by JL Paul
“Fine,” she said.
“Yeah, okay,” he said with a smirk. “I heard you’ve been a basket case, jumping down people’s throats and stuff.”
She shrugged and turned her eyes back to her book. “People are just too sensitive sometimes.”
He removed the book from her hands and cupped her cheek. “You need to chill, Al. You need to stop worrying about it because it’s not going to help anything.”
“I know,” she said tersely. She sighed and raked her hand through her hair. “I just want this really bad!”
He straddled the bench and closed her book, setting it on top of the picnic table. “What day is your appointment?”
“Wednesday.”
“And your parents are going to be in L.A.?” he asked.
She nodded. “Alec’s flying out there tomorrow to join them for the week. My mom wanted to come with me but I told her absolutely not. I want to do this on my own.”
He studied her for a few minutes and took one of her hands between his. “So, does that mean you don’t want me to come?”
“You’d come?” she asked, stunned. Of course she’d wanted to ask him or even Jamie or RJ to accompany her, but her pride had prevented it. She was desperate to prove her independence but – if she was being honest – she’d admit she needed a little moral support.
“Yeah, I would.” He smiled softly. “Maybe we could spend a few days there. Take in the museums or something.”
“I’d love that,” she smiled and wrenched her hand from his to throw her arms around his neck. “Thanks, Cole.”
He rubbed her back. “I thought you might. I’ll make the arrangements.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’d better let your parents know. Oh, and make sure you inform Jay that you’ll have your own room.”
She pulled back to beam at him and laugh. “I’ll tell him.”
“Hey,” Jamie called, plopping down next to them. “What are you guys doing for spring break?”
Ally smiled at Jamie and laced her fingers through Cole’s. “We’re going to Chicago for a few days. I have to do my physical and all that. Why? You have a better idea?”
“Nope but I thought that since it was RJ and Cole’s last year with us we’d all do something together,” Jamie mused.
Ally looked up at Cole hopefully and he shrugged. “Why don’t you guys come to Chicago?” she suggested.
“Ally’s physical is Wednesday. Maybe we can get a couple of rooms and hang out downtown for the week. We can catch a hockey game or check out the museums or something,” Cole said.
“That sounds cool. I’ll ask RJ,” Jamie said, hopping up from the bench. “I’ll talk to you guys about it later.”
Cole draped his arm casually around Ally’s shoulders. “Want to go to Mario’s and grab some pizza?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” she asked, her heart pounding freakishly hard in her chest.
He considered her carefully. “I guess I am.”
She stood up, her eyes shimmering. “Good. That means you have to pay.”
***
Mario’s was quiet and they’d managed to snag a private table toward the back. The dining room was dim and Ally thought it added a bit of romance to the evening. She was doing the best she could to rein in her excitability but it wasn’t working well.
They ordered pizza and chatted pleasantly while they waited for the waitress to bring them their drinks. Once she did and hurried away, Cole grinned.
“So, I talked to my dad earlier and he told me that he’s going to be working with your dad.”
“You’re kidding!” Ally said, her eyes bright. “That is so cool. Too band Richie and Mark won’t work with them, too.”
“Al,” Cole said, taking her hand. “They don’t want to right now. They told us that they wanted to take a little break and decide whether or not they wanted to retire.”
“I know,” Ally sighed. “It’s just strange to think that they’re not all working together anymore.”
Cole ran his thumb over the top of her hand. “Things change, princess, you know that. As great as Tight Control is, they can’t last forever.”
She glared at him. “That’s not what you were saying a couple weeks ago.”
He smirked and gave her a wink. “That’s not what had me upset and you know it but we’re over that argument. I was wrong and you were right.”
“Let’s mark the calendar,” Ally said.
He laughed and tugged her closer to press a kiss on her temple.
Later that evening, she returned to her room in brighter spirits than she’d been in months. The date had gone well and even though they hadn’t discussed their relationship, she felt that things were moving along the right track.
She just hoped she was right.
Chapter Twenty-Five
They arrived in Chicago Saturday afternoon and checked into their hotel. Cole went all out and rented a two bedroom suite, wanting to make it as memorable a trip as possible for Ally. RJ and Jamie split the cost of a suite also, jokingly telling Stephanie she could sleep on the sofa in the sitting room.
Ally explored the suite with child-like eyes, admiring the elegant décor. She opened the door to each bedroom and gaped. “You know,” she called out to Cole, who was exploring the kitchenette in search of food. “This is really cool. Thank you.”
“No problem, princess,” he called out. “There’s no food in here.”
“Don’t call me that. You’re not mad because I wanted RJ and Jamie to come along, are you?” she asked as she wandered into the kitchenette and leaned on the counter.
He eyed her curiously. “And Stephanie,” he reminded her. “And no, I’m not mad. Why would you think that?”
She shrugged and dropped her eyes to the smooth counter. “I thought maybe we’d, you know, figure out this week if we wanted to be together.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. “That’s not why I brought you here. That wasn’t my intention, Ally.”
“I know,” she said, moving around the counter to stand in front of him. “But I did what you said and thought a lot about what I want and I want you.”
