The Ace (6 page)

“It’s flashy. Big and roomy. More space for you to play.”

He looked at her. “Awfully big and roomy for one person, don’t you think?”

“You’ll fill it up one day. Come on, let’s go.”

* * *

Jerry got out and followed her, looking up at the huge house. It
was
more his type, all decked out in redbrick and tan stone, with staggering levels of peaks and arches. The landscaping in front further complemented the house with large, flowing flower beds that he knew would soon be filled with big, colorful flowers. He could practically see them already, sprouting out of the ground toward the spring sun.

The driveway continued around the side and out of sight, leading to where he was sure he would find at least a three-car garage. He glanced back at his Porsche and thought about his truck sitting in storage.

Karen opened the front door and he stepped inside the spacious entryway, his footsteps echoing quietly off the glistening white marble tiles. He walked around and assessed everything, the
click-clack
of Karen’s heels just background noise. It was easy to envision himself in a place like this. It was big enough without being too overwhelming. The high ceilings made him feel like he could breathe, that his tall frame wouldn’t have any problems moving around.

A sliding glass door in the family room overlooked a sprawling wood deck with stairs leading down to the yard. He opened it and went outside, easily picturing having a barbeque and throwing a ball around. Off to the side sat an in-ground pool with a hot tub at one end, and a slide and diving board on the opposite side. He could make good use of that as well, and imagined coming home after a rough game and submerging himself in the steamy, jet-propelled water. He leaned down on the railing and took it all in.

He could see it all, but it still didn’t feel right. It needed more. It needed a family and a dog or two before it would feel like a home. Until then, it would be a museum, cold and desolate, with just him alone inside of it, not even around for most of the year. Jerry stood up and tried to shake off the feeling of loneliness that had suddenly settled in his bones.

This was his choice and he was happy with his life. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, and his career was what was important now. He could have the rest later. There was plenty of time for that, Jerry reminded himself.

He rolled his shoulders as if to dislodge the invisible weight and wondered where the unexpected bleakness had come from. Not liking where his thoughts were going, he sought out a distraction.

Stepping into the living room, Jerry looked for Karen and found her going through the huge gourmet kitchen. He stood quietly watching as she moved around, running her fingers lightly over the light oak cabinets and black granite countertops. She definitely belonged in a place like this. It was striking and expressive, just like her.

He leaned against the counter. “What do you think?”

“Why do you keep asking me that? That’s my question to you.”

“Just doing your job for you, you’re too slow.”

Karen swatted his arm and laughed. “Right. So, what do
you
think, Jerry?”

He paused while he held her gaze. “I think you’re an intriguing woman, Karen.”

He saw the surprise flit across her face before she quickly recovered and scowled. “Of course you do. I am, but I believe I was asking you about the house.”

Jerry gave her a lazy smile. “I know, but I was answering your other question.”

“I didn’t realize I had another question.”

“You do, or you will,” he said with a lopsided grin, displaying his dimple. “But I do like the house and I like the way you look in it.”

She puzzled over his words for a second with one crooked brow. “You’re a very odd man.”

“I am,” he agreed. Jerry pushed away from the counter and walked toward the front door as he called out over his shoulder. “This is on the keep list, but let’s look at some more. However, we have to head back now because I have practice. Let’s go!”

His plan was working well so far. He’d managed to get her off balance, which was going to be the strategy with getting to her. Just like in a game, he had to keep the batter guessing, never really sure what was coming at them. They had to be expecting the fastball while he tossed up a breaking ball, catching them off guard and leaving them swinging at nothing but air. That way he was always one step ahead of them and closer to the out.

The same thing with Karen, he had to keep her speculating and wondering. It was the only way to wear her down. The more time he spent with her, the more intrigued he was and the more he wanted to know about her. He still wasn’t sure if she was on the marriage bandwagon with Maddie or not, but if she was up for some fun and no commitment, then he was game.

Chapter Six

A week later, sitting at the computer in her office, Karen squeezed her eyes shut when her cell phone rang, knowing exactly who it was. She took a deep, calming breath as she cracked open one eye, peeking at the caller ID.

