“I still would have traded you for Marco,” Hunter said with a smile. “So why Annabelle? Why did you break the rules for her?”
“She’s everything I’ve ever wanted.” It was true. “The first time I saw her picture, I knew. She’s the one. Every woman I’ve ever gone out with has been unfairly compared to her.”
“That is pretty unfair.” Hunter agreed.
“Yeah, I know she’s stunning. But it wasn’t just her looks. There was always something about her…” He’d never been able to explain his obsession with Annabelle. Not even to himself. “And now that I know her… She’s more than just a pretty face. She’s warm, and funny. And smart, too. She’s a great mother. A good friend…”
“Sounds like the perfect woman.”
“Except for one thing.” Cooper admitted. “She’s still married.”
“She filed for divorce before she even met you.” Hunter reminded him. “She moved down here to make a fresh start.”
“Yeah. I know.” But they couldn’t move past the beginning. Not until her marriage ended. “And then she got into an accident. And her independence was shattered.”
“She got the all clear to drive.”
“Good. Then she doesn’t need me.”
“Yes she does.” Hunter reached across the center console to pat his hand. “Just make sure she doesn’t feel like she needs you.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Yeah, but if you pull it off, you could retire and make billions off the self-help book.”
“Maybe I’m not ready to retire.”
“Isn’t that what we’re going to find out?”
Chapter 20
“I really appreciate you taking the time to help with this.” Annabelle stood in her downstairs bathroom watching Marco squeeze caulking along the edge of her bathtub. “I’m just not very handy with this kind of thing.”
“You could have asked Cooper.” Marco wielded the caulk gun with the same confidence he wielded at bat.
“Maybe.” She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think I dropped the ball with him.”
“How?”
“I pushed him away.”
“He hasn’t gone far.”
“A guy like him…” She blinked back the tears stinging her eyes. Swallowed the massive lump in her throat. “He’s got plenty of options. Even without a baseball contract—with his looks, his voice… You know why musicians get even more girls than ballplayers, don’t you?”
“No smelly jock straps?” There was that charm of his. But she didn’t feel that little flutter of attraction. Maybe it was because he was married to her friend. Or maybe it was because there was someone else who sent her heart racing.
“Come on, women would line up to wash yours,” Annabelle teased. She still liked him, and would always appreciate his friendship.
“The clubhouse attendant takes care of the laundry.” Marco pretended he didn’t know what she meant. “Besides, I’m a married man. Happily married.”
“I know. Hunter is perfect for you.”
“She is.” He looked up at her with a goofy, happy grin on his face. But then he got all serious on her. “Look, I don’t know if Cooper’s right for you. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.”
Marco smoothed the last bit of caulk with his finger and wiped his hands on an old towel.
“Do you think he’ll pitch this year?” She watched him clean up the supplies.
“I would be really surprised if he didn’t.”
“So he could only be around for another month or so?”
“Teams start reporting to spring training in mid-February.”
“So I guess I need to decide if it’s worth getting involved in what can only be a temporary relationship?” Annabelle asked.
“I moved around a lot as a kid.” Marco stood and looked her straight in the eye. “I know what it’s like to leave people you’ve grown to care about. But I never regretted making friends, even when I knew there was a good chance I’d never see them after I moved again.”
“Did you ever have a close relationship with any of your mom’s boyfriends?”
“My mom didn’t have boyfriends.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I guess maybe she did, but none she ever brought home. The only man I’ve ever met that she’s been involved with is my father.”
He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you with how your dating Cooper will affect your daughters. I know they like him.”
“I just don’t want them to get their hopes up.”
“Too late.” Marco leaned against the tile wall. “I was there at dinner. Of course they have fantasies about you marrying again. They play with dolls, watch fairy tales, and still need to believe in a happily-ever-after.”
“Maybe I should have them play with toy cars or Legos instead.”
“They’d drive the cars to pretend dates. Build dream houses out of the Legos.” He shook his head. “I always wanted my mom to find someone and get married. Do you have any idea of how many coaches I tried to set her up with?”
“You were looking for a dad?”
“No. Well, maybe. But mostly I wanted her to be happy.” He smiled. “And your girls want you to be happy.”
“Even if it is only temporary?”
“Don’t deny yourself some happiness because you worry it won’t be forever.” Marco leaned forward. “Not every relationship is meant to be permanent. And sometimes friendships can endure even when you don’t see each other every day.”
“Like we’ve remained friends?” Annabelle asked. “I still owe you for helping investigate Clayton. And I’m not talking about the money you spent on the private investigator.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” He shifted uncomfortably. “But let me ask you something. You filed for divorce after finding out about Clayton’s involvement in FITNatural. The same company that provided the steroids Cooper took.”
“So what’s your question?”
“Why did you divorce your husband?”
