Meant For Her (27 page)

Chapter 52

“Evan, are you all right?” Regina asked as he was led into the lobby thirty minutes later. “They won’t tell me what’s going on. I saw a stretcher roll out of here before they let anyone inside. It was Sierra, wasn’t it?”

He nodded, unable to say more.

Turning to the police officer standing beside Evan, she asked, “What hospital are they going to?”

Evan didn’t hear the response. His emotions had retreated, leaving him blessedly numb. He barely registered when Regina tugged at his hand.

“Evan, Sierra needs us,” she said. “Let’s go to the hospital. Please, honey.”

He nodded, unseeingly following her to her SUV. The police had reached Detective Michaels and had taken Evan’s statement. They determined that he’d been trying to protect Sierra. They’d determined the same thing about Miller, who was even then being cared for by Dr. Paulk. The vet had stepped in to treat Miller and help the police process all three dogs for possible evidence. Beck’s forepaw was once again sprained. Miller’s injuries hadn’t yet been determined, but the vet suspected a rib injury.

The numbness had settled in while they placed Sierra on the stretcher. Now, he embraced it. It helped keep him from focusing on the fact that his last words to her had been spoken in anger, when he threw her love for him back in her face.

He didn’t remember the ride to the hospital, nor did he remember getting to the waiting room once they were there. Regina took care of communicating with the hospital staff to get more information while he sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair and stared at a television showing
The Wizard of Oz
.

“She’s still being evaluated,” Regina said when she joined him. “Deanne will be here soon. Do you want to wash up, honey?”

Although he knew he had Geoff’s blood on him, he shook his head. Rather than argue with him, she took his bloodstained hand and clutched it in both of hers.

“Who was the man who did this?” she asked after a while.

“His name is Geoff Hoch. He’s the cousin of Larry Uhre.”

She frowned. “The Atlanta second baseman?”

“Yes.”

“Why in the world would he want to hurt Sierra?”

“I’m really not sure.”

But he feared it was all because of him.

An hour later, a nurse came out from between two swinging doors. Evan rose with Deanne and Regina, anticipating that the news would be about Sierra.

“Ms. Stratton?” the nurse asked, looking between Regina and Deanne.

“Yes,” Regina said. “Is our daughter…is she all right?”

“Your daughter’s a tough young woman. Most of the injuries she sustained were superficial. A few of the deeper cuts required suturing, though, and she has a mild concussion. We sedated her so we could remove all of the glass embedded in the wounds. She’s being moved to a room. We’ll want to keep her overnight for observation.”

Tears filled the eyes of both of Sierra’s mothers. Evan sank back down into his chair.

“When can we see her?” Deanne asked.

“We’ll let you know as soon as she’s in a room,” the nurse said before she turned and headed back through the doors.

Sierra’s parents walked off to make some phone calls, probably updating friends and family about her condition. Evan got up to use the restroom, deciding that he might as well get as cleaned up as he could. When he got out, he spotted Detective Michaels and the lead officer from the apartment building standing in the waiting room.

“Could we have a word with you, Mr. Dorsey?” the detective asked.

“Sure.”

They walked outside the waiting room to a quieter, more private area. Once they stopped, Evan looked from one policeman to the other.

“This is Officer O’Brien. We thought we’d update you on a few things, ask some routine questions related to the investigation,” Detective Michaels said.

“Okay.”

“From what we’ve been able to determine based on the building’s security cameras,” Officer O’Brien said, “the perp entered your apartment at approximately eleven p.m. It appears that he vandalized your apartment between that time and when Ms. Stratton left her apartment and entered yours. Based upon the urine near the dog cages, we suspect Hoch harmed one or both of the animals during this time period, as well.”

“The cameras don’t provide audio,” the detective continued, “but we suspect Ms. Stratton heard the commotion in your apartment. She ran down the hall as if alarmed about something. When she opened the door, one of your dogs exited your apartment. He was limping.”

