"Bye, Sanders." I wave as he jogs out the door.
"I think you got him all tongue-tied," Scott laughs.
"Oh, God, Scott. That was so embarrassing," I moan, covering my face with my hands. "I can't wait until we're back at your place, in your big, comfy bed."
"Well, if all goes well, we could be in four days," he reminds me, pulling on his gloves.
"Wouldn't that be nice?" I sigh.
"Grandpa Arnold sure knows how to keep me motivated, doesn't he?" Scott chuckles. "And I don't even play on his team anymore."
"Once a King, always a King," I murmur as he rests his arm on the small of my back.
He opens the door for me. "The king of your heart, I hope," he whispers, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I give him another deep and lingering kiss before sending him out on the field. The field that will determine where we live and what we do. But, I know now, not our destiny. Because, no matter what happens, I'm with him and he's with me, and we're going to be together no matter what life throws at us—fastballs or curves.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Carrie
"Hey, Mom, did you see Scott's home run?" I ask excitedly, propping my phone between my shoulder and my ear later that night.
"Yeah. It sure was a monster shot," she agrees before turning suspicious. "Why? Did you have something to do with it?"
"Maybe," I giggle before getting serious. "Did Dad see it too?"
"I wouldn't know," she sighs. "He hasn't been home yet."
"He's still at the office?" I ask, knowing it's really late in New York.
"Probably," she says in a detached sort of way.
"What? Is he still bent out of shape about me and Alex leaving?" I question, not putting it past him to hold a grudge by taking it out on her.
"Well, you know he didn't want you taking that job with SportsTV to chase after Scott," she reminds me.
"But I thought he'd be over it by now," I groan.
"I think he misses Alex, too," Mom responds. "This is her first time out of the nest, and the house is so quiet without her. Rosita and Reginald don't know what to do with themselves without her around."
"And what about you?" I ask, getting worried, noticing how tired she sounds.
"Oh, I'm hanging in there, keeping busy," she says breezily. "The new scarves came in from our micro-loan project in Africa. They were handwoven by women we're funding to help start their own businesses. It's all very exciting. I'll have to send you one of them. They're really beautiful, and they'll help keep you warm on the plane."
I smile, loving how she always tries to take care of me, even when I'm thousands of miles away.
"How are you holding up on that taxing schedule of yours?" she inquires, no doubt hearing the fatigue in my own voice.
"It feels good to be sitting in bed after a long day on my feet," I admit, stretching my legs out.
"Please don't tell me you're wearing those five-inch Louboutins again," she scolds me like the good mom she is.
"They make my legs look great on camera," I protest before conceding. "Even if they're murder on my calves."
"One of these days, you'll be the one behind the desk and you'll get to wear jeans and sneakers like all the rest of the guys," Mom replies, sounding a lot more optimistic about my future in broadcasting than I do.
"Yeah, that would be nice. Then I'll only have to work my tits instead of my ass," I tease her.
"I really wish you hadn't picked such an image-conscious profession," she sighs.
"Like the players have it any easier," I point out. "They may not be judged directly on how they look, but we all know which guys can hit them out based on their size. Scott's always hitting the weight room, trying to bulk up."
"As long as he doesn't get too caught up in it," Mom warns. "We don't want him taking matters into his own hands."
"No worries, Mom. Scott would never take performance-enhancing drugs," I reassure her. "He can't stand guys who cheat."
"I've been wanting your father to crack down on more of the Kings, but he won't do it," she says, venting her frustration. "He thinks that fans come to the park to see home runs, and he's not going to stand in the way of that."
"You really suspect that some of the Kings are taking PEDs? No way!" I exclaim, my mouth falling open.
"I've had my eye on Drake Schultz for quite some time," Mom reveals. "I wanted to make his contract airtight, forcing him to take more random drug tests, but his agent talked Terry out of it."
I'm sickened that Dad and Terry would protect someone like Drake and get rid of a player with tremendous natural talent like Scott.
