by Tracy March
As painful as all this was, he never would’ve unraveled the mystery if Sylvia hadn’t set him up with Liza, and Liza hadn’t insisted on finding answers. He glanced over at the empty passenger seat and realized he wished she were there. Her genuine smile, her tender heart. Her sexy wholesomeness. He couldn’t stop thinking about how she felt in his arms, with her lithe body pressed to his. Fiery and feminine, yet fragile. Still unable to let herself go.
Even so, she turned him on more than any woman he’d ever been with. But his attraction was more than just physical. He’d reconnected with her in a way he’d never expected. The girl who’d really understood him years ago still got him today. She was smart and funny and giving. She’d grabbed his heart for good the second she whipped out those baseball PB and Js.
Sure, he’d started dating her because of Frank’s plan, but it really hadn’t been about that for him since early on. It had been all about Liza. He wasn’t sure about everything that had happened tonight, but he was sure he wanted to be with her. He swung his truck over to the side of the road, stopped, and pulled out his phone. He snapped a picture of the empty passenger seat and attached it to a tweet.
Cole Collins @ColeCollins
@LizaSutherland Comfort zone = not so comfortable. Wish you were riding shotgun. #wantyouwithme
Cole got back on the road and headed to Baltimore.
Chapter Seventeen
Frank needn’t have worried about Cole keeping things steady with Liza. After he’d learned Frank was his father, she was exactly the solace he’d needed. She’d been there for him that night—listening to every question and every doubt, and she’d promised to be there for him whenever he needed her. How had he lived without her in his life? Lonely…that’s how.
He wanted to be with her every day, but that was impossible. His playoff schedule was crazy and his stress level was maxed out. Even so, she kept him grounded, focused, and confident.
They’d looked forward to celebrating their respective league championship wins together—if they happened—yet as it turned out, both the Orioles and the Nationals won on long-distance road trips. The logistics hadn’t worked out for them to be together, and through the games and travel and practices, Cole missed her every minute. Even so, the thrill of winning, and their teams meeting in the World Series, made what little time they had together that much more exciting. They’d stolen a date here and there, but Cole had waited for the perfect day for what he had planned.
He and Liza had headed out to Maryland in the midafternoon, with her riding shotgun in his pickup.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her eyes glimmering.
“It’s a surprise.” His nerves had started to kick in a little.
“You’re full of those,” she quipped.
Liza had become livelier around him, and there were fewer times when he lost her to what he figured were moments of grief. He got the feeling that was the last thing holding her back from letting herself go and really giving him a chance.
“This one’s kinda special,” he said.
“Sounds exciting.” She grinned, looking relaxed. But that changed when they crossed the city line of Davidsonville. She gazed at Cole as he drove, looking vulnerable all of a sudden. “Wes is buried here,” she said softly.
He nodded and glanced at her sympathetically. “At Lakemont Memorial Gardens.”
“Is that where you’re taking me?”
“I’d like to,” he said gently. “If you’ll let me.” He reached over, clutched her hand, and smiled ruefully. “You’ve been there for me through so much. From years ago up to right this second. I couldn’t have made it through the tough time with Frank without you.” He lightly kissed her hand. “Dealing with the past hurts, and now it’s my turn to be here for you. Let’s go see Wes together.”
Liza bowed her head and cleared her throat, her hair falling around her face. “We won’t need the GPS. I’ll show you how to get there.”
Cole hated to see her struggling with so much emotion, especially since he was the cause. He was feeling emotional, too, but they had to make this trip. It would be painful for her, and difficult for him, but he hoped they could move forward afterward.
“Take a right up there by the stone wall.” Liza’s voice wavered.
At least the late afternoon was bright, the cloudless sky a flawless backdrop for the color-tinged leaves and autumn-green grass.
Cole made the turn into the memorial park. The setting was serene among the rolling hills, with beautiful trees, colorful shrubbery, and picturesque ponds with fountains. He’d rather be buried somewhere out in the country, somewhere a little less structured, but he’d be okay if he ended up in a peaceful place like this. It reminded him of the cemetery in North Carolina where his mom and grandma were buried.
“Park near that weeping willow over by the pond,” Liza said.
He glanced at her and caught her biting her lip. She gazed toward the willow and took a deep breath.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. But now that they were here, he had to go through with his plan. Turning around might be easier, but it wouldn’t be helpful to Liza.
He parked the truck and went around to open Liza’s door. She stepped down, took his hand, and started walking slowly.
“Wait.” Cole opened the back door, grabbed a large shopping bag, and pulled out a bouquet of flowers. He was no expert, and he’d had no idea how the arrangement he ordered from the florist would turn out, but this bouquet was exactly what he’d had in mind.
Liza gazed at the flowers and pressed her fingers to her lips. “You…” She gazed at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Cole hugged her gently. “I wanted to.”
“This looks like an Orioles bouquet.”
