Stealing Second Read online

  Cal groaned. “Oh, Lord. You never told me she wrote that in her journal.”

  “Well, I’m telling you now.” Katherine grinned. “She thought it was sweet. You were the love of her life.”

  “And she was mine. She lit up every room she ever walked into. I do believe I fell in love with her the first second I saw her.” The huskiness in his voice and the sadness in his eyes revealed what she’d always suspected. Her father might have found someone he cared about, but he would always be in love with her mother.

  “Does Fiona know that?”

  “Yes. Just as I know her late husband was the love of her life. I don’t try to compete with his memory, and she doesn’t try to compete with your mother’s. We love each other, but in a different way than we loved our late spouses. And we’ve found a measure of happiness with each other.”

  “Mom would want that for you. And so do I.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart. That means a lot to me.” He cleared his throat. “And what about you? Have you met someone who makes you happy?”

  An image of Tom flashed in her mind, but she shook her head. “No. I’ve been much too busy for a relationship.”

  “Maybe you should make time,” he said gently. “I speak from experience when I say having someone to share the journey with is one of life’s great joys.”

  “I don’t disagree with that, but I just haven’t found the right man.”

  He narrowed his gaze at her. “You’re not still pining for Morgan, are you?”

  “No,” she shot back quickly. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Because he’s here in San Francisco now, and you work together.” He paused. “Do you two talk much?”

  “Only when we have to. And it’s only about the Blaze.” Okay, so she wasn’t being quite truthful. Accompanying Tom to Harlan’s hadn’t been necessary, but she’d done it anyway.

  Cal sat back against the booth, his shoulders visibly relaxing. “That’s good.”

  Katherine frowned at the satisfied tone in his voice. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because he broke your heart leaving you the way he did. He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.”

  “That’s not what Mom would say. She believed everyone deserved a second chance.”

  His expression darkened. “I doubt she’d still say that if she’d seen how devastated you were after Tom took off for UT without you.”

  “Maybe. But if she’s watching over us, I’m sure she was happy I had you to turn to. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I could have gotten through those first few days.” She gave him a tremulous smile. “You were my rock, Dad. And I’m so grateful for you and I love you. I know I don’t tell you that enough, but it’s true.”

  An indefinable emotion flickered in his eyes, then he gave her a paternal smile. “Any father would have done the same. All I’ve ever wanted is the very best for you.” He searched her face, studying her thoughtfully. “Are you happy, sweetheart?”

  “Yes. Of course I am,” she said after tamping down the urge to tell him that while she’d had many happy moments since she’d left Dallas, she’d never experienced the kind of joy she felt when she was with Tom. And that she was afraid she’d never find that kind of happiness again. With anyone.

  “I’m glad to hear it,” her father said, obviously not catching the hesitation in her voice. “You’re the most important thing in my life. I’d hate to think you’re still nursing a broken heart after all these years.”

  “Don’t worry, Dad. My heart has healed completely.” She picked up her water glass, smiled at him and hoped that he couldn’t see that she’d bent the truth just a tick.

  So what if her heart was still a little tender after all these years. The important thing was that she’d moved on and carved out a successful life for herself. And Tom wouldn’t be in San Francisco forever. One day he’d leave for another team, or retire, and she’d be fine.

  Just fine.

  Just like she’d been for the past seventeen years.

  Chapter Six

  On Wednesday evening, Katherine had just slipped on her heels when her phone blared from the kitchen. Praying it wasn’t some last-minute engagement party snafu, she rushed from her bedroom to catch the call before it went to voice mail.

  Upon leaving Kamu’s an hour ago to shower and change clothes, all systems had been go. The private banquet room had been decorated, small vases with freshly cut flowers adorned the linen-covered tables, and the cake had been delivered. The only thing she and Dorie hadn’t thought about was music, but fortunately an audio/visual system, which included access to music channels, had been installed when the owner expanded a few years ago. Having never been to an engagement party, she wasn’t sure if dancing was traditional, but either way they’d be covered.

