Make Up Call (Summer Rush #3)

by Cheryl Douglas

  She needed some time to collect her thoughts. Being faced with a shirtless Chase in the bright light of day was a startling reminder that her life was different now. Her ex, the love of her life, was back. And she had no idea how to handle that.

  Jayda watched Chase retreat into her room while she tried to breathe through the panic she felt seeping in. Just a couple of days ago, she’d been a strong, independent woman responsible for making all of her own decisions. Now she was a part of a couple again, involved with a man who was as stubborn as she was. How the hell was this supposed to work? It hadn’t the first time. Was she crazy to think it would this time?

  She padded into the bathroom on bare feet. She took care of business then washed her hands and face before she realized her toiletries bag was in her room. She couldn’t brush her teeth or comb her hair just yet. Instead she stared at her reflection in the mirror. It didn’t take long to notice the subtle changes. There was more color in her cheeks this morning. Her eyes sparkled. Her smile spread even when she tried to stop it. She couldn’t help it. She was happy to have Chase back.

  She stood in the doorway of their adjoining rooms, watching him check his phone. “Hey, I’m just going to slip into the bathroom. I need my toothbrush.”

  “Yeah, I need mine too,” he said, standing and stretching his arms above his head. “Food should be here soon.”

  “Okay.” She tried to slip into the bathroom, but before she could, he backed her against the wall.

  “I know you, Jayda Marie Miller, and I saw that look of indecision on your face a few minutes ago. You’re wondering how we’re going to make this work.”

  There was no point denying it. She could never lie to Chase. “It’s just a lot to take in.” She rested her hands on his bare chest, her eyes fixating on the heavy gold chain all ballplayers seemed to favor. “I feel a little overwhelmed when I think about what all this will mean for the nice, orderly life I’ve built back home.”

  “Do me a favor?”

  “Okay,” she said hesitantly.

  “Go on the KCU website. Check it out. See if there’s something you might like to study. You can do it online or in class, I’m sure. Whatever works best for you.”

  He’d encouraged her to go to college when they were married, but she always let pride get in the way. She thought she had to work, to earn her own money and help their family. But hadn’t she promised Chase she wouldn’t make the same mistakes a second time?

  “Um, I’m not sure how that would work.” Even though she knew he’d insist on paying, she had to make her concerns known. “College is expensive, even part-time and—”

  “Jay, don’t even talk to me about money,” he said, looking irritated as he stepped back and raked his hand through his hair. “Just don’t. I’m not that same kid who used to cut grass on weekends so he could take you out to dinner, okay? I make an obscene amount of money now, and there’s nothing I’d like more than to spend it on you and our daughter.”

  She knew hers wasn’t the only pride at stake. Chase was a proud man, and he wanted to be able to provide a nice life for the people he loved. He’d already told her that it hurt him to feel she didn’t need him, and she wouldn’t make that mistake again. Because she did need him. She needed him in her life, in her bed, to help her raise their daughter.

  “Okay,” she said. “I’ll look into it. I promise.”

  He grinned, looking so hopeful it broke her heart. “Really? You mean it? You’ll seriously consider enrolling at KCU?”

  “I’ll seriously consider it.” How could she not? He was giving her a shot at her dream.

  ***

  Chase and Jayda were talking logistics over breakfast when Cadence wandered into the room, bleary-eyed, with the cutest case of bedhead he’d ever seen. He melted when she climbed into his lap and started eating the fresh berries off his plate. This could be his life from now on, he realized, feeling his heart swell. Breakfast with his girls, making plans for the day… for their future. He still had to tread lightly with Jayda, but they’d made more progress in the past twenty-four hours than he’d dared hope for.

  “You must have been tired.” Chase kissed Cadence’s temple. “It’s almost nine o’clock.”

  “She’s not used to staying up so late,” Jayda said, smiling at them. “Are you, sweetie?” Jayda laughed at the way Cadence was polishing off her daddy’s breakfast. “Looks like someone is hungry.”