“That’s what I was hoping.” He had remembered his grandma loving orange lilies, so he’d started with those, and then had them mixed with white roses. The florist had suggested adding bunches of berries that looked almost black. The combination had sounded kind of scary—and a lot like Halloween—but Cole had given it a chance and been surprised at how pretty it looked. Liza seemed to like them, and that’s what mattered.
She tipped her head toward the big weeping willow, which bordered a pond with a carillon tower beyond. “Wes is over there.” She led him to a marble bench beneath the tree where she sat with the bouquet in her lap, and gestured for Cole to sit next to her. Centered on the ground in front of them was an unassuming pewter plaque that read Wesley Andrew Kelley. Beloved son, brother, fiancé, and friend.
Cole’s heart hitched when he read the word fiancé. Embossed on the metal, it made Wes’s relationship with Liza even more real—memorialized forever.
“We thought about putting hero on there.” She nodded toward the plaque, as if she’d heard his thoughts. And what a nightmare that would be if he dared to even think about how he’d ended up here with her in the first place. All because Frank wanted him to make it look like he was settling down so he could get a better contract. He felt like a fraud sitting here at Wes’s grave. Now that Cole’s intentions were pure, he was terrified she’d somehow find out they hadn’t been in the beginning.
“I read up on Wes and found out more about what happened to him. Hero is the first word I would’ve used to describe him.”
Her eyes widened. “You researched Wes? I mean, beyond finding out that he’s buried here?”
Cole’s stomach clenched. He couldn’t read the tone of her voice or her expression. This situation—and a girl this complicated—was an entirely new ball game for him.
“He’s such a meaningful part of your life,” Cole said carefully. “I wanted to know more about him. But I didn’t want to ask you too much, since I imagine it’s painful for you to talk about.”
She shook her head. “Not as much a
s you might think. What hurts more is when people intentionally avoid talking about him because they’re uncomfortable and afraid to hurt my feelings. When you lose someone you love, there’s nothing more healing than to talk about it. But most people get that this-is-too-awkward look in their eyes when I mention Wes.”
The willow branches swayed in the breeze. Cole thought about what she’d said and decided it might’ve been a good idea to come here after all.
“Believe it or not, I can relate.” He traced his fingers over the cool, smooth marble bench. “Not to losing a fiancé, but when my grandma died…” He swallowed hard. This cemetery had affected him more than he’d thought it would. “She was all I had. And there was no one to talk to about her because, by then, it was just the two of us.”
“I like hearing about your grandma. She sounds like an amazing person…who raised an amazing person.” Liza smiled. “I wish I would’ve had the chance to meet her.” She lifted the bouquet from her lap and inhaled deeply.
“As strange as it sounds,” he said, “I wish I could’ve met Wes, too. I hope you’ll tell me more about him, but from what I know so far, he managed to be all those things y’all put on that plaque and a hero.”
She nodded. “But he was so unassuming about it all. That’s why we decided he’d like it better if we let his memory speak for itself. He would never have wanted hero written on his grave.”
Cole couldn’t begin to compare himself to Wes Kelley. But he did see some of himself in what Liza had said. He didn’t care if he was named All-Star or MVP. Sure, it was nice to be rewarded for his achievements, but when it came down to it, he just wanted to be a good baseball player and a good teammate.
And a good husband… Now that he’d found a woman he could trust, the thought didn’t seem so far-fetched. Liza didn’t want him for his money or his fame. She knew exactly who he was and where he’d come from, and here she was beside him.
“I understand that a part of your heart—a part of your life—is here with Wes,” he said. “Always will be. There’s no way we could be together until I showed you that.” He steadied the bouquet in Liza’s hand, tugged out a rose from the underside of it, and stood, facing Liza and Wes’s plaque.
“Wes, man,” he said. “I know this isn’t the way you’d imagined things would work out…having to leave so soon. But you seem like the kind of guy who’d want to know that the people you love are going to be okay.” Cole took a deep breath. He was choking up like he did during every home game when the Nationals saluted the wounded veterans and the fans waved their caps. That song “God Bless the USA” got him every time. But this was even harder. Especially since Liza was blinking back tears, too.
“So I can promise you this,” he said. “I promise I’m not as good a man as you, but I’m working on it. I promise I’m not trying to take your place, because I know I never could. And I promise if Liza will let me, I’ll do everything I can to make her as happy as you would if you’d have had the chance.”
Cole bent down and placed the rose on Wes’s plaque. As he stood, Liza joined him, a tear trickling down her cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispered. After a moment, she knelt down, put the bouquet next to the rose, and traced her fingers over Wes’s name.
Cole gave her all the time she needed, as well as a little space. He stood behind her, regaining his composure, watching the geese swim in the pond.
Liza stood, brushed bits of grass off the knees of her jeans, and clutched his hand. She gazed at him, her eyes intensely green and glistening. “I never expected…”
Cole waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. Even so, he could pretty much guess the words that hadn’t come. He hadn’t expected this from himself, either. But Liza had managed to bring out the man he wanted to be. The man he knew he could be and had been all along—underneath it all—but he just hadn’t had the courage to let free.
