Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

  He’d sacrificed everything for it.

  She hoped it was worth it to him.

  ***

  One evening as the sisters were closing up after a particularly busy day, Tara said, “We need to change up our marketing to really focus on summer weddings. And it’s not too early to think about Homecoming in the fall. If we could be the go-to place for girls to shop for their dresses, then sell them back to us…” She raised her brows, liking the idea.

  Beth put the finishing touches on a display near the front door with one of their newest gowns. “Did I ever tell you Jack’s idea to rename the store after noticing all the wedding attire we had? I Do-Overs. Cute, huh?” She rubbed some wrinkles out of the bodice, and fluffed the skirt so it hung just right on the mannequin.

  As usual, whenever she thought of Jack, her heart squeezed. He’d only been gone a few weeks, but it felt like forever since she’d seen him, touched him, loved him. He called or texted Lindsey almost daily. Whenever Beth saw his name on her phone, she’d either let it go to voicemail or would hand the phone directly to Lindsey. She just couldn’t talk to him yet. She couldn’t bear to hear his voice. It was all still too raw for her.

  “That’s an awesome name,” Susie said with a laugh, straightening up the racks against the back wall. “Wish we’d thought of it.”

  “Yeah, he’s smarter than he looks,” Tara said with a snip in her voice. She was still mad at Jack for leaving Beth and Lindsey behind. But in his defense, he had never been anything but upfront with Beth about his intentions. He’d never led her on. It wasn’t his fault she’d fallen madly in love with him.

  Susie walked into the middle of the store, hands on her curvy hips, and spun around slowly. “You know…” She pursed her lips and looked deep in thought. “That’s actually a really good idea, changing the store’s name. Think about it. Business didn’t take off until we started focusing on weddings. It wouldn’t be that hard to change the name and our marketing.”

  The sisters all looked at each other, eyes wide, then they met in the middle of the shop for a group hug. And I Do-Overs was born.

  ***

  Jack stood on his empty deck, tall glass of iced tea in hand, staring out at the ocean. Tonight was the night. He’d been back to his old team for almost a month now, and he was finally going to be starting as catcher for the first time since his injury. And the kid Cooper was starting pitcher. Life was great. Seemed just like old times in Twin Rivers… except for the fact that Beth and Lindsey were a thousand miles away.

  He tipped his head back and downed the rest of the iced tea, the condensation from the glass dripping down his forearm. Before he could talk himself out of it, he dug his phone from his cargo shorts pocket and speed-dialed Beth.

  “Hello?” Lindsey answered. As usual. Beth always happened to be otherwise engaged when he called. He couldn’t blame her.

  “Hey short stuff. How ya doing?”

  “Daddy! Are you coming home?”

  Jack sighed. She asked him that every time he called. And every time, he answered the same way. “Not yet, baby.”

  “Okay, but I miss you.”

  There were no sweeter words in the English language than those... unless those last three had come from Beth. In the few times they’d talked since he’d left Twin Rivers, she’d never once said she’d missed him. He supposed that was good. She needed to move on.

  But the thought of her moving on and being with someone else twisted his gut and made him want to punch something. The immature part of him wanted her to miss him just as much as he missed her. He set that thought aside and focused on Lindsey as she told him what she’d been up to now that school was out for the summer.

  A deep male voice in the background came through the phone. Jack straightened so quickly, he almost knocked the glass off the railing. “Is someone there, Linds?”

  “Yeah, it’s Mr. Tucket.”

  Who the fuck was Mr. Tucket? “Who’s Mr. Tucket?” he asked, glad his voice sounded so calm.

  “He’s Bobby’s daddy. Bobby is on my baseball team but he’s not very good.” The last part was said in a loud whisper.

  Jealousy knotted Jack’s gut. “Oh. Does Mr. Tucket, ah, come over a lot?”

  “Yeah, he’s here all the time.”

  Jack’s teeth clenched. “What’s he, um, doing there now?”

  “Mom! Jack wants to know what Mr. Tucket is doing here!”

