Change Up

by Ann, Natalie

  “Walking?” she asked.

  “I can handle that.”

  She moved over and pulled out a few folders with sheets of paper. “I’m sure you’ve done a lot of these in your life, but if you do these stretches and walk, come Monday we’ll be able to move onto a few more things.”

  “Sounds good,” he said, taking the papers and leaving, wishing he could find something else they could have talked about, but knowing he was pushing his luck.

  Just because he was bored silly sitting at home didn’t mean that he was ready to hang out here either.

  4

  Full of Questions

  Kaelyn was just leaving her brother Evan’s house on Sunday morning, having stopped over quickly to give him money for their father’s birthday gift.

  Her oldest brother lived in Paradise Place—the development started by their grandparents over fifty years ago—and had for about five years. Christian was still buying and flipping houses on the side and living in them while he did it.

  Both of her brothers worked with their father and uncle at Butler Construction. She could have had a spot in the company somewhere if she wanted it, but she never did.

  She could live here too, but wasn’t ready to own a home just yet. Apartment living was just fine for her. No maintenance and no responsibility other than paying her monthly rent.

  The fact that her family owned the apartment complex she lived in was just vanilla ice cream on warm apple pie.

  When she turned the corner to get out of the development she saw a tall lanky form walking a small puppy. The closer she got, she started to laugh.

  Son of a gun, it was Harris and he listened to her and got a dog.

  Did she know he lived in Paradise Place? She did. She’d seen it on his chart. He lived on one of the newest streets where they were expanding. Sunrise Court. Her family had all happy cheerful names for Paradise Place. That was her grandmother’s idea over fifty years ago.

  Rather than drive by and ignore him, she figured the least she could do was roll her window down and make a comment on how well he was walking even if she did notice the stiffness a bit.

  “Well, lookie here,” she said. “And who is this?”

  Harris smiled at her, his baseball hat down over his eyes. Not even a Mets hat, but a black Adidas one. One of his sponsors, she knew.

  “This is a puppy that someone suggested I get to push me out of the house to walk.”

  “Sounds like a smart person to me,” she said back.

  His smile was still in place. “I’m sure she thinks she is.”

  She leaned over the open window of her SUV to look at the mixed breed puppy trying to jump on her car. Harris was holding the leash in his left hand, his right arm still in a sling.

  “Does this puppy have a name?”

  “Not yet,” he said. “I can’t figure out what to call him.”

  “How long have you had him?”

  “Sarah and I got him yesterday,” he said and there went her smile. She should have figured he was with someone. Men like him were never single.

  “Sarah couldn’t come up with a name?” she asked.

  This time he laughed at her, like he knew exactly what she was thinking. If there was a flush filling her face, well, guess she didn’t have as much control over her reactions as she thought.

  “My sister isn’t going to name him even if she did purchase him in her name.”

  She frowned. “Why is that? You didn’t pick out your own dog?”

  He bent down and picked the puppy up with his left arm, the bicep flexing with that move. That flush in her face might be moving down between her legs at this point.

  “We went together to the shelter. I picked him out but didn’t feel like putting my name down and having it get out just yet where I am. I went back to the car and waited while she filled out the forms. Since we’ve got the same last name, I’m pretty sure no vet is going to question anything when I bring him in next week.”

  Made sense to her. She kept forgetting he was trying to stay under the radar here. “What breed is he?”

  He leaned close to the car so she could reach out and pet the wiggling pup. “Boxer and American Bulldog, they said. Maybe a little of something else.”

  “That’s going to be one big dog when he is older.”

  “They said he could end up anywhere between sixty to a hundred pounds. Hard to believe looking at him now.”

  The puppy was licking her fingers. “They are always so cute when they are this little. I’m guessing eight weeks old?”

  “Nine,” he said. “So, speaking of smart, I was right about you.”

  “How so?”

  “Your name. Last name.”

  “My last name is Butler. It was on my nametag for all to see.”

  He shook his head. “Butlers of Paradise Place that we are currently standing in. Or I’m standing in the middle of the empty road talking to you.”

  “It is my family,” she confirmed. They were on one of the quieter streets. There were only a few houses up and none where they were stopped. She knew he was at this end of the development, but it was a shortcut for her to get out of the development faster.

  Yep, that’s why she took it, not hoping to get a glimpse of the street his house was on.

  Not that she would have driven down that street. That’d be crazy.

  “Are we neighbors?” he asked.

  “No. I don’t live here. My brother Evan does a few streets over. I was just at his house dropping something off.”

  “Any other family live here?”

  “Aren’t you just full of questions?”

  “We aren’t in the office. This is just friendly conversation.”

  “I forgot you like friendly conversation,” she said. “But your pup wants to get down and move.”

  He bent over and put the dog on the ground, then leaned his left arm on her open window frame. “How about you come over for a drink? Maybe some lunch. I’d say dinner, but that is several hours away and something tells me there is no way you’d stay that long.”

