Текст книги "The Heat of the Moment"
Автор книги: Katie Rose
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Chapter 5
Gavin was surprised to see Jessica the following morning when he arrived, well before batting practice. Part of the reason he had gotten there early was for his own protection; he knew it would bug the hell out of him to watch the other guys getting ready for the game while he sat on the sidelines.
Like that guy in a wheelchair…
Forcing the image from his mind, he decided to double the workouts. Maybe then he would get better faster.
It was foolish, he knew that; the competitive side of him urged him to show them all that he was healthy. But when he walked into the physical therapy room and saw the redhead at her desk with a huge coffee cup beside her, he knew that plan was trashed.
“Morning,” she yawned, stretching like a cat. She didn’t have the baseball hat on yet today, but her hair was knotted into a wiry bun. Little corkscrew curls sprung out of it, and Gavin was reminded irresistibly of a copper scrubby his mother used to use on the dishes.
But way prettier.
“So what brought you in so early? Or can I guess?”
He smiled deeply for the first time in days. “Busted. I thought I’d try and speed things up.”
“And miss all this?” Jessica grinned, and then gestured toward the coffeepot. “You know you can’t. After all, I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours putting the perfect program together for you. Don’t blow it for me.”
He poured himself a cup of the coffee she’d indicated, surprised at the aromatic scent that wafted from the pot. “You make this?”
“Yep. I bring in my own organic blend. I even have a grinder in the back, so it’s always fresh.” When his brow lifted, she explained, “I’m not about to drink the sludge they have here.”
“I’m impressed,” he said sincerely.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” she said with a cocky grin, getting briskly to her feet and coming to stand before him. Up close, he could see the bottle green of her eyes, the dusting of freckles on her ivory skin, the cut of another yoga top, this one hunter green. The color complemented her skin and hair, and made her eyes an even deeper shade of emerald as she displayed her clipboard like a proud schoolgirl.
“It’s actually convenient that you came in early. Phil and I discussed this just last night—we decided to work with you during off hours. Pete can’t seem to help himself; he’s popping in here every couple of minutes like an expectant father. And a reporter showed up last night, nosing around.”
“What?” He hadn’t thought of this, but he should have. In California, the media had tried everything to get information about his condition. And here in the Northeast, where the reporters were more aggressive? It could only be worse.
Jessica nodded. “Don’t worry, I locked your files away. And Phil is going to talk to the team this morning about federal regulations around privacy. But we just want to play it safe, keep you out of the limelight.” She sighed. “Like that will happen.”
“Meaning?”
“You are newsworthy.” She shrugged. “It’s an exciting story: the fallen hero who returns stronger than ever. They know your reputation, know what you can do. It’s irresistible.” She cocked her head as if seeing him for the first time. “And you’re kind of easy on the eyes. The cameras would love you.”
So she thought he was good-looking? Before he could make anything of that, she indicated his workout, tapping her pen on the sheet of paper. “We are going to start with a walk as a warm-up. Then we’ll do some of the exercises I showed you yesterday, plus a few more. When you come back after the game, we’ll start to incorporate the swimming. Think you can handle that?”
“Easily,” he said.
“It sounds that way now, but don’t be surprised if you’re tired tonight, and a little sore. You’ve been through quite a bit with the surgery, the move, and the stress. We can tweak the program going forward if you feel you want to do more, and your body cooperates.”
“You put a lot of work into this,” he said sincerely as he reviewed her plan. He was surprised when he saw her cheeks turn pink. Was she blushing because he complimented her, or because he was standing close to her? “I want you to know I appreciate it.”
Tugging on a sweatshirt, her head popped out of the neck opening, and she grinned as she yanked it down around her hips. He almost reached down to help her, but stopped and contented himself with just looking, aware that she was adorable, like a little girl in a too-big hoodie.
“We’ll see what you think when you’re done. Let’s go.”
“You are going with me?”
She stared at him as if he had two heads. “Of course. That’s my job. I want to see how you move, if you have any pain and what effect it has on you. You don’t have a problem with it, do you?”
When she put it like that, he sounded like an idiot. “No, of course not. I just assumed you had other things to do.”
“Nope. You are my priority right now.” He got the quirky grin again. “God help you.”
–
“So is it always this cold in April?”