  Jack cringed and held the phone away from his ear. Shit. Busted.

  “Hello, Jack.” Beth sounded out of breath, her voice sexy as sin. His body immediately hardened, thinking of the last time he’d heard her sound so breathless. She’d been naked.

  Had she just been naked with good ol’ Mr. Fuck It Tucket?

  He shoved that thought out of his mind. “Uh, hey. I was just letting Lindsey know that I’m starting tonight. Got my old job back.” He couldn’t help grinning ear to ear.

  “That’s fantastic news. Congratulations. This is what you wanted.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Only one thing would make this day more perfect. “I wish you and Lindsey were here to watch.”

  Brief pause. “We’ll watch you on TV. I couldn’t leave the store right now anyway. The publicity we got from Zoey and Ryan’s wedding has made us crazy busy. If you see them, thank them for us.”

  “You work too hard.”

  “I’m a single mom, Jack. We all work too hard.”

  “Well, you sound really tired. I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”

  Another pause, this one a bit longer. “I’m just fighting a stomach bug that’s going around. I’ll be fine.” Her tone told him she clearly didn’t want or need his concern.

  After a few awkward moments of silence, Jack couldn’t take it anymore. “So who the hell is this Tucket character?” And why the hell is he over at your house all the time?

  “Good luck tonight, Jack.” And the line went dead.

  ***

  Beth shook her head in disbelief as she hung up the phone. She couldn’t believe Jack acted jealous. It was none of his business if she had a man over to the house.

  She glanced at said man, and immediately averted her gaze from Ken Tucket’s plumber’s crack as he fixed a leak under the kitchen sink. Renata had hired the local handyman to fix a few things in the house this week.

  Yeah. Jack had so much to worry about with Ken.

  Wait. No. Jack had no right being jealous of any man, plumber’s crack or not. That emotion was reserved for people you either have a relationship with or would like to have a relationship with. Beth was neither.

  Jack had gotten everything he wanted, and it didn’t include her. Her role in his life would be as the mother of his child, nothing more. She needed to keep reminding herself of that.

  “Hey, could you hand me my wrench?” Ken asked, his voice muffled because his head was stuck under the sink.

  “Sure.” When Beth bent to retrieve the tool from the toolbox, a sharp pain lanced above her belly button. She sucked in a fast breath and pressed her hand to her abdomen as she gave Ken the wrench.

  Gingerly, she straightened and the room spun. She grabbed onto the nearby counter until the dizziness passed. She’d been having cramps and a dull ache under her belly button for a couple of days. If she hadn’t had her period since the last time she’d made love with Jack, she’d have suspected she was pregnant. Except for this acute pain—she didn’t remember that from when she was pregnant with Lindsey.

  “There. All done,” Ken said, scooting backward out of the cabinet, then standing up. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “Hey, are you okay? You don’t look so—”

  Beth reached for the garbage can that hadn’t yet been placed back under the sink, and vomited into it.

  Something was wrong. Very wrong. She slunk to the floor and leaned back against the cabinets.

  “Mommy!” Lindsey rushed over from where she’d been coloring at the table. “You’re sick.” She kissed her temple and smoothed Beth’s
hair like Beth always did when Lindsey didn’t feel well.

  “I think… maybe you need to get to the doctor,” Ken said. “I’m going to run next door and get Renata.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jack headed off the field toward the locker room after batting practice.

  He’d seen Zoey in the stands right above the dugout, where the wives, kids, and girlfriends sat. Ryan mentioned how great it was having her at every home game.

  As he’d told Beth earlier today, he wished she and Lindsey were here. They would make this night complete.

  They would make his life complete.

  If he was being honest with himself, he’d known that for a while, even if his actions hadn’t always shown that. His life was way better with them in it. That was clear. But it wasn’t about him and what was best for him, but what was best for them.

  He would let them down, just as he had every girlfriend before Beth. Because he didn’t know how to put the game second.