“I think I was ready to divorce him when I asked you to help me investigate him. His investment in FITNatural was just the final straw.” She really didn’t want to get into it, but she needed to explain how she could forgive a man she’d just met while giving up on the man who’d been her husband for almost seven years. “He’d betrayed me in so many ways. He never loved me. Sure, he loved the idea of having me as his wife. The beautiful Annabelle Jones. But he never loved me. He never even…”
No. She wasn’t going to discuss her marital woes with Marco. No matter how sympathetic and well-meaning he was.
“I know it seems kind of hypocritical of me to divorce Clayton in the midst of the scandal, only to fall into bed with the man who was also involved. But I’m convinced Cooper only did it because he was hurt. He just wanted to help the team. Clayton was only after the money.”
“Some will say it was greed that drove Cooper, too. If he hadn’t been caught, he could have signed for a ridiculous amount of money.”
“But now he’s just hoping to find a team who’ll invite him to camp.” Her heart ached for Cooper. “And he’ll have to work twice as hard to prove he belongs there.”
“Probably. But he belongs there. The man can pitch.”
“And that makes up for everything?”
“No. But as much as we’d like to believe all is fair in love and baseball, certain truths remain. A talented player is going to get away with more than a less talented one. Especially in a game that brings in nine billion a year.”
“But that’s not why you play. It’s not why either of you play the game.”
“No. But it’s part of it. I mean, yeah, the money’s nice. You know, feeling like I can take care of my family. I wanted to be able to give my mother everything she never had. I wouldn’t be able to do that in any other job.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I do love the game. And yeah, the
thought of not playing anymore can be terrifying. Can make a guy take desperate measures.”
“So he’ll do anything to get back in the game?”
“I don’t know him well enough to say for sure, but for most of us, leaving the game before we’re ready…” His face twisted into goofy, love-struck grin. “God, I’m such a lucky bastard.”
“Yes. You are.”
“Hunter wouldn’t let me give up baseball. I would have, for her. But she knew me so well, she gave up her team so I could stay in the game.”
What would Annabelle give up for Cooper? She didn’t have much to sacrifice. Her career was over. Her fortune would only last so long. About the only thing she had left was her independence, but she’d never really had that in the first place.
* * * *
Cooper stood on the practice mound. He’d warmed up and was getting ready to pitch in front of his former owner. The woman he’d hurt the most by his suspension.
He was baffled by her request to videotape him throwing a bullpen session. Forty to fifty pitches should be enough to give her an idea of what he had left in his throwing arm. But why? She had nothing to gain by seeing if he was ready to return to the game.
Marco had hinted that she was bored. According to him, she’d been the real force behind the Goliaths’ success for the past several years. Now she was relegated to the status of a player’s wife. She’d gone from the front office to the background.
“Whenever you’re ready.” She held her camera steady, just waiting for him to show off his stuff. The radar gun was already set up. Brandon was in the squat behind the plate.
Cooper tried to empty his mind. He didn’t want to think about how much slower his fastball was. Or what would happen if he didn’t make it back. Hell, he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he did.
He just needed to think about throwing the ball sixty feet, six inches. The rest would fall into place after that.
He picked up a ball. Held it in his left hand like an old friend. With a nod to his catcher, he stepped up to the rubber. Digging his toe in the dirt, he tried to find just the right feel. Once he was comfortable in his footing, he brought the ball and his glove to his chest.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump went his heart. Throwing a baseball was as natural to him as breathing. He’d performed in front of sold-out home crowds, hostile opposing team fans, and die-hard hold-outs who’d stuck around for five extra innings of scoreless baseball hoping he wasn’t going to be the one to blow it and send them all home disappointed.
It took him three pitches to stop thinking. He settled into the rhythm of pitching. The ball was going where he wanted it. The pop of the catcher’s mitt sounded like he was throwing at least ninety. Not as hard as he used to throw, but hopefully hard enough.
After about forty-five pitches, Hunter put down her camera. “I’ve seen enough.”
She had a hopeful grin on her face.
Cooper rolled his shoulders, tilted his neck from side to side, and tried to contain the excitement he felt from knowing he’d done his best. It wasn’t quite like being in a real game, facing professional hitters, but after being out of it for so long, it was something.
“So what are you planning on doing with the video?”
“Sell it to the highest bidder.” Hunter was almost giddy, but he wasn’t sure if it was from his performance, or simply because she was back in the game herself.
Like so many things in his life, he’d only come to appreciate all the work she’d done for the Goliaths after he’d been let go. They were a family. And he’d been the spoiled kid who hadn’t realized how good he’d had it.
He knew the chances of him being welcomed back were pretty slim. But the fact that Hunter had enough faith in him to even take a look was something. Or maybe she was just doing it for Annabelle’s sake. The two women were good friends.
But if he signed with any team other than L.A., Anaheim, or even San Diego, his relationship with Annabelle would be seriously challenged. A minimum of eight months away would not make it easy on her. Or her daughters. It’s not like he could ask them to go with him, wherever he ended up.
