Catching Her Heart (For the Love of the Game)

by Jody Holford

  Sawyer nodded as Dayton switched legs. “I don’t need a sermon, Day. I’m on board with the wellness thing. I went away for a few days, and a buddy suggested it, so I tried it out.” He didn’t mention that he wanted to try something out without having team docs and therapists weighing in on every little thing. It was no different than getting a massage with Addie the other night. His off-time was his own.

  “Okay. You’re done with this. Let’s hit the cable pull.”

  Sawyer rolled to his feet and gave Dayton a little shove. “You know I’ve worked out before, right?”

  Dayton laughed and followed after him. “Just trying to feel useful, man.”

  Before Sawyer could make a smart-ass comment, Mateo walked into the Slammers fitness room. His dark hair was tied back, and he walked with the casual cockiness of a guy who’d barely reached twenty-one. Sawyer hated the urge he felt to add extra weight to the cables.

  “Hey, guys. How’s it going?” Mateo walked to the water station and filled his bottle.

  “Good. How you enjoying Nashville?” Dayton asked, setting up his own weights.

  “It’s all right. Different, that’s for sure. That lady? Carlisle? The one who wants players all happy and healthy? She dropped off this whole, like, welcome wagon package at my hotel. She set up a bunch of apartment viewings for me and even arranged a car. Tell you, I could get used to this. Hot assistant giving me anything I need? Except, you know—”

  Sawyer dropped the weights, not flinching at the thud. Mateo’s and Dayton’s eyes snapped to his. “You’re not going to want to finish that sentence, kid.”

  Mateo held up his hands and a bit of water splashed out the top of his bottle, startling him. “Sorry, dude. No disrespect. She’s just, you know, hot. And sweet.”

  “You’re not wrong on either of those things but again, stop talking.”

  Before he could add anything else, Dayton lowered his weights and gave him a huge toothy smile. “Are you dating Addison?”

  Mateo grinned and walked over to them. “Whoa. Sorry for real, dude. I wasn’t trying to be an ass. She’s just made it really cool to settle in here, that’s all.”

  Of course she did. That was Addie—taking care of everyone else. Taking a deep breath, Sawyer squatted and reached between his legs for the cable again. “Yeah. Addie likes to make sure people are happy.”

  “You are a lucky man, McBain.”

  He grunted in response, ignoring both of them and trying to get through his workout without being distracted by images of Addie from the last few nights crowding his brain. He knew exactly how lucky he was.

  By the time Sawyer finished working out, he’d learned a fair amount about his new teammate. What sucked was, he was a decent kid and Sawyer couldn’t hate him for jumping on an opportunity to play for the team. Even if he didn’t get any actual playing time in the next season, it was a hell of a dream come true for any player.

  “What do you do for nightlife around here?” Mateo asked as they walked to the locker room.

  “To tell you the truth, I’m not all that social.”

  Mateo laughed. “Yeah, man. I’ve read that. But still, you must do something for fun.”

  Sawyer opened his locker and pulled out his phone but looked at Mateo. It hit him then that his idea of fun had changed somewhere over the last several years.

  “There’s a couple of great clubs. Don’t know if you’ve hit Salvation yet but that’s Cruz’s sister’s club. They have awesome bands and it’s a great vibe.”

  “Cool. You want to grab a beer?”

  He was tempted to say yes for no other reason than to show the kid there were no hard feelings, but his phone vibrated, and when he looked down, he saw his mom’s number on the screen. Sawyer’s jaw clenched and he gestured to the phone. “Rain check, kid.”

  Mateo nodded and walked away as Sawyer put the phone to his ear.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey? That’s it? I don’t hear from you for weeks, you don’t return texts or calls, I read about you on social media, and all I get is ‘hey’?”

  Sawyer sighed and sank down to the wooden-slat bench. “How’s it going, Mom?”

  “It’s busy and stressful, that’s how it is. I promised your brother and Lena that I’d give them a perfect engagement party, but my credit card got declined. I think there’s something wrong with it.”

  He almost laughed. Maybe he would have if she wasn’t 100 percent serious. “Yeah. It’s called overusing it. I just paid that off, Ma. And tell Brooks to plan his own damn party.” His lawyer was finalizing the paperwork, and Sawyer planned on sitting his brother and mom down for a long chat.

  “Well excuse me for being excited that one of my sons is getting married and wants to start a family. They’re all I have, you know.”

  It wasn’t a question. “Right. So then why are you calling me?”

  “Don’t be like that, Sawyer. I’m your mom.”

  Which was the only reason he answered the damn phone. “What do you need?” It was the easiest route to ending the call.

  “A couple thousand and your promise that you’ll show up.”

  He waited.

  “Your Grams says you brought a girl to meet her. Why do you stay close to that woman, Sawyer? You know she hates me.”

  “Jesus. She’s your mom.” If he could put up with her, she could put up with her own mother, especially since she was a great woman. “And she doesn’t hate you, Ma. She doesn’t like the way you try to put her in the middle of me and you. Why’d you call her?”

  “Who’s the girl?”

  She was going to find out anyway because he wasn’t attending Brooks and Lena’s party without her. Still, he didn’t want the poison that could be his family to seep into someone as sweet as Addison.

