“You know who I am?” Green asks, obviously shocked.
“Sure, you were one of the greats on the field but you’re an even better coach. They say you’re responsible for bringing several big-time players up from the minors. All the players they interview rave about you,” Ty says.
“Most say you’re crazy for turning down the chance to coach big league and stay in the minors instead,” Slider adds.
“Well, sometimes, it’s more important to stay close to home than travel and make more money. I have enough money, but being away from my wife and kids would suck,” Green responds.
“I saw your son on ESPN. They say he’s going to be a star in the league next year,” Ty says.
“Yeah, I think he will—if he doesn’t get too cocky,” Green laughs. “Although my wife is trying to beg him to play for me,” Green laughs.
“Dude, doesn’t she know the pay difference between the big leagues and the minors?” Slider pipes in.
“Hey, sometimes being close to family is more important,” Beau grumbles.
“It’s a lot of money, Aunt Beau.”
“If you remember, I was offered a crap-load to work in Vegas. I turned them down. It was the best decision for me. I mean, I’m not hurting for money, and I have my family around me, too. It’s the best of both worlds.”
“You got a job offer in Vegas?” Ty asks, his gaze skirting over to mine. I frown. Why was he looking at me? He looks almost worried. Somehow my boy seems to have latched onto Beau. I don’t understand it, but I’m not questioning it either. It’s just another sign that whatever this pull is between Beau and me is real and it’s something to hold onto.
“Yeah, Ty. They wanted Aunt Beau to work with that custom auto show in Vegas. The one on television every week that restores all these classic vehicles and does custom paint jobs and interiors on them. Remember, they did that Ferrari 250 GTO? Some guy bought that sucker for like seventy million. If Aunt Beau had taken that job she could buy her own baseball team. Heck, she could buy them all,” Slider brags.
“Woah,” Ty exclaims, obviously impressed.
Everyone stares at Beau, including me. I knew how talented she was, but I guess I never allowed myself to think about all the options she had. I also didn’t think about the reasons she was still here in our little town working. Suddenly, I have an even bigger respect for her.
“How about we let this drop and show Parker his Dodge Charger and make me enough money that I can take you hooligans out to dinner afterwards?” she asks.
“Dinner?” the boys ask, perking up.
“Me and the guys are headed to Remi’s later. You can come, too. No drinking for you, though,” she says with a wink, making even the boys laugh. I just give her a look. I know what she’s doing. Beau knows I’d show up tonight. I wouldn’t rest until I put myself in a position to ruin her so-called date with Apex. She’s making sure that with my kid there I won’t beat the shitout of the motherfucker for trying to put the moves on her. It’s a good call. It won’t save Apex, but it will give him a slight reprieve. I find myself smiling and shaking my head at her. She looks over my son’s head at me and I can’t be sure, but I think she’s fighting sticking her tongue out at me. I’m disappointed when she just turns around. I would have liked the opportunity to show her exactly what I want to do with her tongue.
I bring up the rear, following all of them to her paint bay. I watch as they stare in wonder at the remarkable job Beau and her boys did on the sixty-nine Charger. Then, I watch as she captivates the whole room while explaining her work. This includes me, though to be fair, Beau has had me captivated since the moment I first met her. That’s only increased since she let me back in her life.
I’m being an asshole. I should back off and let her breathe a little, but I know in my heart that I’m not going to. I even realize that I’m going to take advantage and move into her house. I sense that she wants to get closer to me, but I also know that for whatever reason is sifting around in her brain and spreading poison, that she never will. It’s up to me to break down her defenses and show her what we could have. I’m going to do it for me, for her and for my son. Instinctively, I know that what Beau and I could share is everything—fucking life changing.As I continue watching her in her world, I know that no matter what, I will fight to keep my place in it. I knew it before, and finding out some other man is coming after her does nothing to change that. It solidifies everything for me. Beau Harper is my future and I’m hers. She can’t run away from it. I won’t let her. In fact, I’m starting to think that I might just enjoy watching her try, because with every step she tries to take away from me, I’ll take three in its place to make her fall in love—until all she wants is me. Because fuck me …
All I want is her.
Chapter 13
Beau
“Here’s a fresh beer, Beau, sweetheart.”
Apex puts the beer down beside the one that I’ve barely sipped one drink out of. That’s because Hunter just put it down about two minutes earlier—a fact that Apex knows because he watched Hunter put it down. Then, again, in the one hour that I’ve been here this has happened at least five times. Truly, it’s probably happened seven or more. I’ve stopped counting. I’ve also stopped responding. There’s no point. They ignore me when I say I don’t want anything to drink.
“Dad’s acting a little crazy,” Ty says from beside me as Hunter walks to the bar.
“Yeah,” I murmur.
“Apex is too,” he adds, and I can tell he wants to make sure I know that.
I look down at him, forcing a smile. “They’re both being idiots.”
“Yeah,” he says with a slightly sideways smile. “Dad really likes you, Beau.”
“Ty—”
