Playing for Keeps

by LuAnn McLane

  “Hey.” Noah sat up straighter. “What else is wrong?” he asked gently, and when he gave her his full attention Madison realized that Noah Falcon might be a big strong athlete but he had a soft and tender side that most people didn’t know. Her newly acquired and highly enjoyed matchmaking radar went on full alert. They might be on the outs for whatever reason, but Noah and Olivia were meant to be together and she was going to do everything in her power to make it happen. “Madison? You can talk to me and it won’t go anywhere.”

  “Thank you.” Madison nodded when his voice brought her back to her own romantic issues. She took a bigger sip of her drink and then bristled. “Well, I was walking into Sully’s for a drink and guess who I saw.”

  “Myra and Owen singing again? Apparently they’ve made karaoke so popular that Pete bought a real sound system.”

  “No,” Madison replied and stuck her bottom lip out. “I saw Jason and some hot brunette getting all cozy in a corner booth.” She sucked her bottom lip back in and bit down.

  “Did you check the situation out?”

  She shook her head back and forth with quick jerky movements.

  “Madison, why the hell not? It might have been perfectly innocent.”

  “They were, like, intense.” Her eyes widened.

  “But—”

  “And he smiled at her.”

  “But—”

  “And it wasn’t a little ol’ polite smile. It was a big one.” She pointed both index fingers to her mouth and demonstrated.

  “Stop—that smile was creepy.”

  Madison laughed, but her lips suddenly trembled. “Oh, Noah.” She set her glass down, flopped back in the chair, and stared up at the sky. The sun was setting in a burst of orange and pink, and normally she would stop to admire the beauty, but tonight she barely noticed. “I thought he was different, you know? Small town, big heart. Sincere! But I guess dudes are all the same no matter where you live.” She tilted her head down and looked up at him. “Sorry, no offense—I know you’re a dude. But still … dudes royally suck.”

  Noah laughed. “Judging from that statement, no one would ever think you were an award-winning playwright.”

  “Pffft.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m just a girl, Noah.”

  The scrape of the screen door opening caught their attention. “Not hardly,” said a deep voice edged with a sexy Southern drawl.

  Madison looked around to see Jason coming out onto the balcony.

  “An uppity, nerdy … idiot girl, maybe.” He walked over pretty as you please and leaned against the railing.

  Madison gasped and then whirled on Noah. “Did you call him?”

  Noah raised his hands in the air. “No, I swear.”

  “Yeah, well …” Madison narrowed her eyes at Jason. “You’re a small-town, redneck, stupid boy!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And that hat is ridiculous.”

  Jason tilted his head and adjusted his vintage-style John Deere cap sideways. “Yes, yes … mmm”—he scratched his chin—“yes, and no, it is not!”

  “At least you admit that you’re stooo-pid.” She leaned forward as she drew out the word and then felt pretty childish, but she could not stop herself. “So, if Noah didn’t call you, why are you here?”

  He leaned his back against the railing and said, “I’m beginning to ponder that very question. Madison, I didn’t intend to come to Noah’s condo. I was coming to see you and heard your voice all the way down in the parking lot.”

  “Really?”

  Jason rolled his eyes. “You’re my girlfriend, not Noah.”

  “Thank God for small favors,” Noah commented.

  “You get loud when you get riled up.”

  Madison frowned. “Then why …” She swallowed but couldn’t quite get it out.

  “Why what?” Jason waited for her to continue.

  Madison raised her chin a notch. “Why were you in Sully’s with that … that woman?”

  “You were in Sully’s?”

  “Yes, and I caught your hand in the cookie jar,” she sputtered, but judging by the smug look on his face she was about to be put in her place. She swallowed. “Didn’t I?” she asked in a small voice.

  “I’m not so big on cookies. I’m more partial to cupcakes.”

  “Are you calling me a cupcake?”

  “No, I’m calling you crazy.” Jason flicked a glance at Noah. “Could you give us a moment?”

