Home in Carolina (18 page)

“Then you’re refusing to go to Cincinnati with me?”

“Yes,” Sarah said.

“Okay, then.” She was disappointed but not really surprised. She considered several alternatives, then said, “I guess I could go on my own.”

Sarah immediately looked alarmed. “Absolutely not.”

“Well, you said you won’t go. What choice do I have?”

“You could stay here where you belong.”

Annie considered it one more time, then shook her head, even though she knew her stubbornness—and her desire to do something to prove her loyalty to Ty—were overruling common sense. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Sarah mumbled. “When do we leave?”

Annie worked hard to keep a satisfied smirk off her face. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ll see how grateful you are when we’re both locked up.”

“Nobody’s going to arrest a couple of women on vacation with their kids.”

Sarah blinked at that. “You want to take Tommy and Libby along?”

“Sure. It will be fun. And we’ll look totally innocent poking around in Dee-Dee’s neighborhood.”

“Do you happen to know what neighborhood that is?”

“Not exactly, but I’ll bet I can find it online.”

“What if she’s living with her fiancé? Do you know his name?”

“I don’t, but Helen must,” Annie admitted, beginning to see that this could be a little more complicated than she’d first envisioned. “Maybe I can get her to spill it.”

Still acting as the voice of reason, Sarah asked, “Do you have a plan to entice Dee-Dee to talk to you, a perfect stranger, about one of the most intimate aspects of her life, her custody battle for her child?”

“People spill their guts to strangers all the time,” Annie said.

“On airplanes or in train stations, maybe, but on the street?” Sarah asked, her skepticism plain. “First you’d have to get her to stop in the first place.”

Annie grinned then. “Thus, Tommy and Libby. She won’t be able to resist them, not if she’s in this huge maternalistic phase.”

For the first time, Sarah actually looked impressed. “You have an incredibly devious mind.”

“I do, don’t I?” Annie said. “Who knew?”

“I’m not sure it’s something to be proud of.”

“Probably not, but at the moment, it’s coming in very handy, don’t you think?”

Sarah heaved a dramatic sigh. “That remains to be seen.”

Unfortunately there was only one way Annie could conduct her covert mission. She had to take time off from The Corner Spa, and that would require coming up with some kind of story for Maddie. And since Ty’s rehab was also at stake, it seemed unlikely Maddie would approve the impromptu vacation unless Annie took her into her confidence and told her the truth.

The increasingly horrified expression on Maddie’s face as Annie explained her plan didn’t bode well.

“No, no, no!” Maddie said. “Absolutely not.”

“But it’s the only way I can think of to help and to prove to Ty that I’m on his side.”

“Find another way,” Maddie said. “I won’t allow you to do this, Annie.”

Annie bristled at her words. “You won’t
allow
me to do it?”

“That’s exactly what I said and exactly what I meant.”

“I’m not ten, and I’m not your child.”

“No, but you are my employee and my friend. More important, Ty is my son, and he gets to decide how this situation is handled. I know he wants information about Dee-Dee and her motives, but he has his own plan. He also has professionals on his side.”

“They don’t have what I have,” Annie argued. “Motivation.”

Maddie sighed in the face of her determination. “Here’s the deal, then. You tell Ty this crazy idea of yours, and if he approves, I’ll give you the time off with my
blessing. I won’t even dock your pay for missing all your appointments and having Elliott’s workload doubled.”

“I can’t tell Ty,” Annie protested.

“Why not? Because you know he’ll disapprove?”

“No, because I don’t want to disappoint him if I fail.”

“Very considerate, but those are my terms. Ask Ty if this is something he wants you to do.” She glanced up and a grim smile settled on her lips. “How convenient! Here he is right now.”

She walked past Annie, gave her son a quick peck on the cheek and said, “Talk.” She then shut the door firmly behind her.

Ty studied Annie warily. “What was that about? What does she want us to talk about?”

