by Debbie White
Zach followed her outside. He pulled up a chair and watched her as she lovingly brushed her dog. Dash yawned in total contentment. “He really does enjoy that, doesn’t he?” Zach said.
Cierra nodded. “I should do it more often, but I’m lazy.”
“You’re not lazy.”
“We’ve been friends for a while,” she said as she continued brushing. “You said you were retired, but is there more you can share? It might be interesting to add to the story,” she said looking up at him. “I mean you seem a little young to be fully retired. Are you doing something on the side? I know, you’re one of the Golden Bears’ bat boys,” she said, laughing at her own silly joke.
“Why would what I do be an interesting element to the story? Your characters are all fictional.”
Cierra paused briefly. She wanted to stop the games. “Yes, they are fictional, but as an author, it’s good if you write about what you know.” Cierra cleared her throat. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap. “I put you in the story,” she said quietly.
“Me! Why?”
“My female character had to have a love interest …”
Zach threw his head back. When he came forward, he locked his eyes onto hers. “Yes, but that was the famous ballplayer, was it not?”
“Every good book has two. That keeps the reader guessing right up to the end. They don’t know who she’ll choose,” Cierra explained.
“Romance books,” he said disgustedly.
“Now, Zach. Don’t be so negative. Romance sells,” she said. “Remember what I told you about how writers get a bad rap? Well, romance writers get one of the biggest. I want your support not your ridicule.”
Zach narrowed his eyes. “You’ll always have my support as a writer. I guess I’m just a bit cynical regarding romance,” he said lowering his eyes. “Why do you have to put in my real occupation? You’re the author; you should be able to come up with something creative.”
He had a point. “Curious minds want to know,” she said, smiling.
“Well, if you must know, I’m a disabled veteran, and I work with disadvantaged youth part-time.”
Cierra was not prepared to hear that at all. She had thought maybe there was a chance he was independently wealthy. “Disabled, how?”
“PTSD.”
“Post-traumatic stress disorder,” she repeated.
He nodded.
“Were you in combat?”
“Let’s just say I’ve seen some action.”
“What branch of the military?” Cierra asked.
“Marines,” he answered proudly.
Cierra wanted to give him a big hug. “Are you getting help?”
Zach twitched in his seat obviously uncomfortable with the line of questionning“I’m getting therapy, yes.”
“Do you mind if I put that in my book? It’s such an important topic.”
Zach crossed his legs. He looked off into the backyard. A bird flew across, and Zach followed it with his gaze for as far as he could see it. He looked back at Cierra. “I think the public should be made aware of it. It’s changed my life. But, I’m doing okay. I love helping the kids, and life is good,” he added.
“If you were in charge of writing the ending for my story, how would you have it end?”
He pursed his lips and blankly stared at her. He blinked a couple of times and then brushed his hand over his mouth. “That’s a hard one. I don’t know. Does your character want to be the girlfriend of a baseball player who travels a lot and who probably meets lots of gamer babes? Or does she wish to be with a man who served his country and who may be bruised but not broken?”
Cierra softened her face. She leaned in gently across the table. He touched her soul with his words. “Not all baseball players are cheats,” she said.
“No, they’re not. And if we are talking specifically about Colton,” he said holding her gaze, “he is a good guy. But if you go into a relationship with him, you must open your eyes wide. I’m not trying to tell you he’ll hurt you, but he’s a ballplayer on the road so much.” He looked at her forlornly.
She squirmed in her seat. How did he know she was talking about him?
“Listen, can we just cut to the chase here, please? I don’t have time for games. I enjoy your company; we have fun together, and all of that is great. If you want to pursue Colton, go for it. I won’t stand in your way.”
“Zach …” she trailed off, losing her train of thought.
Zach looked back out into the yard. “I don’t know where we stand. Are we friends? Are we more than friends?”
“I love our time together. We’re like two quiet souls who have some common interests. At least the ones we share with each other.” She laughed at their aloof reputation they’d both established already.
He reached out and took her hands into his. They enjoyed the quietness.
“Zach, I like you. We have a great time together, and I appreciate your friendship …” She stopped suddenly.
“But … here comes the but,” he said.
“There’s no but. I care about you. What we’ve shared over the last several weeks has been great. I never thought I’d meet anyone as caring as you. We have so much in common and the chemistry … well … that’s another book in and of itself,” she said, smiling at the memory of them kissing. “I just need to finish this book and get it out to the masses. I’m so excited about it. Once that’s done …”
She didn’t get to finish. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“That’s for good luck on finishing it. I think you’re a bit tormented with how you believe the public wants you to end the story. I see it in your eyes. Do you end it how they expect it will end, or at the very end do you throw in a twist they didn’t see coming?”
She stared at him long and hard. He got it. He really got it. The writer’s self-doubt, the turmoil a good writer feels when they’re trying to put their best work forward.
“I want to keep the story interesting, and yet not be predictable. The readers hate when it’s predictable,” she told him.
