Stealing His Heart (The Kingston Heat Series) (20 page)

“How are you now?” She hadn’t been following any of the reports on him because she didn’t want to hear about his personal life.

“The surgery was a success. I’m going through some intensive physical therapy. I’ve been staying with my mom. I still have a long road ahead of me. I probably won’t make it in time for spring training, but I’ll get there. Doc is optimistic that I’ll be in at some point next season.”

“Why would Kenny… Why didn’t he tell me?” The reasons she had shut Pax out and didn’t reach out to him were invalid now. She had ignored his phone calls and messages. He had been injured and she wasn’t with him.

“I was torn up over what had happened between us. I went numb and pushed it aside so I could pitch those last games. I guess in his screwed up mind he thought he was doing me a favor. He was wrong, and I won’t let him get away with hurting you like that. He had no right to say those things. He saw how messed up I was when you wouldn’t return my calls. He should have told me what he had done.”

“I should have been there for you.” Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. “I shouldn’t have believed him. You needed to know about…” Would he understand why she had kept her secret? “Oh God.”

“Sophie, you don’t look so good. Are you sick?”

“We need to talk. I need to tell you something.” She hadn’t wanted to do it over the phone but now that they were face to face she wished she’d had.

“What do you want to tell me?”

“My apartment is a block away. Can we go there?” She couldn’t tell him she was having a baby in the middle of the street.

“Sure.” He extended his hand, but she hesitated. “Please.”

“It’s this way.” She placed her hand in his and led him in the direction of her apartment. “We can walk.”

Chapter 22

The walk to her apartment was quiet. Pax had no idea what she wanted to talk about, but he didn’t care. As long as they were together and she was willing to open the lines of communication, that was enough for him.

“It’s this one.” She pointed to the brick pathway they led to a quaint, two-story home. “I’m on the first floor.”

“It’s close to the school.”

“Yeah, my car finally gave out, so this is convenient.” She let go of his hand and reached into her bag to dig out her keys. “Come in.”

He followed her into the small entryway that led to the living room. The place smelled of fresh paint and new carpets. The tones were warm and inviting. He imagined her cuddled up on the sofa in front of her brightly decorated Christmas tree. He hated knowing he wasn’t with her. They should be spending their first holiday season together.

“Why don’t you have a seat?”

“This place is really nice.” He sat down on the loveseat, hoping she’d join him, but she paced the small space between them.

“The whole apartment would fit in your foyer.” She looked around, toying with the buttons on her coat. “I would have contacted you sooner if I had known you had surgery. I wish you would have told me before you left.”

“I wanted to, but I was in so much pain I almost didn’t make the parade, but I knew if I didn’t show up there would be too much media speculation. I contacted you as soon as I could.”

“It must have been difficult for you.” She fidgeted with her hands. “I could have been there.”

“You didn’t know. Kenny shouldn’t have told you what he did. I don’t blame you for being upset, but I wish you would have asked me. Maybe trusted me when I said I wouldn’t hurt you like that.” He didn’t want to turn this into an argument, but for weeks he had wondered what went wrong. “I’m sorry for the things I said that last night.”

“You were under a lot of pressure.”

“I thought something had happened to you when you didn’t show up. I lost focus and almost blew that game. I freaked out, and if I had to do it again, I would’ve handled things differently, especially now that I know it cost me two months with you.”

“I know you didn’t mean the things that you said.” She continued to walk back and forth. “That’s why I left you alone during the last series. I didn’t want to screw anything up for you. I came to you after the parade because I missed us. I wanted to congratulate you and celebrate your win.”

“I wish I had been there.” He patted the spot next to him. “Sit with me.”

She hesitated, and that worried him. He hadn’t expected things to fall back into place right away, but now that they were together and admitting they let miscommunication and misunderstandings get in the way he had hoped they could work things out.

“Sophie.” He stood and made his way to her. “I’m sorry. I’m not too proud to admit that I screwed up. I told you I wasn’t used to having anyone to answer to. I never let myself fall for anyone, because the game was all that ever mattered to me. That all changed with you. I just need to learn how to balance things better. I can do it. I want you in my life. I need you.”

