Falling for Centerfield

by Sophia Summers

  “Um, I think so? Let me read it to you.” He pulled it out. “Cordially invited . . . blah . . . yes, the annual gala. Hmm. Looks like it.”

  “Cole, they invite big names to this. It’s kind of an arm candy competition.” She paused, and he wondered what he was supposed to say to that. At length she continued, “You sure you want to invite me?”

  She was the only person he wanted to invite, but he couldn’t tell her that. “He said someone I can tweet about . . .” He cleared his throat. “Harlow. You’re the only one. I know we are a mess, but when I think of going to all the work of asking and taking a beautiful woman somewhere, you are the only one I can even picture at my side.”

  “I think he was envisioning someone famous, a big name.” Her voice came out strangled, affected.

  “#HeckleHarlow. You count. We bring in more conversation than almost anyone.” His owner seemed unhappy with the direction it always went. “But this time, let’s try to keep the focus on my team, selling tickets, filling seats to watch us play.”

  “I can do that. My best friend might have a dress I can borrow.”

  “Thanks, Harlow.”

  The pause again. And then, “You’re welcome.”

  “I’ll have a car pick you up in the morning.”

  “It’s a good trade.”

  “Right. I received my Seneca Falls update email this week.”

  He said goodbye and then texted his assistant to arrange the flight and car for Harlow and then showered at the stadium so he could go straight to the apartment to visit his parents. His dad was in between therapies, and they heard these weeks would be the worst for him as the side effects really kicked in. He was getting weaker, and the treatments might not be working as well as everyone hoped they would, but they wouldn’t know for sure until the series completed.

  As he pulled through the security gate and waved to the guard, he tried to rally his spirits. But he didn’t think things could be any lower. A date with Harlow was now won by publicity tradeoffs, his baseball career was turning into a marketing ploy, and his father seemed sicker every day. But he had a date. As pathetic as that sounded, no matter how he had convinced her, at least he had a date with Harlow Ember.

  He opened his favorite picture from his phone files to cheer him up. He and Harlow facing each other in their first dodgeball faceoff. Her face, competitive, fun, and interested. He saw the spark. She tried to hide it, but there it was. Maybe he could cling to that spark. Maybe that ember of something could be fanned back into the bonfire he knew. Even if she thought him the worst kind of person. He shook his head and pocketed the phone. Not likely.

  Chapter 22

  Harlow climbed out of Cole’s limo in the airport hangar and was directed up a set of stairs into the jet. She tried not to be giddy, tried to be casual about this, but a squeal or two might have slipped out. The staff ignored her over-exuberance, but she thought she might have seen a small smile on the attendant’s face before he turned away.

  She buckled her belt and leaned back in the most comfortable chair she’d ever sat in on a plane.

  The attendant went through the safety announcements and then brought her a basket. “Mr. Hunter thought you might like these.”

  She took it from him and peeked inside and laughed. “This is excellent.”

  He dipped his head and left to prepare for takeoff or something. She pulled out a lumberjack figurine and a mini cowbell in Belltown colors, then a pack of their signature maple caramels. Mmm. She would have one of those right now. And then a stack of magazines. She flipped through them, impressed. Not the typical mindless read. He’d sent her The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The National Review, The Oprah Magazine.

  Underneath all of that were her favorite snacks ever. The candied nuts they sold just off campus all winter long. The smell lingered everywhere, and she usually munched on them more than any other thing all through the winter. How could he know? And how did he get a fresh bag? She could smell them. A note was attached. “I think you always had a bag of these with you whenever I saw you at Belltown.”

  He had noticed? Even then? Still, the man confused her more than any other. How could someone so attentive, so caring, be so completely oblivious and uncaring all at the same time? Impossible. Somehow she was too blind to see his faults or completely misunderstanding his goodness. Oh, how she wanted him to be good. But until she was sure, she had to keep her distance.

  Why had she agreed to this date? Because she owed him. She did. And a part of her wanted to go. A gala, his whole team. She had a thing for athletes, and, she admitted, one hard core dangerous crush on Cole. Throw in a private jet and limo ride, a borrowed glitzy dress, and she was sold. Besides, he promised to come to the women’s rally. Not really a trade, she reminded herself. He made that clear, and it had melted a tiny portion of her ice wall between them. His attendance at her rally was going to make it a huge success. He brought potential for way more publicity than she could hope for without him. Who didn’t love a handsome guy speaking up for women? I mean, what woman didn’t love it?

  After a blissfully quiet and comfortable flight, they landed in California. She thought they were in LAX, but she’d never had an easier experience. Luggage straight off the plane, no lines anywhere, and an escorted hallway straight to Cole’s limo.

  She resisted playing with all the buttons but only just. A voice from above said, “Miss Ember, Mr. Hunter would like you to know there are beverages under the console on your left.”

  “Oh, um, thank you!” she called up to wherever the voice had come from. She lifted the lid to a leather armrest and chose from a variety of drinks, pleasantly chilled.

  The voice cleared his throat above her. “And Miss Ember, Mr. Hunter would also like you to know you can adjust the temperature using the buttons on your right.”

