“Everybody, this is Maggie,” Bobby said when they approached where she stood watching. Maggie smiled as she greeted the family. Bobby reached for a package that had been leaning against the dugout wall. “Tyler, I brought you a couple of presents.” He handed the boy a blue Rangers cap. Tyler’s eyes were as big as saucers.
“Tyler, what do you say to Beau?” his mother prompted.
“Thank you,” Tyler murmured, removing his own cap and replacing it with the new one. Maggie winced inwardly at the boy’s bald head and she thought of Michael starting his next round of chemo the following week. She wondered how in the world a boy of ten could handle such a thing with the courage she was seeing.
“Do you think you might be able to wear this too?” Bobby asked him, handing him a child-sized blue Rangers jersey, a miniature of the one he was wearing.
Tyler grinned broadly. “Yes, sir!” he nodded, taking the jersey and quickly pulling it on. His mother helped him with the buttons.
“Now somebody told me that you’re coming back to the stadium tonight for the game,” Bobby said. The boy nodded furiously. Bobby grinned. “They’d like for you to throw out the first pitch. Maybe you and I could practice a little. Would you like to toss a ball with me for a while?”
Wide eyed, the boy nodded and he and Bobby made their way out to the pitcher’s mound. Natalie invited Maggie and the rest of Tyler’s family to sit and watch. The photographers continued to shoot as Bobby and Tyler tossed the ball back and forth. Maggie noticed the mom dab at her eyes with a tissue and she smiled warmly at the woman.
“You just don’t know what this means to Tyler,” she said to Maggie in a tremulous voice. “He’s been so sick. He has posters of Beau all over his walls. We even took some to put up in his hospital room when he was there for months on end.”
“I think it means a great deal to...Beau...as well,” Maggie said. She watched as Bobby interacted with Tyler, instructing him, encouraging him, showing him how to hold the ball, and her heart swelled with pride. He really is a good man.
After about twenty minutes of playing catch, Bobby and Tyler returned to the others. “Well, now, I think Tyler’s just about ready for his major league debut,” Bobby said.
The boy’s father spoke up. “How about that, Tyler? Beau says you’re ready for the majors.” Tyler beamed with pride.
“We’d like to invite you all to visit the clubhouse,” Natalie said. “After that, I think Beau has to leave, but we’ve planned a picnic lunch for you and while you’re eating, you can see all the video that’s being shot today.”
“Come on, Tyler,” Bobby said, “let’s go see where the teams hang out before and after games.” The boy immediately jumped up to walk alongside him as the rest of the group followed.
“Wow!” Tyler exclaimed as they entered the locker room.
Maggie grinned. “That’s what I said when I came in here earlier today.” She stood back and watched as Bobby showed the family around the cavernous room, anticipating the moment they would come to the coffee table laden with gifts.
“So Tyler, I understand that your dad is your Little League coach,” Bobby said. The boy nodded furiously. Bobby smiled and winked at Tyler’s father. “He’s a pretty good dad, isn’t he?”
“Yes sir, he’s the best,” Tyler said.
“Well I heard that your team could use some new uniforms and stuff,” Bobby continued. “So we picked up a few things for you.” With that, Bobby lifted the corner of the blue cloth covering the table and he revealed the hidden gifts.
“Oh my God,” murmured Tyler’s mother.
“Wow! Are these for us?” Tyler asked.
“You bet they are, buddy,” Bobby grinned. “Do you think these will be alright? I know, you can’t really take them back to Texas on the plane. I figure we’ll just have it all shipped to your house.”
Tyler’s father shook his head in disbelief. “Beau, this is too much.” His voice broke.
“I’d say it’s just enough,” Bobby said softly. “Y’all have had some hard times. It’s your turn to enjoy some good for a while.”
The other man blinked away tears and wordlessly reached to shake Bobby’s hand. Tyler’s mother dabbed at her eyes again. “I don’t know how we can thank you,” she squeaked.
