The Ace (24 page)

Stepping back on top of the hill, he rolled his shoulders and tossed out the next pitch, a changeup, which was hit foul. There were now two strikes; one more and he was out.

Prepping himself, Jerry stared down the batter and saw it in his eyes. He was going to bunt the next pitch and Jerry had to be ready to field the ball if it came his way.

He threw and sure enough, the hitter squared to it and turned his bat in preparation for the bunt. The crowd booed its disapproval at his attempt to break up the perfect game as the ball rolled down the third base line. Jerry rushed off the mound, watching to see if it would go foul. He heard the third baseman calling him off, but once Jerry saw the ball wasn’t going to be foul, he picked it up.

Turning, Jerry was off balance when he threw with all he had toward the outstretched glove of the first baseman. The runner was almost down the line and stretched out in order to beat the throw to the bag. A hushed silence fell across the stadium as everyone stood waiting for the call from the umpire, which seemed to take forever. Out and the game was over, safe and the perfect game was blown.

“Come on,” Jerry said under his breath, regaining his balance as he waited.

Seeing the right hand of the ump start to come up, Jerry threw his glove in the air as he yelled at the top of his lungs. The crowd went crazy, unleashing a chaotic, deafening roar. His teammates all rushed toward him, emptying out of the dugout, the bullpen and running in from their positions, to jump around him, slapping him on the back and rubbing his head. The celebration continued on the field as he hugged and shook hands with everyone before Jerry finally turned to acknowledge the crowd with his cap. As he smiled and waved, the faces that looked back at him blurred and he found himself searching for one in particular even though he knew she wasn’t there. He had to see her.

Turning, he sprinted toward the dugout but Chase caught him just before he jogged down the steps.

“Hey, man! Where are you going?” Chase shouted at him in order to be heard over the deafening cheers.

“I remember!”

“You remember what exactly?”

“I remember everything! Karen, completely sucking, being sent to the minors...everything.” Jerry stepped up to him, his eyes big and beseeching. “Am I too late? Please don’t tell me I’m too late.”

Chase gave his shoulder a squeeze and smiled. “No, you’re not too late. Go get her, man. She’s right where you left her.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Karen sat in her cube at the real estate office trying to finish her work, but she was unable to concentrate on anything. Jerry was back with the team, back to his Ace-self and throwing perfect games, and she was stuck in depression mode. She still couldn’t believe it was over. One day he’d been in her life and then the next he’d been completely out of it.

There wasn’t going to be a spectacular fallout fight or any other dramatic display of emotions. One day their lives had just gone in two different directions, as if they’d never intersected in the first place. He’d forgotten her, walked out of the hospital and moved on with his life. She’d missed her chance, blown it big-time, and now she had a huge, gaping hole in her heart that she simply didn’t know how to fill.

She sighed and threw down the pen she still held in her hand even though she hadn’t written a thing as her mind continuously trailed off. She was trying to finalize the last of the closing for Mr. Schnell, which was now miraculously just a few days away after many rounds of offers and counteroffers. She should be ecstatic that he and his obsessive tendencies were now a thing of the past and she was finally getting paid, but Karen couldn’t muster up the energy to be excited about it. All she could think about was Jerry and wondering what he was doing or where he was when he wasn’t on her television set, if she could even stand to watch a game. She didn’t dare to wonder who he might be with as that would only push her over the edge to full-out depression, which she was just narrowly avoiding for the time being.

The phone on her desk rang and Karen sighed again. She had to get her act together and stop wallowing in her own grief. She’d known damn well that if she continued down the road she’d had been on this was how it was going to end—well, minus the amnesia. There were no happy endings for selfish idiots.

“Karen Bently.”

“Hi, Karen. It’s Lisa. Are you doing anything at the moment?”

Karen looked around as if she had something important to do, but she knew she didn’t. “Not really.”

“Oh, good. Can you show a house for me? My kid is sick and I’ve got to get him to the doctor and this client is demanding to see the house right now.” When Karen paused, Lisa rushed on. “Please? I really don’t want to lose this sale and I think this client is going to buy. We can work out a cut for you.”

“No, no. That’s fine. I’ll do it. What house is it?”

“The colonial on Huntington. The client will be there at three. You’re awesome. I owe you. Bye!”

She hung up as Karen sat, stunned and still holding the phone to her ear.

The colonial on the hill. She and Jerry had fallen in love with that house the instant they’d pulled up to it. She closed her eyes, trying to shake the disappointment that washed over her, knowing it was ridiculous to be upset about a stupid house. It wasn’t as if they were going to buy it together.

Hanging up, she reached for Jerry’s file and pulled out the listing. She looked at the picture and couldn’t stop the sadness that filled her. She could see Jerry in that house as it reminded her of him—captivating and charismatic while cozy and comforting. It was welcoming and homey while at the same time flashy and expressive. But apparently, it wasn’t to be—just like them.

