No Breaking My Heart (16 page)

“So . . .” he released on a long breath. Scrubbed his knuckles along his jaw. “Are you interested in knowing me now?”

“I'll let you know after you toast me a marshmallow.”

“You saw what I did to the foot-longs.”

“You're in luck, Landon. I happen to like them burnt.”

Eight

“H
ow's your tummy today?” Halo Todd asked Danny when the boy and his sister stepped from the shuttle bus. Transportation was provided for the contest winners. They were picked up at Barefoot Inn and driven to the stadium. Halo awaited them in the parking lot. “You ate a foot-long hot dog, a ton of marshmallows, and drank two sodas last night.”

Danny pulled a face. “Not a ton. Fifteen.”

“That was ten too many,” said Alyn. Halo watched as she gently rubbed her brother's back, right between his shoulder blades. An affectionate gesture. She looked pretty in a white tank top and black shorts. Red ballerina flats. She wore her long hair in a fancy braid down her back. “Thank goodness Mom had Alka-Seltzer,” she added.

“Made me burp.”

“He was starving again this morning,” Alyn said.

Danny held his hands wide apart. “I ate a stack of pancakes,” he exaggerated. “What about you, Halo?”

“Steak and eggs.”

“I've never had steak for breakfast.”

“One morning I'll treat you,” said Halo.

Danny bounced on his tennis-shoed toes. “Can Alyn and Mommy come with us?”

“They're invited, too.” He raised an eyebrow then. “Where's Martha?” She hadn't gotten off the shuttle.

Alyn relayed, “Mom's knee was bothering her this morning. She has arthritis. She sent me with Danny, and stayed behind. She'll sit in the shade by the pool, keep an eye on our pets. I exercised Quigley before we left. He'll be fine for a few hours.”

“Twitches?” Halo hoped so.

“No, but he kicked out his back leg on our walk. That was a first. Could be no more than an involuntary muscle spasm, but still—”

“A kick is a kick.”

“We'll take it.”

“I'll give you a tour of the facility, if you like.” He noticed the other winners and players were headed toward the clubhouse. Ninety-year-old Eleanor was in the lead. No one dared pass her on the sidewalk. If someone did, she stuck out Herman to slow them down. No one wanted to get whacked in the shins by a cane. Especially one that talked to her.

Danny was all energy and excitement. “What's first?” he asked.

Halo was patient with him. He outlined their day. “I'll show you the locker and workout rooms, the field, and batting cages. Afterward, I need to change into my uniform for Media Day.”

“You get reported?”

“Reporters interview the starting lineup,” Halo corrected. “It's an hour of questions and answers. We sit on tall stools outside in Rogues Plaza. You and your sister will be seated on bleachers. You'll be introduced as well, as my contest winner.”

“Will I get my picture taken?”

“I'm sure you will. Someone from the media might even ask you a question.”

His eyes widened. “What if I don't know the answer?”

“It's not like school, sweetie,” Alyn assured him. “No math or science. Halo will whisper a response if you get stuck.”

“You will?”

“I always come up with something.” His prediction of winning the World Series had fallen short the previous season. National League Division Series, and he'd been humbled by the Rogues' loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The press hounded him afterward. Telling him to polish his crystal ball and look deeper next year.

“What are we waiting for?” Danny reached for Halo's hand. Then Alyn's. He stood between them. Tugged. Ready to start their day.

They left the parking lot and entered the gated facility. A tall chain-link fence wrapped the grounds. Fans were already gathering for Media Day. The collapsible bleachers could only hold so many, and people arrived early to get a seat. Standing room only was limited.

A group of young women followed them in, calling to and flirting with Halo. “How's my favorite player?” “Looking good, Halo, babe.” “Catch you tonight at the Coconut.” “After party at my place,” came his way.

Halo waved back. He couldn't ignore the women. He'd partied with them. He'd had sex with the curvy blonde. Over the past week, his priorities had shifted. He focused on Danny and Alyn now.

Danny looked up at him. “What's an ‘after party'?”

“I'm curious, too.” The corners of Alyn's mouth tipped up.

