Come And Get Your Love

by Maria Geraci

  Aubrey stood and shook the fallen popcorn kernels off her denim skirt. Maybe they’d drop by the party for a few minutes on their way home to collapse in bed. Only this time, they would sleep. Well, mostly. That last thought brought a smile to her face.

  Her cell phone pinged. It was California. She answered as pleasantly as possible. “Hello, Phil. How’s it going?”

  “Considering I’ve just gotten our boy everything he wants and more, I’d say I’m doing pretty damn fine right now,” he crowed.

  Phil had gotten Brian’s contract with the Bombers renewed? “That’s fabulous! He’s going to be so happy!”

  “And that’s not all, doll. As of exactly five minutes ago, he’s been recalled back to the team. I’m arranging for a private jet to take him back to Tucson asap for the Bombers’ last home game tomorrow night. And it’s all thanks to you.”

  He was going back to Tucson. Today? She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. “How is that due to me?”

  “Well, you and some really sucky hitting by the Bombers. They’re in last place in the division, which the fans are used to, but since Boom-Boom’s been gone they haven’t even had the luxury of enjoying his big home runs.”

  “I still don’t get what that has to do with me.”

  Phil laughed. “And to think, Boom-Boom wanted to fire you! But I talked him out of it. I told him, just listen and watch and do what she says and man, did you deliver!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Check your cell phone, doll. Social media is blowing up with your story. It’s all over Facebook and Twitter. First, it was hanging out with the old people at the baseball game, which got a nice little mention in the Tucson papers, but this flower thing? He said it was all your idea. I have to say it was absolute genius on your part!”

  She froze. “He told you about recycling the flowers? But when—”

  “I talked to him a few hours ago. When I saw someone had already posted pictures on Facebook, I called a media company I work with to make sure the post got seen, but even this is unprecedented. The new owners want him back pronto to give him some kind of special humanitarian award.”

  “Does Brian know yet? About going back to Tucson?”

  “I just talked to him. He wants me to double your fee, which you’ve totally earned. So, listen, doll, I got to go. Tell that slacker Jack Martinez hi for me, and if you ever need a reference, I’ll be more than happy to give you one!” He hung up before Aubrey could respond.

  She sat back down and immediately went to her phone and opened her Facebook account. The Sun Coast Assisted Living page (did everyone and everything have a Facebook profile?) had at least a dozen pictures that the nurses had taken of Brian handing out flowers to the residents. Beneath it, the caption read: Baseball superstar Boom-Boom Callahan and his assistant hand out recycled flowers from a wedding at the elegant Casa Blanca Resort & Spa.

  His assistant? Aubrey scanned down the page. There were literally hundreds of comments and thousands of likes. She quickly accessed her Twitter account to find the same thing had happened there. What Phil said was true, the story had gone viral.

  She’d heard about this. How a story could literally blow up within hours. Usually, those were negative stories. That social media would explode so quickly with something this positive was good, but still… He’d told Phil about the flowers and Phil had ensured the post went viral by contacting a media company. What had started out as a feel-good gesture had been exploited to get a millionaire sports celebrity a bigger contract.

  “Aubrey!”

  She turned to see him running toward her. The look on his face said it all. He was going back home where he belonged and he couldn’t be happier. She tried to smile. It was what she’d been hired for, after all.

  “I just heard the news,” she said.

  He picked her up and twirled her around. “Can you believe it? I’m going back to play in tomorrow night’s game!”

  “That’s awesome.”

  He immediately set her down on her feet. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m just happy everything has worked out so well. And, thank you for offering to double my fee, but that’s really not necessary.”

  “What did Phil say to you?” he asked quietly. “Because something is definitely wrong.”

  “He told me about your conversation this afternoon, and look…” She took a deep breath and continued, “I don’t blame you. I’ve always known your priority was getting back to Tucson.”

  He shoved a hand through his dark blonde hair. “You think I used the flower story to get on the owners’ good side and get my contract renewed.”

