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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckinridge - Chapter 12 Finale: Home Plate",
      "body": "Chapter 12: Home Plate\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nRight on time, Kirby pulled her car into a parking area at the address Dave had given her. Only it wasn’t really a parking area. It was an open field, and the spot her GPS told her was the address to go to. Confused, she pulled off the road and onto the grass, and fished for her phone in the bag she had on the passenger seat. She intended to call Dave and make sure she had the right place since, at least according to her assessment, she was in the middle of nowhere.\nShe got out of her car to stretch as the drive to the address from Breckenridge had taken about a half hour and her legs felt tight from the car ride. Looking down she saw that her phone had no signal. She looked around her, trying to figure out where she was and to see if Dave’s car was anywhere in sight, which it wasn’t. The light was fading, but still she could see the outline of the mountains lifting above a thick forest of evergreens at the edge of an open field covered in patches of snow. It was so quiet out here. All she could hear was the sound of a creek flowing somewhere nearby, and it was lovely. She stood a moment to enjoy her surroundings.\nShe saw headlights coming up the road and moved closer to her car for safety. The car pulled off the road and parked next to hers, and Dave got out.\n“You found the place!” he said.\n“Yes, I did. But what is this ‘place’? It’s just a field…” she stammered, confused.\n“Did you bring warm clothes?” he asked.\n“Yep, and I’ve got boots on and an extra pair of long johns in the car, but… I don’t understand what this is about.”\nDave just smiled and reached out his hand to take hers. It was warm and strong and her hand fit in his like it belonged there.\n“Come, walk a bit with me. We don’t have much day light left,” he said, pulling her along behind him into the snowy field.\n“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” she asked again.\n“Shhh, shhhh, shhhh, soon. Just enjoy this. I promise, I will tell you. I want to show you something first,” he said.\nThey walked through the snow for a ways until Dave stopped, midway between where their cars were parked and where the meadow met the trees.\n“Right here,” he said.\n“Yes? What’s right here?”\n“Do you hear the creek? It’s just over that rise, not far at all. Do you see the mountains behind us and all the trees, and do you hear how quiet it is out here?”\n“Yes, yes, and yes… in that order,” she teased.\n“Great. Then, do you remember what I said about the place where I wanted to build my mountain house?”\n“Yes, in the mountains, in the trees, next to a creek. Dave, is this the spot you’re going to build on?”\n“Do you remember the paper you handed me?”\n“Why do you keep having to answer my questions with questions?”\nDave laughed then. “I will tell you everything, but for right now, in this spot, I just want to hold you. Can I?”\nHe put his arms around Kirby, drawing her close and into his chest, and through their layers of clothing and heavy coats, they could hear the thudding of the other’s heartbeat. It was warm in their embrace, and safe. He backed away from their hug slightly, so that his face was close to hers, and he leaned in to kiss her ever so gently on the lips. She responded, enjoying the softness of his lips and the warmth of his breath, and how perfectly their lips fit together like two puzzle pieces. Their kiss deepened and her mouth opened to his; his arms tightened around her and mid-kiss, he swung her around in circles until she was breathless and giggling.\n“Dave, what are we doing out here?” she asked again.\n“You are standing in the living room,” he said. Pointing this way and that excitedly, he continued. “The kitchen will be over there, the driveway will come in from that main road and there will be a grand circle entrance and as you walk into the house, the foyer will be here and the staircase, and the backyard with a huge wrap around deck that looks off into the trees with the mountains behind it, and I think there will be room for some batting cages too, and maybe a huge outdoor kitchen with an herb garden and I can’t tell yet if there will be room for a pool or not but…” Kirby put her arm on his to stop him from continuing his wild gesturing and crazy yammering.\n“Is this your parents’ property? The land you wanted to build on?” she asked with anticipation.\n“No, I couldn’t afford that one,” he said.\n“Why?”\n“Because it required more than I was willing to pay. That’s sort of the definition of not being able to afford something…” He didn’t mean to sound so defensive, but he was not sure he really wanted to get into the specifics with Kirby and risk having to mention Trevor’s name in front of her again.\n“I don’t know what you mean. Money doesn’t seem like an issue for you, especially now that the Rockies called,” she said, slyly.\nHe sighed deeply and looked into her eyes, hoping she would see how hard it was for him to talk about this. “The price was you. If I wanted that land, I had to walk away from you forever. And not just that, I had to walk away in such a way that you would never chase me. I had to break your heart, break it in two, hurt you and make sure the world heard about it. Trevor. He wanted Smear Campaign part two, at my hand, in order for him to agree to sell that property.”\nKirby was quiet then. It wasn’t quite what she had expected. She knew Trevor had wanted something from Dave, but she never would have guessed it could have been something quite so cruel. But something didn’t add up for her. Had he been headed down the road of hurting her all along, or was Trevor’s offer only put on the table once Trevor realized they were an item?\n“When did Trevor make you that deal, Dave?”\n“The morning after we spent the night together. I think you saw the text message. I called him back that morning after you left, and heard him out. Kirby, I was never even tempted to take him up on it, not at all! How could I? How could I ever hurt you? I’ve fallen so hard for you, my heart is so full of love for you. I don’t even have it in me to hurt you, not in any way. I love you, Kirby,” he said tenderly, placing his hands around her face and planting a sweet kiss on her lips.\n“Dave, I love you too. I can’t believe how quickly it happened. One moment I was resisting you, afraid you were just looking for a safe wife, just like Trevor was, and the next minute I was falling so hard for you. It hurt me to think that you and he were plotting something against me, and I should have given you a chance to explain. I’m so sorry, so very sorry,” she said, nuzzling into his chest. “I should have trusted you.”\n“I understand why you didn’t, Kirby. I know the whole story. If I were you, I never would have trusted anyone again either. I get it, I really do.”\nThey stayed in each other’s arms watching the sun set behind the mountains and then gradually broke their embrace.\n“If this isn’t your parents’ property, then whose was it?” Kirby asked suddenly.\n“Well, that’s the surprise. All this time I thought that most of Breckenridge was owned by the von Stoup family, at least the decent plots of land. And then one day this week, waiting for you in Bud’s hardware store, I mentioned that very thing to him. He said, ‘The von Stoups don’t own everything, boy.’” Kirby laughed at Dave’s sturdy, good ol’ boy impression of Bud.\n“So, he knew about something the von Stoups didn’t own? Something that was miraculously for sale? I didn’t realize Bud had connections like that,” she said.\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“Yes. He knew of something the von Stoups didn’t own, something they have tried to buy off of him for years and he has simply refused to sell anything to them. This was a piece of property Bud and LuLu bought towards the end of their life together. They planned on building a home here and retiring to this place. And then, as you know, she died. And he couldn’t bring himself to build here without her. So…”\n“So?”\n“He sold it to me, for a very reasonable price I might add, on one condition.”\n“What was the condition?”\n“Well, I hope you don’t mind, but I agreed to the condition on your behalf. It was a condition for you.”\n“Me? Why me? What was it?”\n“Bud made me promise that I would build a house here and that he would sell me the land on one condition. That is, that you would be my wife. Kirby, will you marry me?”\nDave was on one knee now, looking up at Kirby expectantly, and Kirby couldn’t speak. His proposal had taken her completely off guard and she stood looking down at him with a combination of happy tears and shock.\n“Kirby, I’ve traveled most of my life playing baseball, I have had a million experiences, seen a lot of the world and met so many people. And now, coming back to Breckenridge, coming back home, under these stars I have found that there is only one person that makes my life make any sense. I loved you from the first moment you made me chase you down the mountain on those skis. You never cease to amaze me with your beauty, with how generous your heart is even after all that has been done to you and all that has been taken from you, and when you were gone… Kirby, I can’t breathe without you. I need you. I want you, always and only you, forever. Will you? Will you marry me?”\nShe was a puddle of tears then, stooped down on the ground in his arms crying on his shoulder and repeating, “Yes, yes, yes, I will,” into his shoulder as her tears streamed down. “Dave, you’re everything to me, everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. And do you know the moment I knew?”\n“When?” he said, brushing aside her tears with his finger.\n“When I heard you on the phone, talking to Trevor outside Bud’s shop, telling him what a dirt bag he is. I knew then how strong and brave you are, and how true your love for me is. You went to bat for me not knowing if you would ever even see me again. I loved you so much in that moment, and I always will, forever.”\nThey walked back to the cars, hand in hand, talking excitedly about how they would plan the layout of their new house.\n“I have soup and sandwiches and hot chocolate in my car,” Dave said. “And a big back seat and lots of blankets,” he added. “Oh, and a moon roof so we can see the stars.”\nThey snuggled into the backseat together and looked up at the stars and basked in the glow of their new engagement.\nThen, they spoke at once.\n“So, about your ring…” he said.\n“So, about Keystone…” she said.\nThey laughed together. “You first,” he said.\n“Oh, I was just going to say, I’m sad that I won’t be able to teach ski school at Keystone. I was really looking forward to it,” Kirby said.\n“Well, I was going to mention that myself. You see, there’s a reason I didn’t have time to shop for a ring today… Remember that press conference I said I had to go to?”\n“Yes, I remember.”\n“Well, it had nothing really to do with baseball, you might be surprised to know.”\n“Oh?”\n“I wanted to announce my retirement from baseball, for one thing. I’ve graciously declined the Rockies generous offer, and made my retirement official. But more importantly, I’ve given money to Breckenridge resort earmarked for a ski school for kids with developmental disabilities, like Downs Syndrome. And, I’ve announced that it will open next winter, with dedicated instruction staff, and I mentioned that I have already hired a teacher to head up the school. I hope she’ll accept…”\n“What?! Really? That’s amazing! Of course I accept! I can’t wait! But what about baseball? Won’t you miss it?”