Meant For Her

by Raine Thomas

  He lifted the card. It read, Wanda Donaldson, Grief Counselor. His first instinct was to tell her thanks, but no thanks. But he thought of how his head was so screwed up that he was leaving Sierra to recover on her own because he couldn’t bear to see her in such a fragile state.

  He met her gaze. He saw a deeper level of understanding there than he’d ever anticipated.

  Nodding, he put the card in his wallet. “Thanks,” he said. “I’d better get ready for the game.”

  “All right,” she said. Her smile conveyed a number of things. “Good luck, Evan.”

  * * *

  He had plenty of time to consider Everly’s words as he rode to the stadium. He went through the motions of interacting with his teammates, trying to get into the celebratory feel of the game, but his mind was elsewhere. The manager decided to give some of the bench players some face time, so he sat for half the game.

  Just more time to think.

  After the game, he sat through interviews, offering vague answers to the ever-present question of whether he’d be returning to Atlanta next season. Then he walked to Caroline Sanderson’s office.

  Had it really only been four months since he’d first met with her? It felt like a lifetime ago.

  Millicent sat at her desk outside of Caroline’s office, her long nails clacking away on her keyboard. Her hair was braided and pulled back, highlighting her prominent cheekbones. She smiled when she spotted him.

  “Hello, Mr. Dorsey. Nice to see you again. Congratulations on the great season. I’ve heard some rumors that you might earn the National League MVP this year. You deserve it.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Ms. Sanderson is expecting you. You can go right in.”

  He thanked her again. As he stepped inside Caroline’s office, he saw she was on her phone.

  Waving him in, she said, “I’ve got to go, Aaron. My next appointment is here. Thanks.”

  As she hung up, he sat in the same chair he’d sat in four months ago. She studied his face for a moment before she smiled.

  “Hello, Evan. Thanks for coming.”

  “Sure,” he said.

  She folded her hands on top of her desk, a sign that she was ready to get down to business. “I gather you know why I requested this meeting. Your contract is coming to an end. I’d like to take this time before the free agency period begins to get an idea of where you and Wayne are in your plans for next season and beyond.”

  Wayne had very little say in the matter, Evan thought. But he didn’t mention that.

  “We haven’t made any firm decisions,” he responded.

  “Is my team among those you’re considering?”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Would I be welcome back?”

  She sat back in her chair. “It’s been an interesting road with you, Evan. On the one hand, you batted three-twenty, hit forty-one home runs, racked up a hundred and fourteen RBIs, and earned yourself another Gold Glove Award.

  “On the other hand, you’ve never made a secret about your dislike of Jensen, and that caused friction that I had to smooth over in the media. And although it certainly isn’t your fault, you’ve brought to light a huge scandal that will keep me busy spinning the media well into next year.”

  Not to mention the fact that I almost got your niece killed, he thought.

  It turned out that Burke really hadn’t done anything other than damage Evan’s gas tank on a poorly guided impulse. They’d settled that matter outside of the legal system. Investigators had confirmed that the other threats and sabotage had been conducted by Larry and Geoff in an attempt to force Evan out of Atlanta. Larry had harbored resentment toward him ever since high school, and it had exploded when Evan joined the team. They discovered that Larry had caused the injury that benched Jensen in an attempt to assume the third base position. But Larry’s actions were irrational. There were several players more qualified to play third than him, including Burke. Larry hadn’t thought beyond the immediate barriers to his goal, though.

  Geoff had been recruited by Larry to keep tabs on Evan and plant some threats at his home. But he’d fixated on Sierra, spying on her and deliberately injuring the dogs to make her spend more time with him. As he realized she was lying to him, his anger grew into a dangerous obsession. The police discovered that he’d stolen a gun from the sporting goods store where he worked, which hadn’t done a thorough job of screening him. He’d lied about his record on the application and HR hadn’t gotten around to processing his criminal background check.

  Thank God he hadn’t yet had time to steal the ammunition for the weapon.

  “I’m merely stating facts,” Caroline pointed out. “These unpredictable sides to your character and career will be examined by every team interested in possibly picking you up.”

  He knew that, so didn’t respond.

  “Now, I’m not one to beat around the bush,” she said, once again leaning forward. “I’m interested in re-signing you. That would depend, of course, on how things go during the next couple weeks. If you end up blowing up a building, we’ll be having a different conversation.”

  Caught off-guard by the humor in her words, he looked up and met her gaze. She smiled.

  “Do you know what you want, Evan?”

  The first time they’d met, he’d thought he did. He’d thought he'd see out his mother’s dream and play the rest of the season in Atlanta, like a final goodbye to her. He’d thought he’d do whatever it took to have his best season yet, make himself as marketable as possible. He’d thought he’d move on after that, following the money wherever it might lead and abandoning the city that reminded him of his painful past.

  Now, he’d found a reason to question all of that.

  “There are a lot of offers on the table,” he said eventually.

  “I’m sure there are. But no other team has Sierra.”

  Blinking, he once again met her gaze. “Did you just attempt to sway me into signing with Atlanta by producing your niece as part of the deal?”

  “I didn’t get to the position I’m in by failing to be creative,” she replied. “I always know what to bring to the table to seal a deal.”