Halo went with, “A smaller party that continues after the main party ends.”

Danny puzzled. “Like a double-birthday party? Two cakes?”

“More or less,” said Halo.

The boy grinned then. “I want an after party for my next birthday, sis. More friends. Lots more presents.”

“I'll mention it to Mom,” said Alyn.

A convertible sports car honked from the access road on the opposite side of the fence. Slowing, a girl with wavy hair and red lips seated shotgun shouted at Halo, “Missed you last night at Boner's. Wild night. Check out Sammy boy. He looks like Grumpy Cat.”

Sam Matthews. Cat whiskers. Lesson learned. Never hook up with a girl wielding an indelible Sharpie. Disaster struck. His date was creative, albeit drunken crazy. Forcing Sam to skip the bonfire. Halo wondered if he was still whiskered. If so, at least his catcher's mask would hide the black lines.

“I drew on my arm once,” said Danny.

“He made his own tattoo,” added Alyn. “A baseball.”

“How'd you remove the marker?” Halo hoped she had a solution. For Sam's sake, anyway. One he could relay to him, if needed.

“It took several tries, actually,” she said. “We experimented with nail polish remover, baking soda toothpaste, rubbing alcohol, baby wipes.” She smiled, finished with, “WD-40 finally did the trick. It's greasy. Be sure to wash it off.”

“There should be WD-40 in the workout room,” said Halo.

A female jogger passed them on the far side of the chain-link. “Halo, baby!” Big boobs, small halter top. Lady was bouncing. Danny was staring. “Love you, stud. Call me.” She moved on.

“You going to call her?” Danny asked him.

“I can't remember her name.” He was honest with the boy.

“She knew you.”

“The Rogues have a lot of fans,” he explained. “People know my name, but I don't always know theirs.”

“Do you like being popular?”

It had both advantages and disadvantages. “It's nice to have friends.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” The boy was full of questions.

“I like your sister,” was said without thinking.

Alyn started, but Danny wasn't fazed. “I like Frannie Nathan,” he said. “She's in my class. She shared her groin—”

“Granola,” Alyn corrected him.

“During snack time. The sunflower seeds were best. Her mom's a veggie—”

“Vegetarian.” Again from Alyn. “Their family eats healthy.”

“Healthy is good,” said Halo. “But sometimes I like junk food, just to round things out.”

Danny grinned. “I round out a lot.”

Halo smiled back, before moving them on. “Let's take the fan walkway,” he suggested. “It's worth seeing.”

The long, winding sidewalk around the perimeter of the stadium had been Jillian's idea during construction two years prior. Fans had been allowed to leave their footprints for future generations. There were hundreds of prints. All different sizes and shapes, from boots to flip-flops. One set was barefoot. Danny matched his own footprints to nearly every pair.

It took them some time to reach Rogues Plaza, located near the front of the facility. The plaza was wide and tree-lined, set up with benches and collapsible bleachers. It was there that team members had left their marks. Large cement squares showcased cleated footprints, along with the players' names.

Danny immediately went to Halo's prints. Stood inside them. “Wow, you have big feet,” he said. He gave his shoe size. “I'm a four.”

“Thirteen,” Halo returned.

Danny spun around, faced backwards in the print. The toes of his sneakers met Halo's heels. Still not a good fit. “I need to grow more,” he said. “Taller, too.”

Halo patted his shoulder with his free hand. “You will, dude.” He then nodded toward the main entrance. “To the locker room. Ready?”

“Set, go!” Danny took off ahead of them. He entered the building before Halo and Alyn got beyond the players' footprints.

“He won't get lost, will he?” Alyn was concerned.

“Security will slow him down. They won't allow him beyond the lobby without supervision.”

He held back a moment, glancing at Alyn. “Good morning.” He hadn't officially welcomed her to the park. He did so now. “I'm glad you're here today.” He meant it.

Her light green eyes were bright; her expression, relaxed. “I'm happy to be included.”

“I wanted you with me.” He was serious.

She didn't take him seriously. “You have so many women wanting you. What's one more?”