\n“Oh, I don’t think so, not really. I’ve had my fill of it and coming back here has helped me put some things in perspective, just like my dad always said it would. I want to live my life with an amazing lady by my side, raise a family, enjoy little things and big things, and fall in love with my bride over and over again, each and every day of our lives together. And now I’ve found that, and I couldn’t possibly find anything more enjoyable than that on a pitcher’s mound surrounded by stinky guys scratching themselves and spiting,” Dave said, laughing.\n“Well, I’m flattered you’ve chosen our life together over that,” Kirby said. “You make it sound so glamourous, you know?”\n“One thing still puzzles me about you, Kirby,” Dave said.\n“Oh, and what’s that?”\n“You’ve never asked me about my nick name, and why people call me Big Dave.”\nIf it hadn’t been pitch dark around them, Dave would have seen Kirby blushing.\n“It’s because I already know why they call you Big Dave,” she said. Her hand moved down to the button of his fly and began undoing the buttons one by one, slowly. She could feel him hardening beneath her touch, and it excited her.\nDave moved his hand to her shirt and slid off her sweater, caressing the soft warmth of her breasts with his hand tucked under her bra. He moved down to hold each nipple in his mouth in turn, one then the other, tickling her nipples with his tongue and appreciating how they perked up for him. He helped her out of her pants and then took off his own shirt. It was a little crowded in the back of the car, but it was worth it to be next to each other, skin touching, hands caressing each other, and mouths exploring. Dave lowered himself on top of Kirby, looking deep into her eyes as he penetrated her and slowly rocked into her eager, wet opening.\n“That’s why they call you Big Dave,” she said breathlessly.\n“And this is why I rented a car with a big back seat,” he said, showering her belly with kisses as he made love to his fiancée for the first time.\n\nThe End\n\nCheck Out my other books posted on Steemit, including  Vacation In Greece!\n\n![vig.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmY6u8ToJWohvmJhYSEjt3ZjbUJHyHeE6Dt9yfHYnPSDJd/vig.jpg)",
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      "body": "Chapter 11: Seventh Inning Slump\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nIt had been three days since he had seen Kirby, and he looked it: his eyes were red from little sleep, his hair was frazzled from nights of tossing and turning, and he desperately needed to do laundry but couldn’t bring himself to so he was wearing the only clean clothes he had left, a pair of track pants and a t-shirt. Neither were warm enough to keep out the winter chill, so he put on his running shoes and ran all the way to Bud’s at opening time, as had become his new routine. He needed to know if Kirby would show up that day. She had to eventually, right?\nAnd every morning, he stopped first at LuLu’s to pick up a lavender latte, in case today was the day she showed up. Today was no different, and he desperately hoped he wouldn’t have to drink this one himself, as he had the last few days.\nThe barista at LuLu’s made it easy for him. He walked in the door and she immediately started making his drink.\n“You know, there is only one person in town who drinks this beverage,” the barista said that morning of the third day.\n“I already know who it is,” Dave said, gloomily.\nThe barista smiled and said, “If I had a love potion to add to the espresso, I would.”\n“I appreciate that. I don’t think even a love potion will help me now.”\nWalking next door to Bud’s store, Dave held his breath. Any second, Kirby might appear walking towards him to the shop. Any second. The anticipation of seeing her again was making his heart beat faster than any bases-loaded scenario he had ever pitched in. But she never materialized as he walked slowly down the street.\nWhen he got to Bud’s store, it was Bud standing in the doorway waiting for him, and he knew what that meant.\n“Did she call in sick again?” he asked.\n“Nope.”\n“So, she’ll be here today?” he pressed.\n“Nope.”\nConfused, Dave sighed and put his hand over his face, trying to hide the disappointment he felt.\n“She quit. Called me this morning. She’s moving.”\n“Where? When? What did she say?” All frustration was pushed aside to make space for a new sensation of not being able to breath, and Dave felt frantic.\n“She’s taking a job in Keystone. Teaching ski school. It’ll be good for her, Dave. After everything I told you about her, you have to agree with that. Maybe you should just let her go, son.”\n“Let her go? I can’t let her go! I’ve never met a woman like her, and I never will again! Do you know how tortured I’ve been in just the three days since she walked out of my life? Bud, I have to find her. Here,” he said, handing the latte to Bud. “I can’t even drink another one of those. They’re so much like her, sweet and strong and feminine, it slays me to have her drink and not have her. I’m going after her.”\nBud smiled in the doorway and whispered to himself, I knew you would, as you should. Good luck, son.\nKirby drove away from her house and headed for the highway. With each intersection she passed in her hometown, she felt a growing sense of dread mixed with excitement. She knew a fresh start would be good for her and she couldn’t wait to be teaching again, but at the same time she hated that she was leaving behind the only home she’d ever known. And Dave. She disliked the feeling of unfinished business and wondered if she should have, as Scarlet suggested, at least given him a chance to explain.\nHe’d been trying to reach her, she knew that. And then there was his last text message, the one about the Rockies calling, and she wondered if it was best just to let him get back to baseball and ease herself out of his life. In the same way she did not want to be anyone’s safe wife, she also did not want to be a distraction from a man’s career and pursuit of what he loved most. Baseball was his life, and the Rockies would be a great opportunity. She had no business distracting him from that. That is, of course, if he even has a sound explanation for his dealings with Trevor, which I doubt.\nShe was nearly out of town when she realized she had forgotten to drop off her store keys at Bud’s. She didn’t know when she would be back in Breckenridge again, he would need them for the replacement associate he hired, and she did not have a firm timeline for getting to Keystone that day, so she turned around and headed back into town.\nShe pulled up at the curb of the hardware store, and saw Bud standing out front, though he didn’t see her right away. She rolled down her window, thinking she would simply get his attention, flag him to the car, and toss the keys to him and be on her way. But Bud went back in the store before she could get his attention, and apparently had not noticed her car. She was about to roll the window back up, turn off the ignition and go inside the store, when she heard a familiar voice. Dave. He seemed to be talking on the phone to someone a few paces in front of her car, with his back turned towards her car. She turned off the ignition so she could hear his side of the conversation.\n“Hey Trevor, it’s Dave. … Yep, I got your message the other day about doing you a favor. … That’s why I called, I wanted to talk to you about that. … So the short answer is, no, I won’t do it. … Listen, I know what the property is worth, and while I can’t pay you what you’re asking for it, I absolutely won’t pay you half of what it’s worth. It’s not right. … No, especially not with the conditions you propose.”\nKirby wondered what they were talking about, and could not help but notice how cool and defensive Dave sounded.\nShe kept listening and then heard her name.\n“Yeah, it is about Kirby. She’s worth that to me. … No, I haven’t found her yet, but I’m still looking, and I won’t stop. … I know what you did to her, Trevor. She deserves better than that. She deserves better than you for sure, and she probably deserves better than me. But here’s the difference between us, you and I – I would never, NEVER, break her heart or hurt her in any way in order to get what I want. Nothing I want would ever be worth that price. So, keep my parents’ property, I’d rather have her respect and, if she’ll let me, be a part of her life than hurt her and take that property from you at a steal of a price. Keep it. Enjoy it. And one more thing… Don’t call me again, and don’t call her. Stay out of our life. You’re a dick and I never want to hear your name again. I know she feels the same way.”\nKirby was breathless. Had he really just stood up to Trevor for her? She stepped out of the car, eager to rush to Dave and let him know what she had heard and how appreciative she was, even though she didn’t really understand what offer he had just turned down, when Dave took off running. She leapt out of the car, shouting his name, but he had his ear buds in and didn’t hear her. He kept running and she unabashedly stood there admiring his stride, his long legs, and his strength.\nInstead she walked into the store with Bud’s keys, vowing to herself that she would call Dave later and try to talk to him.\nBud met her at the door, surprised.\n“I didn’t expect to see you here this morning, kiddo,” he said.\n“I know, I’m sorry, I should have told you I was coming by to return the keys to the store,” she said, handing the keys to him.\n“Do you have to rush off right away, or can you come in a minute?”\n“Oh, I guess I can come in, just to sweep the area and make sure I haven’t left anything behind,” she said.\nOnce inside the door, Bud handed her a cup. “This is for you,” he said.\nShe took a sip and knew immediately what it was. “But if you didn’t expect me to come by, how is it that you have my favorite coffee waiting for me, hot?”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“It’s not from me. Dave has been here every morning, lavender latte in hand, looking for you.”\nKirby looked down at her boots, overcome with emotion at Dave’s thoughtfulness. They had only had coffee at LuLu’s once, but he remembered her favorite drink, which was so typical of him. He always paid attention to her, to the little things. And she had wondered if it was all part of a game he had set up with Trevor, but now she wasn’t so sure after the phone call she had just overheard.\n“He’s a good guy, Kirby. And he loves you. He’s got a good heart, he’s not like Trevor.”\n“I know that now, Bud. I just… I don’t know how I can ever approach him now, after all I have put him through these last few days. He must think I am such a flake, such a tease. I think I have ruined everything.”\n“No, he doesn’t think any such thing. He told me himself. He misses you. Go after him, Kirby. Go after him. Will you?”\n“I will, Bud. I just don’t know where to find him. Do you know where he was heading to?”\n“Well, beyond looking for you, he mentioned he had a baseball signing event at the slopes. You could probably catch him there. I think it starts in an hour.”\n“Thanks, Bud,” Kirby said, hugging the old man tight.