Barefoot Bay: Come And Get Your Love (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Maria Geraci

  She went to put her key into the ignition but he reached across and plucked the key out of her hand. “Adams. What’s really going on here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve got that Bambi look again.”

  Despite her mood, she smiled. “Better?”

  “Not really. Not if it’s fake. We said we’d be straight with each other, right?”

  She wiped the smile from her face. It was stupid, this kinship she felt with Charity Grambling. And if he knew the reason behind it, he’d laugh in her face and tell her to get over it. It had been ten years since that disastrous prom night and the whole thing was such a cliché. She was twenty-seven years old. She knew she was attractive. Not drop dead gorgeous or anything, but she’d had her share of boyfriends. There was no reason for her to hold onto that one little memory. And normally, she didn’t. But the Jack and Felicity incident with Charity had resurrected all those old feelings…

  “Let’s just say, I know what it feels like to have people laugh at you, even if they didn’t mean to hurt you on purpose. And I wanted to make her feel better. That’s all.”

  He studied her for a long moment, and Aubrey was certain that he was about to say something more, but instead he wordlessly handed her back the keys to the Jeep.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Saturday night at the Barefoot Bay Bucks’ stadium was just like any other baseball game he’d played in. The air was alive with anticipation and the smell of popcorn and peanuts. Fans sang and danced along to top twenty tunes blaring over the intercom, then sang the traditional “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seven inning stretch. The crowds, of course, were smaller and there were no national TV crews or other hoopla that went along with a major league game. And it was definitely weird wearing a uniform that didn’t sport the Bombers’ bold red and black colors, but the game was still the game, and his fellow teammates, he was beginning to learn, were first rate players just waiting for their big chance.

  For his first game with the Bucks, he’d been humbled at the reception the crowd had given him upon introducing the starting line-up. They’d cheered and screamed his name, and afterward they’d lined up to get his autograph. Even the three away games he’d played this week were the same. No one cared what he’d done to be sent down the minors, they were just happy to have him.

  He signed the last autograph of the night and posed for a couple more pictures, then headed into the dugout for a much needed shower. It was the first game Aubrey hadn’t attended. After being on the road for the past few days, he’d gotten used to her being around. She’d followed the team bus in that little yellow Jeep of hers, stayed at the crummy hotels that the team slept at, and ate bad food with them.

  She was a good sport and now that they’d come to a mutual understanding of each other’s roles, he’d found that she was easy to talk to. Funny and intelligent, and she caught on fast, too. She was quickly learning her baseball and he had to admit he wished she’d come out to the game.

  Her absence tonight was a clear indication that she now trusted him to follow her “project guidelines,” but he missed seeing her in the stands, waving and cheering him on. He especially missed watching her dance between innings. The woman could shake her ass, that was for sure. He’d been so distracted by her the other night that he nearly missed a cue from the infield coach, something that had never happened to him before in his life.

  If he wasn’t careful, he could find himself falling for Aubrey Adams, which would be disastrous. She’d just opened a new business and he was in the business of major league baseball. Their two worlds had collided for a few weeks, but once he was through here, he’d be back in Tucson and long distance relationships weren’t his thing.

  “Boom-Boom!” Mike Terrico, the team’s second baseman, slapped him on the back. “Great game, man. I can’t believe how you knocked the shit out of that ball! Can I just say once again what an honor it is to play with you?”

  “The honor’s all mine.” And he meant it. Mike was only twenty-three and had some serious game. It wouldn’t be long before the big guys noticed and brought him up to prime time.

  “You going to the party?” Mike asked. “When we’re here in town we all go to Shake It Up. It’s a bar in Naples, just a little way down the road. I could give you a ride if you want.”

  He was about to say no. He’d promised Aubrey he’d go straight back to the resort after the game, but then Dan Mullins, one of the pitchers, chimed in and the rest of the team started chanting Boom-Boom, and he found himself saying yes. Two drinks with the guys and that would be it.

  #

  It was ridiculous, especially since she didn’t even know the couple, but weddings always made Aubrey cry. Maybe it was the knowledge of how much money all this had cost. The Barefoot Brides did a fabulous job creating the elegant and almost ethereal setting that Tamara, the bride, had requested. But none of this came cheaply. Or without a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Willow, Gussie and Ari earned every penny of their fees.

  The bride enveloped Aubrey into a surprise hug. “And thank you, too! Whoever you are!” Clearly, she’d had too much champagne, but her mood was infectious and Aubrey hugged her back.

  It was an interesting way to spend a Saturday night. A part of her felt guilty for not going to the game, but she really wasn’t worried about Brian anymore. He was clearly on board with the program. Getting back to Tucson was his number one goal.

  She had to admit, the past week on the road had been…interesting. She’d been surprised to find how much she actually enjoyed getting to understand the game, and getting to know Brian as well. He was funny and not nearly as spoiled as she’d imagined. He’d ridden on the team bus and slept in hotels without room service and even helped lug around the equipment. All with a smile on his face. Whether he was always like this or putting on a show, she couldn’t say yet. She was just grateful that he was behaving.