Somehow, she’d known Jerry would be calling her again, wanting to go out and look at more houses, and she’d tried to prepare herself for it. Ever since the last showing and his parting words, she’d been thinking about him incessantly, almost to the point that she felt she was bordering on obsessing, which annoyed her.

In one breath, he’d told her that he found her intriguing, that he liked the house and could see her in it and that he knew she wondered about him. What the hell was she supposed to do with that information overload?

In a single instant, it seemed he’d gone from being untouchable and a fantasy to very reachable and very possible. Karen didn’t need to wonder any further if he thought she was attractive or not, as he was beginning to make it abundantly clear he did in his bizarre, backhanded way.

She tried to tell herself that he was nothing, Jerry was just a man and there was no man out there who could take her on an emotional roller coaster again. It seemed she had done a lousy job of convincing herself of that, however, with the way her heart fluttered and her nerves tensed just from his number appearing on her phone.

So, she wimped out and let her voice mail pick up the call.

God, he was maddening. Karen knew he was trying to put her off balance on purpose, but she couldn’t figure out why and that worried her. What was his game? She was the one who called the shots, not the other way around. Why couldn’t he be some annoying, self-centered jerk whom she could easily put out of her mind, no matter how good-looking he was? And why was she letting him make her question everything?

The fact that she
was
stressing over everything made it even worse, so she was determined to take back control.

I
am stronger than that.
I
don’t shy away from anyone
, she kept telling herself as she dialed and waited for Jerry to answer, ignoring the jumble of nerves in her gut.

He picked up on the second ring. “Are you screening your calls?”

Karen refused to let the sound of his deep, smooth voice melt her. “Just yours.”

He laughed. “Okay, good to know I’m special.”

“Very special, Jerry. Very special. What’s up?”

“I want to see some more houses. Come on, Karen! You’re falling down on the job. Line them up, baby!”

“Oh, jeez, you’re a piece of work,” she said with a grin in her voice. “As a matter of fact, I do have a few more we can look at. When are you available?”

“Right now.”

She fought against the urge to tell him she was busy, but she knew damn well that one of the houses she wanted to show him was empty and she had no other commitments for the day. She didn’t want him to think she was just waiting for him to call and beckon her at his whim, but then Karen had to tell herself—
again
—that this wasn’t a date and they weren’t playing hard to get with each other. He might be playing at something, but she was just doing her job—or at least trying to. She only had to show him houses, for crying out loud, and make beaucoup money off the deal. It would have been a piece of cake, if Jerry wasn’t so damn appealing and intriguing at the same time.

“All right. You’re not giving me much time to work with, but I should be able to line up a few. Meet me in two hours at 871 Crescent Hill. Take Main until it hits South Park and turn left. It will be on your right.”

Grabbing a mirror off her desk, Karen inspected her hair and makeup. Even if he was just part of the job, she wasn’t going to meet him looking as dull and wilted as she did. She would feel the same way with any of her clients, even the creep, Mr. Schnell.

Liar
, she thought.

* * *

Two hours later, Karen pulled up to the house on Crescent Hill. Jerry climbed out of his car as she parked and gave her a big grin.

“You’re late, lovely.”

“I am not late, I’m on time. You’re early, and why are you early, if I may ask?”

“I was anxious to see you.”

She laughed a little awkwardly. “Right. Like I believe that.”

Karen turned to the lockbox and missed his shrug. Maybe she didn’t believe him, but Jerry had been, in fact, speaking the truth. He really had intended to put off the house searching for a bit, to let Karen stew and keep her guessing about what was going on. But he’d found himself thinking about her more and more, and finally had broken down and called her. He’d thought it was probably for the best when his call had gone into her voice mail, but couldn’t deny he’d perked up seeing her number show up on his phone only a few minutes later.

