Hot Target

Would Luke have invited her if circumstances were different? She wasn’t sure he could answer that at this point. How did either of them know what was real and what was close proximity and circumstances?

As they exited the house, Katie was still avoiding eye contact with Luke. Emotions she hadn’t felt in years were stirring to life. Caring for someone and fearing she’d lose them had kept her single for years now.

Luke laced his fingers with hers as they walked to the car in silence. At the passenger side of the car, he slid his hands down her arms, facing her. “You okay, sweetheart? Did my parents say something to upset you?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Your parents are wonderful. I love them.”

“Then what is it? What’s wrong?”

“I…” She felt the emotion flutter in her chest. “I…Luke.”

His fingers laced in one side of her hair. “What? Talk to me, Katie.”

She blinked up at him, the streetlight illuminating the concern in his eyes. She kissed him. “Memories,” she said. “That’s all. The family setting stirred some old memories. But it was good talking to your mother.”

“You can talk to me, too,” he said, his thumbs gently caressing her cheek. “You know that, right?”

“I know,” she said. And she did. “But I…can’t.”

“Why?” he asked. “Am I a bad listener? You don’t trust me?”

“No,” she said quickly. “No. I…don’t want to lay all this heavy stuff on you, Luke. You have games, and—”

He kissed her, a long, deep kiss that left her gasping for air and pressing against his chest. “Luke! Your parents!”

“Are probably cheering from the window,” he said. “They loved you. Now. Let’s go back to the hotel. I have ways to make you talk.”

And just like that, amazingly, Katie was smiling, her demons slayed by a pitcher who had a ninety-eight-mile-an-hour fastball and was one hell of a kisser.

***

THE FIRST GAME NIGHT back in California, Katie felt edgy, certain something was going to happen. A knack for gut feelings that she’d inherited from her father was something she never ignored. Although she’d kept her worries from Luke. He was pitching the first game, and he needed to be focused. For safety measures, Josh and Noah were in a nearby van, with a remote feed on several locations.

Katie once again sat with Heather and, despite her nerves, cheered excitedly as Luke pitched. “He’s going to have his best game ever if he keeps this up,” Heather declared. She glanced behind her. “Good grief. I didn’t know Libby was here. I do believe Rick really has a thing for that girl. At least when he’s in town.”

“Come to think of it,” Katie said. “I didn’t see him with anyone else in Texas. Yet I’m not sure I would have known otherwise. Luke and I didn’t exactly hang out with the guys.”

Heather elbowed Katie and smiled. “I bet you didn’t.”

Katie smiled but a grim thought occurred. It would be horrible if Libby ended up being the stalker if Rick was really hung up on her.

The crowd went nuts as the Hawks headed onto the field again and Luke strode toward the mound. Nerves fluttered in Katie’s stomach. Her cell phone rang.

She reached inside her purse and eyed the caller ID, almost relieved to see “unknown.” They were almost paid up with the loan sharks, and Katie could finally end that piece of hell. She hit Silent as Luke threw a strike.

“Yes!” she yelled, when her phone started to ring again.

A weird flutter, that gut feeling she got sometimes, hit her stomach. She snatched the phone again. Noah. She snapped it open.

“Come out to the parking lot,” she thought he said, as the crowd roared. Luke threw another strike. Katie wasn’t cheering. She didn’t get a chance to confirm Noah’s request. He’d hung up.

“I’ll be right back, Heather.”

“But Luke is pitching,” she argued.

“I know,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

Heather frowned but Katie didn’t offer more. She rushed up the stairs and through the stadium, dialing Noah as she did. When he didn’t answer, she started to panic. She rushed out to the parking lot, to where the dark blue van Noah had rented was parked, and headed to the back door.

It opened as she arrived to reveal Noah, squatting down to her eye level. Josh sat at a monitor, his attention on the security feed.

“What?” she demanded.

“First,” Noah said. “Your sister and Donna are fine.”

Her heart thundered in her ears. “What does that mean?”

“The office was set on fire,” he said. “We lost everything. The loan sharks said it’s a warning. They want the rest of their money now.”

Her office. Destroyed. The only thing she had left. Her dancing was gone. Her parents were gone. “We were paying!” she yelled.

“I know, Katie,” he said. “I know. But these kinds of people aren’t reasonable. You have insurance. We’ll find a temporary office. I’ll go home while Josh wraps up here. But, Katie. We need to pay these guys off. You need to talk to Luke. Borrow the money.”