” He couldn’t imagine it wa
s easy.
She set her jaw and he could tell this wasn’t a subject she wanted to discuss. “I don’t,” she said tightly. “I mean, I do revisit the memories, but the truth is I’d do that whether I worked in the hospital or not.”
“You think about her often?” he asked gently.
“Every day. But at least I’m doing something to help kids who are sick like she was, parents who have to learn to cope and even siblings like Michael.”
“I really admire you,” he said, surprised at how gruff his voice sounded.
“You, Miami’s favorite son, admire me?” She let out a laugh. “Now, that’s some pickup line. You should add it to your arsenal.” She folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in the plush leather seat.
He shook his head and grinned. “What makes you think I need pickup lines?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh. So all it takes is your charm and good looks for women to fall at your feet?”
He gripped the steering wheel tighter in his hands. “Actually, all it takes is my seven-figure contract,” he admitted, and not without embarrassment.
It had gotten to the point where it was hard to tell a woman who wanted and accepted him and those who wanted what his income could buy and his status could gain them. He’d all but stopped trying to figure it out and had taken himself out of the game altogether.
“Sucks to be you,” she muttered.
He laughed, but recognized the hollow sound. “You’d be surprised.”
She seemed about to reply, when they reached Bridge Road and the view captured her attention instead.
They were having a late dinner and the sun had begun to set on the water. He knew how the myriad colors must be affecting her. The incredible orange, red and yellow bursts against the darkening sky still left him in awe.
“I’ve never seen anything this beautiful!” she murmured.
He glanced at her profile and knew he could argue the point, but he doubted she’d believe him. She was more reserved with him than she used to be and he didn’t think it was just the years that caused the distance. Julia was different now. More introspective and somber. He still had a lot of work to do and trust to rebuild.
Trust that needed to go both ways. He hadn’t forgotten that she’d abandoned him. He merely understood that her reasons for staying were far more compelling than his for leaving. But they’d both let something solid and good go without trying to make it work long-distance. That they’d never attempted to understand the other’s reasons spoke to their immaturity at the time, and he hoped that was something they could talk about, work through, and see if anything remained.
Julia had grown up not lacking for anything. She supposed she’d belonged to an upper-middle-class family. Probably closer to upper class, if she really had to give it thought. She rarely did because what her parents owned had nothing to do with the life she led except for the minimal amount of money they’d insisted on giving her so she could stay in Miami and move into a safe neighborhood.
But now, as she walked into Kyle’s easily ten-thousand-plus-square-foot home on three acres of Star Island real estate, she was forced to acknowledge he was way out of her league. Not even their differences way back when could compete with the stratosphere that separated them now.
The lush greenery of the island itself had been spectacular, and she’d admired it on the drive here. But his home was unbelievable. Immense beyond her imagination.
They’d entered through an arched doorway to soaring ceilings and enormous living areas that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. The color scheme was neutral, but there was nothing simple about the place. She could barely take it all in.
“Your home is…surreal,” she said, knowing she sounded as if she was in awe.
She was.
“I liked that it had enough room to put in a batting cage and a hitting machine. The pool is good for my workouts and the sauna helps ease the aches and pains.” He spoke lightly, as if his needs were simple.
“Makes sense.” She supposed.
She glanced at him standing in the marble entryway, breathtakingly handsome in khaki pants and a black T-shirt that accentuated his broad chest and muscled arms. Except for the greater definition added to his physique, and the maturity in his face, he looked the same as she remembered. And though his voice was a little deeper, he even sounded the same. But everything else about him was different.
Had to be different, given that he lived in this massive but hollow house. The Kyle she’d known had wanted out of the poor, dangerous neighborhood in which he’d grown up, and he’d wanted to play baseball. She’d sensed it wasn’t just about the sport, but needing someplace to belong. The field and the camaraderie of being on a team gave him that. But in all their talks about his future, he’d never mentioned material things, or status. In fact, he’d disdained the trappings of wealth that her parents valued—the luxury cars, the country club, the yacht. Yet the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home she’d grown up in could fit into a corner of Kyle’s mansion.