  “I… I don’t think it started out that way, but maybe, after the fact, yeah.”

  “Is that really what you think of me? I helped with the flowers because I thought you were doing a nice thing. But mostly I did it because I wanted to spend time with you any way I could take it. Believe me, my career was the last thing I was thinking about.”

  She glanced away because looking at his face right now was just too hard. He looked angry and hurt, and dammit, she wanted to throw herself in his arms and congratulate him because that’s what friends did. And aside from the job and the romance, she wanted to think that at the very least, they’d become friends.

  “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again,” he said. “Come with me to Tucson.”

  “Tonight? That’s impossible.”

  “Why? And don’t give me some bullshit excuse about not being able to afford a plane ticket. It’s a private plane. I can take whoever I want on it. And I can fly you back whenever you want to come home.” His expression softened. “C’mon, baby, come home with me for one game. I’ll have you back at your desk in forty-eight hours.”

  She was tempted. She really was. But right now, her chest ached and it wasn’t because she eaten too much popcorn. She was in love with him. And if it hurt this much right now, what would it be like after tomorrow’s game if she never heard from him again? Or what if he broke the whole thing off in two weeks, or two months?

  She needed time to think. Time to get her head on straight and her heart in order.

  “I’ll come see you in Tucson, but I can’t go today.”

  “Then when?”

  “I don’t know, maybe next week?”

  “Or next month?” His face turned hard again. “I thought you said you trusted me, or was that just about the sex?” Before she could answer, he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m fucking this all up because I don’t know what you want me to say. Do you want to me tell you I love you? Because I think I do.”

  “You think you do? Well, maybe that’s not good enough.”

  Oh, God. She hadn’t meant to shout it, but it came out all loud and angry. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to happen between them, but she couldn’t help herself. She was being whiny and clingy and she hated it. She hated this feeling of being out of control and unsure of herself.

  He stared down at her, not saying anything, just looking at her like he didn’t know what to do. She was about to tell him she was sorry, when his cell phone went off signaling he’d just received a text. He glanced at the screen. “My plane’s ready to leave. Are you coming or not?”

  Aubrey swallowed past the baseball-sized lump clogging her throat. “Not today. I just can’t right now.”

  He nodded, like he’d expected that answer. The sadness in his voice almost made her cry. “Okay. But I’m not going to ask again. If you’re ever ready, then you know where to find me.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Monday mornings in Mimosa Key were always the same. Aubrey woke up, showered, brushed her teeth and got ready to go into work. It was like she was on autopilot. Only this Monday, there was no client to babysit, and no more prep for the Barefoot Brides campaign. Brian had gone back to Tucson last night, and she and Felicity had done everything they could to convince Willow and Gussie and Ari that Reed and Adams PR was the marketing firm
for them. All they could do now was sit back and wait for their decision.

  As far as Brian was concerned, she’d hoped he would call, or at least text, when he arrived back home in Arizona. There was a three-hour time difference, so she’d stayed up half the night checking her phone every five minutes, but there’d been no call and no text.

  Not that she should expect one. He’d told her in no uncertain terms that the ball was now in her court. She’d never been a coward, but then she’d never met anyone like Brian Callahan before either. If only they’d had more time together, then she could be more certain of him. But to hop on a plane and risk everything for a man you’d only known for three weeks. The whole thing was just too scary.

  She pulled her Jeep into the Super Min and filled the tank with gas, paying at the pump as usual, then contemplated whether or not to go inside the store. She should ditch the donuts this morning, and the last person she wanted to see was Charity Grambling. Except Felicity would be expecting the donuts and it was time to get back to normal. Charity had been nice the last time Aubrey had gone into the store, but that was only because she’d wanted Brian’s autograph. Once Charity found out Brian was gone, her disdain for Aubrey would be back, plus some.

