Ryan folded his arms over his chest. “Which you had no right to do.”
Frankie’s eyes met his. “Shut up, Ryan. You thought rather than talking to me like an adult, you’d go running? What the hell is wrong with you? Oh wait, I forgot, that’s how you deal with things. You run away,” she said.
The words sliced through him, leaving him speechless, raw. “I was doing what was best for you.”
“You can’t decide what is best for someone, Ryan. Not someone who is capable of making their own choices. You didn’t think I might want to know? That I might want to be given a choice between losing you or not?”
He didn’t have any fight left in his voice. “Your choice would have been them.”
The truth had diminished his anger. Frankie’s eyes blazed with unshed tears as she stepped toward him and drilled her finger into his chest. “You’ll never know, will you? And now I’ve lost all of you,” she said.
Chloe moved toward her but Frankie stepped away. “Frankie.” Chloe tried again to close the distance but Frankie kept backing away. Ryan wanted to pull her back, even stretched his hand out to do so before realizing there was no point.
Frankie’s voice cracked. “You should all go. Please.”
She escaped down the hall, leaving him standing there with Chloe and Cameron, all of them in a strange emotionally charged standoff.
“Well done, boys,” Chloe said.
“I was trying to do what was best for her,” Ryan said again.
“So was I.” Cameron was speaking to Chloe but it was Ryan who replied.
“You were in no position to need to. You aren’t with her,” Ryan said.
“Neither are you,” Cam spat.
Chloe threw up her hands with a growl of frustration. “It always amazes me how much damage can be done when people try to do what they think is best for others. Why not just fucking ask? Why the hell are men so stubborn?” She grabbed her boots and started tearing at the laces, her movements as jerky as her voice had been. “If either of you care about anything other than yourselves, you’ll find a way to show her that.”
She stepped close to Ryan and he could feel the anger radiating off her like rays of the sun. An angry Amazon, he thought. Frankie deserved no less of a protector. It should have been him. He should have been the one to protect her instead of being the one to tear her apart. The look in Chloe’s eyes told him she knew this.
She poked him in the shoulder. Hard. “Prove I wasn’t wrong to believe you were the one for her.” Grabbing a jacket, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Cameron shoved his hands in his pockets. “That went well.”
“No shit.”
“Ryan, I am really sorry.”
Ryan looked down at his feet, seeing that his boots were leaving water on Frankie’s floor. It seemed fitting; he left a mess wherever he went. “I know.”
Ryan was too mad at himself to hang onto his anger at Cameron. He’d spent too long blaming the people around him and yeah, they were part of the problem, but he made his own decisions. At some point, he had to start facing them. Now seemed as good a time as any. He opened the door, and without a backward glance, walked away from Frankie’s house. But this time, he assured himself, it would not be for good.
Chapter 45
Chloe nudged Frankie’s shoulder. “You feel better, right?”
Frankie glared at her, rubbing her hands together as they made their way off of the trail. “No. Now, in addition to being emotionally numb, I feel physically numb. Ice cream was a much better idea than hiking. For future reference, always go with ice cream.”
“I did supply ice cream, if you’ll remember. It was time for the next phase,” Chloe said, her tone equally serious and teasing.
It was probably her own fault for letting her friend drag her out of the house, but Frankie hadn’t been in the mood to argue.
Chloe slung an arm around her shoulder as they headed to Frankie’s car. “Can’t win ‘em’ all.”
Laughing felt almost foreign to Frankie. “You said it.”
“Are you Frankie Vaughn?” Frankie turned and saw a woman with blond hair cut at the perfect angle to highlight the best features of her striking face.
“I am.”
“Hi,” she said, her manicured hand outstretched. “I’m Natalie. I’m a reporter and I wondered if I could ask you a few questions.”
Unease settled low in her belly but she kept her face neutral. “About?”
Natalie pulled a notepad out of a bag slung across her chest. “About Ryan Walker’s decision to turn down a chance to coach professional baseball in favor of staying in West Lake. From what the locals say, he’s great with the high school team but his main reason for wanting to stay is you.”
Frankie looked at Chloe then back at the reporter. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Frankie said, attempting to step around the woman, but stopped when Natalie spoke again.
“You’ve been dating Ryan for months, according to my sources. Though that’s not newsworthy in itself, are you telling me you didn’t know about this offer? It’s a dream deal for someone in his position. My mistake, I thought you two were close. He does have a reputation for getting…close to women, doesn’t he?”
Not that Frankie knew of, but that wouldn’t stop the woman from baiting her. Taking a deep breath, Frankie turned, unsure of what insult to respond to first. “I don’t know who your sources are, Natalie. But regardless, you know nothing about me, and from the sound of it, nothing about Ryan either.”
She and Chloe started for Frankie’s car. Her heart was thumping fast and heavy.
“What a bitch.” Chloe stepped lightly as they crossed the street.
They were at the car when Natalie called out again. “It’ll be interesting to see how Ryan’s ex-wife feels about the foundation that carries both of your names. I’m certain she’ll want a piece of that pie.”