“Pax, you...well, we…”

“Shh.” He wiped her tears away. “Don’t cry. I shouldn’t have been such an ass. I was under so much pressure. My shoulder wasn’t right. I was so worried that my career was ending. I didn’t know how to cope with the stress. I felt like winning that series was all on me.”

“You did what you had to do.”

“We can fix this. I’ll do whatever I can to make this right. Please let me make this up to you.”

Why hadn’t he told her this sooner? He should have been more persistent, but his pride got in the way. If she gave him another shot at this he wouldn’t be so stupid.

“No,” she cried. “It might be too late.”

“Don’t say that.” He held her face between his hands. “I love you. I’ve never stopped.” He didn’t care if men weren’t supposed to beg. He’d wear his heart on his sleeve to prove to her how much he wanted this, how much he needed her. “I just about went insane without you. I practically drove my mamma nuts. She was the one who told me to come here and get you back.”

“She did?” She wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

“Yeah. I told her all about you. As soon as I was cleared from the extensive physical therapy I got on a plane and came straight to you. Doc is setting things up for me here. I would have come sooner, but I couldn’t fly for a few weeks after the surgery and I had little mobility for a while.”

“You’re staying?” She reached for a tissue from the box on the coffee table.

“I didn’t plan on leaving until I had convinced you we were meant to be. Even then I wouldn’t leave. I’m here to fight for you. For us.” He stared into her mesmerizing eyes. “Don’t you see how hard I’m trying? I’ll do whatever you want.”

Why is she still crying?

“This isn’t the way… I don’t know how to…”

“Sophie?” He looked her over. “Let’s get you out of this.” He reached for the buttons of her coat. “You must be hot. You look so pale. You’re not making any sense.”

“Wait!” She stepped back.

“What is it?”

“There’s something you need to know. I tried to tell you...well, I meant to tell you the day I went to your house. When Kenny told me you’d left with another woman, I was angry, hurt, devastated. I made a hasty decision. One I really regret.”

“I’m sorry about the time we spent apart.” How could he repair these feelings for her? “I wish with all of my heart that didn’t happen to us. I should have reached out sooner, but I was in a lot of pain after the surgery and not in my right frame of mind. I did so much thinking. No matter how hard I tried to justify what I did that night I told you I needed space, I couldn’t make it right.”

“I should have trusted what we had, but in the moment I wasn’t rational and I kept something from you. I was wrong.” She slipped her coat from her arms. “I…you just need to see.”

He glanced down at her. She was just as perfect as he’d remembered. He allowed his gaze to travel down, admiring the gray sweater dress that wrapped around her now curvier figure.
What the hell?
Her breasts were fuller and her stomach had a tiny but prominent bulge.

No way.

“You’re…” He backed up, bumping into the couch behind him. “But…” He sat down as he continued to stare at her. “Why didn’t you… When did you...” He couldn’t form a coherent thought. “Soph?”

What the fuck?

“I found out the day of the parade.”

“That was six weeks ago. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I thought you moved on. I didn’t think you would want to know.”

“Were you even going to tell me if I hadn’t shown up here?”

“Yes, of course I was.”

“When?”

“Soon, this week, maybe. I was going to tell you.”

“That would be kind of hard since you wouldn’t return my phone calls. Fuck, you wouldn’t even listen to what I had to say.”

He tried to calm down. He had gone over all the scenarios in his head on the flight there as to how things could go between them. He’d been prepared to fight hard for her trust and love. He wouldn’t give up on them. Never in any of his thoughts did he see the possibility of a baby.

She removed her coat and draped it over the chair in the corner of the room. As she walked over to him, he couldn’t help but think how beautiful she looked. Her hair was even longer than the last time he had seen her. It wasn’t her usual sleek style. It had more layers and curled at the ends as it flowed down her shoulders, stopping at the middle of her back. Her body was still toned and muscular, but her hips were wider and her breasts more prominent. He couldn’t take his gaze away from her stomach. There was a baby in there. His baby…

“I know this is a lot to take in.” She sat down next to him. “I’m still getting used to it.”

