by Lyssa Layne
Maddox doesn’t miss a beat. He jumps up and holds out his arm for me like any gentleman would do. He leads us to the diner and I let him order for both of us, knowing he’ll eat everything. Sipping coffee, I try to sober up before Grant arrives. That’s when the realization that I’m homeless hits me.
Thirty minutes later and I’m on my third cup of Joe while Maddox licks his plate clean. The bell above the door rings. Glancing up, I see Grant searching the faces in the restaurant. He frowns when he sees me sitting with Maddox. The two men have met before and Maddox couldn’t care less that Grant is a famous athlete.
I sit up a little straighter as Grant approaches our table. Our eyes meet but he doesn’t say anything at first. I finally look away when Maddox lets out a loud, stinky burp. I smile at the bum and comment, “I take it that you liked it.”
Maddox flashes me a toothless grin. Then, as he realizes for the first time that Grant is there, his smile disappears and he starts to fiddle with his silverware. Grant shakes his head and grabs the bill on the table, muttering at me to come on. I stand and say to Maddox, “Thanks for your company.”
Maddox grins and responds loud enough for Grant to hear, “Any time, Colie! There’s always room on my blanket for you.”
I laugh as I see Grant grimace at Maddox’s comment. Grant turns around and grabs my hand while we walk to the front of the restaurant. Pulling me toward him protectively, we wait for someone to come to the register. His fingers fidget with the charms on my bracelet. He looks down at me and asks for a second time, “Have you been drinking?”
“Three cups of coffee,” I say, still avoiding the question.
The cashier arrives and Grant gives him a fifty dollar bill, telling him to keep the change. He guides me outside to his black Escalade and holds the passenger door open for me.
We ride in silence for a few blocks until Grant finally talks. “I don’t like you being around Maddox.”
I roll my eyes in the dark. “He’s harmless!”
Grant glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “Colie, you’ve been drinking. You don’t know anything about him other than he’s a hobo outside your building. He could’ve easily taken advantage of you. It’s a bad combination I’m not comfortable with.”
I lean back in my seat as I mutter, “Well, I’m not the one who got someone’s apartment condemned.”
Grant grips the steering wheel and glances over at me again. “You can stay with me ‘til spring training starts, then I’ll help you find a place when we get back.”
Oh no, the ugly cry, it’s about to come and I don’t know if I can stop it. With the mention of spring training, the tears prick my eyes and I squeeze them shut to try to fight them off. My emotions are intensified by the alcohol and fact that I might not have a job soon. I’m already out a place to live. As I sniffle, still trying to fend off tears, I feel Grant’s hand on my thigh.
In a low, almost whisper, he asks, “Colie, what’s wrong?”
I sit up, shaking my head. “Nothing, I’m fine.”
I feel his stare, but refuse to look in his direction, knowing if I do the waterworks will start. I open the door and jump out of his SUV, following him into his house. While he’s a multimillion dollar MLB star, he lives pretty modestly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice house and I’m sure he has a proper fire escape. It’s a four-bedroom, three bath, two story home in a small suburb of New York City. It’s a huge house for a bachelor like him, so I don’t feel bad about crashing here for the night… or the next few weeks.
He flips on the light in the guest room that’s across the hall from his bedroom. He points to the bed and says, “I laid out a shirt for you to sleep in if you want to change.”
Grant exits the room and closes the door. I quickly change and use the attached bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth with a spare toothbrush. I know he keeps them under the sink. Last season, when we’d get home late from away games, Grant would insist I stay at his place. His reasoning was that it was safer than me walking by Maddox at early hours of the morning.
I flip the light off and lie down when there’s a soft knock on the door. I hear his voice call out, “Colie?”
“Come in.” I roll over to face him as he sits on the edge of the bed, looking down at me.
“I didn’t mean for your apartment to be condemned.”
I’m not mad, I never was. I know Grant is always trying to do what’s best for me. Not just me but for his teammates as well. That’s the kind of guy he is. He’d give the shirt off his back if someone asked. I let out a long breath and nod before I respond, “I know.”
