give up all that he had to have her and Allie in his life—including his acting
career, if that’s what it took.
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Three months later
Allie leaned back into the leather sofa in the VIP box of the Atlanta
Braves stadium. Beyond the glass, the humidity stuck T-shirts to backs and
shorts to bottoms as the fans watched Anthony Green climb out of the dugout.
“Ant-ney!” cheered José his arms raised high in the air.
Leticia caught Allie’s eye and they exchanged smiles. This was José’s third home game, and each time Anthony came to bat, he acted like it was the bottom of the ninth in the seventh game of the World Series.
Thanks to Leticia’s tutoring, Allie now knew how important that moment was in baseball. Though the memories from her fairy-tale weekend with Mark still made her ache with longing, Allie was thankful that she’d made friends with Leticia and Anthony. Not only had she shared in the joy of baby Julissajoining the family; Allie now managed Leticia’s premier bath boutique in downtown. Selina worked there full time, her schedule flexible to accommodate José’s medical needs.
A wail pierced the air. Leticia cooed as she scooped baby Julissa out of the car seat and bounced her lightly.
On the field, Anthony swung and missed for the second time. “Boooo,” José yelled at the umpire.
“Shhhh, José, the baby wants to sleep,” said Leticia in a quiet voice.
“Boooo,” he whispered, making Allie’s heart melt.
Wrapping Julissa in a mint-green minkie blanket, Leticia snuggled her close. She drifted back to sleep and sighed in contentment. Anthony stepped out of the batter’s box and adjusted his grip on the bat.
“I saw the billboard for Mark’s theater,” Allie admitted.
Leticia rocked side to side in her seat. Allie didn’t know if she even knew she was doing it; the woman had taken to being a mother naturally. “His first show opens in the fall. Do you want to go?” Leticia asked.
“I don’t think I should.”
“Should or could?”
“Could,” she admitted. A couple of days after she’d left Mark at the
church—man, that sounded bad, like she’d run out on him at their wedding—a producer had been caught on tape trying to buy cocaine from an undercover cop. Her and Mark’s story lost its momentum despite Aspen’s attempts to stir up trouble. There were a few articles painting the Hollywood starlet as the victim in this situation, but she really just came off as pathetic and spoiled.
When Allie had trudged home from the diner that night, there was a car waiting to take her to Leticia’s. Her new friend was a sympathetic shoulder to cry on with an unending supplyof chocolate ice cream and tissues. Over the next week, Allie went to work, repainted a nursery, and took a lot of chamomile-scented baths. “I miss him too much.”
Leticia patted her knee in sympathy. “It’s because you love him.”
“I know.” In all the time she’d been apart from Mark, she’d never dared approach the L-word in her thoughts. Falling in love with someone in a weekend was absurd. Absolutely ridiculous. Beyond reason. And totally possible when that person was your soul mate.
Anthony struck out. Allie quickly lifted her finger to her lips to remind José to be quiet.
“Bad call,” he stage-whispered.
The announcer wasted no time in moving the game along. “Time for the seventh inning stretch, folks. We’ve got a special surprise for y’all today. Would Allie Gray please step out onto the balcony? Come on, Allie!”
Allie pointed at Leticia. “What did you do?”
Leticia shook her head. “Not me, amiga.”