  She smiled. Was he calling in to make these suggestions?

  After a moment of her making full use of her excuse to play with buttons, the voice came on again. “Mr. Hunter would also like you to know the buttons on the left are way more fun . . .”

  “What?” She leaned forward and knocked on the window.

  It slid down a crack. “What can I do for you, Miss Ember?”

  She tried to see into the front but could only see the back of the driver’s head. “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought for sure Cole—”

  “Was sitting up here in the front enjoying your every move?” He lifted up his head in the passenger seat, and heartbreaking eyes twinkled at her. “I admit it. It’s good to see you, Bonfire, in spite of everything.”

  Her face broke into a slow smile. “It’s good to see you too. Were you going to let me know you were there?”

  “I did. I knew you’d figure it out.”

  She fell back and crossed her arms. “Did you enjoy watching me?”

  “Of course.” His unapologetic, immediate response excited her more than anything else would have and totally diffused any irritation she might have felt.

  “In the most un-creepy sense, I would always enjoy watching you. You’re fascinating to me, Harlow.”

  She looked down and then her eyes flitted to the driver and back.

  “Tony.”

  The driver nodded and pulled over down a side street, so Cole could hop into the back seat with her.

  And then everything changed for Harlow. He was too close, too tempting. She had to set clear and immediate boundaries or this weekend would put her right back where she didn’t want to be, hoping for a scrap or two of attention from a man who enjoyed women too much, who didn’t care for his responsibilities. Though she wasn’t sure about that. The more she thought about the boys in the center, the more she questioned her mortifying assumption.

  But he sat on the opposite side, body turned away, and pulled out a newspaper. “I have to check the stats and this opinion piece.”

  “Oh, sure.”

  He didn’t say much to her the rest of the way. They started to pull up a steeper incline and she looke
d out the window and gasped. “Oh wow, what a view. Where are we going?”

  “I thought you could stay at my place.”

  She immediately shifted in her seat and opened her mouth.

  He nodded. “I have my mom staying with us. And besides her, several staff members. You are in your own private suite about a mile from me, and if you’re uncomfortable with any of this, I’ll take you back down the hill to a beautiful hotel. I just thought we’d avoid LA traffic and start from the same spot tonight.”

  She closed her mouth. “Well, okay, thank you. I can tell you understand where we sit with all of this.”

  “I’ve never understood, but I know where my boundaries are, yes.”

  “We can talk about it if you want.”

  “I think I do want.”

  They pulled up the drive and through the gate to a gorgeous home. “Oh my, I can see why you would want to stay here.”

  He shrugged. “I do love it here. Originally I thought I might want to stay for five years or so, but eventually, Dad and I have picked out a hill country property with pines and a river and enough large boulders to keep any Texan happy.”

  “Boulders?”

  “Well, the place is full of rocks, limestone, and others, and I figure, if I can’t be rid of them, I can embrace them. So we use them as landscaping and for seating and anything else we can think of.”

  They pulled into the front circular drive to a two-level, sprawling white limestone home. White pillars lined the front. When the driver opened their door, her foot stepped out onto black and white tile that led up the stairs under a magnificent, two-story-high roof over their front entryway. “This is stunning.”

  Cole grinned. “Come on in, I’ll give you a tour. I never have guests.”

  She wondered how true that was. And then chided herself. Cole had never lied to her. He seemed totally sincere.

  He led her through one beautiful room after another, marble everywhere, luxurious, thick rugs, a light teal or light blue paint. Everything felt fresh, clean, open, and comfortable. He led her out the back veranda and stood at the railing. The veranda ran the width of his house and gifted them with a full view of the ocean horizon. The sun was high overhead and the water sparkled back at them in between white capped waves striping the water all the way to shore.

  “Wow.” She stared out in silence for so long she almost forgot about Cole, almost. He came to stand beside her. “Here’s the number to my assistant if you need anything to get ready for tonight. The car is available for shopping or hair.” His face turned an adorable pink.

  Harlow’s eyes lit in amusement. “That’s intuitive of you.”

  “What? No. I don’t know what you might need, but my mom said to offer.” He grinned. “Thanks for coming, Harlow.”

  “I’m so happy I did.” And she was. “This view alone was worth any trip.” Then she turned to him. “That’s not why . . . I mean. I didn’t know how much money . . . ugh, of course I’m not doing this for all that.”

  He raised one eyebrow, not saving her. Curse him. “Oh really?”

  “Really. I’m impressed though. You have a beautiful, tasteful, comfortable home.”

  “Do I hear a hint of a softening toward me, now that you’ve seen the place?”

  “Cole, no! I’m trying to explain . . .”

  He burst into laughter. “Relax, Bonfire. Come on, I’ll show you your space.”

  She wanted to punch him but instead she just ogled his home. Wow, this guy lived well. Had he always had this kind of wealth? Surely his first five years with the Sea Rays didn’t earn him enough to afford this place? Maybe. She should check her spreadsheet to see what he was currently earning. Her boss made her keep track.

  He led her to a beautiful set of rooms in the back corner of the house. Yellow themed. Trim, pillows, a touch here and there. Gray otherwise with white. Just how she might have decorated had she the extra money. “This is lovely, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Remember, use the number if you need it. Whatever else you need is at your disposal.”