Bobby smiled again. “Just get this young man well. The Rangers need somebody to take my place.” He looked at Tyler. “You keep on working on that pitch. By the time you’re old enough, you’ll be ready.”
Again, the boy beamed. “Yes sir!”
Bobby posed with the family for a few more pictures and they said their goodbyes as Natalie ushered them out of the clubhouse. He let out a sigh and turned to Maggie.
“Well, that’s done. I’ve just got to change and we’ll be on our way.” He saw Maggie use a tissue to dab the corner of her eye. “Are you crying?”
She sniffed. “No!”
Bobby chuckled lightly. “Of course not. I guess that was a silly question.” He quickly changed while she attempted to pull herself together.
As they headed out of the clubhouse, Maggie stopped, placing her hand on his arm. “Bobby, that was...” She looked up into his clear blue eyes. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed. You were so great with them. And they were just... I’ve never seen anything like it. Thank you for bringing me here today.”
He smiled down at her. “My pleasure, cher.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. “Mm-hmm, love that strawberry wine.” They both laughed as they made their way back to the Range Rover.
Maggie relaxed in the soft leather seat while Bobby expertly negotiated the fairly heavy mid-Saturday traffic heading away from the city. “You can find us some tunes if you want,” he offered.
Maggie looked at him incredulously. “You’re going to let me fiddle with your radio? Isn’t that breaking some sacred ‘man code’ or something?” she asked mockingly. “What did I do to deserve that?”
“Well, seeing as how I stole second base the other night,” he drawled, his eyes hidden behind the mirrored aviators, “I figure it’s the least I can do.”
She gave him a saucy look, opening her mouth to say something, then thinking better of it.
“What?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I just wondered what I get if you steal third,” she said, cheekily raising an eyebrow.
A smile slowly curved the corners of his mouth. “We both get a night we won’t soon forget,” he replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
Maggie’s eyes widened and she instantly felt a heat that started in her nether regions, continuing all the way up to her neck and face. “Wow,” she whispered, reaching to turn on the radio.
“Mm-hmm,” Bobby said quietly, smug smile firmly in place.
Feeling sheepish, Maggie concentrated on finding some music, eventually settling on a classic rock station. They rode without conversation for a few miles, listening to the radio and watching the scenery change from crowded city to more open countryside.
A few minutes later, she forgot her momentary embarrassment. “I love this song!” she said, joining along with Prince as he sang about a girl who wore a raspberry beret.
Bobby smiled to himself. This is going to be good.
Chapter 35
Hands in his pockets, Bobby leaned casually against the sturdy glass counter as he watched Maggie browsing her way through an antiques shop just off the main square of the small town of Holly Springs. They’d left the city and driven for about an hour and a half before they reached their destination. On solo outings during his first few weeks in New York, Bobby had stumbled upon the quaint little town and had thought it would be much more enjoyable to explore the place with someone special.
So far, the day had exceeded his expectations. He hadn’t anticipated that Maggie would be so affected by his meeting with Tyler and his family. In Bobby’s mind, it simply made sense to bring her along so they could be on their way as soon as possible.
At one point he’d glanced up
at her in the stands and the expression in her eyes had stopped him cold. Maggie was watching him with a look of pride and admiration, not Beau the all-star pitcher, but him, Bobby. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d experienced that.
Truthfully, Maggie fascinated him. Her physical appeal was obvious, the red hair paired with green eyes that sparkled with mischief and intelligence, an amazing smile, a body full of curves. But her spirit was intriguing; she was at turns cheeky and flirtatious, then almost shy and tentative. She had an intoxicating child-like enthusiasm.
He smiled recalling the way she’d sung along with the radio on the drive, often taking the harmony part. She’d commented “I love this song!” about every tune that came on, from Prince to AC/DC to Evanescence to the Ramones to Aerosmith.
