Meet Me at the Beach (Seashell Bay) (23 page)

A
iden didn’t feel much like drinking, but he didn’t feel much like being alone either—not after his fight with Bram. So he was sitting at the bar in the Lobster Pot, despite the fact that it was a beautiful, sunny day, nursing a beer and making sporadic conversation with bartender Kellen Dooley.

The muted TVs carried the Red Sox and Rays game from Fenway Park in Boston. Aiden tried not to watch, but every once in a while he glanced up, falling into his bred-in-the-bone habit of analyzing every pitch and the batter’s reaction to it. To him, doing that was like breathing. Unconscious. Natural. Essential.

Essential? He sure hoped it wasn’t essential or else he was good and screwed. It was looking as if the only time he would set foot on a major-league field again would be if he took a stadium tour.

Stop watching the damn game.

There was no point in wasting mental energy on that frustrating exercise when he should be focusing on how he could possibly make Lily’s ecotourism resort idea work.
The first order of business was to make some phone calls, but that couldn’t happen until later tonight. Every guy he knew was playing that afternoon, like they did every Sunday afternoon from the beginning of April until at least the end of September.

When his cell phone vibrated in his pocket, Aiden grabbed it and glanced at the call display. His pulse rate zoomed when his agent’s name popped up. After their last disappointing conversation, Aiden hadn’t been expecting a call anytime soon, and his expectations were pretty much rock bottom.

“I guess you’re calling to tell me I can hit cleanup for a beer league team in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, right?” Aiden said, trying to make a joke out of the crappy situation.

Paul chuckled. “Glad to see you’ve got some of your sense of humor back, buddy. But actually I can do a little better than that.”

Aiden surged to his feet. He knew his agent’s code for breaking news.
A little better
was Paul-speak for something he was probably going to like. “Well, be still, my heart,” he said, heading for the door. “Hold on a sec, okay?”

Though there were only a half-dozen people in the bar, he didn’t want to be overheard. “Go ahead, Paul. I’m outside.” He cut around to the side of the building. It was quiet there, with a spectacular view over the bay.

“It’s Oakland, Aiden. The A’s are interested in signing you to a minor-league deal. They’ll assign you to their Triple-A club for now, but that’ll probably change. Sacramento’s regular left fielder went down for the season, and they see you as taking over there. Their assistant GM told
me you’d likely be the first guy called up if one of their corner outfielders gets hurt.”

Aiden’s mind slowed to a crawl as he tried to process the news. Despite anything positive he’d said to Lily or anybody else, he’d been pretty much convinced he’d never get an offer again, and this one had caught him off guard.

“The money’s not bad—standard stuff for the situation.” Paul named a figure. When Aiden remained silent, he asked, “You still there, man?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Aiden said. “Just thinking.” Wondering what the hell to do. The offer was a long way from what he’d hoped for, but it wasn’t a nightmare either. So why wasn’t he more excited about it? He’d been telling himself for weeks that this was what he wanted—what he needed.

“Look, Aiden, I know it’s not a major-league deal, but it’s a pretty good opportunity. A chance to show you can still be a productive player.” Again Paul waited for Aiden’s reaction. When none came, he added, “I have to tell you I think this is the best we’re going to get, my friend.”

“I hear you,” Aiden said.

A minor-league contract was bordering on humiliation for a major-league veteran with Aiden’s years of service. Paul was right, though—it was an opportunity to prove he could still play and get back to the Show. Aiden liked the idea of playing in Oakland too, or even Sacramento if he got stuck there for a while. He’d given some thought about retiring to the Bay Area, and this might prove to be a good chance to give that part of the country a test run.

But what were the chances that a longer-term opportunity with the major-league club would come to him, no
matter how well he hit in the minors? He knew the A’s already had productive veteran outfielders, as well as a solid young prospect on a fast track to the Oakland Coliseum. Then again, if Aiden played well for the A’s, they might trade one of their current starters, or even the prospect, and hand a regular job to him.

Was that enough of an incentive for him to take the offer?

Christ.
His emotions and thoughts pinwheeled all over the place, and yet he’d have to make a rational decision that would affect the entire course of his life.

