Stealing His Heart (The Kingston Heat Series) (19 page)

The mall was covered in Christmas decorations. The crowds were what one would expect for a Saturday afternoon in December. Soph would much rather have been cuddled up on her couch, under her electric throw reading a book, but Maggie wanted to pick up a few gifts for Kyle.

“I think we may have set a date,” Maggie said as she rummaged through a table of designer sweaters.

She and Kyle had gotten engaged over the Thanksgiving break. Maggie did a good job of avoiding talking about it and that made Soph sad. She was happy for her friend and wanted to share in her excitement. Just because things didn’t work out with Pax didn’t mean she couldn’t celebrate her best friend’s good news, even if it did sting.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.” She held up a forest green cardigan and then crinkled her nose in displeasure. “It looked better on the display.”

“Maggie? When are you getting married?”

“August.” She folded the sweater and put it back on the table.

“I can’t believe you’re going to wait that long.” She and Kyle had a whirlwind courtship. They’d only been together since March, just one month before Soph had started seeing Pax.

“It makes sense to get married in the summer,” she said. “I don’t want to take time off during the school year.”

“That does make sense.”

“And since Baby Bean…” She glanced at Soph’s stomach. “…is coming in May, I thought you’d need some time to recover. We’re going to be busy with the little one.”

“You’re holding off because I’m pregnant?”

“I figured June would be too soon for you.”

“It probably would be, but I’ll be there whenever you need me.”

“I know, but August works. I need my maid of honor ready to fulfill her duties.”

“I won’t slack.”

“Good.” She walked to a table filled with ties. “Let me just look at these and then we’ll have lunch.”

“I’m starving.”

“Hmm, there’s news.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Speaking of Baby Bean...” She continued to look through the ties. “Have you given any thought to letting Pax in on the news?”

“Not really.” It had to be done. No matter what had happened between them he was the father of her child and he had a right to know. She’d been over it in her head hundreds of time, but it was easier to put it off than to actually do it.

“Sweetie, we live in a pretty tight town. Your belly isn’t staying so concealed anymore. Sooner or later people are going to figure out who your baby daddy is. Some of the team is starting to come back to Kingston for the holidays. I think it’s time you start answering his calls.”

“Really? You were pretty pissed at him when you found out what he had done. Weren’t you the one who told me I was better off without him?”

“I did, but I may have been a bit hasty.” She bit her lip. “I’m known to be impulsive.”

“What’s going on?”

“Something is off.”

“What do you mean? What’s off? Have you talked to Pax?”

“I told you he called me two weeks ago and I told him to piss off. I’m loyal to you.”

“You said you didn’t ask him about his trip or the girl. Were you telling me the truth?” Soph had a sick feeling in her stomach. “What changed?”

“I told you the truth. He asked how you were and why you wouldn’t return his calls or texts. He said he didn’t understand why you cut him off. I wanted to tear him a new one, but I didn’t want to make you sound desperate or like you cared about him with another girl, so I told him to leave you alone until you were ready to reach out to him.”

“You told me all of this.”

“Doc has been going to Texas quite a bit these last few weeks. As a matter of fact, he left for Texas the day after the parade. I didn’t think anything of it, but what if he’s going there to see Pax?”

“So?”

“Kyle says his dad hasn’t discussed his trips but it’s not unusual for Doc to travel to see team members. He said his dad has always been discreet and Kyle doesn’t ask about his patients.”

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.” Maybe it was the heat in the mall or the grumbling in her stomach but she wasn’t putting together whatever Maggie was trying to say.

“You found one picture of him and the beauty queen. I’ve searched a few times myself, and I can’t find anything else with Pax and that girl or any other girl in the last six weeks. The media still has him linked to you.”

“It doesn’t mean he isn’t back to one-night stands.” Maybe Pax had learned to be more tactful with his sexual encounters. The bile rose in her throat when she thought about him having sex with anyone other than her. This was exactly why she didn’t torture herself with searching the internet or watching the MLB network. She didn’t want to know what he was up to. It hurt too much.

