'Yes, you do.'
Did he really think that? 'No. I just want to be equals in this. I want to be more than a supplicant at the altar of Reid.'
'I have an altar?'
'You know what I mean.' She shrugged. 'That was all.' She turned to leave.
He grabbed her arm and held her in place. Then he moved close, put his hands on her waist and drew her against him.
'Why do you doubt yourself?' he asked. 'You look great. You looked great before. If you're happy with what you did, then I'm happy. You don't have to change to get me interested.' He smiled, but continued to stare into her eyes. 'I think I've already proved that. Several times over.'
She appreciated the reassurance and refused to let herself point out that there hadn't been a repeat performance of that single, amazing night. She stepped back.
'I'm not looking for a one-night stand,' he continued. 'As for you hurting me, of course it could happen, Lori. I have as much on the line as you do. You're right- we're not equals. You have the advantage.'
'Oh, please.' Who was he kidding?
'You don't trust me,' he said. 'Why?'
'Because…Because you're Reid Buchanan and I don't know how to be in a relationship. Because I'm afraid. Because this is hard.'
'So you run?'
'It seems a good plan.'
'Maybe you could find another one.'
She stared at him, not sure what to say. Did she want to stay? Not because he asked or because Madeline said it was a good idea, but for herself?
'I'm not running,' he said. 'You think that doesn't terrify me?'
'You're trapped here.'
He touched her face. 'You're wrong. There are a thousand places I could be. I'm here. With you.'
She liked how that sounded. In the past, she'd always avoided making the effort. Maybe it
'I'll stay,' she whispered.
'I'm glad.'
DR. GRAYSON WAS a friendly woman who listened as Lori told her sad tale of being unable to wear contacts.
'How long has it been since you tried?' the doctor asked. 'The new soft lenses are mostly water and many of my patients don't feel them at all.'
'It's been about five years,' Lori said. 'Maybe longer.'
'Do you want to try a pair now?'
Lori really didn't but somehow her makeover seemed incomplete. Besides, as spineless as it made her, her recent encounter with Reid had inspired her to go to the next level, or at least talk about it.
Dr. Grayson pulled out a plastic container of contacts. 'You're a perfect candidate for Lasik,' she said. 'If that interests you.'
Lori was too caught up in watching the doctor put liquid onto a seemingly innocent piece of flexible plastic to do more than murmur, 'I'm not wild about the idea.'
She swallowed hard, then tried to relax as the contact got closer and closer to her eye. When it was nearly touching, she flinched.
Dr. Grayson chuckled. 'This goes better if you leave your eye open. Do you want to try putting it in yourself?'
'Not even for money.'
'Okay. Deep breath. Here we go.'
The contact slipped onto her eye. Lori could instantly see better out of that one eye, which was kind of nice. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe she'd overreacted to the whole contact lenses issue. Then she blinked.
It was like having a boulder in her eye. Pain shot through to the back of head and tears poured down her cheek.
'Get it out, get it out,' she said quickly.
'Okay. Look up. Keep your eye open.'
Then it was gone. Dr. Grayson handed her a tissue. 'So maybe contacts aren't for you.'
'Maybe not.'
'There are a lot of great styles in glasses.'
Lori blinked several times to clear the tears, then looked down at her glasses. Maybe it was time to admit defeat.
Five minutes later she walked out into the waiting room. Madeline stood up.
'You're not wearing contacts.'
'I'm not a good candidate.'
'Oh. Okay. Now what?'
Lori pulled the appointment card out of her back pocket and tried not to hyperventilate.
'Now I get my corneas burned off by a stupid laser.'
A TRUTH OF BASEBALL IS that the pitcher is going to get hit by a few balls. Either throws that go wild or an unexpected low hit that flies right down the middle. Reid had taken his share of knocks and he remembered how each one hurt like hell. The ones that hit him in the gut had pushed the air out of his lungs.
He felt like that now- as if he'd been sucker punched. He wondered if he would ever catch his breath again. Sure he'd done the right thing, but damn.
He walked into the kitchen and saw Lori making Gloria's lunch. She turned, smiled, then put down the knife she'd been using and hurried over to him.
'What's wrong? Do you feel okay? Are you sick?'
'I'm good.'
'You look awful.' She touched his forehead. 'You don't have a temperature, but you're a little pale.'
'I'm fine. Just getting used to the fact that I gave away one hundred and twenty-five million dollars.'
Her eyes widened. 'You did what?'
'Gave it away. I'm starting a foundation. Its mission is to help get kids involved with sports. We'll give away equipment, build play fields, send kids to camp, that sort of thing. At least that's what we're working out right now. The details.'
Lori touched his arm. 'Impressive. That's a lot of money.'
'I'm just getting that.'
She smiled. 'So are you poor now? Do you have to get a job?'
'I'm trying to do the right thing, but I'm not crazy. I have money left. Besides, I have a job. I've quit the sports bar and now I'll be working at the foundation.'
'Running it?'
'No. I'm hiring experts for that. I'm going to be the front man. I was talking to Cal about it. I want to do something. Those letters…' He shook his head. 'They haunt me.'
She squeezed his arm. 'It wasn't your fault.'
'It was my picture and fake signature that got sent to those kids. When I think of how disappointed they must have been…' He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't seem to stop.
'I don't want it to happen again,' he said firmly. 'I'm going to make sure I get it right. I'm a celebrity of sorts. I can use that. I'll go out there and meet people. I'll get other donations, bring focus to important causes. Who