  “I’ll call down and get them to bring up some blueberry pancakes.” He kissed Cadence’s soft cheek while tickling her tummy. “Sound good?”

  She giggled while nodding and squirming.

  “You guys sit,” Jayda said, standing. “I’ll order her breakfast.”

  Jayda went into the other room to make the call while Cadence asked, “What were you and Mommy talking about?”

  “Uh…” He’d never lied to his daughter and wasn’t about to start now. But he couldn’t talk to Cadence about their plans until Jayda decided she was ready. “Since I can’t stay in my apartment during the off-season, Mommy invited me to stay with you guys. Won’t that be cool?”

  Cadence looked at him, wide-eyed. “You mean you’ll be there all the time? Like when I wake up and go to sleep and everything?”

  She had been too young when he left to remember having both parents living under the same roof, but it was obvious how excited she was about the prospect.

  “That’s the plan,” Chase said, trying to play it cool as he reached for his coffee. What he really wanted to tell her was how sorry he was for ripping apart their little family, how much he loved her mom, and how much he wanted to be with them. All the time. Forever. “What do you think? Sound like a good idea?”

  She shrieked as she threw her arms around his neck. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

  He laughed as he set down his coffee, trying not to spill it as Cadence yanked on his neck.

  “What’s all the excitement about?” Jayda asked, watching them from the doorway with obvious amusement.

  “Daddy just told me he’s going to be living with us!”

  “He did, did he?” Jayda asked, raising an eyebrow at Chase.

  “I, uh, just told her that you invited me to stay with you guys during the off-season. You know, since I can’t stay in my apartment anymore.”

  Jayda visibly relaxed as she smiled at their daughter, who was practically vibrating with excitement.

  “Isn’t it exciting, Mommy?” Cadence asked, jumping off Chase’s lap and making a beeline for her mom. She wrapped her arms around Jayda’s waist and looked up at her. “Daddy’s going to be living with us again. Just like a real family. I can’t wait to tell everyone! But first I have to go to the bathroom.”

  Jayda giggled as she watched Cadence run into the bathroom and slam the door. “That is one happy little girl.”

  “And how about her momma? You happy too, Jay?”

  A slow smile spread across her face before she nodded. “Happier than I’ve been in a really long time… thanks to you.”

  ***

  Chase was sitting in the locker room, trying to focus on one of the most important games of his career, but his mind kept drifting back to Jayda and what the next few months would bring. He had four months to convince her that she’d never regret uprooting her life to be with him. Last time he’d given her four minutes to decide and told her instead of asked her. No wonder she’d told him to go to hell.

  “Hey, buddy,” Ethan said as he reached into his locker to grab his gear. “How’d it go with Jayda last night?”

  Chase would normally keep his mouth shut about what had happened between him and Jayda, but he could use his best friend’s advice. He couldn’t afford to screw this up, not with everything he wanted finally within his grasp. He glanced around the locker room to make sure their teammates were immersed in their pre-game rituals, most with earbuds in.

  “Sit down,” he said to Ethan, gesturing to the bench beside him.

  “Uh oh,” Ethan said, looking wary. “
You didn’t blow it with her, did you?”

  “No.” He bit his lip, thinking how close he’d come to doing just that by coming on too strong. “It was good. We had a good time. After Cadence fell asleep, we talked a lot. About the past, the future…” He took a deep breath. “Then we slept together.”

  “Really?” Ethan grinned. “So was it everything you remember?”

  He’d once told Ethan no other woman really did it for him because they weren’t Jayda. “Even better.”

  “That’s great, dude. So why do you seem so bummed? I thought you’d be so stoked after gettin’ with your ex, we’d have to peel you off the ceiling.”

  “I guess I’m just nervous about messing up.” He took a deep breath. “I want this so bad, ya know?”