Evan’s gut twisted. The son of a bitch
had
been hurting his dogs all this time. Sierra had suspected it and tried to protect them, even when he wouldn’t listen to her. Of course she would have cast aside all good sense when it came to the boys if she heard Geoff doing something to them.

“We’re still analyzing the scene, but it appears she ran in on Hoch and got trapped in the apartment with him. Judging by some of the things he’s been saying, he intentionally lured her over. We’re still trying to get more details on that.”

God. She must have been insane with fear. It sounded like something out of a horror movie. This shit wasn’t supposed to happen in real life.

“The perp’s right wrist is broken,” the detective said. “We believe your dog did that damage. The bites are pretty extensive.”

Evan suddenly wanted to hug his dogs with a fierceness that surprised him. Since that wasn’t happening, he nodded.

“My dogs aren’t in any trouble, are they?”

“No,” the detective said. “The perp broke into your home and attacked your girlfriend, whom your dog defended. He deserves a medal, if you ask me.”

“As to that,” Officer O’Brien continued, “is she really your girlfriend?”

Evan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the perp is shouting to anyone who’ll listen that she isn’t your girlfriend…that you dumped her. Some nonsense about how he’d still bet on the girl. We want to be clear on the nature of your relationship with Ms. Stratton before the investigation continues.”

Heat rushed up the back of Evan’s neck. He looked at a distant wall for a moment before meeting their gazes.

“We had an argument,” he admitted. “One that was largely my fault. But there’s no denying she’s my girlfriend. She likes to say that she’s meant for me. I’m starting to think maybe she’s right.”

*     *     *

The room slowly came into focus. Sierra vaguely remembered that she was in the hospital. She’d seen both of her mothers at some point during the night. The conversations she’d had with them seemed disjointed in her mind. Everything was a little cloudy, as a matter of fact. The nurses had given her some painkillers and another sedative to help her sleep.

Turning her head, she spotted Evan standing beside her bed. His back was to her. The early morning sun bathed his profile in golden light.

“You’re so pretty,” she sighed.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Me?”

She nodded. “Wish I had my camera. Are you really here?”

“Yeah.” He approached the bed and lifted her hand.

Her brow furrowed as she tried to concentrate. It was astonishingly hard.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“You don’t remember? You were attacked…cut by glass.”

She lifted a hand at that. “‘Course I remember that part,” she snorted. “Kinda hard to forget. Think Miller saved my life.”

His hold on her hand tightened. “He broke the bastard’s arm.”

“Stopped Geoff from hitting me. Well, the first time. Gonna buy him lots of treats when I get home. Don’t care what you say.”

“I’ll help you pick them out.”

“But you don’t like me,” she reminded him.

Pain flashed in his eyes. “Of course I do. What I said before was said in anger.”

“And fear,” she tacked on.

His shoulders rose and fell. “And fear,” he repeated. “All of this has helped put things into perspective.”

“Does that mean you’re going to stay in Atlanta?”

“That means I’m giving it more thought than I initially intended.” He brushed a teal curl from her forehead and held her gaze. “I thought I’d lost you. It about destroyed me, Sierra.”

Her heart squeezed. “I’m sorry, Evan.”

“Don’t apologize. I just want you to understand why I’m going to take the time to figure out where my head is in all of this. I want to avoid causing you even more pain than I already have. The one thing I wanted to avoid after I lost my mom was getting so attached to someone else that I couldn’t handle losing them. I’ve realized that I’ve gotten that attached to you. Now I have to figure out if I can live with it.”

Even in her medication-buzzed state, she understood what he meant. If he couldn’t live with it, he’d leave Atlanta and deal with the pain of separation somewhere else, knowing that at least she was still alive.

Her eyelids drooped. She knew he’d be gone when she next awoke, and the knowledge broke her heart. There was still so much left unsaid between them. She couldn’t remain conscious long enough for that, though.

