Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

“Urgency surgery?” Tara asked quietly.

  “Emergency surgery,” Renata corrected, holding back a smile. How could she be smiling at a time like this?

  Oh, God. Jack couldn’t possibly be on his way here, could he? Beth dug through her purse for her phone. It was dead. Lindsey had obviously turned it off again after her call. It took a moment to boot up.

  “Is there a call from him?” Susie asked, coming to look over her shoulder.

  Beth punched in her password, making a couple of mistakes first because her mind was a bit loopy. “Ten missed calls.” She clicked another button. “All from Jack.”

  Susie pointed to the tiny icon on the bottom. “There’s a message.”

  Beth clicked on it. Jack’s deep voice sounded in her ear. “Bethie. Baby, I hope you’re okay. You might not get this before I see you, but I’m on my way. You hang in there, okay? And tell Linds I’ll be there real soon.”

  “Oh, God,” Beth said, when the message was over. “This is horrible.”

  ***

  The almost three-hour plane ride felt like the longest of Jack’s life. Worst-case scenarios kept flying through his head. Lindsey said Beth was sick. She’d mentioned having stomach cramps earlier today, and she’d sounded so tired.

  Oh, God. What was going on with her?

  He gripped the arm rests, willing the damn plane to go faster. His heart was about to pound out of his chest and his head screamed with the drumming inside his skull.

  He should have been there for her. He should’ve been the one holding her hand as she was wheeled to surgery. He should’ve been there to hold their daughter as she worried about her mom.

  The pilot announced their descent. The private plane had received clearance to fly into Paine Field in Everett—it was significantly closer to Twin Rivers than flying into SeaTac International down south.

  Okay. If Beth needed a long rehab, he could take a sabbatical, maybe even take the rest of the season off. Hell, he’d quit the game and move back here if that’s what it—

  Jack jerked straight up in his seat.

  Holy shit.

  He’d quit the game for Beth. He would quit the game for Lindsey.

  He’d abandoned his team tonight because Beth needed him. And he needed her.

  He’d chosen her over the game, because he loved her.

  Holy shit.

  ***

  By the time the plane touched down at Paine Field, Jack was a mess. As soon as the pilot gave the go-ahead, Jack turned on his phone. He just about cried like a baby when he heard Beth’s voicemail.

  “Jack. I’m okay. My appendix burst so I had to have emergency surgery.” She paused, sounding tired and drugged. “I’m at Providence Hospital in Everett.” She paused again. “You didn’t have to miss your game for me.” Her voice caught at the end like she was about to cry.

  Jack swiped the wetness from his eyes, his body literally shaking with relief. Beth was okay. She was going to be okay. He called her number the minute he stepped off the plane.

  An accented woman’s voice answered. Renata. She probably wasn’t happy that he was back, but she’d just have to deal with it. He promised himself to make peace with her. “Hello, Jack,” Renata said, obviously seeing his name on Beth’s phone. “Beth’s sleeping.”

  “But she’s fine? She’s really going to be okay?” He shoved his fingers through his hair as he waited for his cab.

  “She’s really going to be okay,” she repeated. There was silence on the line. “This was nice of you to come back.”

  It didn’t take long to get to the hospital from the airport. Renata had told him what room Beth was in, so he headed directly there. As soon as he stepped off the elevator, he heard Lindsey’s sweet laughter from down the hall somewhere. He knew it was way past her bedtime, but damn he was glad she was here.

  A tidal wave of love and emotion washed over him. Love for his darling little girl, and love for her beautiful mother. He may have jeopardized his starting position by leaving before the game, but he really didn’t care. The only things that really mattered to him were in this room right in front of him.

  Lindsey saw him the moment he stepped into the room. “Daddy!” She raced across the floor and flew into his arms. “I knew you’d come!” She traced the number on his chest. “You’re still wearing your uniform, silly.” She giggled.