  “I’m not sure that is such a good idea,” she said.

  “I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” he said back. This time there was a sexy smirk on his lips. Nice kissable lips. And thoughts like that were the reason she didn’t think it was such a good idea. Hadn’t she told herself to stop going for the guys that only spelled trouble? Cocky professional baseball player Harris Walker was trouble in all caps!

  “You are coming to me for help on a professional level to get you back on your feet.”

  “I’m on my feet just fine. And you could come see how well I’m doing. You know, following orders and all.”

  He was adorable when he was trying to be cute. What could it hurt? On a professional level of course.

  “I suppose I could follow you back and watch you walk to see if you’ve shown any improvement.”

  “If that is the best I can get, then follow along. Should I run so you don’t look like a creeper chasing me down the street?”

  “If you run then I will look like a creeper chasing you down the street. Or you can get in the passenger side and I’ll drive you so neither of us looks like an idiot.”

  “That works too,” he said and then picked up the puppy again and walked over to the other side of her SUV.

  “I’m on Sunrise Court. I’m sure you know where it is.”

  “I do. Mostly,” she said. “The newer section I’m not quite as familiar with, but I can figure it out.”

  She drove to the end of the street, took a left, then saw the sign for his street and took another right. “I’m the last house at the end. I’m sure I’ll have neighbors at some point, but right now I like it as is.”

  When she pulled into the driveway of the tan house with a brick front, she wasn’t surprised to see it was probably the biggest one in the new section.

  “It’s a lot of space for one person,” she said.

  “One big person and a dog now.”<
br />
  “True. You might need to fence your yard in.”

  “I thought of that last night. Guess I’ll make some calls this week to get someone out here for it. Of course then I’d be putting my name out there.”

  “Your family could always do it for you,” she said. “Or you could call my family’s business. They know who you are and wouldn’t tell anyone. But they’ve got contractors for things like this. I’m sure they’d be happy to set it up and keep it out of your name.”

  “That might be better. Thanks,” he said, getting out of the car and then walking to the front door.

  “You are walking much better. Just saying, since I’m supposed to be observing you.”

  “Is that all you’re observing?” he asked. “My walk?”

  “Are you as smart as the person who suggested you get a dog?”

  “I’d like to think I am,” he said, opening the door and holding it for her.

  “Then you probably know the answer to that.”

  5

  Starstruck

  Harris had no idea when he brought home the pup yesterday that it might help him get a chick.

  Not just any chick, but the one he’d been thinking of since he left her on Friday.

  He didn’t normally care one way or another when he was looking for someone to spend time with. He wasn’t fussy. If she was nice, if she was hot, if she was into him, he was on board for the short term. Just not so short as a one-night stand. He’d outgrown them years ago.

  But short term...that was all he was interested in since he was on the road so much. Forever or long term just hadn’t been in his mind.

  But now his mind was on other things.

  He was no longer going to be on the road.

  He was no longer looking for fun as much as he just wanted to not be alone.

  Besides, he was pretty sure Kaelyn wasn’t someone that would spend time with him for the hell of it.

  Sure, she was sweet on the eyes. She had one little smoking body on her that he was getting to admire in her tan shorts that barely hit her mid thigh with a fitted T-shirt. But she was a tough nut to crack.

  Which didn’t explain why she was here with him in his house right now.

  “Want a tour?” he asked when he unleashed the pup who took off in a run.

  “It’s beautiful. I know there is no way you picked this out yourself. It takes too long to build and my guess is you bought this spur of the moment.”

  “I tend to be impulsive. I had no plans on returning home. Even after the accident I figured I’d stay where I was.”

  “Then why did you come back?”

  Too many memories he didn’t want to deal with, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to share that with her.

  “It’s not my life anymore. All my friends, my teammates, they aren’t around.”

  “Too many reminders?” she asked, her hand reaching for his. She held it for a minute, then let go as if she realized she shouldn’t have done that.

  “You could say that. So, this is the foyer that lets you see into the back. Formal living room there, dining room on the other side.”

  “They are empty,” she said.

  “Yep. My last place was a thousand square feet. This is five times that not counting the finished basement. I haven’t had time to do much shopping.”

  “Looks like you’ve got the basics,” she said when they moved to the back of the house. “Table, couch, TV, barstools.”

  “I knew I liked you,” he said.

  Everything was wide open in the back, one large room, sections blending into each other. It looked huge with the small amount of furnishings.

  “Master on this floor?” she asked.

  “And an office. Want to see them?”

  “I don’t need to see your room,” she said back. The puppy came running back over, then skidded to a halt when Harris put down a bowl full of water.

  “Pity,” he said. “Maybe another time. The upstairs has four bedrooms, two baths, a bonus space, and they are all empty. There is a half bath and a laundry room over there.”

  “And you’ve got the downstairs too?”

  “Another family room, bar, exercise room, or what I’ll use for one. A small kitchenette, plus another bedroom and bath.”

