by Lexy Parker
I looked up and kissed his chin before rolling off him. He pulled me close, my face resting against his chest. The day had been amazing. I never wanted it to end, but I knew it had to. Being with Dayton was nothing more than a fantasy come true. It couldn’t last.
“I’m absolutely spent,” I told him.
He chuckled. “I hope that is spent in a good way.”
“Definitely in a good way. I feel like I could melt. In fact, I feel like I have melted.”
He kissed me again on my nose. “I agree. Ready to get under these blankets and melt into this very big bed?”
I nodded. “I am.”
We managed to crawl off the bed, tugged the blankets back and climbed in naked. He pulled me against his body, his arm around me, cradling me to him. I felt completely content. I was exhausted in the best way. I was satiated to the point I could care about very little. I wasn’t sure I could walk at that point.
“Good night,” he whispered.
“Good night,” I replied, closing my eyes and letting my mind and body relax.
I wasn’t sure what he and I were doing. Were we dating? Were we just fucking? I didn’t want to ruin the mood and ask him. That was a heavy conversation that needed to happen at another time, not right then. I wanted to bask in the postcoital bliss. The man was an expert lover.
Chapter 21
Dayton
I woke up to pain. My arm was throbbing. Not just my arm. My shoulder, across my arm and right down to the tips of my fingers. I opened my eyes, wiggled my fingers and then closed them again, trying to make the pain go away. It was my new normal. I woke up in pain after spending most of the night in pain. I couldn’t lie on my right side anymore without causing serious problems for myself. I felt like I was trapped in an aging, decrepit body that wasn’t my own.
After the morning wake-up of sharp, shooting pains up and down my arm, it started to subside. I turned my head to the left, feeling the tingling in my other arm that had a very different cause. Evie’s head was lying on my chest and partially on my bicep, cutting off circulation, resulting in a sleeping arm. I smiled, looking down at the mass of blonde hair spread out over the pillow. I didn’t mind waking up to a numb arm as long as there was a beautiful woman causing it.
I could see her profile, take in the perfectly shaped nose, the full lips and the long, dark eyelashes resting below her eyes. Her skin was a beautiful, smooth alabaster with no blemishes. I watched her sleep a bit longer, thinking about what we were going to do for the day. I wanted her to really enjoy herself. I was surprised to find out she’d never really been anywhere or been pampered in the slightest. She was a hard-working woman who didn’t seem to know she deserved so much more. That’s what made it so fun to spoil her.
The pain in my arm returned, demanding my attention. I carefully disentangled my other arm from under Evie and quietly got out of bed. I strode naked into the bathroom, partially closing the door behind me and walking to the mirror. I studied my shoulder. It looked normal. It was hard to imagine there was so much damage hidden underneath the skin. There was damage. The more the pain persisted, the more serious I knew the damage to be.
I reached up, rubbing it, trying to get the muscles to stop spasming and aching in general. I tried to lift my arm straight out like the doctor had asked me to do and immediately dropped it back to my side.
“Fuck,” I groaned, hating feeling helpless to fix myself.
“Dayton?” I heard Evie’s soft voice.
She pushed open the bathroom door, wearing a pair of panties and a simple T-shirt. I felt a little underdressed standing there in the nude. I didn’t have to worry about it for long. She was immediately at my side, her soft hands moving up to my shoulder.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” I told her.
“It’s fine. Is your shoulder bothering you?” she asked.
I let out a long sigh. “It’s always a little sore and stiff in the morning.”
“Let me massage it,” she said, her hands already moving over my back and shoulder.
I groaned with the relief of having her hands work out the kinks. “You don’t need to rub my back,” I told her.
“I am. Come over here and sit,” she said, reaching for my hand and pulling me to the small bench near the massive tub.
I sat down, letting her work her magic. She was very good at her job. I felt almost immediate relief. The arm began to relax a bit and I didn’t have the biting kink in my neck from the weird way I’d been carrying myself.
“I think this is the real thing,” I muttered.
“What’s the real thing?” she asked, not stopping her hands.
“My throwing arm. The past two weeks, I’ve been telling myself it wasn’t a big deal. I was positive I would be able to get back on track if I followed the doctor’s orders. I knew there was a chance it wouldn’t happen, and I did think a little about what I would do if I couldn’t pitch anymore, but I didn’t truly believe it could happen. I tossed around the idea, but never truly thought it would be over. Every day I wake up like this, I have to start seriously considering the idea,” I told her.
“You’re worried this will be the end of your career?” she asked.
“Yes. Absolutely. It isn’t like I can move to another position. This is it. Everything I’ve worked for the past fifteen years is gone. I know it’s hard to explain and a lot of people don’t see how it can be such a huge life-changing event for an athlete to get injured and not be able to play their sport, but it is. Imagine if you couldn’t use your hands,” I said.
“I would find a job that didn’t require me to use my hands,” she said easily.
