“I’m glad you’re doing well. Please know that you can talk to me about anything.” She held Alexis’s gaze for several seconds. “I mean it. There are no judgments here.”
“Okay.” Alexis shrugged and averted her eyes. “But I don’t really have anything to talk about.” She pointed to the desk. “There are some letters in that folder that need your signature. Just let me know when you’ve signed them and I’ll send them out.”
Kelly gave a cursory glance to the folder. “I’ll do that.” Alexis stared at her mutely. “You can go.” She smiled to ease the tension. “I’m glad you’re feeling better,” she called after Alexis as she left the office.
Not ten seconds later, Angie rushed in. “How did it go?”
Kelly stared at her in surprise. “That was fast. Do you have a hidden camera in here, or what?”
Angie chuckled. “I was going to the break room to get a soda and saw her come out of your office.” Her humor faded and was replaced with concern. “Did she say anything?”
“No. I didn’t press her. I let her know that I’m here if she wants to talk. Speaking of which, talk to me. What’s going on with Scott? Did he change his mind about Napa?”
Angie’s eyes clouded. “We’re doing something else.”
“I’m afraid to ask,” Kelly said and then snapped her fingers. “No. Wait. Let me guess. You’re separating the two-ply toilet paper.” She snapped her fingers again and grinned. “Oh no, I’ve got it. You’re spending the day cutting napkins in half, and then in the evening you’ll go online and read Tightwad Central together.”
“I should never have told you about any of that.” Angie gave her a mutinous look.
“Ah, but you did. And you can’t expect me not to bring it up when the guy can’t even take you to Napa for your birthday. It’s not that far, and besides, that old car he drives takes regular gas not premium.”
Angie lifted her chin. “If you must know, he’s taking me out for a very nice dinner.”
“McDonald’s?”
“No.” Angie scowled.
“Taco Bell?”
“No,” Angie snapped and gave her an annoyed look. “We’re going to his mother’s place.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Kelly exclaimed in disbelief. The son of a bitch was really pissing her off now, and what’s more, he’d made her swear. Something she was trying to cut back on. After taking a deep breath, she forced herself to speak calmly, “Scott’s mother lives in a senior facility, Angie.”
“I know.” Angie blinked as moisture filled her eyes. “But it’s a nice one. The food isn’t bad.”
“Why do you stay with him?” she asked, noting Angie’s death grip on the back of the chair. “You deserve better,” Kelly added gently even as she wanted to take Angie by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Why in the world was she settling for a miser like Scott?
“Perhaps.” Angie shrugged. “But at least I know what I get with Scott. He’s loyal and trustworthy. And he’ll never cheat on me.”
“Do you love him?” Kelly asked. “When you see him does your heart pound? Do your knees go weak?”
“That’s not important.” The lack of emotion in Angie’s eyes broke Kelly’s heart. “I want security and Scott can give me that.”
“And J.T. can’t?”
Angie’s mouth fell open. “Why are you bringing him up? He’s nothing to me.”
Kelly tilted her head and observed Angie shrewdly. “Then why are you getting so upset?”
Angie raised a hand in protest. “I’m not upset.”
“What happened between you and J.T. the night of our softball game?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly, but her pink-stained cheeks told a different story. “Nothing at all.”
Kelly let out a soft sigh. “I just want you to be happy, Angie.”
“I am.” Her response was curt. “I care about Scott and I accept his...his limitations. And in the future, I’d appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself,” Angie said, then turned and stalked out of the office.
“Good one, Maxwell,” Kelly muttered as her cell phone rang. Reaching for it, her mood lightened when Matt’s name appeared on the screen. “Hi,” she said, unable to control the rapid beating of her heart. She’d bet all the money in her bank account that Angie didn’t feel this way when Scott called.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No.” Kelly stared at the empty doorway. Damn it. She really needed to be less blunt. It was either that or tape her mouth shut.
“I just talked to Lily. She invited us to come over and watch Major League with her and Dorie tonight.”
