Maya stared down at the thick band contrasting against his tanned fingers. She felt a little jolt knowing it was a symbol linking them together—linking them in exactly what, she still wasn’t completely sure though.
Ben pulled a credit card free of his wallet and slid it to the clerk, who was standing discreetly behind the counter.
The man stepped forward. “Will this be all, sir?”
“Yes, thank you.” Ben signed the credit card slip when it was offered. He placed his left hand on the glass countertop beside Maya’s, looking down at both of their hands. “It looks like we’re really official now.”
“Sir, perhaps you would like to use the rear entrance when you leave.”
“What?” Ben asked.
“Your presence has drawn quite a crowd out front.” He looked at Ben apologetically. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how the press found out you were here.”
“It’s not your fault. They probably followed us,” Ben said without any element of surprise in his voice. He looked at Maya. “Are you ready to face them? We might as well get this over with.”
“What if I say the wrong thing?”
“Don’t say anything. We’ll give them a chance to snap some photos and head for the car. Then we can grab some lunch and pretend we aren’t surrounded.” Ben gave her hand a squeeze, but it did nothing to settle the nerves warring in her stomach.
Maya forced herself to follow Ben toward the door. She noticed his hesitation when he looked out the glass door and saw the half dozen reporters outside. Then the door opened, and they stepped outside like two sheep entering the wolves’ den.
Chapter 36
The rumble of questions started the moment they stepped outside. Rather than answer, Ben simply drew Maya to his side, stood at the store entrance for several seconds while cameras flashed, and then led Maya past the reporters and out onto the street to his car.
Feeling crowded, he helped Maya into the passenger’s seat and struggled to keep quiet as reporters continued to throw insulting questions at him. He knew Trent wanted him to wait to address the press until he could set up a press conference, but when several people accused him of abandoning his moral values, his temper flared.
Barely holding on to a thread of reason, he turned to face the cameras and the people standing behind them. Drawing a steadying breath, Ben spoke clearly, despite the anger raging through him. “You are all making a lot of assumptions with very few facts.”
“Why don’t you give us the facts?” one man asked snidely.
“At the moment, I need to get my wife home, but a press conference is being set up, and at that time, I will gladly set the record straight.” Ben pushed his way past two reporters so he could circle the car. Without another word, he climbed in and gratefully pulled away from the curb.
* * *
Maya knew Ben had hoped the press would back off after he told them about the impending press conference, but it seemed to have only piqued their interest. They decided against going out to lunch, instead heading straight back home. When they pulled into the apartment parking garage, the number of reporters seemed to have increased.
Protectively, Ben helped her out of the car and through the crowd to the elevator. Even though the elevator was empty, neither of them spoke until they were safely inside their apartment.
“I really am sorry you weren’t able to keep all of this a secret,” Maya began as soon as Ben closed the door behind them. Before she could continue farther into the apartment, Ben stopped, his hand still grasping hers. When she looked up at him, she was surprised by the serious expression on his face.
“I’ll admit I was worried about word getting out that we got married so soon after I broke up with Heather.” He paused, his eyes staying steady on hers. “But I’ve never regretted marrying you.”
Maya’s heart tripped once at his words. It skipped another beat when Ben slid his free hand around her waist and shifted her into his arms. When he lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers, her heart didn’t know what to do.
She heard her own sharp intake of breath, felt a shiver across her skin where he brushed his hand over the nape of her neck. When he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, she marveled that her bones didn’t simply dissolve into a puddle with her tangled nerves.
Her body trembled, and she leaned into him. Then her mind simply shut off as she let herself fall into the achingly sweet sensation of being kissed by the man she loved.
* * *
This was what he had always wanted. That thought circled through Ben’s mind as his lips moved slow and easy over Maya’s. Love, piercing and vital, shot through him. No longer was Maya his sister’s best friend or a cancer victim. She wasn’t a publicity problem to be solved or the girl without a home. She might have been all of those things once, but right now, in this moment, she was simply the woman he cherished.
Ben’s heart filled with emotions he had never before experienced, emotions he couldn’t even name. When he drew back, his eyes met hers, searching for some sign that she had been as affected by the kiss as he had.
She stared for a moment, her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright. Then she spoke in a raspy whisper. “We aren’t in public.”
Realizing she was referring to his earlier comment about kissing her in public, he couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe I wanted to practice.”
The corner of her lips curved slightly, and Ben took the half smile as a good sign. He leaned down to kiss her again, hesitating when his lips were just a breath away from hers. He lowered his voice and added, “Besides, we are married.”
She gave a helpless little nod that gave his ego a healthy boost. Then his lips were on hers again, and his heart felt like it might explode from his overwhelming emotions. He was completely absorbed in her when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, an accompanying ring interrupting the private moment. Ben groaned in frustration and shifted so he could silence the phone. Then he noticed it was Trent calling.
“I’m sorry.” Ben took a step back but still kept his left hand on Maya’s waist as he lifted his phone. “I should get this. It’s Trent.”