Faced with his distinctly cautious attitude, Annie hesitated. She really thought telling him was a bad idea, but maybe Maddie was correct. He probably had a right to approve the idea or dismiss it, since his future with his son was at stake. Besides, Maddie’s fierce reaction, coupled with Sarah’s, were beginning to weaken Annie’s own belief that this was a good plan.

“I came to your mom to ask for some time off,” she began, choosing her words carefully.

“In the middle of my rehab?” he asked incredulously. “Or was that the point? To get away from me?”

Annie ignored the suggestion that she was running away from him. “I wanted to go to Cincinnati.”

Ty looked blank. “Cincinnati? Why?” he asked, then stilled. “Oh, no. You weren’t thinking of going anywhere near Dee-Dee, were you?”

“I thought maybe I could find out what she’s really after,” she admitted. “Sarah’s going with me. We have a plan.”

Ty groaned. “Don’t even tell me. I don’t want to know. Do you not remember the Bobby Latham incident?”

Geez, did everyone in her life have the memory of an elephant? “I remember. And despite the broken branch and the shattered window, you and Sarah both seem to have forgotten that I saw Bobby with my iPod that day. I proved it, too.”

Ty grinned. “And I’m sure you savored your victory every single day while you were grounded.”

“Beside the point,” Annie said blithely. She gave Ty an earnest look. “Let me do this for you, Ty. Let me try to get Dee-Dee to open up.”

He shook his head. “Look, I appreciate the thought. I really do, but you’re the last person she’d ever talk to, Annie.”

“Why? She doesn’t even know me.”

“Yes,” he said quietly, “she does. When you walked into Wharton’s the other day, she took one look at you and knew you were the one I’d been in love with when she got pregnant with Trevor.”

Annie was stunned. “She knew about me?”

“Practically from the beginning,” he confirmed. “So, you see, she always knew nothing serious was going to happen between the two of us. She chose to sleep with me, anyway. Maybe the pregnancy was an accident, maybe not.” He shrugged. “But as soon as she told me, I made it clear that the reason I couldn’t marry her was because I was still in love with a girl back home. Apparently she saw that love in my eyes the other day, because she guessed right away that you were the woman.”

“And you confirmed it?”

“Of course. I didn’t see any reason to lie.” He took Annie’s hand in his. “So you see, she’ll never open up to you of all people.”

Annie was torn between disappointment that her one chance to help had been ruined and elation that Ty had acknowledged loving her all those years ago and even as recently as this week.

“I really wanted to do something to make up for the other night,” she said.

“I know,” he said. “And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you came up with this crazy scheme, but the truth is, I was wrong the other night. I knew better. I knew you wouldn’t go against me. I was just so hurt and angry and terrified, I wound up taking it out on the wrong person.”

Annie met his gaze. “Then we’re okay?”

He squeezed her hand. “We’re more than okay.” His gaze held hers. “You want to get out of here?”

Her heart skipped several beats at the heat in his eyes. “And do what?”

“Whatever we feel like doing,” he said. “I’ll clear it with Mom.”

Annie shook her head at that. “I’m capable of asking your mother for time off. How much time were you thinking?”

A slow smile spread across his face. “That depends on how persuasive I am. You’d better ask for the rest of the day.”

Annie’s blood hummed. “You know she’s going to have questions.”

“I know,” Ty said solemnly. “Don’t answer them.”

She nodded slowly. “I think we’re in total agreement on that one.”

As she went to track down Maddie, for the first time in a very long time, Annie threw caution completely to the wind and allowed herself to hope.

A
s badly as Ty wanted to take Annie straight over to the Serenity Inn, rent a room and make love to her for the rest of the day and into the night, he knew he couldn’t do it. If they were going to reconcile at long last, she deserved a whole lot better than a motel room run by a couple who reported directly into the Serenity grapevine. Since he and Annie were both staying with their parents, taking her to either of their homes was out, too.

Standing on the sidewalk in front of the spa, Ty looked into her eyes. “I’m suddenly remembering what it was like when we were first together as a couple.”