I smirked. “It isn’t so easy. I have no formal education. I went straight into baseball after I graduated high school. I have no real skills.”
“You could always go back to school,” she offered.
I grimaced. “That is about the last thing I want to do.”
“Okay, well, we’re not there yet. There is still a chance you can get better. I will do everything in my power to keep this arm limber and in good shape,” she said firmly.
I smiled, loving how she was willing to try so hard to keep me doing a job that I loved. She gained nothing from it. I was the one to gain. She was a giving person. I thought about her reason for staying in Hope. She stayed because her mom had been sick. I got the impression Evie would do just about anything for anyone without caring about how it would impact her own life. She was a giver. I had a feeling she would give everything and leave nothing for herself.
I reached back, grabbing her hand with mine and pulled her around to face me. “I’m good.”
“No, you’re not. I haven’t finished yet,” she insisted.
I shook my head. “Nope, it feels better already. I really didn’t bring you out here to take care of me. I want to show you a good time. I want you to have fun and be free.”
“But your arm,” she protested.
I got to my feet, still naked. “My arm is fine. Why don’t you shower and get dressed? Wear something lightweight. Do you have hiking shoes?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I have tennis shoes.”
“We’ll stop and pick some up,” I told her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.
“Pick some up where and why?”
“Because we’re going someplace I think you’re going to like. Hurry up and shower while I make some phone calls,” I told her and strolled out of the bathroom.
I heard the shower turn on and grabbed my phone to call down to the concierge. The man was all too willing to help. He was going to take care of procuring appropriate footwear and have it delivered to our room. I called down to room service and ordered a breakfast fit for a king before arranging for another car.
She walked out of the shower and stopped, staring at me sitting on the edge of the bed. I’d put on some briefs but nothing else.
“You look guilty,” she announced.
I laughed. “I’m only guilty of ordering br
eakfast. I’m going to shower. It should be here within the next ten minutes or so.”
“Breakfast?”
“Room service, so you might want to put on something a little more substantial,” I said, looking at her in the same panties and T-shirt. “Although I certainly don’t mind the skimpy outfit, I’m not sure you want to give the poor waiter or waitress an eyeful.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ha ha.”
I laughed and moved to the bathroom to take my own quick shower. If I had it my way, we’d be sharing the shower next time. I didn’t want to make her feel like I had only brought her along for a sex companion. I wanted her to feel at ease and relax. I wanted her to enjoy the impromptu vacation.
When I walked into the dining room area, Evie was standing next to the table, staring at the dome-covered dishes covering the table. “Is everything okay?” I asked.
“You ordered so much,” she said, turning to look at me.
I shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what you liked.”
“But it’s so much.”
“Let’s eat. You’ll need your energy,” I said, pulling off the first lid to reveal a stack of fluffy pancakes. Under another lid was an assortment of fresh fruit. I kept pulling off lids, smiling every time she gasped.
I handed her a plate and insisted she dish up. She finally made a move to put fruit, a pancake and some of the scrambled eggs onto her plate. I heaped food onto my own plate and sat down to dig in. She took her first tentative bite of the eggs and smiled.
“This is good. I could really get used to having someone make such a fancy breakfast for me,” she said with a laugh.
“Eat up. Do you want coffee?” I asked, filling my own cup from the carafe.
She nodded. “Please.”
After stuffing ourselves and loading up on coffee and washing it all down with orange juice, we both sat at the table, unmoving. I realized I probably shouldn’t have gone overboard with breakfast before a big hike but figured by the time we got to the trail, we’d be feeling more energetic.
There was another knock on the door. “I’ll get it.”
“Are you expecting someone?” she asked, suspicion all over her face.
I grinned. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
I opened the door to find a young man wearing the familiar black jacket that identified him as a hotel employee. I took the bag he was holding and gave him a twenty-dollar bill.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“This is what we need for today,” I said, reaching in and pulling out the first shoebox.
I checked the size and handed it to her. “Shoes? You bought me shoes?” She opened the box and her lip curled. “Um, hiking boots?”
I handed her the light neoprene jacket I’d had them pick up for her as well. “Yes, hiking boots. We’re going hiking. You said you wanted mountains. We’re in the mountains and it seems like a great place to get out and explore nature. The concierge told me about an awesome trail that is perfect for novices like us. It’s about four miles, but I think we can handle it.”
“Four miles, huh?” she asked with a smile.
I nodded. “Yep, four miles. You up for it?”
“Hell, yeah, I’m up for it. The question is whether you’re up for it. Maybe you should wear your sling. People don’t realize how much they use their arms for balance and momentum when they’re walking until they get home and can’t figure out why they are so sore in their shoulders,” she pointed out.
“I’ll be fine. I won’t swing my arms when I walk,” I promised.
She shrugged. “Okay. You’re a big boy. I won’t tell you what you can and can’t do.”
We both sat down and put on the new hiking boots. They were more of a low boot, some ankle support with a sturdy sole. The concierge told me the path was a little rocky, but not terribly bad. I couldn’t remember the last time I had gone exploring in the woods and was actually looking forward to the journey.