  She suddenly felt shy to ask, and wondered how appropriate it would be. “Could I step outside? Use the pool?”

  She was rewarded with a too rapid response of, “Sure, my house is yours, as they say.” He looked away, but she could tell he was pleased. Then his eyes found her again. “Would you mind a bit of company?”

  She hesitated, and he held up his hands. “No, never mind. I forget we’re not really speaking.”

  “We’re on a hiatus from not speaking to help the team.”

  “And the women.”

  “Exactly. So, you could join me . . . if you want.”

  His grin grew wider than she thought possible, and he took off down the hall. “Last one in!”

  “Oh, no you don’t.”

  She closed her door and whipped open her luggage and grabbed her suit, thrown in on a whim, a thought that maybe she’d make time for the warm weather and a beach while she was in California.

  The staff helped redirect her when she turned the wrong way, so she tore faster out the sliding glass doors and onto the back patio, thinking she’d won until she heard the sound of a diving board and a huge splash.

  Chlorine hair was a bear to deal with, and she shouldn’t care, but she also should care. Everyone who was anyone would be at this gala. Her picture would be in many places come tomorrow morning and if they played their cards right, even more places than usual. She whipped a text off to the assistant. Could we get a hair stylist to come to the house?

  Absolutely.

  She breathed out in relief and told him the time she would need the stylist to come.

  “Hey, Bonfire! You afraid to douse your flames?”

  “I’ve got flames no one can douse!” She ran forward across the beautiful patio, around the furniture, dodging the fire pit, which started up when she got near. She jumped back. Cole laughed. “Magic flames.”

  She took a flying leap out into the pool, covering Cole with a wave of water, she hoped.

  When she peeked her eyes up out of the water, he had his hands ready to splash her face, so she went back down under, all the way to the glass wall that overlooked the valley below them. When she came up for air, he was waiting beside her at the infinity edge. “I don’t spend enough time here. This really is incredible. Did you see the view from under the water?”

  She nodded. “Let’s look again.”

  They went under, and she felt like a kid, looking at him and then pointing out through the glass to the blurry view. The saline water didn’t burn like chlorine would, and she was relieved it felt lovely and soft on her hair.

  They came up laughing. And then splashed and played as if they hadn’t a care in the world for another thirty minutes. When her fingers were prunes and her shivers couldn’t be controlled, they got out and grabbed large plush towels that had found their way to the edge of the pool somehow. “Ooooh, they’re warmed.”

  He led her over to the fire, which started again as soon as she stepped near. “Are these motion activated?”

  “Ember activated.”

  “Ha ha, nice.”

  She sat as close as she could, letting the fire and the towel and the sun warm her until she started to relax again. The breeze up on the hill was lovely, but felt chilly when wet.

  Cole’s burning gaze never left her. He pulled a strand of hair out of her eyelashes. “Even my home is better when you’re in it.”

  Her eyes shot to his. “Cole.”

  “I know. We’ve learned not to go there. But really, why? Why can’t we give this a go? What happened to ruin things for us?”

  “Do you really want to get into it?”

  “They are not my boys!”

  “Then why did they call you dad?”

  “’Cause they wish so bad I was.” He choked on the last word. “But what do I have to offer a couple of kids?”

  A lump grew in her throat. He really was so awesome. “And what about all the ladies
?”

  “I do love the ladies.” Cole’s eyes sparkled with humor.

  Harlow turned away.

  “But not like I love you. It’s just easy with them. I don’t have to say much, or be smart. I can just wave around the magic hands, do a little Big Dawg dance and bam! Ladies.”

  She knew he was being sincere and had no idea how conceited he sounded. But wow! Who really thought like he did and admitted it? Join the rest of the world in reality land. How could she ever be with someone who had such a stream of consciousness?

  But something thrilled her anyway, a spark. He didn’t notice, glossed over it so fast, but she caught it. He’d said the word, love. It slipped. But now love bounced around inside Harlow, making her resistance mushy and soft.

  Cole turned down the flames. “You know, you’re not the only one with beefs. But I’m thinking I might be able to overlook them.”

  “Oh really, you have beefs?”

  “I do. For one, you’re . . .”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re . . . no . . . you’re right, I’ve got nothing.”

  She laughed.

  “No, wait.” He sat up straighter. “I do have something. I’m legitimately hurt you would think I could abandon children, after all you know about me.”

  “I’m sorry, Cole, but what do I know about you? Your father found you . . . oh, Cole, I haven’t even asked. How is your father?”

  He slumped. “Not well. He looks worse. What if the treatments are making him worse?”

  She rested a hand on his forearm. “I don’t know anything about this, but I’ve heard the treatments are really tough on even the healthiest of bodies, but that they can work.”

  He nodded and her heart went out to him. “I’m sorry, Cole. The timing of all this is just the worst. I’d like to see him again before I leave town. If I can.”

  “If he’s well enough, I’m sure he’d enjoy that. He’s still not finished talking about your last visit.”

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I thought you fathered children and left them.”