Winning Streak

by Alice Ward

  “I need help, man. I need your help.”

  Calvin’s face softened. He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. The equivalent of a real hug for men.

  He didn’t speak. He walked over to the table and dumped the coke into a glass of water. I felt sick as he disappeared into the bathroom with it and heard the flush.

  “I’m proud of you,” he said sincerely.

  I was proud of myself too, for the first time in a long time.

  “I’m gonna talk to the coach tomorrow about rehab.” The words felt like fire on my tongue, but I couldn’t take them back.

  Calvin nodded.

  “It means I’ll miss most of the rest of the season.”

  Calvin nodded.

  I sat down and picked up a notepad and paper. “Okay, there’s some things I’d like your help with.”

  “Whatever you need,” he agreed, sitting next to me.

  I gave him my list of what I needed from him. Swore him to secrecy, then thanked him before he left me alone in my room to ponder what I’d just done.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  Ace

  I was already packed and on my way to the airport when Coach’s face lit up my phone. “Did you see the latest tabloid picture?” he asked. His voice was calmer than usual.

  “No, I’m on my way to the airport.”

  “Well, just wanted to give you a head’s up that this takes away our ability to hide your rehab stay.”

  I had him on speaker and was already scrolling through my browser to find the picture he was referring to. Fuck!

  My eyes locked onto the picture of me at that party with Waldo, Farmer Fred, and Butt Head, lines of coke spread out in front of me. “Shit. That picture was taken months ago, right after my dad died.”

  “Guess someone decided to make a little profit. Timing sucks, but there’s no good time for skeletons to come crashing out of your closet.”

  “I’m sorry, Coach.”

  “I know. But I’m proud of you, Ace. Real proud.”

  I hung up and leaned back in the seat, fighting back the emotion that wanted to choke me.

  It didn’t matter now. I was headed to rehab, so those days were behind me. I just hated that Holly would see it. I knew how hurt she’d be when she realized I’d snuck out to party after our night together.

  If she didn’t want me when this was done, I understood that too. I was doing it for myself, but she was the reason I even wanted to try. She made me want to be a better man, a better person. Hopefully, when Calvin gave her my letter, she’d understand just how much I truly did love and appreciate her.

  My driver stopped in front of the airport departure gates and opened my door. I only had one bag. The guidelines for what you could bring were strict. I packed a stack of t-shirts, basketball shorts, jogging pants, a couple pairs of jeans, tennis shoes, boxer briefs and socks. My personal hygiene items all had to be new in the package, so what I bought didn’t take up much room. I grabbed the bag, headed inside and started my journey to recovery, and hopefully a better life.

  The flight attendant was flirty as she continued to dote on me while everyone boarded and took their seats. Her ass was nice and curvy, and her lips were full and red. There was still a grumbling in my belly that made me hungry for her, even though I refused to act on it. When she leaned over my seat to adjust the belt, her breasts pushed into my chin, and her scent rolled into my nostrils. Fuck, this was gonna be a long trip.

  I thought about Holly every time she got close to me during the flight, and what I wanted to accomplish during this month. This hot blonde with the perfect ass and lips had no place in my plans.

  “I’m staying in town tonight,” she whispered as the passengers started to unload.

  “I’m not able to get out tonight, darlin’.” That was true. I was going on lock down — no women, no drugs.

  Her bottom lip pouted out, and she sighed with a high pitched tone that made my balls tighten. “Sorry, darlin’.”

  The old Ace would’ve taken her in the plane’s bathroom and bent her over the sink while plowing her from behind. I was proud I controlled my urges.

  A man wearing a gray suit that he obviously bought off the rack held a sign with my name on it as I walked through the gates at the Orlando airport. I didn’t need to introduce myself. He walked right up to me and shook my hand. “Dr. Miller. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

  “I wish I could say the same, doc.” I smiled and walked beside him as we made our way out of the busy airport and into the hot Florida sun. This is where it all started going downhill.

  The facility was nice. Small, but nice. A large lush yard surrounded the place and palm trees lined the walk towards the red brick building. Inside, the lobby was decorated in bright colors, tacky anywhere else, but somehow appropriate in Florida. Dr. Miller was lean, average height, and losing most of his hair. He wore thick glasses, which he constantly pushed up his long, thin nose. “This is Maryann. She’ll show you to your room.” He introduced me to a large woman with bright red lipstick to match her hair.

  I followed her down a long corridor and into a small room with only a bed, a desk, a dresser, and clock. “No TV?” I asked.

  “No. Only one in the community room. You have to agree on what to watch with the others.”

  “How many others are here?”

  “Nine, but that can change at any time.” She smiled and took my bag.

  I watched her pull every item out, check it thoroughly and then set it aside. She opened all of my newly purchased hygiene items and put them into a plastic tub with my name on the lid. “This goes in the office. You need to check it out, and then check it back in every time you need it.”

  I listened as she read off the rules like a drill sergeant. “No sexual interaction with the other patients, or the staff. No drugs of any kind, no alcohol, no smoking, no foul language, all sessions must be attended, and a full itinerary will be created for you that you will follow to the letter.”

