Julia shook her head. “No, he’s just a very special boy.” She went on to explain her relationship to the teenager and how he’d brought Kyle back into her life again.
“Life works in mysterious ways. Kyle’s great with kids. Every fundraiser the team has, he’s the first one out there, hands on, hanging out with them.”
Lisa was giving her insight into a side of Kyle she didn’t know—hadn’t had the chance to know.
“I saw him throwing balls with the boy before the game.”
“That’s great! Validation from Kyle will mean everything to Michael.” Julia didn’t know how to thank him. This was so much more than she could have hoped for.
She realized she was taking Michael’s situation to heart and was getting way too close, both to the boy and to Kyle. Julia knew better than to get emotionally involved with patients at the hospital or their families, but she couldn’t seem to help it.
With Lisa by her side, Julia relaxed and enjoyed the game. Not only did Kyle pitch a phenomenal seven innings, but while in the dugout, she saw him rallying his team and fulfilling his role of captain. To the delight of the fans, the middle relief pitchers and then the closer held on to the win Kyle had handed them and the day was a huge success.
Since Michael was with the other batboys and Kyle would bring him to her later, Julia remained in the box and watched the press conference that followed on the big-screen television. Kyle fielded the reporters’ questions like the pro that he’d become. He joked with the press, addressed many of the sportswriters and columnists by name and was at ease with himself and the world around him.
When the questions turned from today’s win to the upcoming schedule, she discovered the Suns were about to embark on a ten-day road trip to the West Coast. Ten days. She didn’t know why the length of time surprised her. She was aware baseball players spent huge amounts of time on the road. That had been one of the many reasons she wouldn’t have gone with Kyle way back when, even if her circumstances had been different. She knew they’d end up living separate lives. The reminder that he’d be gone for ten days confirmed for her that they lived in parallel worlds. And his world had no place for her in it.
But she wasn’t ready to walk away from him just yet. She could have tonight, said a small voice in her head. And maybe she could revisit the past and survive, as long as she knew ahead of time it was just one night.
Her breasts tingled at a possibility she found extremely appealing. As long as she separated her body and her heart, she’d be fine. Unfortunately it was her heart that took a huge leap an hour or so later at the sight of Kyle, his arm around Michael’s shoulders, as he strode out of the locker room to meet her.
“Hey there!” She forced a smile and waved as the two of them walked up beside her. “So? Good day?”
“It was so freaking cool!” Michael’s eyes lit up. “I watched the game from the field. I caught balls and washed the players’ cleats after the game. And Kyle says I have talent. Real talent. He wants me to have a chance to learn, so he’s going to find out about getting me a permanent batboy job.” The teen was more animated than Julia had ever seen him.
“That’s fantastic!” she said, her heart expanding by the minute at the change in the sullen boy she was used to seeing at the hospital.
And she had Kyle to thank.
She met his gaze, hoping he could sense the gratefulness and admiration she felt for him at this moment.
He winked at her and her knees went weak.
“Are you hungry?” he asked Michael.
The boy shook his head. “I can’t wait to get home and tell my mom!”
“She said she’d be at your place after the game, so we’ll drop you off and you can fill her in,” Kyle said. “How about we pick up some drive-through on the way home?”
“Burgers, Shakes and Fries?” Michael asked.
Obviously he felt comfortable enough with Kyle to suggest his favorite. Another testament to the man: he was a superstar, but could still put a child who looked up to him at ease.
“You really think that’s the best takeout?” Kyle asked.
“Ms. Caldwell brought it back special for me when we watched the game at the hospital the other night,” Michael said, playing the Julia’s-better-than-you-are card.
Kyle caught on immediately and grinned. “Well, if Ms. Caldwell eats Burgers, Shakes and Fries while watching me play, I’m all for it.”
“That’s not what he meant.”
“I know. But it’s what I heard.”
“Shameless,” she muttered under her breath.
He laughed. “I heard that, too.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Kyle dropped Michael and his hamburgers—plural—at his place with his mom and left them alone for what Kyle knew was very rare private time. There was much in the boy that Kyle could relate to, but not the desire to share things with the one parent who’d stuck around.
Grateful for time alone with Julia, he slid an arm across the back of the passenger seat and glanced her way. “You’ve been quiet.”
“I think Michael did enough talking for all of us,” she said, laughing.
“What about you? Did you have fun today?” She was a great sport, being at the game as Michael’s chaperone if needed, but essentially she’d been alone most of the day.
“The box was nice. And I met Lisa Banks, your first baseman’s wife. We hit it off.”
“I’m glad. Frank’s a great guy. I like his wife, too.”
“There were other women in the box with us,” she said.
From the tone of her voice, he knew exactly which women she meant. The rookies must’ve wrangled tickets from Macy, he thought in disgust.
“Who were they?” he asked, in case he was wrong.
“The type of women we passed on the way into the stadium. Big hair, bigger chests, painted-on jeans.”
“The rookies’ bimbos,” he muttered.