  Someone slapped him on the back. “Hey, buddy!” Kyle stepped in front of him and shook his hand. “Big night tonight.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

  Jack imagined his agent was seeing dollar signs, as Jack was going to be a free agent at the end of the season. Now with Jack’s career back on track, Kyle could be making them both a lot of money.

  “Yep,” was all Jack said.

  “What’s going on? Knee’s not acting up, is it?”

  Jack shook his head. “Knee’s fine.” In fact, he hadn’t even thought about it today. He shook his head again. “It’s nothing.” Confirmed bachelor Kyle Blaylock and hater of all things romantic would never understand.

  It hit Jack suddenly that the two men he relied on to keep his life in order were just like him. His dad—shitty father and husband. His agent, who was worse about commitment than Jack was. “I saw Coop’s wife in the stands,” Jack said.

  “Yeah, so.”

  Jack worked his jaw. “I wish Beth and Lindsey were here, too,” he said quietly, waiting for his agent to tell him to quit being a pussy and to get his head in the game.

  Instead, Kyle asked, “Why can’t you have your cake and eat it too?”

  “You know why. I don’t want Beth to have the kind of life my mom has had, and I don’t want Lindsey to have the kind of life that I had. They both deserve more.”

  Again, he waited for Kyle’s smart ass comeback. “Your dad’s a great player, Jack. A legend. He’ll end up in the Hall of Fame someday.” Here it comes. “As your agent, I have to tell you to pull your head out of your ass and focus on the fucking game, or you’ll never be half the player your dad was.”

  Jack nodded, knowing Kyle was right.

  “But your dad’s an asshole.”

  Jack’s head whipped up in surprise.

  “I know you think you’re just like him, but do you really think your dad would’ve stepped up to the plate with Lindsey like you did? Hell no. He’d have paid Beth off and wiped his hands of her, just as I suggested you do early on, because I’m an asshole, too. As your agent, it’s my duty to help you put the game first. But as your friend… I have to tell you, you’re being a dumb shit.”

  Wow. That was pretty much the last thing he ever expected from Kyle.

  “If you don’t at least try to make it work with Beth and Lindsey, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Even worse, you’ll end up just like me.”

  Kyle’s laugh sounded forced as he slapped Jack on the back. “Now pull your head out of your ass, focus on the game, and go earn yourself a bigger paycheck for me.”

  ***

  The team crowded into the dugout after the National Anthem, adrenaline and testosterone running rampant. Jack had gotten another rousing round of applause when they’d introduced him. San Diego sure loved its baseball team and seemed happy to have him back at one hundred percent, or close enough.

  Excitement raced through his blood as he rolled his shoulders a few times, and dropped into some squats to loosen up the knee. He was back on his A-game. His knee was pretty much back to normal. He had his dream job back. Life was perfect.

  Almost.

  As he’d confessed to Kyle, perfect was having Beth and Lindsey here watching. Perfect was having Beth and Lindsey waiting for him at home, to celebrate his first game back as starter.

  He was still a bit shell shocked from his conversation with Kyle. He didn’t know quite what to make of it. While he appreciated Kyle’s support, his agent still didn’t really understand. Kyle wasn’t the one who’d be hurt when Jack fucked everything up.

  But… maybe he owed it to Beth to talk about it, rather than make the decision for her.

  Speaking of Beth, Jack dug through his duffel bag for his phone, looking forward to hearing Lindsey’s regular pre-game good luck message. He glanced at the tiny screen and saw he had a new voicemail. He grinned and punched in his password, knowing exactly what she’d say because for the last few weeks she always said the same exact thing: Good luck, Daddy. You’re my favorite baseball player in the whole world. I love you. Please hit a homerun. Bye.

  When the message started, his heart pretty much stopped beating.

  “Daddy! Mommy is super sick and is in the hospital. Gramma Ren said she has to have an urgency operation.” Her sobs echoed in his ear. “Please come home.”

  Panic ripped through his soul as he speed-dialed Beth’s number. It went straight to her voicemail. Damn. Which meant her phone was dead or turned off. He called her store and got its voicemail. He didn’t have her sisters’ numbers or Renata’s. Shit!

