“It’ll only be for a few days.”
He shook his head. He still couldn’t believe Rique was going through with that, not with the way he felt about Fiona. He chuckled to himself, mentally paraphrasing Rumi. When love spoke, you could not deny her.
Rique would lose the challenge to try.
His friend dropped him off at the condo, declining the invitation to go in and see it, wanting to get back to his sister’s house in case Fiona was there. Thoughts of loneliness filled Mateo’s soul as he exited the elevator, but he brightened immediately when he found Alicia sitting on the deck even though the weather didn’t warrant it. Her hair was down, and long tresses were blowing in the breeze. She was wrapped snugly in her big, puffy winter jacket, looking out at the white peaks dancing along the harbor.
When he opened the slider, he startled her.
“Sorry. Can I join you?”
“If you want. It’s so beautiful out here. When I came back, I couldn’t deny myself the pleasure of a few minutes of mindlessness.”
He took a seat next to her, pocketed his hands, and shrunk into his coat. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the blistering cold.
“You finished what you needed to?”
She gave him a small smile.
“I don’t think I’ll ever catch up. When I finish one report, another one spits out at me. New stats, new performance reviews, a list of events that need organizing, a player who needs physical therapy, the list goes on.”
“Mac explained his philosophy. It is quite simple really. He wants us to work but he wants us to play, as well, filling our lives with more than baseball. You would do well to follow it.”
“Easier said than done.”
Before he could ask anything else, her phone rang. She slipped it out of her pocket and checked the ID before answering the call.
He motioned, asking her if she wanted him to go back inside and give her some privacy, but she shook her head, giving him the go-ahead to sit back and enjoy the view.
“Hi, Dad. What’s up?”
He could only hear one side of the conversation, but when she said, “You heard that, did you?” it sounded as if he was mining for some information.
She glanced over at him just before she said, “I’ll ask. See if he’s willing. Hold on?”
She fingered a strand of hair from her mouth and explained, “Dad heard that I’m staying with you and asked if we wanted to go for dinner. Be forewarned, he’s looking for an interview. I have a feeling he wants to write an in-depth article about the player from Cuba. Don’t be afraid to say no.”
“How did he hear that?”
She chuckled. “He has his sources. They’re probably better than mine. Remember, he’s been working this beat since before I was born.”
“I will get to meet your mother?”
“Hopefully, she’ll be the one making dinner. Dad’s idea of substantial is a peanut butter and fluff sandwich. We didn’t even get the nutritional value of jelly when meals were left to him.”
“Then yes.”
“You’re sure? He’ll be asking a lot about where you came from, how the styles compare, the teams, all that stuff you might have wanted to leave behind.”
“It is part of who I am, so I am not averse to talking about it.”
She pressed her lips together as if thinking. Was she going to try to talk him out of it?
When she put the phone back to her ear, she asked, “What time?”
“Okay, but we have to be back early. Mateo has to study for his permit test.”
Her father was talking now, and she glanced over, rolled her eyes and said, “Dad, save your questions for Mateo. I don’t have the answers.”
She rested her head back as soon as she swiped off.
“He was surprised I said yes. I don’t usually give him this kind of access to the players I’m working with.”
“Why did you?”
“I’m not exactly sure. Maybe I think the world needs to hear your story. Maybe because you’re going to generate all kinds of media attention, and if someone’s going to write an article about you, I think it should be my father. Or maybe it’s just because I have a different kind of relationship with you than the others.”
CHAPTER TEN
Allie looked over at him, and thought silently, Maybe I want to share you with my family.
It wasn’t smart, but it was there, just beneath the surface. She knew the marriage would never amount to anything more than temporary, but she felt…something for the man sitting next to her. He was not what she’d expected, and it was getting harder to keep her distance. If he was someone else, did something else for a living, she might have…
Ha. If he did something else, you would not be here with him.
“Come on, let’s go. He wants to get to the interview before dinner seeing that we can’t stay late.”
He let her precede him into the warmth of the condo, but she didn’t give herself time to get rid of the chill in her bones. After snatching up her purse, which had to weigh thirty pounds, and was big enough to hold all her paraphernalia, she marched them toward the outer door. As they rode the elevator down to the garage, he asked, “Where do they live? Is it where you grew up?”
“Yes.”
She’d never told him she’d grown up in a fishing village like he had, even after he’d told her about it. Maybe this was the reason she’d agreed to take him. He’d love the area. It might be more vibrant than where he hailed from, but it had beaches, boats, and a small-town feel.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Not that you’d have any idea what it means but we’re going to Gloucester.”
“Is it a city like Boston?”
All she was willing to tell him was, “You’ll like it.”
The drive down Route 128 was uneventful, taking only forty-five minutes. There were very few who ventured this far
