Another Chance at Love (Another Series Book 1)

by Suzanne Sweeney

  Cole reaches out to shake his hand. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.” He reaches back to shake his buddy’s hand. “You guys have a great night.”

  Cole sits back down, but I can’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that’s creeping into my subconscious. This is the exact thing I was afraid of happening. Tonight, it’s just two baseball fans that recognize him – but what’s going to happen after the Sports Illustrated article is released?

  I try to push the idea to the back of my mind and forget about it – for now, anyway – and concentrate on just enjoying a rare night out.

  Declan and Cait continue their riotous story telling, sometimes telling stories that even I didn’t know about. All the while, I can’t help but be hyper aware of Cole. He exudes charisma and it’s impossible not to be drawn in by it. Even complete strangers are drawn to him.

  After a few more drinks and lots of conversation, I excuse myself to the ladies’ room. It’s nearly closing time and many of the customers have cleared out. Glad there’s no line for once, I take my time, and as I wash my hands I stare into the mirror above the sink. I’m starting to look less gaunt, less stressed. My skin has a sun-kissed glow that I haven’t seen in a very long time. My hair tumbles down my back in loose waves and ringlets, and my hazel eyes are bright with alcohol. I definitely drank more than I should have.

  The moment I step out of the ladies’ room, I am confronted by Cole who’s waiting outside the door for me. Before I can say a word, he comes at me, crowding me against the wall. He puts his hands on the wall just above my head, his eyes searing down into me. “You shouldn’t be back here alone in this dark hallway. It’s dangerous.”

  Looking up, I ask, “What kind of danger?”

  He leans closer and I suck in my breath as his woodsy cologne hits me in delightful waves. “Hard to say. It could come from around any corner, really.”

  Trembling now, I whisper, “Or maybe right in front of me?”

  Cole leans forward and his lips whisper across my cheek before resting against my ear. “Why? Do I make you . . . nervous?”

  A shiver ripples down my spine at his hot breath on my skin, and my nipples tighten. My chest rises and falls as I lose control of my breathing— the air between us zinging with electricity.

  Cole pulls away just enough to look into my eyes. I’ve never felt an attraction so powerful before, and although there’s a small voice screaming at me from the back of my brain to get the hell out of here, I ignore it. I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. Later I can blame the alcohol for just standing there as Cole leans down to meet my lips with his.

  I wait, breathless with anticipation—

  “There you two are!”

  I slam back against the wall, the moment ruined.

  Cole and I turn to find Declan there, completely oblivious to what was about to happen. “We’re leaving,” he announces. “You two coming?”

  I wake up feeling positively crapulous. There are two types of hangovers – the kind from drinking to excess and the kind from mixing drinks, especially the sugary sweet ones. And now I’m paying the price for flipping from whiskey to vodka, and then to rum. Head pounding, I drag my sorry ass to the shower, hoping to sober up – quickly.

  Despite my furry tongue and general feeling of wretchedness, I manage to dress and get ready for work without throwing up a single time.

  Small victories.

  Staci is working behind the counter today. She takes one look at me and knows exactly what I need. “Large peppermint tea?” she asks.

  I nod, “Yeah – how did you know?”

  “Brie’s on her third,” she tells me with a smirk.

  I pull the sunglasses back over my eyes, and thank Staci for my tea. “Is he here yet?” I ask.

  “He is,” she explains. “He’s been here a while, now. I think he’s got an early start or something.”

  Oh, yeah – I almost forgot. Saturday is a travelling day for the team and I’m not going to be seeing Cole for the better part of a week. He’s spending two days in Miami and then three in Atlanta.

  I get a big sympathetic smile from Cole when I sit down to join him at our table. “Is it that obvious?” I ask.

  “Your hangover?”

  I nod – slowly.

  “Afraid so. I hate to do this, but I can’t stay. I have to be on the plane in a little over an hour. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

  “Not my first rodeo, cowboy. I’ll survive.”