  She opened the door to the Super Min, steeling herself for a Charity sighting. Grabbing a bag of donuts and a bottled water, she headed to the counter to pay, then stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the large framed photo proudly displayed on the store wall next to the register. It was a picture of Brian with his arm around a stunned looking Charity. The signature below read, To Charity, my new best friend, With much love and affection, Boom-Boom Callahan.

  “Isn’t it wonderful?” Charity said. “Of course, this is just a copy. I have another one in my living room.” She giggled (Charity giggled!) then blushed furiously and lowered her voice. “And one on my bedside table, too, but don’t tell anyone. Only you and Patience know that little secret.”

  When had Brian come by the Super Min to pose for a picture with Charity? And why hadn’t he told her about it?

  “You should see the looks on the customers’ faces when they see this,” Charity said. “And of course, I realize I have you to, you know, that…word for this.”

  “Um, is the word you’re looking for ‘thank you’?”

  “Yes, that’s it. That’s the word.”

  “You’re welcome,” Aubrey said, still a little stunned. “When did this happen?”

  “Last Tuesday. Eight-thirty a.m. sharp. Your boyfriend came into the store, and of course, I said that other word to him, you know, on account of the last time you’d been here and there was that silly case of mistaken identity. And then he offered to take a picture with me.”

  Other word? “Oh, you mean you told him you were sorry for not recognizing him?”

  “Didn’t I just say that? Why do I have to keep repeating myself?”

  Aubrey sighed. “Yes, you did. Sorry. And… Brian’s not my boyfriend.”

  Charity studied her a moment. “Too bad. I mean, yes, of course you’re totally out of his league, but now that Taylor Swift has broken his heart and married someone else maybe you can get him on the rebound. Of course, you’ll have to do something with your hair,” she mused. “It’s a well-known fact that Boom-Boom prefers blondes.”

  “Maybe,” Aubrey said, not sure whether to laugh or cry.

  Charity brought out the USA Today paper and opened it to the sports section. “Look, here’s a nice big article on Boom-Boom. On how he’s back with the Bombers and tonight they’re playing the Braves in Tucson and it’s Pedro Gutierrez’s last home game and everyone is depending on Boom-Boom to help them win. Of course, he and Sweet Lucy won’t let the Bombers down. No, sir, I bet he’s so happy to be back he’ll hit at least four home runs. That’s his record, you know, four home runs in one game.”

  Yes, Aubrey did know. Along with his RBI’s, it was one of the many worthless statistics she’d memorized about him before they ever met. But none of that had prepared her for the man himself. For how funny and warm and intelligent he was.

  Charity rang up the donuts and bottled water then placed them in a bag and handed it to Aubrey. “Have a nice day,” she said, with something that looked suspiciously like a smile on her face.

  “So, we’re friends now? And you admit that you like me?”

  “I wouldn’t go quite that far.”

  Aubrey’s gaze went to the picture on the wall and purposely settled there. After a few seconds, Charity sighed in defeat. “Oh, all right. We’re friends now. And yes, I suppose I like you.”

  “Yes!” Aubrey pumped her fist in the air. She was about to say I told you so, but it seemed churlish, plus, she didn’t want Charity to change her mind about her. “See you next time!” she said on her way out the door.

  She sat back in her Jeep with a smile on her face. She’d done it! She’d made Charity Grambling like her. Then her smile faded. No. She hadn’t done anything. It was Brian who’d done it. Brian who, according to Charity, had come into the store the morning right after she’d asked him to sign an autograph for the grumpy store clerk, and he’d never once mentioned it to her.

  She pulled her cell out of her tote and glanced at the screen. Still no text. Still no call. She should call him and thank him for his kindness to Charity. Or maybe she should text him. It was the least she could do. She worked on the message, then ended up erasing the first five drafts because after reading them, they all sounded pathetic. It had been less than a day since she’d last seen him and she missed him already. She decided to go with a friendly, upbeat version.

  Hope you made it home ok. Just ran into Charity. She loves the photo, and so do I. Good luck with your game tonight!

