Page 3 of Coming For Her Curves
“We’re here with Ryker Kirby, the designated hitter for the Lonestar Thunder. At the championship game, you recorded five at bats, four hits, two homeruns, one triple, one double and six RBIs. It’s been the best hitting game in the whole league this season. You are at the height of your career, and analysts say that you’re not slowing down.” The interviewer pauses. “So why now? Why are you retiring now?”
“It’s time,” Ryker says.
The interviewer is openly not happy with that answer. She tries to ask the same question but in a different way. “So what are your plans after retiring?”
Ryker nods his head and looks directly into the camera. “I’ve spent years chasing wins… Now it’s time to chase what matters.”
The people in the background all start cheering, and the interviewer tries to get control of the interview, but Ryker decides it’s over. He moves away from the woman with the microphone, and the camera follows him to where some kids are standing. He squats in front of them, signing hats and shirts. With my hand over my heart, I suck in a breath. He didn’t mean me. There’s no way he meant me. I broke his heart, and any chance we had I demolished a long time ago.
No, there’s no reason to get my hopes up because Ryker Kirby is way out of my league. The faster I come to terms with that, thebetter off I’ll be because my divorce was hard. Getting my hopes up about Ryker Kirby will just destroy me.
CHAPTER 3
RYKER
I should have known making an announcement like I did that paparazzi would follow me. As soon as it hit the news, I’ve been followed. All I wanted to do was get to Whiskey Run and to see Isabel, but I knew if I showed up with every news station in the South following me, I wouldn’t be able to get close to her. So I had to get things done over the last month from Texas.
There was one house I wanted, and I was determined to buy it. The people that were living in it didn’t want to sell, but they had their price, and I gladly paid it. As soon as they were out, I started renovations, hired designers, and put it all in motion.
I’ve done my best to put all the rumors to rest. It has been said that I was entering rehab, that I had a gambling problem. The latest was that I was dating the general manager’s daughter and he fired me. I let him take care of that one because he knew it wasn’t true. I didn’t realize that everyone would come unglued because I was retiring, and I’ve tried to lay low.
It’s now two weeks into December, and I refuse to put the move off any longer. The inside of my house is done, and even though they’re still working on the outside, I don’t care. I’m tired ofbeing away from Isabel. I don’t know what it is, but I’m watching social media every day as if it’s going to be some big joke and Isabel’s status is going to change from single to married again.
I won’t be settled completely until I get to see her and talk to her.
And even though I’ve had a few new stations show up in Whiskey Run, it hasn’t been bad. Thankfully, Whiskey Run is still loyal to me. Whether it's because I donated to the high school, sponsored the women's shelter, or said yes to anything the mayor asked of me, no one is giving up any information about me. When the townspeople refused to give up any gossip and when I never entered rehab, the journalists moved on to bigger and better stories.
It’s been almost two months since I made the announcement, and I’ve seen Izzy, but she hasn’t seen me. Not yet.
I've stalked her home. I’ve watched her sit in the courtyard at the hospital and at her son's high school basketball games.
The time is coming. I can't be this close to her and not talk to her.
I’ve been waiting for the right moment. I want to approach her when she’s alone, but I haven’t been able to yet.
So here I am, standing in the shadows of the high school gym, watching Isabel watch her son’s game. I know she has to have heard I am in town. A part of me wishes that she had sought me out, but that hasn’t happened.
My hands fist at my sides as I watch the man sitting next to her try and talk to her. Even though I haven’t been around her in a long time, I can tell she’s not comfortable with the attention. I’m going to make a fool of myself if the asshole touches her because I don’t have it in me to just stay here and do nothing.
But who am I kidding? I’m sure once the men of this town found out she was single, they’ve probably been vying for her attention. I should have gotten here sooner.
I cross my arms over my chest and watch the woman that has been in my dreams for the last twenty years. She was my everything, and we’d planned a future together. It was the day after I was drafted, and I had to be on a plane that afternoon. I was going to go and get a place, and she was going to join me later.
But it never happened. She told me that she didn’t want to be with me anymore. She said that we wanted different things and she knew she couldn’t be happy with me. I was crushed. I thought she was scared about moving away from her family and her hometown. I thought I would go and do the spring training and then come back and convince her to come with me and that we were meant to be together.
I tried calling her, but she never answered. She didn’t return my calls or my text messages. I checked with friends to make sure she was okay, and that’s when I heard that not two weeks after I left, she was seen with another man. It made me think she’d been cheating on me the whole time. I didn’t want to believe it but…
The thought was devastating. I would have given anything to be with her. Hell, if I had to give up baseball, I would have done it. But she didn’t want me.
And maybe I’m a fool to believe I have a chance now, but I have to try. If after twenty years she’s still on my mind and in my heart, I have to try.
I can’t take my eyes off Isabel. Her face is lit up with a smile. She’s in one of her Christmas sweaters, and it takes me back to the days we were together. She loved Christmas. She started wearing Christmas T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweaters in early November and wears them through January. I’ve never met anyone that loves the holiday as much as she does. I’m glad that the divorce and whatever her ex-husband did to her didn’t seem to take her spirit. She seems happy. My only hope is that I can make her happier.
I know the instant that my cover has been made. There’s a buzz around me, and I start to feel the stares. I thought I had stayed hidden, but once one person recognized me, it seems the word that I’m here spread really fast. I take one last look at Isabel and walk out of the school gym. Soon, the time will be right, and I’m going to get my girl.
CHAPTER 4
IZZY