Sometimes, she thought as her eyes closed, progress was painful.

Chapter 53

Cole and Everly opened their home to Evan and the boys after the attack. His apartment had been deemed a crime scene and was going to require extensive repairs, which Caroline said she would handle once she was given clearance to do so.

The team experienced shock and turmoil after the news about Larry hit the airwaves, but it seemed to solidify them. Atlanta clinched the division two days after the attack.

Evan called Sierra daily to check on her. She went home with her parents, who intended to keep her and Leo with them until his apartment was rehabbed so she didn’t have to deal with the construction noise. He knew Sierra wanted him to come and see her, but he couldn’t. Not yet.

She would never know the depths he’d fallen to when he thought he’d lost her. The uncertainty, brief as it was, had pulled him back to the dark, soulless place he’d only started emerging from after his mother’s death. So far, all life had taught him was that it was fleeting and full of pain. What good could possibly come of opening oneself up to that?

On the morning of the last game of the season, he worked out in Cole’s home gym, then showered and grabbed a cup of coffee. He was sitting at the large island in the kitchen reading Facebook posts on his laptop when Everly walked in.

Well, more like waddled in, he supposed. Their baby was due in a little over a month. Evan thought she looked ready to pop the baby out right there in the kitchen. Her top swelled over her round belly. It was kind of charming, actually.

“Good morning,” she said. “All ready for the big game this afternoon?”

He shrugged. “As always.”

“I’m looking forward to going,” she said, pulling the orange juice out of the fridge. “Pee Paw’s over the moon that he gets to go. Hopefully the weather stays decent so we don’t melt.”

“Hopefully. Hope the kid stays put for you, too.”

She laughed and sat across from him with her glass of juice. “She’s not going anywhere. I’ll have to get up to pee every half-inning, but that’s about it. Don’t tell Cole, though. He’ll just worry the entire game about me slipping while walking up and down the stairs.”

“My lips are sealed.”

But he knew Cole would worry anyway.

“Sierra told me she really wished she could make the game,” Everly said, her gaze on his face. “Her parents want her rested for the big Savannah event in a couple days, though.”

His jaw clenched as he stared into his coffee mug. “I know.”

“I was thinking that since it’s an afternoon game today, it might be nice to get together with her and her parents afterwards. Maybe dinner, kind of a private celebration.”

“I have a meeting with Caroline after the game,” he said. “I’m not sure how long it’ll last.”

“Oh,” she said. “Okay.”

She took a few sips of juice, her eyes still intent on him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. After a moment, she set her glass down.

“Look, Evan, I’m usually the last person to intrude on anyone’s personal life. I went through most of my teens and early adulthood keeping everything inside, shutting everyone else out. My business was my business, and I didn’t need anyone judging me because of it. I had no friends, no romantic relationships. I told myself I didn’t want them or need them.”

He met her gaze. She was a kindred spirit, he realized.

“But I was wrong,” she said. “I’ve discovered that the key to finding contentment isn’t learning to deal with my problems on my own. It’s having someone to share those problems with, someone who can help me work through them, help me get through the dark times.”

He thought about when Cole traveled to see her on the anniversary she’d dreaded.

“Do you ever think about who you lost?” he asked.

“Every single day.”

“Don’t you worry that you’ll go through that again?”

“Yes, nearly as often.” She paused and then asked, “Are you happier without Sierra?”

Hell no, he thought. He was goddamn miserable. But he didn’t reply.

“I ask because, for me, I’ve decided that whatever time I have with Cole is better than a lifetime without him. I wouldn’t trade what we have for the world. If, God forbid, it all ended tomorrow, at least I’d have the memories of our time together to sustain me.”

He considered that in silence. There was no doubt that the time he’d spent apart from Sierra had ripped him to shreds. He’d thought it would be easier to gain perspective and emotional distance. Instead, he was sinking without a lifeline.

