Better Than Perfect (15 page)

She watched him quietly and effectively guide each prospect through the motions. Outwardly, he was focused on mechanics, teaching them proper throwing techniques. But she saw the true lessons he imparted on each young player. Composure. Confidence. The importance of controlling one’s pitches and emotions.

If only she could control hers.

Johnny had asked her to go with him to the Golden Gate Gala. A real date. With a limo and everything. Zach would be at a sleepover with a friend. So she and Johnny would have the whole night. Just the two of them.

If he was willing to take the risk, then why was she so terrified?

Because it had been her experience that if something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.

Mel had been there when she was falling apart. When she was freaking out about Johnny being drafted. He’d understood her fears about him being unable to resist temptation; he’d even encouraged her to be proactive in cutting him loose before he had the chance to disappoint her.

He’d been there for her when she was missing Johnny so much she couldn’t leave her room. He’d dragged her out of her sweatpants and out on the town. Then he proceeded to pour ideas into her head about how Johnny had moved on and so should she. All while he poured glass after glass of champagne.

And Mel had been far too good to be true when she’d first suspected she was pregnant. She didn’t even have the money to pay for a home pregnancy test. He’d not only loaned her the cash, he’d offered to save her from crawling back home to face her mother’s disappointment and her father’s bitterness. He saved her from having to ask Johnny to give up his dreams. He convinced her that it was more loving to let him go than to trap him with a baby that might not even be his.

In other words, Mel had used her. For some reason Mel, with all the wealth and privileges growing up, was jealous of the bastard son of a whore. He couldn’t understand why Johnny attracted people simply by being himself. Why his ability to throw a ball really hard and with precision meant more to a lot of people than Mel’s money and connections. He’d been jealous that Alice had fallen for Johnny almost instantly, while Mel had trouble getting any girl to notice him.

Once he’d gotten Alice to marry him, he seemed to lose interest in her. Like many spoiled children, obtaining the prize was more important than actually having it. She’d meant no more to him than one of his paintings or cars or vintage baseball cards he obsessed over until he actually acquired them. At least he was able to turn around and sell the cards or cars or artwork. He’d been stuck with her.

And she’d been stuck in a marriage that never should have happened.

8

After dropping Zach off at his friend Tyler’s for a sleepover, Alice treated herself to a manicure, pedicure and new lingerie. She slipped into the expensive gown she’d purchased for the event and did one last pass at her hair. She touched up her lipstick with a flutter of anticipation. Knowing Johnny would be her date for the Golden Gate Gala made her quiver at the likelihood of ending up in his bed later tonight. Or he’d end up in hers. Either way, they would be together. Naked.

She hoped she wouldn’t be a huge disappointment. It had been a long time. A really long time. A really, really, really long time. It wasn’t just anyone, either. She would be making love to Johnny Scottsdale.

The doorbell rang and her heart leapt. He was here. She opened the door to find a tuxedo-clad Johnny on her doorstep. Wow. He was stunning. Gorgeous. Drop dead sexy. She couldn’t let him out in public like that. There would be a riot.

“Wow. You look…absolutely beautiful.” He looked at her as if he’d never seen her before. He’d never seen her dressed up like this. Back in college, they never went anywhere that required anything fancier than her good jeans. Most of the time it was shorts and a sweatshirt or if she was working in the schools, she wore easy-care dresses that could handle tempera paint spatters.

“Thank you.” She couldn’t remember why she’d considered canceling on him. She’d spent half the night wondering if she was making a huge mistake getting close to him again. It was probably still a bad idea, but she knew she couldn’t turn him away.

“Your chariot awaits.” He swept his hand in a wide arc, drawing her attention to the sleek black limousine that somehow managed to pull up to the curb right in front of her house. He was pulling out all the stops in his effort to impress. The thing was, he had her before he’d even said hello.

She shivered as he draped her shawl around her shoulders. The possibility of them ending up naked now seemed like a sure bet.

“We’d better get going.” Alice did have to make an appearance. She was the director of the foundation and there were a lot of people counting on her to make sure everything went according to plan. “I need to touch base with the caterers to be sure they have everything they need. And the band will need to do a sound check before everyone gets there.”

“I almost forgot, you’re working tonight.” Johnny sounded a little disappointed.

“Yes… Well... I’m sure there will be plenty of people who’ll want to meet you. I’ll make sure we sit at the same table, though.” She was starting to chatter, a nervous habit she couldn’t quite shake despite being able to run this party in her sleep. “Sometimes I even manage to eat at the same time as the rest of the guests. The first year or two, I was so nervous, I ate in the kitchen, grabbing a bite here or there as the evening went on.”

“Ali. When was the last time you went out, just for fun?”

Since she couldn’t quite consider that first night out with Mel fun, she’d have to say when she and Johnny were dating. So she shrugged her shoulders and gave him a pathetic smile.

“I’m going to show you a good time, tonight,” Johnny promised. “I might even dance with you.”

“Oh really?” Her heart melted at the memory of how they’d met.

“You won’t even have to hide behind the speakers.”

Johnny was referring to back-to-school dance where they’d met. Alice’s roommate had bailed on her at the last minute, but she’d gone without her. Once she got there, she’d been too self-conscious to mingle, so she’d ducked behind the stage. Off to the side, where no one could see her. Or so she’d thought.