  Noah looked at Madison in question, but she nodded. “It’s okay, Noah.” She thought it was sweet that he was looking out for her and thought once again that she was right about him. Noah Falcon was a good guy and Olivia ought to come to her senses and realize it. But first things first. She needed to get back to the task at hand. “Give us a minute.”

  20

  Crazy Love

  Noah headed to the fridge to snag another beer, but before he opened it he heard Madison shout, so he hurried back to the balcony. He was ready to kick some Jason ass but stopped in his tracks when he spotted him on bended knee with a velvet ring box extended upward. Madison had her hand over her mouth and didn’t even realize Noah was standing there in the doorway. Noah didn’t really think of himself as a romantic sort of guy, but the tiny patio lights on the balcony twinkled in the waning light and the indigo sky was still streaked with deep red, burnt orange, and purple. His forgotten beer dangled from his fingers and a lump formed in his throat. He wanted to turn around and give them their privacy, but he just couldn’t look away, so he stood there quietly and waited for the scene to unfold.

  “Madison, will you marry me?”

  “Are you crazy?”

  Her answer made Noah’s heard plummet, but Jason didn’t bat an eye.

  “Hell, yes, or why else would I be doing this? You’re bossy and you always have your nose in the air at the diner telling me how to do my own job.”

  “I have an eye for color and detail,” she argued.

  “And I had an eye for your cute little ass that you chose to give an extra wiggle to whenever you walked by me.”

  Madison gasped. “I did not!”

  When Jason rolled his eyes, Noah wasn’t sure where this was going, but he was riveted.

  “Oh, like you didn’t flex those muscles of yours to impress me?” Madison countered.

  He grinned. “So were you impressed?”

  “Yes, you’ve got some guns, Jason Craig. Now, what were you saying?” She glanced at the ring and then looked at him expectantly.

  “I was saying that you’re bossy and uppity and you might drag my sorry ass to live in the city where people would laugh at my accent and I might have to eat fancy food with nerdy writer types.”

  Noah swallowed hard. This can’t be good, he thought, and watched Madison’s reaction with held breath.

  “Omigod.” Madison put her hand to her chest and then gave Jason a slow smile. “You would do that for me?” She sliced her hand through the air in an arc. “Leave Cricket Creek?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you really are crazy.”

  “Crazy in love with you, Maddie. I’d follow your uppity ass to the ends of the damned earth.”

  “That was …” She pressed her lips together as if trying to maintain her composure.

  “The best I could do.”

  “I was going to say ‘beautiful in a Jason Craig kinda way,’ but you didn’t let me finish.”

  “This wasn’t the proposal I had in mind.” He grinned. “But I guess it’s going the way I thought it might. You are not an easy chick.”

  “Nothing worthwhile is easy,” she said, but then she put a hand to her chest. “Oh, you had a plan? Like a speech?”

  “Maddie Robinson, are you going to give me an answer?”

  Jason looked up at Madison with hopeful eyes that made the lump in Noah’s throat get bigger. Wow, I am turning into such a softy.

  “Yes,” Madison answered with a firm nod.

  Jason looked at the solitaire sparkling in the box and then back up
at her. “Yes, as in you’re going to give me an answer or yes, as in you will marry me?”

  “Y—Wait.” She angled her head at him. “Just who was that girl in Sully’s?”

  Noah barely suppressed a groan.

  “Not the girl I’m asking to marry me.”

  “Jason …”

  He sighed. “She brought the rings to me.”

  “Rings?”

  He gave her a lopsided grin. “I had three picked out and I couldn’t make up my mind. As for Melissa, I knew her from school. Her daddy owns the jewelry store,” he explained, but then pulled the ring back and snapped the case shut. “Wait—so you thought I was cheatin’ on you?”

  Noah audibly groaned this time, but neither of them paid him any heed.

  “No,” Madison insisted, but her cheeks turned pink. “Okay, perhaps the thought occurred to me.”

  Jason rocked back on his heels. “You’ve got to be kiddin’ me.”

  “What was I supposed to think? You were in a bar with a beautiful woman. All cozylike.”