“I love that movie.” She perked up. A comedy was exactly what she needed to make her forget her worries about Alexis and Angie. “And I’d really like to see Lily and Dorie.”
“Great. I’ll come by around six to pick you up.”
Kelly turned to her computer and clicked on a new email from Katherine. “How about I drive since I know the area?”
“Only if you promise to get me there in one piece.” Matt’s voice was tinged with amusement.
“My driving isn’t that bad,” she said with a smile.
“You think? Tell that to the guy who flipped you off the first time we went to Lily’s house.”
* * *
Matt followed Kelly into the elevator and automatically pressed the button for her floor. As the doors closed, he leaned against the stainless-steel panel thankful he’d survived another wild ride on the streets of San Francisco. To be fair, though, if he owned a bad-ass car like the Trans Am, he’d be just as much a speed demon as she was.
“I’m looking forward to Kayla and Sean’s engagement party this weekend,” she said as the elevator ascended. “My parents and I are flying down to L.A. together on Friday evening. When’s your flight?”
“Saturday morning.” It would be his first trip home since he’d been traded. Unfortunately, it was for one night only. On Sunday he’d join the team in San Diego for the three-day series with the Padres.
“Lily was in good spirits tonight. She doesn’t seem to be worried about the surgery at all.”
“She’s worried.” He thought of Lily’s confession in the hospital. “She just hides it well,” he said and let Kelly precede him into the hallway after the elevator eased to a stop and the doors slid open. He joined her, then together they walked down the hallway to her condo.
“This must be so hard on Dorie. I didn’t ask because it’s really none of my business, but I wonder where Lily’s father is. Neither Dorie or Lily ever mention him.”
“I’ve wondered the same thing.”
Kelly’s compassionate eyes met his when they reached her front door. “I can’t imagine a father not being there for his child.”
Matt’s heart constricted. Most people would think the same thing, but he’d learned a long time ago that there were two sides to every story. “Maybe he doesn’t know he has a child.”
“How could he not know?” she asked and inserted her key into the lock.
“Believe me. It happens.”
“I’m lucky. I have a wonderful father.” She pushed the door open. “Would you like to come in?”
He shook off the past and flashed a grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Once inside, Matt followed Kelly into the dimly lit living room and couldn’t help but admire the sway of her hips and the curve of her ass in the snug jeans she wore. Although he had enjoyed spending time with Lily and Dorie tonight, he’d be a damn liar if he said he hadn’t been thinking about getting Kelly alone the entire evening.
He’d taken a seat next to her on Dorie’s couch. Big mistake. The tantalizing scent of her perfume had played havoc with his concentration, and her bare arm occasionally brushing his reminded him of how soft and satiny her skin was. It had been torture being so close to her and not being able to touch her. Never had he been more aware of a woman than he was of Kelly tonight.
If she wa
s feeling the same way, she hid it well. Not that he expected her to act in a suggestive manner in front of Dorie and Lily, but other than offering him some popcorn she’d barely acknowledged his existence.
Was it wrong that he wanted her to feel the same level of sexual frustration he was feeling? Probably. But women weren’t like guys in that respect. Guys thought about sex on average every seven seconds. Or at least that’s what he’d heard.
The weird thing was it wasn’t just about the sex—which was off-the-chart hot—it was how he’d unexpectedly discovered that he liked waking up with her curled against him, soft and warm in his arms. And there was something about her face, so serene and unguarded when she slept, that fascinated him. Not that he’d ever tell her he watched her sleep. Not after she told him it freaked her out. That would be his little secret.
“Come and sit,” she said as she sank down on the couch and slipped out of her heels. Matt settled next to her and stretched his arm out along the back of the black leather cushions. Kelly’s hair was loose around her shoulders, tempting him to touch it, so he did. It was as soft and silky as he remembered.
“It’s a good thing I’ve seen Major League about ten times,” he said.
Kelly turned to him with one brow arched inquisitively. “Why is that a good thing?”
“Because tonight I couldn’t concentrate on the movie to save my life.”