“Ready?” I asked her.
She nodded. “I am.”
We walked out front, finding the car and driver waiting for us. The drive up the mountain was very scenic. Evie and I were both staring out the window, taking in the greenery that was just coming out of dormancy. It was stunning. I realized then I had never really paid attention to what was around me. I had been so focused on baseball and being the best at what I did, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d really stopped and smelled the roses, so to speak. It wasn’t so bad.
Chapter 22
Evie
We got out of the car in the parking lot of the trailhead. There were plenty of other people gearing up for the trek. We got a few looks from those that were probably wondering who took a town car to a hike, but Dayton didn’t seem to notice. I followed his lead and played it cool, like I had gotten out of a luxury car every day of my life.
“I’ve never been on an actual hike before,” I exclaimed, studying the huge poster with the outline of the trail.
“I can’t say I have either. It looks easy enough,” he mumbled, tracing his finger over the wide blue line that snaked around and up the mountainside.
I burst into laughter. “I’m sure those are going to be famous last words.”
“We’ve got our water bottles, sunglasses, Chapstick and good footwear. The concierge told me that’s all we needed. I’m holding him to that,” Dayton said with a laugh.
“So am I or I’m going to be calling him to come carry my ass down this mountain,” I joked.
“You ready to do this?” he asked, his eyes alight with excitement.
I nodded. “I am. You have to tell me if your arm is bothering you. Do your best not to swing it while you’re walking.”
He moved to stand in front of me, looking me directly in the eyes. “Don’t worry about me. This is about you relaxing and enjoying yourself. We’re here to have a good time. I’m going to be fine.”
I nodded. “Okay. Sorry, I can’t help but worry.”
“I know. I’ve learned that about you.”
We got started, taking it slow and easy, pacing ourselves as we walked along the narrow path that was lined with trees. I immediately realized why he had bought me the jacket. It was chilly underneath the canopy of trees. Despite the number of people walking the same trail, we had relative privacy.
“You’ve never been here before?” I asked him.
“Nope. I’ve heard about it, but never been.”
We walked along, listening to the birds singing as they fluttered from branch to branch up high. The air smelled so clean and fresh. I could imagine myself living in a cabin, far away from people and cities. I liked the tranquility of it.
“Maybe one day I’ll buy a cabin high up in the mountains,” I murmured.
“Really? Does that mean you would consider leaving Hope?” he asked.
I shrugged. “As much as I hate to think of my mom leaving this earth, I know it will happen one day. There would be nothing keeping me in Hope if she wasn’t there.”
“You told me your mom was sick. Can I ask how sick?” he said.
I smiled, feeling a little bad that I had been so evasive. It seemed like we were past the point of total separation of our professional and personal lives. “She had cancer.”
“Oh. I know very little about cancer. She doesn’t have it anymore?” he asked.
I sighed. “As of her last checkup, she doesn’t. She will have to be tested every six months for the next five years before we can really take a breather and relax.”
“Did she have to do chemotherapy?”
His questions weren’t rude. I actually like that he seemed interested and that he cared enough to ask. “She did. She was one of the lucky ones and didn’t suffer some of the horrible side effects, but it did take its toll on her.”
“And you,” he commented.
“I wasn’t the one in pain and suffering,” I told him.
“You were the one watching someone you love go through something awful. You were in pain and you were suff
ering. I don’t know you all that well, but I know you are an empathetic person. You look out for others, you care about what they are feeling,” he said.
I shrugged. “I suppose, but we all do.”
He looked at me as we walked. “Not like you. You genuinely care.”
I mulled over the statement. “I do care. She’s my mom. I’m all she has.”
“I don’t know your mom, but I’m glad she had you. I’m sure you helped her a great deal.”
I chuckled. “I tried. She often got irritated with me for trying to help too much. It has been a long, uphill battle. If only cancer were something that quickly identified itself and if only the cure was simple. Unfortunately, it takes months, years even to ever find normal again. She is still working on normal.”
“As are you,” he replied.
I laughed softly. I loved how he was advocating for me when he really didn’t know me. I appreciated him shedding the light on my own hardships of watching my mother go through something terrible. One doctor had pulled me to the side after a particularly grueling week and told me I needed to do a little self-care. I scoffed at the idea. I kept telling myself I wasn’t the one who was sick. I didn’t need or deserve to be thought about. I wanted all the thoughts, prayers, casseroles and well wishes to go to my mother. I had a feeling if Dayton had been around during that time, he would have insisted I sleep and eat and take breathers now and then.
“Thank you, I appreciate you thinking about me. Thankfully, all that is in the past and I hope it stays there,” I said firmly, hoping if I said it enough it would eventually be true.
“Evie, can I ask a question? Maybe you don’t want to answer, and you don’t have to, but where was your dad during all this? Did he pass away?” he asked gently.