Until Led Zeppelin. “Ugh, I hate them!” she’d pronounced, turning off the radio completely. He’d laughed out loud, and she’d looked a bit sheepish. “Well I do,” she’d said. “I’m sorry.”
He’d shaken his head. “Don’t be sorry. You are very firm in your opinions about things. Reminds me of the time we had coffee at the hospital.” She’d blushed, as he’d known she would. That memory made him smile again.
Now, looking across the shop he met her eyes and she gave him a winning smile, bringing him back to the present. He crossed to meet her. “Did you find something?” he asked.
“Look at this dresser,” she said. “I love this.” He looked at the piece she indicated. It was a natural pine dresser with four drawers, smaller twin drawers on the top, with two bigger drawers stacked below. Each drawer had a key hole for a skeleton key.
Maggie smoothed her hand across the top of the piece. “The white porcelain pulls are just perfect. It has to be a hundred years old. Look at the workmanship.”
“That’s nice,” Bobby commented. “It’s the kind of thing I like.”
Maggie’s brow wrinkled slightly. “Really? But your furniture is so...”
He shrugged. “The apartment came furnished. It’s not really my style.”
“Oh thank God!” she said. “I just thought you had really bad taste.”
As was becoming a habit that day, Bobby laughed out loud. “Michael’s place is furnished a lot like mine.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. Michael is all about the latest and the best and frou-frou designer labels.”
Bobby regarded her with interest. “And you think that’s...
“Shallow,” she finished. “A piece like this one has heart, soul.”
He grinned. “Are you going to buy the dresser?”
She smoothed her hand across it again, glancing at the price tag. Her eyes widened. The price was a whole month’s salary for her. “No,” she shook her head gently, “I don’t really need a new dresser. It’s beautiful, though.” She smiled up at him. “How about you? Do you see anything you can’t live without?”
An unbidden thought popped up and he sighed. I see a gorgeous redhead I’m not sure I want to live without.
“Nope, nothing I can see. Would you like to go through that art gallery down the street?”
“Ooh, can we?” she asked hopefully.
“We can do anything you want, cher.”
She smiled and held his hand as they made their way out of the shop. Out on the sidewalk before they made it to the gallery, they were approached by a trio of twenty-something women.
“Beau Beaulieu! Someone told us they saw you. We thought they were lying. We’re huge fans,” said the self-appointed leader of the group. “Would you mind if we get a picture?”
Bobby glanced apologetically at Maggie. “Sure, no problem,” he said. He gamely posed for a couple of pictures and they thanked him before heading back down the street and leaving them alone again.
“I’m sorry about that,” he murmured, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “Fan girls.”
Maggie gave a small smile. “No worries. Does that happen a lot?”
He shrugged a bit. “Sometimes.”
She slipped her arm through his and they headed down the sidewalk again toward the gallery.
“Damn,” Bobby swore softly.
“What’s wrong?”
He patted his pockets and touched the top of his head. “I’ve left my sunglasses someplace.” He glanced in the direction from which they’d come. “I must have set them down in the antiques shop. Want to go on ahead and I’ll meet you in the gallery?”
“Sure,” she grinned. “I saw some cool photographs in the window I’d like to check out.”
“Okay, you do that and I’ll be right back,” he said.
Maggie continued on to the gallery, smiling to herself. I can’t remember the last time I had such a nice day. She thought about the preparations she’d made back at her apartment. The whole place had been thoroughly cleaned, there were new sheets on the bed, candles had been strategically placed all over, a new bottle of wine was chilling. And there were fresh ingredients in the fridge for making a nice breakfast.
Standing in front of a display of locally shot photographs, she was still smiling when a strong arm wrapped gently around her waist and her hair was swept to the left as tiny kisses were applied down the right side of her neck. Maggie shivered and giggled. “Did you find your glasses?”
“I did. I left them on the counter in the antiques shop,” he said. “What have you found now?”
