Proximity, page 4
After texting with Evan while he was stuck in the airport Sunday night, she had sent one last message to him to make sure he’d gotten in okay. When she didn’t hear from him, she figured he hadn’t responded because of the late hour. She waited until after she finished work today before sending another. Again, nothing. So much for keeping in touch.
A sigh escaped her. As much as she had looked forward to the possibility of seeing Evan again, maybe it was better if she let things drop. After all, they lived over a thousand miles apart. With her work schedule, she was rarely able to take off more than a day or two at a time during the school year.
She wandered into her living room, grabbed her remote control, and plopped down on her couch. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been faced with an evening with nothing to do. Julie wouldn’t be back from her honeymoon for three weeks, and tryouts for the fall sports season didn’t start until late July.
She scrolled through the channels until she found the Diamondbacks game. When she saw they were losing seven to one, she decided to watch a movie for a change of pace. She flipped through her favorite comedies and loaded While You Were Sleeping before settling back against the couch cushions.
Her cell phone chimed, and she snatched it up. She tried to fight back her disappointment when she saw it was Wesley asking if she wanted to sub on his softball team tomorrow night. Given her current evening plans, she immediately said yes. Sitting around watching a movie for one night was fine, but she didn’t think she could do this for many nights in a row. She needed something to do and people to talk to. Too bad Evan wasn’t going to be one of those people.
Chapter 6
Evan walked along the Seine, the Notre Dame cathedral visible across the water. He loved this view. He loved the scents and sounds of Paris. But he missed Tia.
He still couldn’t believe the guy’s water bottle on his flight to Detroit had managed to short out his cell phone. That single moment had not only cost him his phone but his most recent contacts as well. More specifically, Tia’s contact information.
Finding Brooklyn waiting for him when he got off the plane only served to further aggravate him. Though he had hoped to break ties with her in every possible way, he suspected their professional paths would continue to cross until his new business grew large enough for him to hire a business manager.
As much as he didn’t want to see his ex, he still needed her professionally. She had the ability to drum up new contracts, and he had the computer skills that were in high demand. Regardless, he hadn’t expected Brooklyn to present him with a new business opportunity so soon after his return to Detroit, certainly not one this lucrative or with so little notice. He had barely had time to run home, pack another suitcase, and catch his flight to JFK on his way to Paris.
The boost to his income would be significant, enough that he wondered if he would be able to make this his last time working with Brooklyn. Though it would be taking a step backward in his career, if he needed to, he could hire on as an employee somewhere in the States until he was ready to expand. He would miss the travel, but if he could be closer to Tia, it might be worth it.
He glanced at his watch. Only another two hours before he could check into his hotel room. At least the front desk clerk had been kind enough to store his luggage while he waited. Two more hours and he could settle into his room, charge his laptop, and find a way to contact Tia. They might have several thousand miles between them, but he already suspected that one weekend together wasn’t going to be enough.
* * *
Colby made his way into the Cottonwood Police Station and followed the receptionist’s directions to the police chief’s office. The dark-haired man in his forties behind the overburdened desk stood at Colby’s entrance. “You must be Colby Farren.” He extended his hand. “Chief Andrew Jarvis. Good to meet you.”
“Good to meet you too, sir.”
“Come on in and have a seat.” He retrieved a file from a filing cabinet and sat across from Colby. He glanced at the papers in front of him. “I understand you served for three years in Valdez, Alaska. This will be quite a change for you.”
“Yes, it will,” Colby admitted. “It doesn’t look like this area has a lot of trouble with getting snowed in.”
“Not at all, although when we do get the occasional snowfall, it throws everyone for a loop.”
“It actually snows here in Cottonwood?” Colby asked.
“We’ll get an inch every few years or so.”
Colby couldn’t have heard him right. Certainly an inch wouldn’t cause any problems for anyone. He remained silent.
“It’s rather unusual for us to hire someone without an in-person interview, but your police chief sent us your last fitness report.” Chief Jarvis stood. “We have our annual assessment in two weeks, so you’ll need to go through testing at that time.”
“Not a problem.”
“Good.” Chief Jarvis motioned to the nearest uniformed officer. “Let me introduce you around. Raul, come meet our new recruit.”
Raul sauntered toward them, his broad shoulders filling out his uniform despite his being several inches shorter than Colby’s six feet. He stuck out his hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You too.”
“Colby moved here from Alaska this week,” Chief Jarvis said.
“That’s quite a change,” Raul said with a faint Hispanic accent.
“It is that,” Colby agreed.
“During the school year, Raul is assigned as the security protection officer at the high school.”
“You have an officer at the high school full-time?” Colby asked.
“We do.” Chief Jarvis nodded. “Having Raul on campus during school hours ensures the students’ safety and helps us keep a finger on the pulse of problems there before they escalate.”
“Makes sense.”
A lanky, sandy-haired man approached. “Hey, Chief. Parker’s coming tonight.”
