Friday morning, I didn't get out of bed. It was the day of the commercial, and I didn't feel like facing him again. He probably thought I was crazy. More importantly than that, it was the fifth anniversary of his death. I knew it was going to be hard, but it was much harder than I had prepared for mentally. When I sent my boss the text saying I wouldn't be in, I was happy that he responded with no questions but just an I hope you feel better. I told him I was sick. Carrie was going to think I was trying to avoid Lance, and that was good enough for me. I turned my phone off and rolled back over.
I knew what I had to do, but making myself do it was another story. He deserved flowers and a visit. I knew he'd have been there if it was me buried beneath that ground. I finally pulled my ass out of bed and got ready. Jeans, a t-shirt, and my hair up were all that was happening. I stopped by the flower shop on the way and bought the biggest display I could and a few balloons. The tears were falling before I even got through the cemetery gates. I made my way to his grave sobbing like a baby. When I was able to pull myself together a bit, I cleaned up around the stone and the rest of the site. Then I placed my flowers in their spot. There were balloons tied around them. I watched them move around the air and couldn't help but think about what life would have been like if I hadn't asked him to go out that day to pick food up. I sat on the ground until my ass was numb. I told him how much I missed him and how hard it was without him. Then I stood up and headed to my car. The tears were still falling. I brushed them away as much as I could before driving away. When I got home, I fell into my bed and was quickly asleep.
Chapter 10
Lance
I got there Friday morning for the commercial still pissed about her throwing me the fuck out. It was bullshit, and she was going to hear about it. No woman threw Lance Smith out the door, I thought to myself. What pissed me off even more was that I was thinking about it two mornings later. I didn't need that shit.
When Scott said she wasn't there and that Carrie was going to be there in case we needed anything, I could tell he wasn't happy. His woman around his friends without him wasn't his idea of fun. I knew his ass would be sticking around. Carrie was so damn in love with him. There was no way she would do anything against him. Why he felt like that, I'd never know. Shit, if a woman did me wrong, I'd throw her to the side. His mushy ass was something else. That's why I never wanted to be stuck with one woman. There would be way too much to worry about. I didn't have to worry, and I was glad. I had too much going on in my life to be stuck to someone.
We were sitting around waiting for the camera guys to do something, and Carrie looked over at me.
“I'm worried about Lucy,” she said.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“She called in sick, but she turned her phone off. That woman never turns her phone off,” she said.
“Maybe she didn't want anyone to wake her up,” I said, as if I didn't care, which I didn't.
“I don't know,” she said. “I think something is going on with her.”
I'd never been so happy to get in front of a camera as I was then. As soon as the commercial shooting was over, I was out of there. I couldn't stop thinking about what Carrie had said. My dumb ass decided to drive by Lucy's apartment to see if she was at least home. I wasn't going to the door. There was no way.
When I pulled just into the parking lot, I saw her walk out of her apartment. She wasn't all done up, but she didn't look sick either. When she got in her car and drove away, I followed her. She pulled into a flower shop. What the heck, I wondered? I waited patiently for her to come out. She had flowers and balloons when she finally emerged. Maybe she had a date, I thought. Why would she bring flowers on a date? Then I thought maybe she was going to see family. I followed her down the road and wasn't sure what to do when she pulled into a cemetery. She pulled to the side along one of the roads and got out. I parked just around that corner, so she wouldn't see me. I made sure I paid attention to where she stopped. The balloons would help me remember. She walked up to a grave and stayed about thirty minutes. I watched her cry so hard, and it took all I had not to go to her. I might be an asshole, but I'm not that big of one. If I got out of my car, I knew she'd be pissed. She was there alone for a reason. Her friend didn't know anything about where she was that was for sure. Lucy cleaned up the grave, placed her flowers, and left. The entire time she was there, tears were running down her face.
Once she was gone, I got out of my car and walked over to where she was. I noticed the balloons all said either I miss you or I love you. When I bent down to read the stone, I was shocked. It said Bradley Joseph Stone. Stone, I thought. He had the same last name as Lucy. Then I noticed the years of his life. The poor guy passed away when he was twenty five. He was close in age to Lucy. I wasn't sure exactly how old she was, but I knew there was no way she was older than me. Was this guy her younger or older brother? He'd been gone for five years. I couldn't imagine how she must have been feeling. Why the fuck was she there alone? How could Carrie or Lucy's parents not have been there with her? Then I noticed it said Loving husband, brother, and son. Oh shit, I thought. He was married. I instantly felt bad for his wife. How did she do it losing him at such a young age? What happened to him? Had he been sick, or had it happened suddenly? Why had Lucy been the only one to put flowers on his grave? I ran my fingers across the stone and thought about Lucy again. The poor girl had no business being alone, but I wasn't the one to be with her. There was no way. Not after she threw me out of her apartment.