  Cole leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. His lips linger and the scruff on his face tickles. It’s wonderful, delicious, and sexy as fuck.

  Cole calls me twice just to ask me how my day is going and if I’m feeling any better. I love that he cares enough to call so many times.

  The third time he calls, it’s nearly midnight and his first game is over – a big win over Miami. He has a double header tomorrow, and then he travels to Cleveland for the first of three games. He’ll be back in town late Wednesday night.

  I laugh to myself that he feels the need to keep me up-to-date on his itinerary. I don’t even have to ask; he volunteers the information first. It’s really kind of cute.

  We are both snuggled in our beds as he fills me in on his day. His big play happened during the fourth inning when he made his first of three double plays by stopping a chopper, beating the runner to second, and firing it directly to the first baseman just in time.

  It sounds amazing. “I wish I was there to see it,” I tell him.

  “I wish you were here, too.”

  The silence hangs heavy in the air. Something is shifting between us. We both know it, but neither one of us says it aloud. It’s probably for the best, at least for now.

  We end our conversation quickly so he can rest. He needs to be in top form.

  A few minutes pass and my cell phone buzzes with a new text message.

  Cole: Can I confess something?

  Me: yes – anything!

  Cole: Every time I close my eyes, I see your smiling face

  Me: Can I confess something, too?

  Cole: YES

  Me: You’re the reason why I smile

  I hit ‘send’ quickly, before I can talk myself out of it.

  Cole: Good

  Me: good night Cole

  Cole: good night Houdini

  I put the phone down, lay my head on my pillow and replay the conversation in my head over and over. My smile is so enormous that my face actually hurts. This is what he’s done to me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  With Cole being away, there’s no reason for me to hurry to work. I’ve changed up the schedule a little and I don’t have to be in for a few hours. So now all I have to do is find something to do with my new found freedom.

  Not a creature is stirring upstairs. Cait is sound asleep and Brie is long gone, having opened TitleWave hours ago.

  As I descend the stairs, I begin to hear sounds of life coming from the kitchen. I had forgotten all about our houseguest. Declan’s still here. He’s cooking breakfast and it smells heavenly.

  “Morning, Sunshine!” Declan smiles.

  “Mmm – what smells so good?” I ask. Declan points to the waffle iron and grins. “Fresh waffles?”

  “Guess again,” he smirks.

  Curious, I take a step closer to look. It’s definitely a waffle iron, but I don’t see any batter. Or syrup. I place a hand on the handle and look towards Declan for permission. He nods and I lift it up just enough to peer inside.

  “Oh, my God! You’re brilliant.” He found a bag of frozen shredded potatoes and is turning them into crispy, deliciously fresh hash browns.

  I make myself useful by scavenging for whatever fresh fruit I can find to make into an impromptu fruit salad. Considering my limited skills in the kitchen, I’m quite proud of my accomplishment and I proudly present my contribution.

  Declan teases, “Hey, look at you, kid – cooking like a grown up.”

  “You should talk,” I
bite back. “When are you going to grow up and find yourself a good girl to settle down with?”

  “I’ll settle down when you agree to marry me,” he teases. “Admit it, Ken Doll – you’re the only woman on the planet willing put up with my bullshit.” He shoves a big forkful of hash brown in his mouth and smiles. There’s a piece of potato hanging from the corner of his mouth.

  I pluck it off and place it on his napkin, which only succeeds in making his grin wider. “Well, maybe if you weren’t so full of bullshit, you could actually find someone who might stick around.”

  Declan laughs. “Speaking of sticking around, would you mind if I stayed for a while today? I really need to wash my car and I hate those drive-through dumps. Last time I went through one, they scratched the shit out of my windshield and lost my antenna.”

  Of course, I agree. But only if he helps me to wash my car, too. Now that I live near the beach, I have to make sure salt doesn’t build up on the car’s exterior. I send Declan off to buy what we need while I tidy up the kitchen. I may be helpless when it comes to cooking, but I’m no slouch when it comes to cleaning. And boy, did Declan leave me with a hot mess.