"Well, with Gayle in charge now, you might be able to nail that fucker's ass to the wall," I say hotly.
"Carrie!" Mom reprimands me, never liking to hear me swear.
"Sorry, Mom." I grimace, trying to hold back the anger I feel inside. "I just hate how much pressure Scott is under. It's getting harder and harder for him."
"But having you there has to help," she replies.
"It does—when we're not fighting or pushing each other's buttons," I answer truthfully.
"He's stressed. You're stressed. If you can get through this, you can get through anything," Mom responds, lifting my spirits.
"That's what I keep telling myself," I reply, aware that the road with Scott has been bumpy but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
"And for a guy known for being commitment-phobic, Scott's really surprising people, opening a lot of eyes," she reveals.
"Good, because I wish people would stop judging him," I state wholeheartedly. "Yeah, he's made mistakes, but who hasn't? He's a great guy and a great player, and I'm glad that everyone's finally getting a chance to see him for who he really is."
"Sounds like my eldest daughter has let go of her insecurities and has finally fallen in love," my mother murmurs softly.
"He's asked me to move in with him, Mom," I sigh, lowering my voice. "But you can't tell Dad. Not yet."
"It's not like you're ever home anyway," she ribs me.
"Oh, Mom." I know how much she misses me. She always tells me that she never gets to see me anymore because of how much time I have to devote to my job.
"But I'm happy for you, Carrie," Mom replies, making my heart sing. "I know how long you've waited for this. I'm glad to see you opening up and believing you're worth it, because you are." She pauses when she hears a banging noise on my end. "Is that somebody knocking on your door?"
"Yeah." I blush. "I think it's Scott."
"Carrie, is that wise?" she asks, saying exactly what I thought she'd say. "I don't know what San Diego's policy is when it comes to its players and female members of the media, but—"
"We'll be careful, Mom," I promise her.
"But turning a blind eye and getting caught in the act are two totally different things," she remarks, quickly falling into team-ownership mode.
"He needs me, Mom," I say simply. "I'm willing to take the risk."
"What are the two of you going to do when you're in a boring, old relationship like the rest of us?" she asks, letting me know she agrees with me in her heart even if she refuses to say it out loud.
"I don't know. Go skydiving naked?" I joke, getting her to laugh.
"I wouldn't put it past you," she chuckles. "Love you, dear."
"Love you too, Mom," I respond, smiling as I end the call.
The knocking increases, and so does my smile. Scott's getting impatient. I don't want to keep him waiting. I slide off the bed and run as fast as my aching feet will take me. Then I throw the door open to find my man standing there. He's propped up against the doorframe, scorching me with his eyes.
"What took you so long, Care Bear?" he asks, looking so damn sexy.
I reach up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss, whispering against his lips, "I was talking to my mom on the phone."
"Oh?" he says as he picks me up and carries me inside like I weigh nothing at all. "How is she?"
"Putting up with my dad," I groan while he kicks the door closed with his foot.
"He still hasn't come around?" Scott asks, staring into my eyes.
"Nope." I shake my head as he deposits me on the bed and sits down next to me. "I think he enjoys taking it out on her."
"What can I do?" Scott inquires, stroking my arm.
I love that he asked. It makes me feel all warm and tingly inside, because I can turn to him for anything. He's looking out for all of us—my mom, Bob, Alex, everybody. He's a man I can depend on to protect everyone I care about, because my dad's certainly a lost cause.
"Nothing," I insist, letting my body rest against his. "He's never home. He's out till all hours, doing God knows what. Alex and I are just a convenient excuse."
"You don't think he's having an affair, do you?" Scott questions tentatively, his eyes trained on my face.
"At this point, who knows?" I sigh sadly.
"Ah, Care Bear," he whispers, wrapping his arm around me.
I lean against him. "They were having problems once before when I was in high school, but they worked it out. Probably because Dad knew that Grandpa would ruin him if he tried to leave. But now that Grandpa's not the man he used to be, he's probably at it again."