  She picked up the phone on the third ring, and the name on the small screen gave her pause. Adam Logan. Excitement rushed through her veins. Perhaps he was calling about Leah Porter. Snagging Leah before anyone else discovered her potential would be a coup. Leah wasn’t just another pretty face; she was extremely knowledgeable about sports, and after reading several of her online articles in Sacramento Life, Katherine had been pleased to find she was an excellent writer, as well.

  “Adam,” she said warmly. “Do you have good news for me?”

  “I might. I know this is short notice, but can you meet me for dinner or a drink?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said as she turned and retraced her steps to the bedroom. “I have plans. Did you want to discuss Leah?”

  “Yes. She’s definitely interested in working for the Blaze, but she has a few questions. Questions I’m not able to answer until I speak with you. And I’d prefer to talk in person rather than over the phone.”

  “Can we meet tomorrow?” Katherine moved to the walk-in closet and found the small crystal-beaded clutch that had belonged to her mother. She pulled it out of one of several built-in cubbyholes where she kept her accessories and made her way back to the kitchen, her heels echoing on the hardwood flooring. “I have a meeting at ten, but I’m available any time after that.”

  “I’m flying to LA tomorrow morning and I won’t be back until Monday. I was hoping to get this wrapped up before I leave.”

  “Tell you what. I can make some time for you tonight if you can meet me at Kamu’s. I’m attending an engagement party in their banquet room, but I can slip out and meet you at the bar.”

  “That’ll work. What time?”

  “Any time after eight is fine. Text me when you get there and I’ll find you.”

  After she and Adam said their goodbyes, Katherine shoved her phone and a few items from her tote bag into the clutch, then grabbed her keys from the white quartz countertop and left the condo.

  The walk from her building to Kamu’s was short and pleasant. An unusually warm day had turned into a surprisingly mild evening. She’d forgotten her light shawl, but it looked like she wouldn’t need it. Not five minutes later, she froze in her tracks at the sight of Dorie and Tom standing near the entrance.

  For several seconds she seemed incapable of movement. Oblivious to everything around her, all she could do was watch them like some third-rate voyeur. From her vantage point she couldn’t hear their conversation, but it didn’t matter what they were saying. Judging by Dorie’s animated expression and Tom’s relaxed posture and easy smile, it was obvious they were more than comfortable with each other.

  Dorie looked beautiful in a jewel-tone purple sheath that hugged her slender body, and Tom looked incredibly handsome in a gray linen sport coat, crisp white dress shirt and black slacks. If they were dating, they made a striking couple.

  “Katherine?” Startled, Katherine did an about-face to find J.T. and Angie Sawyer moving toward her. Angie’s beaming smile was full of warmth as the couple halted in front of her. “I thought that was you.” She reached out and touched Katherine’s arm. “It’s so good to see you. How are you?”

  “Doing well,” Katherine replied, ge
nuinely happy to see them. “We miss you terribly in the front office.” She turned to J.T. and gave him a wry grin. “And you. You’re becoming a regular on SportsCenter. You’re giving Matt a run for his money for the Gold Glove this year. I’m proud of you, but I have to be honest. The Padres have been giving me major heartburn this season.”

  J.T. chuckled. “You’re not the only one. Every time we play the Blaze I feel a little sick. It’s not easy playing against my former teammates.”

  “Does that mean you’re okay with us beating you today?”

  “Hell, no.” A grin spread across his face. “But I predict we’ll bounce back tomorrow.”

  “How’s Jordan?” Katherine asked. “Did you bring her with you?”

  “Yes. She’s at the hotel with J.T.’s mom and dad.” Angie pulled her phone from the side pocket of her purse. “I have a few pictures. Would you like to see them?” She gave Katherine a smile as she hit a button on the phone, then handed it to her. “I promised myself I wouldn’t be one of those moms who bore people with pictures of their kid, but I can’t help it. She’s so amazing I can’t help but show her off.”