\nIn an effort to keep Dave relevant and in the news while he hunted for a new team for Dave to play for, Duke had been busy arranging any PR and marketing events he could. When he heard Dave was in Breckenridge, he had immediately called up his contact at Breckenridge Resort, arranged a signing, and shipped out 500 baseballs the next day to have on-site for Big Dave to sign for his fans.\nWhen Dave arrived at the resort, he was annoyed by the event already. He had no desire to sit at a table, bundled in a coat, and sign baseballs for fans when the woman of his dreams was headed farther and farther away from him towards Keystone at the exact same moment. It was killing him to sit still, and killing him to not be pursuing her. He looked at the long line of fans – boys mostly, some old and some young – all lined up expectantly to meet their favorite southpaw pitcher.\nHe kept his head down while he signed, looking up only to hand an autographed ball to a fan and thank them for their support. He simply smiled and shrugged mysteriously every time an eager fan asked him where he would play next, knowing full well that most of these Colorado fans would be more than excited if he agreed to sign on with the Rockies again. Of course, he still hadn’t decided what to do about their offer but until he had, talking about the Rockies was simply not appropriate.\nTowards the end of the signing, the line finally started to dwindle, to his complete relief. He reached over to the box of baseballs next to him, now nearly empty, and poised his pen to write the name of the person who stood at the table waiting for him next. “Your name?” he asked, without looking up.\n“I heard the Rockies called,” the voice said.\nHow does one of my fans know that? He looked up sharply.\n“Can you sign that one for me? For Kirby?”\nHe was so relieved to once again hear the sound of her voice; his heart was pounding in his chest as he looked into the eyes of the woman he could not stop thinking about.\n“Kirby? Baby? What are you doing here?” He was confused and excited and ecstatic to see her all at the same time.\n“I just… I wanted… Dave, I… I’m so sorry, for everything. I was confused and … I wondered if I could trust you after… And then Trevor, and… Oh! I’m not making any sense!”\nDave stood up and grabbed her hands in his. He kissed each one in turn, the way he had when they had been in each other’s arms for the first time in the hot springs. He looked deep into her eyes. “The only thing that matters is that you’re here. We’ll be okay, I promise. I thought you were… Are you leaving town, still?”\n“I am, or, I was, but then… Hey, Bud asked me to give you this,” she said, handing him a sealed envelope. “You know, if I saw you.”\nDave smiled. “I know what this is,” he said. “Hey, this is terrible timing, but I have a few more fans waiting behind you I need to finish up with, and then I have a news conference afterwards. Can we meet up later to talk? I really want to spend some time with you and sort through things. Can you stay in town tonight? If after tonight you still want to go to Keystone, I promise I’ll respect that. But can we just have tonight?”\nKirby reached up and hugged Dave and whispered in his ear, “Yes, Big Dave, we can have tonight.”\nHe returned her embrace, not wanting to let her go. “Meet me at this address at 5 tonight. Dress warm,” he said, scribbling an address on a sheet of paper and handing it to her.\n“See you then,” she said, and walked away.\n\nCheck Out my other books, posted on Steemit!",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckinridge - Chapter 10: Time to Walk",
      "body": "Chapter 10: Time to Walk\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nShe called in sick to work that day, and the next day as well. Her phone was stuffed under her mattress with the ringer off. She didn’t want to look at it, did not want to see anyone calling or notice if there were text messages from anyone, or if there weren’t.\nShe took lots of hot bubble baths, stayed in comfy pajamas, and kept the lights off and the curtains closed, and ignored the door.\nThe way she was feeling reminded her of those first few days after Trevor had dropped the bomb on his smear campaign and the school district had called to let her know she was relieved of her duties. It was a feeling of loss, but an extreme version. A person can lose a lot, and not feel lost. But when your livelihood is stripped away, and on top of it your ability to make a living teaching and helping kids – both things that were her passion in life – and everyone you pass on the street stares at you like you are toxic, you feel lost. This felt a lot like that.\nIn this variation though, the circumstances were a little different though the feelings were the same. She couldn’t go back to Bud’s store because Dave would find her there, and that stripped away her livelihood; she had gone out on a limb and trusted someone again, and been burned again; any chance she ever had of a happy ending in this town went down the tubes when Trevor ruined her life, and the way things worked out with Dave proved that was the case.\nShe was running dangerously low on food, having consumed all of the ice cream and peanut butter and lettuce – not all mixed together, of course – and she knew she could not stay hidden in her house forever. She did the only thing a girl with no future and no man in her life can do: she called her best friend, but got voicemail.\n“Scarlet, you have to come over. I have no food and I can’t go out. I need you. Bring wine and more ice cream,” her message said.\nAn hour later, Scarlet knocked on the door. At least Kirby hoped it was Scarlet, and not Dave.\n“I brought Rocky Road, Moose Tracks, and Vanilla, in case you’re feeling indecisive,” Scarlet said. “There’s also red wine, white wine, vodka, and whiskey, for the same reason.”\nKirby hugged Scarlet tight, grateful for such a good friend in her time of need.\n“Now spill. What is this about?” Scarlet pressed.\n“Well, you know how you told me to trust Dave? I did. We went out that night, spent the night together, it was magical. And then, I wake up and he’s got a text message from Trevor. I swear to God. I mean, Trevor has his personal number? Most baseball players I know keep that a closely guarded secret, and yet he gave it to Trevor? And then there’s more. The message was about a house. I don’t know what it was about, but I think they’re trying to make a deal on a property and Trevor wants something from Dave. I just got this sinking feeling I’m in the middle of it, you know? I can’t trust Dave now, because why didn’t he tell me he was still negotiating properties with Trevor? Like, shouldn’t he have kept me up to speed on that? And what could Dave have that Trevor could possibly want, besides money and me? And it’s not about money, because the message said that Trevor was willing to sell this property for 50% of market value, so it has to be about me. So I walked. I left, I didn’t go back, I haven’t gone to work, and I haven’t returned his calls, and---“\n“Just stop. Stop! Take a breath,” Scarlet said. “Gawd, you’re just rattling on! You’re not even making any sense! Don’t you see? Everything you’ve said is conjecture? Break out the facts, okay?”\n“I can’t. All I can think about is the feelings of this situation. The facts and the feelings are all mixed up in one,” Kirby replied. “That’s why I called you. Help me?”\n“Yeah, I will. That’s what friends are for. All you know is, you and Dave hit it off, and he likes you and you like him, and you’re amazing together. Those are facts. Stick to them.”\nAt that, Kirby burst into tears.\n“And, you know that Dave got a text message from Trevor,” Scarlet continued. “You don’t know what it meant, what it was about, whether Dave liked the message or was offended by it. You don’t know!”\n“You’re right. I don’t know.”\n“So, don’t you think he has a right to explain it to you? Shouldn’t you give him the benefit of the doubt and let him tell his side?”\n“Yes, I should.”\n“Okay then! We’re making progress—“\n“But I won’t,” Kirby interrupted.\n“What? Why? You agree with the logic, so what’s the problem?”\n“It’s just that I fell really hard and really fast for Dave, and it scared me. I mean, after only a few days I started feeling like I couldn’t breathe without him in my life, and I just don’t know… I don’t know if I’m ready for that, you know? You know how these celebrity types are, they’re all the same!”\n“Oh no, not this again…” Scarlet groaned.\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“They want a safe woman, someone beautiful by their side that will behave and play their part, so the man in their life can make great strides in their career. Trevor was that way, and Dave probably is the same. I mean, how picturesque, right? He comes home to Breckenridge and marries a hometown girl? The press will eat that up! He didn’t make the draft, and this might be just the exposure he needs to remind the big leagues that he’s still available and get him back in the press again! Trevor’s probably been coaching him all along on his strategy!”\n“Oh my God, you’re so suspicious. I think you’re blowing this out of proportion.”\n“I don’t think so, Scarlet. Why else would he have worked so hard to find me in the hardware store, making up stuff he needed to buy there, and then moving so fast to get me to fall for him? Spring training is just around the corner, he needs a team, and time is running out! He gets his face in the press, he gets a phone call from a team, then he dumps me, which is what Trevor has coached him to do all along!”\n“I guess it’s possible, but do you really think he’s that devious?”\n“The only part I am unsure about is whether he was going to dump me all along and make Trevor happy, perhaps in exchange for some property, or actually marry me and keep me locked up in his arm-candy, trophy-wife prison for the rest of my life. You know how these guys are, always trolling for a safe wife. Well, regardless of what he was planning, I don’t want either – I don’t want to make Trevor happy and I won’t be anyone’s safe wife.”\nScarlet was quiet then, her arsenal for diffusing Kirby all but emptied. “So what are you going to do then?”\n“I’m leaving town. I’ve got to get out of this place. I realize now that my only hope for some peace and a fresh start is in a new place, where people don’t know me.”\n“Any idea where you’ll go?”\n“I’ve been watching a job opening at the ski school in Keystone. I called them yesterday and they said it’s mine if I want it. I’ll be teaching a class for kids with Downs Syndrome, and it’s right up my alley.”\n“I know you’ve missed teaching,” Scarlet said.\n“I have. I’ve missed the kids, I’ve missed being able to teach, and I’ve missed skiing. Trevor took those things from me, and I’m going to take them back now.”\n“I’ll miss you, but at least Keystone isn’t far away. I think you’re blowing this thing out of proportion, but I also don’t disagree that a fresh start could be really healthy for you.”\n“Thanks, Scarlet. I appreciate the support. I’ll miss you too,” said Kirby.\n“Well, there’s only one decision left to make then,” Scarlet said.\n“Oh? What’s that?”\n“Which ice cream we are going to pig out on first! After all, if you’re moving, you can’t take this stuff with you. So, let’s get busy!”\nThey ended up finding that vanilla ice cream and white wine are an amazing combination on a snowy winter’s night. In the morning, Kirby called Bud and put in her notice of resignation. She thanked him for the opportunity to work for him, especially when no one else was willing to take a chance on her, and told him her plans. He, being the kind soul that he is, wished her well, of course, and even told her he’d pay her through her two weeks’ notice so that she could get a jump start on her new job. It was more than generous, but not surprising to Kirby. Bud was one of the kindest men she had ever met.\nKirby packed her car and made preparations to leave that afternoon.\n\nCheck Out all my books, posted on Steemit!",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckinridge - Chapter 9: Striking Out",