“I was just looking at these,” she said, waving at the grouping. “I really love photography. I wish I were better at it. I have a terrific eye for great work done by others.” She laughed easily.
They spent the next hour perusing the art work in the gallery, stopping to enjoy an espresso in the gallery’s cafe.
As they wandered out into the late afternoon, the sun was beginning to slide behind the hills in the distance and small glittering flakes were drifting lazily in the cool air.
“Seriously? More snow? In April?” Bobby asked.
Maggie shrugged. “It’s not unusual to get one ‘last hurrah’ before winter goes away for good.”
“This bayou boy isn’t used to all this cold weather,” he grinned, pulling his sleeves lower on his hands. “Are you getting hungry, cher?”
She looked thoughtful. “I could be ready for dinner.”
“There’s a cool old inn not far from here. I always wanted to try it.” He smiled down at her. “What do you think?”
“I think that sounds perfect.”
Back in the Range Rover, they drove about two miles from the center of town until Bobby turned off the main road onto a long gravel drive. As they pulled up to the house, Maggie gasped in amazement. It was a three-story house built of fieldstone with red shutters framing the windows and a red tin roof. Single candles lit the windows against the growing dusk.
A uniformed valet approached the car before they’d stopped. “Good evening. Welcome to the Red Lantern Inn,” he greeted them as he opened Maggie’s door.
“Thank you,” Bobby said, getting out of the car and coming around to Maggie.
As the car drove away, Maggie gaped up at the house. “Bobby, this is...” She turned to look at him. “I don’t think you appreciate the kind of architecture dork I am.” She grinned. “This place has to be pre-revolutionary. I mean, look at the stone. And the shutters. I wonder if they’re original. It’s absolutely stunning.”
He grinned down at her. “I’m happy you like it. Would you like to see the inside?”
Chapter 36
It was Saturday and Michael felt restless. He was feeling reasonably well and knew that within a few days he’d be feeling the effects of the next round of chemo.
Maggie wasn’t coming by. Not today. She and Beau were spending the day together. Michael didn’t resent that in the least. He was making it his mission to see that Maggie was happy, and if that involved her falling in love with a retired baseball star, so be it. Even if she needed a little push.
He smiled to himself recalling her apoplectic response to his abando
ning her so that she and Beau had dinner alone last week.
She likes him. Hopefully they have a good day together.
He tried to occupy himself with sports on television but time and again he was drawn to his huge windows overlooking the city. He needed to get out, and while he felt well enough to do it. Donning a pair of jeans, a black henley, and a worn brown leather jacket against the cold, he ventured out of his apartment for the first time in a long time. He was vaguely hungry and had just the thing in mind. That Maggie wasn’t here to give him grief about it was a bonus.
Michael made a beeline for Papaya King and ordered the chili combo, figuring it was the least healthy option on the menu and he felt delightfully rebellious. Maggie had stocked his fridge with healthy, organic meals.
What Mags doesn’t know won’t hurt me, he thought, chuckling to himself. He took his first bite of chili dog before he walked away from the counter, his eyes rolling back in his head as the flavor of chili, onions, and authentic New York hot dog assailed his taste buds.
Standing with his tray resting on the narrow counter against the front window, Michael’s mind drifted to the first time he’d come there, when Maggie had brought him, insisting on paying for lunch that day, jokingly accusing him a being a snob. She’d been right, he realized as he nibbled a curly fry. He had been a snob. Not that he wasn’t still, but friendship with Maggie had shown him that he could loosen up a little and still be taken seriously.
He thought of their conversation that day, the discussion of their respective parents who’d abandoned them. Michael had told her he’d found a certain amount of peace when he’d had his father tracked down. Maggie had immediately rejected the idea of finding her mother.
Michael wondered about her resolve. Fingers crossed, this thing with Beau works out well, maybe it would be a good thing for her to know about her mother.
Rannigan's Redemption: Complete Collection Page 37
