She began packing her bag, taking select things to review with her when she heard a knock at her door. “Come in,” she called, hoping nobody had an assignment that would keep her in the office later. She was more exhausted than she’d realized.
She glanced up at the same time her visitor strode inside. “Roper,” she said, surprised to see him. Her stomach flipped, nerves fluttering inside her.
“Hey, there,” he said casually. As if nothing important had happened the last time they’d met.
I love you. She considered that important.
He looked healthy and well. She knew from Micki and Yank that, despite his family obligations, he had been focusing on his recovery. Though he’d miss the beginning of spring training, the doctors were hopeful for a full recovery. But also according to Yank and Micki, his family still pulled his strings.
And he still let them.
“Let me guess. You just happened to be in the neighborhood. Visiting Yank or Micki?” She gripped the handle of her tote bag hard, yet strove for normalcy in her voice. Like in the deodorant commercial, she wouldn’t let him see her sweat.
“Nope.” He shut the door behind him. “I’m here to see you.”
“Oh.” Her mouth grew dry. “I was just leaving for the day.”
“Then I can walk you out.”
She shrugged. “That’s fine.”
He helped her on with her coat and they started for the door. “You look good,” he said.
Such a simple compliment and yet she grew warm all over. “Same for you. I hear your therapy is going well,” she said.
“I’m trying. The shoulder’s getting stronger. It helps that I’ve lowered my expectations of trying to be back in time for spring training. I find I’m more focused.”
They rode down the elevator and walked onto the street. “I was going to take a cab, but it’s a little warmer today so I think I’ll walk a bit,” she said.
“Sounds good. I’ll join you.”
They walked in silence, but the comfortable feeling they’d found at the lodge was gone. “How’s your family?” she finally asked when she couldn’t stand the stiff silence between them any longer.
“Good, actually.” He perked up at the question. “I’m glad you asked. It ties into the reason I wanted to talk to you. My mother has her hands full with Harrison and—”
The sudden singing noise from her cell phone interrupted him. She dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. “Sorry,” she said, glancing down and seeing a 718 phone number she didn’t recognize.
“Hello?”
“Amy, it’s Uncle Spencer,” his warm voice said.
“Hi, Uncle Spencer,” she said, more for Roper’s benefit so he’d know who was on the phone. “What’s up?” she asked.
Roper shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and waited patiently.
Her uncle went on to explain the reason for his call and a familiar panic settled deep in her bones. “Mom is where?” Amy yelled.
A young couple passing by her on the street turned and stared.
Roper immediately huddled near her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. She appreciated the support.
God, this couldn’t be happening. Not when she’d just carved out a perfectly sane, normal life for herself. She shut her eyes for a brief moment before she pulled herself together.
“I’ll be right there,” she told her uncle, ending the call. Then she turned to Roper. “My mom and my aunt are being held by security at JFK Airport.”
She stepped off the sidewalk and into the street, glancing around for a free taxi cab to take her to meet them.
Roper grasped her hand. “I have my car in the lot downstairs. I’ll drive you. It’ll be cheaper and quicker. Come.”
She drew a deep breath and met his gaze. “Thank you,” she said, grateful for his unquestioning support.
He steered her back toward the Hot Zone offices and to the elevator leading to the underground parking garage.
“I didn’t even know my mother was coming to town. Apparently they wanted to surprise me.” And she hadn’t seen it coming, Amy thought. “Uncle Spencer has a meeting he can’t miss, so it’s up to me to get them out.”
“And we will,” Roper assured her.
Amy was sure they would. As good as her mother and aunt were at getting into trouble, they were equally adept at talking themselves out of it. Or letting Amy do it for them. And to think, she’d been so anxious to start her new life, she’d let her mother remain in Florida unsupervised. She’d underestimated the older woman yet again.
Roper handed his ticket to the attendant and within minutes they were in his car and on their way. Amy finally started breathing again.
“I almost took the Porsche but I knew with all the stop and go traffic, there’d be no point. It was a good thing, too. At least I can fit them in the backseat.”
She nodded, grateful. Even in the midst of her panic, she could see how quickly, calmly and efficiently he’d taken charge. What a guy.
“Why are they being held by security?” he asked.
“Uncle Spencer didn’t give me a straight answer, which isn’t surprising given my mother and aunt. I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.”
There was some traffic, but it moved at a decent pace and soon they’d pulled into the airport.
“I’ll drop you off, park and meet you in there,” he said, easing the car to the curb in front of the terminal.
She bit down on her lip. “You can drop me off and leave. I’m sure you have somewhere more important to be and—”
He placed his hand on hers, his touch doing more to calm her than anything could. “Nothing is more important than helping you through this,” he assured her.
Strong and capable. Roper had to be the perfect man.
For the first time, she could understand firsthand how and why his family had come to rely on him for everything. She couldn’t allow herself to do the same, especially since she’d faulted him for responding to them on cue.
“Really, I’ll be fine. I can take them home with me in a cab and—”
“I will be inside in five minutes. You’ll get to them sooner if you stop arguing and go,” he said, giving her a gentle yet firm push.