“Because that one means more than the others.”

Still, she put him off. “Danny needs a chaperone.”

“I need a girlfriend.”

She blinked, taken aback. “A girlfriend? Whatever for? You don't seem the one-woman type. Can you even spell monogamy?”

He spelled o-n-e-w-o-m-a-n instead.

She rolled her eyes. “You're impossible.”

What he was about to offer her was possible. Doable. If she'd agree. The idea had formed last night, following the bonfire, and after the contest winners were shuttled back to the inn. He, Landon, Will, and Zoo had opted for a beer at Parrot Pete's, a bar new to them. A green parrot perched on a swing in a long, narrow cage that hung above the bar. He was a foul-mouthed bird.
Screw you
was said loud and often. Along with
Kiss my ass
. Zoo offered to buy the parrot. The owner declined.

The bar had a steady stream of customers, but wasn't packed. The guys selected a table in one corner. They talked serious baseball, outlining their season ahead. Strategy was all-important.

What the men couldn't avoid was the tease. Frequent and feminine. Halo's past caught up with him. He'd free-styled over the years. Making himself available and easy. Hot babes wearing next to nothing stopped by their table, looking to hook up. It became disruptive. Monotonous. Annoying.

Landon had finally turned his back on the room, as had Halo. Even Will and Zoo stayed tuned to their conversation, which was unusual for them. They were easily distracted. The night was young, and the ladies' interruptions got old fast.

An hour passed, then a second. Fans sent pitchers of beer to their table. Halo and Land drank minimally. Zoo and Will felt no pain. They soon welcomed the attentions of the ladies.

Sex was the last thing on Halo's mind. He'd just left Alyn. Her presence lingered, even after the groupies gathered. They leaned against him, stroked his shoulders. Ran their fingers through his hair. Whispered in his ear. Explicit invitations to party.

There'd been so many women. He'd lost sight of the bar and the exit door. Most men would be out of their minds with the female attention. The more women, the better. A harem fantasy. Halo wasn't even tempted. He'd grown bored. Gotten up to leave, despite the sexual requests.

Somewhere in the last week, morality had kicked him in the nuts. Sex for sex's sake no longer appealed. He sucked air, frustrated and horny. Blue balls were not his color.

In the light of day, he faced Alyn with the truth. Sharing what he believed would solve their problems and satisfy them both. He began with, “I don't want any distractions this season. Rylan wants us to go the distance. We all do. We can make it happen. I need my mind fully on the game. Not sidelined by—”

“Pouty lips, big breasts, and long legs?”

“Something like that.”

“A lot like that. You're a big boy, Halo. Be strong. Beat them off with a stick.” Lady could be sarcastic. Not pretty.

He shifted his stance, said, “I've options. A girlfriend would help hold off those who hang on.”

“Women who want you will stalk you, girlfriend or not.”

“Work with me, Alyn.”

“In what capacity?” She appeared leery.

“Hang with me, babe.”

“You've got to be joking.”

“Serious as a sermon.”

“You're delusional.”

“Think about it.”

“No.”

“Take your time.”

“My decision's made.”

She wasn't budging. Danny eventually called to him from the front entrance. “Halo, you coming? The guard took me to the workout room. I lifted a barbell. Rolled the medicine ball. I ate an orange off the food cart.” He held up his hands. “Sticky.”

“Be right there,” Halo said. “We'll get your hands washed.” He curved his arm about Alyn's shoulders, snugged her close. “Nice fit, don't you think?”

She elbowed him in the side. Hard. “Stop that.”

He released her, tried another tactic. “I have a business proposition for you.”

That got her attention. Her eyes widened, and her breath caught. “Business?”

“You need a backer for your antique business. I could be your silent partner. My capital in exchange for being a couple.” A short pause. “So, what do you say?”

“You need an answer right this minute?”

“In a second or two.”

“I hate to be rushed.”

He wasn't good at waiting. “Our deal is simple. I've spelled it out. Once you agree—”

“
If
I agree.”

“I'll reserve the shop on the second floor of the brick building in downtown Richmond. You'll be living your dream.”