Everly got up and walked over to a drawer. Pulling it open, she took out a business card. She walked back and slid the card across the island toward him.

“I’m sorry if I’m overstepping myself,” she said, “but I think you would benefit from making an appointment. It’s helped me.”

He lifted the card. It read,
Wanda Donaldson, Grief Counselor
. His first instinct was to tell her thanks, but no thanks. But he thought of how his head was so screwed up that he was leaving Sierra to recover on her own because he couldn’t bear to see her in such a fragile state.

He met her gaze. He saw a deeper level of understanding there than he’d ever anticipated.

Nodding, he put the card in his wallet. “Thanks,” he said. “I’d better get ready for the game.”

“All right,” she said. Her smile conveyed a number of things. “Good luck, Evan.”

*     *     *

He had plenty of time to consider Everly’s words as he rode to the stadium. He went through the motions of interacting with his teammates, trying to get into the celebratory feel of the game, but his mind was elsewhere. The manager decided to give some of the bench players some face time, so he sat for half the game.

Just more time to think.

After the game, he sat through interviews, offering vague answers to the ever-present question of whether he’d be returning to Atlanta next season. Then he walked to Caroline Sanderson’s office.

Had it really only been four months since he’d first met with her? It felt like a lifetime ago.

Millicent sat at her desk outside of Caroline’s office, her long nails clacking away on her keyboard. Her hair was braided and pulled back, highlighting her prominent cheekbones. She smiled when she spotted him.

“Hello, Mr. Dorsey. Nice to see you again. Congratulations on the great season. I’ve heard some rumors that you might earn the National League MVP this year. You deserve it.”

“Thanks.”

“Ms. Sanderson is expecting you. You can go right in.”

He thanked her again. As he stepped inside Caroline’s office, he saw she was on her phone.

Waving him in, she said, “I’ve got to go, Aaron. My next appointment is here. Thanks.”

As she hung up, he sat in the same chair he’d sat in four months ago. She studied his face for a moment before she smiled.

“Hello, Evan. Thanks for coming.”

“Sure,” he said.

She folded her hands on top of her desk, a sign that she was ready to get down to business. “I gather you know why I requested this meeting. Your contract is coming to an end. I’d like to take this time before the free agency period begins to get an idea of where you and Wayne are in your plans for next season and beyond.”

Wayne had very little say in the matter, Evan thought. But he didn’t mention that.

“We haven’t made any firm decisions,” he responded.

“Is my team among those you’re considering?”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Would I be welcome back?”

She sat back in her chair. “It’s been an interesting road with you, Evan. On the one hand, you batted three-twenty, hit forty-one home runs, racked up a hundred and fourteen RBIs, and earned yourself another Gold Glove Award.

“On the other hand, you’ve never made a secret about your dislike of Jensen, and that caused friction that I had to smooth over in the media. And although it certainly isn’t your fault, you’ve brought to light a huge scandal that will keep me busy spinning the media well into next year.”

Not to mention the fact that I almost got your niece killed
, he thought.

It turned out that Burke really hadn’t done anything other than damage Evan’s gas tank on a poorly guided impulse. They’d settled that matter outside of the legal system. Investigators had confirmed that the other threats and sabotage had been conducted by Larry and Geoff in an attempt to force Evan out of Atlanta. Larry had harbored resentment toward him ever since high school, and it had exploded when Evan joined the team. They discovered that Larry had caused the injury that benched Jensen in an attempt to assume the third base position. But Larry’s actions were irrational. There were several players more qualified to play third than him, including Burke. Larry hadn’t thought beyond the immediate barriers to his goal, though.

Geoff had been recruited by Larry to keep tabs on Evan and plant some threats at his home. But he’d fixated on Sierra, spying on her and deliberately injuring the dogs to make her spend more time with him. As he realized she was lying to him, his anger grew into a dangerous obsession. The police discovered that he’d stolen a gun from the sporting goods store where he worked, which hadn’t done a thorough job of screening him. He’d lied about his record on the application and HR hadn’t gotten around to processing his criminal background check.