  “Cozylike?” His grin got bigger but then faded. “Don’t you trust me, Maddie?”

  “Omigod,” Noah said, finally drawing their attention.

  “I know!” Jason agreed. “She sure as hell should!”

  But Madison tilted her head at Noah and arched one eyebrow in understanding. “You just had an aha moment, didn’t you?”

  Noah smiled. “About three slammed into my brain all at once. Now all I have to do is put the plan—no, make that plans—in motion.” He shooed his hands toward them. “Sorry to interrupt. I’ll give you some privacy,” he offered, but as soon as Madison turned her attention back to Jason he couldn’t help himself and stood there quietly and listened.

  Jason took his baseball cap off and tossed it to the side. “Maddie, you know I’m true blue, right? Baby, I would never cheat on you.”

  “I know that. You’re a good man, Jason Craig.”

  “No doubt?”

  “None,” Madison answered softly. She reached down and took his hand. “I don’t know what was going through my fool head.”

  Jason grinned. “You’re really starting to sound as if you belong here.”

  “Where I belong is with you,” she answered and Noah almost shouted “Hallelujah!” but he managed to stay quiet and not intrude on their moment.

  “Is that finally a yes?”

  “Let me see the ring first,” she said, but when he nodded and opened the box, Madison shook her head. “I was kidding, Jason. I’m sorry. I always joke when I’m emotional. It’s stupid,” she said, but then covered her mouth again. “I’m stupid! I was stupid for doubting you. Stupid for—”

  “Hellfire, woman,” Jason interrupted. He stood up, tugged her to her feet, and then kissed her soundly.

  “What was that for? I haven’t said yes yet.”

  “That was to shut you up. You are frustrating as all get out but certainly not stupid.”

  “Thank you—I think.”

  “For heaven’s sake, would you just say yes? In a minute I’m gonna just say ‘screw it’ and propose to Noah.”

  “I’d have to take a few days to mull it over,” Noah answered from the shadows.

  “Yes!” Madison shouted and flung her arms around Jason. “Now I want the ring and the speech.”

  “On your balcony, not Noah’s,” Jason said with a glance toward Noah. “No offense, man.”

  “None taken,” Noah said and stepped back out onto the balcony. He clapped Jason on the back and then hugged Madison. “Olivia was right. You two are meant for each other. Congratulations!” He winked at Madison. “Guess this day didn’t suck so badly after all.”

  Madison gave him a pointed look and then hugged him hard. “That’s why you should never give up,” she said in his ear.

  “Point taken,” Noah replied before stepping back. “Now you two go celebrate. And don’t worry. I won’t breathe a word to anyone. I’ll let you guys spread the good news.”

  “Thanks, Noah,” Madison said and then linked her arm in Jason’s. She leaned her head against his shoulder and gazed up at him adoringly while they walked away, and Noah felt another stab of emotion.

  “Young love,” he thought, and then sighed, remembering all the years that he’d thought he would never want or need a partner. “Shows just how damned wrong I can be. No, make that how damned arrogant,” he muttered as he stepped out into the moonlight.

  He braced his hands on the railing, and gazed out at the amazing view. He could barely see the river in the darkness, but he could hear water lapping against the shore. Lights from homes dotted the horizon, making him sigh. When was the last time he had felt as if he was truly home? Years of traveling with baseball and not coming back to a family had been what he’d thought he wanted—no responsibility, no guilt about being gone so much. But after spending time with Olivia he knew just how good it felt to love and to hold someone in his arms at night.

  Someone to come home to.

  His apartment in New York was nice, but it lacked any real warmth or comfort. In fact, this condo with furniture that wasn’t even his felt more like home, but where he wanted to be more than anywhere else was in a certain little Cape Cod in the heart of town. Of course he knew why. It didn’t matter where he laid his head … What mattered was who he was with.

  Olivia.

  Noah reached over and picked up his longneck from the table laden with the big tray of cheese and fruit. Just a few nights ago after rehearsal, he and Olivia had feasted on plump strawberries and sweet grapes, spread cheese and salami on crackers, and washed it down with red wine.

