Falling for Centerfield Read online

  His face seemed to cloud for a minute. Then he moved to leave. “Well, you know, us dumb athletes can surprise you.”

  She felt the coldness seep in between them and regretted her surprised tone, and her previous assumptions about him also. But she had good reasons for distrusting athletes in general. Her assumptions didn’t need to stretch to Cole. Even though she’d seen nothing in him to think he might not be just as easily untrustworthy. Just as callous with her feelings. Just as selfish and hoarding of attention. She didn’t know much of anything about him. Time would tell. But she knew one thing, and that was she couldn’t expect any sort of reciprocal feelings from him, and she should be grateful.

  They walked out together in silence with Harlow trying to think of something to ease feelings between them. “I meant what I said though. I was impressed. And I’m looking forward to helping these kids.”

  His stance softened. “Thank you. They deserve the world, these kids. They were handed nothing and they deserve everything. When I think of what I could have been, how it would have been for me, it just seems unfair, you know.”

  Her interest immediately piqued. “What you could have been, what do you mean?”

  His eyes shot to hers in surprise and then relaxed. “Did I say that? I guess, what it could have been if my dad wasn’t going to arrive in a matter of hours by helicopter for a fishing trip on our yacht?” He shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m talking about half the time.”

  Ugh, and here came the playboy rich spoiled man she knew was in there somewhere. Well good, when he acted like that, it was easier for her to keep her distance. Their relationship had professional boundaries and she didn’t have to worry about any of that changing. Until he took off those glasses and she looked into his eyes again, but she’d worry about that next time it happened.

  Chapter 6

  Cole’s dad landed and the blades were still spinning when Cole ran forward to meet him and put an arm around him while they both ran back inside the house. “Dad! It’s good to see you.”

  “You too, son.” They embraced, and Cole felt the same protective, loving care he always felt in his dad’s arms no matter his hero now stood shorter, and was considerably weaker in stature than Cole.

  “I’m ready to get out on the water.” Cole needed a break from everything. Time spent with his dad would be just the thing. No distractions, no stresses, no manager; and if he were being totally honest with himself, no Harlow. Somehow during all this she had gotten under his skin. So now, not only could he not form full sentences when trying to talk about anything important, he was dealing with such a massive confusing array of emotion he wasn’t sure what to do with it all. He found her attractive, incredibly, distractingly so. But he didn’t know what to do about it. If it were any of the girls that usually hung around, he would flirt a little, joke, offer a few strategic compliments, and then ask her out. After that, he’d see where it took them.

  But with Harlow, he always felt like there were a hundred ways to get things wrong. And she made him so dang nervous. And it mattered. If the other girls rejected him, he didn’t really care. Not that they ever had. Most of the girls he ever associated with were the girls that hung around after games or at the after parties or the ones who travelled with the team. He didn’t know any different. And knew nothing would ever come of those girls.

  Harlow was something different. She mattered. He was stunned by that realization. When had Harlow come to matter? He didn’t know. But she did. Her opinion of him mattered.

  His dad was watching him. “What is it, son?”

  He moaned. “Already trying to read my mind and cure all my demons.” He shook his head in amazement and gratitude for such an attentive father.

  “Perhaps that distant and tortured look on your face has something to do with a young lady?”

  Cole waved it off, as though it were ridiculous, but then he couldn’t deny it so he shrugged.

  “Aha! And could this young lady’s name be Harlow Ember?”

  He groaned. “When did you start reading gossip columns?”

  “You know the PR department sends me anything personal to look over.” His dad waited, eyebrows raised.

  “Let’s get you something to eat, drink, plan our day on the water.”

  “And you’ll tell me all.”

  “All that there is to tell, which isn’t much.” He frowned. “At all.”

  His dad’s grin should have been annoying but he could never be frustrated with his life-long hero. Instead he rested his arm on his shoulders and walked back toward the kitchen.

  “She’s…” He ran a hand through his hair. “Dad, I don’t know what to tell you. There’s nothing. We don’t know each other at all. But the press started to make a big deal, so I manipulated it to get some attention for some children’s centers in the local area, and…”

  “You’re gonna have a dodgeball competition?” His eye brows rose even farther up onto his head.

  Cole laughed, a surprised reaction straight from his gut as he thought about it. “It’s the craziest thing. It’s actually pretty awesome. Me and the kids convinced her to do a dodgeball match at the center in Belltown. And the press caught a picture.” He pulled up the screenshot on his phone of the two of them, ball in her hand. His smile grew looking at it again. “It’s just such a great shot.” He cleared his throat, avoiding a sudden knowing expression on his father’s face. “So anyway, when the press showed up for a normal Q and A follow up from the charity event, they were trying to lead us along into revealing some kind of secret relationship.” He scoffed. “And one thing led to another until we are having a similar fundraiser event here locally.”

  “I want to meet her.” He drummed his fingers. “Invite her out on the water tomorrow.”

  “She lives in Belltown.”

  “But she’s still in town, surely.”

  He sighed. “Yes, we’re doing the dodgeball thing in a few days.”