His pulse quickened as he looked into her blue eyes. He gripped her shoulders, wanting to just take her in his arms and assure her that things would be fine but he was still a little leery. “Al, we need to have this conversation but you know…”
Someone pounded on the door.
He groaned and rested his forehead on the top of her head. “Like I was saying, you know someone is going to knock on the door any second.”
She laughed as she moved reluctantly away from Cole to open the door. RJ came bounding in, Jamie and Stephanie close behind. She smiled as he compared their suite to his. It’d been a rough couple weeks for the four of them. Slowly, she’d forgiven them, though the closeness they’d shared over the years hadn’t reached the high level it once had been. She wasn’t too worried; she figured it would come to them and she’d placed a lot of hope that this week together would help. In the back of her mind, a little bit of hurt still lingered, but it was healing as each one of her boys went out of his way to do little things to make it up to her. She loved them all so much for it.
Her relationship with Stephanie was something she was going to have to put a lot of effort into. The other girl’s remarks about her father still stung, even though she knew Stephanie hadn’t actually meant it. Stephanie didn’t overly try to befriend her, but Ally could see the hope in her eyes each time they were together. Ally still resented how quickly the boys had accepted her, and she only hoped that with time, it would fade - especially now that her relationship with Cole seemed to be taking a turn for the better.
And the budding relationship between Jamie and Stephanie enforced that need for Ally to try harder. Problem was, Ally didn’t know how to have girlfriends. She talked with Jeana often and she shared camaraderie with her teammates, but as far as having a real, true girlfriend, that was something Ally had never experienced. S
he was used to being one of the guys.
“Don’t think too hard, Ally,” RJ teased, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “We can see smoke coming out of your ears.”
She rolled her eyes and lightly punched his arm. “So what are we gonna do first?”
“Eat,” the boys all said at once. Ally caught Stephanie’s eye and both girls laughed.
***
They spent the rest of the weekend wandering around the city. Although the temperature was mild, it was still chilly enough to force them to stick to places where they could gather indoors.
Cole constantly held her hand or had an arm thrown around her shoulders and the excitement from his touch thrilled her. Every night in their suite, they would sit on the sofa and talk. At first all she talked about was the physical and the work out but gradually she turned to other things - like her jealous feelings toward Stephanie and how hurt she’d been when they weren’t talking. In turn, he opened up to her, explaining how scared he still was about being in a real relationship.
Monday night found them sitting in a dark, twenty-one and under club listening to a DJ play dance mixes which none of them really knew. RJ was scanning the crowds, catching the eye of many girls who tried to entice him to the dance floor. He just grinned or winked but didn’t join them when they sashayed away to dance.
“You ready to go back, princess?” Cole whispered in her ear, and his breath on her skin only heightened her awareness of him.
She nodded. “Don’t call me that.”
He stood, took her hand and grinned. “Whatever.”
“You guys going back?” RJ asked with an annoying smirk.
Cole pushed him playfully. “Yeah. Don’t pick up any strange women.”
“The stranger the better,” he remarked.
They bid the others good-night and caught a cab back to their hotel.
Once they returned to their room, Cole locked the door and led her to the sofa. They sat close together, silently at first, each collecting their thoughts.
“Al, I know things are going better between us, but I don’t want you thinking that just because we’ve come a long way and just because we’re alone in a hotel room that you have to do anything. Got it?”
She removed her jacket and draped it carefully over the back of the sofa. “I didn’t think that at all. I know you’re not like that.” She turned toward him, a scowl on her face. “What made you think of that?”
He pulled her closer and held her. “Well, the way RJ was sort of razzing us at the club … I didn’t know if you thought that I wanted us to…you know.”
She nestled into him and giggled. “Cole, I know you’ve struggled with that issue since we’ve decided to try this so of course I know you didn’t plan on seducing me or anything.”
“Al,” he said, taking a deep breath. Her heart stopped in her chest as she knew the moment had finally come.
“Yeah?” she asked in as strong a voice as she could muster. It wasn’t very strong at all.
“I love you, Al, and I have to agree with you. I don’t think I could ever go back to just being your friend.” He kissed the top of her head as his arms tightened around her. “I guess we’re stuck struggling through all this. I mean, if you’re game.”
She wriggled out of his arms and straddled his lap. She held his head in her hands and kissed him firmly. “I love you, too, and I’m willing to struggle through anything for you. I know we’ll work, Cole. I’ll work harder.”
“It’s going to get harder, you know,” he said, giving her a stern look. “This is my last year of school – we won’t see each other every day.”
“I know that,” she said, not budging. “But no one else interests me, Cole. I don’t want to be with anyone else but you.”
He smiled and ran his finger through her hair. “There’s no one else I want to be with, either.”
“And I believe in us,” she whispered. She leaned in to kiss him softly.
He kissed her back, tugging her closer. “Me, too, princess, I promise.”
She grinned, her heart floating high above the earth. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. She was a little afraid of the future – unsure of where things would take them, but she was ready to give it a shot. He was worth it. “I want to be with you, Cole. More than anything.”