  “She’s adorable,” Katherine said, looking at the photo of Jordan sitting smack-dab in the middle of a small inflatable wading pool. “She’s got your curly hair.” She slid her finger over the screen to advance to the next photo.

  “Yes. The poor thing.” Angie grimaced, brushing back a mass of long dark spiral ringlets women with stick-straight hair would kill for. “I see a flat iron and a lot of product in her future.”

  “How old is she now?”

  “She turned one in April.” J.T.’s eyes flashed with humor. “The terrible twos are almost upon us.”

  As Angie and J.T. exchanged an amused glance, Katherine’s gaze was drawn again to the cherub-faced little girl smiling so happily in the picture. A pang of longing shot through her. If things had been different, she might be the proud parent showing off pictures of her son or daughter. But they weren’t, and she’d long given up trying to understand why the events in the past unfolded the way they had.

  For a few years after she’d left Dallas, she couldn’t get the what-ifs out of her head. Nothing could change what happened the last night she’d seen Tom. And nothing could bring back what she lost. Over the years, helping others had been her salvation and brought her some measure of peace.

  She was still working on forgiveness.

  * * *

  Tom wasn’t big on parties. Not anymore. It wasn’t that he didn’t like having a good time or celebrating milestone events, but no matter how many years of sobriety he had under his belt, he couldn’t seem to rid himself of that pesky voice in his head. The one that kept telling him one beer or a couple of shots wouldn’t cause him to fall off the wagon. It was temptation talking, pure and simple, and he made it a point to ignore its deceptive voice of reason at all times. So far he’d resisted the siren’s call. The last time he’d been tempted to drink was when the Blaze won the World Series. The celebration in the clubhouse after the game was exciting and raucous. To reach the zenith of his sport, even as a manager, was one of the most exhilarating moments of his life. Champagne flowed like water, and although he’d never cared for the stuff, turning down the several bottles that had come his way had been difficult.

  Sitting between Dorie and Seth at one of the tables in Kamu’s private banquet room, he wasn’t concerned so much with the temptation of drinking; it was temptation of another sort that had him on edge. Despite the fact that she was seated at a table on the other side of the room, his awareness of Katie was such that it was as if she was the one sitting inches away, instead of Dorie.

  There were several beautiful women in the room, but none of them could hold a candle to her. Tonight, instead of the sophisticated bun she frequently wore, her hair was down. Parted on the side, it cascaded over her shoulders in soft, sexy waves that seemed to beckon him to touch it. For months after she’d left him, just a glimpse of a girl with dark red hair would slay him and any progress he’d made getting over her was for shit. And then he tortured himself further by trying to replace her with girls who resembled her. To this day, he had no clue how many redheads with blue eyes he’d chased after, but in the end all of them paled in comparison to the girl he’d loved since he was fourteen years old.

  That was when he started partying. And he partied hard. In high school he hadn’t touched one drop of alcohol. He was an athlete with dreams of making it to the major leagues. Drinking wouldn’t help his cause. His buddies scoffed at him, but he didn’t give a royal rat’s ass. His body was his ticket to ride; there was no way he was fucking it up and losing his shot at a scholarship.

  He’d gotten that scholarship. His parents had been thrilled, and so had he. Even more so when the scholarship committee had rectified an error and informed him that his partial scholarship was, in actuality, a full ride.

  All he’d had to do was to play ball and keep his grades up. He managed to do both with a broken heart and a newly acquired penchant for keg parties and redheads not named Katie. What he hadn’t seen coming were the consequences. It took a while for them to catch up to him, but several years later, at the height of his baseball career, they finally did. With more repercussions than he could have ever imagined.

  “She’s even more stunning in person, don’t you think?” Dorie’s hushed voice, and a nudge against his arm forced him back to reality.

  “Who?” he asked, looking from Katie to Dorie.

  “Kelly’s sister.”