  “Hey short stuff.” He lifted her into his arms and squeezed her hard, kissing the top of her head, and never wanting to let her go. He looked over her head and saw Beth lying in the hospital bed, looking pale and tired.

  She opened her eyes. “You’re here,” she said, her voice breaking.

  “I’m here.” He set Lindsey down and approached Beth’s bedside. He pressed his palm against her cheek and stared into her eyes. “I’m here,” he said again, planting a soft kiss on her trembling mouth. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I just got hit in the gut by a fast pitch.” She gave him a weak smile. “How did you get here so fast?”

  “Shidecky—our short stop—has a private jet. He let me use it.” Jack reached for her hand, interlacing their fingers.

  “You missed your first game back as a starter. I’m so sorry. Lindsey shouldn’t have called you—”

  He shrugged. “It’s just a game. And I’m glad Linds called me.” He wrapped an arm around Lindsey’s shoulders and drew her into his side, kissing her temple. “I need to be here.”

  Beth stared hard at him, then her eyelids fluttered as if she struggled to keep her eyes open. He brushed the hair from her face. She looked exhausted, and he suspected she’d stayed awake for him. “Go to sleep. I’ll be here in the morning.”

  He leaned in and kissed her forehead. When he pulled back, she was already asleep.

  “Do you always have that effect on women?” a woman’s voice said from the shadows.

  Jack spun around and for the first time noticed Tara sitting in a chair opposite the bed. Susie and Renata stood in the doorway.

  “It’s good to see you, Jack,” Tara said, her voice and expression soft. Renata and Susie both nodded and wiped their eyes.

  ***

  Beth woke up slowly, her head fuzzy. It took a moment to remember where she was. Oh, yeah. Hospital bed. Surgery. Hideously ugly hospital gown. She’d had the most wonderful dream. Jack had skipped his game because he’d been worried about her.

  “Good morning, sunshine.”

  Jack! She turned her head as he rose from the chair and stepped up to her bed. “I thought I’d just dreamt that you were here.” She reached for him.

  He took her hand and entwined their fingers. “Are you well enough for me to kiss you?”

  She fisted the front of his shirt and tugged him down to her as her answer. His kiss was soft, sweet, and full of promises she dared not even dream about. “Were the pain meds making me hallucinate last night, or did you really say ‘it’s just a game’ when I asked about leaving your team to fly back here?”

  He shrugged and a cute blush reddened his neck and face. “I might have said that.”

  “But I know you don’t mean that. That game was so important to you. You’d worked so hard to get back there. I feel horrible that you missed it.”

  “I had no choice, Bethie.”

  God. She loved when he called her that. It always turned her insides to mush. “Why?”

  “You know why.” He leaned in and kissed her in such a way that had her toes curling under the hospital sheets.

  ***

  Jack drove Beth and Lindsey home a few hours later.

  “You need to get back to your team, Jack,” Beth said as he got her situated in bed, with a stack of pillows, a stack of magazines, and the TV remote. While she was so happy to have him here, she still felt horrible that he’d missed last night’s game for her and would also miss today’s. She didn’t want him to miss any more on her account.

  “I’m flying back tonight. Then we head out tomorrow for ten days. New York, then Boston.”

 
She nodded, knowing this was the reality of his job. He made no mention of what would happen after he left.

  Beth didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she felt Lindsey tapping her arm. “Wake up, Mommy! Wake up.”

  She opened her eyes to find Jack sitting on the edge of her bed and Lindsey standing right beside him.

  “Me and Daddy bought you a present to make you feel better.” Lindsey held up a pink and white gift bag with a faux fur handle. “See?”

  Beth grinned, and met Jack’s eyes. “That was sweet.” She hadn’t realized they’d gone anywhere. She must have fallen asleep for a while.

  “Open it, Mommy!” Lindsey held out the bag.

  Jack’s hand on Beth’s stopped her from opening it. “Not yet. I need to tell you a few things first.” He lifted his chin and took a deep breath, as if he were gathering his courage.

