A knock sounded on her open door, and she looked up at Maya. “Am I interrupting?”
“No, come on in.” Kari shifted back onto her bed and crossed her legs. She glanced at the window to see the sun had nearly set. “I’m all finished with my homework. I was just working ahead for the next day.”
“How is everything going?”
“Pretty good. I’m so glad they gave me the waiver for the radiology classes. I never expected to enjoy them so much.”
“That’s great.” Maya sat on the edge of her bed. “How is everything else going?”
“Okay,” Kari said without enthusiasm.
Maya’s eyebrows lifted.
“What?”
“I’m worried about you. For months, you’ve spent nearly every spare minute with Ryan, and now, all of a sudden, you two are never together.” Maya’s voice held understanding. “Did the two of you break up?”
“Not exactly.”
“I don’t want to pry, but I see you looking miserable, and Ryan isn’t himself.” Her gaze narrowed. “This isn’t a cheesecake kind of day, is it?”
“I guess I’m trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life, and I have no idea how Ryan fits into it,” Kari admitted.
“Do you love him?”
The simplicity of the question cut to the core of the matter. “Yeah, I do. Unfortunately, he expects me to fall in line with what works in his life. I want to help people. I want to make a difference.”
“Then you need to make sure he understands that,” Maya said.
“You’re right.”
“And for the sake of all the Nationals’ fans out there, would you have this conversation with him sooner than later? Ryan doesn’t play nearly as well when you two are at odds as he does when his life is in harmony.”
“He didn’t have a good game yesterday?”
“He hasn’t had a good week,” Maya said. “The guys are off today. Maybe you should see what he’s doing tonight.”
“I don’t know, Maya.” Kari wavered. “If I’m always the one to try to make things work, what kind of relationship will Ryan and I really have?”
“If you don’t talk to each other, you won’t have a relationship at all,” Maya said bluntly. “And I know you. You’re a problem solver. You hate having things hanging over your head like this.”
Kari considered the truth of Maya’s words. “I’ll think about it.”
“Ben and I are heading out to dinner. Do you want us to bring something back for you?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks.”
“See you later.”
Kari watched her go, her stomach twisting in knots. She hated not knowing what was going on with Ryan, but she also worried he would never learn to appreciate her if she didn’t take a stand and make sure he really cared about her as an individual. That included caring about what she wanted for her future beyond sitting in the stands and cheering him on.
Not quite ready to call Ryan, she crossed to her bookshelf and retrieved one of her study books. Her student catalog came off the shelf with it and fell to the ground. Lifting it from the floor, she started to put it back but paused when she thought of the counselor’s comment about getting her associates degree from the community college prior to transferring to George Mason. Not in the mood to study for her MCAT, she replaced her study guide and carried the student handbook to her bed. She flipped through the pages, instinctively starting with the medical programs. She read through the descriptions of each, focusing on the radiology and sonography programs. Considering her options in a new light, she retrieved a pencil and used her left hand to check off the classes she had already completed.
Now seeing multiple paths before her, she looked at her cell phone. Maybe Maya was right. Maybe it was time to have a serious talk with Ryan.
* * *
Ryan looked at his phone for the fifteenth time in less than five minutes. Why hadn’t she called him? Or texted? At this point, he would settle for smoke signals. He certainly wouldn’t miss them, considering he had paced by his front window dozens of times today hoping to catch a glimpse of Kari.
He should have known she would force him to make the first move. Hadn’t she been the only girl in years who had waited for him to ask her out? And hadn’t he always appreciated how she didn’t make him feel like he was a prize to be won, instead always showing she cared for him as a person rather than as a public figure? He now knew he hadn’t appreciated her nearly enough.
Her words had been more true than he liked to admit. Though he had felt justified in expecting her to conform her schedule to meet his, in reality he’d never considered things would change, not even when he finished the season and the demands on her time became more extreme. He may have paid for various travel expenses and made sure she could come to the games, but she had always been appreciative of the gestures and had consistently been clear that she didn’t expect such treatment.
The bottom line was that she wasn’t interested in him for his money, and he needed to stop acting like such things should matter between them.
His phone rang, and he held it up. His heart sank when he saw it was his mom and not Kari. He debated ignoring the call but realized he wouldn’t be able to handle both of the women in his life being mad at him at the same time. “Hey, Mom.”
“You sound exhausted. Is everything okay?”
How is it, he asked himself, that moms can always tell when something is wrong?
“It’s been a rough couple days,” Ryan said.
“I saw your game last night. You didn’t look like yourself. Are you feeling okay?”
“The usual stiffness that comes at this point of the season.” He knew he could leave it at that and his mom wouldn’t press, but he needed to talk to someone. “Kari and I had an argument, and it’s been hard not having her to talk to.”