  His father leaned back on the kitchen chair. “Perfect. Invite her.”

  The hope and excitement that rose in Cole’s chest surprised him. He thought he just wanted to get away from it all, but the thought of Harlow away with him, with his father, to a place where things weren’t complicated, where he was comfortable, that made him happy, happier than he’d been in a long time. “Ok.” He started texting.

  “What are you doing, son? Call her.”

  “What?”

  “This texting thing drives me crazy. How can you get to know a woman if all you see is what her thumbs type?”

  “That’s not all I see. Texting is helpful. She can read it when she’s ready…”

  His father’s face did not brook disagreement.

  “I’ve just got to get her number from the guys.” He texted their group message, “Just the Six Pack.” Guys, anyone have Harlow’s phone number?

  Rabbit responded right away. Oh Timber! Going after the Bonfire.

  I just want to ask her something.

  Lay off. Skeeter joined. Maybe he’s ready to settle down...a little.

  ROFL. Everyone responded with their different doubts in his desire to settle down.

  He rolled his eyes. Just someone give me the number.

  Axel took pity on him. She’s a class act, Big Dawg. Then he shared the contact.

  Thank you.

  He started a text to Harlow then glanced at his dad who started making their sandwiches with eyebrows raised. So he erased the text and clicked voice call instead. It rang once before he heard a quiet, hopeful voice. “Hello?”

  His heart picked up, and the smile filled his face before he could hide it from his dad. “Hey, Harlow?”

  “Hi Cole.”

  “Hey, so. My dad came into town, and we were both wondering if you’d want to go out on the water with us tomorrow.”

  The silence on the other end felt thick and longer than anything he had experienced.

  “Yes, sure! That sounds great.” She paused. He waited. “Is that a good ide
a?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “The press, if they see . . . They already think there’s something.”

  “I don’t care what they think. And . . .” He thought for a moment. He fisted his hand for courage. Did he want to say these next words? For the first time, he admitted to himself, he wanted to explore what could happen between them. He felt his father’s eyes on him. He felt Harlow waiting on the other end. “And what if there might be something?”

  He heard her intake of breath and didn’t want her to have to respond, afraid she might strike him down before he could even have a chance. So he said, “Can we send a car at around seven in the morning? It’s early, but dad is serious about actually catching a fish.”

  “Ok, I’ll be ready. And Cole?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  “See you soon.”

  He hung up and his father said, “That’s better. Well done, son. That was the most honest thing I’ve seen done with a woman in years.”

  He didn’t want to know what his dad was talking about so he just took a bite of his huge BLT sandwich. “Mmm. You still make the best sandwiches.”

  His father let it pass. He looked too self-satisfied over there across the table.

  Cole needed to talk to him about other things. “They’re bringing in Joe.”

  His dad grunted. “I heard. Don’t worry about that, son. They’re trying to get under your skin. What we have to figure out is why.”

  “I missed a catch at practice.”

  “Everybody misses catches sometimes. Don’t worry about it.”

  He nodded and, for a minute, just relied on his dad’s strength, pretending he would take care of it all for him.

  They went to bed early, his father fatigued after travelling and Cole ready to have a moment to think. He was looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully he could just be normal. He wasn’t sure what he was getting into here, totally unchartered waters to spend time with a girl who mattered. Mattered. He still reeled from that realization. But he determined to find out just how much. And if he mattered to her.

  Chapter 7

  Harlow waited in the hotel lobby, watching out the front turnaround for the Hunter limo. What if there might be something? Had she heard him right? He’d asked the question she herself had been wondering since their first dodgeball game.

  She tried not to fangirl, but Cole Hunter had asked her out on a date! She tried not to be overly influenced by money, but at length she gave up and chose to be excited. A short squeal exited her lips when she was sure no one would hear. How often was she picked up for dates in limos and when would she ever be out on the ocean in a personal yacht?

  Her phone buzzed. Almost there.

  The car arrived almost in time with the text and to her surprise, Cole hopped out.

  She walked through the revolving door. “You came?”

  “Dad thought it incredibly unchivalrous of me not to come pick you up. ‘You were taught better,’ he says.” Cole bowed. “So here I am.” Then he held his arm out to her and escorted her to the limo like they were going to prom. Or a gala or other event and she felt special and wanted to thank his father. He opened the door. And then went around to the other side. She settled back in the soft seats, her deck bag at her feet. She wore a strappy dress over her suit. She had a warm jacket for when the wind picked up.

  He joined her in his own board shorts and t-shirt stretched across his chest. His arms powerful and his chest just right. She tried not to notice, but that was impossible. His gaze travelled slowly over her face. His smile grew. “Angel eyes, you look beautiful. Thank you for coming.”

  She laughed and shook her head, doing kind of a cringe/thrill at his compliment and pet names. “I’m looking forward to it. You know we don’t get opportunities like this up in Belltown very often.”

  He snorted. “True. Though the Cape has its own charms when you can get over there.”