Thank God he hadn’t yet had time to steal the ammunition for the weapon.

“I’m merely stating facts,” Caroline pointed out. “These unpredictable sides to your character and career will be examined by every team interested in possibly picking you up.”

He knew that, so didn’t respond.

“Now, I’m not one to beat around the bush,” she said, once again leaning forward. “I’m interested in re-signing you. That would depend, of course, on how things go during the next couple weeks. If you end up blowing up a building, we’ll be having a different conversation.”

Caught off-guard by the humor in her words, he looked up and met her gaze. She smiled.

“Do you know what you want, Evan?”

The first time they’d met, he’d thought he did. He’d thought he'd see out his mother’s dream and play the rest of the season in Atlanta, like a final goodbye to her. He’d thought he’d do whatever it took to have his best season yet, make himself as marketable as possible. He’d thought he’d move on after that, following the money wherever it might lead and abandoning the city that reminded him of his painful past.

Now, he’d found a reason to question all of that.

“There are a lot of offers on the table,” he said eventually.

“I’m sure there are. But no other team has Sierra.”

Blinking, he once again met her gaze. “Did you just attempt to sway me into signing with Atlanta by producing your niece as part of the deal?”

“I didn’t get to the position I’m in by failing to be creative,” she replied. “I always know what to bring to the table to seal a deal.”

He didn’t know what to say.

“It’s not as though I’m saying we’d include her in the contract agreement,” she laughed, shaking her head. “I’m merely making a point. Sierra’s here and you love her. Surely that will weigh into your decision.”

The way she said it, so easily, so naturally, made Evan realize she was exactly right. He did love Sierra. He’d known it—fought it—for weeks. He’d avoided sharing the depth of his feelings with her, not wanting to make his leaving harder on her.

So what if he didn’t leave?

The thought had been rattling around in his mind since the attack, battering against his resolve. Everly had given him a glimpse of what his life could be like if he worked on pushing through the grief. Sierra had started him on the path to healing. If he really wanted it, he could get other help, too.

“On another note,” she said, “if you decide to move on, I hope you’ll let me know before the renovations are complete on the apartment. I was going to ask for your input if you intended to stay. I’m not opposed to working with you on things like paint and trim colors and such.”

“Another creative incentive?” he asked.

She smiled. “I know Sierra painted the family room wall to best display the photographs you donated to her event. It can be painted another color if you’d like.”

Her reminder of him returning the pictures slashed at him. “Thanks,” he murmured.

“Are you planning on attending the benefit?” she asked. “You’ve got the time since you don’t have to report for post-season play until Thursday.”

“I’m…I wasn’t planning on it,” he admitted.

“I see. Well, here’s an announcement with the details in case you change your mind.”

She pulled a rectangular piece of heavyweight stationery from her top drawer and handed it to him. He took it automatically, not wanting to look like a complete ass.

He gave it a quick scan to be polite. It was obviously professionally done and very polished-looking. The cream card stock was embossed with flowing black script. A signature pink ribbon had been tied through a couple of holes in the top, glued into the familiar loop of the breast cancer awareness logo.

When he reached the bottom, he stilled.

A picture of his mother appeared in the lower left-hand corner. Beside it read,
All proceeds will be donated in loving memory of Adelaide Dorsey.
It listed the dates of her birth and death.

His vision blurred…yet in that moment, everything became so clear.

“She didn’t tell you, did she?” Caroline asked in a soft voice.

He shook his head, fighting for his composure.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spring this on you. I assure you this wasn’t part of my attempt to sway you into staying.”

Clearing his throat, he said, “It’s all right. I’m glad you shared this with me. And I promise that I’ll speak with Wayne later today.”

“Does that mean you’ve made a decision?”

“It seems I have.”