“You mean all worked up with nowhere to go?” she said, immediately understanding the dilemma.

Ty nodded. “Any ideas?”

“I’m opposed to the backseat of some car,” she said.

He laughed. “At my height, so am I, especially since I own a very small hybrid.”

“There’s always the Serenity Inn. My mom and dad used to sneak away there when they were kids. And before my dad moved back home while he was staying at the inn, I know my mom used to slip into his room.”
She grinned mischievously. “They thought I didn’t know about it.”

Ty regarded her doubtfully. “Seriously? They really believed you didn’t know?”

Annie nodded. “Naive, huh?”

“You’re not kidding. Everybody in town knew, even me,” Ty said. “Well, it’s not an option for us, anyway. We’re not kids, and way too many people want to get into my business to make that a viable option. Besides, Helen would shoot me if some paparazzi caught us. It would not be good for our case.” He met her gaze. “Anyway, you deserve better than the two of us sneaking around to some hotel room, even if we thought we could get away with it. I want to get this right this time, Annie, from the beginning.”

“Seems a shame to be playing hooky and not taking advantage of it by doing something spontaneous,” Annie said. She looked as if she’d resigned herself to a dramatic change of plans from the passionate rendezvous they’d both been envisioning. “Why don’t we pick up Trevor and drive over to the beach?”

Ty regarded her with surprise. “You want to take my son along on our romantic tryst?”

“Well, it will definitely change our plans, but it’s a surefire way to keep us from doing anything stupid, don’t you think?”

“True. And, to be honest, I love the idea of you spending time with Trevor, as long as you’re sure it’s not going to bother you.” He leveled a look into her eyes. “Once we’re together—you, me and Trevor, I mean—there’s no turning back, Annie. You can’t have a change of heart an hour from now and insist on coming home. Trevor’s a smart kid, even at three. He’ll think it’s his fault.”

Annie hesitated, and Ty waited silently. Her answer could change everything between them. They had no future if she couldn’t welcome his son into her heart.

“I won’t change my mind,” she assured Ty eventually. “I want to get to know your son.”

Ty’s gaze was steady. “You’re sure? Because it’s okay if you’re not. We have to get this right, Annie. It’s too important. We’re talking about our future here.”

She nodded. “I know that. I’m scared, but I’m sure. It’s time to do this.”

Relief flooded through him. “I’m so glad, Annie. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”

She squeezed his hand. “Then let’s go get your boy.”

Annie suffered a momentary pang of regret when they got to Ty’s house, then drew in a deep breath and walked with Ty to the front door. He glanced down at her.

“Change of heart?” he asked.

“No,” she said firmly, and realized it was true. It was time to put the past behind them. She thought she could finally separate the boy from the betrayal.

Before Ty had a chance to unlock the door, it was flung open by Trevor.

“Daddy, Daddy, you’re back!” he said, his arms held out to be picked up. “I gots something to show you. Me and Jessie made a tent. We’re camping.”

“Cool,” Ty said. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Ty lifted Trevor high in the air, earning a giggling reaction of pure delight, then settled him against his chest. Trevor finally turned a shy gaze on Annie. “Hi.”

“Remember me? I’m Annie.”

Trevor nodded. “I ’member.”

“Your dad and I came by because we thought you might want to go to the beach with us,” she told him.

Trevor’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“That’s the plan,” Ty confirmed.

“Can Jessie and Cole come, too?”

“I don’t know,” Ty began, but Annie shrugged.

“Why not?” she said. “Remember the goal.”

“I thought it was for you to get to know Trevor,” Ty said.

“And to keep us on our best behavior. Can you think of a better way to do that than having three pint-size chaperones?”

Ty shook his head. “I think you have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for, but if you say it’s okay, I’ll give Mom a call. I’m thinking we’ll need to bring the nanny along, too.”