      "body": "Chapter 9: Striking Out\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nFrom the bathroom, Dave hollered to Kirby. “What do you want to do tonight, after work? Or maybe we could have the whole day together. Do you think Bud would give you the day off in celebration of the fact that you have a new lover?”\nNo answer.\n“Kirby?”\nNo answer.\n“Babe, where are you?” He walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and saw that the bed was empty. Rushing into the living room and then the kitchen, he called for her. He went back into the bedroom and saw that her clothes were gone, and noticed his phone sitting on the bed with Trevor’s message displayed and marked as ‘read’.\nWith a sigh, he sat down on the bed and ran his fingers through his wet hair.\nHe already could tell she mistrusted Trevor, but didn’t know why. Seeing that Trevor texted me must have sent her into a panic, and now she’s gone…\nHe dressed quickly and called her phone. She didn’t answer. He texted her.\nBaby, I can explain. Let me explain?\nNo answer.\nHe checked his watch. The hardware store would be opening soon, and perhaps he could intercept her on her way to work. He rushed out the door, forgetting his coat and gloves, and not wanting to waste any time going back for them. Freezing hands were a small price to pay for finding her as soon as possible. God, I can’t let this woman get away, not now!\nHe stopped at LuLu’s on the way and ordered Kirby’s favorite drink – a lavender infused latte with soy milk – thinking it was probably something she would appreciate even more than flowers the “morning after”.\nArriving at Bud’s store a few minutes before it opened, he peered through the windows and noted that that the lights were still turned off. So he sat on the curb to wait. After a few moments, he heard the key jangle in the door and jumped up, expecting to see Kirby opening the store, but it was just Bud.\nBud looked at him questioningly, and then opened the door and motioned for him to come inside.\n“Mr. Kensington. You’re our first customer of the day. Come on in out of the cold,” Bud said, kindly.\n“Oh, I, uh—actually, I came by to see Kirby. Is she working today?”\n“Well, she was supposed to, but I got a call that she wasn’t feeling well. I told her to take the day off and rest up.”\n“Oh. I see.” Dave’s face looked dejected.\n“Something tells me she means a little more to you than just a really excellent sales associate, and that you aren’t still sore at all that she mixed up your order,” Bud said. “Why don’t you come on in and warm up before you continue your hunt for Kirby this morning?”\nReluctantly, not wanting to waste any time getting to Kirby’s side to start fixing whatever was broken, he followed Bud into the store. As Bud prepared the cash register area for the day’s business and took a few calls, Dave warmed his hands by the wood burning stove and sipped on Kirby’s latte. It seemed a shame to waste it and, wow, Kirby had excellent taste – light notes of lavender infused the nutty soy milk with a delicate flavor of fresh flowers, and it was as beautiful as Kirby.\n“You ever been married, Bud?” Dave asked. It was perhaps a more personal question than he was used to asking of shop keepers he barely knew, but something about the way his beautiful night with Kirby had ended had left him feeling raw and vulnerable and wanting to connect with someone, anyone, who might understand what he was feeling.\n“Yep, my LuLu passed on twelve years ago,” he said. “She was my moon and stars, and not a day goes by that I don’t grieve for her and miss her.”\n“LuLu’s? Like the coffee shop next door?”\n“The same. It was her shop, right next to mine. She was such a treasure in this town, all the locals thought of her as a grandmother to them and her coffee shop was such a popular place too. Still is. I sold it after she passed away to a woman LuLu loved like a sister, and we both agreed we should keep the name the same.”\n“That’s so sweet. It’s like a permanent reminder of how much this town loved your wife,” Dave said.\n“Yeah, but it’s also a permanent reminder I’ll never see her again, not in this life at least,” Bud said. “We were high school sweethearts, born and raised in Breckenridge. We raised our family here, made a real nice life together. I miss her.” Bud wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and didn’t appear ashamed to be seen crying in front of another man.\nDave bowed his head to give Bud a private moment before speaking again.\n“I’m sorry, Bud. I wish I could have known her. I grew up here my whole life, but we lived on the outskirts of town and didn’t come into town often. I feel like I missed a chance to know someone extra special.”\n“You know, I see a bit of her spark in folks, and know that she impacted a lot of lives in this town for the better, so it’s not like she’s really gone. Take Kirby, for example. My niece, Scarlet, is Kirby’s best friend. They spent a lot of time over at LuLu’s as little girls, and I know my lovely wife was a big part of their childhood. So, I don’t think you missed a chance to know someone special at all. You know Kirby, so you know someone special. She’s a gem, that one is.”\nDave bowed his head again, his heart pounding in his chest at the mention of Kirby’s name. Bud was, of course, right.\n“I need to find her, Bud. I need to talk to her. It’s sort of complicated, and I don’t know if you’re even interested in the story—“ Dave started to say.\n“Oh, I think I’ve heard this story before, son,” Bud replied. “Let me guess. You and Kirby hit it off, you’re the reason she’s perked up from a wall flower to a rose in full bloom these past few days, and now you’ve gone and done something stupid and screwed it up, and you are wondering how to make it up to her.”\nDave laughed. “Yeah, in a nutshell, that’s pretty much it. Only, I don’t know if I screwed it up, at least not on purpose. It’s more like I think we had a miscommunication. I got this text message morning from a guy, Trevor, and she took off—“\nBud interrupted Dave again. “Trevor von Stoup?”\n“Yeah, we’re working on a real estate negotiation—“\n“So, you don’t know the story,” Bud stated.\n“I know Kirby doesn’t have a lot of respect for Trevor just based on stuff she’s said, but no, if there’s a story there, I don’t know it,” Dave replied.\nBud sighed. “You need to know it, son. If you’re going to know Kirby, you gotta know that story.”\n“Will you tell me? Please? She’s everything to me, I need to know how to make things right with her, I have to try,” Dave said.\n“I can see that, I can see that. I believe you. I think you’re good for Kirby, and I can see the anguish in your eyes thinking you’ve hurt her somehow, even inadvertently. I know that look. You love her, don’t you?”\n“Yes, I love her.”\n“Alright, well, then you need to know that she is a former beauty queen. She was Miss Breckenridge at 16, Miss Eagle County at 18, and a runner up for Miss Colorado at 21. Did you know that?”\n“No, I just thought she was amazingly beautiful, I had no idea…”\n“You never met a beauty queen like Kirby. So down to earth, so eager to help others. She taught school for several years over at the elementary. She was a special education teacher. On the side, for free, she tutored at risk kids, kids from the hills who didn’t get much support at home for their education.”\n“Wow, I had no idea. All this time I thought she just worked here,” Dave said, and then realized how that sounded. He corrected himself quickly. “I didn’t mean anything by that; you have a fine store and working here is nothing I would be ashamed of.”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nBud laughed and waved his hand dismissively. “No, it’s fine, I knew you what you meant. She’s only worked here a little over a year. After Trevor was done with her, I was the only one in this town that would give her a job.”\nThe two men sat quietly together talking for most of the day, being distracted only by a few customers coming in and out. Most of them were locals who thought it was pretty neat to get to meet Big Dave behind the counter of their hardware store, and he could not have been more warm and welcoming. Signing autographs on paper bags was a first, but he didn’t mind. During that time, he heard the entire story of how Trevor had run a smear campaign against Kirby, leaving her reputation in question and her prospects for ever teaching again – something that she had loved – in the mud.\n“Wow, I had no idea,” Dave said. “I mean, she never mentioned any of that, and she is such a positive, light person, despite having been through so much. I just don’t understand why she never told me, and I can totally understand why thinking that I was friends with Trevor was a big turn off.”\n“Just give her some time,” Bud said. “She’ll come around. You two are good for each other, I can see that. Don’t give up.”\n“The worst part is, I don’t even like Trevor. And she doesn’t fully realize that. I mean, she thinks I’m buddies with him, but I’m not. He wants to sell my parents’ old place to me, but he wants too much money for it.”\n“Not surprising. The von Stoup family has always been all about the bottom line,” Bud replied.\n“Well, now Trevor wants to negotiate after I told him I wouldn’t pay more than market value. He said if I dump Kirby and never see her again, he’ll give it to me for 50% of market value. I mean, I really want that property, Bud. I want to rebuild my childhood home and settle down, start a family with the woman I love, and get on with my happy ending. But Trevor’s making that almost impossible for me here. His family owns most of the properties that are available. I’ve never seen such a financial presence in a town this size.”\n“Welcome to von Stoup Town,” said Bud. “You’re right, not much happens around here where dollars are exchanged and they don’t have a hand in it. I feel for you, I really do.”\nThe late afternoon, winter sun was already starting to set by the time Dave left Bud’s store, and he tried calling Kirby again.\n“Kirby, I need to talk to you, I need to explain. Call me,” his message said.\nShe never called back.\nHe texted her. Kirby, I have to talk to you. I understand what you’re going through. Please let me explain?\nShe didn’t text him back.\nHe went by her house and knocked on her door, but no one answered and the lights were out and the curtains drawn.\nDejected and hopeless, he went back to his condo.\nHe poured himself a glass of wine, slipped into a pair of soft, flannel pajama pants, and curled up on the couch. The snow was falling outside, and he wasn’t sure how long he sat there watching it drift and thinking about Kirby. He missed her already, her smile, her warmth, talking to her, holding her. You’ve lost a lot games, Big Dave, but never one as big as this. It’s like the World Series – one bad pitch and the whole thing crumbles. You’ve struck out, Big Dave.