  “Just a girl I’m hanging with. No big deal. Why’d you call Grams?”

  “Only way I can get any information on you, isn’t it?”

  He rolled his eyes, ran a hand through his hair. “I’m right here if you ever want to visit and just hang out. You could try doing both without asking me for something.” Despite everything, a piece of him wished she would. That she’d want to repair the rips in their relationship for no other reason than they were family.

  He didn’t even know why he said it. Nothing ever changed. He could predict her next words even before he heard them through the phone.

  “You never had to ask me for a roof over your head, food in your belly, or money to play baseball. Family shouldn’t have to ask.” He hated the hitch in her voice.

  Letting out a deep sigh with all his anger, he stood up. He thought of Addison and how she handled even the most tenuous of situations with grace. If he wanted things to change, maybe he needed to be the catalyst. “You’re right, Mom. Anything I can do to help with the party?”

  “Oh, sweetie. You’re such a good brother. Let me tell you what we have planned.”

  He only half heard the details as he got ready to go home. He didn’t want to go through his life feeling the way he did toward most of his family. His grandmother had been such an important force in his life—would his own kids have anything like that? Addie’s parents. The thought brought him up short. They’d barely gone public. Why did his thoughts jump there? He shook off the uncomfortable itch between his shoulder blades.

  He wasn’t sure what he was looking for from his family, but maybe it was time to stop expecting something in return. Addie was rubbing off on him.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Addie glanced over to see Sawyer was still sleeping. She slipped out of the bed, pulling a robe over her tank top and pajama shorts. Leaving the room, feeling an unfamiliar sense of domestic contentment, she pulled the door almost shut behind her. Padding into the kitchen, she flipped the switch on the kettle and quietly grabbed a mug. Some chamomile tea and a bit of brainstorming would hopefully settle her overactive brain.

  She leaned against the counter, yawning as she waited for the water to boil. Since the first n
ight he’d stayed over, Sawyer had begun sleeping at her house almost nightly. Part of her was nervous to really let herself fall into this routine, but the other part of her—the piece that knew everything in life could be fleeting, including health and happiness and love—wanted to soak up every minute. In the last couple of weeks, he’d relaxed. Even more so in the days since the playoffs finished. He’d dropped his guard some, and the impact was like engraving his initials on her heart. Addie was prone to charging full steam ahead rather than willing herself to go slow and steady. It didn’t always work, though.

  Enjoy the moment and what is working. With the team done for the season, there was more time to get a sense of what people needed and set plans in motion. Most of the players were benefiting in some way, even small ones, from the initiative. Now Addie’s focus was on events and activities that could keep the team present in the community. She’d managed to get Sawyer out of his dancing engagement by offering it to Mateo, which turned out to be a great way to introduce him to the public as the newest Slammer.

  Picking up her tea, she detoured through the dining room where she’d left her notebook and made her way to the couch. That switch had also allowed her a conversation with Alyssa.

  After she’d set her tea down and snuggled into the corner, she opened the book. It was her idea book; one of many.

  “What are you doing awake?”

  Addie gasped and looked up to see a rumpled and very sexy Sawyer standing in the doorway of the living room, wearing his boxers. He yawned as he ran one hand through his hair.

  “Couldn’t sleep. Didn’t want to wake you.”

  He moved toward her, sitting right beside her on the couch. “You okay?”

  Shutting the notebook, she nodded. “I am. Sorry if I woke you.”

  Reaching out, he tucked her hair behind her ear. “You not being there woke me.”

  The admission made her want to squeeze him tight, but she just smiled. It wasn’t a bad thing to maintain a little dignity. He didn’t have to know her heart was doing a happy dance.

  “You’re sweet,” she whispered.

  He snorted. “Said no one. Whatcha drinking?”

  “Tea. I can make you some.”

  One eyebrow arched. “I’m good, thanks.” Moving his arm, he settled it around her and pulled her close.

  It was so easy to curl into him and forget about everything else.

  “What’s swirling around that amazing brain of yours?”

  Smiling against his chest, she hugged him closer. “I was thinking about some community programming with the team. Particularly with kids, as I think that’s a great way to pull fans in. And I was also brainstorming ideas to work on with Alyssa.”

  He angled his neck so he could look down at her. “You’re friends with the famous actress Alyssa Davay?” He feigned shock, making her laugh.

  “I have friends in high places,” she said.

  “Do you ever stop thinking about how to fix other people’s lives or make them better?”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes my brain won’t settle. Hence the couch sitting with tea at one in the morning.”

  Sawyer stroked his thumb over her jaw. “You know, there’s other ways to get your mind off something at one in the morning. Or any time for that matter. You could have woken me.”

  Laughing, ignoring the tingling effects of his words and the look in his eyes, she patted his chest. “I actually need my mind on these things. I also need to put together a report on how the wellness initiative is already making a positive impact. I’ve gotten some feedback that I can use as justification for carrying on with it.” It didn’t feel weird to give formal presentations to Isla, even with their friendship, but she was still making inroads with some of the other front of house staff.

  “Those massages were pretty nice,” he said.