If she was going to move on, this was as good a time as ever. She would go to the place and show it to this new buyer. Just being there would be a way for her to start the process of putting everything behind her and moving on. It was time she started to heal from the crushing heartbreak.

She grabbed her purse and keys, and headed out to say goodbye to her and Jerry once and for all.

* * *

Pulling up, Karen parked in the driveway and stopped short when she looked out her window. In the middle of the front yard was the For Sale sign and sitting right on top of it was a small sign declaring Sold. She frowned and wondered what the hell was going on. If the house was sold, then who exactly was Lisa showing it to?

Karen got out of her car and walked over to the sign inspecting it. Yep, it was one from her office. She started to grab it, thinking that perhaps someone had mistakenly placed it there, when she glanced up at the front door and realized there wasn’t a lockbox. She wouldn’t even be able to get inside. What the heck was going on here?

She reached into her pocket to pull out her phone to call Lisa when the sound of another car pulling up caught her attention. Looking up, she felt her heart drop into her stomach and the blood drain from her face when she spotted an all-too-familiar Porsche in the driveway. She swallowed hard and tried maintain a calm and cool expression as Jerry climbed out of the car, even though he looked adorable in his black cargo shorts and hunter green T-shirt with his standard flip-flops.

“Hi, there,” Jerry said as he strolled over to her.

“Uh, hi,” she said. “You’re the one who wanted to see this house?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, uh, well there seems to be a mix-up. Apparently the house has sold,” Karen said as she pointed at the sign over her shoulder.

Jerry glanced up at the sign and then the house, biting his bottom lip. “Huh, is that so?” he said without much concern.

“Yeah,” she answered as she gestured with her cell phone. “I was just about to call Lisa to see where the confusion was. I’m not sure why she would show you it if it is sold...”

“Well, I’d still like to look at it.” He started up toward the front door, leaving her looking after him in shock.

Concussion or not, she wasn’t in the mood to have to stop him from breaking and entering. She was still trying to mend her broken heart and seeing him wasn’t making it any easier, nor was it helping her already sour disposition.

“Are you freakin’ kidding me?” she muttered before striding over to him. “Jerry, we can’t go in there. The house is sold.”

He continued walking. “I don’t think that’d be a problem.”

Karen let out a grumble and stopped in her tracks. “Maybe the ball hit you in the head harder than you thought and you can’t comprehend what I’m saying, Smutty, but the house is sold. Not pending sale, but as in no longer on the market. Unavailable. There is no lockbox, therefore, no key.”

Jerry stopped and looked back at her. “Don’t you mean
Pookie
?”

She started as her heart stuttered in her chest and her breath caught in her lungs. “Do you...” She broke off.

“Remember everything?” He smiled. “Yes, I do.”

Pure relief from the agonizing thought that he wouldn’t ever remember her or their time together rushed out of her like a tidal wave, causing her to stagger. Still unable to believe it was true, her legs gave out from underneath her and she slowly crumpled down to the ground as big, fat tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Oh, shit,” he said as he watched her go down as that was not the reaction he’d anticipated. Some swearing and yelling, but definitely no collapsing or crying. He rushed over to her and sat down next to her on the grass as he pulled her into his arms. “Hey, don’t cry.”

“You jerk! You have no idea what you put me through.”

He gave her a big grin. He’d been expecting this Karen. “I’m sorry I took a ball to the head. I’ll make sure not to do it again.” He reached out and put his fingers under her chin, lifting so her eyes met his. Tears were streaming down her face, her blue eyes rimmed in black like a raccoon from her running mascara, but he thought she’d never looked more beautiful. “Hey, it’s okay, Karen.”

She took a deep, sniveling breath trying to pull herself under control. “I’m sorry,” she said when she could.

“What do you have to apologize for?”

“Everything, but probably because the first thing you remembered was what a bitch I was.”

“You weren’t a bitch, Karen,” Jerry said with a sigh. “We both screwed this up and you were just reacting to the mess we’d created the best way you knew how. I didn’t help matters by being a jerk in the beginning.”

“I was a bitch the last time I saw you,” Karen said reminding him of the incident down in Dayton.

“Oh, yeah. You were a big bitch then,” he agreed easily.

A smile tugged at her lips. “You don’t have to agree so quickly.”

He laughed. “You were also hilarious, though, with those girls. ‘Training bras.’” He shook his head at her as his eyes glinted mischievously. “The stuff you come up with, I’m telling ya.”

“Stop it.” She gently swatted his arm. “I was angry.”

“You’re funny when you’re angry. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who could get me so frustrated and mad, but make me laugh at the same time.”

“Glad I could oblige,” she said with a watery grin.

They sat there quietly for a moment, neither knowing what more to say when Jerry gave her a huge grin and a nudge with his shoulder. “You see my perfect game?”