He pushed back his chair and stood up. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. His lips were warm and soft. She let out a soft whimper.
“How’s this for unpredictable?” he said.
Cierra nodded. “That was very nice,” she said, leaning in for another. This time he pulled her up as they kissed. He gently pressed her mouth open, finding his way inside, probing the fleshy part with his tongue. She took her hands and laced them around his neck. She didn’t want the kiss to end, but it did.
Zach gently stepped back from their embrace and gazed into her eyes. “It’s up to you if you step up to the plate or warm the bench.” He touched her on the shoulder and then he walked away.
She ran after him. She’d never run after any man in her life. She called out to him while he was still in sight. “Zach, thank you so much for coming over today. I think you helped me with the ending to my story. I’d love for you to read it. That way we won’t have any misunderstandings or hard feelings,” she said, feeling slightly awkward with the amount of words she spewed out.
Zach stopped in his tracks and turned around. “Okay. I’ll read it. I’ve never read a romance before.”
Cierra softened her face. Her mouth turned up slightly at the corners. That’s what impressed her. He could make any awkward situation less awkward. They each stood still waiting for the other to speak next. She didn’t really want him to leave. Her heart was racing, and determined to get one more question in so she could look at him a little longer, Cierra blurted, “Do Marines cry?”
“You bet they do. We have a lot of emotions. We’ve been taught to keep them subdued to get the job done. That’s what makes us unique.”
She nodded. She knew they did. She remembered seeing a small tear glistening at the corner of his eye when he’d told her about the girl who broke his heart.
Something about that guy hit Cierra hard
. His devotion to his fellow man and country was awesome. In a way, he and his cousin were heroes at different ends of the spectrum. Colton was a baseball star, and defender of many titles for his athleticism, but Zach held the ultimate title; he was the world’s defender, and in her mind, nothing could quite top that.
Chapter Five
Back to the Editing Table
Cierra poured herself a glass of iced tea and headed for the den. It almost felt like she was walking the plank, or walking to the electric chair—the doomsday feeling was penetrating. She had an idea of how the story would end, but at the same time, she also knew manuscripts had a way of heading off in another direction. She sat down at the keyboard and stared at it for a moment. She located the file and opened it.
She paused a moment before continuing. Her female character would have to choose between the two leading male characters. She didn’t have a choice. That’s what a good romance story did. It showed love, compassion, conflict, and resolve.
She had thought Zach would make a great leading character, and she still thought that now. Colton brought intrigue, and swoon ability to the book and Zach was your average guy—except the being a Veteran part. That was extraordinary. In that exact moment, it was suddenly clear. She now knew what she’d write.
After the last couple of meetings with Colton, he’d given her his cell phone. She hadn’t intended ever to call him. However, she felt it best to discuss the final chapters with him. He’d still have to give his seal of approval.
She only had to wait about a half hour before he called her back. They made arrangements to meet. This time, he wanted to come over to her place. It seemed like a strange request. She wondered if anyone had ever denied Colton Diaz a visit to their home.
She decided to prepare a light snack for his visit. She enjoyed entertaining, although she didn’t do it often. She looked on the shelves of her pantry and grabbed a sleeve of bacon-flavored Ritz crackers. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a block of cheddar cheese. Then she went about the task of slicing the cheese and arranging it along with crackers on a plate. For a finishing touch, Cierra added olives with colorful little toothpicks for easy handling in the center. She had a bottle of chardonnay in the fridge, a bottle of zinfandel on the rack, and of course, she always had iced tea. She was ready for whatever he wanted.
Dash let out a small bark letting her know someone was outside. She gave herself a once over in the bathroom mirror and headed for the door.
“Hi. Welcome to my home,” she said as she showed him in. Once inside, she led him to the living room. “Please, have a seat.”
They got all the niceties out of the way. Then the silence came. She hated when that happened. After a brief moment or so, she offered him something to drink. “Iced tea, wine, water …?” she said as she got up from the couch.
“I’ll take iced tea. It’s warm out there.”
She brought back a tumbler of iced tea for him, and wine for herself. She felt she’d need some liquid courage.
He immediately sipped his tea. “This is delicious, and refreshing,” he said smiling.
“Are you ready to discuss the book?” she asked.
Colton revealed a broad grin. “I’m ready if you are.”
Cierra loved his smile. It was infectious and drew her in. Of course, she was also mesmerized by his beautiful brown eyes, his golden skin color, and the way he softly spoke her name. What seemed like minutes were mere seconds. She realized she’d been staring intently into those stunning eyes of his.
She let out a silent sigh. “Yes, I’m ready. I know I initially sold you on the idea of a fan and a player. The ballplayer would be you … I mean someone like you,” she corrected.
He nodded for her to continue.
“We never actually discussed what the fan would do for a living … besides being a loyal Golden Bears fan. I’ve made her an author. I hope you’ll approve of this small element,” she said, brushing over the details.