  Wow, no running in the hallways, no running with scissors, no smiling, no breathing — I continued the list in my head.

  What had I gotten myself into?

  I settled in, deciding to give it my best shot.

  Every time I thought about something I was losing, I thought about what I would gain in return.

  Holly.

  Holly.

  Holly.

  God, I hoped so.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  Holly

  I couldn’t believe it.

  Holding my iPad in my hands, I stared at a picture of Ace doing coke with a couple of kids. The tabloid’s caption read: Ace Newman Snorting His Sorrows Away.

  From what the story said, the picture was taken months ago, the night his father died, the night we stayed together. It had been so special, to me anyway. Now I’m finding out he left me in the middle of the night to go to some party. Then lied about it. I was more hurt than I wanted to admit.

  “Holly, you in here?”

  Whitney burst into my bedroom, then stopped at the door. Calvin was right behind her.

  I wiped my tears away and tossed the tablet down. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”

  They looked at each other then came into the room. “We were going to warn you about that,” Whitney said and crawled onto the bed next to me.

  Calvin stayed by the door. “And I have some other news to tell you too. But get dressed. I made pancakes. We can talk about it over breakfast.”

  I nodded, and they both left while I changed.

  When I walked into their kitchen, Calvin was flipping bacon on the griddle while Whitney sat at the table sipping a cup of coffee. I skipped the caffeine and went to the fridge for some juice.

  Calvin slid two pieces of bacon on each of our plates and then slapped the pancakes in the center of the table. I reached out and grabbed one, breaking it apart on my plate as Calvin and Whitney took their share of the stack. I poured syrup all over my pancake, drowning it and my
bacon, but couldn’t take a bite.

  Finally, Calvin laid down his fork. “Ace is in rehab.”

  My head jerked up at his announcement.

  Whitney slapped his arm. “I thought we were going to be more delicate about this,” she scolded him.

  I looked at them both. “Rehab? Did he get caught? Is he sick? What happened?” My voice got higher with every word.

  “He did it voluntarily, Holly. When we were in Georgia, he asked me to come into his room. He told me he needed help, and even though it meant he’d miss most of the rest of the season, he didn’t want to wait. He wanted to get better.” His eyes implored me. “For you.”

  Calvin stood up and walked to the counter. He opened a drawer and pulled out a white envelope. He handed it to me.

  “What is it?” I asked, almost afraid to touch it.

  “Just open it.”

  I did and pulled out a letter. I recognized Ace’s handwriting immediately.

  Holly,

  I’m a worthless drug addict who is so fucked up in the head that I don’t recognize myself in the mirror sometimes. And I love you.

  I don’t know if I can beat this thing or be the man you deserve, but I’m going to try. Because I love you.

  I thought baseball was the most important thing in my life, and I was so afraid of losing it, of being a nobody. But I’m more afraid of losing the woman who found the crack in my heart and slipped inside it. I want a future with that woman. I want to be a better man for that woman.

  And if you choose not to wait, or take the risk, I’ll still always love you. And I’ll be praying that you’re happy wherever you are.

  Ace

  P.S. A bet is a bet

  Tears blurred my vision when I looked back up at my friends. “What do you think?”

  “I believe he’s sincere this time. I think he was the last time too, but now he’s getting help,” Calvin insisted. “I went with him when he talked to Coach and Rhett. They were fully supportive, and we planned on telling the press he had an injury, then that tabloid picture hit the news.”

  I looked back at the papers in my hand and turned to the second page.

  It was a deed.

  I looked closer, and saw it belonged to an address that seemed familiar.

  “What is this?”

  “He said you made a deal, and you agreed you’d take a bakery as a gift if he cleaned up his act.” Calvin smiled. “That’s the deed to the address you and Whitney loved.”

  I shook my head. “This is too much. This is crazy.” I couldn’t pull my thoughts together long enough to absorb what was happening. “You knew about this?” I asked Whitney.

  “Just now. Ace is on a plane heading to Florida, to a rehab center.”

  I stared at her. “Really? Today?”

  She nodded and took one of my hands.

  Calvin reached over and took my other one. “You deserve this. That is all he kept saying to me, that you deserve this. He wants you to have it. I think he needs you to have it. Please, just take it and understand it comes from a good place.”

  My heart swelled in my chest at the thought of Ace doing something so sweet for me. I put my hand on my belly. For us.

  I looked back up at Calvin. “He still doesn’t know about the baby, does he?”

  “No. I told you I wouldn’t tell him, and I haven’t. But you should. He has the right to know.”

  I nodded. Calvin and I had a terrible fight about me wanting to keep the pregnancy a secret. In the end, he’d respected my wishes, although I knew it had been hard on him.

  “I will. As soon as he’s out of rehab. I don’t want him to focus on anything but his recovery. That’s the most important thing right now.”

  Calvin nodded and stabbed a bite of pancakes.

  I looked down at the deed again, then up at my friends. “I wonder if I can get Ace’s Cake Batter open by the time he comes home?”

  Whitney laughed and swiped tears from her cheeks. “We’ll have Hannah come live with us. We’ll turn your loft into a second bedroom. Between all of us, we’ll make sure it’s ready.”