  He didn’t know what to say.

  “It’s not as though I’m saying we’d include her in the contract agreement,” she laughed, shaking her head. “I’m merely making a point. Sierra’s here and you love her. Surely that will weigh into your decision.”

  The way she said it, so easily, so naturally, made Evan realize she was exactly right. He did love Sierra. He’d known it—fought it—for weeks. He’d avoided sharing the depth of his feelings with her, not wanting to make his leaving harder on her.

  So what if he didn’t leave?

  The thought had been rattling around in his mind since the attack, battering against his resolve. Everly had given him a glimpse of what his life could be like if he worked on pushing through the grief. Sierra had started him on the path to healing. If he really wanted it, he could get other help, too.

  “On another note,” she said, “if you decide to move on, I hope you’ll let me know before the renovations are complete on the apartment. I was going to ask for your input if you intended to stay. I’m not opposed to working with you on things like paint and trim colors and such.”

  “Another creative incentive?” he asked.

  She smiled. “I know Sierra painted the family room wall to best display the photographs you donated to her event. It can be painted another color if you’d like.”

  Her reminder of him returning the pictures slashed at him. “Thanks,” he murmured.

  “Are you planning on attending the benefit?” she asked. “You’ve got the time since you don’t have to report for post-season play until Thursday.”

  “I’m…I wasn’t planning on it,” he admitted.

  “I see. Well, here’s an announcement with the details in case you change your mind.”

  She pulled a rectangular piece of heavyweight stationery from her top drawer and handed it to
him. He took it automatically, not wanting to look like a complete ass.

  He gave it a quick scan to be polite. It was obviously professionally done and very polished-looking. The cream card stock was embossed with flowing black script. A signature pink ribbon had been tied through a couple of holes in the top, glued into the familiar loop of the breast cancer awareness logo.

  When he reached the bottom, he stilled.

  A picture of his mother appeared in the lower left-hand corner. Beside it read, All proceeds will be donated in loving memory of Adelaide Dorsey. It listed the dates of her birth and death.

  His vision blurred…yet in that moment, everything became so clear.

  “She didn’t tell you, did she?” Caroline asked in a soft voice.

  He shook his head, fighting for his composure.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spring this on you. I assure you this wasn’t part of my attempt to sway you into staying.”

  Clearing his throat, he said, “It’s all right. I’m glad you shared this with me. And I promise that I’ll speak with Wayne later today.”

  “Does that mean you’ve made a decision?”

  “It seems I have.”

  Chapter 54

  “Oh, my God, Sierra…this is incredible!”

  Sierra looked over as her sister approached with a glass of champagne in her hand. Lane’s smile beamed from her face. The short hairdo she sported flattered her, making her look like a sweet pixie. The sexy black dress she wore, however, had heads turning for other reasons.

  “It really is, isn’t it?” Sierra agreed.

  She currently sat at one of the few cocktail rounds inside Dee’s Designs, nursing a glass of water. Her parents refused to let her drink the champagne because of the pain medication she was on. Since her cut foot was still sore enough that she couldn’t stand for long periods of time even with crutches, she couldn’t fault their caution. Her doctors had even suggested that she not attend the event.

  The zombie apocalypse couldn’t have kept her away, though.

  “This is a freaking smash,” Lane said, sitting in the other chair beside the table. “I think twice as many people showed as I expected. They’re all drooling over your work, too. This is going to lead to some big business down the road, I can feel it.”

  Sierra suspected her sister was right. She’d had a nearly constant stream of well-wishers dropping by from both the Atlanta and Savannah areas, telling her how much they loved her work. Many of them had taken her business card and seemed sincere when they said they’d reach out. Considering how much work she was missing while she recovered, she really hoped they did.

  “I think you’re going to top your goal of ten thousand dollars,” Lane predicted. “Maybe even double it.”

  Smiling, Sierra said, “Thanks. I’m getting nervous. They’re going to start the auction soon. What if nobody bids?”

  “Hell, I’ll bid,” Lane laughed. “Don’t stress, sis. I’ve heard many people talking strategy about how to get the pictures they want.”

  Mollified, Sierra sipped her water and looked again around the showroom. Her parents were mingling on her behalf, dressed to the nines and looking proud as peacocks. Dee and her team manned the cash registers and made sure the food and cocktails flowed. They’d set up tables and chairs outside the shop in the tent-covered parking lot for the auction. At the moment, a DJ played music inside the tent while people hit the dance floor and made their way around the buffet tables.

  All of the event’s elements had been worked out in a form of trade, keeping the costs down. Sierra had exchanged her photography services over the course of the year to each of the vendors involved. There had been little out-of-pocket expense, so just about everything they earned during the auction would go to charity.

  She had every reason to be proud. For a first-time event organizer, she hadn’t done a shabby job. Dee had been a tremendous help.

  She just wished she was happier. This was a big moment, something she’d worked toward for over a year. But it was falling short of her dream.

  “I’m sorry Evan isn’t here,” Lane said, reaching over and touching her hand.