“I know the feeling.” Her lips curved in a suggestive smile, his pulse kicked and his body hardened at the thought of making love to her again.
“What caused your lack of concentration?”
“A certain catcher sitting next to me.”
“Would you care to elaborate?” he asked as she shifted her body toward him and put her hand on his thigh. Her light touch reawakened the aching hunger he’d been suppressing all night.
“Do I really need to tell you about the birds and the bees?” Amusement lit her eyes. “Okay, here’s the deal. When a man and a woman like each other they may have certain urges—”
“So you like me?” he interrupted her with a triumphant grin. “Finally. You admit it.”
“Hello. I slept with you. Of course I like you.”
“How could you not?” He grinned. “So go on about those urges you were talking about. Or better yet, maybe you can show me.”
“I think that can be arranged,” she whispered and leaned forward to kiss him. Her mouth was warm and moist, and her tongue stroking against his was better than anything he’d imagined. With a moan, he cupped her nape and kissed her with all the pent-up desire he’d been feeling since he’d touched her so intimately on the plane. As their mouths fused hotly, the only sound he heard was the hammering of his heart. Nothing else registered until...
“Isn’t this a surprise?” Stacia’s voice was like stepping into an ice-cold shower. Startled, Matt jerked back and both he and Kelly looked to the foyer where Stacia stood with her keys in one hand and her purse in the other. “Sorry I interrupted,” Stacia said in a tone more sarcastic than apologetic.
“I thought you were at Mission Rock,” Kelly said as she eased away from him and put some distance between them. Not that he needed cooling off. Stacia’s surprise entrance had pretty much killed the mood.
“I was. It was dead so I left.” Stacia smiled, or maybe it was a sneer. Matt couldn’t tell, but it was directed toward him. “So much for concentrating on baseball, right?” she added, drilling him with her arctic blue eyes. Okay, that confirmed it. It was a sneer.
What the hell was he supposed to say to that? It wasn’t like he could deny he’d blown her off with that very line because he had. Only when he’d said it he never dreamed it would come back to haunt him. He should have known that one of his lies would end up biting him in the ass. An uncomfortable tension filled the room as the silence stretched on. How would Stacia take the whole “I’m just not that into you” speech right about now? His guess...not well.
After what seemed like an eternity, Stacia turned her sights on Kelly. “I’ll let you have some privacy,” she said in a terse voice, and without another word walked past them to the hallway. He braced himself for the slamming of her bedroom door, but no sound came. Was she eavesdropping? He wouldn’t put it past her.
“That was uncomfortable,” Kelly said with a wry twist of her mouth. “I think she’s upset.”
Matt snorted. “What was your first clue?”
Chapter Eighteen
A late-afternoon breeze carrying a subtle hint of roses ruffled Kelly’s hair and softly caressed her skin. Reportedly, there was a rose garden on James Barrett’s estate but, as of yet, she hadn’t seen it. Perhaps before the evening was over, she would get a glimpse of what Kayla called the secret garden. Like in their favorite childhood book, the garden was enclosed, and only recently had Sean’s father allowed anyone to enter his late wife’s sanctuary.
“She looks absolutely radiant, doesn’t she?”
Holding a class of expensive champagne, Kelly observed her sister standing with her fiancé, his father, James Barrett, and her parents on the far side of the tiled terrace. Radiant was the right word, for that’s exactly how Kayla looked, radiant and blissfully happy.
“Yes.” She turned to her companion and smiled. “Did you do her hair?”
Lance Del Rey, Kayla’s friend and frequent hairstylist, nodded. “Great hair runs in your family, darling,” he said, giving her a thorough once-over. “Are you still seeing William for your highlights?”
“Religiously.” Kelly took a sip of her champagne. “Thank you for recommending him.”
“How could I not?” Lance put a well-manicured hand to his chest. “I hate to see bad things happen to good hair. Whoever was doing your highlights before William should have their license revoked. Thank God he moved up to San Francisco when he did.” Lance made a face of mock horror. “I shudder to think of what those glorious locks of yours would look like now.”