  I patted my tummy again.

  “Then we’ve got a plan. Get the bakery open, then tell Ace he’s got a bun in the oven.”

  Calvin’s fork clattered to his plate, and he dropped his head in his hands.

  “What…” I said, giving them my most innocent look. “What could possibly go wrong?”

  We all looked at each other and laughed. Then I promptly burst into tears.

  ***

  The next six weeks passed at what felt like the speed of light. We had a wedding to finish planning, a bakery to open, and a season to win… not necessarily in that order.

  The Beasts had gone on a bad run, losing three in a row. They were still in the lead, but that lead was narrowing significantly as they headed to the playoffs. Their trip to the World Series wasn’t as certain anymore.

  I’d stayed away from the ballpark. Since my bump was now more like a basketball, I didn’t want to bring attention to myself or the pregnancy. I didn’t want anyone telling Ace about the baby before I could tell him myself.

  Because my bakery had been used for food service beforehand, the kitchen was in pretty good shape. Whitney had been working her ass off designing my icing-shaped borders and making the front of the building scream bakery. It was looking better than anything I could have ever dreamed of.

  I was instructing the delivery men on where to install my new ovens when Jack surprised me by walking in. Weeks ago, I told him I couldn’t see him any longer so I couldn’t believe my eyes when he was standing in front of me. Apparently, he couldn’t believe his eyes when he stared at my belly.

  “So…” he began, scratching his head. “I think I understand everything a little better now.”

  I exhaled and pushed my hair back from my face. “I’m sorry. I just…” God, how do I explain something like this?

  He held up a hand. “I get it. I understand now. I just wish you’d felt like you could have told me. I guess I thought we were better friends than that.”

  I was so ashamed. “The truth is, Jack, that Ace doesn’t know. And I don’t want him to know until he… well, until he gets back. So I’ve been avoiding everyone, not just you.”

  He nodded but still looked hurt.

  I sighed, feeling miserable. “I really am sorry. All of this was just so unexpected. I didn’t handle things very well.”

  “Holly, where do—?” Hannah skidded to a halt just inside the door. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had, um, company.”

  She was blushing. My sister never blushed.

  I looked at Jack who was looking at Hannah. They were just staring at each other.

  Interesting.

  I introduced them and felt myself start to smile as they shook hands, holding onto each other just a little too long. Thank God I never slept with him, or this would be seriously awkward.

  Whitney stepped in just as Jack and Hannah stepped outside. I’d encouraged them to get to know each other better at the little diner across the street.

  “What’s going on?”

  I shook my head, still amazing at the chain of events. “I think they like each other. They’re heading over for a cup of coffee.”

  “And you’re okay with that?” she asked me.

  “Yes. Very.”

  Through the window, I watched him open a door for her, his hand at her lower back guiding her inside. Jack was perfect for my baby sister. And she was perfect for him.

  “They are cute together,” Whitney admitted and wrapped her arms around me, her hand on my belly. “Oh, he kicked!” She pressed her hand on my stomach harder as the baby swirled around.

  “What makes you think he’s a he?” I asked her. So far, the baby hadn’t cooperated during any of the ultrasounds. I still didn’t know the sex.

  “Auntie intuition,” she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

  The next hour passed quickly as the ovens were set up and t
he electricians wired them. After a while, Jack and Hannah were back, her cheeks just as rosy as before. She was practically skipping back into the kitchen, then Whitney wandered off. That left Jack and me. I couldn’t stop grinning at him.

  He scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “So… you don’t mind if I see your sister again?”

  My grin was now threatening to break my face. “Of course not. I think it’s wonderful. I’m thrilled, really.”

  He was grinning too, and it felt wonderful to not feel guilty about his happiness. He looked at my belly. “Well, good luck and I promise not to tell anyone.”

  I stepped closer and gave him a hug. “Thank you,” I gushed. “Thank you for being so wonderful. I can’t tell you how happy I am.”

  As I pulled away, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

  It was Ace.

  He was standing in the doorway, a bouquet of roses in his hand.

  Our eyes met then I watched his gaze lower to my stomach, then look at Jack.

  He was out the door before the flowers hit the floor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  Ace

  When I hadn’t found Holly at her place, I’d gone to the bakery on a hunch. I’d just gotten back from Florida, and she was all I could think of. She was my priority.

  Picking up the flowers had felt so foreign. I’d never bought flowers in my life. But these roses had drawn my eye, an incredible pink that grew darker until they were a deep red at the tips. They seemed like Holly for some reason — soft yet strong at the same time.

  I hadn’t felt as foolish as I thought I would carrying them from my Porsche and down the busy sidewalk. I’d seen Whitney’s car in the parking lot and felt pretty secure in my belief that Holly would be there too.

  I wasn’t shaky.

  I was solid.

  This was what I’d been waiting for, working for, puking for, aching for. This moment. When Holly could look into my clear eyes for the first time and know I was serious about making a life with her.

  Workmen were coming in and out of the bakery. There were guys on ladders, hanging a sign. I looked up. Ace’s Cake Batter.