“Will they?”
“Yes.”
“You got over it?”
“You’ve done nothing wrong,” he said firmly. “Ty did. Tucker did. And Red. They all screwed up, and during my pity party, I blamed the wrong person.”
She met his soft, warm gaze. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” His hands tightened on her, one sliding up her back. “I’m sorry it took me so long to say this, but you were right. Red’s retiring.”
“Oh, Pace. I’m sorry.”
“Also not your fault. But he’s going to get to leave with his pride still intact, and that’s thanks to you. He knows that, too. It took guts to come here tonight, Holly.”
“Pace—”
“I’ve always had a thing for guts.” He ran a finger over her jaw.
She closed her eyes to absorb his touch, which she’d missed. “I’m not brave. Just stubborn.”
“I’ll give you that, too. Holly . . .” He waited until she opened her eyes. “You accused me of being all baseball. I—”
“Okay, guys,” Sam said through a microphone to the entire ballroom. “All the Heat players need to go change pronto. Fifteen minutes before you have to be in your places!”
Pace let out a frustrated breath.
“It’s okay, Pace.”
“No, it’s not.” He turned his back on the room and looked into her eyes. “I’m not all baseball, Holly. Or I’m trying not to be.” He shifted a little closer, bending to put his mouth to her ear. “I missed you.”
His voice was low and sexy as hell, which had her eyes drifting shut in pleasure. “Pace—”
He kissed her, soft and warm, and it felt real. So damn real. Then with Sam barking into the microphone again, he slowly pulled back.
“You have to go.”
“I know.” He kissed her one last time, then turned and headed toward his team, most of whom were watching.
She let out a breath, knowing he couldn’t have given her a better gift than the one he just had, the one of undeniable acceptance.
Chapter 25
Baseball is life. The rest is just details.
The Heat’s Third Annual Poker Night was a huge success, and the hotel ballroom was packed to the gills with the rich and famous. It was late by the time Pace got a five-minute break from his table, and he immediately went looking for Holly. Instead, he found Tia.
For the first time since he’d first met his tiny stalker, she wasn’t wearing his jersey. She wore a long siren red evening gown and actually looked quite amazing. He couldn’t even tell she was crazy as she smiled. “It’s not what you think,” she said immediately. “I came here tonight to break up with you.”
He blinked. “You did?”
Stepping close, she cupped his jaw. “Aw, Pace. It was beautiful while it lasted, but frankly, you’re a little skittish for me. I need more of a real man, someone not afraid to go after what he wants.” That said, she pulled him down and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m moving on. Don’t mourn me, love, it just wasn’t meant to be.” And with a last smile, she walked away.
Pace watched her go, torn between relief and terror for whoever her next love was. “Tia?”
She turned back to face him. “Don’t try to sweet talk me back into your life, Pace. You can’t.”
“I’m just wondering who the real man is, the guy you’re leaving me for.”
She sent him a dreamy smile. “Wade O’Riley.”
He blinked, then grinned. “Excellent choice.” When she was gone, he headed back to his table, making a quick stop at Wade’s. “Watch out for the lady in red.”
Wade was running the five-card stud table, entertaining a packed crowd. “Is she hot?”
“Gorgeous but bat-in-the-cave crazy.”
Wade slid him a look. “Tia? You’re giving me Tia?”
“The one and only.” He slapped Wade on the shoulder and moved toward his table, craning his neck in search of Holly. Every once in a while, he caught a quick glimpse of her moving through the crowd in a black cocktail dress that revealed her shoulders and back, hair piled high, sparkling earrings brushing her shoulders, emphasizing that sweet spot that once upon a time he’d kissed just to hear her shaky inhale of breath, but he never got close enough, and his table was packed.
When the evening finally wound down, he once again went searching. He thought he saw her near the doors, but when he got there, she’d vanished. He ran out into the hot summer night, heading down the middle aisle of the parking lot, searching right and left.
“Fother mucker!”
He felt his heart lighten as he followed that voice down the second row of cars. There she was in that sexy little black dress, kicking her tire with her black, strappy heel.
“Problem?” he asked.
She whirled around so fast she nearly fell on her ass. Her hair, so carefully piled up on top of her head, bobbed, and some strands slipped into her face. “No.” She forced a smile as she swiped her forehead with her arm. “No problem.”
“It won’t start, will it?”
“Of course it’ll start.” She leaned back against the car and folded her arms in a casual pose that wasn’t casual at all, looking uncharacteristically rumpled. “ ’Night, Pace.”
She’d rather be alone in a parking lot than accept help from him. “Was the kiss that bad?”