They were walking around the ballpark, slower than Gavin would have liked. But she’d insisted that they go at a pace that was a leisurely stroll, and she held him to it. Whenever he would get a few steps ahead, she would deliberately stop and fiddle with her jacket or her shoes, and he would be forced to wait.
She understood he was eager to get going, and competitive. But she also knew how easy it was to reinjure the knee. And it was true what she’d told him, that she wanted to see him in action and observe his stride to see if he favored his good leg, or showed any signs of discomfort.
“No,” she said in answer to his question. “Sometimes it’s warm and beautiful. That’s one thing New Jersey has going for it. We get a real spring.” When he gave her a dubious look, she had to laugh.
“So you’re from around here?”
“Originally. I grew up in Cherry Hill with a bunch of brothers who are all athletes.”
“That makes sense,” he said, glancing at her and smiling. “I can picture you roughhousing with the boys, and them getting the worst of it.”
“Oh, they absolutely did. I gave as good as I got.” She grinned at the memory, tying her hood against the chill. When she glanced up, he was staring at her in a way that made her suddenly self-conscious. She wasn’t used to focusing on her appearance, or fussing with makeup and jewelry. Tucking a curl behind her ear, she continued conversing about the weather, hoping he didn’t notice the flush she felt staining her cheeks.
“Yeah, so it might seem a little chilly now, but you will see.” She went back to the weather. Safer. “Give it a few weeks. We get everything—tulips, narcissus, daffodils, and grape hyacinths.”
“So you cook and you like flowers.” She glanced at him in surprise, and it was his turn to grin. “No one fusses that much over coffee if they don’t cook. Do you garden?”
“No. At least not now. I’ve been living in a condo since I got this job, but the landscapers have been out there for weeks getting everything ready. I can’t wait for the explosion.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said, but she saw that glimmer of a smile.
“The cold is good for you.” She pounded him on the back, laughing at his astonishment. “I think it’s invigorating. Mornings like this remind me of Ireland.”
“You’re Irish,” he stated.
Jessica nodded. “Three-fourths. I’ve been there a few times.”
“The hair is a dead giveaway,” he admitted. He reached out as if to touch it, and then stopped himself, awkwardly blowing on his knuckles from the chill, as if that had been his real intention. “I’m only half. The rest is Italian and God knows what else.”
“If you drink beer, you’re admitted to the club.” She glanced across the lawn as they reached center field, and then turned toward home plate. “Isn’t it gorgeous this time of day, everything painted with frost? I love the way it glitters on the grass.”
He shook his head in wonder. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a romantic.”
She barked out a laugh. “I’m not. At least not anymore.”
She could have bitten her tongue; she didn’t want to tell him about Zach, and her stint as a major league fool. Her ex-boyfriend was playing in San Francisco this week, and she was grateful to have the country between them.
Worst of all, Gavin reminded her of Zach. At least the things she liked about him. They both were strong, handsome, charismatic, and…sexy. Yet Zach Holden had shredded her heart as easily as if it were his breakfast cereal. “So do you have a girlfriend?”
Not surprisingly, he nodded. “I do. Her name is Kristin. She’s a swimsuit model.”
Of course she is. Jessica couldn’t imagine having the confidence to be photographed in a swimsuit, and then plastered all over every newsstand for national distribution. And even though she’d asked about her, something inside of her sank as she pictured his girl:
Gorgeous. Blond. Knockout body.
Your basic nightmare.
It all made sense. He came from Los Angeles. Beautiful women grew on trees out there. And she’d seen this before with pro athletes, especially the stars. It was all part of the package: the big salary, the elite team, the actress or model on his arm. “That’s impressive,” she replied.
“Yeah, it kind of is. Maybe you’ll meet her at some point. She gets out to New York quite a bit for her job.”
“Sure. That would be great.” Like swallowing acid. Jessica was quiet for a few minutes, thinking of what he’d just said. She wouldn’t want to gamble on the chances of a long-distance relationship working for either of them, but it wasn’t any of her business. She also didn’t like the emotion roiling inside of her. Why should she care that he had a gorgeous girlfriend?
“You okay?” He was looking at her, obviously concerned about her silence.
Jessica nodded. “Sure.” Shaking off her thoughts, she indicated home plate and looked up at him with a smirk. “Think you can walk faster than me without breaking into a jog?”
His eyes lit up at the challenge. “You’re on, babe.”