\nThe sound of his phone ringing stirred him from his stupor, and he reached for it frantically, hoping it was Kirby. The ringtone gave it away though, and he knew almost immediately it wasn’t her.\n“Hi Duke,” he said, drearily.\n“Woah, woah, what’s with all the gloom? You okay, man?”\n“Yeah, just girl trouble.”\n“I knew it! I knew you had yourself a new girl up there in the mountains.”\n“Well, I wouldn’t say I have her anymore…”\n“Well, hey, let me cheer you up with some good news.”\n“I dare you to try. Go ahead, I’m listening.”\n“Ben Lingfeld is out.”\n“Out? What do you mean?” Dave sat up tall and listened intently. The veteran pitcher for the Rockies who Dave had been traded for to the White Sox was a legend.\n“Tore a ligament in his wrist, going for surgery tomorrow, and the Rockies want you back.”\n“Me? Why me?”\n“Because the draft is done, the free agents are all set and settled for the season, and you’re not. Just say the word, man, and I’ll get the contract to you. They’re offering to match Lingfeld’s salary, so 3.5 million for the year, and an option to stay on if it all works out after this year. What do you say? Isn’t that great?”\n“I gotta think about,” Dave said.\n“Think about it? Are you kidding me? This is the break we’ve been waiting for, and you’ve got to think about it?!?”\n“How much time do I have before I have to sign?”\n“You’ve got three days to think it over. Call me.”\nDuke was right, it was the break they’d been waiting for. And to pitch again at Coors Field would be more than a dream come true. He could still buy property in Breckenridge, if he ever found any, build his house, and settle here in the off-season, and Denver was not so far away that he couldn’t come back for a day or two here and there to see Kirby… If she wanted to see him, that is. But to be so far from her, to be all the way over in Denver when she was here, nearly broke his heart to even think about it.\nBut face it, she won’t even return your calls. Maybe you should just look out for you, and not worry about her anymore. She doesn’t want anything to do with you, he thought to himself.\nHe texted her one more time before deciding he was venturing into stalker territory and put his phone away for the night: The Rockies called, it said, and that was all.\n\nCheck Out all my books, posted on Steemit!",
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      "title": "Return to Breckinridge - Romance Novel Chapter 1 of 12",
      "body": "Chapter 1 - Bottom of the Ninth, Bases Empty\n\nhttps://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)!rtb.jpg]\n\nDave had been waiting for Duke’s phone call all morning. From the second he awoke in his king-size bed, alone, and settled onto the penthouse deck with a cup of coffee, he had kept his phone by his side. It remained silent.\nThe sun came up over downtown Indianapolis, glinting off of copper-colored buildings and streak-free office glass, and he had put on a pair of shades and continued to wait. By the time he finished taking a dip in the hot tub on the deck, spent a few minutes flipping through the newspaper and not focusing on a single word, and poured himself a third cup of coffee, his heart was starting to sink. He texted Duke: Any word yet? You’re killing me, man!\nDuke did not reply.\nDave showered, put on some running shorts, looked at his workout closet and tried to decide what footwear to select: there were cycling shoes if he was up for road-biking, trail shoes for running some off-road terrain, or his new Asics, if he was up for running a few miles on pavement through downtown. He tested his knee. It felt tight, but not as tight as yesterday.\n“You’re getting better and stronger. Every day, man, every day,” he said, encouraging himself, and slipped on his trail running shoes. He needed to get out of the city, breathe some air that wasn’t tainted with exhaust, and be alone with his thoughts.\nDuke still had not called.\nIn the elevator down from the penthouse, Dave picked away at an app on his iPhone and within seconds had ensured an UberX car was waiting for him on the street below. He climbed in the front seat and directed the driver to a trailhead by the river, on the outskirts of downtown. As they drove, he massaged his knee, willing the tissues to warm to his touch and relax. It had been six months since his knee surgery and he was healing nicely, but he was starting to get antsy and wanting to stretch it out on long runs more and more, to see how far it would take him. He didn’t have much time to waste with passive healing; spring training was a month away and he needed to be out there, sweating, working out his body, proving to himself and everyone else that he was strong enough – no, stronger than ever – and ready to play ball.\nThe driver dropped him off by the trailhead and Dave took off on the trail that led down to the river. The cold, gray Midwest air greeted him like an old friend, and he would miss it. Where would he be traded? What city would he call home by this time next week? He paced himself and was encouraged by how strong his legs felt, and as the miles ticked by, he tried to imagine his future. Who it will be? Houston? Denver? Minnesota? God, anyone but Kansas City, please!\nAnd then Duke called.\nBreathless, Dave slowed to a jog and moved to the edge of the trail. Even if he had not been expecting Duke’s call, he would have known it was him by the “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” ringtone he had downloaded for Duke’s number. Duke had been Dave’s agent for sixteen years, staying loyal and true and finding opportunities for Dave’s southpaw pitching arm all through the minor leagues, up through the majors, and into some of the best years of his career as a Chicago White Sox star pitcher. He had enjoyed escaping by private jet to the anonymity of nearby Indianapolis in the off-season, close enough to Chicago, but not too close, and Dave wondered where Duke was about to whisk him off to next.\n“Duke, it’s about time! I nearly ran half a marathon this morning trying to shake off this nervous energy! How is the draft going, what have you got cookin’, and where should I book a flight to? Where am I headed to next?!” He paused his questions finally and listened quietly for Duke’s reply.\n“It’s not good, man.”\n“Not good? Duke! You always make it good! Don’t let me down now!”\n“Dave, it’s not me this time. I can’t work a whole lot of magic for a sixteen-year veteran with a bum knee.”\n“Hey, hey, hey. You say ‘sixteen-year veteran’ like it’s a curse! It’s my best asset! I’m experienced! And everyone loves a southpaw! Duke, what gives?”\n“I’m just going to spit it out, Dave. We have always been up front with each other, and there’s no point being a pussy about this. The draft is done, man. You weren’t picked up. The best I could get you was a slot with a Triple A team…”\nDave interrupted him before he could finish. “A TRIPLE A TEAM? I’m not going back to the minors, Duke. That’s like telling a doctor he has to go back and repeat kindergarten. What the hell, man? I don’t get it! Why didn’t I get picked up?”\nDuke sighed audibly. “Look, man, I hate to have this convo on the phone, ya know? We should be bellied up to a bar and throwing back a few cold ones before we get into all this. But here we are. On the phone. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still working a few leads, but I hear what folks are saying about you. They’re saying you’re done. Your knee is a problem, your pitching arm is getting old, and the southpaw notoriety can’t overcome all of that. Best thing I can advise is, take a year off. Get strong again. Take a break. Coach little league if you need to get your ballpark fix. Let’s try again in a year.”\n\nhttps://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nDave hung up the phone. He didn’t have the stomach to discuss this news any longer. He didn’t know which was harder to hear: that there would be no big league spring training team waiting for him, that he was being encouraged to take a year off, or that there was a very real possibility that his baseball career was over.\nAn hour later, still sweaty from his run back to town, Dave took a seat at a local craft beer bar in his neighborhood. He intended to stay awhile. He ordered a double IPA from a local brewery, and let the strong taste of hops overpower him with its pungent and arresting bitterness. It matched his mood perfectly.\nHe had started pitching at the age of 6, after being bumped up to the 8-10 year old team from the t-ball team, thanks to the persistence of his father. It hadn’t stopped there. Year after year, his dad pushed the boundaries on his behalf, creating new opportunities where none seemed to exist before, and opening doors on competitive teams who insisted he was too big, too slow, and too left-handed to be any good. But his dad never gave up. And his mom, wow. She was an angel. Picking him up after practice, shuttling him to small towns for weekend games, washing his whites each night so they would be crisp and grass-stain free each morning… His parents had paved the way for him to have the baseball career he’d always dreamed of. It had paid off. After a short trip through the minors, he had been picked up by the Colorado Rockies and spent a record eight seasons picking off hitters one by one, leading his team to division titles and three post-season playoffs. And then he had gone to Chicago and had another great few years, until his knee started acting up.\nDuke’s news was debilitating because it was not what he expected to hear that day for starters, and because he had been four years old the last time he had started the spring season without a baseball team to play for. What do people do in the spring when they don’t have spring training?\nA few beers under his belt, he decided to ask the bartender this exact question. He didn’t look like a baseball player, so perhaps he would know the answer. Dave was a planner and a plotter by nature, and if he was going to be forced to sit out this spring, he was going to make damn sure he knew how to do it right.\n“What do people do in the… you know, in the spring?” he asked the bartender, a short man covered in tattoos.\n“Well, there’s gardening,” he said, eyeing Dave as if to assess how he was holding his liquor.\n“Screw gardening. What else is there?”\n“If you had a ranch, you could rope some cattle, or repair your barn after the snow melts, or go hiking, or…”\nThe voice offering suggestions came from behind him and he turned to find out who owned the melodious sound that was filling his ears. If she was anything as beautiful as her voice, he expected to find a beauty queen standing behind him.\nShe might as well have been.\nAll of five-feet-four-inches tall, the petite brunette with dark eyes and full, glossy, pink lips eyed him curiously. Dave was accustomed to getting hit on in bars, especially in Chicago where he had played the last few years after being traded from Denver, but not in Indianapolis, covered in sweat, where no one knew him.\n“I don’t have a ranch,” he said. “So, we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board. Buy you a beer while we brainstorm?”\nThe brown-haired beauty scooted onto a bar stool next to his, and she ordered a cranberry and soda with “a third of a shot” of vodka in it. The bartender eyed her curiously, and she waved her hands along the length of her body as if to demonstrate how tiny she was. “I’m a little drinker,” she said sweetly, to Dave, and then added, “and I like to stay clear-headed, so I can remember the experiences I have.”