“Is that what you call them?” she asked lightly. “Must be nice for you guys to have such easy access all the time.”
He burst out laughing. “Is that what you call it?” He pulled into an empty space near her building and cut the engine.
“Come on, Kyle. It’s not a bad life if you can get it.” She turned to meet his gaze straight on.
The last thing he wanted was for Julia to believe he’d ever be interested in that kind of woman.
“What makes you think I want it?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Um, you’re a man?”
He placed his hand over his heart. “I’m insulted.”
“You’re telling me those women don’t interest you?”
“Not anymore.” He trailed his fingers along her shoulder. “In fact, not for a very long time. And definitely not right now.”
Her eyes opened wide. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious.”
A slow, dare he say sensual, smile tilted her lips. “In that case, do you want to come inside?”
Only an idiot would say no, but he had one question. “As long as you tell me what changed your mind. Just yesterday, you weren’t ready.”
“Yesterday I was overthinking. Today I’m not.”
He didn’t know what to make of that. But he also knew the only way back to each other was to jump in with both feet and other willing body parts.
“Then let’s go upstairs—and not think.” He helped her out of the car and let her lead the way to her apartment, his heart pounding in his chest as if it was his first time.
She hadn’t been his first, but he’d been hers, and he’d really thought she’d be his last. Talk about young and stupid.
She unlocked the door and walked inside, flipping on a light. “This is it,” she said, spreading her arm, gesturing around.
He meant to look at where she lived. Instead, he only saw her—his first love, her face flushed, her gaze intent on his. She drew her tongue over her lower lip and that was all the invitation he needed.
He pulled her into
his arms and lowered his lips to hers. Things moved quickly after that, kisses turning frantic, the heat exploding between them into an inferno.
Her top went flying, his shirt came next.
He barely had a moment to take in her womanly body before she reached for the waistband of his pants and all rational thought fled. “Julia, I think—”
“You said we wouldn’t think,” she reminded him, peppering his neck with soft, nuzzling kisses.
“Not thinking, just suggesting we might want to move it to the bedroom?” The hard wall and floor would be fun, but not what he wanted for their first time in ten years.
She grinned. “Okay, that kind of thinking is allowed.”
He lifted her into his arms and followed her directions to the bedroom. And from the time he lowered her onto the bed and they stripped off the rest of their clothes, neither one of them thought at all.
Kyle woke up at six as he always did, no alarm, just his internal clock. The warm female body snuggling against him told him immediately something was different—in a very good way. Unlike him, Julia had never been a morning person, often making it to school just as the bell rang.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He kissed her cheek.
She didn’t stir.
He grinned, liking that some things hadn’t changed. Not that he’d ever woken up beside her before. But she was still not a morning person.
And she still rocked his world. Completely. Unlike any woman ever had. Or would. They had a connection that went beyond years, beyond the physical.
Kyle showered and dressed before waking her to say goodbye. He eased down on the edge of the bed and kissed her awake.
“Mmm. This could potentially make me a morning person,” she murmured against his lips.
He sat up and grinned. “Glad to hear it.”
She blinked, still sleepy, and pushed herself up against the headboard. Realizing she was still naked, she pulled the covers over her. The show of modesty was a little late as well as unnecessary, but he let it go.
“I’ve got to go home and pick up my things. Team has to be at the stadium for a meeting, then we leave for a ten-game road trip.” One he hated taking right now, when they’d just gotten started. That was the main reason he’d decided to wake her and not let her think he’d just walked out.
At the reminder of his trip, her eyes grew shuttered. “Good luck.” Her smile was forced.
He decided to just push past her resistance by ignoring it. “Thanks. I’ll be fine. I’ve got you as my good-luck charm.” He winked and leaned in for another kiss.
She wasn’t as soft and giving this time.
His gut tensed, but he had to go. “I’ll call you from the road.”
“Safe trip,” she said and snuggled back under the covers.
He bit the inside of his cheek and rose to leave. They might have a long separation ahead of them, but they had a lot to discuss when he returned.
Julia rose and made herself a cup of her favorite herbal tea, soothing in smell and taste, but not the least bit healing. She spent the day cleaning her apartment and doing errands she normally accomplished on the weekends when she wasn’t at work. Then she met a friend for dinner at her favorite sushi place, and though grilled mercilessly, Julia refused to admit anything was bothering her.
Why tell a single living soul she’d allowed Kyle Hansen back into her bed…or her heart? For all his talk about her being his good-luck charm and calling her from the road, she refused to believe it meant anything more than an easy way to get out the morning after. He wasn’t just on the road, he was gone from her life.
Monday morning, Julia headed to work, and by the time Michael arrived after school, the entire hospital knew about the teen’s experience at Suns Stadium. The buzz about Kyle Hansen grew louder. As loud as the smack, smack, smack of Michael’s ball in the mitt. A sound that struck her now as one of joy, not frustration, and Julia wondered if her imagination had gone wild.
Monday night she climbed into her bed, a place that held memories of Kyle. His scent lingered on her pillow and she sensed his presence on the other side of the mattress, making her wish she’d slept with him at his place and not hers.