And then there’s Lily.
When had she become such a big factor in his decision?

“When do they need an answer?” he asked, breaking the fraught silence.

Paul groaned. “They expect a call back by tomorrow. But what’s the holdup?”

I need more time to think—about everything.
“I’m in the middle of a family emergency, Paul.” That actually wasn’t far from the truth. “Look, just say whatever the hell you need to, okay? Try to buy me at least a day or two.”

His agent cursed under his breath. “They’re interested, but I’m not sure they’re that interested.”

Aiden was operating purely on gut instinct. He didn’t want to blow the opportunity with the A’s, but damned if he was ready to jump at it instantly. “You won’t know unless you give it a shot.”

“I don’t get it, Aiden. I really thought you’d go for this.”

“And I might,” he shot back. “I’m just not in a position right now to snap my fingers and say yes. I’ve got a hell of a lot on my plate, Paul.”

Paul heaved a sigh. “I thought all you had on your
plate these days was a big, fat, juicy lobster tail. What the hell is going on down there on that godforsaken island, anyway?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Just let me know what the A’s say, and we’ll take it from there, okay?”

“Fine, Aiden, but it would be a mistake to let this one go. Time’s not on your side.”

The second she heard a crunch of gravel in her driveway, Lily set down her cup of coffee and bolted up from the kitchen table where she’d been balancing her checkbook. After Aiden told her he’d drop by this evening, she’d barely been able to think of anything else. Every time she passed by the bedroom, her addled mind envisioned the two of them sprawled all over each other in her antique, four-poster bed. If tonight went as she hoped it would, it would be the first time she’d shared that bed with a man. Lily was glad she’d saved that particular milestone for a night with Aiden.

But when she opened the door, Aiden flashed her only the briefest of smiles. “Hi,” he said.

Lily frowned as she ushered him in. Something had clearly happened in the last six hours to flatten his mood—something that now set her alarm bells clanging. “How about a beer?”

Aiden wandered into the living room and flopped down onto the sofa. “No, thanks. I’m good.” He patted the sofa cushion. “Just come sit down so we can talk.”

Uh-oh.
Lily’s stomach took a sickening nosedive. In her experience, when a guy said he wanted to talk, it was a signal she was about to hear something she wouldn’t like.

“How did your meeting go?” he asked, after she cautiously sat and crossed her legs underneath her.

Lily was certain that it wasn’t the car ferry vote that was on his mind, but she played along. For now. “We’re all set to make sure we get the vote out tomorrow. We have to be, because it looks like it’s going to be a pretty tight margin one way or the other.”

Aiden smiled, but his dark eyes looked strained and weary. “For you to miss a day of fishing so you can pull the vote, I’d say it must be damn close.”

“The Jenkins sisters and Holly took sort of a poll down at the store over the weekend,” Lily said. “They set up a mock polling station so people could record their intentions anonymously. Holly told us today at the meeting that the vote was split almost right down the middle—about 40 percent in favor of the ferry and 40 percent against, with the rest undecided.”

“How many people voted?”

“Over a hundred.”

He nodded. “A good sample, since most people shop at the general store.”

Her impatience finally got the better of her. “I can tell something’s bothering you. What’s going on, Aiden?”

He rubbed his jaw, as if it ached. “Let me give you some good news first.”

Good news first, then bad news.
Lily’s mouth went totally dry. “One second.” She got up and fetched her coffee, then sat back down and took a sip. It was barely lukewarm but she didn’t care.

Aiden shifted to face her directly. “I told you I was going to sound out a few players who might have some interest in investing in an ecoresort, right? Well, I got hold of four of them, and three were generally positive. One guy, Kirby Weston of the Red Sox, sounded really
excited.” He snorted. “I guess Kirby’s got to find something to do with the 168 million bucks he’s getting over the next eight years. He’s a big-time environmental guy, so this would be right up his alley.”

“Wow,” Lily said, genuinely impressed with Aiden’s quick work. “That really is good news.”