“How far along are you?” He needed to relax. As shocked as he was he could only imagine what she had been going through. She had spent the last six weeks thinking he had left the country with another woman. She thought he had moved on. That he had abandoned her.

“Four months.”

“Boston,” he mumbled.

“Probably,” she agreed. “They can’t pinpoint the exact date of conception. We did have a lot of sex, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was the night of your birthday.”

“You’ll have the baby in May?”

“My due date is May 13th.”

“You’re both well?”

“We’re good. I’m tired, but that goes with the territory. It’s been a pretty easy pregnancy so far.”

“I don’t know what to say.” He wanted to be articulate and supportive, but this was huge. Life altering. He needed some time to catch up.

“You don’t have to say anything,” she said.

“I have a lot to say.” He stood and paced the small room. “I’m shocked to say the least. I’m hurt and disappointed that you didn’t tell me we’re having a baby.”

“I did try to tell you.”

“Once!” he shouted. “I get that Kenny is an asshole and he lied to you, but how could you have trusted him? After everything I told you? Everything we shared? I opened up to you in ways that I never would have imagined. I trusted you with…”
Calm down. Calm down. Stop yelling at her.
“My heart, Sophia. I gave you my heart.”

“I know, Paxton.” She started to cry. “Why do you think it hurt me so much when we fought that day in the locker room? I wanted you to win those games. I wanted that for you so bad. I stepped back and let you go so that you could have a clear head. The pain was unbearable.”

“Do you really think you giving me my space helped? I can’t even remember those last few games. I was just existing to get to the next win. Everything happened so fast. The series, the parade, Doc and the specialist telling me I had to have the surgery and there was no time to waste. My career was on the line if I didn’t take care of that injury. None of it mattered because you weren’t there to share any of it with me.”

“I know what you mean.” When she placed her hand on her stomach it nearly took his breath away. She had been alone too. She was dealing with a pregnancy, a new job, and living on her own.

“Why?” He sat back down next to her. “How could we have let things get so out of control?”

“I saw a picture of you the night you won. You were with Miss Texas, so I thought Kenny was telling the truth.”

“I went to high school with her.” He placed his hands in his lap, but all he wanted to do was touch her. “She heads up a charity for disabled children. Her name is Carrie. She was at the game with a few of the kids. I also took pictures with some of the kids that night. I made a donation to her cause. Didn’t you see any of that in your search?”

“I didn’t try very hard,” she mumbled. “It only took Kenny’s lies and that one picture to place all of that doubt in my head. I didn’t want to see anything else.”

“I wish you would have trusted me.” After everything he had confessed to her during the time they were together how could she not have trusted him?

“You told me you needed space. How I was I supposed to know that space didn’t include other women?”

She continued to twist that dagger into his heart. It started that night in the locker room. She hadn’t realized then how much she’d crushed his hopes and dreams, and he still didn’t think she had any idea.

“This whole relationship was new to me. I thought I was doing a pretty good job with it. We were happy.” He had plans for them. He was just waiting for the season to end.

“We were very happy.”

“One argument shouldn’t have led to this.” How did things spiral so out of control?

“I understood what happened that night you asked for space. I watched you win the series. I texted you because I was so proud of you.” She looked frightened, but she continued to speak. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past few weeks. Although I was devastated when you said you needed a break to get through the series, I got where you were coming from.”

“I’m stubborn.” He never should have left her that way. “I was wrong.”

“We both made some mistakes. I should have trusted you, but something Kenny said keeps coming back to me.”

“Forget about everything he said.” His friend was going to hear from him. No matter how good Kenny thought his intentions were he never should have interfered. Pax would have a hard time forgiving him for this.

“I think it would be best if we got everything out into the open. Kenny said it wasn’t about my car breaking down. It sounded as if you opened up to him. He acted as if he knew something.”