“Have you tried talking to her?” Susan asked.
“No, not yet.”
“That’s a mistake right there,” she said. “If you want to build a future with Kari, both of you need to learn how to communicate with one another. The silent treatment might seem like a good idea, but it only keeps people from moving forward.”
“I talked to her dad about asking her to marry me.”
“How did that go?”
“He seems like a really nice guy, but he basically told me the same thing Kari and I ended up arguing about. She has her own dreams for her future, and if I stay in her life, I’ll probably get in the way.”
“Her dad said that?”
“Not exactly. He just said I needed to keep her goals in mind when planning for the future.”
“He’s right.”
The arrow in his heart dug a little deeper. “Which circles back to the root of the problem. My career and her goals don’t mesh. Her dad obviously doesn’t think this can last long term, and it sounds like you agree with him.”
“That’s not what I said, and I don’t think it’s what he said either,” she told him. “The two of you need to sit down together and be open about what it is you want for your future and then decide how you’re going to make your dreams happen.”
“And if my dreams get in the way of her dreams?”
“That’s always a risk, Ryan. The important thing is to talk to her and make sure you make your decisions together, taking both of your dreams into account.”
Ryan wandered into the kitchen, and his eyes landed on the words displayed on his counter: The best things happen at home.
“Mom, I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you later.”
“Good luck, Ryan. I’m pulling for both of you.”
“Thanks.” He hung up the phone and dialed Kari’s number. She answered on the second ring. Just the sound of her voice sent his heart racing. “Hey, is there any way we can talk?”
“Actually, I was hoping to talk to you.”
He picked up the trivet shaped like home plate and asked, “Would you mind coming over here? I can come to you, but I thoug
ht we would have more privacy at my place.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Kari.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
As soon as she hung up, he set the decoration down and headed for his room. He didn’t know if Kari was ready to hear what he had to say, but it was time he put all of his cards on the table.
Chapter 40
Kari knocked on the door, not sure if this was a new beginning or the beginning of the end. Ryan hadn’t sounded like himself when he had called, but, then, she hardly knew what to expect from him since they had never fought before. She really hated fighting. It was such a downer.
A sense of anticipation sent her nerves humming. She had already decided on one huge change in her life today. It scared her that her first thought after making such a monumental shift in her future was to share it with Ryan. His call had come at the perfect time. She only hoped his friendship, and their relationship, would continue and that he would support the changes she intended to make in her life.
The door opened, revealing a weary-looking Ryan, several days’ worth of growth on his face. His hair was tousled as though his comb had gone on strike and his fingers had taken over the job.
“Thanks for coming over.” He stepped back to let her in. The absence of a kiss in his greeting sent another ripple of trepidation through her.
They hadn’t spoken for three days. What did she expect? She reminded herself of this fact and hoped it was the only reason Ryan was giving her such a wide berth as he showed her inside.
They passed by the kitchen, and it took only a glance to notice what was missing—home plate. Her stomach sank. Was he already trying to get rid of anything that reminded him of her?
A piece chipped away from her heart, and she forced herself to straighten her shoulders. Ready to cut through the tension between them once and for all, she remained standing and waited for him to face her when they reached the living room.
“Are we breaking up?” she asked.
“No.” A horrified expression appeared on his face. He reached for her good hand and squeezed. “No,” he repeated.
Kari let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“Please, sit down.” Ryan motioned to the couch and waited for her to sit before he took the seat beside her.
She let her gaze wander long enough to notice a few other minor changes since she’d been here last. The decorative bowl she had put on the coffee table had been moved to the end table, and a square box lay in its place.
Her stomach still a ball of nerves, she forced herself to look him in the eye. “We’re not breaking up?”
“No. I hope we never break up,” Ryan said earnestly. His hand squeezed hers, and he waved his other nervously. “I’ve been thinking about what you said.”
“And?”
“And you were right about a lot of things.” He let out a sigh. “I’ve been so used to you being here, to us being here together, that when I think of us hanging out, I always think of us being here.” She opened her mouth to respond, but he continued before she could. “It’s not because I’m not willing to meet you halfway. I always think of us here because this is home.” His free hand came to rest on hers so her good hand was caught between both of his. “We’ve been making a home together, and I’ve struggled with knowing how long it might be before your life will settle down enough to make it permanent.”
His last word resonated through her. “I’m not sure I’m following you.”
He seemed to muster his courage. “I talked to your dad awhile ago.”
The implication of such a conversation nearly left her speechless. She managed to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. “You did?”
“Yeah.” Now he appeared to be at a loss for words. “We talked a bit about what you want for your future.”