“Good. We can use her bat.” Chief Jarvis turned his attention back to Colby. “Colby, this is Wesley Pearce.”
“Good to meet you.” Wesley shook his hand. “I don’t suppose you play softball. We have a game and could use another outfielder.”
“I’m sure my glove is packed in my suitcase somewhere,” Colby said. “I normally play shortstop though.”
“That position is locked up for tonight, but it’s good to know we have someone else who can fill in there.” Wesley snagged a piece of paper and a pen off a nearby desk. He scribbled something down before handing it to Colby. “Here’s the address, and I put my cell number on there in case you get lost.”
“Thanks.”
“Warm-ups are at six thirty.”
“Wesley, have Colby ride with you today,” Chief Jarvis said. “You can do a loop over by the ball field to help him get his bearings.”
“Will do,” Wesley agreed easily.
The four men fell into step and headed for the briefing room. Colby walked in to see a half dozen men inside. Though their appearances varied, Colby couldn’t help but glance down at his arms. Compared to these Arizonans, he looked like Casper the Friendly Ghost. Tia was right. He needed to invest in some sunscreen.
* * *
Tia shifted her backpack on her shoulder as she approached the ball field. A police car had been parked facing the road as though an officer was watching for speeding. Tia knew better. The majority of Wesley’s team was made up of police officers. A well-placed cruiser could do wonders in keeping people from speeding during the game.
The umpire already stood to the side of home plate in preparation of the game starting. Tia quickened her step and made her way through the dozen other cars already in the lot. When she reached the gate that led to the home-team bench, Wesley was waiting for her.
“Hey, Parker. Glad you made it.” He tossed her a jersey.
“Thanks.” She slipped it over her head.
The man beside Wesley turned and looked at her, eyes furrowed.
“Oh, hi, Colby. I see Wes and the chief didn’t waste any time recruiting you.”
“Wait,” Wesley interrupted. “You two already know each other?”
“I ran into him when I was running yesterday,” Tia said.
“I hope not literally.”
“Very funny.”
Chief Jarvis stepped forward, his ball cap on backward because he was playing catcher. “Okay, here’s the lineup.” He called out everyone’s name in their batting order and confirmed their positions. Not surprisingly, Tia was playing shortstop and batting third.
She headed onto the field and took her position, then caught the odd look Colby gave her as he passed her on his way to left field.
“Park!” Raul called out before throwing a ball to her. She took the relay and sent it to Wesley at third base.
A minute later, the game started. A line drive to second took care of the first out. The second batter connected on the first pitch and sent it to deep left field. Tia watched Colby sprint across the field and make a diving catch, lifting his glove to show the ball snow coning in the tip of it. The man had some serious speed.
“Nice,” Tia said to no one in particular. She held up her glove to take the cut off when Colby threw the ball in, surprised when he threw it to Wesley instead. The oddity that he would be able to play so well and not know who to throw the ball to on a relay struck her as odd, but she quickly turned her attention to the next batter.
After he struck out, she jogged in to the dugout and selected her bat. When Colby reached the bench, Tia said, “Nice play out there.”
“Thanks.”
She waited by the dugout entrance as their leadoff man lined a ball between the first and second basemen. Tia stepped into the on-deck circle, timing her practice swings with the pitches.
Wesley flied out, and she walked up to the plate. Taking her stance, she lifted her bat over her head and swung at the first pitch. It sailed nearly to the fence, hitting the ground in the left center gap. Using the speed she had developed on the soccer field, she rounded first base and headed for second. She saw the relay coming and slid. The second baseman’s glove swiped across her leg an instant after her foot connected with the base.
She waited for the safe sign before she signaled for time and stood. She didn’t bother to dust off her pants. They were just going to get dirty again.
* * *
Colby sat in the corner booth and watched the friendly interaction of Tia and three of his coworkers. In addition to Raul and Wesley, Gio, from the night shift, had joined them, as well as his wife, Sofia.
“The other team is convinced we’re bringing in ringers, especially after they saw Colby make that diving catch in the first,” Gio said.
“They complain every time they lose,” Raul countered.
Colby lifted his glass and took a sip. “How many teams are in your league?”
“Eight.” Wesley snagged a nacho from the plate in front of Tia. “Everyone was on best behavior tonight, but the games have been known to get pretty intense.”
“Especially when Bill is around,” Sofia muttered.
“Bill?” Colby asked.
“Bill Moser,” Wesley said. “He’s a good guy, but he can be a hothead when he’s been drinking.”
“He’s not that bad,” Tia insisted. “One fight last year, and you won’t let him forget it.”
“You’re only defending him because you used to date the guy,” Raul insisted.
“That was three years ago.”
Raul rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
Wesley lifted a hand to signal the waitress. He held up his glass. “Can I get another?”
“Sure.” She took his empty glass and asked, “Anyone else?”