\nExperiences? What experiences is she going to have? Dave wondered. The wink and the squeeze of her hand on his thigh told him all he needed to know. The miniature Barbie had him in her sights. And he couldn’t say he minded. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman, and perhaps she was just the distraction he needed after the day’s news.\nHe turned his body on the stool so that he was facing her, letting the outside of his thigh move around the back of her stool to let her know she was the only person he was looking at. Part of the problem of being a major league ball player was that women assumed you were their pass into the media, their sugar daddy, their meal ticket, and they would happily be your arm candy in order to get those illusive fifteen seconds of fame. Dave had a strict rule about women during baseball season – he swore off of them completely. But now? He was headed into spring without a team, and maybe that meant it was time to occupy himself with a girlfriend while all the ballplayers were busy for a few months. Gillian, the brunette by his side, was adorable, too cute for words, and had a bubbly personality to match; he thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon of flirting and drinking and being the object of this beauty’s attention.\nHe extended a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. As he did, she placed her hand over his, moved his hand towards her mouth, and placed a lingering, sweet kiss on his palm. She ran her other hand over his thigh in slow, lazy circles that moved closer and closer towards the top of his leg. He felt himself growing hard with the anticipation of each circle of her little hand.\n“I have a place close by,” she said. “Looks like you’ve been out for a run. Would you care to come over and let me help you freshen up? I have a shower, you know…” she said coyly, smiling up at him beneath long lashes.\nHe stood then, paid their tab at the bar, and together, hand in hand, walked towards the entrance. He held the door for her and they stepped out into the late afternoon sun.\n“So, how did the draft go today, Big Dave? And do I get to find out for myself why they call you Big Dave?” Gillian asked as they walked towards her car.\nDave stopped in his tracks. Something wasn’t right. It was becoming more and more clear to him now that he was outside, in the light of day, looking at Gillian without the effect of a beer in his hand and the bar lights overhead.\nThey called her Gilly in the bull pen. An opportunist with a propensity for hard-bodied ball players, Gilly had worked her way through the starting line-up of the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple A affiliate of the Philadelphia Pirates. He had heard the rumors: she notched her bedpost with the jersey numbers of the ball players she brought there, and now it appeared Gilly was making her move into the big leagues, or so she thought. There hasn’t been a press release yet. She has no idea I didn’t get drafted.\nDave smiled down at her; the bartender’s strange glance at him as Dave had put a protective arm around Gilly at the bar now making sense. “They call me Big Dave because I outweigh most pitchers by fifty pounds, easy. There might be other reasons, too. But, I don’t think that’s information you’ll be finding out after all. Thanks for the company, Gilly the Gigolette.”\nHe left Gillian staring at him, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face, as he took off running down the street back to his penthouse. While he was not opposed to some female companionship, he just was not up for a girl who looked at him as a stepping stone into the major league’s publicity scene. Letting himself in, he grabbed a cold bottle of water and headed back out to his patio. He sat quietly, watching as the sun started sinking below the horizon. It had been an eventful day, full of events he wished he could forget.\nAs afternoon turned to evening, and evening turned to night, he sat on his deck and let the relaxation from the beers roll over him. He thought about his knee and wondered how to strengthen it in the coming year so he could play again. He thought about what he would do with himself in the coming months before baseball season started, and what he would do afterwards when he would not be able to turn on the TV without finding a baseball game. Money was not an issue and he didn’t need to work. The seasons of professional ball had left his bank account well-stocked, and then his parents had left him quite a bit of money as well when they passed away.\nHe thought about his mom and dad then, wishing they were around for him to talk to. Their only child, they had given him every advantage in life, and gave him a strong foundation for the career he’d enjoyed. Always, at every turn, they had been there to give advice when he asked for it. When they died unexpectedly, victims of a drunk driver, he had been crushed and had been feeling the weight of their absence ever since.\n“If Dad were here, what would he say? What advice would he give me?” Dave wondered, aloud.\nDave sat quietly, wishing he could hear his father’s voice, hoping that if he sat still enough, he just might. In that moment, the clouds parted and a few twinkling stars could be seen over the bright lights of Indianapolis, though most of them were faded out by the blaring lights of the city. His dad had loved the stars. Together they spent many nights peering through a telescope, catching glimpses of planets and constellations, and enjoying the crystal clear night air.\nOf course, there was nothing crystal clear about Indianapolis air. The air back home in Colorado had been though. In the hills above Breckenridge where he had grown up, the stars had been dazzling beacons. He remembered his dad’s words then.\n“Son, I’m going to tell you something important,” his father had said. “The stars will always guide you home. If you ever get to a spot where you’ve lost your way, just know that if you can get back to a place where you can see the night sky, see every star that twinkles back at you, the perspective you need will come. Stars are there to remind us of what’s important in life. When you can’t see ‘em, they’ve got no way to help you.”\nNone of that had seemed to make any sense when he was 19, itching to see the world and move to a bigger town, but it rang with truth for him now. The home he’d grown up in had been a modest A-frame on a large plot of land behind the ski resorts. It was quiet there, a creek ran through their property, and he had enjoyed the changing seasons in their pristine, mountain retreat. When his parents passed away, Dave had debated what to do with the property. By that time, he was living in Denver and enjoying the lifestyle of an up-and-coming sports icon, and didn’t make it back to Breckenridge often enough to feel justified keeping the place. When a local developer had offered to buy the property for three times what it was worth so that Breckenridge could groom some new ski slopes, Dave accepted without so much as a backward glance.\nBut now he missed the stars and he wondered what had become of his parents’ property. And somehow his dad had known he would someday. “If you ever get to a spot where you’ve lost your way,” he had said. I think I have, Dad. I think I have.\nIn the morning, Dave closed up his penthouse, packed a few bags, and took the first flight out of Indianapolis to Denver. He rented a car and began the drive west, into the mountains, towards home, to Breckenridge. He’d be able to see the stars there, he knew it. And somehow, the answers would come to him. His dad had promised they would.![rtb777.png]",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckinridge - Chapter 8: Foul Ball",
      "body": "Chapter 8: Foul Ball\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\n“Someone sure is in a good mood,” Bud said to Kirby.\nIt was Monday morning and Kirby had entered the hardware store humming to herself and all but dancing through the aisles as she tidied shelves and prepared for the day’s business.\n“Mmmmmm, I had a wonderful weekend, Bud. I am most definitely in a good mood,” she said.\n“Well, it looks good on you, whatever – or whoever – it is,” he replied, playfully. “And you have on a new outfit, too! Wow, our customers won’t recognize you.”\nIt was true, partially. Her outfit wasn’t new, but it was something she hadn’t worn in a while. Her jeans were snug and hugged her hips, her hand-knitted, gray Irish wool sweater was fitted around her breasts and through her belly and hips, and she had on a pair of pink cowboy books that peaked out from underneath her boot cut jeans. She had actually woken up early enough to fix her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders in soft curls, and she was wearing makeup and jewelry.\n“Thanks, Bud. Truth is, I’m not wearing anything new today. Just some things I haven’t worn in a long time. But this weekend, someone made me feel beautiful from the inside, out, and I can’t stop smiling.”\nBud put his arm on her shoulder in a fatherly way and said, “I’m glad, Kirby. You deserve that, and so much more.”\n“Thanks, Bud. It’s refreshing to be reminded that there are still good men out there, you know? And I think I’ve finally found one for myself,” she said.\nKirby couldn’t believe how amazing she felt. After a weekend with Dave, there was nothing that could bring her down. After skiing and the hot springs, they had gone out for sushi and spent Saturday night wrapped in each other’s arms on his couch, just talking. On Sunday, they’d napped on and off, watched some football and made a mess of his kitchen trying to figure out how to make egg rolls from scratch. They’d had a bottle of wine and gone for a walk in the fresh fallen snow, and Kirby could not remember a weekend that had been more perfect. When she finally left Dave to go back to her place Sunday night, she felt lonely for him immediately. She needed to be close to him, she felt; she needed to hear his voice and feel the warm of this chest when he pulled her in tight for a hug, and she needed to feel his mouth against hers again, hungrily devouring her lips and leaving both of them aching for more. She had never been so swept away.\nShe knew he was in the gym this morning, having some physical therapy done on his knee, and she did not expect to hear from him until later. So when her cell phone rang just before lunchtime, she assumed it could only be Scarlet, who had tried reaching her over the weekend multiple times. So she did not even look at the caller ID and instead just clicked onto the incoming call with a cheery, “Hello, this is Kirby!”\n“Kirby.”\nThe voice was not Scarlet’s. It was deadpan. Male. Gruff. Slimy. She would know that voice anywhere. It was Trevor.\n“Trevor. What do you want?”\n“Happy to hear from me, your old flame? They say first love never dies, you know.”\n“I don’t know who ‘they’ is, but in this case ‘they’ are wrong. What do you want, Trevor. Tell me quickly and tell me now, or I’m hanging up.”\n“Oh yes, I know, you’re in a rush. I’m calling you at work, aren’t I? That is what you call it, isn’t it? Hanging out at that hardware store all day is what you call your ‘work’ these days, isn’t it? How sad. What a waste of your time. You know, it could have been different for you and I…”\n“Trevor, I’m hanging up.”\n“I’ll just call back.”