Chapter 6
She was right, Gavin thought when he returned to the bench. He was winded after the walk and realized he was badly out of shape.
It had been only a month since the surgery, maybe eight weeks since he’d gotten injured. Yet it seemed like a lifetime ago. With the confidence of youth, he’d assumed he’d be able to get right back into his routine, and it was humbling to see that he’d have to build his body back up.
As he stretched his legs to watch the game, he realized she knew. He’d insisted he was fine, that nothing hurt, but she had her assistant put ice on him anyway after his workout to prevent further swelling. It was humiliating to think that he must appear so weak to her, so much less than who he had been.
And now not only was he tired, but he ached. He felt like an old man watching kids play ball, and he didn’t like it one bit. He remembered that she recommended elevation, so he discreetly propped the injured leg up on the bench in front of him, and discovered it did feel better.
Observing the game helped, too. Brett Kirby was pitching. He was okay, but relied too heavily on his fastball. Gavin couldn’t help but compare him to Chase, who had pitched a couple of days ago. Not only did Chase have total command of the zone, but he obviously had a strategy in mind for every player who approached the plate. It was a pleasure to observe an athlete like that, and he realized that as good as the Dodgers pitchers were, maybe only one of them was in the same league as Chase.
Cody and Jake were excellent also. The catcher seemed to be on the exact same wavelength as the pitcher. He studied the opposing batter intently, calling the game with deadly accuracy. And when one of the players popped up, Jake, the shortstop, was right there, throwing to first base for an easy out.
They were the core of this team, the reason it worked. Gavin yearned to be out there with them, to feel that thrill of winning and camaraderie with the other players. When the last batter threw his helmet to the ground in disgust, he had to grin.
Chase was an elite player, and Gavin was surprised he and Jake hadn’t moved on to a better team. He’d heard rumors New York wanted them and that they had turned the Yankees down. That didn’t make a whole lot of sense to him, but he supposed they had their reasons.
He just couldn’t imagine what they were.
“You doing okay there?” Pete stuck his head into the dugout, popping his gum as he checked in.
“Sure,” Gavin replied.
“You’re seeing some real good baseball today. Got our ace on the mound. Now we just need some hitting.”
Gavin nodded, and indicated his leg. “I’m trying.”
“No rush. You take your time and do what that little girl tells you. You’ll be fine.”
When the manager disappeared outside again, Gavin rubbed his throbbing joint. His thoughts went back to the morning and his conversation with Jessica. What was it she’d said about Pete? That he was hovering around him like an expectant father? He couldn’t suppress a grin. The description was surprisingly accurate, and he realized Pete’s fretting wasn’t helpful to anyone. She’d been right to remove him from that scrutiny so that he could recover at his own pace. Pete couldn’t hide his anxiety, and wanted to get him on the roster as soon as possible, but it was a lot of pressure Gavin didn’t need.
His mind returned to the physical therapist. She surprised him on a lot of levels, including that she understood the psychology of healing, and of men in general. She was like one of the boys, but a female.
And she’d looked amazing in the cold morning air, even wearing an oversized sweatshirt and sneakers. That red-gold hair refused to stay in the hood, and tendrils framed her face with fire. As if that weren’t enough, those green eyes reminded him of an emerald pool. If he fell into those eyes, he had the feeling he’d never climb out…
What the hell was he thinking? On reflection, he felt slightly ridiculous. And he knew she’d laugh if he told her, and then slap his back and tell him to get on with it.
He just missed his girlfriend. Digging his cellphone out of his pocket, he stepped inside the locker room for a moment and tapped her number. But the call rolled into voicemail immediately, as if she was talking to someone else.
He frowned. She had call waiting; she could have picked up if she wanted to. She was probably preoccupied, maybe talking to her agent. But as he headed back to the bench, an uneasiness settled over him that wouldn’t leave him, even as he forced himself to focus once more on the game.
He was in time to see Jake nail a line drive right through center field. He couldn’t help but chuckle as his teammate got to second with a standup double, and shrug as if astonished at himself. Even the second baseman cracked up, as did Chase, sitting a few feet away in the dugout. It was a new experience to be with a group of guys who took a lighthearted approach to the sport, and in some ways it was refreshing.
He wasn’t at all surprised when the next guy tagged a ball into the right-field corner and Jake scored. Gavin joined in the high-fives as he returned to the dugout, congratulating the shortstop.