Neither of us speaks. I watch him inspecting my face in the moonlight and wonder what he’s thinking. He pushes my hair away from my forehead and speaks in a deep baritone, “Tell me what’s wrong.”
That’s all it takes, his calming voice and concern, and I can’t keep the tears in. They start falling down my cheeks and then the sobbing begins. Through the uncontrollable blubbering I can only get out a few words at a time.
“I haven’t… spring training… I’m not going to have… a job… ” Huge sob, it’s ugly, I promise it’s the ugliest cry I’ve ever had. “Or a house!”
Grant pulls me into a hug and I weep against his solid chest. His whispers fill my ears. His breath on my neck, the electricity he’s sending throughout my body, makes me forget about my homeless status for the moment.
“Shhh, Colie. It’s okay. We’ll figure this out, okay? I promise.”
I nod and take a deep breath, sounding more like I’m gasping for air. Pulling away from him, I wipe my eyes and remember the noises in the background when I called him.
“I’m sorry I woke you up. Were you… were you with a woman? Is she here? I can go stay at my sister’s.”
I’m rambling and I know it, but I’m embarrassed that Grant witnessed the ugly cry, and that I’ve possibly interrupted him with a woman.
He shakes his head and smooths my hair back again. “No, Colie, no woman.”
I lean against the headboard. No woman… “A man?”
Surprisingly, Grant isn’t angry when I ask that; instead he laughs and shakes his head. “No, Colie, no man. I was alone. Why would you ask that?”
“I felt bad that I might have interrupted something… and you never show interest in the women I point out, so I thought that… maybe… you were gay?”
My cheeks flame as I struggle to get that out, worried I might offend him. I’m caught off guard when Grant leans toward me, and I quickly slide down against the mattress. His right hand moves to my hip and his left hand gently brushes my cheek. He places his cheek against mine, just the way we were in class this morning. Parts of my body awakened by his closeness. I feel the excitement between my legs, something I haven’t felt in a long time.
Grant whispers into my ear, “Colie, trust me, I’m only interested in women.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, wondering what he’ll do next. He lingers on top of me, his muscular chest pressed against mine until he sits up. His thumb sweeps down my cheek before he stands.
“Good night, Colie,” he calls as he walks out the door.
I can’t collect my thoughts quick enough to respond before he closes the door. My heart races at the interaction that just occurred. Grant is giving Jace a run for his money to be the star of my dreams tonight.
CHAPTER 4
Keep your eye on the ball, Colie, eye on the ball, I remind myself as I stand inside the batter’s box. I watch the wind-up, see the ball release, and BAM! My bat connects with the ball. I don’t watch where it lands, just keep my eye on Benny winding up again. BAM! Benny hurls another pitch at me and it’s way inside. I jump out of the way and step back into the box unfazed.
“Come on, Benny, watch out!” Grant yells at him.
I set the bat down and look at Grant with narrowed eyes. He doesn’t notice my glare as he asks if I’m okay. I ignore him and nod at Benny to throw me another one. BAM!
B
enny looks up and watches the ball fly into left field. “Damn, girl! We might need you on the roster this season.”
I grin at his compliment. Pitchers leave for spring training tomorrow, so the boys are getting loosened up. I love this time of the season. They want to start working on mechanics without overdoing it or throwing at top speeds. Most pitchers prefer to actually pitch to someone. That someone almost always ends up being me. My soon-to-be brother-in-law is jealous of all the batting practice I get and I take every opportunity to rub it in his face. I turn to Grant, placing my hands on my hips. I jut my chin toward the pitching mound. “Your turn.”
He gets up and walks past me. I flip my long blonde braid over my shoulder as I wait for him to take his position. Neither of us has mentioned our conversation from last night. Instead of our normal workout this morning, Grant’s friend met us at my apartment so I could pack some clothes and essentials I needed. He informed us it would be weeks before the fire escape was up to code and I could move back in.
Grant passes Benny who mutters, “Geez, Adamson, you’re so protective.”