  “Yeah, I know what that’s like.” Ethan stared straight ahead. “Wanting something you can’t have sucks.”

  As far as Chase knew, his friend had always gotten everything he wanted. He grew up living a charmed life in a small town with an upper middle-class family. It seemed like everything, including baseball, women, and school came easily to Ethan.

  “What do you know about it?” Chase joked. “You ever want a woman you couldn’t have?”

  “Once.” Ethan chuckled, raking a hand through his hair. “And like I said, it sucked. But we’re not talking about her now. We’re talking about Jayda and where you guys stand.” When Chase didn’t respond, Ethan sighed. “So where do things stand with her?”

  “I told her I want to marry her. Again.”

  Ethan laughed. “Whoa! You don’t waste any time, do you?”

  “Why should I? Divorcing her was the stupidest mistake I’ve ever made. If I have a chance to make things right, why wouldn’t I?”

  “Yeah, but a lot of time has passed since you two split. You’re different people now. You don’t think you should take some time to get to know each other all over again before you make any big decisions about the future?”

  Chase was sure that was the reason Jayda had invited him to stay with them during the off-season, to test the waters. But he didn’t need to put their relationship to the test to know there was no one else he wanted. Ever. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe there wouldn’t be a few bumps in the road, but this time, he was determined to put his marriage and family first.

  “She asked me to move in with her and Cadence during the off-season. That gives me four months to convince her to marry me and come home with me. That should be enough time, don’t you think?”

  “Uh, I don’t know. It depends, I guess.”

  Not what Chase wanted to hear. “Depends on what? She’s still in love with me. She told me last night.”

  “That’s half the battle,” Ethan agreed. “But you guys have a lot of history. You have to undo the damage you’ve done. Convince her you’ve changed.”

  “What do you mean? It’s not like I was a bad guy when we were married.”

  “No, just selfish.” Ethan smirked when Chase scowled. “Come on, you told me what went down with you guys. You can’t deny the only thing on your mind when you signed that contract was the number of zeroes, a shot at a World Series title, and getting Jayda away from her family so you could have her all to yourself. If that isn’t selfish, I don’t know what is.”

  Chase hated that he couldn’t even defend his actions. His friend was right—he had been selfish. “That’s why I need to get it right this time. More than anything, I want her to be happy… but I need her and Cadence with me. I can’t stand being a part-time dad anymore.” He leaned in, lowering his voice as he said, “And let’s just say having Jay back in my bed reminded me what I was missing.”

  “That good, huh?”

  “Better.” Chase scrubbed his face with his hands. He hated feeling desperate, but that’s exactly how he felt. Jayda ultimately held all the cards. She had to want to put their family back together as much as he did, or it would never happen.

  “So why do you look so stressed then?” Ethan slapped him on the back. “Things are finally coming together for you. You’re getting everything you ever wanted. Your wife, your kid, a shot at the ring. What more could you want?”

  At the moment, there was only one ring he was thinking about—a wedding ring. And if someone told him he’d have to trade a shot at a World Series ring for that, he would. Without hesitation.

  “I want Jayda to be my wife again.” He quietly voiced his worst fear. “What if we spend the next four months together, bonding, becoming a family again, and when it’s time for me to head back for spring training, she tells me she can’t come with me?”

  “That would suck, but—”

  “No, you don’t understand,” Chase said, shaking his head. “That would kill me. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t walk out on them again. Not for my career. Not for anything.”

  “What the hell are you saying?” Ethan asked, looking stunned. “That you’d retire in the prime of your career? Give up the thing you love most—”

  “I wouldn’t be giving up the thing I love most,” Chase whispered. “I did that once before when I walked away from my family.” He linked his hands between his knees and hung his head. “I won’t do it again. I love baseball. But I love them more.”

  “Wow.” Air seeped between Ethan’s teeth as he stared at Chase. “Then I sure as hell hope Jayda decides to relocate, ‘cause we can’t afford to lose you, man. You’re the heart of this team right now.”