Jerry followed her in and went through the pretense of pretending to look around, despite the fact that he’d known when he’d pulled up that the house wasn’t for him. For some reason, Karen was convinced he needed to inspect every nook and cranny of each place before coming to any conclusions even though he could tell immediately, so he humored her. He stood in the middle of the living room feigning interest when he felt her eyes on him.

“You hate it, don’t you?”

“I don’t hate it, but it’s not me.”

“I know, I can tell. Let’s go.”

Jerry trailed her to two other houses and wasn’t excited about either of them. When Karen pulled up to the last one, all of that changed and he remained in his car for a second and just stared. The house sat on a hill in a sparsely developed neighborhood. It was a simple colonial finished with a mixture of gray siding, wood trim and river rock stones. A large sprawling front yard swept down toward the road in rolling arches and each surrounding homestead boasted an acre or two of land around it.

He noticed that she’d gotten out of her car and was walking up to the sidewalk without waiting for him. As Jerry watched her, a vision filled his head of her bounding out of the oak front door, laughing as a yellow dog sprinted by her and out into the yard, eager to play. As soon as it hit him, it disappeared and he was left unsettled, wondering where it had come from and if he was starting to lose his mind.

When Karen turned from the large stone porch that lined the full length of the house and gestured him to come ahead, Jerry gave a hesitant wave back as he slowly opened his door. He was uncertain whether he wanted to see any more, while at the same time wanting to see everything. The same sense of loneliness that he’d felt the last time they’d looked at houses seemed to hover, threatening to take over again.

He made himself step inside, ignoring the way it felt like his hair stood on end, and stopped short on the gray marble tile, not understanding why he was so tentative. He was fighting the urge to flee, feeling like he was stepping into something he couldn’t back away from nor was he ready for. With one quick look around, however, his discomfort quickly evaporated.

It was a colonial, but its exterior looks were deceiving, as it boasted high ceilings in the front hallway and recreation room. Jerry walked slowly around the first level, taking his time to look at everything and finding himself eager to see more. Not waiting for her, he climbed the stairs to the upper level.

* * *

At the sound of his footsteps on the wood stairwell, Karen glanced up in surprise. This was definitely the closest he’d looked at a house. She agreed with him though, it was a beauty and just grabbed you the second you pulled up. Lisa, another agent in her office, had just listed it, and Karen was glad that she’d taken her recommendation.

It had a homey feel to it but was also classy, sleek and sexy. She’d want a home like this if she ever had a family. She walked over to the glass door in the great room and looked out. He would definitely get a kick out of the backyard.

When she heard Jerry bounding down the stairs, she turned. “Well?”

“Looks good. The Jacuzzi and skylight in the master bedroom are awesome. I could find good uses for those,” he said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“I’m sure you could. Check out this backyard. I think you’ll like it.”

Jerry opened the door, stepped out onto the concrete patio and just stopped. Karen stood next to him and tried to take it in through his eyes.

The deck spanned the length of the house, framing a gourmet outdoor kitchen built from gray stone with a grill bigger than any barbeque she’d ever seen. Across from that sat a low stone bar, and a large, in-ground pool sparkled in the distance.

The yard seemed to sprawl in all directions and go for miles. Great flower boxes, which lined the lattice fence in select places, just begged someone to dig in and fill them to the rims. Karen didn’t know the exact dimensions of a baseball diamond, but she was pretty sure he could almost build his own personal one. It was so quiet and peaceful, a small oasis in the middle of the suburbs.

“This is really nice,” she said quietly.

“This is awesome,” Jerry agreed, his voice just as subdued.

They stood there silently, taking it all in, before he turned toward her. His eyes were dark and serious on hers, taking her aback and making her want to squirm.

“What?” As she waited for his reply, her heart was thudding so loudly in her chest that she was sure he could hear it. When he didn’t respond, but continued to look at her like he was searching for the answer to an unspoken question, she tilted her head to the side, feigning an air of aloofness, hoping to create some distance between them. “Are you shocked by all the grass or by my overwhelming beauty?”

His lips curled into a lazy smile. “Oh, definitely by your overwhelming beauty.”