Maya simply watched him as he answered the call, her body leaning limply against his.
“Hey, Trent. What’s up?”
“We’re all set. Sorry for the short notice, but the press conference is in two hours.”
“Two hours?” Ben repeated incredulously. “It’s New Year’s Eve.”
“I know it’s quick, but we’ve got to get these stories turned in our favor before they get any more out of hand. Besides, if we put this behind us, you and Maya can start your new year off right.”
“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”
“You should also know that the guy from immigration will be there this afternoon. You and Maya will be meeting with him right after the press conference.”
“You’ve been busy.”
“You know it. A car will pick you up in an hour and a half to take you to the hotel where we’re holding the press conference.”
“Okay. I guess we’ll see you there.” Ben hung up the phone and turned to Maya.
“What was that all about?”
“We are about to become a very public couple.” Ben repeated the conversation to her, deliberately leaving out the part about immigration. Knowing that he had to tell her what was really going on, he led her to the couch and gently pulled her down to sit beside him. “There’s something else I need to tell you about.”
“It sounds serious. What is it?”
“When you were in the hospital in Cincinnati, a man showed up from immigration.”
Fear immediately shone in her eyes. “Immigration? Am I being deported?”
“No, but you were right about Rishi trying to get your visa revoked. The process started right before we got married. Now we have to convince immigration that we didn’t get married to keep you from getting deported.”
“So we have to lie.”
Instantly
, Ben stiffened. He prided himself on being honest, and he knew he would be telling the truth if he said he was married to Maya because he loved her. He had assumed she felt the same way.
He could admit to himself that the possibility of her being deported had edged him into this situation, but Maya’s comment sliced through him as he considered a deeper meaning: that Maya’s feelings didn’t mirror his own.
His lips still warm from hers, a reminder of how she had responded to his kiss, he looked at her uncertainly. His parents had been so sure that Maya loved him. Had they all misread the signals?
How could he tell her that being married to her was what he truly wanted, that he wouldn’t be lying when expressing his feelings about her? How could he explain that sometime over the past two months, he had fallen completely, hopelessly in love with her?
Despite the pain her comment caused him, he knew he wouldn’t desert her now, regardless of her reasons. He stood up stiffly. “Maybe you should just let me do the talking.”
Chapter 37
Ben looked out at the sea of reporters in the hotel meeting room, his palms sweating. A portable screen separated them from the rest of the room, which was buzzing with excitement and filled with several dozen reporters, many with additional cameramen, both the still-photo variety as well as the live version. Four television cameras were situated around the room, the crews claiming the clear vantage points of the portable stage.
A linen-draped table sat in the center of the stage, with three cordless microphones lying on top and three padded chairs evenly spaced behind it. Several people were seated off to the side of the stage, and Ben recognized two of his teammates and their wives. His heart lifted a little when he saw Gavin give him a thumbs-up.
Having allies in the audience helped steady his nerves a little, but he could feel his breathing growing shallow and his palms sweating. He couldn’t say what worried him more, the prospect of sharing such an important piece of his personal life with so many reporters or the idea of allowing Maya to know his true feelings.
Foolishness and fear had brought him to this point. He had let himself accept his mother’s conviction that Maya was in love with him, and wanting it to be true, he had let himself hope for it without daring to do anything to confirm her feelings or declare his own. Could his mother have mistaken Maya’s gratitude for love? Had he?
Maya shifted beside him, but Ben kept his eyes on the reporters. Then she slipped her hand into his. His attention immediately shifted to her. Not once in their months together could he remember her ever taking his hand. Always before, he had initiated any kind of physical contact between them. The simple gesture worked wonders on his nerves, and he felt a new spurt of hope.
But his hope was immediately replaced by concern. Her face was alarmingly pale, and he noticed a slight tremor work through her body. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.” She gestured with her free hand. “There are so many of them.”
“Relax,” Ben said, hoping he could take his own advice. “You don’t have to say anything. Trent said it would probably be easier on both of us if I do most of the talking.”
She swallowed hard. “Okay.”
Trent stepped in front of them. “Time to get this over with. Are you ready?”
Ben looked down at her, but she didn’t respond, remaining frozen in place. Giving her hand an encouraging squeeze, he spoke to Trent. “Let’s do this.”
Trent nodded. “Okay. Remember what I told you both. I’ll start out by giving the basic details of your marriage. When they start asking questions, if you feel like they’re asking something that has already been answered or they touch on something you aren’t comfortable answering, just move to the next question.”
Ben heard Maya give a shuddering breath before he led her forward. Then they stepped out into the crowded room, everyone’s attention instantly on them.
He thought of the press conference immediately following his loss in the play-offs, the way so many in the press had blamed him for the team’s loss. On that day, he had struggled to cling to the belief that he was good enough to play in the majors, the seed of doubt always right on the edge of his conscious.
