Feisty Red (Three Chicks Brewery 2)

She squeezed his fingers, and as she did with everyone, she attempted to make him feel better about it all. “I need this time together as much as you do. I appreciate every second of it, but in all this, I can only think of Mason. I feel like we’re in a really good place. We can’t screw that up by going too deep and drowning again.”

“Then, we’ll stay afloat,” he promised. Mason was at the top of his list of priorities, but so was Clara, and now he knew a hard truth. He wasn’t doing enough to heal her heart. Not even close. And that needed to change.

9

A couple of days later, after dropping Mason off at school, Clara returned home to focus on the brewery. She’d never sent the counteroffers she’d drawn up, and the distributors were checking in to see if she’d made a decision, as was her lawyer. But Clara remained hesitant to send anything in yet, so she delayed by saying she needed more time to review the contracts. Her demands were high, and she needed to be sure she wasn’t asking for too much and they’d all walk away. She was well into responding to emails when she received a text from Sullivan: Can you make it out to Coors Field this morning?

She fired off her response: Are you going to tell me why I need to go there?

You’ll see when you get here. Can we meet in an hour? If possible, bring your sisters.

Confused but growing curious, she responded: Make it an hour and a bit. I need to wrangle them up.

Perfect. See you soon.

She sent quick texts to Maisie and Amelia, asking if they could join her, which they agreed to after sending many questions. Questions that didn’t last long when, on the drive into Denver, Clara filled her sisters in on Sullivan and Mason’s talk last night.

“Kids are smarter than people give them credit for,” Clara said after she’d caught them up and they’d arrived at Coors Field. Located only two blocks from Union Station, the Coors Field building was designed to impress with its curved front architecture and clock tower. Once she parked, she stepped out into the cloudy day and shut the car door behind her, finding the parking lot empty and Sullivan’s truck nowhere in sight. “Mason’s young,” she told her sisters. “He doesn’t really understand why Sullivan hasn’t been there this whole time. He’s only happy that he now has a dad and that his dad plays professional baseball. It’s simple for him right now.”

Maisie met her at the hood, giving a small shrug. “It might not always be that simple.”

“I’m sure it won’t be,” she agreed, tucking her car keys into her front pocket. “I’ve got no doubt his little mind will fill up with questions that need answers, and I’ll—Sullivan and I will get them answered.”

“I think that’s really great,” Amelia said, sidling up to them. “Mason seems really happy when Sullivan’s around. And I feel like Sullivan’s really done the work to be a good role model for him. You gotta give him credit for that. He’s definitely not the sly dog we all thought he was when he first came back. He’s really changed. Or at least looking to better himself.”

“Agreed,” Clara said.

Maisie added, “Besides, you can always take Mason to Doctor Stevens if you feel he needs to talk things out with a professional.”

Clara nodded. “Yeah, I’ve considered that. I’ve got a close eye on him. He’ll be all right, but if he’s not, getting professional help will be at the top of my priority list.” At Maisie’s probing gaze, Clara added, “What?”

“I guess I’m just wondering if you and Sullivan are all right. You haven’t really said anything about you guys.”

Clara paused until it became clear it was nearly impossible to explain. “It’s a lot, you know? There’s a big past there with lots of confusing parts, and I feel like we’re really beginning to heal. But again, going slow through all this is the only way forward.”

“You’ve both been through a lot,” Amelia said in agreement. “There’s no need to rush any of this. I think it’s great you’re figuring all this out for Mason. He’ll be a happier kid for it.” She nudged Clara’s shoulder. “And if I may say, you seem pretty happy too.”

As a couple pigeons landed a few feet away, pecking at the pavement, Clara drew in a long, deep breath. “You know what? I am happy. I mean, when does someone get the chance to rewrite their past and take something that went so wrong and make it better?”

“Not very often,” Maisie said.

“Exactly,” Clara said with a nod. “Things are moving in the right direction, and I’m grateful for that.” Needing to get the show on the road and find out why Sullivan had called them there, Clara gestured her sisters forward. “So, how about we go see why Sullivan asked us to come here?”

Maisie linked arms with Clara. “Yes, let’s do just that.”

Her sisters fell into step with her as they strode through the large parking lot and made it to the main gate, where Sullivan was waiting along with a security guard.

“Good,

you’re here,” he said by way of greeting.

His bright eyes spoke of mischief. “We are, so can you let us in on the secret now?”

“Let me show you.” Sullivan grinned.

The security guard locked the gate behind them then led them toward the concession stand in the large open space with concrete on the floor and metal construction beams exposed in the roof. The stadium was crawling with workers getting ready for the baseball game tonight, where the Boston Red Sox were playing the Colorado Rockies, something Maisie had learned on the drive to Coors Field.

“I’ll leave you here,” the security guard said when they reached the microbrewery located behind the right-field stands.