I cringe as he says that. It’s not good if the guys notice Grant’s actions toward me. I don’t want them thinking anything is going on between us. I have a strict rule that I don’t date baseball players, especially any on a team I work with. It just happened that Grant and I clicked from day one, but we’re friends, just friends.
After a few pitches, Grant nods at me and says, “Colie, you’re crowding the plate. Scoot back.”
Benny snickers and I whip my head in his direction, giving him a look he understands, as he quickly averts his eyes. Grant hurls the ball over the plate and I pull my swing, sending a line drive directly at his head. He barely ducks in time, the ball missing him by maybe three inches. Benny almost chokes on the sunflower seeds in his mouth as he tries to hide his laughter and ends up snorting. I drop my bat and helmet and face Grant with my hands on my hips. He’s scowling at me, which only makes me grin bigger.
“Nicole, get in here!” my boss Michael yells at me.
Crap. It can’t be good if the boss wants to see me and he’s using my full name. My stomach sinks as I glance at Grant, who raises his eyebrow at me in question. I shrug and walk past Benny, who taunts “Uh-oh, someone’s in trouble…”
My stomach flutters nervously as I follow Michael into the training room. The smell of athletic tape and Biofreeze hits my nostrils and I think I might be sick. Leaning against one of the therapy tables, I try to focus on reading his lips, as I can hardly hear him over the sound of my pulse beating in my ears.
“I have to admit, Colie, you’ve really proven yourself since you’ve joined the team. Adamson and Martinez are proof of your skills. I’ll be honest though, I have reservations about taking you to spring training. I’m not sure how the other teams and new players will accept working with a woman in your position.”
I chew nervously on my bottom lip. Great, because I’m a woman, I’m not going to get the chance to move forward in my career. Typical! I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It’s not like I didn’t know it would be an uphill battle when I signed on.
“But for now, I’m going to overlook my doubts and give you a chance. You’ll report to Sailor’s Park in Port St. Lucie at eight on Monday.”
My mouth drops when he says this. I’m going to spring training! This is my chance, my opportunity to prove I can hang with the big boys. This is exactly what I need to reach my goal and secure my spot permanently with the team.
Michael’s laughter snaps me back to reality. I quickly close my jaws and shake his hand, muttering my appreciation. He nods at me as he looks over my shoulder. “Go tell the guys before they wear a hole in the floor.”
I glance over my shoulder and see both Grant and Benny pacing outside the office. I shake my head at them. As I turn to the door, he says, “Don’t let me down, Adger.”
For a brief second, my excitement turns to fear as he says that, but I quickly push it away. I slowly close the door behind me, not lifting my gaze to meet either of them, but I see both their feet stop in front of me.
After a long moment, Benny clears his throat. “Well…”
I keep my eyes fixed on their feet until I can’t stand it anymore. I look up at them grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. Before I can confirm that I’m going to spring training, Benny hollers and throws me over his shoulder, spinning me around. The few other players in the batting cage look in our direction. I giggle until he sets me down.
I look at Grant, who’s trying to hide a smile. Leave it to him to try and hide his excitement for me. I run to him and jump. He catches me effortlessly as I throw my arms and legs around him, his hands holding me up under my thighs. I lean my head back and let out a cheer of relief. When I tilt my head back up, I’m eye to eye with Grant who is finally letting his gorgeous smile show. I lean forward and squeeze him tightly around his shoulders. He returns the embrace, holding on to me longer than I expect.
He sets me down but keeps his hand on my waist. “I knew you’d be going, Colie.”
I look down sheepishly. Maybe deep down, I did, too. Ugh, I showed him my ugly cry for no reason.
Benny clears his throat and we both look over at him. “Um, I hate to break up this moment, but Colie, don’t forget you need to stretch me out.”
I nod and start to move away from Grant, but he pulls me closer to him. He leans down and quietly tells me congratulations. A burst of energy shoots through me at the proximity of his body against mine. I look up into his eyes, unable to move, paralyzed by the buzz taking over me, a feeling that typically only appears in my dreams.