Today, he realized he had finally put that day behind him. He would always remember the disappointment, but standing with Maya by his side, he knew now what was really important.
Though his legs felt like he’d just finished a ten-mile run, he kept Maya’s hand in his and followed Trent the short distance from the side entrance to the stage.
He released her hand and pulled out the seat on the end, waiting for Maya to sit before claiming the chair beside her. They were barely seated before Trent picked up one of the three microphones and began. “I’d like to start out by giving a statement. Afterward, we will entertain a few questions.”
Trent explained how Ben and Maya met originally, shrewdly outlining the fact that Ben broke up with Cassie shortly after meeting Maya and implying that he’d started dating Maya back then. He went on to detail how Ben and Maya lost touch for a while after he got called up to the majors and relayed the highlights of Ben’s relationship with Heather and their ultimate breakup.
While Trent did explain that the breakup happened earlier than publicly recognized, Trent didn’t address the question of why Ben married Maya so soon after. Anticipating the question, Trent had already prepped Ben to answer it.
Sure enough, as soon as Trent opened the floor to questions, that was the first one voiced. “Ben, why did you get married so quickly? Were you already dating Maya before your breakup with Heather Wallenberg?”
Trying to exude an air of confidence, Ben shifted forward and picked up his microphone. “As I’ve said before, I never cheated on anyone.” His statement resonated through the room, and he put his hand over Maya’s before addressing the more difficult question. “Right after I broke up with Heather, I found out that Maya’s family had promised her in marriage to a man she didn’t love, a man who was over twice her age. The idea of her marrying someone else helped me realize what was really important in my life.”
He paused dramatically, gave Maya’s hand a squeeze, and added, “I’m married to my wife because I love her very much. She has helped me find balance in my life, and I treasure every moment we spend together. I’m a better person because I know her. The truth is as simple as that.”
Ben could feel the way Maya’s hand tensed under his, and he hoped no one else would notice her surprise. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see her staring at him, but he kept his eyes on the crowd, though his thoughts were on Maya. Now that the words had been said, he would have to face her. He would have to face the possibility that he wasn’t loved in return, that his feelings would change everything between them.
Another flood of hands came up, and Trent motioned to a heavyset man in the front row.
“Why the big secret?” he asked.
Hesitating, Ben looked at Maya now. They had discussed the possibility of revealing her health issues to the public, but now that the moment was upon them, he hesitated, needing to be sure she was still willing to move forward. She looked confused for a moment, then understanding dawned, and she gave a subtle nod.
Ben straightened his shoulders as though bracing against a strong wind, and he gathered his courage once more. “My wife is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.”
A stunned silence enveloped the room, and everyone’s attention seemed to shift to Maya. Ben continued, his voice serious. “One of the reasons we agreed to this press conference is to clarify the facts of our relationship and to ask you to respect our privacy while Maya continues to fight this battle.”
With the crowd quiet, Ben explained how Cassie was unaware of his marriage when she posted the photo of them together after he had run into her before Christmas. More questions followed about his previous relationships, Ben answering each in turn.
With each question, he gained confidence, appreciating the change in tone as the questions now focused on gain
ing clarification of facts rather than accusing him of any wrongdoing. He fielded several questions about Maya’s cancer, pleased he had learned enough over the past several weeks to feel confident in doing so. Then someone addressed a question to Maya, and Ben stiffened.
“Maya, will you still be going through treatments when baseball season begins?”
Apparently unsure if she should attempt to answer, she looked to Ben. He gave her a subtle nod. He noticed the way her hand shook when she picked up the microphone that, until now, had lain in front of her untouched. Ben shifted and reached his arm behind her, resting his hand on her back.
“My doctors are planning to remove my tumor around the time Ben starts spring training,” Maya said, her voice timid.
“What will your recovery time be? Will you be able to travel with Ben at all during the season?”
“I don’t know.” The crowd quieted as though trying to make sure everyone could hear her. “I guess if I live that long, Ben and I will have some decisions to make.”
Once more, the crowd went silent. Several long seconds ticked by before someone dared to ask, “Maya, what is your prognosis?”
Maya swallowed, and Ben could feel her gathering her strength to answer the question without letting her emotions surface. “If I continue to respond well to my current treatment, the doctors think I should have a 50/50 chance of survival.”
Not wanting to dwell on a possible negative outcome, Ben spoke before anyone could ask further questions. “As I mentioned before, we ask that we be given privacy over the next few months. While I am certainly preparing for next season the best I can, my main concern right now is for my wife’s health and safety.”
Ben looked over at Trent, who lifted his microphone. “Okay, folks. That’s it for today. Thank you for coming.”
With the crowd still buzzing, Trent ushered Ben and Maya off the stage and out a side door. Ben saw the questioning look in Maya’s eyes and understood she needed to discuss his public declaration of love. He spoke quietly, leaning down so that only she could hear him. “Not here. We’ll talk when we’re alone.”
Chances Are Page 24