  Noah took a swig of his beer and then chuckled softly at the vivid memory. They had been lounging out here when the sky had suddenly opened with a pop-up thundershower. While laughing, they hurried into the condo and stumbled into the bedroom, leaving the windows open. The cool, misty breeze and pitter-patter of the falling rain served as a backdrop while they had made lazy love for hours.

  Noah inhaled a deep breath of pungent evening air that smelled of earth, river, and soil. He stared out into the darkness and shook his head slowly. Olivia didn’t trust him. He didn’t know what he had said or done to spook her, but if the pieces of his plan came together as he hoped, he would be able to prove to her without a doubt that his intentions were true. All he had to do now was make it happen. With that in mind he headed into the condo, located his laptop, and plopped down on his bed to do some research.

  Hours later, his eyes were burning with fatigue, but excitement wouldn’t allow him to even think about going to sleep. Instead he began working on a PowerPoint presentation to e-mail to Ty McKenna, with a copy to Mitch Monroe.

  “Wow!” Excitement escalated as his fingers clicked rapidly over the keyboard. When he finished he rubbed a hand down his face and yawned. After reading through the data once more, he sent the document to Ty and copied Mitch.

  Noah folded his hands behind his head and smiled slowly. With a little bit of luck this venture just might work.

  21

  Hit Me with Your Best Shot

  Olivia used a tape gun to secure the last box of books in her classroom. With a groan she stood up and pressed her hand against the small of her back. “Done!” She dusted off her hands but then gazed at the shelves for any stray items. Except for grading the final exam and going to the prom on Saturday her duties for the school year were over. Normally, a carefree feeling that summer break was about to start would wash over her, but ever since she had read the text message on Noah’s phone, all she felt was a heavy sense of sadness.

  Olivia sighed as she blew an errant lock of hair out of her eyes. She had brought back her tight bun in an odd effort to regain control of her life, but during her packing it had degenerated into a sloppy ponytail. In the mood she was in she didn’t care.

  Olivia closed her eyes and fisted her hands at her sides. Not only was Noah leaving at the end of the production, but evidently he had a girlfriend that he had never t
old her about. “I am such an idiot,” she muttered. She inhaled a deep breath and willed herself not to cry, which was a skill she had perfected over the years. Her ability to act had surfaced at a very young age.

  Olivia inhaled another shaky gulp of air, but when chalk dust invaded her nostrils she tilted her head back, put her index finger beneath her nose, and tried to suppress a sneeze—without success. “Ah-ah-ah-choo! Ah-choo! Achoo!” As usual, her high-pitched sneezes exploded in a silly little series of three that never failed to amuse her students.

  “God bless you.”

  With a little cry of alarm Olivia whirled around and almost tripped over a box of books. One flip-flop went flying through the air and she had to right herself by grabbing her desk. “Oh, Mr. Turner!” She put a hand to her chest and tried to sound professional. “Good afternoon,” she said and somehow managed to muster up a smile.

  He stepped into the classroom. “Sorry to startle you, Olivia.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. I was in a world of my own.”

  “Hey, school is over except for prom and graduation, so I’m not really your principal until next year,” he reminded her with a smile of his own. “That means you can call me Brandon.” He walked over next to her and casually leaned his hip against the desk. “Okay?”

  “Okay, Brandon,” Olivia answered, not really sure where this was going, but she had an inkling. His neatly pressed khakis and blue polo made Olivia feel grungy in her ancient Garth Brooks concert T-shirt and well-worn jeans.

  He cleared his throat and said, “So, I was wondering if you might like to have lunch with me today.”

  “Um …” She searched her brain for a reason not to and came up with, “Brandon, as you can see, I’m a mess.” In more ways than you even know.

  “You look perfectly beau—uh, fine to me. We could head over to the diner for a quick bite. They have construction going on, but they are still open for business.”

  Olivia hesitated. She knew that rumors had been flying since she and Noah were no longer being seen around town together. In fact, at the last couple of baseball games she had sat in a stadium chair instead of anywhere near him in the bleachers.