  I hear the shower starting, so I know Cait is up and moving. Now that it’s safe to turn on my music, I crank up some Ellie Goulding for my morning dose of dance-pop motivation.

  I hip-hop dance-mop along with the Weeknd, Taylor Swift, and Macklemore. Although I would never publicly admit it, I sing along to every line and verse as Justin Bieber asks the question that men have been pondering for centuries, “What Do You Mean?”

  And when Elle King starts crooning about her X’s and O’s, my solo becomes a duet. Cait’s voice echoes as she comes bounding down the stairs. What we lack in talent, we more than make up for in enthusiasm and volume. There’s a dance party in my kitchen and I love it.

  As the song comes to an end, Cait lowers the volume and pulls me in for a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she exclaims.

  “Back?” I ask in surprise. “How could I be back when I haven’t gone anywhere?”

  “You know exactly what I mean,” she scolds me. “I missed you and I’m so glad you’re back from the Land of the Lost. Have you heard from Ole King Cole lately?”

  I smile. “He called three times yesterday.”

  “Three?” She looks surprised.

  “When I saw him for breakfast, I was still pretty hung over and he was worried, that’s all.”

  “That boy is more than just worried – he’s completely crazy about you,” Cait insists.

  Cait makes herself breakfast from the leftovers and heads off to work, leaving me alone to consider her declaration.

  But I don’t get a chance to think for very long. The front door swings open and Declan’s voice booms throughout the house. “I’m back. Get your skinny ass out here and come help me!” The door slams shut.

  I run upstairs to get changed. I find an old pair of running shorts and a tank top. And since I know I’m going to get wet, I make sure to wear a bikini beneath it. I grab a pair of flip-flops and an armful of old towels.

  Declan’s car is his pride and joy. His mustang is sapphire blue and he takes impeccable care of it. It took him nearly a month to select a parking garage to keep it in – Dec doesn’t trust anyone with his beloved car.

  Dec is every bit of a Type A as his sister. I step out onto the porch and find him busily lining up all the supplies he will need in the order each will be used. The hose is lying neatly beside a large bucket. He’s got liquid car wash soap, sponges, and special cleaners for the rims and tires, windows, dashboard, and leather seats.

  He hears me chuckle and comes running at me full force, sweeping me up into his arms and throwing me over his shoulder like a fireman.

  “Declan James – you put me down this very instant,” I holler, trying in vain to swat him on the ass as he carries me to his car.

  He puts me down and hands me a bucket to hold as he fills it with water from the hose. Some of the soapy water splashes on my bare legs and I shiver from the cold. Thank goodness the sun is shining brightly and I don’t stay cold for long.

  I am assigned the task of washing the car while Declan works on the tires and rims. Apparently, he’s the only one capable of doing it right. I reach up to wash the roof, struggling to reach across it. Damn, it would be so much easier if I had Cait’s long legs.

  “Need a hand?” I turn to see Declan staring at me with his eyes fixed on my derriere.

  I immediately stand up straight. “Declan,” I warn as his eyes snap back up to my eyes. A not-so-innocent smiles creeps onto his face.

  “What?” he smirks.

  “I saw that.”

  “Saw what?” he teases.

  “You – being a perv. If you’re done checking out my ass, how about you give me a hand and wash the top of this clunker?”

  “Clunker? Did I hear you right?” Declan walks over and grabs the hose. “Call my girl Linda here a clunker one more time and I can’t be held responsible for what happens next.”

  I weigh my options and it seems I just can’t stop myself. I turn around away from Declan and mutter ever so quietly, “Clunker.”

  Without missing a beat, Declan jumps into action. “I heard that!” he yells as he turns the hose on me.

  “Declan!” I squeal, absolutely soaking wet. I turn to find him grinning widely with the hose still in his guilty hands.

  He drops the hose and bursts into laughter. Quickly, I grab the soapy bucket and pour it over his head. His hair is now plastered to his face. His mouth hangs open as he stares at me. I can’t help but laugh.