She shook her head. Then again, maybe he’d just been jealous of what he couldn’t have. Maybe he’d secretly yearned for all this. But all this made Julia uncomfortable.
“Are you ready to go into the kitchen?” he asked. Unaware of her thoughts, he grasped her elbow, obviously intending to take her there.
“Wait.” Before they headed to the other room, she had more questions that she needed answered.
“What’s wrong?”
Julia glanced up the winding circular staircase that seemed to disappear into the ether. “How many bedrooms are up there?” she asked.
He paused a beat before answering. “Ten.”
“Bathrooms?”
Once again, he hesitated. “Eight,” he finally said.
“Ten bedrooms and eight bathrooms… And you live here alone?”
“Yeah. Unless you count Mrs. Watkins, the housekeeper—I knew her from the neighborhood where I grew up. She needed a job so I brought her to work here.”
Julia nodded. That sounded more like the Kyle she knew.
“And there’s the staff that it takes to come in and out and keep this place running,” Kyle added. “But other than that, it’s just me.”
“Then I just have one more question.”
He shoved his hands into his back pockets, eyeing her warily. “Okay…ask away.”
“Why?” The question had burned inside her since the enormity of the house and the wealth it represented had sunk in.
Kyle dragged in a deep breath, meeting her gaze with his stunning blue eyes. “At the time I purchased it? Just because I could.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Kyle would have been embarrassed if it were anyone else he was answering. But from the minute he’d pulled his SUV into the four-car garage and Julia had stepped into the house, he’d sensed her discomfort. The more he revealed, the more her unease had grown. If he’d given her any answer but the truth, she’d have known.
And bolted without a second thought.
“Look, can we at least talk about this in the kitchen?” he asked.
“Just tell me you don’t have a five-course meal planned and staff ready to wait on me,” she said, obviously trying for a lightness she didn’t feel.
He sensed the seriousness behind the joke. Good thing he’d been sure he still knew her well. “No staff, no courses, just you, me, pasta and garlic bread.”
Awareness crept into her eyes and her tight expression eased. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Come see for yourself.”
She grinned and her lips lifted in a genuine smile. The burdens she seemed to carry suddenly fled. “You remembered!”
“Do you really think I could forget?”
He’d always refused to bring her to the run-down apartment where he’d grown up. But there was one night when he’d changed his mind. Her parents had been too busy at the hospital and missed one of Julia’s awards ceremonies at school and his father had left
to visit a relative out of town. Kyle had gone to the ceremony, standing in the back until it was over, just so she had someone in the audience. Then he’d brought her back to his place, cooked her spaghetti and garlic bread to celebrate her award and slept with her for the first time.
“I wasn’t sure before,” she admitted, her gaze sweeping around the house he’d bought as a statement to himself and to the world.
I am somebody, he’d thought as he signed on the dotted line. It might have been the smallest house on the island, and he might have gotten a foreclosure deal because of someone else’s misfortune, but last year when he’d signed his three-year thirty-million-dollar contract and bought this place, he’d felt like a king.
For a little while. Until reality set in along with the emptiness of the huge house. Then he realized he was stuck with a big parcel of real estate and nothing else. This place had never felt like home.
Until Julia had stepped inside.
“But I’m sure now.” Her voice cemented that thought. “You haven’t changed in here…where it counts,” she said, pressing her hand to his heart, which pounded hard and fast inside his chest.
“You’re sure about that?” he asked, needing to know that someone still knew him, not the marquee player expected to perform.
“That you’re still you? That this house doesn’t mean you’ve lost the things I loved—liked most about you?”
His breath caught. Even if she’d changed her mind about saying the word, something strong and important still existed between them.
She nodded. “If you cooked me spaghetti and garlic bread again, then yeah, I’m sure.”
And just like that, the wariness and distrust she’d been feeling faded and she stepped toward him until he was enveloped by her fragrant, sensual scent. The years melted away and suddenly she was in his arms, his lips coming down on hers and taking him to the only place that had ever felt like home.
At one time Kyle’s kiss was the answer to every dream Julia had ever had. Every hope, every wish and every fear. That had changed, but for the moment, she wound her arms around his neck and gave in to the familiar feelings.
More Than Words, Volume 7 Page 4