  Fighting back a wave of emotion, Sierra nodded. She’d been struggling a lot over the days since the attack, wondering why he didn’t come to see her. Yes, he called her every day, but it wasn’t the same. She missed him.

  And it spoke volumes that he continued to avoid her when she really needed him.

  “Maybe if you’d told him that you’re donating the money in his mom’s memory…” Lane began.

  Shaking her head, Sierra said, “I wouldn’t want him here just because of that. I know it’s hard to explain, but it is what it is.”

  “No, I get it. You want him here because he wants to be. You want him here because it’s important to you.”

  Lane always understood. She squeezed her sister’s hand in agreement since her throat had tightened again. It was true. She wanted Evan to be there. She wanted him there because of what it meant to her. As silly as it sounded, she felt that his presence would show her what he hadn’t ever told her…that he loved her.

  But he wasn’t there.

  “All right, Sierra,” Dee said, approaching their table. “We’re about to get the auction started. I’ve got a chair for you on the stage. I think it would be best for you to be up there so people can remember the face of the person who brought this all together.”

  “Thanks, Dee,” Sierra said, pushing herself to her feet and grabbing the crutches propped nearby. “Give me a minute to use the restroom and touch up my makeup. I’m sure you’ll be getting a lot of publicity photos taken while this is going on.”

  “You know it,” Dee said with a wink. “They’ll only help both of us.”

  “You want my help, Sierra?” Lane asked as Dee hurried off.

  “No, I’m okay. Go get our folks and take a seat. Try to sit up close so I can look at you and try not to have an anxiety attack.”

  Lane laughed again. “You’ll do great. I’m off, then.”

  As Lane wove through the crowd, Sierra made her way to the employee powder room hidden away in Dee’s back office. She paused briefly to chat with a couple of people on the way. By the time she reached the powder room, a light sheen of sweat dotted her forehead.

  It was harder to maneuver with crutches than she’d ever imagined. In fact, all of this was hard. She’d never realized how much she should have appreciated being able to do something as simple as shower without assistance before. The various sutures still healing along on her back and arms left her just as in need of aid as her injured foot. She knew her parents didn’t mind, but it bothered her to feel so helpless.

  Thanks to her pain meds, her energy was especially hard to rev up this late in the day. That was aggravated by the fact that she wasn’t sleeping well. She’d suffered from numerous nightmares since the attack. They were starting to ease, but she suspected they would always be there, waiting to haunt her.

  “Keep your chin up,” she told her pale reflection. “You’re doing this for Addie and Evan.”

  Taking a few cosmetics from the small purse she’d brought, she used powder to help reduce the sheen and give her a little more color. She touched up her lip color and re-pinned a couple of curls that had loosened from the elegant knot she’d created earlier. After smoothing the long, flowing red dress she’d chosen to wear, she considered herself ready.

  Regina waited outside of Dee’s office. Sierra spotted the wheelchair and frowned.

  “They’re lookin’ to get rollin’, sweetie,” her mom said. “This’ll get you there quicker.”

  Knowing that was true, Sierra sighed and hobbled to the chair. She set her crutches across her lap and arranged her skirts after sitting down. At least she might make it onto the stage without breaking a sweat, she mused, even if she felt weird in the wheelchair.

  Her mom helped her up the few stairs to the stage, as well. Some easels stood beside the auctioneer’s podium to display her w
ork. She realized as she sat down that the bright stage lights kept her from being able to see the audience.

  She supposed that was for the best. Ever since the attack, she’d been more anxious around people. Tonight had been a real test. A good one, she realized, as she was less tense than she’d been in a while. But a test just the same.

  As she knew, it took time to heal.

  “Welcome,” the auctioneer greeted the audience, resulting in a hush. “Thank you all for coming to the first annual Sierra Stratton Breast Cancer Awareness Benefit. Ms. Stratton is well known in the area for her inspiring photography…”

  Sierra sat through the introduction, struggling not to fidget. She kept a smile on her face, trying not to blink every time a flash went off. It felt like hundreds of people were taking photos. She wasn’t used to being on this end of the camera.

  Finally, they got to the bidding. Her palms grew damp as Dee brought out the first framed photograph. It was one of her favorites. A three-year-old little girl with long dark hair and big blue eyes stood in a bed of blue flowers. She crouched down with a look of wonder on her face, examining the single ivory blossom in the bunch, her fingers reaching toward it. To Sierra, it reflected innocence and pursuing something different than expected.

  “This first work is titled ‘Revelations,’” the auctioneer began. He listed a few more facts about the photograph, then said, “Bidding will open at two hundred dollars.”

  Sierra held her breath. This was it.

  The moment of truth.

  Chapter 55

  “I have two hundred,” the auctioneer said, pointing into the audience. “Do I hear two-twenty-five?”

  Relief flowed through Sierra as the number continued to rise. The photograph sold higher than she would have priced it for retail. That trend continued until she firmly believed that Lane’s prediction was right. They were definitely going to double her ten thousand dollar goal.

  Photographs donated by Bastian, Camille, Nathaniel, and a couple of her other photographer friends went for impressive amounts, too. Tears filled her eyes a few times. She couldn’t believe the generosity of the people participating in the auction. It made her heart swell to know she was helping such a great cause.