“You were dancing. All by yourself.” Johnny caught her eye, holding her gaze for what felt like a long time. “But you didn’t look lonely. You looked like the band was playing just for you. That the night and the music were yours alone.”

“I didn’t realize anyone was watching me.” She blushed from the warmth of the memory. “I thought I was hidden from the crowd.”

“Mel saw you,” Johnny said. “And he wanted to ask you to dance. But I beat him to it.”

“Yes. You did.” She’d been intimidated by his height, his broad shoulders, and the fact that he’d been spying on her. But there had been a softness in his eyes, a vulnerability that made her trust him. Instead of leading her to the dance floor, he’d joined her behind the speakers and the instant his hand rested on her shoulder, she was gone.

“So Mel saw me first?” That was news to her.

“But I saw you last.” Johnny opened the door to the limo and waited while she slid inside. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No. It’s okay.” And it was. He was the injured party here, not her. She’d made choices. Johnny never had the chance.

“So what would it take to convince you to skip this party and ride around the city, just the two of us?” Johnny asked once she got settled.

“Considering this is our main fundraiser, I’d say I should be there.” She crossed her legs, and the slit of her skirt exposed more leg than she meant to.

“I could write a check.” Johnny’s voice was low and incredibly sexy.

“I can’t be bought.” She uncrossed her legs, and smoothed the fabric of her dress down as much as possible.
Not again
.

Johnny leaned back against the seat. She wasn’t sure if she’d said that last part aloud. She hoped not. She didn’t want him to know that she’d married Mel for financial reasons as much as anything else. He’d promised to take care of her and the baby. And while they’d never lacked for food or shelter or clothing, she’d lacked the one thing she wanted most—love.

The limo pulled up to the front of the hotel. Johnny tipped the driver and led Alice to the ballroom. Fortunately they’d arrived early enough that she was able to check in with the caterer. She made her rounds, assured that everything was in place. Nothing could mar this night. Not when she knew she’d be going home with Johnny Scottsdale at the end of the evening.

She found him over by the bar. He’d been chatting with the bartender. He always did have a way of connecting with everyday people. While Mel would seek out those with power and connections, Johnny tended to gravitate to the people who did the real labor. Alice was in the position of needing to connect with both.

* * * *

Johnny sipped champagne while he watched Ali work the room. She was amazing; one minute she was dazzling wealthy socialites with her charm and grace, the next she was chatting causally with the worker bees, encouraging and directing them to keep the event running with a cool perfection.

He wasn’t the only one watching her. She drew the attention of most of the men in the room. In her ridiculously sexy gown. Instead of basic black, it was blue. A little darker than Dodger blue, but not quite as dark as Yankee pinstripes. He supposed the women in the room had a name for that particular color, but he just knew it made her skin glow and eyes sparkle.

He also knew that at the end of the evening, he’d be the one unzipping that dress. Sliding it down her body, tasting her skin along the way. He sipped his champagne to avoid looking at his watch and wondering if they’d been here long enough to slip out unnoticed.

They’d probably have to stay through dinner, at least. And he did promise her dancing. That is, if he could tear her away from her job.

Johnny looked around, to see if he knew anyone. There were a few people he recognized from the Goliaths’ front office. Marvin Dempsey and his wife Helen were there. Clayton Barry escorted his former supermodel wife Annabelle. He didn’t see Henry Collins, the man who’d purchased the team back in the nineties and kept them from moving to Florida. There were rumors circulating about his health, some sort of cancer. But his daughter Hunter was there, chatting with the Dempseys.

“I thought you didn’t do the whole glamour and fame thing.” Rachel Parker approached Johnny as if they were actually friends. “But look at you, all dressed up and ready for the limelight.”

“I’m not here to get noticed.” Johnny took a sip of champagne, hoping she’d get the hint he wasn’t interested in her or this conversation.

“But it’s hard not to notice you.” She had a throaty, flirty tone to her voice.

“I’m here to support a worthy cause.” Johnny continued to stare out over the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alice.

“It’s funny, you never seemed interested in youth charities before.”

“What are you, the IRS? Poking around into my charitable contributions?”

“No. I am a little curious about why you’ve suddenly take such an interest in helping young boys when you seemed to avoid that kind of thing in the past.” She had the air of someone making small talk, but the reporter in her was hard to hide. She was searching for an angle. A way she could dig into some dirt. He didn’t like the way she’d said the words
young boys
. “You seem to have taken a particular interest in Zach Harrison.”

“I told you, his father was an old friend.” Johnny was still trying to determine if she was insinuating that he was doing more than work on a few pitches.

“And the fact that his mother—his very single mother—has been eyeing you all night has nothing to do with it.”

Johnny let out the breath he’d been holding. So, she wasn’t accusing him of anything other than using the kid to get to the mother.

“I’ll have you know, I don’t need a thirteen-year-old to help me get dates.” Johnny tossed back the last swallow of his champagne and set the glass on the bar. Grabbing two fresh glasses, Johnny searched the crowd for Alice. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s my date now.”

He walked away, leaving the reporter behind.

“Ali, relax. Everything is perfect.” He handed her the crystal flute and she smiled her thanks, saying goodbye to the couple she’d been talking to.

“I know. I just need to make sure everyone is having a good time.” She took a dainty sip, barely even letting the bubbles touch her lips.

“Does that include me?” Johnny tilted his head, daring her with a look that said his idea of a good time had nothing to do with flowers and lighting and passed appetizers.