Erica

Not my finest moment. Not at all. Especially when Rafe Hembrey caught the ass-end of my outburst and began laughing hysterically at Ren’s retreating back before he squinted his eyes at me curiously.

Rafe was a tall drink of water, and if I weren’t so damn high from being in Ren’s proximity, I would’ve appreciated the sight of him more. But it just so happened that Ren was the only man who had dazed me to the point of being manic, and it was only partially due to his beauty. It was what was between us, the connection that’d sent me into a head-first spiral. And it was still there because I was shaking.

Rafe spoke up as I glared at Ren’s retreating back. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. He’s just a little hellbent on ruining himself. I’m sure it’s nothing personal. You can do better.”

“Thanks for the pep talk, but I’m not his latest conquest. I’m his new publicist.”

“Oh, well then,” he said, taking a step forward extending his hand. “Rafe Hembrey.”

“I’m aware,” I said, managing a sincere smile and shaking his hand.

He was a gentleman, unlike the jerk who just walked away from me. “Erica Wild. I’m a fan.”

“Always nice to have those,” he said with a panty-melting smile. Rafe was the opposite of Ren; he had a stellar reputation for being both a family man and an outstanding team player. He was the best pitcher in the League.

He had that cocky assurance thing going on, but he was as humble as a player could be. I was sure he didn’t go walking around with Ren’s newly-acquired God complex. Rafe simply was the best. So was Ren. He just wasn’t good at being the best.

Thinking on my feet, I addressed Rafe. “I could use your help this season. We need him acting a little less like him and more like you. Do you have a minute?”

He ushered me out of the hall and into the lobby, where we both took a seat at one of the comfortable couches. Without looking back, Ren made his way out of the sliding glass doors of the hotel, full-on badass swagger in tow. I ignored the sting of his brush off. Because, in truth, I deserved it more than I cared to admit.

“I’m all for helping the sad bastard. I’ve been telling him for years he needs to wipe his nose.”

I sighed as I leaned back on the couch. “Can I buy you a beer?”

“No thanks, I’m set,” he said, leaning back in his own seat. “I’ve got meetings to get to.”

“I won’t take much of your time. I have sort of a game plan in mind for the season, and I was hoping I could run a few strategies by you.”

He gave me a devilish grin. “If you’re going to speak in sports metaphors, you get my full attention.”

I shrugged. “When in Rome, right?”

“I’m open to any suggestions you have, but I should warn you now, he won’t make it easy for you.”

“I’m aware,” I sighed. “We’re sort of acquainted.”

“Apparently, since you are aware of his bathroom habits,” he said with a knowing smirk. “Being on the road with him is a nightmare. He’s got serious issues. This one time—” he chuckled “—at the airport, I had to snatch off some freaky face mask he ordered on the internet because he was scaring children. Is he your ex?”

I bit my lip and nodded as I sank into the couch. That admission of our past relationship was solely on me and my outburst.

“We dated a few years ago.”

“Interesting. And you’re in PR.” Rafe chewed on that a minute. “Bullseye,” he whispered to himself.

“Pardon?”

Rafe moved forward bracing his clasped hands between his knees. “I just find it ironic that he hates the spotlight and he’s been in it quite a bit lately.”

“He’s a different man than he was when we were together,” I replied, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice. Still, I knew what I was getting into when I walked into the situation.

“That’s just the thing though, Erica. Why is he so hellbent on making headlines?” He widened his eyes as he looked me over carefully.

It wasn’t in the way a man appreciated a woman; it was as if he was trying to tell me—

“Wait,” I asked incredulously. “You don’t think that shit show was for me?”

Rafe shrugged. “Can you think of a better reason? How close were you?”

Close enough to have hurt us both so badly that there was no way to come back from it.

Even when I realized it was a mistake to leave.

Even when I realized it wasn’t a mistake because of the womanizing pig he became. And still, I loved him anyway. Every minute of every day for years. But I finally got myself together, and I’d hoped the same for him.

“We were close. But if he thinks screwing everyone with two legs and acting like an idiot off the field is the way to go, he’s mistaken.”

“You’re here,” Rafe pointed out.

“It wasn’t his doing,” I said confidently.

Rafe slowly nodded as if he didn’t believe a word I was saying.

“Do you really want to know this story?” I asked sheepishly.

Rafe nodded. “I’ve known that man two seasons and never once seen him with a woman more than a few hours. So, color me curious.”

“We dated exclusively for a year and then things started to go in a direction . . . I didn’t want.” I kept my eyes low with my admission. “I left him while he was in spring training. We were living together at the time and I took a job in New York. I made sure he couldn’t come after me because of ball.”

Rafe paused. “Ouch.”

“At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing, and when I realized I screwed up, it was too late.”

Rafe leaned in. “What happened?”

“He made his first headline.”

His first headline was being caught in the back of a limo with two well-known reality TV stars. Naked reality TV stars. Since then, he’d moved his way up to Oscar-winning actresses. And I’d lost every piece of myself to every word, every picture, and had no choice but to follow because it was my job. Realization dawned as Rafe cupped his chin. “So, he lashed out to hurt you. Looks like he got what he wanted.”

I guffawed. “Hardly,” I said, staring in the direction Ren left. But that was a lie. And maybe it was time to start telling the truth. Maybe I could finally try to explain it to Ren to make him understand why I left the way I did. He didn’t deserve it, even if he had hurt me back just as badly.

I looked over to Rafe. “Yeah, he got what he wanted.”

I couldn’t believe the best pitcher in the MLB was talking to me about my failed relationship. But Ren had made it impossible to avoid. If Ren was still pissed at me for old hurts, he was dragging his reputation and his team down with him. Rafe and Ren were a team within the team, so if one was off, it threw them both off.

Rafe read my thoughts. “I need him sharp. This could do more harm than good.”

“I need my job. My boss gave me an ultimatum. I worked extremely hard to get here. I had no idea which way that meeting would go.”

“From the looks of it, it didn’t go well.”

I bit my lip and shook my head.

“I’m going to ask you a question that’s none of my business.”

“Okay,” I said carefully.

“Is he alone in the way he feels?”

I swallowed and crossed my arms over my chest. “I can’t be with him the way he is. And it’s more complicated than that. So much more complicated.”

Rafe picked at a piece of leather on the corner of the couch.

“Looks like we’re fucked.”

“Rafe, this is what I do. You keep his head in the game. And I’ll keep his nose clean off the field.”

“And what about your predicament?”

“Let me handle it,” I assured, on shaky ground. “You have a series to claim.”

Rafe gave me an award-winning smile. “Damn right I do.”

“We need all hands on deck this season. He has no family, no real support system.”

Rafe nodded. “I’m aware.”

“If there’s anything you can think of, I’ll make it happen. You have anyone in mind who could help?”

A slow budding smile spread across Rafe’s face. “Fuckin’ A, I do.”