For all that they were a bunch of immature goofballs, whatever they had was working.
–
Jake came up to him after the game, drying the sweat from his face with a towel. “Hey, you up for a few beers? We’re thinking to hang out at the Kixx. It’s a nice little sports bar, not too far from here.”
“I have to work out. Your physical therapist is a slave driver.” He grinned along with Jake. “But maybe I can text you later, and catch up if you’re still there.”
“That works. And don’t let Jess push you around. All work and no play makes Gavin a dull boy.”
Just then Shaun Anderson, the outfielder, swung around on the bench. “It’s all about balance, man. You know, aligning your life to the energy around you. Giving attention to all of the chakras.”
Startled, Gavin looked at Shaun in surprise. “You from California?”
“Colorado,” the mystical outfielder smiled. “I’m on a Rocky Mountain high.”
“Ah.” Gavin knew no East Coast guy would ever dream of saying such a thing. He saw Cody smirk as he headed for the lockers, and then he got up to follow them inside, stopping on the way to get a drink from the water cooler. As he reached for a paper cup, he stared in shock at a fat orange goldfish swimming inside the five-gallon bottle. The little descendant of the carp family gazed back at him, its big eyes seeming to say, “What?” Like he was in the wrong place.
Laughter rung out around him, and Gavin shook his head.
Maybe the fish was right.
–
Kristin called back as he headed for the PT room.
“Hey, stranger.” Gavin answered his phone as he paused outside the door, gazing down at her picture as it lit up on his screen.
“Hi, Gavin. Sorry, I know you called earlier. I’ve been so busy lately with the catalog work and travel. I’m in New York next week, then we head to Cozumel.”
“New York!” he said in surprise. “I didn’t know you were coming east. Maybe you could come down for a couple of hours while you are in the city? Or I can come there. It’s a little more than an hour from Trenton.”
“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “But I can’t. Every minute is booked between contracts, the shoot, and I have an early flight out the following day. Maybe next time.”
Silence. Gavin internalized what he just heard. She would be a train ride away, and couldn’t make time for him? All of his instincts were on high alert. Putting down his bag, he clutched his cell as if he could crush the truth out of it.
“Okay, Kris. What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know what you mean—”
“Cut the crap. I asked you a question.”
There was a long pause, and when she responded, she began speaking slowly and deliberately.
“Gavin, I’ve been thinking. The long-distance thing isn’t working for me. We both have a lot going on. You are getting used to a new place, new people. You have to focus on the therapy and everything else, while I need to focus on my career…”
“Are you breaking up with me?” It was beginning to dawn on him, and his heart pounded as he waited for her answer.
“I just think we can use this time apart to reevaluate, think about what we both want…”
He suddenly found it hard to breathe. This couldn’t be happening, not now, not to him. She’d said she’d loved him and would be there for him as he adjusted to all of these changes. How could she kick him while he was down?
But then something clicked in his brain.
“You are seeing someone else.”
It was as if he had taken off his sunglasses and he was staring unblinkingly into the light. One million supporting details fell into place: her recent distraction, the way she answered the phone as if expecting someone else, the evasive answers. Dimly he realized it had started before he left California, and now…
Her breath caught sharply. “It’s not like that. It hasn’t been working for me for a while now. I didn’t want to tell you with everything going on, and your injury—”
Gavin hung up on her mid-sentence, grateful for the anger that surged through him. He stared at her picture on the phone, now fading away along with everything else, and he erased it from his contacts. Stunned, he leaned against the wall, reality setting in. Somewhere in his gut, he had known it was over. And now he had to face the truth: he’d lost his job, his health, and his girlfriend.
Chapter 7
Jessica wasn’t there when he entered the PT room. Gavin put his bag down, his heart still pounding as he glanced numbly around the room. Everything here was the same: the exercise equipment, the weights lining the wall, the cots all in a row. While with him everything was utterly different.
“She had to run a few errands,” Phil said, looking up from folding some linens. “But she told me you’d be by to swim a couple of laps. Bath towels are right there, and there’s a changing room behind you. There is also some plastic on the side table for your knee. Let me know if you need anything.”
Gavin nodded, and took his gym bag into the changing room. His trunks felt a little tight at the waist, and he saw that in addition to everything else, he’d put on weight. He’d have to modify his diet until he could be more active.
