Last Chance Christmas (16 page)

“Just one more!” a handful of people shouted in unison.

Instead, he dug his phone out of his pocket and held it up as he kept edging down the steps.

“Sorry. My friends are wondering where I disappeared to,” he lied, knowing there were no messages waiting for him since the device hadn’t vibrated in the last ten minutes. “I’d better get back to them.”

“Only three days until the regular season starts, folks!” an old-timer called from the back of the group. “Better let this boy get on his way so he can pack his things and get to Atlanta.”

Grady waved his thanks at the older man who balanced with the help of a cane.

“That’s true, sir.” He had a special place in his heart for the savvy fans who knew more about baseball than him. Some of the volunteers at the Orlando spring training facility had seen more baseball greats come and go than Grady would ever meet. “I’ve got a lot to do before the trip north.”

Some of the people eased back, giving him enough room to make it to the bottom of the steps.

“Good luck, son,” the older man called. “Travel safe.”

The well wishes were echoed by a dozen other people before Grady broke free and arrived at the glass doors. He sprinted out to the parking lot, not giving anyone else time to recognize him. He scanned the area, remembering where he’d seen Melanie’s economical four-cylinder Honda earlier. He’d parked one row behind her.

Only now, he spotted his truck easily enough. Her silver compact was nowhere in sight.

“Damn it.” He cursed a whole lot more as he punched in her number, wishing he could have found a way to break free of the fans faster. Had she waited for him long?

“Hi, this is Melanie…” Her voice mail picked up after four rings.

Really?

She hadn’t just ditched him after the wedding. Now she wasn’t answering his calls?

He’d never been so confused. Opening the driver’s side door of his truck he slid into the front seat and tried calling again. And again.

No answer.

What was it she’d said before she left?
You deserve so much more.

What did that even mean? From the first moment he’d laid eyes on Melanie Webb, all he wanted was her. He came from a driven family of competitive athletes where winning was prized at all costs. Melanie’s playful spirit and easygoing demeanor were like breathing fresh air.

Being with her made him feel—maybe for the first time ever—like he didn’t have the weight of the world’s expectations sitting on his chest every second of every day. With her, he could have fun. Not only did he love her something fierce, he wasn’t sure he could face the regular season without her in his life.

After his fifth phone call went unanswered, he switched screens on his phone and started texting.

I love you.
Without waiting for an answer, he kept typing and sent another message.

Please talk to me.

Outside his truck windshield, the commuter traffic had slowed. The parking lot was full but quiet. Still.

He waited. And waited.

It was worse than watching one of those slow pitchers work the late innings in a tie game. Time crawled by.

They’d just
married
for crying out loud. How could she—

His cell phone chimed. There was a message from “The Mrs.,” a title Melanie had given herself when she’d messed around on his phone two days before. The same day she’d changed her ringtone to “Going to the Chapel.” She’d had so much fun with the wedding, never once complaining about the quick ceremony or the lack of planning time the way most women would.

This was a mistake
.

The words sucked the air out of his lungs. He squinted down at them like he’d read them wrong. But no… his wife had just told him she regretted marrying him less than an hour after the fact.

Obviously, she didn’t know him as well as he thought she did. Because Grady Hollis didn’t give up on anything. It made him a great ballplayer and sometimes, a truly stubborn ass. He hoped one day it would make him a great husband too.

For right now though, he remembered that while Melanie had been playing with his phone, he’d gotten to play with hers too. Would she remember the app he’d asked her if he could download?

The Family Finder was a GPS link to loved ones. She would always know where he was and vice versa. He’d wanted it on her phone so she’d always know he was safe in his hotel for the night and not hanging out at strip clubs when the team travelled.

But right now? The app served a bonus double duty and told Grady exactly where to find his missing wife.

Find out what happens next in How to Lose a Groom in 10 Days…

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Joanne Rock
writes romance of all shapes and sizes from sexy contemporary to medieval historical and an occasional Young Adult story. She’s penned over seventy books, appearing most often in the Harlequin Blaze series. Joanne taught English at the college level before becoming a full-time writer, and she returns to the classroom as often as possible to share her love of stories. A quiet and unassuming Virgo, Joanne married a fiery and boisterous Aries man in true opposites-attract fashion.

Visit her website at
www.JoanneRock.com
.

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