Free Rekindled by Susan Scott Shelley Page A

him. Just the thought of being
separated again formed a hole in her soul. How could she leave? "We need
to talk."
    Adam watched her with a carefully blank face. "Let me guess,
you're not coming with me to spring training."
    "I know I said I would, but…."
    "But now you have a better offer." His mouth twisted
into a grim smile.
    "It's not like that." She grabbed his arm. "You
know it's not."
    "Isn't it?" He flicked a glance at her phone and stood.
"Hollywood called and you answered."
    "I can't turn down the role. This might be my last shot at
making it. I've waited for so long. Someone finally wants me." Finally, she
had her chance.
      "I  want you. I thought you wanted me,
too." He exhaled a long, low breath and his hand tightened into fist.
"Was I the consolation prize?"
    "How could you think of yourself that way?"
    Tension tightened his features. "It's not too hard when you
look at the situation from my angle. Maybe you only wanted me when things
weren't going right for you."
    "No. That's not—"
    "Maybe you were settling for a second-best life with me
because that's all you thought you could get." He tensed and the muscles
in his arms stood out.
    "No. I swear—"
    "But now that you have a chance at your career again, you're
dropping me like I mean nothing, like  we  mean nothing, in
favor of something better."
    She shook her head and fought the wave of desperation rising in
her chest. "That's not true. None of that's true. Acting was all I had for
a long time. I’ve worked so hard for this opportunity. I have to see if I’ve
got the chops, if I can cut it.”
    “I know you can cut it. You’re damn good at what you do.”
    “All I want is a shot at my dream."
    "Me, too.” He turned and slammed his fist into the wall.
“What happens if I get to spring training and my pitches are off again? You've
been there for all of the good ones. What if you're the reason?"
    "That's ridiculous. I'm not the reason. You're being
superstitious." She dragged her hand through her hair. And then paused as
a horrible idea planted itself in her mind. “Wait. Is that why you asked me to
go with you—because you think I have some magic powers that control your
pitches?”
     His gaze darkened and his voice pitched low. “I want you
with me regardless of your effect on my pitches.”
    But now that the idea had taken root, shaking it free was
impossible. “I wish I could believe you.”
    In three strides, he reached her, and caged her with his arms. “I
don’t lie.”
    She took in his glittering gaze, the harsh lines on his face. He’d
never been less than honest in the past. She desperately wanted to believe him.
“Okay.”
    He pulled back and rubbed his hand over his face, then paced the
length of the room. "How long will you be gone?"
    "I'll be in Seattle three months, maybe a little
longer."
    "Maybe up to six if they're doing both movies. Where are you
going after that?" With stiff movements, he pulled on jeans and a shirt.
    Wrapping the sheet around her, she searched for her clothes. It
was too soon to know how the movie would go, how her life would be affected.
"Back to L.A., I guess."
    "Back to L.A." Mouth firm, jaw as set as stone, he
lifted his brow. "For how long?"
    "I don't know." She couldn’t afford to jet all around
the country, catching flights back and forth from L.A. to wherever he ended up.
She needed to save as much money as possible and be available for her agent and
for auditions. The last four years had shown her one thing, she had to rely on
herself.
    "For good?" His body stilled, his focus clear and direct
on her face, as he waited for her answer.
    Saying yes would mean heartache, but saying no could be a lie.
"We can make this work."
    "How? By you flying in for an afternoon a few times a year?
By me swinging by for a night or a weekend when I'm in town on a road
trip?" A vein in his neck pulsed.
    Sickness coated her stomach, like something vital was slipping
through her fingers and she couldn't grasp hold.