He dove into the pool, barely noticing the shock of the cold water. Growing up in California meant swimming almost before he could walk. Yet he didn’t like it much as a sport; it was too solitary for him, doing laps all alone in the chlorinated water.
Now, though, he hoped the exercise would be a distraction. There was an aching pit in his stomach when he thought of Kristin. Reaching the far side, he plunged under again and kicked off the wall. Normally solitude would cause his mind to go blank, almost like a meditation. But this time all he could think of was his ex with another man…
Fuck! he scolded himself. Get the woman out of your head! He tried to focus on the exercise, but his thoughts kept going back to their breakup. The notion increased his agitation and he picked up the pace¸ changing to a butterfly stroke as he plowed through the water.
This time he kicked off the wall even harder, hoping to tire himself from exertion. His knee began to sting, the tendon protesting this level of exercise. He knew he should get out of the pool, but instead he forced his body to continue. He was used to that, used to practicing well past fatigue, pushing himself to get to the next level. But that was before he got hurt…
It was getting worse now, the pain, and he had to stop. Breaking water, he climbed to the side of the pool and saw that Phil had already left the desk and was standing beside him.
“What the hell are you doing? It’s hurting, isn’t it?”
“Not too bad,” he lied.
“Dry off, get changed, and come back to the table. I want to take a look.”
He stripped off his wet trunks in the changing room and thrust his legs angrily into his sweats. His frustration climbed as he realized his body had failed him, and the sickening sense of helplessness disgusted him.
Worse, it suddenly occurred to him that maybe Jess was tired of playing his nursemaid. Perhaps that was why she suddenly had errands to run…
“Take a seat.” Phil came to examine his knee. Gavin rolled up the sweats, and they both saw that the kneecap was red and inflamed.
“Thought so.” The therapist had an ice pack ready and wrapped it gently around the swollen joint. “You did too much. Jessica warned me that might happen. I know you’re new to all this, but next time quit before it starts to hurt.”
Gavin’s eyes blazed, but he said nothing. He was tempted to lash out, take out his anger and disappointment on the man before him, but that was not only unfair, but unkind. The guy was only trying to help him.
He couldn’t explain the rage that filled him as he was forced to lie back on the cot, his wound throbbing. No way in hell did he want to tell anyone that on top of everything else, his girlfriend had cheated on him and dumped him. He felt like enough of a loser as it was.
“Feeling better?” Phil came back a few minutes later, lifting the ice pack and examining the wound.
“Yeah. Between the pills and the ice, I’m a new man.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
The therapist smiled, his eyes kind. “I wouldn’t go that far. But stay off it for a while, hang out here. You hurt that leg again and there is going to be hell to pay.” He glanced at Jessica’s office.
“I know exactly what you mean.”
–
Jessica returned after everyone had gone. She’d picked up a few things for the office, including a fresh bag of coffee and a ream of paper for the printer. After putting the items away, she straightened up the room, placing pillows on the cots lined up against the wall and clean towels at the foot of each one.
When she finished, she surveyed the place in quiet satisfaction. It gleamed. The cleaning crew had polished the floor just that morning, and with everything stored away, it looked orderly and neat. Taking a seat beside her desk, she put on her running shoes, and then headed for the door.
It was early evening, her favorite time of day. The game was over; everyone had gone except the grounds crew. The air was undeniably brisk, and she huddled inside her hoodie as she stretched her hamstrings, and then her calf muscles.
After warming up with a walk, she picked up the pace to a jog. The first stars emerged as night fell, but lights blazed around the field, illuminating her path.
She’d been running since she could remember. When she was little, like most children, she did it for fun, for the sheer exhilaration of the exercise. But now it was much more. As the cold air filled her lungs, she took a deep breath and enjoyed the utter stillness.
It was her way of calming her mind and de-stressing. As she broke into a jog, she realized she needed that now more than ever, for her thoughts tumbled into each other like the towels she’d just taken out of the dryer.
Gavin. As she ran on the warming track, she thought of the courage it took to start over, to rebuild after an injury, to hope against hope to be once again back where he’d been, pounding on the plate with a bat and sending the ball soaring while the fans got to their feet and cheered.
