Jennifer Seasons - Throwing Heat

DAYS PASSED BY in a blur while Leslie prepared for the Halloween party, dealt with the police about Seth, and generally did her best to avoid Peter. Her apartment still wasn’t ready, so she was spending a lot of quality time in her office making nice with her purple couch. It was better than being at Peter’s place.

Now, stepping out into Peter’s garage with her hands full, she thought about how they’d barely spoken since the night she’d made him come clean about Miami. Neither of them was in any particular hurry to broach the topic again, and she wasn’t willing to risk something physical happening, so they steered clear of each other. It helped a lot that Peter was away with the team while they won the League Championships and moved on to the World Series.

Everyone was super stoked. And she could feel the excitement, shared it even. It would be absolutely wonderful if the Rush took the Fall Classic. They were doing great so it was a real possibility.

Peter’s arm was recovering well and with a little luck he might even be able to play in the World Series before it was over after all. Which she thought was great and wanted to tell him, but after the way they’d parted company, she wasn’t really sure what to say.

Everything she’d thought about that night in Miami was bogus. Peter hadn’t lost interest. Knowing that had all kinds of complicated emotions coursing through her.

It changed everything.

For the past three years she’d felt so much self-doubt around the pitcher. Her confidence had suffered, her belief in her sexual appeal had been bruised and battered. That night had so much more of an impact on how she felt about herself than she wanted to admit.

And now that she knew the truth, she felt free.

Irritated that one man’s confession meant so damn much, but still free. Lighter, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Sure there was that whole having-to-deal-with-him-now thing, but she’d get around to it when she was good and ready.

Right now her favorite holiday was just around the corner, and that meant she was only days away from reclaiming her life. There was no way she was going to cave and sleep with Peter with the end of the bet so close. No way, no how. She already had a spreadsheet on her computer full of contacts and ideas on how to promote the crap out of the Rush’s all-star pitcher playing at Hotbox. She could see exactly how to promote it, the angle to use and the people to utilize.

It was going to be spectacular.

If she’d had the idea of jumping him like a trampoline the day after the bet ended, well that was her secret. So was the fact that thoughts of whatif had drifted across her mind once or twice, or maybe a dozen times.

Her phone rang and she snatched it up, answering as she climbed into her Mini. She set the gift bag she was carrying on the passenger seat and said into the speaker, “Leslie Cutter.”

“Hey, sis. Lorelei wanted me to call and double-check that you had the correct directions to our place. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that she might have written it down wrong for you.” Her brother sounded happy and that made her heart smile. He and Lorelei were having a housewarming party to celebrate their new home.

“I think I remember how to get there on my own, actually. Lorelei took me there a few weeks ago right after y’all had closed on it, remember? But here, hold on a minute and I’ll read them off to you.” Leslie rifled through her oversized hobo purse and found the scrap of paper the directions were scribbled on.

She relayed the directions quickly and Mark replied, “You got it!”

Well, sure. Women actually knew how to copy down directions. They didn’t just set off into the great unknown hell-bent on figuring it out for themselves using the sun and a piece of string as guides.

One time back in high school, she and Mark had wound up lost and out of gas in Florida’s backwoods in their dad’s old Buick. All because Mark had insisted that he knew the way to Tammy Lynette’s pig farm where there was a kegger waiting and had refused to stop and ask for directions when all the gravel roads had started to look the same.

They slept in the Buick that night and woke the next morning to the greeting of a six-foot snake on the hood of their car and had two very irate parents when they got home.

Leslie shook her head, amused now at the memory. “I’m just leaving Peter’s place, so I should be there in forty-five minutes or so.”

Mark grunted. It was his non-verbal form of gotcha. “See you soon.”

She started the car and pulled on her seatbelt. “Yeah.”

About to hang up, she stopped when Mark asked, “So how is Peter treating you since you’ve been staying at his place?”

Um . . . “He’s been great.”

Mark’s voice took on a tone that meant he didn’t believe her. “What’s going on? Is he giving you a hard time?”

She snorted. She couldn’t help it. Hard time.