Karen looked away, uncomfortable. “Um, no, but I heard about it.”

His mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me? You missed my perfect game?”

Karen hitched up one shoulder, shielding herself from his scowl. “I’m sorry. It’s not like I missed it on purpose. How was I supposed to know that you were going to throw a perfect game?”

“Even at that!” Jerry exclaimed. “It was my first game back from my almost deathbed. You would have thought you’d be curious about it.”

“Oh, whatever, your deathbed. Way to be dramatic.”

“You don’t know, you weren’t there.”

“Yes, I was,” she reminded him.

“Well, you don’t know how it was
after
that.”

She turned and gave him a questioning look. “How was it?”

Jerry shrugged nonchalantly. “My head hurt like a bitch for a while and I was dizzy, but that’s about it.”

She grinned. “Yeah, that sounds like a deathbed.”

“Well, it still doesn’t excuse you from missing my game. I can’t believe you did that. I’m so pissed at you.”

“Are you serious?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m serious. Way pissed,” Jerry said, but Karen could see the glint in his eye that said he was teasing. “What sucked the most was not remembering anything. It all came back right in the middle of that game. It was crazy.” He stopped and smiled at her. “One second I’m out there focused on getting everyone out, and the next thing I know your face is right smack in my head and it all came rushing back.” He sat back on his hands and looked up at the house. “Do you like this house?”

Her mind reeled at his switch of topic. Karen didn’t think she’d ever be able to keep up with him. “What difference does it make? It’s sold—”

“Just answer the question. Do you like it?” he interrupted.

Karen rolled her eyes and turned to look at it, figuring she’d go along with whatever stupid game he was playing. “Yeah, I like it. It’s a nice house. A house that should have a family and a dog, all that.”

Jerry nodded as he checked out the house with her. “That’s what I thought too. As a matter of fact, that’s what I saw the first time we came here.” He smiled self-consciously. “Like this vision in my head.”

“You saw what?”

“The family and the dog.” He paused for a moment. “You,” he added quietly.

“Me? What do you mean me?”

He turned toward her, his face serious. “How do you feel about me, Karen?”

She stopped and stared at him blankly, before shaking her head. “Jesus, you are all over the map sometimes.”

He grinned. “No, I’m exactly where we left off. Just answer the question.”

“Jerry, we haven’t seen or talked to each other in I don’t know how long, and now you’re springing this on me, without warning, in front of some house that someone else has bought. Hell, I didn’t think I was going to even see you again.”

“What?” he asked clearly shocked. “Why would you think that?”

“You didn’t remember anything. Maybe you would never—”

“I remembered,” he interrupted. “Nothing could make me forget you, Karen. Nothing.” Jerry moved closer to her and forced her to look up at him. “How do you feel about me?”

“I...I mean, I like...” Karen stopped and ground her teeth in frustration. She couldn’t seem to get the words past her tongue.

His big brown eyes bore down on her. “Tell me, please.”

She took a deep breath and looked at the ground. She could do this. She could tell him she was in love with him and remain intact. Just because she told him didn’t mean she handed over the right for him to hurt her nor did she lose anything of herself.

Karen looked back at him, her blue eyes intent on his. “I love—”

“Before you say anything,” Jerry interrupted, ignoring her swearing at him. “I should let you know that I bought this house. So, what do you say, beautiful?”

“Seriously?” she asked, too shocked to continue being angry at his interruption just as she’d started to open her heart.

“Seriously, what? Are you beautiful? Yes, you are.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop it. What do you mean, you bought this house?”

“I bought it. I wanted to surprise you so I worked with a different agent. I hope you don’t mind, even though I know you wanted the check with all the zeros.”

Karen was so stunned that she was actually speechless. She couldn’t put together a thought coherent enough to ask the questions flying through her head at warp speed.

Jerry smiled at her, happy that she was flabbergasted. “You see, I want to live here and I want to live here with you. But in order for that to happen, you have to admit you love me and that you want to be with me, which you seem to continuously stumble over.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you did this...even with everything that happened.”

“I started before the ball to the noggin. Thankfully Lisa held on to this house hoping I would remember and call her back.” The humor fell out of his eyes and a look of total seriousness took its place. “So, the ball is again in your court, Karen.”

“I don’t know what to say,” she said, her voice breathless.

“Say what you’re thinking.”

“I think you’re crazy.”

He gave her his big, toothy grin that revealed his dimple. “You knew that before you agreed to get involved with me.”

“Yeah, but not this crazy,” she said as she tried to take it all in. Karen looked back at the house and ran her fingers through her hair. She tried to envision herself living here with Jerry and the picture popped into her head without any hesitation. She could totally see herself here with him, a dog and some kids. She wasn’t going to be an idiot again and lose him a second time. This time she was going to hold on tight and never let him go.