I went back to the hotel and packed my bag before checking out and heading home. For a moment, I thought about calling Carrie but decided not to. I'm sure Lucy would tell her if she wanted her to know. It wasn't my place to make that decision. The entire drive home, I felt so bad that she was alone when she was thinking about her brother on the anniversary of his death. No matter how hard I tried to get her out of my mind, I couldn't do it.
Chapter 11
Lucy
My weekend was pretty messed up. I'd given myself that time to grieve yet again. When Monday morning came, I knew I had to pull it together and put on that sassy look everyone knew so well.
Scott sent out an email that he was having a party for all of us in appreciation for our hard work since he'd taken over. It was going to be that Friday, and I was pretty excited. I had a secret that Carrie didn't know about. He was going to propose. Her parents were coming and everything. She thought they were coming for the party. Scott was flying out all of his Michigan team as well. I couldn't wait to see Carrie's mom. I'd gone to their house once when we went to Michigan to see Scott's home office. That woman treated me better than my own mom ever had. She had me laughing the entire time. I think I was more excited to see her again than I was to see Scott propose.
The rest of the week went by pretty fast. I knew Carrie was going to flip out. They'd kept their relationship a secret, and he was going to be putting it all out there. I was so happy for them. They deserved to finally have the life they were supposed to years before. I felt for both of them when I heard their story. Sometimes love really did work out. I'd lost my love, but I was happy that they were able to find their way back to each other.
I was dressed up and ready to party when I opened the door to the place Scott had rented. Carrie was standing with her family toward the front of the room. Everyone else was all around talking. The moment I saw her mom, I ran over to hug her. It shocked me when Carrie's dad pulled me into a hug as soon as she released me.
“You change your mind about baseball yet?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Sorry,” I said.
“That's okay,” he said. “There's still time to save you.”
“He's just excited to meet a Pirate that isn't Scott,” Carrie's mom said. “That boy has been around forever. We don't think of him as a celebrity or anything.”
“What Pirate?” I asked, as I turned to Carrie with a glare.
“About that,” she said.
Sh
e didn't have to finish her statement. The door opened and loud voices filled the air. Then I heard it. The asshole spoke.
“Hey, Carrie,” he yelled from the door. “Who's that hot piece of.”
“Lance,” Carrie yelled out.
“I didn't know they were going to be here,” I said.
“Do you know them?” Carrie's mom asked.
Carrie burst into laughter, and I smacked her in the arm. I felt him before he got close enough. That damn shiver spread through my body and I quickly rubbed my arms.
“Oh,” he yelled from where he had stopped. “It's just you, Firecracker.”
“Screw you, Ballplayer,” I said.
“How is my favorite friend?” he asked, as he wrapped his arms around Carrie from behind and lifted her into the air.
I was facing the door and saw it open before she did. Then I heard Scott's voice boom through the entire place, yelling out some shit about get your hands off my woman. Lance just laughed. Scott had just gotten into town and came straight to the party. He was pissed. I knew Carrie would never do anything against him. He knew it too. I don't know why he worried about what he was seeing.
Carrie's eyes were open wide as she struggled to get out of Lance's hold, but he wasn't giving in. When Scott let him know he was totally serious, Lance finally let her go. She grabbed Scott's arm and looked up at him.
“He came out of nowhere,” she said. “She's doing him.”
Carrie was pointing her finger right at me. I couldn't believe her.
“What?” I yelped out. “Shit! Shut up.”
Scott looked at me with his eyes narrowed like he couldn't believe it.
“Seriously?” he asked.
“No,” I said. “Well, it was only once. It was a huge drunken mistake.”
“Drunken mistake?” Lance snapped out, as he turned quickly to face me.
“You heard me, Hotshot,” I said sarcastically.
Then I looked up at him with a smile on my face.
“Really?” he asked in a pissed tone. “A fucking mistake. I'll show you a mistake.”
He lunged forward before I could move, threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing, and stood up. Then he turned toward Carrie and Scott with my ass facing them. I kicked my legs and yelled over my shoulder at him.
“Let me down right now, Ballplayer,” I yelled, as I smacked at his ass. “I'm not playing. You put me down.”
I lifted the back of his shirt and scratched my nails across his back.
“Don't worry, baby,” he said with a laugh. “I like it rough.”
He didn't hear the moan that came from deep inside of me. I was so damn glad he didn't know a chill ran through me with his words. There was no way he was winning.
“Sorry I have to cut this short, but it's time this woman learns a lesson,” he said before turning and walking toward the door.
I could see Carrie laughing and shot her a dirty look, as I smacked repeatedly at Lance's back and ass.
“Damn you, Hotshot. I can't stand you,” I yelled.
“Do you ever shut that mouth?” he asked, as he stepped outside. “Oh yeah, only when it's filled with cock. If you behave, maybe I'll shut that mouth when we get where we're going.”
Then he opened the door to his car and dropped me on the seat. He shoved my legs in and slammed the door with attitude. I knew I was in trouble when he got in and mumbled something about a drunken mistake as he took off.