He rubbed her back and pressed kisses in her hair. “Me, too, princess. Now, it’s getting late – why don’t you go to bed and we’ll do something fun tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she said edging back to kiss him and scuttle off his lap. “And don’t call me that.”
***
Wednesday morning finally arrived and she endured her grueling physical. The doctors poked and prodded her and put her ankle through every kind of test imaginable. She was worn out before it came time to hit the field.
Once the doctors finished torturing her, she was able to enjoy a short break before she had to report to the chilly, soggy softball field. She dressed in a pair of gray baseball pants and one of Cole’s Woodsedge Academy t-shirts. She tossed her hair back into a secure ponytail, tied her cleats and hit the field.
Cole and the others climbed the frigid bleachers in order to get a good seat. Although it was early April, the temperature had climbed to the middle sixties. But it didn’t make the steel bleachers any warmer.
Cole watched anxiously as about fifteen girls walked out onto the field, each one dressed for a workout. When Ally stepped on the diamond, his heart flipped. He smiled, hoping his shirt would bring her extra luck; not that she needed it, he thought. She had always impressed him with her athletic prowess and he was sure she’d knock the socks off all the coaches watching today.
One by one, the girls entered the batter’s box and faced the pitching machine while three or four coaches with clipboards stood around, jotting down notes and consulting with each other. Finally, Ally made her way to the plate and dug her cleats into the dirt. She took a few practice swings as Cole leaned forward, anxiously. She let the first couple of pitches blow by, gauging their speed and positions. Finally, she swung and sent the ball straight up and behind her.
“That’s a good sign,” Jamie said nervously, chewing his fingernails. “She’s got the speed down.”
Cole nodded, his eyes never leaving Ally.
She dug back in and swung at the next pitch, sending it to centerfield. After that, she found her rhythm and sent pitch after pitch sailing to the outfield. Jamie jumped up excitedly and hi-fived Cole and RJ when Ally crushed one over the fence.
“Wow,” Stephanie exclaimed, impressed. “She’s got power.”
The girls finished batting and listened to the coaches’ instructions as a crew removed the pitching machine and gathered up the baseballs from the outfield.
“What position does she play?” Stephanie asked as the girls grabbed their gloves and headed to the field.
“Short stop,” Cole told her as Ally jogged out between second and third, swiping at the dirt with her cleats. She adjusted her ball cap and positioned herself, knees bent, glove at the ready.
A coach stood at the plate and started hitting balls to various positions, warming them up. Once he deemed them ready, he started belting balls all over, watching as the girls fielded them and threw to whatever base he called out. Ally was on top of her game and never missed a single ball. She made a few great plays, including one spectacular throw from her knees, and Cole knew there was no way in hell she wouldn’t be signed.
Finally, the coaches called them in and they huddled together, listening to their next instructions. Cole and Jamie exchanged nervous glances as RJ stood, shading his eyes to get a better look. All the girls dispersed except for Ally. A heavy set, gray haired man took her by the arm and led her to another gentleman in khakis, dress shirt and tie.
“Dude,” Jamie said. “I think that’s the General Manager.”
Cole nodded and watched intently as Ally shook his hand with a smile. They talked for about fifteen minutes, d
riving the boys a little crazy.
“What is taking so long?” RJ whined. “I mean, either they want her or they don’t!”
“I don’t think they’re signing anyone today,” Jamie said. “Ally thought it was a workout session for the girls who’ve had injuries. Maybe they’re discussing that.”
Cole just shrugged and shook his leg nervously, eyes trained on Ally. Finally, she shook the man’s hand again and headed to the locker room. “Come on,” Cole said getting to his feet. “Let’s go wait for her by the doors.”
They leaned against the brick building as the other girls started filtering out, chatting about their chances. Ally was one of the last to leave the locker room, hair damp and duffel bag over her shoulder. She smiled at them. “Hey, guys. Ready to get out of here?”
“No,” RJ said, rolling to his toes. “We want to know what happened!”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.
“You stood there talking to the guy in the tie forever,” Jamie reminded her.
“Oh, you mean Mr. Menedez.” Ally looked over her shoulder. All the other girls were gone and Ally turned back to smile. “We were just making arrangements for my parents to come to Chicago so they can sign me.”
It took only a few seconds for the words to register before Cole picked her up, causing her to drop her bag, and swung her around in a circle. He kissed her before putting her back down. “I knew you’d do it, princess.” She beamed in his arms and he wouldn’t let her go.
“Hel-lo,” Jamie called. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a huge hug. “Congrats, cuz! I knew you’d make it!”
RJ congratulated her next with yet another embrace and a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “We’ve have to celebrate tonight! We’ll take you out for a big, fancy dinner then back to the suites.”
“Okay,” she said as excitement shimmied throughout her body. “Let’s go.”
Congratulations, Ally,” Stephanie said tentatively. “I’m really impressed.”
“Thanks,” Ally said, pulling the other girl into a hug. “And I really mean it.”
***
After a fancy dinner downtown, they returned to Ally and Cole’s suite. RJ and Jamie had mysteriously obtained a bottle of champagne and made a grand production of opening it and pouring five glasses.