  True. But she would never “get over there” in quite the same way that he must. She hadn’t been aware of his wealth when they were both in Belltown. She never thought about it, and he certainly didn’t flaunt it. But from what she could tell, money was not a concern for him. She felt her respect for him grow a notch and this new information challenged the image she had of him in her mind. Perhaps he wasn’t always all about flaunting himself to the world. Or else why not flaunt more?

  He entertained her with descriptions of all his favorite California haunts and they surprised her. Instead of the best clubs or parties or ways to join the Hollywood crowd, he pointed out best parks, most interesting beaches, and off the beat hikes. He talked about the colors on the water, the time of day to see them, and when you could expect the best sunset. “My windows face west. I’d love to show you a sunset from my living room. It’s something to never forget.”

  Pleased, she turned toward him. “You love it out here in California.”

  He turned away, a troubled look in his eyes, and she belatedly remembered the bits of the conversation she’d heard between him and Mr. Stacy. Obviously things weren’t going as well as he would like for him on the Sea Rays. But that seemed like a typical situation, athletes never totally sure they were solid on a team, could be traded at any time. She thought they were expecting it, used to the thought, but she guessed maybe not and of course Cole was young, new.

  “I’ve always thought you’d end up on the Mustangs.” Texas was Cole’s home. Everyone knew it.

  He nodded. “You and my dad. And me too. But I want to have a go of it out here, enjoy my time, grow, be successful.”

  “And you are.” She wanted to comfort him, and felt vastly unqualified to do so. They pulled up to a marina.

  “The boat is out there. Come on.” He hopped out and ran around to her side. When the door opened, he even held out his hand. Pleased, she placed her small fingers in his large palm. And he didn’t let go. Warmth filled her and tingles zinged up her arm. She tried to calm her heart, tell herself that he was not feeling the same things, that she needed to treat this as more of a platonic thing. Even though he’d said he wanted to be with her, it was easier to second guess. But then he placed his hand at the small of her back when they walked up a small set of stairs on the decking and grabbed her deck bag to carry for her. As soon as they reached the top, his fingers weaved through hers. And she thrilled at his touch. Every fiery brush of skin on hers left a trail.

  They approached the end of a dock and an elderly man with kind eyes waved. When they were close enough, Cole’s father held her hand in his.

  “I’m so pleased to meet you, Harlow. Your work on women’s issues has really resonated. My wife reads me every word, religiously, and grills me about fair treatment in our companies.”

  “She does?” The incredulity in Cole’s voice was not lost on Harlow.

  “Thank you. I’m most proud of opportunities to bring those sorts of issues to light.”

  Cole cleared his throat, with a teasing raise of his eyebrow, he waited.

  She laughed, “And of course, all publicity dodge ball games. I’m proud of those too.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about.” He nodded and indicated they should all climb aboard. The boat was long and white with wood paneling. It seemed huge to Harlow, with three levels, one windowed top lookout level with the steering wheel. The bridge, she guessed. As soon as Harlow and Cole’s father were seated on the main deck area, Cole turned on the boat and backed it out of the slip. She looked everywhere, drinking in the other boats, the small marina. A splash and a flash of brown surprised her. A seal rolled its back out of the water.

  “Look!”

  “Oh, that’s Sam. He’s just here for the women.”

  She laughed. “What?”

  “It’s true,” said Cole. “Say hello.”

  She leaned over the edge. “Hello.”

  “Call him by name. Hello, Sam.”

  She tried it and called out, “Hello, Sam.”

  He jumpe
d out of the water right in front of her, splashing.

  “Now he’s just showing off.” Cole’s dad tossed him a fish.

  “You have him trained?”

  “Somewhat. More like he has me trained.”

  Cole called from the steering wheel. “He comes when our boat is in the harbor. Looking for Dad.”

  “That’s incredible.”

  As they pulled further out into the water, two dolphins rolled up out of the water. “And dolphins?” She laughed. “I guess everything’s incredible today.”

  Cole’s grin looked so natural, so pleased, she began to wonder if there might be some sincerity in his interest in spending some time with her. Either way, she was going to enjoy today, especially if it was the only time she ever had the opportunity. When else could she spend time with charming men, old and young, on a yacht off the California coast? So she smiled back and then went to go stand beside Cole while he steered the boat out of the no-wake marina area.

  “This is just so amazing to me. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Dad and I try to do this as often as we can. It helps to get completely away.”

  She nodded and with a lump in her throat realized just how true that must be for him. “I don’t know how you stay away from the water. I’d be tempted to live on a boat.”

  “Would you?” He turned to her. “Because I think about that all the time. I’d love to be one of those people who spent a year on his yacht, travelling around the world.” He reached forward into a small glove compartment type box within his steering console. “In fact, in honor of your hopefully prophetic words, I have a gift.” He pulled out a fleece sunglasses bag. “For you.”

  “What?” She peeked inside, pleased and surprised. “I feel like this is a moment. Are you giving me what I think you’re giving me?”

  “Open them and see.”

  She couldn’t believe it if he was, but she suspected— opened the bag and pulled out a pair of sunglasses identical to Cole’s.