  I see Declan’s eyes dart back towards the hose. I look around for an escape route, but there’s nowhere to run. He leaves me with no choice. As he wraps his hands around the hose and readies himself to empty it all over me again, I open his car door and step in front of it. With the door open, there is absolutely no way he would spray me and chance getting soapy water all over his precious interior.

  Defeated, he puts the hose back down and shrugs his shoulder. “You cheated,” he complains.

  I’m absolutely dripping wet and so is Declan. He pulls his shirt up over his head and for a moment, I am stunned stupid. How could I have forgotten how hot he is? He tosses his shirt onto the grass and in slow motion, he pauses, flexes, and poses. He flexes to the left. He flexes to the right. Then he leans down and kisses his bicep. “Enjoying the gun show?” he asks.

  All I can do is shake my head. He’s such a goofball.

  “Take a picture, it will last longer,” he quips.

  “Maybe I will.”

  My phone is safely tucked out of the way in my back pocket. I grab it and snap a few photos. “Oh, shit!” I grumble as I get water on my phone. I’m dripping wet and I have nothing to wipe the water off with.

  Declan grabs one of the towels I brought outside and offers to take care of my phone. While he does, I strip off the shirt that is sticking to my skin and wring out my long, wet hair.

  As I stand there, bent in half twisting a handful of hair, I hear my phone ring. “Declan, would you –”

  Declan cuts me off. “Kensington Harper’s phone. How can I help you?”

  After a moment of silence, he continues, “I’m sorry, she can’t talk right now. She’s busy taking off her clothes. Can I take a message?”

  Declan stops talking and hands me the phone. “Sorry, he hung up.”

  “He? Who?”

  “Who do you think?” he asks.

  “Was that Cole? Please tell me it wasn’t him, Dec.”

  “It’s not my fault if the guy can’t take a joke.”

  I grab the phone from him and frantically call him back. “If he doesn’t answer me, Declan, I swear to God, I’m going to kill you.”

  “You can try.” Declan walks away, grabs the leather cleaner, and returns his attention to his precious car.

  The phone rings and rings and I worry that Cole’s not going to answer. But right before it goes to voi
cemail, he answers and I can breathe again.

  “You didn’t have to stop what you were doing to call me back, Kenny. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” He sounds upset and angry. My heart drops.

  “Cole, listen. That was just Declan messing around.”

  “With you?”

  “What? No – that’s not what I meant. He grabbed my phone. He knew it was you. You have to believe me,” I plead.

  “So you weren’t taking off your clothes?” he asks.

  I don’t answer right away. I can’t lie. Frantically, I begin to explain, “It’s not what you think. We were washing his car. I was just . . . wait, are you laughing at me?”

  He is. He’s laughing at me. “Maybe a little,” he answers. “I’m not going to have to kick Declan’s ass am I?”

  “You don’t have to, but if you did, I wouldn’t stop you.” Now I’m laughing, too.

  I take the phone and walk over to the porch and climb onto the deck swing. “Where are you right now?”

  “Still in my hotel room. The bus leaves in twenty. I just wanted to hear your voice. I’ve gotten kind of used to hearing you say good morning to me before all my games.”

  Oh. My. God. I can’t speak.

  “I can hear you smile,” he almost whispers in his husky, seductive voice.

  I know I should say something. All I can think of at this moment is, “Good morning.”

  He chuckles. “Good morning to you, too.”

  God, I love the sound of his voice.

  “So how hard would it be for you to leave work early on Thursday?” he asks.

  “I don’t know,” I admit. “I guess it’s enough time for me to get coverage. Why?”

  “I’m taking you out when I get home. Just me and you . . . alone with no distractions.” He pauses, waiting. “And Kenny?”

  “Yeah?” I squeak.

  “No disappearing this time.”

  CHAPTER 13

  I HANG UP THE PHONE and march straight toward Declan. I pause right in front of him with my hands planted firmly on my hips. “That was not cool, Declan. What gives?”