Getting back to baseball could mean losing Annabelle. But if he didn’t have baseball, he’d have nothing to give her.
Chapter 21
Annabelle stood on his porch with a measuring cup in her hand. “Can I borrow a cup of forgiveness?”
“I don’t know.” He stepped back to let her in. “Are you sure you need it?”
“I pushed you away.” Remorse flickered in her eyes.
“I told you I wasn’t going anywhere.” His heart thumped in his chest. She’d come to him. He’d been afraid he’d lost her, but she’d come back. “I’ve been here the whole time.”
A smile lit her face. God, she was beautiful. So beautiful it hurt.
“Did your friends leave?” When he’d returned with Hunter, Marco had the car already packed and ready to go.
“Yes. They’ve got, what, a month before Marco goes back to work?”
“About that.” Position players reported a few days after pitchers and catchers.
“So, am I forgiven?”
He answered by pressing her against the door and covering her mouth with his. Kissing her, tasting her, needing her.
The measuring cup slipped from her hand and hit the wood floor with a thud.
He pushed her hair back away from her face. He looked into her eyes, shining with the same desire he felt.
“Annabelle.” She was right, he did sing her name. “You’re so beautiful. You probably get tired of hearing that, but it’s true.”
“I like hearing it from you,” she said. “It means something coming from you.”
He reached up to stroke her face. Her beauty was breathtaking. But there was more to her than just her looks.
“You’re amazing, Annabelle.” He didn’t know how to really explain the way she made him feel. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to be taken care of. He wanted…
Pulling her closer, he kissed her again.
“The school bus will be here in about fifteen minutes.” Annabelle pushed him away. “But you can come to dinner.”
“So does that mean we’re friends?”
“Yes.”
“Just friends?”
She shook her head, her cheeks still flushed from all the kissing.
“With benefits?”
A sly smile accompanied her nod.
“We can work out the details after we pick up the girls.” She reached for the door handle and tilted her head indicating she wanted him to follow.
They walked side by side to the bus stop. He wasn’t going to push his luck by taking her hand. For now, he was satisfied with being invited back into her life.
“Cooper!” Both girls came rushing toward him.
“Where have you been?” Sophie demanded, with her little hands on her jean-clad hips.
Olivia crashed into him with a hug around his knees. “We missed you.”
“I missed you girls, too.” He tried to keep the emotion from choking off his voice. “But you had company. I didn’t want to get in the way.”
“You won’t get in the way,” Sophie insisted. “You’re practically family.”
Something bloomed in his chest. Hope. Longing for something more than what he and Annabelle shared in the bedroom.
“Yeah, and that means you can come to our Hundredth Day play.” Olivia looked up at him, hope shining in his eyes.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” He stuck out his hand, and Olivia eagerly took it.
“Yeah, we get to go on stage and everything.” Sophie grabbed his other hand and practically dragged him up the street. “We have a special song, and there’s even dancing.”
“Dancing?”
They chattered on about the plot of the play, basically finding all the different ways and various items they could count to one hundred. The girls
were as excited as if they were performing Cats.
They reached Annabelle’s house. The girls rushed inside, eager for their afternoon snack.
“I’m not sure how we’ll work this out.” Annabelle hesitated at the door. “But I’m sure we’ll think of something.”
“I’m sure we will.”
He wanted to pull her into his arms. Wanted to devour her, but it was three-thirty in the afternoon and her daughters were just inside.
“So dinner? Around six?”
“Sounds good. Can I bring anything?”
“Just your appetite.” She started to turn the doorknob. “Oh, and your guitar.”
“My guitar? What, you think I’ll just perform for you on command?” He gave her a teasing grin. “I thought I was your friend. Or am I your boyfriend?”
“Friend, neighbor, and…” She took a deep breath. “Yeah, I guess you’re my boyfriend. If you want to be.”
He stepped closer. He could feel the heat coming off her. Could smell her shampoo. And he’d swear he could hear her heart beating as rapidly as his own.
“I want to be with you, Annabelle.” Closing the last few inches between them, he reached for her. Her eyes fluttered shut when he stroked her cheek. She no longer recoiled when he touched the left side of her face.
He placed a soft, almost tentative kiss on her lips.
She threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a hotter, bolder kiss. She moaned as he slid his tongue between her lips. Hungrily, she opened for him. And she gave as good as she got.
* * * *
Annabelle closed the door behind her. She’d invited Cooper back into her life. Into their lives. Both girls looked up at her expectantly.
“So is he coming to our play tonight?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, is he?” Olivia chimed in.
“The play is tonight?” She’d been distracted by her feelings for Cooper and she hadn’t been listening to their conversation. She remembered reading about it in the class newsletter, but hadn’t quite fixed the date in her mind.
Making a Comeback Page 18