  But courage to tell her something good? Or something bad?

  Beth held her breath and waited.

  “You know I won’t do anything unless I can give it one hundred percent, right?” he asked.

  Her balloon of hope deflated a bit.

  “And remember that interview I gave to Sports Illustrated in my rookie year, when I said I would never get married unless I met a woman I loved more than the game?”

  That quote had opened her eyes to her and Jack’s reality. She knew then that he would never be a long-term part of her life. She let out a long, slow breath, staring down her hands clenching the blanket. Her balloon of hope completely burst. She forced herself to release her grip as she waited for him to find a nice way to let her down.

  “Well… I’ve finally met her,” he said. When she looked up at him, he said, “Actually, I met her seven plus years ago, but was too much of a dumbass to realize what I had.”

  “Daddy! You said a bad word,” Lindsey admonished. They all laughed. “Can we give Mommy her present now?”

  Beth couldn’t believe what Jack just told her, what this might mean. She could barely breathe.

  “Open your gift,” Jack said softly.

  Beth reached into the bag and pulled out a small velvet box. Her heart leapt to her throat, threatening to choke her. “Jack?”

  “Open it.”

  She did, and inside was an absolutely perfect and beautiful solitaire diamond on a white gold band. She immediately started to cry.

  “Mommy, don’t be sad.” Lindsey patted her shoulder. “You’re supposed to be happy. Daddy said he wants to marry us!”

  Beth peered into Jack’s eyes. “Did you say that?”

  “I did,” he said. “And I do. I love you, Bethie.”

  “See, Mommy, see? You don’t have to cry.”

  “These are happy tears, sweetie.” Beth reached up and hooked her fingers around Jack’s neck, pulling him down for a kiss. “Very happy tears.”

  Epilogue

  Jack teared up and grinned at the same time, as he watched Lindsey walk down the aisle toward him, throwing flower petals. She hurled them like baseballs, and he could see the elastic cuffs of her baseball pants under the fluffy dress. The wedding guests in the crowded church laughed and grinned behind their hands at his daughter’s antics.

  Tara and Susie stood on the other side of the preacher. Susie was already sobbing, being the most sensitive of all the sisters. Kyle Blaylock and Ryan Cooper were his Best Man and groomsman, since they’d been so instrumental in helping Jack pull his head out of his ass before he lost the best thing that had ever happened to him.

  He’d thought his life was perfect. He’d had a great run as Jack-Mack the baseball player. It was all he knew. But the role he was about to add on was so much more important.

  Since proposing to Beth, he’d spent as much time with her and Lindsey as was possible during the season. He’d flown them to San Diego for several home game stretches. But now that the season was over, and they were getting married, they’d finally be able to live together as a family.

  The plan was that Beth and Lindsey would move down to California with him come the new season next year, even though I Do-Overs was doing pretty well and Beth loved working there with her sisters. Even though Lindsey’s friends and family were here in Twin Rivers. But they loved Jack enough to upend their lives and move to a new state with him.

  That was the plan. He hadn’t yet shared with them the new plan. Just this morning, Kyle had gotten the call Jack had been waiting for. He’d accepted a contract to play for Seattle, which meant he could settle into Twin Rivers with his new family. Kyle had been irate at first, telling him he could’ve made much more money by resigning with San Diego.

  But it wasn’t about money for Jack. And it wasn’t just about the game anymore.

  It was about this little girl stepping up onto the altar beside him, who wrapped her arms around his legs, even as Tara and Susie were motioning for her to come stand next to them. The wedding guests all chuckled and smiled. Lindsey sure loved her daddy. And he sure loved her.

  It was also about the amazing woman who would be walking down aisle any moment now.

  Everyone who mattered to him was here. His parents and Paula sat on the groom’s side. His mom and sister smiled at him from the front row and were already crying. They’d all flown in yesterday. His mom had already met Beth and Lindsey because she’d come out to San Diego within days of Jack telling her about his engagement. But last night at the rehearsal dinner was the first time his sister and dad had met his new family. Paula had sobbed as she’d hugged her new niece.