  That may be, but his heart was somewhere else. With two beautiful girls who had no idea he’d give up everything that ever meant anything to him for one more shot to be with them.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Are you having fun yet?” Ethan asked, bumping Jayda’s shoulder with his own as he slid into the booth next to her.

  “I am.” Jayda smiled at Ethan, who she’d seen on TV plenty of times, but never met until tonight. “Congrats on the win.”

  Their team had won—a grueling, extra-innings, one-run game—and even though everyone was exhausted, they needed to burn off a little steam before heading to their respective rooms. So they’d all converged on the hotel bar for what they promised their Skipper would be one drink.

  Cadence had been tired though, and Tenley, the wife of one of Chase’s teammates, had offered to take Cadence up to bed. They’d really hit it off at the game, and Cadence wanted Tenley to read her some bedtime stories. Since Tenley had assured Jayda it would be good practice for when she and her husband, Rowan, had one of their own, Jayda relented, making Tenley promise to call her on her cell if she had a problem tucking Cadence in.

  Ethan sipped the clear, bubbly liquid in his glass. “Chase getting you another drink?”

  She nodded, watching her man at the bar. He was surrounded by his teammates, no doubt talking strategy for the next day’s game. “Yeah.” She laughed. “He was supposed to be getting me a drink, but I have a feeling he forgot all about me.”

  “Never,” Ethan said, looking serious. “Not even for a single second.”

  Jayda suspected Ethan had made his way over to her because he wanted to feel her out, to make sure she didn’t intend to hurt his buddy, so she wasn’t surprised the conversation had taken a serious turn right away. “Is that so?”

  “I’ve played with Chase ever since he joined the team—”

  “You mean ever since he left us?” She wished she could take back those words because she knew they made her sound bitter and resentful of the career he loved. And she wasn’t. Not really.

  “It’s not like you couldn’t have come with him. I know that’s what he hoped would happen when he signed.”

  “I know.” She shrugged, not wanting to get into it with the man Chase had introduced as his best friend. She was certain Ethan blamed her for breaking up their little family. In his world, baseball wives followed their husbands wherever their contracts took them. No questions asked. The fact that she hadn’t done that probably made her the bad guy in his teammates’ eyes. And maybe she was… she had known C
hase was a ballplayer when she married him. She knew he could get traded and—

  “What’re you thinking about?” Ethan asked, watching her closely.

  “I was thinking about Chase’s contract, about how I handled it. How I wish I’d done things differently.” She wasn’t sure why she was confiding in Ethan—she didn’t even know him—but he knew the whole story, and that gave her a sense of comfort she wouldn’t have had with most strangers.

  “Maybe this is your second chance?” he suggested. “You know, a do-over.”

  She smiled. “A do-over, huh? I think I’d like that.”

  “Would you?” He didn’t seem convinced. “Are you sure about that?”

  “What are you asking me?” She was a pretty private person. She didn’t even share much with her girlfriends, so if this man was asking her to reveal her feelings for her ex within minutes of meeting her, he had another think coming.

  “I’m asking whether you want a second chance with my buddy.” When she stared at her phone instead of responding, he said, “Don’t pretend you do if you don’t, Jayda. That’s not fair to him.”

  Old hurts resurfaced, and she snapped, “Not fair to him? What about us? Was it fair that he signed that contract without talking to his wife first? He treated me like my opinion didn’t even matter! And what about our daughter? Was it fair that she’s had to grow up basically without him? Was it fair that he left me to figure out how to raise her on my own, while I ran a business, took care of my family, and worried about putting food on the table? Don’t you dare talk to me about what’s fair!”

  He winced then muttered, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep. I’m just looking out for my friend.”

  She curled her hand around his wrist when he tried to slide out of the booth. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. This is just a really sensitive issue for me, and Chase and I have a long, complicated history. This time last week, I was barely speaking to the man, and now he’s moving in with us.”