Macy wanted that for her, but to actually agree to apply for the position of softball coach was quite a leap. A leap Macy never intended on taking. She couldn’t explain to Diane why her love of the sport had been tarnished.

“Are you retiring no matter what my decision is?” Macy asked.

“I am. But I’m hoping you’ll really think about this.”

Macy swiped her hair back away from her face. She hadn’t gone home this morning to change. She’d merely taken off her flannel and kept on her T-shirt. Thankfully she kept a few toiletries in her small bathroom here, but she’d been out of rubber bands. She’d twisted her hair up once using a pencil, but with the weight of all she had, the pencil had only held for so long.

“I’m really swamped with the store,” Macy muttered, voicing her thoughts. She might have been looking for excuses, reasons to say no, but the store was a legitimate concern.

Not to mention, she had her own personal dream she was so close to fulfilling. The social worker had verified all of Macy’s paperwork and fostering had been approved. The home visit and background check had been completed. Macy hoped it wouldn’t be long before she could bring a child in and care for him or her. Her main goal was to adopt. Her father knew of her plans, but that was all. And the only reason he knew was because the social worker did a home visit with him as well, since he lived on her property.

Diane’s smile didn’t fade. “I understand, but before you say no, at least come to a game or two. Maybe you’ll feel differently.”

Macy wasn’t sure how she’d feel stepping back into that world again. Would she pick up where she left off? Would she freeze and let that one night consume her? Would the cheers from the stands, the crack of the ball hitting the bat, thrust her back into a time that threatened to cripple her emotionally if she stayed there too long?

“You were the best player to ever come out of Haven.”

Nothing like turning that guilt key just a bit more. “So you’ve told me before.”

“Nobody has ever beaten your school records,” Diane added.

“I’ve only been out ten years.”

Diane shrugged and came to her feet. “Like I said, you were the best. I wouldn’t want to pass my girls off to just anybody.”

Macy stood and followed Diane to the front of the store. Footsteps overhead instantly grabbed Macy’s attention. She wasn’t getting out of here anytime soon because she planned to have an awkward conversation with Liam, which she felt she shouldn’t avoid.

Diane glanced up. “I heard Liam Monroe was living here. That new resort of theirs is really taking off. Talk around town is they have a killer masseuse and Liam’s food is worth the visit all in itself.”

Macy nodded and reached for the lock on the glass door. “They’re really thriving. But he’s only living here temporarily, until he finds a place.”

She hoped. Surely he was looking . . . wasn’t he? Perhaps after last night he was ready to move. Maybe the next time Macy saw Sophie she could casually ask if there were any houses or condos to rent in the area.

“I’ve heard only positive feedback,” Diane added. “They are really drawing the tourists from Savannah. Looks like those Monroe boys have made something of themselves after all. I worried about them, but their parents and Chelsea would be proud.”

Macy nodded. “They would. The boys came together for Chelsea, which says so much about the person she was. They wouldn’t have let her dream just die.”

Diane rested her hand on Macy’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to say no to the job because you’re afraid, but I don’t want you to agree out of guilt, either.”

Did she think the boys launched the resort out of guilt?

“Our next game is Saturday at eleven.” Diane flicked the lock on the door and stepped out, but threw a smile over her shoulder. “We have a new stadium you should check out.”

Once Diane was gone, Macy locked up again. Coaching was a far cry from playing. All the stress was on the coach, as was all the worry for each player. Was she really ready to tackle a bunch of teenage girls with hormones all over the place, boy issues, drama? Just the thought threatened to bring on another headache.

But Diane had created such a remarkable program that the only girls who tried out for the team were those who truly wanted to be there. Girls just like Macy used to be, hoping for scholarship money to further their education and keep playing the sport they loved.

Still, the store was a full-time job, and fostering would be as well.

She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. The words “no way in hell” kept ringing through her head, but Diane wanted her to think about it, so Macy would. How could she possibly juggle everything? The store was demanding, and provided her with job security, which was a blessing. To add another demanding job to the mix might just be more than she could handle—regardless of her personal issues.

“Is your head still hurting?”

Macy jumped, holding a hand over her heart, which nearly thumped right out of her chest. She hadn’t even heard Liam approach. “You scared the hell out of me.”

He stood there, wearing a perfectly fitted gray T, hands in the pockets of his well-worn jeans. There was something to be said about a man who could make cotton and denim look so sexy. And now Macy knew exactly what he looked like without that shirt on, and that visual reminder did nothing to squelch her desire. She reminisced about the rest of the tattoo that peeked beneath his shirt sleeve.

“Is your head hurting?” he repeated, taking a step forward.