She inclined her head. Then, knowing she should just turn and head inside, she acted on impulse and placed a thank-you kiss on his cheek.
At least she meant for it to be on his cheek. But the scoundrel anticipated her move and with a quick shift of his head, he caused her lips to land squarely on his.
She didn’t pull away. Instead she leaned in closer. Her eyes closed, and for a sweet short time, she was back at the lodge, where real life couldn’t intrude. His lips parted, and his tongue swept over her lips, her teeth and then tangled with hers. Warmth eased from the pit of her stomach, shooting outward, overwhelming her senses…until a car honked, startling them and breaking the intimacy of the moment.
Flustered, she gathered her bag and darted out of the car.
ROPER MANAGED TO PARK and catch up with Amy before she was allowed in to see her relatives. A stiff man in a suit, who turned out to be the federal marshal on the plane, escorted Amy and Roper to the area where Darla and Rose were being held. The marshal explained that he worked with TSA, a component of the Department of Homeland Security and they were trying to assess whether Darla and Rose were terrorist risks.
More like attention seekers, Roper knew.
First, Amy introduced Roper to her family and they shook his hand, but they were too impatient to tell their story to spend time on pleasantries.
“So we were talking about how what happened with my luggage reminded us of the movie Meet the Parents,” Amy’s mother, Rose, said.
“And I said it wasn’t Meet the Parents, it was the second one, Meet the Fockers,” Darla said.
“It was Meet the Parents and the stewardess—”
“They’re called flight attendants now,” Darla interrupted her sister.
Rose ro
lled her eyes. “The flight attendant had taken my carry-on and gave it to the handlers to put it in the cargo area. I forgot, and when the plane landed in New York, I opened the top compartment to take out my luggage and Darla reminded me that my bag wasn’t there. So I said, I thought it was stupid. I could so have fit it on top.”
“But the flight attendant wouldn’t even let her try,” Darla said. “So we were reminded of Meet the Fockers.”
“Meet the Parents,” Rose interrupted. “And I said, in a complete and perfect impersonation of Ben Stiller, It’s not like there’s a bomb in it.”
Darla and Rose both spoke with animation, hands waving in the air. “Then some woman obviously misunderstood us and yelled, ‘that old lady said she has a bomb.’ Do I look old to you?” Rose asked Amy.
“No, Mom,” Amy said through gritted teeth. “Go on with the story.”
Roper held back his laughter because he could see how obviously stressed Amy was. But the women, with their bright red lipstick, overdyed hair and deep circles of rouge on their cheeks, looked more like Kewpie dolls than terrorists. And Roper thought the way they each argued their point was hilarious.
“Of course we don’t look old to you,” Rose said, ignoring Amy’s request. “You see us all the time.” Rose then took Roper off guard by walking up to him. “You’re a young, handsome man. Do I look old to you?” She nudged him with her elbow and batted her thick eyelashes.
“No, ma’am,” he said, holding back a chuckle. “You’re beautiful.”
Amy shot him a warning look that clearly said don’t humor them. He couldn’t help it, they were so cute.
“Why, thank you,” Rose said. “You see, Darla?”
“What about me? Do I look old?” Darla asked him, pushing her sister out of the way.
Roper grinned. “You’re absolutely breathtaking, too,” he told her.
Pleased, both women relaxed and smiled. “So anyway,” Rose continued, “someone yells, ‘The old lady has a bomb!’ And all hell broke loose. That man who brought you in here had been sitting in front of us and he turned around and practically dove over the seat. The rest of the passengers went into utter panic.”
“There was nearly a stampede thanks to that crazy woman,” Darla said, nodding.
Amy raised an eyebrow. “You think she was the crazy woman?” she asked.
Both relatives ignored her. “Next thing you know, they evacuate the plane and corral everyone into one area, except for us. They brought us in here. Apparently they had to check all the carry-on bags underneath the plane to make sure they didn’t miss something in security the first time around. They thought we were planning to blow up the airport!”
“They can’t be too careful these days,” Roper said seriously.
Rose and Darla nodded. “We understand. If only that woman hadn’t made a scene, nobody would have been detained.”
“And you don’t think you had anything to do with that little scene?” Amy perched her hands on her hips and confronted her family.
Roper thought they blushed, though it was hard to tell beneath the heavy rouge.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Darla said. “Not that your uncle Spencer thought so. He was furious, but he promised us you’d be here to handle things.”
“Of course she’s here. My beautiful, smart girl always rescues us,” Rose said, pulling Amy into a hug. “I’ve missed you.”
Amy hugged her mother back. “I missed you, too.” She turned to her aunt. “You, too,” she said, wrapping her arms around the other woman, as well.
For all her frustration, Amy obviously genuinely adored the women in her family.
Roper watched the byplay with interest. This was the only real firsthand glimpse he’d gotten into Amy’s family and background, and a few things jumped out at him immediately. Her home situation wasn’t much different from his. Her mother and aunt created situations and she rescued them on command.
It didn’t take a psychologist to figure out that Amy dove into handling his family so methodically not because she was used to handling her own, but because she couldn’t control them. In managing Roper’s family issues, she’d been able to take charge in a way she hadn’t been able to with her own family. She saw herself in Roper, and when Roper fell back into old habits, she’d backed away.