Frankie recognized the note of desperation in Natalie’s tone, the need to cling to any fact she could uncover. What the hell was she talking about? Even if Frankie knew, she wouldn’t give any information to a reporter like that. But she planned to find out for herself. She and Chloe slid into the car and she didn’t wait for it to warm up before she pulled away from the curb.
“What is she talking about?” Chloe asked.
Frankie’s brain felt fuzzy. “I don’t know. I have no idea.”
“Frankie, I love you,” Chloe said.
Frankie smiled, her brows pulling together in confusion. “And I you but what’s with the untimely declaration?”
“The fact that I’m going to now tell you to get your head out of your ass,” Chloe said.
She rubbed her arms through her heavy jacket and Frankie turned up the heat. Cold air flowed through the vents.
She glanced at Chloe. “Excuse me?”
“You accused him of running,” Chloe said.
“He did run. As soon as it got tough.”
“Pot. Kettle.”
Frankie gasped at Chloe’s words. “Bite your tongue,” she said before she could stop herself. She clapped a hand over her mouth, both to stop anymore unwanted clichés from spouting and because what Chloe said was true. She hated that.
“It’s plain as day,” Chloe said, her lips turning upward.
“Stop it.”
“Follow your heart, Frankie.”
Her pulse raced like it had when they’d reached the peak of their hike. “I mean it, Chloe.”
“I can see that you do. But the heart wants what the—”.
“Okay! Stop it! I hear you,” Frankie said.
They looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same moment.
They rode in silence, which Frankie was grateful for; her feelings were tumbling over each other, swirling so she couldn’t isolate them. When they arrived at her house, she let the car idle. Chloe undid her seatbelt and opened the passenger door.
“Your heart, Frankie. It led you here. Don’t be so
damn stubborn.”
Then she slammed the door and Frankie watched as Chloe let herself into her aunt’s house; her house now. Her home. Pulling out of the driveway, she backed herself directly into Ryan’s. His truck wasn’t in the driveway, but she’d waited this long. She could wait a little longer. And this time, she would make her own damn choice.
Chapter 46
Frankie’s teeth were near chattering when he pulled up behind her car. She couldn’t read his eyes when he looked at her before walking to the passenger side and unloading a few bags of groceries.
He took the steps, his eyes not leaving hers. “Door is open,” he said.
Frankie’s chest seized. She stood up, hoping there was more than one meaning in his words.
“You went grocery shopping,” she said.
He smiled, a hint of the one she loved. “I did. There’s this girl that I need to win back and I thought maybe if I cooked for her, it would be a start.”
Frankie’s heart beat so hard in her chest she worried it would crack her ribs. “Hmm. Is that the whole of your plan?”
Ryan inhaled sharply and his eyes blazed into hers, blocking the chill in the air and warming her from the inside out. He pushed open his door and waited for her to go through.
He set down the groceries after closing the door and they stood, staring at each other.
“It’s a multi-step plan,” he said. His voice brushed over her skin, like she wasn’t wearing a parka and winter boots.
“With dinner being step one?”
He nodded slowly and the distance between them decreased. “I got all of her favorites. When I was getting them, I realized, she’s the first girl—woman, whose favorites I know.”
Frankie pressed her fingers into her sides to keep from reaching out. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
She inhaled the sweet scent of his cologne and listened to the sound of his breathing. Neither of them blinked. “What else do you know?”
He took a step forward. “I know I fucked up because I was scared. I know that nothing in my life has ever mattered to me the way you do. I know that I walked away because I was terrified you wouldn’t choose me. I know that I love you and even if you hate me, I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”
Tears whispered down her cheeks and her heart lodged in her throat. She’d told herself that the words didn’t matter when he’d shown her what he felt. She was wrong. They mattered. They had the power to stitch up all of the pieces that had ripped apart without him. The air between them seemed to shake, much like Frankie’s body. Blinking the tears from her eyes, she stepped into him, still not touching him. “You turned down a job in L.A.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened. “I don’t need a job.”
He smelled like cold air and Ryan. “So you’re going to hang around this small town and be happy for the rest of your life?” Her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She kept going. “What about baseball? It’s been your whole world for most of your life.”
Like a wire snapping, Ryan’s hands reached out and yanked her against him. “Baseball isn’t going anywhere. And neither am I. Not unless you do. My life is wherever you are Frankie. Baseball is a sport—it’s a really great fucking sport.” He rested his forehead against hers. “But you. You’re my world. You’re my everything. I love you.”
Frankie went up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Are you sure?”
His arms tightened and Frankie realized she’d rather go without air than without him. He nodded, his nose brushing against hers. “I’m so sure. Ask me how much.”
“How much what?”
“How much I love you.”
She tasted her tears but didn’t want to let him go to brush them away. “How much?”
“More than baseball. More than anything.”
His lips touched hers and it was like falling hard and landing softly. Her stomach dipped as he pulled her up against him. The kiss was close to frantic, the kind of kiss that promised everything and hid nothing. He pulled away, just enough that when he spoke, his lips still brushed hers.