  The reception began to wind down. Aubrey helped pass out vials of blow bubbles to the guests and soon the bride and groom were waving their goodbyes amidst a cloud of bubbles and a bevy of congratulatory shouts. Everything had been romantic and dreamy. If she could recreate the mood in an ad campaign (or rather, if Felicity could since she was the creative one in the team) then even without an article in Brides magazine, they’ve have an excellent chance of getting this account.

  “What did you think?” Ari asked. “Ready to open your own bridal consulting firm?”

  “No, thanks. Everything was beautiful, but I know this was the result of hours and hours of work by the three of you.” Now that all the guests had left, the resort staff began cleaning up the mess created by the event. There were empty glasses and dirty plates and ribbons and hundreds of flowers, mainly roses and hydrangeas, all gorgeous and still fresh.

  “What’s going to happen to all these flowers?” Aubrey asked.

  Willow and Gussie exchanged a look. “We always offer them to the family and guests, of course, but this is a destination site so people don’t want to mess with them. I try to recycle them through the resort, but the arrangements are pretty specific and don’t always blend with the décor.”

  “That’s a such a shame.”

  “Yeah, it really is, but there’s also lots of food left over as well. The kitchen staff is great about taking what can be salvaged to a local shelter. Lacey insists on it,” Willow said.

  Speaking of Lacey, she and her husband, Clay, chose that moment to stroll through the outdoor reception area, hand in hand. “We’re about to go down the beach and thought we’d pop in and say hello,” said Lacey. She noticed Aubrey and smiled. “What did you think of the behind the scenes wedding?”

  “Exhausting, but satisfying work,” Aubrey mused. She cleared her throat. “By the way, just so you know, Brian Callahan and I have made up our professional differences. He’s totally okay with me stalking him now.”

  Clay raised a brow, but Lacey laughed. “I know, he and I talked about it. He’s actually a
pretty nice guy. Clay and I just went by his villa. I wanted to ask him if he wouldn’t mind signing an autograph for one my guests, but he wasn’t in.”

  Brian wasn’t home from the game?

  Aubrey checked her watch. It was past midnight. The game should have ended almost two hours ago. Her stomach got a fizzy sensation, like she’d drunk too much champagne, but unlike Tamara, Aubrey hadn’t touched a drop. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to sign an autograph. I’ll just check and see where he is.” She pulled out her cell phone and dialed his number, but it went directly to voice mail. The bubbly sensation in her tummy went sour.

  “Um, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get going.”

  She made the drive to the stadium in record time. The parking lot was empty except for a few cars. One of which she immediately recognized as Brian’s rental car. She tried him on his cell again, but once more, it went to voice mail.

  Could he still be here at the stadium? The place was dark and other than a security guard she spotted walking toward the souvenir shop, completely deserted. She got out of the car and flagged him down. “Hello!” she called out to the guard. “Excuse me, but I’m looking for my friend. This is his car,” she said, pointing to the red convertible Mustang.

  The guard, a beefy looking middle aged guy, looked at her suspiciously. “That car belongs to one of the players.”

  “Yes, I know, Brian Callahan.” She noted his reluctance to acknowledge her statement. “Oh! You think I’m a groupie, but I can assure you, I’m not. I actually work for him.”

  He barked out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s what they all say, lady.”

  “No, really, I work in marketing and PR and I’m supposed to make sure he doesn’t do anything dumb, like, you know, he did before.” She reached into her tote and produced a business card with the Reed and Adams logo.

  The guard looked at the card then shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter if I tell you, it’s not like it’s a private party or anything. Boom-Boom is out with the rest of the team. They’re at Shake It Up in Naples.”

  “Shake It Up?” She was almost afraid to ask what that meant.

  “It’s a bar on the beach. It’s where the team always goes to unwind after a home game.”

  Of course it was. Good grief. He was out partying with the team and doing who knows what. What if he got drunk and took off his clothes again? Or worse? Could she keep it out of the papers?

  “Thank you!” she said before running back to her car. Maybe if she hurried, she could still save him. And save herself in the process.

  #

  The bar was packed with wall-to-wall people and the sound of southern rock blared from the speakers, making it difficult for Aubrey to even think. She shouldered her way through the crowd as her vision adjusted to the dim nightclub lighting.

  She recognized one of Bucks players, but she couldn’t remember his name. “Excuse me, but is Brian Callahan here?” She had to shout over the music to be heard.

  He looked back at her with an alcohol infused gaze. “Darlin’, you’ll have to get in line for him, but I’m available.”

  What did he mean, get in line? “No, thanks,” she muttered.

  She turned and let her gaze slowly travel over the crowded room until she found who she was looking for. And then she understood exactly what his teammate meant.

  Brian stood at the bar, slouched comfortably with a drink in hand, his head bent as if listening intently to a woman with bright red hair. She wore a skirt so short and so tight she might as well be not wearing anything at all. On his other side were two women (twins!) giggling as if it was their job and they were afraid of being fired.