\n“Out with it. Why did you call?” Trevor didn’t call her often, usually only when he was drunk and regretting how he had treated her. This was different though. He never called sober, in the middle of the day. She wondered what he wanted.\n“You know Breck is a small town, so just how long did you think you could keep this from me?”\n“Keep what?! What are you even talking about? What do you want?!?”\n“I just wanted to call and wish you well in your new relationship. And, in case things are getting serious with you and Dave, I wanted to help you out just a little bit by giving you some good advice.”\n“What’s your advice? Never mind, I don’t need it.”\n“It goes like this. You think I was bad? I know people who know Dave. Hell, I know Dave. He’ll be bigger trouble for you than I ever was. The guy has a rap sheet a mile long, and even major league baseball is catching on now. Ever wonder why he’s here, why he’s not in spring training like the rest of the pros? Ask him. No team wants him. He’s too violent, too mean, and he’ll be nothing but trouble for you.”\nTrevor hung up the phone before Kirby could ask any one of the million questions she had. How does he know this? Nothing on Google even hinted at a temper or a violent side. Had a savvy PR agent kept it all hidden away? Why is he telling me this? Why isn’t Dave playing ball this season? Why is he so worried about how strong he is, is it because he really has a violent streak?\nOver the course of the next few minutes, a call from Trevor had sent her soaring on cloud 9 and down to the depths of mistrust. It completely ruined her afternoon. Not even a lavender latte could cheer her up.\nAfter her shift was done, Kirby walked slowly down Main Street towards the pizza place where she was meeting Dave for dinner. She called Scarlet as she walked and took a few minutes to fill her in.\n“Honestly, Kirby, I am so happy for you and I wouldn’t give a second thought to anything Trevor said. He’s already tried to ruin your life once, and came damn close to succeeding; are you really going to give him the satisfaction of doing it again?” Scarlet asked.\n“I guess it just made me realize how little I know about Dave. I mean, we’ve spent time together and talked a ton, but do I really know him?”\n“See, you’re letting him do this to you. You’re letting Trevor fill you with doubts, which is just what he wants. Let it go, Kirby. It’s time for you to start trusting again. Trust your instinct, trust Dave, enjoy your life. Don’t let Trevor win. Not this time.”\nAlready seated at a tiny table for two in a candlelit corner of Luigi’s, Dave was waiting for Kirby with a grin on his face. As soon as he saw her, he leaped up from the table and rushed to her side, smothering her in kisses and murmuring into her ear. “I’ve missed you, I’m so glad you’re here.” How could I possibly walk away from such a sweet, gentle, thoughtful man? Kirby decided then and there to forget all about Trevor’s cautions and enjoy the sexy, sensitive man in front of her. He looked amazing in chocolate brown corduroy slacks and a cream colored wool sweater. Mountain life looked good on him, no doubt about it.\n“Did you hear from Duke today?” Kirby asked, taking a seat in the chair Dave was holding out for her. It was the daily question she asked ever since Dave let her know that he was still eligible to play ball this year.\n“Nope, not today. You’ve got me in Breckenridge until at least tomorrow,” he said, laughing.\n“Maybe we could just change your number, then I’d never have to worry about Duke calling you ever again!”\nDave took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. “Getting used to the idea of having me around, are you?”\nKirby blushed.\n“Don’t worry,” Dave continued. “I like being around too.”\nAfter finishing two bottles of Chianti and devouring a hand-tossed, Mediterranean style pizza, they went back to Dave’s place, hand in hand. As they walked he kept his arm around her tightly, warming her against the chilly night, and Kirby thought again of Trevor’s warning. She was about to share it with Dave, just to be honest and give him a chance to share his side of things, but thought better of it. Trust. I trust Dave. Trevor has given me no reason to trust him ever again, so I won’t.\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nAt the top of the stairs that led to the door of his rented condo, Dave stopped Kirby by putting his arms around her before she could enter his home. He scooped her up in his arms and cradled her close as he whispered in her ear, “Will you stay with me tonight? I need you here and I want you so badly.”\n“I only have one response to that,” she said, nuzzling kisses into his neck.\n“Oh? And what is that?” Dave asked, breathlessly.\n“Get me naked,” she said huskily.\nIt was all the invitation Dave needed. He set her down briefly just so he could unlock and open the door, and then ushered her inside before attacking her with great impatience. He stripped off her jeans, yanked her shirt off over her head, and then stood back and admired her in her cherry-red G-string and matching bra. “Damn, you are one sexy woman. How did I get so lucky?”\n“You haven’t gotten lucky yet,” she said.\n“No, but I think I’m close.” He was on his knees in front of her then, using his teeth to remove her panties. His hands cupped her bottom and kneaded into her skin, and he enjoyed feeling the softness of her flesh and the way it molded warmly into his hands. Kirby giggled. “You’re tickling me!”\nThey tumbled backward onto the floor and Kirby enjoyed dismantling him, one article of clothing at a time. Within a minute of stepping over the threshold, they were on the floor and in each other’s arms, naked and breathing hard. He reached for her and pulled her into his lap, his erection hard against her. Folding her knees around his waist, they sat gazing at one another, enjoying the thrill of touching each other and anticipating what they both knew they couldn’t stop from happening between them that night.\n“You are so beautiful,” he said, cupping the back of her head in his hands and kissing her tenderly. She kissed him back, softly, and traced the lines of his face with her fingers. She ran her fingers through his hair, admiring how thick and long it was, and kissed every spot of his shoulders where his hair touched his tan, smooth skin. They stayed that way for a while, exploring each other and enjoying the warmth they were creating.\nDave shifted Kirby until she was astride him and then gently pushed into her. As they joined, he took one of her hard nipples into his mouth, which drew a low moan from her throat.\nSlowly at first and then more urgently, she ground her hips against his pelvis. She was so wet for him, so ready, and it was turning him on. He worked hard to hold back and enjoy every moment of their connection. He let out his breath, long and slow, as she continued riding him, whispering her name on a sigh. “Kirby. You’re amazing. Ride me hard,” he begged.\nShe quickened her pace, enjoying how deeply he filled her, giddy and breathless from the heat of their connection. Harder and faster she pumped, pulling him deeper inside of her as if she wanted to take him into her very core and make him stay forever. She could not believe that only a week ago she had sworn she would never become interested in him, was apprehensive of him even, and now here they were, lost in each other and finding in each other an intimacy so immediately that she already had forgotten her life without him.\n“Come for me, Kirby, don’t hold back. Give me everything, I’m ready for you,” he said, breathlessly.\nIn a final wild pulsing of her hips, she exploded into him and the last bit of energy drained from their bodies. They collapsed on the floor, wide-eyed and panting, and gripping each other’s hands as if they would never let go.\nShe suddenly felt apprehensive again, as if she had just given a part of her that she would never get back and it was about to be trampled on before her eyes. Glancing over at Dave, she saw he was staring at her curiously, but with a satisfied grin on his face.\n“If I had only known you had all that in you, we would not have wasted our time cuddling the other night,” he said, impishly. She shoved his hand away with a laugh, and he wrapped his arms around her.\n“It’s okay, Kirby. I know you’ve been hurt before. It’s all alright. I’ve got you. Nothing can hurt you now, okay? Trust me. Shh, shh. Trust me.”\nNothing? Nothing, perhaps, except you, she thought.\nKirby stayed the night and in his bed they made love several more times before falling asleep in each other’s arms, exhausted. The man had serious moves and the stamina of a professional athlete, not surprisingly. Every muscle ached by the time they finally called it a night and snuggled in for some sleep. She couldn’t remember a time when a man had made her feel so cherished, so desirable and so wanted, the way Dave had. Her last thought as she fell asleep in his arms was, is this what love is supposed to feel like?\nMorning came too quickly and a shard of light from the east-facing window stabbed her in the eye, waking her unceremoniously. She immediately turned over, looking for Dave, but he was not in bed. Then she heard him singing in the shower and smiled. Someone’s in a good mood. It felt so natural and easy to wake up and start her day with him, and it was definitely something she would have no problem getting used to.\nShe rolled over to his side of the bed, enjoying the scent of him on the pillow and the heat he had left in the sheets. She closed her eyes, relaxing and inhaling and taking in the room around her. Not surprisingly, he had not unpacked a whole lot and she saw with some sadness that he was still living out of a suitcase. I guess he could get the call from Duke any day. And if he did, where would that leave us? Us. We are now an Us.\nThe thought of even a possibility he could be leaving Breckenridge filled her with grief, and she closed her eyes tight and wished the thought away. Something pulsed then under the pillow, a vibrating sensation was jostling her head, and she reached her hand underneath the pillow to investigate. Her fingers found Dave’s phone and she pulled it out.\nA text message was blinking on the lock screen and the name of the sender caught her eye. It was from Trevor.\nUpdate on the property. It’s all yours, for 50% below market value. I just need you to do one thing for me. Call me and let’s work through it. Trust me, it won’t hurt you a bit.\nHis message sounded so…personal and familiar, like he and Dave were best friends working on a business deal together. What did Dave and Trevor have up their sleeve, and why did she get the feeling it had something to do with her?\nFear and mistrust flooded her, and all glowing feelings of love and security she had awoken with faded away. She got out of bed, listened to hear that Dave was still in the shower, found her clothes, and left the condo.\nShe did not like the vibe the message had left her with. Trevor and Dave were up to something, she was sure of it, and she wanted no part of it.\n\nCheck Out all my books, posted on Steemit!",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckinridge - Chapter 7: First Base",