“Tell me you love me,” he whispered.
The words rushed out of her, more than ready to escape. “I love you.”
“Thank God.”
“Ask me how much.”
He laughed and she saw the shine in his eyes. “How much?”
Frankie pursed her lips. “I didn’t think that through. I don’t know that I love anything the way you love baseball.”
“Then I win.”
Frankie let out a sound that was part sob, part laugh. “Pretty sure we’re tied.”
Chapter 47
Moonlight came through the blinds as Frankie sat up against Ryan’s headboard. He walked into his room in only boxers carrying two bottles of water and an envelope. She sighed at the sight of him, his long legs eating up the space between them. He passed her a bottle of water and sank onto the bed with her.
Frankie opened her water, took a sip, and set it down on the table he’d made for beside his bed. Her pulse galloped when she saw the envelope in his hand. Time for answers. “What’s that?”
Ryan set his own water down and tapped the envelope against his open palm. He handed it to her but she saw the reluctance in his eyes. She smiled, tugged it open, and pulled out a sheet of paper. Her eyes widened, her heart fluttering like it actually had wings. It made no sense. What did this mean? “What is this?” Tears teased the corners of her eyes.
He shifted and sat up straighter. “Frankie, you are incredible. You’re sexy and sweet, smart, and loving. Anyone else, anyone, would have called social services when they found those boys. But not you. You dug in because you can’t help but care. You care about everything and everyone and you don’t care what you get out of it. And it made me think that I wanted to care about something that matters too. You. But also something else. I thought my whole life was about baseball and I was okay with that but when I lost it or walked away or however the hell it gets spun, I realized that I’m more than that. You and those boys made me see that I was more than that. So, I wanted to do something to show you that. This is why I went back to LA. To finalize the paperwork.”
He caught the tear that fell down her cheek with his thumb. She couldn’t breathe. He was giving her too much credit. She went up onto her knees and swung one leg over his lap so she was sitting on top of him, her eyes filling.
“Meeting me may have woken something up in you, Ryan, but even without knowing you before, I am positive that you have always been more than baseball. You’re an incredible athlete, but you’re an even more amazing man,” she told him. He gripped her hips and kissed her hard.
She pulled back and picked up the paper again. “So what does this mean?”
“It’s a scholarship basically, for underprivileged kids. Daniel is filing the final paperwork. It’s for kids who need a boost in life. They won’t have to be in the system. They can get referred or recommended. The scholarship will ensure that they have a place to live, clothing, food, and access to a kick-ass education sports wise and academically. My donation is for this year but in the future I’ve got people lined up for charity events and it’ll be funded that way. There’s so much we can do with this, Frankie.”
His hands rested on her bare thighs. She’d pulled a T-shirt on when he’d left the room and it hung loosely around her collarbone. He traced a finger along the bone, making her shiver. Her brain replayed his words: so much we can do. Together.
“I don’t know. Ryan, this is incredible. But we were broken up. You were going to have my name on something when I wasn’t part of your life?”
He tipped her chin up when she tried to avoid his eyes. “No matter what happened between us, you’re the reason behind this. That was never going to change. You inspire me. Even if I hadn’t been lucky enough to get you back, to have you want me back, you would always be part of me, Frankie. You’re the best part of me.”
Her voice shook. “This is somet
hing that will change so many lives. It’s beautiful and wonderful and I’m honored.” She kissed his cheek then, unable to help herself, continued to kiss his face, noisily, everywhere, until he was laughing and she felt like she’d won everything. All at once.
She kept staring at their names, side by side. Forever linked. No matter what. He hadn’t done it to get her back. He’d done it because she mattered. Because she’d always matter to him. He’d proven that but she still had to ask, “Are you sure about the name?”
Ryan tipped her chin upward so she would look at him. “The name of the scholarship is the Walker Vaughn Merit Award. I’ve never been surer of anything. Other than us.”
“Ryan.” She had no other words.
“Frankie, you came into my life at a time when I thought nothing mattered. That people and their words, their actions, didn’t count for anything. You helped me see that there’s still good. That people are still good. Or can be. When they want to be. That’s what this award is about. It’s a foundation. A place to start.”
Frankie sniffled. “I guess I’d better learn more about baseball.”
Ryan smiled at her, took the paper from her hands, and set it aside. He took her hand, turned it to kiss her palm, and ran slow kisses up the inside of her arm, starting at her wrist.
“I can help you with that,” he said. “Turns out, I’m an excellent coach.”
Wind-up
“Are you joking me?” Frankie yelled. She stood up in the stands as the umpire shouted, “Out!” Dust swirled on home plate as Carter hoisted himself up off of the ground where he’d slid into home, a second too late.
Travis laughed. “Simmer down. It’s barely started.”
“But he wasn’t out,” Frankie said.
“I can’t see,” Miles complained. Frankie leaned back so he could sit on her lap, not that it gave him a much better vantage point. The stands were full for the first game of the season.
“Ha! See,” Frankie said, nudging Travis with her shoulder when Ryan came over to put the ump in his place.
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