  “Good grief. Unless you plan on having a basketball team worth of kids, you’ll never need all this space.”

  Kids hadn’t been anything he’d had in his mind either. “No clue what the future holds. How about you? Could you fill a house this big? I’ve got to imagine you’ve got your own large place that your family built for you.”

  “Not even close to a basketball team,” she said. “Kids are in the future, but how many, who knows? Not even on my radar. I need a man before a kid. A permanent man.”

  He read between the lines there. She wasn’t someone to go for a fling. “So you’re single?”

  “For the moment,” she said. “And as for a large house? No. I like apartment living. Low to no maintenance for me.”

  “You must be the black sheep not living in something you’re family built.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Who says they didn’t build it?”

  “I stand corrected. I should research my facts more. I guess I just supposed they were known for this development.”

  “Among several other properties in the Capital Region,” she said.

  He nodded his head. “Where are my manners? Would you like a drink?”

  “Water is good.”

  He walked over and opened the industrial-sized stainless steel fridge and pulled out two bottles. “So are you hungry? Can I convince you to let me order some lunch?”

  “Order?” she asked. “I thought for sure you were going to make it for me. At least that is the impression I got.”

  “Give a dude a break. I’ve got one arm.”

  “I’m sure you can manage to do a lot with one arm.”

  He was reading more into that statement than he should. “I’m pretty talented on more than one level. Or so I’ve been told.”

  “Hmm,” she said, twisting the top off of her water and taking a long drink. She could fight it all she wanted, but he was definitely affecting her.

  “What are you in the mood for in terms of food?” he asked.

  “Sandwiches are fine.”

  He pulled his phone out and started to flip through. “Grubhub makes takeout easy.”

  They placed their orders and then went to sit in the living room to wait. “So you aren’t worried someone will recognize you when they deliver?”

  “I don’t leave my real name.”

  She laughed. “What name do you leave?”

  “Michael Walker.”

  “Who is that?” she asked.

  “It’s my middle name. Walker is common enough. Sort of like Butler. Harris tends to stand out much more.”

  “That crossed my mind when I saw your name pop up as my next patient. I thought, wow, there are two of you. Then I realized it was you.”

  “Were you starstruck by the possibility of meeting me?”

  “Really, Harris. Do I look like someone that gets starstruck easily?”

  “No,” he said. He liked the way his name sounded on her lips when she said that. Part playful, part serious, with a touch of a challenge. He needed a challenge in his life. “What I think is that you might play hard to get.”

  “I don’t play games either,” she said.

  “Never?” he asked.

  “Not of the dating or bedroom variety.”

  “You’re upfront. I like that too.”

  “No reason not to be.”

  He knew that. He was the same, but not many women he spent time with were. Many wanted a piece of him in hopes of getting more.

  In hopes of landing his last name, or going on trips, getting some gifts. He’d done a lot of those things. The trips on the offseason. Gifts during.

  His name? No. He’d been holding onto that for the right woman. He’d always told himself
he’d look harder when baseball wasn’t his focus. When it wasn’t his world.

  Little did he know he’d have no control over the change in his world.

  “True. I tend to be that way too.”

  “So then what is this?” she asked, waving her hand around the room. “You inviting me here for lunch?”

  “To be honest with you, I’m not quite sure. I’m sick of my own company, for one.”

  “Looking for a friend?” she asked.

  “I’d like it to be more than that.”

  She closed one eye at him, her lips pursed, and all he wanted to do was yank her in and pull her under his body on the couch. Feel those curves of hers, listening to her moan as he touched her. He knew right away she would be one noisy girl in the bedroom. “‘More’ meaning what?”

  “I really don’t know.”

  “I get it. That’s fine. Your world has just been turned upside down.”

  “Flipped over, then turn upside down. Tossed around a few times, then flipped again,” he said.

  He hadn’t meant to say that, but somehow he felt like he could drop his guard with Kaelyn. Maybe it was the honesty from her. The looks that said she wasn’t going to be played or that she wasn’t going to put up with his shit either.

  “I could see that. Do you still talk to your teammates?”

  He shrugged. “Not really. A few. They’re busy.”

  “And they are still living the life you can’t anymore. I’m sure you’ve seen other doctors before coming back here. Everyone says the same thing? Your career is over? Or is it too hard to talk about?”

  “It’s over,” he said. “I’m in my prime career-wise but not age-wise right now. I probably only had another two to three years left at this level. I was starting the third year of my five-year contract. With my injuries, the position I play... it’d be a solid year before I’d be ready to pitch again. Then there’d be no saying if I’d get the speed and control back that I worked so hard at.”

  “By then you’d be ready to retire?” she asked.

  “I didn’t plan on playing past thirty-five. But I don’t want to be the person everyone talks about that should just hang it up if I couldn’t come back as good as I was months ago. I’m not so cocky that I can’t realize it would take a lot of time and it’s a huge long shot. No reason to pretend.”