He’d finally found a place where he belonged…with Liza…and it felt a lot like home.
The carillon bells began ringing. Liza took a long last look at Wes’s grave and turned to Cole. “I’m ready now.”
…
Liza sifted through her emotions as they walked back to the truck hand in hand. Cole had sneaked in through the side door of her heart like an unexpected visitor, and he was settling in. She hadn’t really known it, but she’d been waiting for him to come. He’d helped turn her grief into hope and made her believe she could find love again. Taking her to Wes’s grave today had been the one last thing she needed from Cole so she could risk giving him a chance, no matter what she had to sacrifice. How many men would’ve had the courage to do what he had done, or the heart?
They got in the truck, and he drove slowly out of the cemetery. The sun sank low over the horizon, and the sky was striped with orange and brilliant pink. Liza took it as a sign that Wes was pleased that, despite the crooked path she’d taken to get there, she was finally happy.
“There’s something in the console for you,” Cole said after they’d driven out of Davidsonville.
Liza narrowed her eyes at him and opened the console. Inside was a box filled with several stacks of personally autographed Cole Collins baseball cards.
“For the boys at your BADD camps,” he said. “And an extra one for you. I even put a girlie little heart after my name.” He winked and her heart did a backflip.
“I am so gonna tweet a picture of that.”
He grinned. “It’s definitely one of a kind.”
“Thank you,” she said with a twinge of sadness in her voice. She wondered who would give out those cards next year, since it probably wouldn’t be her. “Those boys will be thrilled, even though they missed out on girlie little hearts.” She smiled, amazed by his thoughtfulness. “I’d like it if you’d take me back to my place.”
Cole nodded, seeming to understand her meaning.
Liza sat for a while in silence, thinking about all he had done for her. He’d been so open, and he deserved the same from her. That included the truth about her deal with Frank. She’d meant to tell him sooner, but he’d been dealing with the stress of the playoffs, and his relationship with Frank was on such tender footing. And now there were all the emotions associated with Wes. Even so, she’d find the right time. Soon…I’ll tell him soon.
They made their way back to Baltimore, and to Liza’s place. By then, a starry night sky had blanketed the harbor. They stood on the balcony, arm in arm, gazing at the view. Liza rested her head against his chest and he lightly traced his finger across her nose.
“A girl without freckles…” He bowed his head and gave her a play-along-with-me look.
“Is like a night without stars,” she said, smiling. She never would’ve guessed he’d be such a romantic. And all for her.
“Thank you for making this day about me…and Wes,” she said. “But it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t say…” She stood on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips across his, the slight scrape of his whiskers sending an excited shiver through her. “Congratulations.” She kissed him again, more fully this time, wanting to lose herself in him…soon. “On winning the National League Championship.”
He smoothed his fingers down her cheek and over her lips, briefly dipping the last one into her mouth. She nipped at it, and her insides fluttered. She was so ready to experience all of him.
“If I’d have known this was waiting for me,” he said, “I would’ve made sure we won it a lot sooner. Pretty sweet win for the Orioles, too.”
“Come see what we’ve got.” She took his hand, led him inside, and into the kitchen. “I bought champagne.” She opened the fridge and showed him the bottle. “We can drink it now.” She skimmed her fingers down his shirt—his abs so ripped she could feel each one through the fabric—and traced them around the button of his jeans. “Or later.”
He quickly closed the refri
gerator door. “Hmm…” He clutched her waist, lifted her onto the island, and stepped between her knees. “Is there something else you’d rather do now?”
Liza had never seen his eyes that sultry shade or been as captivated by that blue scent. She clutched the back of his neck, kissing him again, warmth pulsing inside her and settling low. She knew well enough where this was leading, and now she was more than willing to go there with him.
“You seemed to like the view from the balcony,” she said.
“Beautiful.” He nodded, slowly blazing a trail of heat as he traced his fingers down her neck to the top button of her blouse.
“The view from my bedroom is pretty nice, too.”
His perfect lips quirked up at one corner. Liza couldn’t wait to have them on her…everywhere. She slid off the island and onto her feet, took his hand, and led him to her bedroom. The curtains were opened to the floor-to-ceiling, picture-window view of the harbor, and moonlight illuminated the room. Mesmerized again by the view, Cole stepped over to the window and stared out while she lit candles, making the atmosphere perfect.
Liza joined Cole and took his hand. She raised it and kissed the tender inside of his wrist, then pressed his palm over her swiftly beating heart.
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
“Very.” She stood on tiptoes and lightly pressed her lips to his. “But I bet you can make me forget that.”
He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her tenderly, easing her inhibitions with each wisp of his tongue.
“Let’s leave the curtains open.” He swept his fingers beneath her chin, urging her to meet his eyes. “So I can see you in the moonlight.”