Chapter Three
The bell rang above the door, announcing another customer. A welcome sound. They could use the business. Justin rounded the counter and approached the woman who scanned the shelves. The lanky boy beside her had his head buried in his phone.
“May I help you?”
A look of relief washed over her face. “My son is thirteen and he plays baseball. He just moved up to the big field and he needs a new bat. I tried to research on some web sites but it’s all Greek to me. I’m hoping you can help us make the right choice.”
Just then, the boy lifted his head and his gaze landed on Justin’s hand. Or more specifically on Justin’s World Series ring.
“Are you Justin Harper? Man, I saw you play.” The boy didn’t give Justin a chance to answer before he turned his attention to his mom. “Of course he can help, Mom. He won a World Series with the Cannons. And he coaches at the high school.”
When Justin had first taken over his father’s store, the draw of being a former major league player had attracted customers curious about the washed-up athlete with a World Series ring. Over time, the fame-seekers had stopped coming and he’d established a small but steady clientele.
Justin spent a few minutes talking about the game with the boy and then grabbed the employee on hand today. “It’s been great talking with you guys and, Austin, I look forward to following your progress over the next couple of years. This is Chris. He’ll show you exactly what bat you need. And make sure you check out the spikes. You’ll need those on the bigger field, too.”
“Thanks, Coach Harper.” Austin rushed after Chris.
“You made my son’s day. Thank you so much for talking to him.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Justin watched the mom follow behind her son. The beginning of a new sports season always meant an increase in sales. He’d take it. More and more, customers were driving to Philadelphia to the big box sports stores instead of staying close to home. Sure, he was a little more expensive, but wasn’t supporting a local business and avoiding the hassle of going into the city worth it?
Justin headed into the back and flopped into his chair, the ledgers he’d left open on the desk taunting him. This month’s numbers were down from the same week last year. He raked his fingers through his hair. Dammit. He couldn’t keep going like this. His store needed something, anything, to put a jolt into their sales.
When he’d first taken over the business from Dad, Maddie was at his side. She helped customers and developed the advertising campaigns for the store. Her face would light up when she saw the final product running in a magazine or heard a spot on the local radio station. Her creativity touched every aspect of the store as well. She would arrange the displays in a way that drew the customer’s eye, and she was great at upselling.
After Aiden, she cut back on her time in the store. Justin was thrilled they were in a position where she could be home with their son when he was young. But Aiden had started school and Justin could use her help by his side right about now. She’d know how to turn things around. Instead, these days, she barely left the house. She spent all of her time on the Internet, reading articles about infertility.
They weren’t infertile—they were just having trouble getting pregnant again. But she’d taken it to an obsessive level. And this morning was just one example. Justin wasn’t sure how much longer he could deal with her wild mood swings.
He was an ass for even thinking those thoughts. He’d married Maddie because he loved her and it was his job to protect and support her.
But he needed a break. A break from the grind their marriage had become and her compulsion to get pregnant. He didn’t even enjoy making love to his wife anymore. How could he when she’d turned it into a task to be checked off a list? Only at certain times, on her schedule. And only in certain positions. As soon as they were done, she’d shove him away and prop a pillow under her knees. She’d always teased him for not liking to snuggle when they’d first gotten married, but over the years, he’d come to need that connection to her after making love. He couldn’t even call the sex they had recently making love.
Not anymore.
He ambled to the front of the store. Helping customers, seeing the kids’ faces light up with a new piece of equipment, always chased away his stress.
“Hey, Justin.”
He smiled at his sister. He hadn’t heard her come in. “Izzy. And you brought Hayley with you.”
“Hey, Uncle Justin.” Hayley threw herself at him and he wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes and hugged his future niece for a moment. If he couldn’t have a daughter of his own, at least he could enjoy spending time with Hayley. But even as he tried to convince himself of that, the pangs of wanting a daughter snuck in. He closed his eyes and sucked in deep breaths until he could hide his emotions.
When he let Hayley go, she rushed off toward the racks of athletic clothes in the corner. He then wrapped his arm around Izzy’s shoulder. “Hey, squirt. What’s up?”
“We need to get Hayley some new shorts for dance class. She’s growing like a weed and has already outgrown what we bought her for Christmas.”
He smiled at his sister. Until last year, she’d been a professional ballerina. He was proud of what she’d accomplished, but he couldn’t help but be selfishly happy that she had come home to Cedar Hill at the end of her career. Now here she was, stepmom, or S’mom as Hayley called her, to a spunky little girl. He chuckled as Hayley was pulling out different shorts and holding them up to herself. “It appears she’s already found them.”
Izzy stared at him a moment and the smile fell from her face. “How’s it going with you?”
He sighed. God, he hated answering that question almost as much as he hated facing his distraught wife day after day. “I don’t know. Maddie’s obsessed. It’s not good for her. It’s not good for our marriage.”
“It sounds like you guys need a break.”
“We do. But I can’t even bring it up without her flying completely off the handle. She already feels like this is all her fault.”
She threw her arms around him. “Oh, Justin. I’m sorry it’s gotten so bad.”
“Please don’t tell Mom about any of this. I couldn’t bear to face the pity in her eyes.”
“We don’t pity you, Justin. We just hurt with you and want the best for you and Maddie. Whatever that is.”
“I know, sis. It’s just the stress talking.”
“Hey, S’mom, how about this pair?” Hayley held up one of his bestsellers, black compression shorts with a bright pink band around the waist.
Izzy’s eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her face. “God, I love hearing her call me S’mom.”
Izzy had blossomed since Tanner and Hayley came into her life. “You’re a great S’mom. I’m so happy for you and Tanner. How are the wedding plans coming?”
She groaned. “Slow. Remind me again why I didn’t take your advice and elope?”
“Because Tanner wanted you to have a big wedding with all your friends and family. I believe his exact words were ‘I’m not doing this again, so we’re gonna make this one worth it.’”
Izzy got a dreamy look in her eye and rested her hand over her heart. “That man.”
“Okay, that’s enough of the sappiness for one day. We’ve got a game on Friday night. You with us?” He may not be able to play ball professionally anymore, but he wouldn’t give up his time with the town softball league for anything. Between that and coaching the high school team, he was able to stay involved with the sport that had been his life for so many years.
“I don’t know, Justin. Softball was never my forte. You remember how clumsy I was trying to run the bases.”
“Come on, Izzy. It’s all in fun. Besides, we need two women on our team. Say you’ll come. We’re playing the fire department.”
She rolled her eyes. “That gives me all the reasons to play. You want me because I’m a woman. I doubt you’d use that line on anyone else you asked to join the team. But I guess I’m up for a little more humiliation. Count me in.”
He resisted the urge to scrub his knuckles over her hair like he’d done when they were kids. “Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it.”
“I’m not sure you’ll feel the same when I strike out and let the ball roll between my legs.”
Justin laughed. Leave it to Izzy to brighten his mood. “It’ll be fine. I promise. Now go help your daughter pick out some shorts.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “My daughter. That sounds so good. I love you, big brother. Call me if you need me.”
Justin appreciated Izzy’s support. Support he would typically get from Maddie. But she was stressed enough without him piling more on.