Page 32 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

“Ienjoyyard work, and you know I do more than that.” He didn’t elaborate. It wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation, and it was useless.

“And I sayyou’remore than that.” In a rare flash of emotion, his dad’s hazel eyes finally met his. “You were a baseball star. People couldn’t wait to see you in Royals colors. Working as a gardener was fine during offseason, but it can’t be what you want to spend your life doing. There’s nowhere to go. No way to move up.”

“Not all of us care about being at the top.”

“Bullshit. Every man has a burning desire to rule their kingdom.”

The toxic masculinity rolling off his skin was suffocating. This was exactly why Jamie avoided coming here.

Jamie took his time responding and surveyed the pristine backyard, thanks to the incredible job his team had done last year. “Now that you mention it, I think I’d better check on that kingdom. I’ll see you later, Dad. Happy birthday.”

His dad shrugged and pulled out his phone, and Jamie went back outside, regretting having come into the house in the first place. He took a deep breath of fresh air, always happier when he was outdoors.

The yard was the best part of the property, hands down.

Four mature oaks—Jamie’s favorite—stood tall and regal across the yard, casting glorious shade from their thick canopies. Last summer, his dad had considered taking two out for a water feature, and Jamie’d nearly had a stroke.

The bright-green grass surrounding the pool was thick and lush, and a stone path led to a pergola surrounded by plant life. Bushes and shrubs of varying shades of green lined the path, with flowers in brilliant purple, pink, and yellow hues arranged throughout. It was beautiful and it smelled incredible—earthy and faintly sweet. Even before the flowers had existed here, this was where Jamie had disappeared as a kid when he wanted out of the house.

He chatted with a few other people he knew and finished his beer. His brother was well on his way to drunk, and when he wandered outside and snide comments about Jamie’s failed baseball career started flying, Jamie went in search of Carly.

She smiled when he approached, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

She glanced at the full cocktail in her hand. “Oh. Already?”

“I’m pretty tired. If you’re still having fun, feel free to stay, but I’d like to head out. That okay?” They’d driven separately, both having come from work.

She glanced at the women still engrossed in animated conversation. “Sure. I think I will stay, though. I haven’t even caught up with your dad yet. Talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Try to keep these fools in line, okay?”

She laughed and waved him off happily, effortlessly absorbed back into the fray.

Jamie walked outside and closed the front door. He released a pent-up breath, his body loosening with each step he took toward his car.

Chapter Eleven

Jamie

Three months after Jamie adopted Hank, he’d signed him up for obedience school. Most days he’d say it was the best money he had ever spent, because Hank generally listened and had decent manners.

Except, apparently, when it came to Elliott Holland.

It was Tuesday evening, and he’d just let Hank out of the dog park. When other dogs were around, Jamie usually leashed Hank. But there’d only been one other person there, and their pet was still frolicking inside the enclosure. Hank was good about sticking close to Jamie’s side.

Which is why it caught him off guard when his dog took off like a shot across the knoll, nearly knocking a woman off her feet as she came up the sidewalk. Jamie took off after him, apologizing profusely as he approached.

He huffed out a half laugh when he found Elliott kneeling and grinning at Hank as he rolled onto his back and offered his belly, tail sweeping the ground.

“Come on, man.” He glanced down at Elliott. “Sorry. He’s shameless.”

She chuckled and rubbed her hand up and down Hank’s fur, completely unbothered. “I love it. My parents have a German shepherd back home, and I miss him.”

He remembered. But it seemed like a good idea not to mention he could recall with distressing clarity every single thing she’d said to him that night.

“One introduction and Hank already misses you, apparently. He doesn’t normally run off on me like that.”

---