She opened her mouth to tell him everything had changed, but he rushed on. “Ten years of school is a long time, and I’ve really been struggling with what your goals mean to our future.”
“Ryan, there’s something you should know—”
“I’m sorry I made you feel like your goals weren’t important to me and that I let my schedule take over our time together. I want to spend time with you, and if that means driving across town to visit you after you move, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything I can to help you reach your dreams.” He drew a deep breath. “I know it might seem like it would never work for the long term, but I know if we want it to, we can push through the challenges.”
“What exactly are you saying?” she forced herself to ask as her heartbeat quickened.
Ryan released her hands and reached for the box on the table. “We’ve been making a home together without even realizing it. I want you to share that home with me, to be part of my forever.”
He lifted the lid off the box. Inside lay the ceramic home plate, a piece of twine tied around it. Looped onto the bow hung a diamond ring. “Kari Evans, will you marry me?”
Both hands lifted to cover her mouth. Her throat closed, her heart swelled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked hard to see him still staring at her expectantly, a look of near-panic on his face. Her head bobbed up and down, and she reached for him. “Yes.” She nodded again. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
His lips found hers, the stress and frustration of the past few days falling away to be replaced with hope and an indescribable feeling of belonging and unity.
He pulled back, fumbling to untie the engagement ring so he could slip it on her hand. “This was my great-grandmother’s, but if you don’t like it, we can get you something else. I thought you would prefer something with some history to it over flash.”
Her eyes welled up again at the thought that he would understand her well enough to know that the sentimentality of a family heirloom would mean so much more to her than how much money he spent.
Her eyes lowered to the ring. “It’s beautiful.” She looked up at him. “It’s perfect.”
“So are you.” He kissed her again, his expression serious when he pulled away. “I know you have a lot going on with school in the next year, trying to apply for med school and everything. I know it may seem fast, but what do you think about getting married in the spring? I thought I might be able to get the team to give me some time for your spring break. If you want a big wedding, we could go for All-Star break so we would have more time.” She started to respond, but again he rushed on. “I’m happy to hire a wedding planner so you still have time to keep up with your studies.”
“I think I’d feel more comfortable planning my own wedding,” Kari said. “I always envisioned something on the smaller side. Would you mind that?”
“It sounds perfect.” He hesitated a moment before he added, “If you want to plan it yourself, maybe we should wait until next fall or even the following winter. You’re going to be so stressed with everything else you’ll have going on with your life.”
“I started to tell you this earlier.” Kari held up her right hand, lifting it so her splint was in his line of vision. “Do you remember how I saw the break in my hand when we were at urgent care? You made a comment about how quickly I was able to find the problem?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I was going through the program offerings at NOVA, and it finally dawned on me that what I’ve always wanted is to work in the medical field and to make a difference.”
“Right.” He looked at her, confused. “That’s why you’re studying medicine.”
“It’s why I started out studying medicine,” Kari corrected. “And it’s why I’m switching to radiology.”
“What?”
“Every time I try studying for the MCAT, the section on diagnostic tools and their uses is so easy for me, but everything else, I really struggled with. I mean, I know about the basic anatomy and such from my pre-med classes, but what I love is seeing scans and X-rays. Using those tools to help doctors make the right diagnosis, knowing I
can be there to hold someone’s hand, so to speak, when they’re going through a tough time, that can be my way of making a difference.”
His gaze stayed on her, and he finally managed to ask, “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“It is.” She smiled. “And the best part is that with the classes I took at Vanderbilt, I should be able to complete the entire program by next December.”
“Really?”
“Really. I have to apply officially, but the counselor seemed to think I could get in when I first met with her. I also thought I might be able to get you to pull some strings for me.”
“What kind of strings?”
“I have to do clinicals and an internship before I finish my degree. I thought maybe someone I knew would be able to help me get on with the Nationals’ medical staff.”
His eyes lit with understanding. “You realize you’d have to come to all the games?”
“For those six weeks anyway.”
He grinned. “I think I could make a call.”
She returned his smile. “As for the wedding, how would you feel about Valentine’s Day weekend?”
“I would love that, but I doubt we would be able to find a venue so quickly.”
She let her gaze sweep the room. “You really do have a great house.”
“Yeah.” Confusion and wariness colored the single word.
Now Kari motioned to the box on the table. “I read somewhere that the best things happen at home.”
“You mean get married here?”
“Exactly.”
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the knuckle just above her engagement ring. “You’re absolutely right. The best things do happen at home.”
* * *
One game. Only one more game to clinch the division. Ryan glanced at the scoreboard as he stepped into the on-deck circle. Bottom of the ninth inning, down by one run, one out.
Chance for Home Page 24