"But your Grandpa's making strides," Scott says encouragingly. "Look what he did to Terry. That voice box invigorated him."
"I hope so," I mumble, relaxing against the warmth of his body.
I don't want to think about any of that now. I just want to concentrate on Scott, let him take me away from it all, and allow him to remind me why he's different and how my love was able to change him for the better.
"All I know is that there's one place my family will never be able to banish you from." I rest my head on his shoulder, getting lost in his eyes.
"And where's that?" he asks, his voice soft and deep.
"My bed," I whisper, tracing his lips with my finger.
"C'mere," he growls, making me laugh as he lays himself on top of me, kissing my neck.
Yep. I think I really like being Scott Harper's girlfriend.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Scott
"I wouldn't be smiling like that if I were you," Reisenberg snarls, watching me stroll hand in hand with Carrie into San Diego's stadium before game number fifty-four.
"Have something against smiling, Reisenberg?" I deliberately smirk at him.
"No, not really." He glares. "'Cause I'm gonna be doing a whole lot of it when I knock that shit-eating grin off your face."
"Go ahead, asshole." Carrie steps in front of me before I can stop her. "Hit him. You'll be suspended before you can even blink."
Sanders, having overheard our conversation, comes running up behind us, tapping Carrie hurriedly on the shoulder. "Umm…ma'am?"
But Carrie won't be deterred. "Do you know who my grandfather is, Reisenberg?"
"Like it even matters anymore," Reisenberg mutters, crossing his massive arms in front of him, a clear intimidation move that makes me want to protect her with everything in me.
But damn Sanders is in the way.
Sanders taps her again. "Ma'am?"
But Carrie's on a roll. "My grandfather has lunch every Wednesday with the commissioner. In fact, he has his number on speed dial. You'll be out on your ass if you even think about laying a finger on my boyfriend."
"Well, now, we know who wears the pants in this relationship." Reisenberg snickers. "Does your woman fight all of your battles for you, Harper? 'Cause she's not gonna be able to do anything about this."
"About what?" I demand, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Guys!" Sanders yells.
We all turn to stare at him.
"Terry Bloom was just named San Diego's new GM!"
Carrie whirls around. "What did you say, Sanders?"
"You heard the boy," Reisenberg taunts Carrie before jabbing his finger into my chest. "You're not going anywhere, dickhead. Terry will never make any kinda sweetheart deal to send you back to New York. You're gonna be stuck here, just like the rest of us."
I smack his hand away. "I don't think so."
"Yeah, well, I do," he says, laughing at me. "Bloom even took a salary cut to come here, probably so he could screw you over in person."
"This can't be happening." Carrie looks up at me, stricken. "Scott, you're so close."
But Reisenberg doesn't know when to shut up. "I heard Terry might even bench your ass for a while, and we all know how hard it is to get your swing back after sitting out a few games."
"Get out of my way, Reisenberg." I shove him, and he sniggers behind my back.
Carrie hurries to catch up to me. "Just where do you think you're going?" she asks, jogging beside me.
"To talk to Terry," I say without stopping.
"Scott, let me go with you," she pleads, tugging on my sleeve.
I set my chin at her. "No, this is something I gotta do on my own."
"Good luck digging your own grave, Harper! It was nice knowing you!" Reisenberg shouts over to us, clearly enjoying the friction he's causing between me and Carrie.
"Scott?" Carrie's voice breaks, forcing me to come to a halt right in front of the door to the players' entrance.
"Yeah?" I ask without turning around.
"This doesn't change anything. You hear me?" she says defiantly.
I nod, swallowing hard. "I hear you."
Then she utters the three words that I know will get me through anything. "You know me."
I look at her over my shoulder, my eyes filled with the love I have for her. "I've always known you, Care Bear."
She smiles at me, biting her lip to hold back her tears, and I smile back before stepping through the door, ready to fight for my life.