Once again, Benny clears his throat and Grant lets go of me. I can breathe a little easier now that Grant isn’t so close. I have no idea what’s going on with me. I shouldn’t be feeling this way toward Grant. We’re friends, just friends. I don’t date baseball players.
Dammit, Meg! These thoughts have plagued me ever since Meg made her comment at dinner last night. If my sister had never said anything, I would still be dreaming of Jace, not Grant. Not that Jace is much better.
Benny’s already on the therapy table as I enter the training room. He’s lying back on the table with his hands folded behind his head. He nods toward the ice machine. “Need to cool down, Colie?”
My cheeks are on fire as I mutter, “Whatever, Benny.”
He chuckles but knows better than to say anything else.
***
Grant is sitting on the floor, his back against the couch, while I sit above him. We’re both eating Chinese out of cartons in between me asking a million and one questions about spring training. I draw a noodle into my mouth, giving Grant a chance to ask one himself. “Where do you plan on staying down there?”
I pause. I hadn’t thought about that. I’m still homeless whether I’m in New York or Florida, but I know the team has reserved rooms at one of the hotels for all support staff. “I guess at the hotel.”
Grant scoffs and says, “With the rookies? No way! They’ll all be trying to get you in their rooms, plus fans will be flooding the hotel trying to get autographs and pictures.”
“One, I can handle it, and two, maybe I want to go to their rooms,” I say with a quirked eyebrow, trying to call his bluff.
Grant turns to me, surprised. “You told me you don’t date ball players.”
Damn, he remembered! I shrug in response. Grant opens his mouth to talk, then stops. His jaw moves up and down while he takes another bite. I wonder what he thinks about my comment. He swallows his food and his Adam’s apple bobs. That sensation I felt earlier grows in my stomach again.
He turns to me and says, “I’m renting a condo in St. Lucie. It’s smaller than the house but you’d have your own room and bathroom. It’s right on the beach, too.” He pauses and twirls the noodles in his carton with his chopsticks. “The offer’s there if you want it.”
I smile at his proposal. For the first time in our friendship, he’s letting me decide.
So why do I feel slightly disappointed that he doesn’t demand I stay with him like he normally would? I stand up and head to the kitchen. “I’ll think about it.”
CHAPTER 5
Bright rays of sun fill the room, blinding me as the curtains are yanked open. I cringe and roll over in bed, putting my pillow over my head. As I roll over, the aroma of fresh coffee hits my nose and I begin sniffing to find it’s source.
“Rise and shine, Nicole Adger. It’s time to head to spring training!”
I glance at the clock as I sit up, my hair tied up in a messy bun after a night of tossing and turning due to dreams of Jace Richards and now Grant Adamson. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and hold my hand out for the cup of coffee.
“I thought we weren’t leaving until this afternoon,” I grumble as I take a sip and lean against the headboard. I notice that Grant is already dressed for the day wearing a plain gray t-shirt that hugs his muscular chest. The simple shirt is paired with dark jeans. His hair spikes up in a messy yet totally sexy style.
“I switched us to Benny’s flight, which leaves in a couple hours. I want you to have time to check into the hotel, if you’re still planning on staying there, and then we’ll drive over to the stadium before we do dinner.”
I push the covers back and get out of bed. As I walk to the bathroom, I realize I’m not wearing a bra under my fitted t-shirt, but hey, at least I’m wearing yoga pants. Stopping in the doorway, my hands on my hips, I reiterate, “Yes, I’m staying at the hotel and don’t think you have to babysit me the whole time. You need to focus on getting that starting position.”
Grant nods as his eyes move up and down my body. He’s not even touching me, yet I feel that same warm feeling in my stomach move between my legs. His eyes stop at my chest for a split second and I can feel my nipples standing at attention under my shirt. I shift uncomfortably, although I’ve been guilty of doing the same thing to him.
His eyes meet mine and he says, “Be ready to go in thirty minutes. And I like the messy bun.” He winks and closes the door behind him.
