by Pat Simmons
Shae always felt a bit embarrassed when she received accolades about them. She grinned sheepishly. “Thanks. I guess more people watch our newscast than I thought. I receive so many compliments.” She climbed over the children and took the seat Yvette offered next to her.
“Rahn hasn’t stopped talking about you. He puts you just under any discussion of Jesus and right above baseball.” Yvette giggled, then turned serious. “Marcus and I praise God for your drawing him…Rahn said you were special, and I agree. You two make a good-looking couple.”
Shae felt herself blush as the woman rambled on. She didn’t want to disclose more information than Rahn would like her to.
“Well, the feelings aren’t one-sided. He has a piece of my heart, too.” She felt comfortable enough to reveal that tidbit. Then she craned her neck, looking for Rahn.
“Here.” Yvette nudged her with a pair of binoculars. “Extra pair.”
“Thank you.” Not only did she not look the part of a fan; she hadn’t come prepared as one. Note to self: Buy a jersey with Rahn’s name and number. And a pair of binoculars.
She peered through the lenses, scanning the outfield, then sucked in her breath. Rahn was standing in place, looking her way, as if waiting for her to find him. She could even make out his faint smirk, as if he could sense her eyes on him.
Oh, she missed him. Lord, help me not to jump into his arms when we see each other. She thought about how Whitney Houston had done that when Bobby Brown had been released from prison.
After the national anthem and the first pitch, Shae cheered and booed with the rest of the crowd. She prayed that Rahn would hit home runs every time he was at bat. He didn’t, but she figured it was still worth asking for.
After the seventh-inning stretch, Shae tagged along with Yvette and her kids to the restroom. On the trip back to their seats, a few people approached her and asked for an autograph. She happily obliged them.
By the bottom of the eighth inning, the Cardinals were leading the Astros 4 to 1. Shae groaned when the Astros caught up, tying the game in the ninth. She was ready for it to be over, so she could reunite with Rahn after an agonizing seven weeks apart.
To everyone’s relief, the Redbirds took back the lead and won their home opener, 6 to 5—in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Shae and Yvette exchanged high fives. As the crowd began to disperse, Yvette introduced her to some of the other players’ wives. Shae also acknowledged some city officials who were in attendance, as well as a few familiar faces from church. But the anticipation of seeing Rahn caused her palms to sweat.
While Shae was speaking to a fan, she glanced over her shoulder, then froze. All her bottled-up emotions flashed before her as their eyes danced together until he was within feet of her. Without realizing it, she had memorized his swagger. She didn’t know what to expect, because they had built so much of their relationship while he’d been away. Her answer came when he swept her up in his arms.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Rahn said tenderly.
His hug was satisfying but short-lived. He released her with obvious reluctance and gathered her hands in his. “I want to kiss you,” he whispered. “Will you let me?”
Shae shook her head, also with reluctance. “Too many prying eyes and cameras waiting to click and record.”
Clearly frustrated, Rahn tightened his hold on her hand. “I don’t have a problem putting on a show—on the field or off.”
“I would just rather our sixth kiss be shared in private.” She felt at liberty to flirt.
He grinned mischievously and had the nerve to look handsome while doing it. “Didn’t you know those kisses were for the road? I’m home now, and we’re starting over.”
18
With an arm draped possessively over Shae’s shoulders, Rahn escorted her to the private access door of the stadium. Once outside, they linked fingers and strolled in the direction of KMMD-TV’s parking garage, a few blocks away.
“I’m in a perfect place right now,” she said with a sigh of contentment.
Those were his sentiments exactly. Her presence filled the longing—the sense of incompleteness—he’d felt for the past month. FaceTime and Skype couldn’t replicate this closeness or the scent of her perfume. Rahn halted his steps and scrutinized Shae. He brushed a finger against her cheek and wasn’t surprised by her skin’s softness. “How is it possible that you’re more beautiful than when I left?”
Her eyelids fluttered at his touch, allowing him to admire her lashes.