“I could use more water,” Tia said. She eyed Wesley’s hand as he took another nacho.
The waitress gave Tia a look of amusement. “And another order of nachos?”
“I’m only taking one more,” Wesley insisted.
Tia rolled her eyes. “That’s what you always say.”
Chapter 7
Colby sat beside Wesley as they cruised down Main Street. “What’s the deal with Tia?”
Wesley shot him a sideways glance filled with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Raul mentioned an old boyfriend last night,” Colby said casually before fishing for what he really wanted to know. “Is she dating anyone now?”
“Not that I’ve heard, but if anyone knows, it would be Raul.” Wesley slowed when he reached a sharp bend in the road.
“Why’s that?”
“Because he sees her all the time at work.”
Colby’s eyebrows drew together. “Why would Raul see her at work?”
“He’s assigned to the high school. Tia is the athletic trainer there. They spend a lot of time together during the school year.”
“That makes sense.” Colby let their conversation replay in his mind as they continued into old-town Cottonwood. He stared out at the old-fashioned storefronts, many of which looked like they were straight out of an old western. When a guy walked out of a store and settled a cowboy hat on his head, Colby wondered if he had been transported back in time.
After another sharp bend in the road, Wesley took a left. Once again, Colby tried to make sense of his new home. To his left, open land stretched out before him that consisted mostly of dirt dotted with desert brush. To his right, an oasis of green startled him. Automatic sprinklers watered the wide, grassy area.
He could admit now that he’d been annoyed when he’d discovered a woman had been chosen over him to play shortstop, but Tia had been more than adequate in her abilities. She’d even scored twice during the game.
He liked athletic women.
Lexi had always made a point of staying in shape, but she preferred hiking over organized sports.
He fought back the image of their last time together, grateful when Wesley broke into his thoughts. “Speak of the devil.”
“What?” Colby straightened, his dark eyes scanning the area.
Wesley pointed at a classic red pickup circling through the roundabout as they approached. “That truck is hers.”
Colby caught a glimpse of Tia’s profile as she passed. She continued through, taking the exit that would allow her to continue on Highway 89A. “I wonder where she’s headed this time of day.”
“Since she’s already passed her street, she’s probably on her way to Jerome.” He pointed at the town a few miles up the side of Mingus Mountain. “I don’t know what it is with her and Grapes, but I swear she would go there every day if the school would let her have a long enough lunch break.”
“Grapes?”
“A little restaurant. Good food, but a little higher end than I can afford on a regular basis.” Wesley began his loop back toward the retail section of town. “I don’t know what your work shift is for the weekend, but we have another game on Saturday at ten.”
Though Colby itched to know if the attractive shortstop would be present, he held his tongue. Instead, he said simply, “I’ll be there.”
* * *
Tia parked her car by the old jailhouse in Jerome and headed on foot past the dilapidated building up the steep road leading to her favorite restaurant.
Tourists crowded the streets, and she couldn’t help but smile when she saw one walk by with a classic T-shirt that read Jerome: A hard-drinking biker town with an artist problem. That about summed up the ghost town built into the side of the mountain.
She crossed the street and rounded the bend to find a half dozen people standing outside of Grapes. She hoped they were going instead of coming. Not waiting to find out, she chose to enter the shop next door that adjoined the restaurant.
Before she managed to disappear inside, she heard her name being called. She turned to see Colby trotting up the steps behind her.
“Hey, Colby. What are you doing here?”
“It’s my day off. I thought I would check out some of the local sights.”
“If you’re looking for souvenirs, you’re in the right place.” She continued into the gift shop, where T-shirts hung like wallpaper above shelves containing the folded versions.
“What are you doing here?” Colby asked, following her inside.
“Coming to get some lunch.” Tia headed for the doorway into the restaurant. As she feared, the interior was packed with customers, and the line was out the door.
Colby stepped behind her. “Crowded.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t bad when I came up on Wednesday, but it can get crazy on the weekends. I was hoping I was early enough to beat the Friday crowd.” She shifted to the side as the manager approached. “Hi, Dennis. I’m afraid to ask, but how long is the wait?”
“Your table should be ready.”
“You knew I was coming?”
“Of course. Wednesdays and Fridays at eleven thirty. Just like clockwork.” He looked at Colby and asked, “Will there be two of you?”
Colby gave her a questioning look. “Is it okay if I join you?”
“Yeah, sure,” Tia answered instinctively.
Dennis grabbed a menu from the bar and handed it to Colby. “Tia, you’re at your usual table.”
“Thanks, Dennis.” She glanced back at Colby. “It’s this way.”
Tia led the way past the bar and up a flight of stairs to a small round table beside a window. Colby waited for her to sit before he lowered into the seat across from her.
“Do you want to look at the menu first?” Colby asked.
“No, I already know what I want.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Do you like mushrooms?”
“Not particularly,” Colby said. “I’m more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.”