“One of my teammates—former teammates, that is—wants to hear more too,” Aiden said. “So I’m going to call Booth in the morning and see if I can set up a meeting with him and Weston and anybody else who wants to come. The Phillies will be in Boston this week, so the timing’s right. If I can get Booth down there to meet those guys, you should go too, Lily.”

Despite the impending bad news, Lily couldn’t help feeling excited that her off-the-wall idea might actually have some kind of real-world chance. “I hate to miss another day of fishing, but sure, I guess we could do that.”

Aiden’s intent gaze bored into her. “No, I meant
you
should go, not us. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”

She peered at him, confused. “You don’t think you’ll be able to make it? What exactly does that mean?”

When he reached out and grasped her hand, squeezing it, Lily knew the bad news was about to blow in. Then it hit her with blinding force. “Oh, my God, you got a call, didn’t you? Some team wants to give you a job.” The words practically choked her.

Aiden gave a tight nod as he let go of her hand.

Lily struggled to recover, determined not to get weepy. She should hardly be surprised, should she? She’d known all along this moment would come, despite her stupid, girlish hopes that it never would.

“Where?” she managed.

“Oakland. Well, Sacramento, for now. But my agent says I would be the first outfielder to get called up from the minor-league team.”

For a guy who’d just received the call he’d been desperately waiting for, Aiden looked more grim than happy.

As for her, Sacramento might as well be the moon. “A minor-league team,” she said numbly. “Isn’t that a… comedown?”

When he flinched a bit, she felt awful.

“Sure, but it’s an opportunity. A chance to play a few more years if I do well. It’s probably the only chance I’ll get.”

She nodded, hoping she didn’t look like her world was ending. “I understand.” She forced a smile. “Well, that’s good.”

What else could she say? Beg him not to grab at the opportunity he’d been holding his breath to get? She’d never stand in the way of Aiden and his dream. Besides, even if he said no to this offer because of her—not that he would—he’d inevitably end up resenting her, and that would poison any chance they had to be together.

“If I go, it looks like I’ll have to be out of here by the day after tomorrow at the latest, and that makes me…” Aiden grimaced. “It makes me feel like I’m letting you down. I’m sorry, Lily.”

It almost felt like he was asking her permission to go. He had to know that she’d have a hard time on the boat without him, but did he also know that she’d have a hard time living without him?

Of course not, because she’d been in full denial mode herself.

She could never tell him how much she dreaded losing
him again. Aiden had done so much for her, and even now he was working hard to find a way to rescue Seashell Bay. He was doing that for her as much as for any newfound reconciliation with the island and his past. How could she ladle more guilt onto him for doing the only thing he’d ever wanted to do?

“I’ll go to Boston,” she said decisively. “I’ll do whatever it takes to move our idea forward.”

He blinked once and then gave her a relieved smile. “Thanks, babe.”

She knew he was thanking her for a whole lot more than attending a meeting.

“But this time I hope you won’t wait fourteen years to come back and visit,” she said, forcing a smile. “Even if the ecoresort idea goes nowhere.”

“I won’t. Everything’s different now, Lily.”

She searched his dark eyes, thinking about what
everything’s different
actually signified. What he’d just said felt right. A lot had changed since Aiden came back.
She’d
changed since Aiden came back.

No, he wasn’t going to stay in Seashell Bay, but what about her? Did she really have to spend every moment of her life on the island, chained to her boat and her family? Especially if that meant losing Aiden again?

“Well, maybe I could come visit you in Oakland,” she blurted out. “When fishing season is over, I mean. I’d love to see the West Coast.”

Okay, that sounded stupid, like she wanted a vacation out there. But she didn’t just want a damn vacation with Aiden. She wanted more—a lot more.

His tense mouth relaxed into a slow, pleased smile. “That would be great. I’d like that a lot.”

Lily could breathe again. “Okay, then,” she said, which sounded totally lame.
Now what the hell do I say?

He reached over and tugged gently on a lock of her hair. “Look, though, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I haven’t even said yes to Oakland’s offer yet.”

Maybe not, but you clearly want to go.
“I understand,” she said mechanically, trying to get her whipsawing emotions under control.