  His text came instantly. Made it home fine. Thanks.

  Aubrey’s heart braked to a complete stop. It was a perfectly acceptable response to her text, except, it was so impersonal. Like it could have been written to anyone, even Phil.

  She drove to the office without the radio on. The two-minute drive down the block felt more like two hundred miles. Had she done the right thing staying home last night? He’d given her an open-ended offer. If you’re ever ready, you know where to find me. But what if he woke up this morning already regretting those words? Once he was back home and away from little Mimosa Key, he might just find that he was thankful she hadn’t tagged along. It was a depressing thought.

  Jack and Felicity were huddled around Felicity’s desk when Aubrey came through the door to the office. Her partner was on her cell phone. She caught her gaze and silently waved Aubrey inside. “Yes, of course! I know. Aubrey and I couldn’t be more thrilled. We’ll be there this afternoon to sign the contract. Three is perfect. See you then!” Felicity tossed her phone to Jack, who easily caught it with one hand, then grabbed Aubrey into a hug. “Guess what just happened? We got the Barefoot Brides account!”

  “Congratulations, ladies!” Jack said, joining their group hug.

  Aubrey pulled away from their circle. “But I was so sure they were going with the other firm!”

  “This is all thanks to you, girlfriend!” Felicity said.

  “Me?”

  “You and that Facebook post that went viral. Willow said that ever since yesterday afternoon, they’ve been inundated with calls from potential customers. Everyone loved the idea of recycling their wedding flowers. And you’ll never guess the best part. The Fort Myers Junior League is taking it on as a service project. Any bride and groom who want to donate their flowers will be able to, and the Junior League is going to take care of it.”

  Her head was reeling. They’d gotten the Barefoot Brides campaign! And it had all been due to the same Facebook post that had helped Brian get back to Tucson. The irony of it all wasn’t lost on her. She’d practically accused him of using that same post to get what he wanted, and now it had helped Reed and Adams score their dream account.

  “You still haven’t heard it all,” Felicity said. “A freelancer who writes for Brides ma
gazine saw the post and wants to do a complete spread on the Barefoot Brides and their wedding recycling campaign. Isn’t that awesome! We’re getting them a write up in Brides after all!”

  “I say we celebrate,” Jack said. “After we go to the resort to sign the contract, which, as your legal representation, I’ll need to review of course, I’m taking you ladies out for champagne and lobster.”

  Felicity leaned up and kissed her fiancé on the cheek. “Perfect!” She turned to Aubrey, and her smile faded. “What’s wrong? You don’t look as happy as I feel.”

  “No…it’s all great. Really. It’s just…” She shrugged.

  Felicity and Jack exchanged a look. Felicity reached out and hugged her once more, but this was more a consolatory embrace than a celebratory one. “Phil Durant texted me and congratulated us on a job well done. The Bombers are signing Brian for a five-year contract at thirty million dollars.”

  Jack whistled under his breath. “I’m definitely in the wrong profession.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Aubrey said, feeling her voice crack. “I’m happy for him. I really am.” She tried not to cry, but she couldn’t help herself. The whole thing was so embarrassing, but Felicity was her closest friend, and Jack was her fiancé, so that made him like family. Between great big ugly sobs, she told them all about Brian’s offer to fly her to Tucson for the game and how she’d turned him down.

  They listened quietly, then Jack offered her his handkerchief.

  “I say you get on a plane right now,” Felicity said, after hearing the story.

  “I agree,” Jack said. “You need to be at the game tonight.”

  “No, I blew it. Besides, I’d never make it.” She flushed. “I confess, I looked at flight schedules this morning. There’s no direct flights from Fort Myers and the best I can afford anyway is the red eye.”

  Jack was about to say something when the front door to the office opened. It was a uniformed delivery man, although the logo on his shirt wasn’t the usual FedEx or UPS. In his hands he held a long narrow brown package. He glanced at the three of them. “Are any of you Aubrey Adams?”