“We’re two energetic adults. We don’t need help. Give her the day off,” Annie argued, warming to the idea of having Ty and the kids all to herself. It would give her a taste of what having a family with him would be like. She had a feeling it would add a bittersweet note to the afternoon, for who knew if they would ever have the real thing? There were so many complications to be sorted out.

“Whatever you say,” Ty said, though he looked a little skeptical.

In less than an hour, Annie had gone home to put her swimsuit on under her clothes, they had all three kids secured in their car seats, had put a picnic basket in the back, and were on the road across the state toward the ocean. They’d made the same trip a few times with their own families and later, on their own, as teenagers. The drive filled Annie with both nostalgia and anticipation. The aroma of salty sea air tugged at her memory long before they were close enough to actually smell it.

“I’m hungry,” Jessie announced less than a half hour out of Serenity.

“I need to go potty,” Trevor said. “Now!”

Ty glanced in Annie’s direction. “Still think this was a good idea?” he asked as he swerved into a gas station with a market and restrooms.

“Of course,” she said gamely. “Jessie, do you need to use the potty, too?”

“No,” she replied.

“How about you, Cole?” Ty asked.

Realizing from his silence that Cole was sound asleep, Annie said, “I’ll stay in the car with him, if you’ll take them inside.”

“What do I do with Jessie, while I’m taking Trevor to the restroom?”

Annie regarded him blankly, then realized the problem. He couldn’t leave a five-year-old on her own and he couldn’t take her to the men’s room. “Leave her here,” she told him. “Jessie, hon, you stay in the car. Ty will bring you back something to eat.”

“I want to choose myself,” Jessie protested, looking as if she was about to cry. She’d already unfastened her seat belt and was halfway out of her car seat, eager to go inside.

Annie had been around Jessica Lynn enough to know the disciplinary drill. At one time a holy terror, she’d been tamed by stern parenting. “You can tell Ty what you want, but you stay in the car,” she said firmly. “Otherwise, you get nothing until we get to the beach.”

Jessie blinked at Annie’s tone. For a moment, it looked as if she might launch into a tantrum. Apparently, though, she thought better of it. “I want a candy bar. I love chocolate,” she said, sounding a lot like her mother. Maddie had
chocolate stashed in her desk at the spa for stressful moments. Clearly, Jessie’s desire for a treat outweighed her temptation to argue. With a dramatic sigh to emphasize her unhappiness, she climbed back into her car seat.

“Chocolate it is,” Ty said at once, departing with Trevor.

Annie leaned back, exhausted by the very minor test of wills.

“Annie,” Jessie called from the backseat.

“Yes?”

“Is Ty your boyfriend?”

How on earth was she supposed to answer that? Annie wondered. She settled for honesty. “We’re good friends,” she told his little half sister. “We’ve been friends for a very long time.”

“I think he likes you,” Jessie confided.

Annie had to fight the temptation to grill her. A five-year-old was hardly an expert at identifying the signs of infatuation. She was certainly no more attuned to Ty’s emotions than Annie herself.

And today Annie had come to the conclusion all on her own that Ty really did still have feelings for her, the kind she’d once believed could last a lifetime.

Ty had discovered right after Jessie’s birth that a baby could be a real babe magnet. Whenever he’d been home from college, his younger brother Kyle all but begged to take Jessie for a walk in the park. On one occasion, Ty had gone along and realized why Kyle had been so willing to be saddled with his baby sister. Teenage girls flocked around him, cooing over the infant in her stroller.

After Trevor’s birth and the absence of Annie, Ty had found that he drew women wherever he went with his son.
These weren’t the baseball groupies, but the single moms and women who grew starry-eyed at the sight of a man with a baby.

Today, though, with Annie along, the reactions they drew on the beach were smiles from older women, who obviously assumed they were a family.

In fact, several women walking along the water’s edge made it a point to comment on what a lovely picture they made.

“It’s so nice to see a young family spending time together,” one said, after picking up a beach ball that had blown away and returning it. “Most young people these days are too busy rushing around to enjoy a day at the beach in the middle of the week like this.”