  Tom glanced at the woman in question. He’d been introduced to Kelly’s sister and her husband earlier and found them both to be very down-to-earth and likeable. If he hadn’t already known they were actors, he never would have guessed their profession.

  “And she’s so sweet,” Dorie went on, not waiting for him to answer. “Not at all like some of the celebrities I’ve encountered at the hotel.” She wrinkled her nose. “The things I could tell you about a few of them would surprise you.”

  “Care to enlighten us?” Seth, who was sitting to Tom’s left, asked with a grin.

  Dorie shook her head. “The W prides itself on its confidentiality. If I spilled what I know about our celebrity guests, upper management would not be pleased.”

  “What do you do there?” Tom asked. Until this second he had no idea Dorie worked for a luxury hotel.

  “Guest services manager.”

  “Which means she has to kiss a lot of ass,” Seth said, grabbing a dinner roll from a basket one of the waiters set on the table before the main course had been served. Tom had chosen the filet mignon over the seafood and chicken offerings and hadn’t been disappointed.

  Dorie laughed. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  Seth tore open his roll and buttered it. “Who knew Kamu’s had such an upscale room back here. I expected more baseball memorabilia but there’s none at all.”

  “It’s easier for them to book it that way,” Dorie said. “Not everyone in the SoMa District is into baseball, and having a more generic room allows for groups to decorate it themselves for whatever occasion they’re celebrating.” She looked around the room with an assessing eye. “It was a smart idea.”

  Seth leaned forward and grinned. “Are you looking forward to the road trip?”

  Dorie’s cheeks colored as she met Seth’s eyes. “Very much so.”

  Tom sipped his orange juice. Was it his imagination or was there suddenly a totally different vibe between Seth and Dorie than there was a few seconds ago? Since his divorce two years ago, Seth had dated a number of women. The majority of them ten years younger than Dorie. Had he finally wised up and realized dating a woman barely over the legal drinking age was ridiculous?

  As Seth and Dorie talked about the upcoming road trip, Tom couldn’t help but let his gaze linger on the woman he’d never gotten out of his system. It was fucking crazy. By all rights he should hate her for walking away from him without any explanation other than a scrap of paper with onl
y two words scribbled on it.

  I’m sorry.

  That was it; the extent of her communication with him right before she had hotfooted it out of Dallas and never looked back. All the plans they made hadn’t mattered to her, and he was left wondering if she’d come to believe he wasn’t good enough to make it to the majors and she would end up following him around the minors—because other than baseball he’d had no other job prospects. For a girl who’d grown up in what amounted to a mansion, that would be a huge step down.

  He studied her intently as she talked to Angie Sawyer. The passage of time hadn’t detracted from Katie’s beauty one bit. If anything, maturity made her even sexier. She’d always cursed her pale skin and grumbled every summer when she had to slather on sunscreen so she wouldn’t burn. But that sunscreen had done its job. Her skin appeared as soft and smooth as it had when she was eighteen.

  As if sensing him watching her, she turned her head and their eyes met across the room. A jolt of sexual energy rocked him to the bone and prompted memories he’d fought for years to forget. As much as he resented her actions in the past, right now he wanted her as much, if not more, than he had seventeen years ago.

  After what seemed like minutes, but in reality was only seconds later, she broke eye contact as she glanced down and picked up her phone. She looked at the screen, then with a smile at Angie, she stood and made her way to the exit. Even if he tried, there was no way he could not have watched her walk out of the room. The clinging dark blue dress she wore accentuated the womanly sway of her hips and the toned length of her legs. Both were too sexy not to appreciate.

  He took another sip of orange juice, hoping it would cool him down. It didn’t.

  * * *

  Most women sitting next to Adam Logan probably wouldn’t have another man on their mind. But as strikingly handsome as Adam was, Katherine wasn’t in the frame of mind to appreciate him. How could she? One minute she was catching up with Angie, and the next she and Tom were exchanging a scorching eye-lock across the room that almost melted her thong.