“What if Kenny lied? I wouldn’t put it past him. What if Doc has been visiting Pax in Texas because something else is going on?”

“There are other team members in Texas. It doesn’t mean Doc went to see Pax the day after the parade. Kenny is an asshole but Pax didn’t start contacting me until almost two weeks after the season ended. Where was he if not in Belize?”

“I don’t know, but the more I think about it the more I think things got hectic and out of control really fast. Pax has reached out to you several times. He keeps trying even though you won’t reciprocate. In the beginning I did think he fucked up, but now I don’t know. Maybe I’m hoping too hard because I know how much you love him. I’m being sappy.”

“You think I should forgive him?”

“I think you should tell him the truth and see what he needs to be forgiven for. I get that you were hurt that night in the locker room. He took the coward’s way out, but he’s a guy and sometimes they don’t think. If he did run off to some exotic place with some bimbo then I say cut him loose. You don’t have to have him in your bed if he isn’t worthy, but he did make a baby with you. I think he would want to know that. He deserves to know that.”

“You’re right,” she said. “I didn’t plan on waiting six weeks to tell him.”

“I know you don’t want to do it over the phone. You’re scared to take a chance, but you may have to ask him to come home. You need to be the one to tell him.”

“I’ll think about the things you said.” Soph wanted to believe that Pax didn’t cheat on her. “I’ve been emotional and hormonal. Everything happened so fast. The fight, the World Series, and the pregnancy. When Kenny told me that stuff that day I was upset and I believed him without giving Pax the benefit of the doubt. But he left, Mags. He told me I was a distraction and a complication.” If she had been a complication before what would he consider her now that she was pregnant?

“He didn’t mean that. He was nervous. So many were depending on him.”

“Maybe once we were apart he realized he wasn’t ready for a relationship. His career is his life. Maybe once he asked for his space he saw that the pressure of a personal life was too hard. He may have decided things would be better for his career if her didn’t have a girlfriend.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t ask him.”

“What if I’m too much of a wuss to hear the answers?”

“You’re one of the strongest women I know, and I’ll support you no matter what.” She put her arm around her. “I just want to make sure you don’t make a mistake you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”

“I’ll get in touch with him.” They headed in the direction of the cashier. “Can we eat now?”

“Sure, I don’t want Baby Bean to starve.” She laughed. “That kid can eat.”

* * * *

Sophia put on her black, thigh length wool coat and headed out the doors of the school. The crisp December air brushed her face and stung her cheeks. Winter break was finally here. She looked forward to the much needed down time. Her back ached all the time and standing on her feet most of the day wasn’t helping her swollen ankles.

“Pax?”

She nearly lost her breath when she saw him leaning against the lamp post. She hadn’t seen him in almost two months. His hair was longer and he looked like he needed a shave, but he was still the sexiest man she’d ever seen.

She pulled her coat closed, buttoning it up before she walked over to him.

“Hey.” He straightened up and watched as she came toward him.

With each step her heart beat faster. Her throat was suddenly dry and her stomach nauseous. Why hadn’t she contacted him? Why had she put it off? Now she had no choice but to tell him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

He moved closer to her, but stopped and shoved his hands in his jeans pocket. “I went to the cottage, and your dad told me you’d gotten an apartment near the school. He told me you’d probably still be here.”

“Did he tell you anything else?”

“Just that I should come and find you. We talked baseball for a few minutes.” He shrugged. “Why did you move out?”

“It was time.”

“I just came in from Texas.”

“You haven’t been back since the series. What are you doing here now?”

“I do have a house here.” He shifted back and forth on his heels. She hadn’t remembered him being so jittery. He looked as nervous as she felt. “I...um, well, I wanted to see you.”

“Why?” She hadn’t meant to be so defensive but seeing him brought it all back. Every wonderful memory, all the way up until that nasty fight—the fight that ended things so abruptly. She’d played it in her head over and over. She thought she’d meant something to him, but he walked away and didn’t look back.

“Two months is a long time.” He reached out and took her hand. “I hate the way we left things.”