Amused, she scanned the assembled guests and waved when she caught the eye of Kayla’s longtime publicist and friend, Lisa Harrison, who was chatting with Sandy, the makeup artist on A New Dawn. Lisa was a tall willowy blonde with the lithe figure of a fashion model. There was a time when Kelly would have given anything for a body like that, but now there was no envy, or jealousy. Thankfully, she’d moved past that.
“Did you see the Oscar?” Lance leaned toward her and whispered. “It’s in the living room. Near the baby grand piano.”
“I didn’t notice it.”
Lance stared past her and gasped softly. “Girlfriend, don’t look now, but tall, dark and damn hot just arrived.”
Curious to see who had Lance’s undivided attention, Kelly turned to see Matt heading directly for Sean and Kayla. And yes, he did look tall, dark and damn hot in a tan suit, light blue button-up shirt and a multicolor blue tie. The suit had to be custom made, it fit him like a glove, emphasizing his broad shoulders and strong arms. Just looking at him ignited a frisson of heat low in her belly. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he shook James Barrett’s hand, and then her father’s. As if he could feel her watching him, he turned his head and their eyes locked for several heart-stopping seconds.
“Who is that?” Lance asked, forcing her attention from Matt.
“Matt Scanlon,” she said, hoping Lance hadn’t noticed her visceral reaction. “I’m surprised you don’t recognize him. He played for the Dodgers for years.”
“I don’t follow sports.” Lance continued to devour Matt with his eyes. And seriously, who could blame him? “But if they all look like him I might have to start.”
Kelly couldn’t help but smile. She liked Lance, and all of Kayla’s friends. When her sister had decided to move to Hollywood at the age of twenty, she’d been worried to death about the kind of people Kayla might meet, and about what could happen to her in such a cutthroat business. As it turned out, Kayla could take care of herself. She’d surrounded herself with good solid people and had never changed from the sweet caring person s
he’d always been. And now she was getting married to a man she adored. No one deserved it more.
A gentle touch on her arm startled her. It was Kayla, breathtaking in her white Grecian-style dress with an embellished scoop neckline. Her hair was swept up in an artfully tousled top knot, and a pair of chandelier earrings sparkled against her skin, lightly tanned from her recent location shoot in Hawaii.
“Come with me,” Kayla said and shot a conspiratorial smile toward Lance. “Do you mind if I steal my sister for a few minutes?”
“Not at all.” Lance lifted his champagne glass to his lips and winked. “I’ll stay here and enjoy the scenery.”
Kayla laughed. “You do that. But remember, Sean is mine.”
“Where are we going?” Kelly asked as Kayla grabbed her hand and led her down a stone path that began at the edge of the terrace and meandered toward a small cottage at the far end of the expansive grounds.
“You’ll see,” Kayla said with an impish grin. “But I can tell you this, you’re gonna love it.”
* * *
Matt watched as Kayla whisked Kelly away from the party and knew exactly where they were going. The view from the deck outside the guest cottage was amazing and, right now, with the sun about to set, very romantic. It should be him with Kelly on that deck, not Kayla. If he hadn’t gotten stuck in traffic on the PCH, he’d be the one showing her the magnificent view—not her sister.
“Earth to Matt.”
Matt turned and found Sean’s amused gaze on him. “Did you say something?” he asked.
Sean chuckled. “Yeah, I asked if you might find time to get some surfing in.”
“No. I’m flying to San Diego tomorrow morning.” He unbuttoned his suit jacket and slipped a finger under his collar. He hated suits, but for his best friend’s engagement party he couldn’t very well turn up in jeans and a T-shirt. “I was lucky to get today off.”
“I’m glad you could make it. It wouldn’t be the same without my best man.”
“Best man?” Matt echoed, then it dawned on him and he grinned. “I hope the wedding is during the off season. With Taylor coming back, who knows where I’ll be next year.”
The Winning Season Page 22