  His dad—Mr. Unaffectionate—had stood off to the side, looking gruff and uninterested, until Lindsey had thrown her arms around his legs and said, “Hi, I’m Lindsey Faye Darrow and you’re my new Grandpa!” His dad had been putty in Lindsey’s hands ever since. Go figure. There was hope for the great Ed McCauley yet.

  Beth’s parents were here—he’d met them for the first time just last week, after his season ended. They’d been nothing but welcoming. A bunch of his teammates had flown in, which meant the upcoming reception was going to be one hell of a party. Renata, whom Jack was really coming to like and respect because of her deep love for Beth and Lindsey, sat in the front row. She would be thrilled to know her family would be staying in town. A noticeably pregnant Zoey sat next to Renata.

  God. He couldn’t wait until he got Beth knocked up like that. They’d talked about it, and had been a bit careless with protection a couple of times, but Beth wanted to wait until they were settled.

  Well. Now they’d be settled.

  The wedding march started and Beth appeared at the end of the aisle with her arm hooked through her father’s. Jack’s heart squeezed over how gorgeous she looked, wearing the same gown she’d been modeling when he’d stepped into her store that fateful day last April.

  He never in a million years thought he’d be standing up here just a few months later, if ever.

  He stepped off the altar as Beth and her father approached. The men shook hands, and Beth’s hand was placed into his.

  “I bet you never in a million years thought you’d be doing this,” she whispered as they climbed the steps to stand in front of the preacher. Lindsey moved to Beth’s side and took her other hand.

  Jack grinned. She knew him too well. “It was worth the wait,” he whispered.

  The preacher recited the simple vows he and Beth had chosen, but Jack barely heard the words. He couldn’t stop staring at his wife-to-be. “I’ve never seen you look so beautiful,” he said for her ears alone.

  Beth smiled, and her eyes twinkled. “It’s the hormones,” she murmured, and placed a hand over her tummy.

  “The hormones? What do you—?” He glanced down at her hand. He looked up at her green eyes, wet with tears. “No way. You’re pregnant?”

  She nodded, grinning widely.

  He whooped and swept her into a big, showy kiss.

  The wedding guests erupted in laughter and applause, and the preacher stated dryly, “We haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

  Bu
t Jack wasn’t listening. He didn’t need someone to tell him when to kiss the woman he loved. He’d never dreamt of a life beyond baseball. But this—kissing his pregnant bride with his daughter beside them—this was beyond anything he’d ever dreamed of.

  He, Beth, and Lindsey stood hand in hand, facing the red-faced and stammering preacher who’d been thrown off his game plan. In just a few minutes from now, he would announce them as The McCauley Family. And the life Jack never thought he could have would begin.

  THE END

  Other Books by Rebecca J. Clark

  Take Me Out to the Wedding series

  DESIGNATED BRIDE (Susie’s story)

  Coming soon!

  WALK-OFF BRIDE (Tara’s story)

  Coming soon!

  The Red Stilettos series

  BORROWED STILETTOS

  RUNNING in STILETTOS

  DANCING in STILETTOS coming soon

  CHRISTMAS in STILETTOS coming soon

  Note from the Author

  Thank you so much for reading Lead-Off Bride. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, I would be very grateful if you left an honest review at your online retailer’s website.

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  http://RebeccaJClark.com

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  About the author

  I’ve wanted to write romance novels since I read my first Harlequin Romance at age eleven. When I’m not writing, I work as a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor, where I teach Pilates, aerobics, weight-training and yoga. I feel very lucky to have not one, but two dream jobs: writing and fitness.

  I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, two kids, a German shepherd beast, two cats who plot to kill the dog, and a dead gecko (seriously). In my free time, I like to read, watch Criminal Minds reruns on TV, and do absolutely nothing.