Leslie wished he was giving her a hard time. After she won the bet. “No, he’s been great.”

Her brother seemed to relax and his voice became less sharp. “Okay. Let me know if he steps out of line though, you hear?”

“I’m a grown woman. I can handle my own life.” Her conscience nipped at her, pointing out that given her current situation it wasn’t so apparent that she could handle it. And then it said that she was only in her current situation because her life had been soundly ruined in the first place. She wanted to smack her stupid conscience for reminding her.

He must have heard the mounting tension in her voice because he replied, “I know. It’s just that I know Pete too.”

“I hear you. Thanks for the concern, but I’ll be fine.” It felt good to know that somebody cared.

She and Mark talked for another minute as she backed out of the garage and pulled onto the road. Then they hung up and she was left with a quiet, cozy car and the open road. For the next half hour she cruised out of Denver and then hopped on Highway 287, which would take her the rest of the way to Lafayette, where Mark and Lorelei now resided.

Just north of the town, tons of open land sprawled, with the Rockies standing sentry to the West. It was beautiful, all the gently rolling hills. She could see why they’d fallen in love with the location. So much breathing room.

Coming to her turnoff, Leslie slowed her Mini and whipped around the turn, grinning. Her baby cornered like a golf cart. Slinging it around corners was just so much fun.

Slowing as another smaller, tighter turn appeared before her, Leslie scanned the directions again very briefly and took the hard left. Alpine Road. She’d found it. Downshifting, she took that corner at a conservative speed and smiled happily as she passed a pasture full of horses.

Leslie turned down the gravel road to her brother’s new place, enjoying the way the house came into view through the trees, their bold autumn colors framing the huge farmhouse beautifully. About twenty or so cars were already parked here and there, most just pulled off into the grass by the side of the drive. Scanning the vehicles, Leslie released a tense breath, unaware that she’d even been holding it.

There was no yellow FJ Cruiser.

Trying to ignore the relief that coursed through her, because if she acknowledged it, it would mean that there was something she had been stressing about, Leslie found a place to park in front of a big, old-fashioned red barn. She grinned and felt warm fuzzies fill her when a small, fluffy, white-and-gray kitten waddled out of the cracked-open door and meowed at her. Instantly in love, she climbed out and grabbed the gift bag, eyes locked on the furry little heart-stealer.

“What’s your name, sweetie?” she crooned and crouched down, crooking her finger at the kitten.

The fat little thing let out a tiny cry and hurried over to her, obviously a little lonely and in need of some affection. “You’ve found the right girl,” she said and ran a finger down the kitten’s downy-soft head.

She was so completely, hopelessly infatuated with her new acquaintance that she didn’t hear the door to the barn creak open. She was lost in the feel of the kitten’s soft, round belly as she gave it a good rub, so she jumped when a boy’s voice cut through her bubble of love. “Isn’t she the most adorable kitten ever in the whole entire world?”

It was Charlie, in a gray hoodie and jeans.

“I saw that somebody had put out a ton of food for them. There’s two more inside, but they’re still scared and hiding behind the hay bales.” Sweet, blue eyes turned to her and Charlie bent his head to the side and asked, “Do you want one of them? Lorelei said that I could have one if Mom agrees, and I bet she’d give you one too if you want.”

“No thanks,” she said instantly. When would she have time to take care of a kitten? Her life was so busy as it was. “Oh don’t you look at me like that, missy,” she chided down at the kitten, feeling guilty. What was the use?

She was such a sucker. Little miss was going home with her. The decision made, Leslie gently set the kitten on the ground and stood up. Then she grabbed the gift bag full of baking goodies for Lorelei and said, “Let’s leave them for now and we’ll come back later. How’s that sound, Charlie?”

The boy gave her a sunny smile and nodded, his blue eyes sparkling. “I knew you couldn’t resist.”

It was the story of her life.

Charlie put his kitten down on the ground next to hers and wiped his hands on the front of his jeans. “Wanna go inside?” he asked, his gaze turning to the big blue-gray two-story house with the wraparound porch.