The moment seemed surreal. Everything around them—traffic, pedestrians, birds—blurred in the background.
“What’s wrong?” Shae smoothed his brows with her finger.
Capturing her hand, Rahn brushed a kiss on it. “I’m debating.”
Her expression grew serious. “What?”
“When is the perfect time to tell you that I love you?”
Shae’s eyes filled with tears. Her mouth opened slowly but closed again before anything came out. She didn’t take her gaze away from his.
Rahn etched her reaction in his mind to make a sketch of later.
Then, as if in slow motion, she threw herself at him with such a force that he rocked on his heels. And she initiated a kiss that was both tender and passionate. Soon they had to separate, panting, to catch their breath.
“Baby,” he said, trying to regain composure, “help me to read between the lines. Does that mean you love me, too?”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes and smiled. When she looked at him again, her gaze was bright. “And it’s scaring me how much I do.”
This was the home run he hadn’t expected to hit for years. “Shae, I’ve never told another woman that I loved her.” He paused, gathering his thoughts, so there would be no misinterpretation of what he was about to say. “But you and I connect, spiritually and mentally. There is nothing about you that I would change. Nothing. This is scary for me, too, but we have God, and I know He’ll help us to keep our relationship pure.”
Easier said than done. The devil came out of nowhere to mock his conviction.
I can keep him from falling. Jesus’ voice chased away the saboteur.
Privy to the spiritual warfare within, Rahn was in awe of how the Lord was forever present to fight his inner battles. With renewed confidence, he entwined his fingers with Shae’s again, and they continued on their way. “We can do this, baby—overcome any obstacle that tries to come between us. I believe that.”
“I’ll top your belief with my trust in God to help us.” She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling, as she wrapped her arm around his. He flexed his biceps involuntarily.
A car honked. Rahn and Shae immediately looked for the offending driver. Yvette was in the passenger seat of Marcus’s black Infiniti, giving them a thumbs-up. With a hearty laugh, Rahn waved them on.
Shae smiled. “I like Yvette.”
“Good, because she was in your corner before you two met. She likes what you do to me.”
They entered the garage and soon reached her car. Once Shae was behind the wheel, Rahn tugged on her seatbelt to make sure it was secure. When he squatted beside the door, Shae reached over and stroked his beard. “My protector. Thank you.”
“Always.” He leaned in for a quick peck on her lips, doing his best not to linger. “I’ll follow you to your place.” He straightened, closed her door, and patted her hood. Then he jogged the few blocks back to the stadium to get his Audi.
It took him no time to catch up with Shae at a traffic light. He tooted his horn.
She rolled down her window. “Show-off!” she shouted. When the light changed, she took off, and Rahn let her get a jump start. He had no complaints about trailing behind her at a snail’s pace, relishing the knowledge that they loved each other.
When they reached Westmoreland Condominiums, Rahn parked a few spaces away from Shae, then got out of his car. Instead of heading his way, she started toward her building.
“Where are you going? I thought we would head st
raight to the restaurant to meet Marcus and Yvette.” He caught up with her.
“I need to change first.”
Scrutinizing her head to toe, Rahn shook his head. “You look perfect to me.” He winked.
“You showered after the game. I just want to freshen up.”
He conceded and reached for her hand, wondering when she would invite him up to her place. As they approached the entrance, Rahn stopped. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he surveyed the tall structure. “I know you told me once, but what floor do you live on again?”
“Fourteen.”
They continued until Rahn opened the door for her and stepped aside.
Walking under his arm, she smiled flirtatiously before acknowledging the security guard. “You remember Mr. Chapman?”
“Of course.” Rahn extended his hand, and the man accepted it. “Thanks for helping me pull off that catered lunch.”
The older gentleman puffed out his chest and grinned. “Glad I could be of service. Anytime. Good game today.”
Chuckling, Rahn accepted the praise.
Shae mouthed, “I’ll be right back.”