  “McCauley! Get your ass on the field!” His coach waved him out of the dugout.

  To be the best, you need to ignore the rest. Game above all else. Jack’s father’s words pounded through his ears.

  Jack glanced up at the sky box. He couldn’t see from here, but his dad was up there, doing the commentary on the game. He was probably boasting his son up right now, telling the television audience about Jack’s dedication and work ethic, about how he takes after the ol’ block.

  In his head, he replayed every single word of his daughter’s panicked message: Daddy! Mommy is super sick and is in the hospital. Gramma Ren said she has to have an urgency operation. Please come home.

  He sighed. Ignore the rest. Everyone said he was just like his dad.

  There was no choice.

  ***

  Beth closed her eyes, more tired than in pain after her surgery. Renata had taken Lindsey down to the cafeteria for something to eat.

  Tara straightened the sheets and clasped Beth’s hand. “You’ll be fine, sis.”

  “I know. I just wish—”

  “You just wish Jack was here,” Susie offered from where she stood at the end of the hospital bed.

  Beth nodded, and her bottom lip quivered. “I should have told him I loved him before he left.”

  Tara rolled her eyes. Susie beamed.

  “I mean, I know it wouldn’t have made a difference, that it wouldn’t have changed who he is, but I still should have told him.”

  “You’re talking like you’re going to die, sis,” Tara said. “It was ‘just’ your appendix.” She did the finger quotes. “You don’t need that in your body anyway. You’re going to be fine.”

  “I hate being away from him. Lindsey hates being away from him. I just miss him so much.” She sobbed.

  “It’s the morphine talking,” Tara muttered.

  Susie came over and slapped her, before smoothing Beth’s hair out of her face. “It’s love talking.” She glared at their older sister. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, obviously.”

  “Oh, like you would.”

  “Can you two please not argue when I’m all drugged up and feeling sorry for myself?” Beth asked, secretly glad for the distraction. “And could one of you turn on the TV? If I can’t have him here in person, I want to at least watch him live.”

  It was great having her sisters here. And Renata had been awesome, taking charge
and racing her to the hospital, and acting just like her mother would if she were here.

  But it wasn’t enough. She wanted Jack here. She needed Jack here. She wanted his head to cry on, his hand to squeeze when it hurt. She wanted him sitting beside her bed, smoothing her hair and telling her to go to sleep, that he’d still be here when she woke up.

  Tears slipped onto her cheeks.

  Susie turned on the TV and flipped through the channels until she found Jack’s game. San Diego was ahead 2-0 in the top of the ninth. She turned the volume up. “That doesn’t look like Jack,” she said, pointing at the figure squatting behind home plate.

  Beth squinted. “That’s because it isn’t him.” She tried to see into the dugout, or the bullpens, but the cameras didn’t pan over far enough. “Oh, no. His knee must have been acting up enough that they pulled him from the game. That’s the only reason he wouldn’t be playing.” Her heart broke for him. He’d worked so hard, and had been so excited for the game tonight.

  Lindsey ran into the room, Renata behind her. “Mommy, you’re awake!” Renata grabbed her arm before she could jump onto the bed. “Does your surgery place hurt really, really bad?”

  Beth forced a grin. “It’s not too bad, sweetie. The doctor gave me some medicine to keep it from hurting.”

  The answer must have appeased her, because she turned her attention to the baseball game. “Where’s Daddy?”

  “He’s not playing. I don’t know why.” She’d be sure to watch ESPN after the game, see if they mentioned why.

  “Maybe he got my message and is coming here,” Lindsey said without turning around.

  Beth’s breath caught in her throat, and all the women in the room stared first at Lindsey, then at Beth.

  “You left him a message?” She tried to scoot into a sitting position but she couldn’t move without hurting, so she just lifted her head.

  Lindsey nodded, her braids bouncing on her shoulders. “I told him you were super, super sick and having urgency surgery.”