***
"Mr. Harper!"
I do a double take at seeing Terry's super-awesome assistant from the Kings sitting at the reception desk. "Rhonda? What are you doing here?"
Terry may be a dick, but Rhonda always keeps it real with all the guys.
"The Kings let me go." She shrugs.
"They what?" I exclaim, aware of what a fixture she's been in the organization for all these years.
But Rhonda quickly puts her finger to her lips, calling me over. "Shhh. Come here." She lowers her voice as I rest my hands on the edge of her desk. "I'm here to spy on Terry for Gayle. She fired me the same day Arnold ousted him to make it look convincing. I've been with Terry ever since, making myself invaluable to him."
"But how could Gayle and Arnold let this happen?" I question, seeking the answers only she can give me. "I'm sure there had to be some kind of clause in his contract that would've prevented him from taking a job with another team so fast."
"There was," Rhonda admits. "But Arnold let it slide."
"Why the hell would he do that?" I demand.
"Because Terry has Arnold on video ordering him to leak those naked pictures of you and those women," Rhonda reveals. "Terry had his whole office bugged, and nobody knew about it—not even Arnold. Yeah, it was Terry's idea to hire the hacker to get into your phone, but he has Arnold on video giving the okay to release them. Now, Terry's holding it over Arnold's head, threatening to go public with it."
"Shit," I mutter.
"That's why Terry used what he had on Arnold—to get him to relent so he could take the job in San Diego," Rhonda says. "That video is evidence of extortion. Arnold could lose the team over all this. He could go to jail."
"In his condition?" I sputter, immediately thinking of what something like this would do to Carrie.
"I'm sure Arnold will hire the best lawyers," Rhonda remarks. "But it could happen. Terry's out for blood now after Arnold fired him."
"Do you really think that Terry will keep his mouth shut now that he got what he wants?" I press her, my eyes darting to Terry's closed door when I hear movement inside his office.
"Gayle and Arnold think there's someone inside the Kings' organization who's still working with Terry, so it's far from over
yet," Rhonda says, filling me in. "They want to draw out whoever it is into the open and end this threat of mutiny for good before Terry can sink the whole ship."
"What can I do to help?" I ask.
"Just keep getting hits, baby," Rhonda replies, patting my hand.
Terry throws his door open, catching me whispering with Rhonda. I immediately step away from her desk, not wanting to get her in any kind of trouble, but Terry levels a cheap shot at me.
"Harper, you can quit flirting with my secretary now. Don't waste your time. She's a new grandmother. She's not gonna sleep with you."
I choose to ignore his snide remark even though I'm livid at the way he just disrespected Rhonda. I put on a big, phony smile and advance toward him.
"Terry, my man. Long time no see," I say, playing up to him and extending my hand. "I wanted to be the first in line to welcome you to San Diego."
"Well, that's…unexpected," Terry replies, giving me a weak handshake.
"C'mon. We both got dicked over by Arnold Heimlich, right?" I respond, pretending that we're on the same side. "It doesn't hurt to stick together and show some solidarity. I know we'd both rather be in New York, but what are you gonna do, right? We just gotta suck it up and play the cards we've been dealt."
"You've really changed your tune." Terry watches me as I step into his office.
"It's not all about me anymore, Terry. I know that now." I look out his window at the beautiful view of the bay, the sunlight glistening on the water.
"Yeah, it's about you having your hands all over Arnold's granddaughter," Terry says, ripping into me.
It takes strength I didn't even know I possessed to answer him with nothing but a smile on my face. "Hey, man, she's the one who ran after me."
Terry's jaw tightens for a split second. "I bet her father is thrilled about that," he responds, smirking at me before sitting behind his desk.
"Revenge is sweet, don't you think?" I return his smirk, taking the seat across from him. "The little princess bucking daddy's authority."
Terry narrows his eyes, leaning back in his chair to study me. "So, why were you waiting outside my office? What are you really up to, Harper?"
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