  She’d seen the groupies hanging around the locker room after the games, trying to get his autograph. She’d even seen one of them slipping him her number, but she’d pretended not to notice. What he’d done with that number was his business. She worked for him (sort of) and they were friends (kind of) but that was it. Except this was the first time it was all in her face, and the urge to grab him by the arm and pull him away…

  Aubrey took a deep breath. At least he wasn’t dangling from the rooftops or doing anything else that might draw excessive attention. A few oversexed bimbos, she could handle.

  She marched over to his side. “Hello, there.”

  He straightened to his full height and grinned down at her. He wore a light blue button down shirt and snug faded jeans, and, dear lord, he smelled heavenly.

  “Hello right back.” His voice sounded clear, but his tone was definitely flirty. Was he drunk? She didn’t think so. Yet he seemed different than any other time she’d been with him before. Friendly, but at the same time, it was like he’d been plugged in and was all charged up and ready to go.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she said.

  “Where to?” He took a sip of his drink, the whole time keeping his gaze on her over the top of his glass like he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight.

  “It’s past your bedtime.”

  He gave her a lazy smile. “Adams, are you offering to tuck me in?”

  “Excuse me.” The redhead glared at her. “Boom-Boom and I are talking.”

  “Great. Maybe you can talk and let him breathe at the same time?”

  “What happens if I don’t want to go?” he drawled.

  “Then things could get ugly.”

  He laughed.

  “What are you, his girlfriend?” The redhead gave her a once over as if sizing up her competition. Aubrey still wore her wedding work attire; plain white shirt, black skirt with flats, hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. She felt almost dowdy next to the redhead, with her Hooters-style cleavage and tight clothes.

  “She’s my babysitter,” Brian said.

  The twins giggled some more. They sounded more like teenagers than grown women. Did men really find this attractive? Aubrey tried to rein in her urge to strangle them. “Maybe you two should scram before I have the manager check your IDs and make sure they’re legit.”

  They immediately took off. Which just left the redhead to deal with. Brian continued to look on as if he found the situation amusing.

  The twins weren’t the only ones she’d like to strangle right now.

  Aubrey straightened back her shoulders. “As for you, Miss…Booby McBoobs, like the man said, I’m his babysitter and it’s time to go home.”

  The redhead looked like she was going to argue, but Brian leaned in and whispered something in her ear. She sighed then took one last sip of her drink and placed her empty glass on the counter. “Too bad. But you’ve got my number. Give me a call the next time you’re free.” She sauntered off and immediately found another player to talk to.

  Aubrey grabbed Brian by the hand and led him out of the bar. He didn’t put up any resistance, which was good because she wasn’t kidding about the getting ugly part. They got to her car and she turned to ask him what he’d whispered in the redhead’s ear, but he was laughing!

  “What?” she demanded instead.

  “Miss Booby McBoobs?”

  “I call them as I see it.” He kept laughing, and it was irksome, really. She should be the one laughing at him. “You’re a grown man and that’s how you choose to spend your night? Being…smothered by a bunch of bimbos? Is that redhead really your type?”

  He sobered. “Hey. She was a nice girl.”

  “How could you tell? Your eyes were glued to her chest.”

  “You sound jealous.”

  “Jealous? Of what? Her and you? Ha!”

  “For your information most adults like to go out every once in a while and unwind. We won our game tonight and the guys on the team wanted me to come celebrate with them. So big deal. I bought a few girls some drinks. Nothing was going to happen. Not that it’s any of your business.”

  “But it is my business. What if you ended up doing something stupid that got in the papers or—”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gone was the easy smile and casual demea
nor he’d been sporting up to now.

  “I know that the reason you’re here playing minor league baseball is because you screwed up while you were drunk.” She hated throwing that back in his face, but the man obviously needed a reminder.

  His eyes narrowed and for a second she thought he was going to turn around and go back into the club. “It’s true that I was drinking that night, but I wasn’t so drunk that I didn’t know exactly what I was doing when I took my clothes off. I wanted that photographer to take a picture of me. And for your information, I’ve only had one beer tonight.”

  She shook her head, confused. “I don’t understand—”

  “You want to know why I streaked through that parking lot?” His voice turned dangerously quiet. “I did it because I didn’t want my buddy to end up in the papers instead.”

  “What?”

  “That night, my friend Marcus got some bad news. He was already drunk, but I insisted on buying the team another round of shots. He got even drunker, then took his clothes off and ran through the parking lot. We all thought it was pretty funny, until we realized there was a so-called reporter out there snapping pictures. Marcus went crazy. He has a family and he was already dreading telling them he was being sent down to the minors. So I tried to pay the guy off to dump the story. Only he didn’t want my money.”

  Aubrey swallowed hard. “What did he want?”

  “What those scumbags always want. A bigger story. So I took off my clothes and did a sprint through the parking lot.” He shrugged, like what he was telling her was no big deal, only she could see from the look in his eyes that it was. “I’m single. I thought the only person it would embarrass was my mother, only she’s a good sport and not easily shocked.”

  “And you never dreamed it would end up affecting your own career.”

  “I’ll bounce back. Hell, Phil’s probably trying to get me an underwear endorsement out of the whole thing.”

  Her first thought was that Brian Callahan would totally rock a Calvin Klein underwear ad. Not that she’d say that out loud. And then her second thought was that…