“That’s what I thought. It happens all the time.” Karen turned to go back into the house, eager to get away from his intense gaze. She didn’t understand the meaning behind it and she definitely did not want to misinterpret it. “I’m going to check out the kitchen.”

Jerry followed her in. “What’s with you and kitchens?”

She glanced over her shoulder, cursing the prickles that ran over her skin. “What do you mean?”

“Every house we go to, you check out the kitchen and hang out in there the whole time.”

“The kitchen, in my humble opinion—”

“There’s nothing humble about you, Karen,” he interrupted.

“Well, that may be,” she agreed with a smirk, “but as I was saying, the kitchen tells you a lot about a house. It’s the core of the house, where the energy is, where all the buzz happens.”

Jerry sat on one of the high black leather stools in front of the breakfast bar. “Because of food?”

“Well, probably, but think about it. You come home or you go into someone else’s house and where do you stop and converse? The kitchen. Kids come home from school and where does everybody go? The kitchen. Husband and wife catch up on each other’s days in the kitchen.”

Jerry considered it before shaking his head slightly. “Naw, it’s more than that to you, though. I can tell. What? Are you a closet chef or something?”

Karen found it disconcerting that he seemed to be able to read her so easily, making it difficult for her to stand still under his watchful gaze. “Why do you ask that?”

“You’re always checking out the refrigerators, ovens and stoves. Not to mention I think you open every single cabinet and drawer, like you’re trying to figure out where you would put everything.”

She gaped at him, shocked that he had seen that much. He saw her surprise and grinned. “I’m observant.”

Karen frowned as she crossed her arms across her chest. “Much more so than you let on.”

Jerry leaned back in the chair and intertwined his fingers behind his head. “When are you going to come to a game?”

She wondered at the quick change of subject, but let it go. “I’ve gone to a game. Many, in fact.”

“One when I’m pitching.”

“I’ve been to games that you’ve pitched. In fact, I was there Opening Day, remember?”

“But I didn’t know you then.”

“Sure you did,” she replied, intentionally being difficult.

“You know what I mean,” he said, slightly exasperated. “Not like now.”

“And it would make a difference now?”

“Yeah,” Jerry said, nodding. “It’s cool when people you are close to are in the stands watching you play. You know that they’re there supporting you, rooting for you and pulling for the win with you.”

“You know Maddie and Bree.”

He sighed patiently, ignoring her obstinacy. “That’s different.”

Karen leaned back against the counter and slowly unfolded her arms, trying to regulate her breathing as discreetly as possible. She was almost beginning to feel light-headed at the thought of where the conversation could possibly be heading. “How is it different? Why does it matter if I come to one of your games?”

Jerry eyed her levelly for a second, before standing up and walking over to her. He stopped in front of her, his hands on either side of her, and brought his eyes down to her level. “What are you doing tonight? Come to dinner with me.”

Her blue eyes widened before a gurgle of laughter bubbled out of her. “Jesus, Jerry. You’re all over the place. I thought we were discussing your game.”

“We were and we’ll get back to that. But first, I want you to have dinner with me tonight.”

“Why?” Karen asked with narrowed eyes.

“Why?” he repeated. “Why do you think?”

“I think all the kissy-kissy wedding stuff with Maddie and Chase has gotten in your head and you’re thinking that you want to play house now.”

He snorted with laughter before he shook his head. “No, that’s not it. I don’t want to play house. I just want to have dinner...with you.”

“
Just
dinner,” she repeated.

Jerry stood back, putting some distance between them, and held up his hands. “I swear. That’s it. Just dinner. Come on. I’m hungry and I’m sure you are too.”

She was happy that she felt like she could breathe again after he stepped back. Karen knew that Jerry equaled nothing but trouble, but even with the warning sirens blaring, she couldn’t turn away. She had to see where this road with him led. The opportunity she’d only dreamed of seemed to be presenting itself and she’d kick herself if she lost it just because she was afraid. “Okay...” she started, but his mouth cut off the rest of her words.