So, she wasn’t ready to invite him in just yet. But soon she was going to have to trust him—them. Rahn was about to take a seat when the security guard seemed eager for his company. By the time Shae returned, twenty minutes later, Mr. Chapman had recited his own career stats and seemed clearly disappointed at her reappearance.
Rahn wasn’t. Shae had changed into some sort of wraparound dress that hugged her figure nicely. Whatever his woman wore, she got his attention. His eyes followed her until she was within his grasp.
“See you next time, Mr. Chapman,” he said.
“You bet.”
Once outside, Shae tugged free of his hand. “I was hoping for a little time to stroll on the bike trail before we meet Marcus and Yvette for dinner.” Her innocent expression was akin to that of a schoolgirl. “The weather is nice.”
Rahn smirked, recalling the evening they’d spent together before he’d left for spring training. “You mean, unlike the chilly night almost two months ago.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Yes,” she said in a nearly breathless tone.
“We’ll make time. I’m sure Marcus and Yvette will understand my indulging the woman I love.” He winked.
“I love the sound of you saying that!”
“I love calling you my woman and saying ‘I love you.’” He rubbed his nose in her hair, inhaling the clean, sweet fragrance.
Looping her arm through his, Shae leaned into him, and they wandered in the direction of the park. “I never thought I could miss someone the way I missed you.” She paused. “The phantom lunch date was creative, sweet, and way over the top, but you made it special. I’m not complaining, but I would have been satisfied munching on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if you’d been with me.”
“That’s good to know for next time.”
She gave him a playful jab in the stomach, and he feigned injury. They crossed Lindell Boulevard but never set foot on the trail; Rahn pointed to a bench between two trees that had begun to shed their blossoms. He waited for Shae to sit, then angled his body to face her.
“Thanks for taking off to attend the home opener today. I felt like I was playing in Little League, showing off for my family.”
Shae chuckled. “And I prayed for you to hit a home run every time you came to the plate. Talk about praying off-center. But I did learn some important things about baseball while you were gone.”
“Really? Such as…?” Amused, Rahn tried to give Shae his full attention, but her gleaming white teeth distracted him, as did her faint dimple.
“The sport takes up two whole seasons before it’s over, from April to September. And for the teams that make it to the playoffs, the season isn’t finished until October. By the way, the Cards have won eleven titles, second only to the New York Yankees. And six weeks of spring training is totally unnecessary, since the games don’t count. Just my opinion.”
He laughed.
“However, it makes sense that the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues need the warm weather to practice. My uncle told me all about it, since Florida is known for its citrus fruits; Arizona, its cacti. It’s still too far.”
Was that a pout he detected? He liked seeing the carefree spirit she normally concealed beneath her professional persona.
“Correct. I’m loving your commentaries,” he teased.
“The biggest injustice is the one hundred and sixty-two games—eighty-one are on the road—way too many frequent-flyer miles for me.” She lowered her voice. “That also means I’ll miss you eighty-one times.”
Shae’s vulnerability had him wrapped around her finger. His heart did a somersault. “I see it’s going to be harder and harder for both of us when I leave for my road games.”
Her eyes misted, and she glanced away. Rahn touched her chin and coaxed her to look at him, guiding her face closer to his. “Talk to me, baby.”
She shook her head.
“Something caused your glow to dim. What is it, babe?”
She took a deep breath. “I never thought I’d ever get closure from my last relationship, since Alex was married. It’s not like I could call him and ask why he did what he did.”
The scoundrel. Rahn fought the rage building as his nostrils flared. A real man didn’t mislead a woman, with his intentions or otherwise. “That man was a fool to toy with you, but I plan to cherish your love, and honor God in the process.”
“I’m glad you don’t have any skeletons like that.”
“You can thank God for that. All my dirt was covered with the blood of Jesus when I was baptized, but I can guarantee you, I don’t have any wives or children waiting to surface.”
“It’s a good thing, because I’m not into sharing when it comes to men.”
“Ditto when it comes to women.” He didn’t blink.