  “I hardly think offering couples massages will make sure the players and management recognize the importance of balance in their lives.”

  Sawyer’s gruff, sleep-heavy laugh sent heat flashing through her body. He pulled her onto his lap. “Not couples massages. But what about hiring a team masseuse or something?”

  “Doesn’t the team have a sports therapist who does that?”

  He nodded. “Sure; for injury and right after the games. But management doesn’t get to benefit from that. Your hope is to improve balance and wellness across the board, right?”

  She straightened. “Yes. That’s exactly the idea. Maybe I was trying to personalize this too much. What if I simply offered access to the conveniences? Everything from nanny and assistant services to masseuses? That way people could come to us with their needs and know there are vetted options at their fingertips.”

  He smiled at her, but she gave it back to him in spades. Clasping his face between her hands, she pressed her mouth to his. “This is a great idea. I’ll be able to connect the community with the team even more than we already have because these services and people will be available right here during the season or the off-season. It’s not like people can’t find their own massage therapist, but I want to make people’s lives easier.”

  Sawyer shifted her, and Addie adjusted herself so she was straddling his lap. He reached up and cupped her face, pulling her closer. “If there’s one thing I’m sure of, babe, it’s that you make everyone you come into contact with a better person.”

  She was lucky her heart didn’t beat right out of her chest. “You’re making it very hard to keep perspective, McBain.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Addie pressed her lips to his neck, inhaling the scent of his skin. “If you keep being all sweet on top of the sexy, I’m going to have no choice but to completely fall for you.”

  Sawyer brought her gaze back to his. “I’m a professional catcher, babe. Go on and fall. I’ve got you.”

  What choice did she have? Absolutely none.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Pulling into the long driveway that led up to Liam Cruz’s house, Sawyer felt more like a teenager meeting parents than he did a guest. He’d been to Cruz’s place several times, including after he and Isla moved in together. He’d never come just to talk to Isla, though. That was new.

  Parking in front of the house, he grabbed his wallet and phone, shoving them in his pockets as he walked to the door. He knocked and waited. The house was gorgeous without being pretentious. It was a hell of a lot classier than Sawyer’s place but then, Liam had grown up in a pretty two-story home with a family much like Addie’s. Sawyer was so grateful to be able to make his own way, he didn’t care about fancy. Still, he thought his rancher suited his style the way Cruz’s did him.

  The carved front door swung open, and Isla stood in a pair of yoga pants and an oversize Slammers hoodie. She looked too young to own a baseball team. And be his boss.

  “Hey. Come on in.”

  She closed the door behind him. Sawyer removed his shoes and hung his jacket on the coat tree by the door. Something smelled delicious. His stomach growled in response.

  Isla grinned. “Don’t worry, I didn’t cook. Liam made coffee cake. Want some?”

  “I’m not going to turn that down,” he said, wondering if Liam was joining them. Hopefully not. He’d already gotten enough of Cruz’s big brother glare, and they’d hardly hung out as couples.

  The kitchen was open and spacious. Gleaming countertops and windows that looked out onto an expansive lawn made it brighter.

  “Want a drink?”

  “I’ll take some water, but really, I just wanted some insight into Addie so I could plan something special for her. You don’t have to cater to me.”

  Isla stopped by the fridge and turned to face him. “Offering company food and a cold drink isn’t exactly catering. Wow. I thought you all-stars were used to the royal treatment.”

  Sawyer laughed and took a seat at the island countertop. “Hardly. You know you own a team that’s been at the bottom for years, right? It’s a dream to play in the major leagues, but we’re not e
xactly used to having riches and freebies thrown our way. Liam’s probably a bit of a diva just because he came back from L.A.”

  Isla’s laugh was easy and genuine. He could see, outside of the fact that she was a gazillionaire, why she and Addie were friends. She grabbed them both waters as she chatted about the team and what she hoped to do to help improve their standing.

  He bit into the piece of cake she’d cut him. “Damn, this is good. Cruz could make a living.”

  “His job is fairly secure.” She took a large bite of her own and sighed in pleasure before pointing her fork at him. “So. My bestie. What are your intentions, McBain?”

  He had to laugh at the tough line coming from the small, feisty woman. He hadn’t thought much about his single friends settling down. Some of his pals were married, but Sawyer mostly saw them with just the guys. He could see, though, being with Isla, that she’d been easy to hang out with. Laugh with. And the thought of doing that as one half of a couple with Addison made him want to know her better.

  “My intentions are to show her how special she is. I’ve got some basics. I know her favorite foods, her love of Netflix and yoga pants, her penchant to doodle when she’s thinking, and her serious affection for shoes and purses.”

  Isla smiled at him. “She does have some beauties. But you don’t want a gift, right?”

  “I’m not opposed to getting her something. I just wanted to do something that would…” He stopped, glanced down at the counter. Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath and met Isla’s curious gaze. “Listen. I like her. I want to plan a special evening for her. I don’t really want to talk it to death, but I want her to know she matters.”

  Sliding off the stool, Isla patted his shoulder. “I don’t think you need me. You already have the right reasons, and whatever you do will be special because she’ll know you wanted it to be.”