It had to be heady, that feeling. Yet she got the sense that he wasn’t in it for accolades; it was more about personal achievement. Exceeding yesterday’s goal, and setting an even higher one for tomorrow. Reaching a batting average that the year before he would have thought impossible, and then doing it again.
She understood, and also could empathize with the fear and anger he must be experiencing when he considered losing all that. She would keep him focused on getting better, give him enough to do every day so that he slept at night, tired but good tired. There were times in life that distraction was the best way to get through a difficult period, and this was one of them.
Yet she didn’t know how to stop that little flutter in her heart when Gavin looked at her, or the racing of her pulse when he gave her that sexy grin…
Picking up the pace, she rounded second, breathless from the exertion, and felt the vibration of her cell. Plugging in her earbud, she grinned as she glanced at the iPhone. It was her brother Rory. She wasn’t surprised; he usually called around this time, keeping her company during her run.
“Yo, what’s up?”
“What’s up with you?” she asked, slowing to a walk.
“Another day in paradise.” She could picture his shudder. Her brother was playing for Boston, and he wasn’t in love with New England weather. “So I hear you guys got Gavin King in a trade?”
“Yep. He’s on the DL for a knee injury. I pulled the short straw and got to work with him.”
“He could be a real asset once he gets healthy,” Rory commented. “He’s still young, and with the way he can hit? He could be a star.”
“That’s the plan. The management team is gambling that he will come back and take Ryan Wakeman’s place. We have good pitching, but we do need a hitter.”
“How is he coming along?”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks, but it’s hard for him. Moving here from California, having surgery, recovering. And getting used to this team takes some time.”
“I hear that.” Her brother chuckled. “They are a bunch of jokers. We always have a good time playing the Sonics in interleague; you never know what to expect. Watch out for the shaving cream pies, the cold-water showers, the fake calls to the bullpen.”
“I know,” Jessica acknowledged. “It’s all part of their charm. I think he’ll fit in well once he gets used to everything, and gets over the initial hump. But he’s having a tough time being patient.”
“We all do. Remember the time Logan got hurt? We were all ready to kill him.”
“Yep. I was just thinking of that recently.” When I was talking to Gavin on our walk, trying not to think of how damned attractive he was…
“So on another topic, I happened to see that the Sonics play Cincinnati next week. They’re coming to New Jersey for interleague games.”
She was rounding home and stopped dead in her tracks.
Cleveland. Zach. Her eyes closed as she pictured him, tall, dark and gorgeous, with that sexy smile and killer eyes. She’d resisted going out with him for weeks, ignoring his flirtation and the chemistry between them. But as a true alpha male, he’d simply waited her out, found the right time, and coerced her into his arms.
At first, it had been everything she’d dreamed. He made her feel special, important, and pretty. They went everywhere together, confided in each other, and had a great time. For Jessica, it was her first real relationship, and she couldn’t believe that this beautiful man wanted to date her, spend time with her, and make love to her.
Yet she never had the sense he was truly hers. There was always something missing, a feeling of trust and unconditional love. Her fears were confirmed when she caught him cheating on his first road trip, courtesy of the local Tattler.
The worst part was that he didn’t even lie about it. Instead, massive ego talking, he explained that he was entitled; after all, he was a major league player, and he was good-looking. Girls threw themselves at him all the time. What did she expect him to do?
“You there?”
“Yeah.” Jessica picked up the pace and resumed her jog. “I’d forgotten about the schedule.”
“Hey, sorry. Didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought if you need to get away for a couple of days, you know, while that tool bag is in town, you are welcome to stay here. I won’t even be home. We’re on the road that week.”
“That’s really sweet,” she said, surprised and touched. Much as she loved her brothers, they weren’t normally big on thinking about her, considering her needs. But they had all offered to beat the crap out of Zach and made it clear she was way too good for him, something she desperately needed to hear at the time.
“Just wanted you to know there’s a port in a storm, if you decide to get out of Dodge.”
“I appreciate it, but I’ll be fine. Besides, I have work here. I’m right in the middle of Gavin’s rehab. And I can’t run out of town every time Zach shows up.”
“I know, but it’s only been what, a year? That’s not that long. But I get it. You always were a tough guy.”
“That’s me,” she said, swallowing the knot in her throat. She’d never dreamed that a breakup could be so difficult, and wondered if the day would ever come that she could think of Zach without pain. “So what’s going on with you? How about them Red Sox?”