Rahn meant what he said about sharing his woman. At the moment, he didn’t even want to share her with his good friends. But Shae had insisted that they keep their dinner date with Marcus and Yvette for a little homecoming celebration.
19
Shae had never been to Niche, even though it wasn’t far from her condo. The restaurant was nestled in the heart of downtown Clayton, minutes from the city limits of St. Louis. One glance was enough to know the suburb had pricy real estate; the mature neighborhoods there screamed old money.
The hostess greeted them with a big smile, then blinked when she seemed to recognize Rahn. Her look of surprise quickly vanished as she moved to show them to their table.
Shae spied Marcus and Yvette waving at them, and she gave Rahn a nudge. “That’s okay. We see our party. ”
Too bad Rahn’s chivalry demanded she walk ahead. Without question, some men liked to eye a woman’s strut and lust like a dog in heat. Yet Rahn never made her feel he was undressing her. She still would have preferred walking behind him and watching his swagger—calculated moves like a jaguar, smooth, sleek, and predatory. His confident stride was an art form that commanded the attention of everyone in the room.
“Hey, buddy.” Marcus stood and shook Rahn’s hand.
Yvette kissed Shae on both cheeks, and Shae was wowed by the woman’s transformation. Gone was the youthful-looking sports fan. The loose curls, carefully applied makeup, and form-fitting yet modest dress showcased her assets well.
“We didn’t know if you two were going to make it after we saw you earlier,” Yvette whispered.
Shae felt herself blush but said nothing. Rahn pulled out a chair for her, and she sat down.
Rahn scooted his own seat closer, and as they scanned the dinner options, he whispered compliments to her behind the cover of his menu.
Giggling, Shae shooed him away. “Stop it, Mr. Maxwell.”
Yvette cleared her throat. “I didn’t think to ask for children’s menus, but perhaps we should,” she teased.
Rahn groaned. “I haven’t seen my lady in months. Leave us alon
e.” He took Shae’s hand and squeezed it. “At least you get to go home to a wife,” he said to Marcus.
Their server appeared, introduced himself as Hanson, and stood ready to take their orders. “May I suggest the chef’s tasting menu?” Hanson went on to explain that the custom menu featured samplers of all the entrees.
They decided to sample ten entrees among them.
“And may I recommend a wine to complement your selection?”
“We don’t drink,” Rahn stated, to Shae’s delight. “How about iced tea or soft drinks?”
Hanson took their drink orders and then disappeared.
“So, how are you liking St. Louis?” Yvette asked Shae.
“More than I imagined,” she answered honestly. She enjoyed her job and had fallen in love when she’d least expected to.
“I hope to be one of the reasons.” Rahn gave her a pointed look.
“Most definitely.”
Rahn brought her hand to his lips, and his mustache tickled her fingers. She squirmed in her seat, reminded that they weren’t dining alone. “Stop it,” she warned him gently.
She could barely think straight with Rahn by her side, yet she refocused to display her home training. “Sorry. Ah, yes, St. Louis is treating me exceptionally well, and it’s much closer to Philly—my hometown—than my last job. As a reporter, I get to see the beauty of the city, as well as places I’d rather not visit by myself.”
“Like shooting zones,” Rahn interjected with a grunt.
Shae rolled her eyes. “Yes, we cover shootings, fatal car crashes, and fires, but we also celebrate youth achievements, company milestones, and amazing stories that only God could have orchestrated.”
“No offense, Shae,” Marcus said, breaking off a piece of warm bread, “but there’s too much bad news that overshadows anything good.”
“That’s a fair observation. No offense taken.” She heard that comment a lot, and she’d learned not to take it personally. “It’s the viewers who tip off the media about the drug dealers and the shootings in their neighborhood before the police get to the scene. And unfortunately, those calls outnumber the ones about the great-grandmother who’s turning a hundred or the comeback kid who survived a tragedy to graduate at the top of his class or the local grocer who is donating food to shelters instead of throwing it out.”