He’d gotten some insight into Amy’s emotions. But he hadn’t gotten enough. With her mother here, he hoped to gain even more.
“Mom, you really should have told me you were coming for a visit,” Amy said.
“And ruin the surprise? What fun would that be?”
“None at all,” Amy muttered. “So how do we get you two out of here?”
Rose seated herself in a metal chair. “The grumpy air marshal said he’d be back. He had to confer with his colleagues.”
“Do you think they’ll do a background check like they do on the TV show COPS?” Aunt Darla asked, walking to the small window and glancing out.
“Oh, Lord.” Amy chose the nearest chair and lowered herself into it.
Roper gave Amy’s shoulder a squeeze. “Why don’t I go outside and see what I can find out.”
Amy glanced up. “I’d appreciate it.”
“Not so fast,” Rose said. “Amy introduced you and we know you’re a professional ballplayer, but she didn’t say what your relationship is. What are your intentions? Because when you come to help rescue a woman’s relatives from the hoosegow, then you must have some personal interest, yes?”
“Remember, my sister is like a professional lie detector,” Darla said. “If you’re not telling the truth, she’ll sniff it out.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, leave him alone,” Amy said. “Roper, please go find out when I can take them home,” she said, pleading with him.
Because her mother and aunt were wackier than his family, he took pity on her and agreed. “Okay. When I get back, we can discuss your questions,” he promised the women.
They reluctantly agreed.
So Roper headed out of the room to get Amy’s mother and aunt sprung. Afterward, he thought, the real fun could begin.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HER FAMILY WAS FREE. Amy sensed Roper had signed a few autographs and promised tickets to Renegades games in order to hasten the release process. He hadn’t said, but the people who’d eventually released her mother and aunt had been huge fans, shaking Roper’s hand and thanking him. He refused to say for what.
TSA and Homeland Security actually did perform a background check on the women and discovered their penchant for getting into ridiculous trouble back in Florida. It was soon obvious terrorism wasn’t an issue. Insanity was, though, Amy thought wryly. But since the incident had been more of a misunderstanding than any kind of practical joke, the women were released into the general population of New York—complete with a behavioral warning for the future.
Amy was exhausted.
“So what are we doing tonight?” Aunt Darla asked, from her seat in the back of Roper’s car.
Amy closed her eyes and groaned. But at least they hadn’t started asking Roper questions about his intentions again.
“I need to make some calls and find you two a hotel. I’m afraid my apartment is too small,” Amy explained. “By the time I get you settled, it’ll be too late to do anything tonight.” Amy turned around in time to see her mother wink at her aunt. “What was that wink for?” Amy asked.
“You can go home and sleep. Darla and I want to hit one of the clubs,” her mother said.
“Oh, no.”
“Ladies, I think I have a solution,” Roper said. “Do you want to hear it?” he asked Amy.
She leaned her head back and nodded. “Yes, please.” She owed him more than she could say for just being here.
“Instead of a hotel, why don’t your mother and aunt share my guest room? It has two double beds and they’ll have their own bathroom. And I’ll be there to keep them company.”
Meaning he’d make sure they didn’t get into trouble by sneakin
g out at night.
The rest of the thought went unsaid, but it was glaringly obvious. “I couldn’t impose like that,” Amy said. No matter how good a solution he provided. Nobody should be subjected to dealing with her family twenty-four/seven.
“We’d love to!” Rose and Darla said at the same time, ignoring Amy as usual. “That’s just so kind of you. We won’t be any trouble.”
“Are your fingers crossed behind your back?” Roper asked, laughing.
“You have a season to get ready for, remember? You can’t afford any distractions,” Amy said, her heart beating out a panicked rhythm.
Not only did Roper need to focus on his career, Amy didn’t want her family getting close to the man she was trying to avoid.
“My family is a distraction for me. Your family is not,” he assured her.
“You see? We’re not a distraction.”
Amy didn’t turn around to see which one of her relatives spoke. They sounded alike and she didn’t much care.
He leaned closer, never taking his eyes from the road. “It’s different when nobody’s pulling your emotional strings,” he said softly, so only she could hear. “I can handle them and still keep all my appointments.” Roper reached out and placed his hand on her thigh.
She knew he meant to reassure her but he aroused her instead. Talk about pushing emotional buttons, this man had hers down pat.
“It’s still an imposition.”
“Not when I offer freely. Besides, they want to stay with me.”
“We do,” the two chimed in from the backseat.
Amy groaned. “It looks as if I’m outnumbered.”
“Wait until I call home and tell everyone we’re staying with the famous John Roper. You know many of our residents are originally from New York. They still follow the Renegades and you’re big news,” Darla said.
“I didn’t think you knew who I was when Amy introduced me,” Roper said, glancing at them from the rearview mirror.
Rose laughed. “Well, we didn’t want to embarrass you. We do have some sense of decorum. We know how to behave around a celebrity. Besides, who knows if the room was bugged.”
“Oh, give me a break,” Amy said. They’d obviously been watching too much television without her there to set up activities.
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