Chapter 12
Lance
That damn woman pissed me off. How could she get all weird when Carrie threw her under the bus? She had a look on her face like she'd just gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar. What the fuck was that, I wondered? Was she embarrassed that she'd been with me? She had no idea how many women would have been proud to admit to being beneath me. Not her, no way. She acted like it was the worst thing to ever happen to her. Funny I didn't remember her having that same attitude when my dick was buried deep inside of her that night. Then the words drunken mistake came out of her mouth, and I was done. It was bad enough she had thrown me out the following morning, but there was no damn way she was telling everyone it was a mistake. Not one bit of that night was a mistake.
I would have been better off with the woman that had been on my lap at the bar. She never would have talked shit, but she wasn't the one I wanted that night. As soon as firecracker was out that door with that asshole, I was right behind them. I honestly didn't know shit about her, other than the fact that her mouth never stopped. That didn't change the fact that she was the one I wanted to release my stress on. I didn't accidentally slip and fall on top of her. My cock didn't accidentally bury itself so damn deep inside of her. I don't remember her mouth accidentally falling on my dick either. No, not one bit of it was a drunken mistake. She'd given my ass permission to touch her. I even made her use her words, so her cocky ass couldn't throw it back at me. We had been together on purpose, and I was about to show her that she wanted me just as much sober as she had drunk. That damn firecracker didn't know what she was in for.
“Your place or mine?” I growled out just after slamming my door.
“What?” she snapped out.
“I said, your place or mine,” I growled even louder to make sure she heard me.
I was already on the road, and she still hadn't answered me.
“Mine it is,” I said. “That way your damn ass can't throw me out.”
“Look,” she yelled out.
“No,” I yelled back. “You look. There was no fucking mistaking what happened that night. I will not have you talking shit about me in front of everyone you know. That will not happen again, Firecracker. You can act all you want like you were drunk when we were together. That is total bullshit. You fell to your knees and sucked my cock because you wanted to. I got your verbal permission before I fucked you. You needed that release just as badly as I did. I can see it right now. You want me again.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but I wasn't having it.
“Not a word,” I warned. “If I put my hand between your thighs right now, you'd be wet for me. Don't even try to deny it. You're going to be with me again, and you're going to be completely sober the entire time. I'd like to hear what you tell Carrie after that. You asked for everything I'm going to give you. Be ready, woman. I'm going to bend you over my knee and spank that ass. You deserve to be punished. I'm not playing. I'm going to fuck you so damn hard, you're going to feel me for days. I am going to ruin you for every other man out there. You will never be with anyone that will make you feel the way I am going to. It's going to be a long night. I hope you're ready. You're going to be so damn satisfied, you're going to be begging me to stop.”
“Lance,” she said.
“Not one fucking word, Firecracker.”
I pulled into the lot of the hotel and stormed over to her side of the car. When I flung her door open, she looked up at me with innocent eyes. Was it part of her smart-ass game, I wondered? She wasn't someone I could let my guard down around. I had learned that already. There would be no throwing me out of her place. That would never happen again. I don't know why I was bothering. I stood looking down at her wondering why I was even there. I didn't need her. There were so many women that would spread their legs happily to be with me. Why was I so concerned with the one woman that was giving me shit? I couldn't figure out what it was. She didn't even like the damn game. It was like my career was a joke to her. I really needed to walk away, and I would, right after showing her exactly what her ass would be missing.
I leaned down, picked her up, tossed her over my shoulder, slammed the car door, and took off for the front door of the hotel.
“Would you please put me down?” she asked softly.
I stopped in my tracks.
“Hell no,” I said. “Don't try to play sweet with me. I know better. There isn't one sweet bit in that tiny body of yours. Is it part of your game? If I put you down, what are you planning, Firecracker?”
&nbs
p; “I can't imagine what it will look like for the super, fantastic, amazing pitcher of the Pirates to walk through the hotel door with a woman thrown over his shoulder. I don't exactly want to hit the papers with my ass in the air. I won't do anything. It's not part of my game. I will behave long enough to get to your room. I promise.”
“What's so bad about being seen with me?” I snapped. “That's not the first time you've made a comment like that. What the fuck do you have against me?”
“I look nothing like the whore that was grinding on your lap that night. I doubt it would help your player status either. Do you really want the world to see you with me?” she asked, in an innocent tone.
I slid her down the front of my body and lifted her chin so I could see her eyes. A million thoughts were running through my mind, and none of them I needed to be having. What the hell did she mean by that, I wondered? Why would she say that? She always had a cocky comment for everything. The confident firecracker wasn't there. Something was going through her mind. How could she ask if I wanted the world to see her with me? Did she mean I didn't want them to see me with one woman, or did she mean them seeing me with her? I felt my blood starting to boil. If she meant her, then she was so wrong. She was tiny, cocky, and so damn beautiful. Any man would be honored to have her sexy ass next to them. Every man but me anyway. There was no way I had time for a steady woman. That didn't mean she needed to talk like that.
Playing Hardball, Part 1 (A Baseball Romance Serial) (Playing Hardball (A Baseball Romance Serial)) Page 4