He shot her a grin that told her he totally picked up on the author detail long before now.
“I also thought the book needed another element or another character. Maybe the fan could have another love interest. She’d have to decide between the two,” she continued.
“Go on, I’m listening,” he said arching his brows.
As her excitement over the story line grew, Cierra found it difficult to contain her joy at the ending. “We have to keep the reader interested, engaged—turning the pages to see what happens next,” she said almost bursting at the seams.
“I get it. We want the reader to be involved. So … you’re the expert. You can add these details to the book. You don’t need my approval.”
“I just didn’t want you to think I’ve tricked you.”
Colton smirked. “Tricked me? Why would I ever believe that?”
Cierra shifted her weight and now was staring into his eyes. “I started off with the premise it would be a book about two people. Now I’m adding a third, and I’ve made some other small changes—all for the betterment of the project,” Cierra explained.
Furrowing his brows, Colton shrugged his shoulders. He inched his way closer toward Cierra. “I trust you. You’re a pro at this. Whatever you decide will make the story better, write it. If you need some romantic inspiration, I can do that, too.”
Cierra felt her heart beat faster. “How?” she whispered.
Reaching up to move her hair out of her face, he tucked her hair behind her ear. “We could try this,” he said as he gently kissed her. “How was that for inspiration?” he said, leaning back some.
Cierra stood up. She smoothed her shirt and untucked her hair. “I have some snacks in the kitchen…” she said trailing off.
With elbows firmly on the counter and her hands cupping her face, she paused to think about what just happened. She’d wanted this to happen, or maybe she hadn’t. Now she was just confused. It wasn’t feeling as perfect as she’d hoped it would. Perhaps the allure of attracting the fine baseball player was gone. She grabbed the cheese tray and headed to the other room.
“Listen, Cierra. I know you’re writing a fiction book here, and I’m just for research, but it seems maybe we’re headed in another direction.”
“I know. I’m confused. I wanted to interview you. I thought you’d be the perfect character for my book. Well actually, Courtney thought you’d be an excellent choice. You’re handsome, athletic, and you make the perfect book boyfriend.”
Colton leaned back. “Book boyfriend? They have a term for that?” he said.
“Oh, yes—they’d totally swoon over you,” she added.
“Well, I’m flattered. But that doesn’t explain what is going on here.”
“I don’t want you to think I’m a tease. I’m not. I don’t even date that much. You can ask my sister. She’s the one with all the friends with benefits. I think I got caught up in the moment.”
He stood up, letting her know he was about to leave. “No harm done. We were just doing it in the name of research. I’d love to pursue it deeper, but I can see you’re having mixed emotions about it. Maybe finish the book, and then we can re-visit this, whatever this is,” he said, motioning with his hands between the two of them.
“I won’t bother you anymore, Colton. I have everything I need for the book. When I’ve finished it, I’ll send you a copy as promised.”
“Good luck with it, Cierra. I know you’ll do an excellent job.”
She watched Colton as he made his way down the sidewalk that led to his car. She stood for a few moments longer and watched him drive off.
She walked into the kitchen and stood staring at the wine bottle. She read the label intently twice. Sighing, she reached for the bottle and popped the cork. It was time to celebrate.
Chapter Six
The Ending
Holding her cell phone in her hand, Cierra paced the room. She punched out some digits, then she hit delete. She hit the same digits again and then hit delete once more. She took a de
ep breath and punched the numbers in one last time, this time letting it ring.
“Hello,” Zach said.
“Hi, Zach,” Cierra said cheerfully, trying to keep a steady tone.
“What’s going on?”
“I was wondering if you could come over tonight. I really need your advice on something.”
Cierra busied herself with small tasks waiting for Zach to come over. She hadn’t planned exactly what she was going to say or do, but she was so close to finishing up the story. She made some guacamole and set out a bowl of tortilla chips. She made a pitcher of margaritas, too. Soon Zach was sitting on the couch and they were snacking on chips and dip and drinking the salt-rimmed cocktails.
“So, what is it you need my help with?” His eyes twinkled, making her squirm just a bit.
“You know I’ve been working hard on my book … Perfect Pitch …” She paused, taking her finger and running it along the rim of the glass and licking the salt.
“Yes,” he said, a bit puzzled.
She knew he was too smart for this line of questioning. He’d been around the block a few times. Damn, he’d even served in the Marines. He was one tough guy.
She swallowed hard. “You know I like you, right?”
“I like you, too,” he said back.
He put his margarita down and sat back on the couch, crossing his arms.
“Cierra, stop playing games. Remember—we said we’d be truthful with one another. No game playing. What is it that you’re having trouble telling me?”
Cierra wiggled in her seat. She widened her grin just a bit. She could feel the anticipation building and it was hard to contain. She didn’t want to totally give it away. But at the same time she had to know if what she was feeling was real. There was only one way to find out.