Annie blushed at her words, and Ty could tell that she had a denial on the tip of her tongue, so he jumped in to thank the woman.

“We’re in the process of reforming,” he joked with her. He leaned closer and confided, “In fact, I even talked Annie into playing hooky from work today. I don’t think there’s nearly enough spontaneity in people’s lives these days.”

The woman beamed at him. “I couldn’t agree more. You all enjoy yourselves, you hear.”

When she’d walked on, Annie turned on him with feigned annoyance. “You let her think we’re a family.”

He shrugged. “Why spoil her illusion? Besides, I kind of enjoy pretending she got it right.”

Annie’s expression faltered at that. “You do?”

He nodded. “If things had gone differently, you and I would be married by now. I’ll bet we’d have at least one baby, too. Didn’t you ever imagine that?”

Her expression turned sad. “You know I did. We used to talk about what it would be like once we were married. I’m surprised you remember.”

“Just because I behaved like an idiot doesn’t mean my memory’s gone. I remember everything important we ever discussed.”

“Then how could you…” she began, but her voice trailed off. She let the warm sand sift through her fingers, her eyes directed away from him and out to sea.

“How could I cheat with all those other women?” he asked for her, knowing the pain he’d see if he could look into her eyes.

Her chin lifted as she turned to face him. “Okay, yes, how could you do that?”

He hesitated long enough to check that the kids were still engrossed in building a sand castle, then said quietly, “I somehow convinced myself it didn’t matter. It was as if that part of my life were completely separate from us.”

“Would you have done it if we had been married?”

“Of course not,” he said at once.

“There’s no
of course
about it,” Annie replied heatedly. “Either you were committed to me or you weren’t.”

“Look, I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I convinced myself we had an agreement, that while I was on the road and you were at school, all bets were off. I guess you could say I was sowing my wild oats while I had the chance.”

She scowled at him. “Do you hear how immature and self-indulgent that sounds?”

Ty regarded her apologetically. “I do now. God, Annie, if I could take it all back, I would. None of it mattered. It was just what happened on the road, a rite of passage,
so to speak. Ask Cal, if you don’t believe me. He knows what it’s like.”

“So, let’s say I forget what happened, chalk it up to life experience or whatever,” she said. “How do I know you won’t revert to the same behavior the second you’re back on the road with the team? That’s going to happen before we know it, and I don’t think I can spend weeks at a time worrying about what you might be doing.”

“I know it’s going to be hard, because I still haven’t earned your trust.” He met her gaze. “But I swear to you I will cut off my pitching arm before I will ever hurt you that badly again,” he said fiercely. “I mean it, Annie. I had to lose you to realize that you’re the only woman who will ever matter to me.”

She listened to his declaration and nodded. “You sound sincere.”

“Because I am.”

They sat side by side on the blanket in silence then, the sun beating on their shoulders, the kids playing beside them.

After a time, Annie turned to him, her lips twitching as she unsuccessfully fought a smile. “You know, Ty, I’d never expect you to cut off your pitching arm,” she said. “Maybe some other part of your anatomy, but not your pitching arm.”

Ty grinned. “Thanks. That’s good to know.”

She stood up then. Ty was relieved to see that her body in the sedate one-piece bathing suit was filled out nicely with curves these days. For a moment he flashed back to the early days of her anorexia, when sharp bones protruded and still she thought she was overweight. Thank God she’d found her way back from her eating disorder, though he knew it would be a lifetime struggle.

“Who’s hungry?” she asked, directing the question to the kids.

“Me, me, me,” they responded eagerly.

“And me,” Ty said, his gaze on her and not the sandwiches she was pulling from their picnic basket.

She turned and caught his appreciative gaze, then slowly smiled. “You’re gonna have to wait for that,” she told him.

“That’s okay,” he told her. “However long it takes, you’re definitely worth it.”

After the frustrating day she’d had dealing with Dee-Dee’s attorney, Helen was in no mood to go home to face an exasperating evening with her mother.