Annoyed with herself, she fluffed her pillow and turned off the lamp, when the telephone rang. She fumbled in the darkness and finally answered on the third ring.
“Hello?” she snapped, her foul mood finally coming out.
“Is that any way to greet a man who’s only at the beginning of a long trip?”
“Kyle?” She sat upright in bed, surprised to hear his voice. Surprised and extremely happy.
“Is there another guy in your life I don’t know about?” he asked, his tone suddenly wary.
“No! It’s just…I didn’t expect you to call.” She gripped the phone harder.
“You’re kidding, right?” He expelled a harsh breath. And probably a curse she couldn’t hear. “Never mind, don’t answer that. You really had so little faith in me?”
“It wasn’t about faith. It was about reality.”
“And in your reality I’d make love to you and not call?” His voice rose, his disappointment traveling through the telephone lines. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence,” he muttered.
Julia winced. Put like that, he had every right to be hurt. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for your feelings.”
Silence descended.
She swallowed hard. “How was the flight?”
“Long, and we have a game tonight. It’s always rough playing on West Coast time.” He spoke, but she could tell she’d offended him and he wouldn’t quickly forget it.
“Well, good luck,” she said softly.
“Thanks.”
When he didn’t say any more, she took the hint. “Bye,” she said, disconnecting the call and letting the phone slip to the floor.
“Way to go, Julia.” He said he’d made love to her, but how could she let herself believe that was anything more than a nice choice of words?
What did he expect her to think? That after all this time apart, superstar Kyle Hansen suddenly wanted his old high school girlfriend back in his life?
That she belonged there?
Kyle’s bad mood permeated every phase of the team’s West Coast trip. The Suns went on a losing streak and Kyle blamed himself. It might be a team effort, but his lack of enthusiasm affected the mood in the dugout and all the guys reacted accordingly. He tried to pull it together, but he couldn’t get over the simple fact that Julia hadn’t thought he’d call her.
She’d really been so badly scarred by her past that she believed he’d use her for sex and not contact her after. Even when he’d said he would.
If he thought it would help, he’d call her every day, but he knew better. She needed to see him in person to gauge his sincerity. And that wouldn’t be happening for five more long and very frustrating days.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Six days had passed since Kyle left on his road trip. Five since he’d called her, Julia thought. Apparently it wasn’t so hard to scare him off after all. Not that that had been her intent. But at least now she knew she’d been right. At the first sign of conflict, he backed off.
Her stomach cramped at the painful truth. She turned her attention to the mail on her desk, when someone knocked on her door.
“Come in.” She looked up, surprised to see Michael waiting to speak to her, as always, in his number 22 jersey.
“Hi there!” She put down her papers and focused on the boy. “What’s going on?”
“Nothin’.” He kicked at the floor with his sneakered foot.
She wasn’t buying that for a second. “Did you just come by to say hi?” She rose and walked to the door, gesturing for him to step all the way in, and led him to the chairs in front of her desk.
He didn’t answer.
She sat beside him. “So you’re here because nothing’s up.”
“There’s a father-son breakfast at school,” he muttered without
looking up.
“Aha.” Her heart twisted for the boy. It couldn’t be easy for him.
It was too bad schools were still so insensitive about the change in family dynamics. As for Michael, his mother had to be at the hospital anyway, which left him alone. She searched for the right words, not wanting to ask if he had an uncle or someone else who could attend, only to lead him right into more disappointment if he said no.
“But Kyle gave me his cell-phone number,” Michael said, his tone perking up.
“He did?” Julia asked, surprised. She doubted Kyle Hansen shared his cell-phone number with every kid he met.
Michael nodded. “He said if I needed anything, to just call. So I left a message telling him the exact day, time and place of the breakfast. I know he’ll be back in town by then and I know the Suns don’t have a game until that night. And it’s a really early morning breakfast. Like before school starts, so he’ll be able to make it.”
Julia opened her mouth and closed it again. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t make promises for Kyle. But Michael was looking at her with big brown, hopeful eyes.
“I’m sure he’ll do his best,” Julia said. “Has he answered you yet?”
Michael shook his head. “Nope. But he doesn’t have to. I know he’ll be there. He said if I need anything to just give him a call.”
The naiveté of youth, she thought, looking into the eyes of a child who had already experienced so much pain and heartache.
She was afraid he was in for more. Kyle was just a stranger to Michael, one the boy had put on a pedestal. For all Julia knew, he’d forgotten he’d given the teenager his cell number. Maybe he wouldn’t remember about the breakfast once he returned home from this disastrous road trip and the losing streak the team was on. Or maybe the breakfast was just too much of a hassle. Like Julia herself.
“I’m sure he’ll do the best he can,” she hedged. “What’s the date?”
Michael told her.
She realized immediately that the Suns were due to arrive back in town late the night before. Who knew if Kyle would be up to an early breakfast, let alone remember to call if he couldn’t make it?
More Than Words, Volume 7 Page 6