It would be so easy to fall back into his arms and forget that the past two months had happened. But they had. He had moved on. It didn’t take him long either. Was she supposed to forget that?

“I don’t know what you want from me.” She pulled out of his grasp because all she wanted was for him to hold her.

“I want to know what happened. Why did it all end so fast?”

“Are you serious?” He was there that night in the locker room. He said he needed space, so she gave it to him. The ball was in his court. He didn’t come back.

“I’m trying to be.” He exhaled in frustration. “You didn’t answer any of my texts or phone calls. I left messages.”

“I haven’t listened to any of them.”

“Why not?”

She didn’t want to hear lies. She had to protect her heart. He’d gone away with another woman and he had the nerve to call her when he got back.

“I was harsh that night in the locker room, but I was under a tremendous amount of stress. I don’t excuse what I said. I know I hurt you. You hurt me too, but we could have moved past it.”

“You moved pretty fast.”

“What are you talking about?” He shook his head as if he had no idea. “You walked away. After the text you sent to congratulate me on winning the series that was it. You never responded to me again. I called Maggie a few weeks ago and she practically told me to fuck off.”

“At least she didn’t tell you I’d moved on.”

“What? Did you?” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Have you? Is that why you’re ignoring me?”

“Does it matter?”

“Why are you being so defensive?”

“Because you…” Her head pounded, and despite the cold December air, her face was flush. She swayed forward, but before she could lose her balance he gripped her arm and held her steady.

“Sophie, baby.” He held her against him. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t.” She tried to pull out of his hold. “Don’t you dare be nice to me.”

“Why?” he whispered but wouldn’t let go of her. “Why won’t you let me help you? Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

“You went to Belize with Miss Texas.” She pushed the windblown hair from her face. “You got over us real quick, so don’t come back here asking me why I’m so defensive.”

“Belize? What the hell are you talking about?”

“I know where you’ve been.”

“Obviously you’ve read some tabloid or something but you couldn’t be more wrong about where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing.”

She wanted to believe he hadn’t been with some gorgeous beauty contestant, but given his reputation how could she be wrong? Everything added up in her mind.

“Don’t bother with a story. I came to your house the day after the parade because I didn’t like the way we ended things.”

“I wasn’t there the day after the parade. I hopped on a plane the night before. I needed to be someplace.”

“Yeah, I know. Kenny told me.”

“Kenny? He didn’t tell me you stopped by.”

“You were busy in Belize with Miss Texas.”

“He told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care.”

“I sure as hell do.” He gritted his teeth. “I’m gonna kill that mother fuc…” He took a deep breath. “You haven’t returned my calls because you think I ran off with a model?”

“A beauty contestant.”

“Whatever.” He shook his head. “That’s why you cut me off?”

“We weren’t even broken up two weeks. I gave you space to get through the most important game of your life because you asked me to.” She pulled out of his hold. “After all we were to one another. After everything you promised. I don’t understand how you could move on so fast. I didn’t return your calls because I’m not stupid.”

With each word, her stomach twisted. If she didn’t get out of there she would end up puking all over his boots. “I have to go.”

“No, not until you hear what I have to say.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Stop saying that. It does matter. Everything matters when it comes to you.” He tucked her hair behind her ear but she didn’t have the resolve to fight him. She wanted him to touch her, to make everything all better. “I didn’t go to Belize. I went back to Texas. I had to have emergency surgery on my shoulder. If you would have listened to my voicemails you would have known where I was.”

“What?” His shoulder. How would he pitch?

“It had been bothering me all season but I didn’t want to admit it. It wasn’t affecting my pitching. I had to finish the season and bring us all the way. That’s what I was hired to do.”

“Pax, are you okay?” She hadn’t heard anything about this. “How come no one knew?”

“There were speculations in the press, but we tried to keep it out of the media. It wasn’t a big deal, and I didn’t want the buzz and joy of winning to be overshadowed by my injury. Now that I’m back I’ll have to give a press conference to discuss my prognosis.”