      "body": "Chapter 7: First Base\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nAbout the only thing that kept Dave sane for the next few days until their Saturday ski date was the fact that he and Kirby talked on the phone every night. After spending the day working out – running, lifting weights at the local gym, and swimming – he would settle in with his laptop to check up on several realty websites he followed for properties for sale in the Breckenridge area. So far, he had found nothing that even remotely fit his list of criteria for property he would want to buy and build on – remote, lots of land, a creek running through the property, in the trees – and he was starting to become frustrated.\nAfter a few hours on the computer and after checking in with Duke on any baseball leads, it would be getting closer to quitting time for Kirby and he could not stop checking the time to see how close they were getting to 7pm. By that time, she was home and he was showered and had eaten a dinner of take out from some place in town, and was ready to settle in for a long, satisfying conversation with Kirby.\nMostly he flirted with her and teased her and told her stories from his baseball years, just to hear her laugh. But he also loved asking her questions about herself. They talked about everything, all kinds of things – movies and music and her fear of drowning and his obsession with collecting marbles and whether or not pumpkin pie was acceptable to be eaten year round, or just in November. There’s were normal, silly conversations, but having the phone between them and taking the physical attraction he knew they were both feeling out of the equation made it easier to talk and get to know each other. He could not believe how compatible they seemed to be, though they were opposites in so many ways.\nAfter their second phone call, on the third night, the night before their date, he got more personal than usual and asked if she was seeing anyone.\n“No, I’m not. I haven’t for a while.”\n“Why?”\nThere was a long pause and Dave feared he had struck a chord and all of her cheerful bubbliness would fade away into the cold, distant cloak she could put on so easily in the hardware store.\n“I dated someone for years, and we were even engaged. And then one day I realized he didn’t love me for me, he only wanted to be with me because of what he thought I could bring to his public image. I would have been a safe wife for him, someone that wouldn’t cause him any trouble in the public eye. Nobody wants that, Dave. People deserve to be loved for who they are, not what they are or what they can do.”\nIf she could have seen him then she would have observed him nodding while she spoke. Her experience was what he also had gone through, and it had led him to a point where he would rather be alone forever than with a woman who loved Big Dave, not Dave.\n“So what happened? You broke up with him?”\n“Yep. Took me awhile to get up the courage to leave, but finally I did. And then… Well, let’s just say it didn’t end well. In fact, he made a big mess of my life.”\n“Oh? How so?” He didn’t want to push her, but he felt she was on the edge of telling him something big, something that would make all the pieces of her mystique fall into place. Why does a woman who is bright and intelligent, funny and gorgeous, dress plainly and hide away in a hardware by day, and with her books by night? It wasn’t adding up.\n“If I could tell you, I would. For legal reasons, I’m sworn to secrecy about what happened. There’s a gag order in place because he was… he is… he lives here, and he’s a big deal in Breckenridge, and I’m required not to say anything that will tarnish his name in exchange for a… a cease fire, I guess you could say.”\n“Cease fire? Sounds like blackmail to me!”\n“In a way, it is. But, honestly, you don’t need to worry about it. Just know that if you hear anything… you know, about me… don’t believe it. At the least, ask me about it first, okay?”\nHe could hear the pain in her voice then and knew he needed to drop the conversation. If he thought she would have given him the answer, he would have asked for the guy’s name just so he could hunt him down and tear him limb from limb. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I form my own opinions of people, and I have a very, very nice opinion of you.”\n“Thank you, Dave. That means so much to me.”\n“See you in the morning, Kirby. Get some rest.”\nHe hung up the call and pictured her getting ready for bed. He could imagine her, so slender and sexy, her legs and hips and belly begging to be kissed and touched. Even from a distance, even through the phone, she turned him on. As soon as he heard her voice, he got extremely hard and all he could think about was stripping her out of her leggings and boots and exploring every inch of her creamy skin.\nBig Dave, you’re a goner, he said to himself, and tried to get some sleep. His last thought before falling asleep was of his dad, and how moving back home had been exactly what he needed to start finding the right direction in his life again. Every time he spoke to Kirby, his life made a little more sense. He was starting to need her, physically for sure, but also as sort of a beacon of light that his life had been missing all this time.\nHe arrived early at the lift, not wanting to take a chance that she would beat him there. He could not wait to see her after their long nights of phone chats which would, he was certain, make their date together a little less nerve-wracking. He stood gazing at the lift and up the mountain, eager to feel fresh snow in his face and the wind against his skin as he carved up the slope with Kirby by his side. He hoped his knee would not give him any trouble.\nHis eyes were suddenly covered by two hands that held a lingering scent of vanilla and peaches, and he turned around slowly.\n“Thought I’d surprise you,” she said, giggling.\n“You look amazing, Kirby. You are so beautiful,” Dave said, wrapping her up in a big hug. “Thanks for coming out today.” What color of red is that? It’s amazing how it highlights her hair. God, she’s gorgeous!\n“Before we go up, I have a confession to make,” she said.\n“Oh?”\n“Yeah, um, in the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know that I Googled you. And I know about your knee injury now. And, well…”\n“Well, what?” he said.\n“Well, I just hope you can keep up with me today,” she said, grinning, and taking off for the lift.\nSeconds later, legs dangling in the air, they were on the lift and being carried up to the top of the mountain. They marveled at how they had gone to the same high school, though several years apart, and never known the other even existed. The view from the lift was stunning, and the snowy peaks in the background were breathtaking. They were quiet for a time, taking in the view, and Dave took Kirby’s hand in his and held it. She let him.\nJust as they were about to ski off the lift, Dave turned to her and said, “Besides looking absolutely amazing in pomegranate – that is what color that is, right? – I have to say that my favorite thing about you is that we can talk non-stop or sit quietly and say nothing, and either way, I’m happy.” He grazed her cheek with his thumb and smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling.\nShe blushed beautifully and it was all he good do to restrain himself from taking her in his arms and rolling around in the snow with her, and discovering for himself what was under those sexy ski pants that hugged her curves in all the right places.\n“I know your game, Big Dave. You’re trying to distract me from giving the slopes all I’ve got and putting you to shame,” she said, laughing. “Well it won’t work! Catch me if you can!”\nAnd she was off, skiing like a mad fiend down the slope, leaving a thick cloud of fine, icy powder in her wake, and glancing back periodically to make sure he was following. And he was following, as close as he could to this woman that was stealing his heart with every glance and every word. He said a silent prayer that his knee would hold up and not give him any trouble. A trip and fall and an early end to what was starting out to be an amazing first date was not what he needed at all.\nThey made several runs before stopping for a late lunch. Dave had always thought of himself as a competent athlete. And why wouldn’t he? He played sports for a living! But he had found his match with Kirby, who led the way like she had been born on skis. Dave could hardly keep up, but he had fun trying. On the way back up the lift each time, Kirby had let Dave grasp her hand and warm it up between his two, larger ones, and they chatted easily about all kinds of things, picking right up again where their phone conversations had left off.\n“Ready for some lunch? I’m famished!” Dave said, loosening his helmet and lifting his goggles.\n“Sounds great!”\nActually, if you’re done skiing for the day, we could drive up the road a bit to this hot spring place I know of and grab a bite to eat there,” Dave said.\n“Sounds great, lead the way!”\nThey walked hand in hand toward the parking lot, lost in their own chatter and giggles.\n“Mr. Kensington!” A voice from behind them was calling for Dave loudly, and it sounded as if the person were running.\n“I think they’ve found me,” he said.\n“Who?”\n“The paparazzi.”\n“Mr. Kensington! One moment of your time please!”\nDave turned to face the voice, his shoulders squared in anticipation of whatever confrontation was about to ensue. And then Kirby saw his shoulders relax.\n“Hi Kat, you scared me. I thought you were the press,” he said.\n“No, not at all! How funny to run into you here!”\n“I wouldn’t say we ran into each other, since I think you chased me down,” Dave said, laughing. “How are things in realty?”\n“Oh, am I interrupting? We can talk later,” Kat said, eyeing Kirby and placing a protective arm on Dave’s hand.\n“Not at all. Kirby, this is Kat, she works for the realty office that is helping me find some property. Kat, this is Kirby, she’s a…” Dave looked at Kirby, smiling, and grabbed her hand. “She’s my girlfriend.”\nKirby kicked the back of Dave’s thigh in weak protest. “Yes, Kat and I know one another, from… before.”\n“Well, I’ll be brief since you’re on a date!” She looked dejected when she said it. “I’ve been digging into that offer you received on your parents’ property, and just this morning I received an amazing update from the, uh, the owner. Anyway, he’s willing to sell it to you for significantly less than he quoted you earlier, and will call you with the details soon. I think you’ll be quite pleased.”\n“Great, I’ll look forward to hearing from him. Ready, Kirby?” Dave asked.\nThey said goodbye to Kat and continued walking towards the parking lot.\n“Dave?”\n“Yes?”\n“Who owns your parents’ property now?”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“Um, well, it’s the von Stoup family, actually. The price Trevor offered me last week was unbelievably, grotesquely high, and now it sounds like he’s ready to make a deal, so that’s great!”\nKirby clinched her muscles, a change in her that Dave did not miss. “Your business is your business, but I think you should know something about Trevor.”\n“Oh? What’s that?”\n“He doesn’t make deals unless there’s something in it for him, something he really, really wants. So, bear that in mind when you hear what offer he’s putting on the table. Trevor doesn’t part with anything he owns, not without a catch. Just be careful.”\nAs they drove towards the hot springs, Dave looked at Kirby in the passenger seat and squeezed her hand. “I have something to tell you,” he said. “Two things, actually.”\n“Shoot.”\n“One thing is, I’ve had an amazing day with you. I have never felt this comfortable and relaxed around anyone.”\n“Awww, thanks, Dave. I’m the same. I feel like I’ve known you forever,” Kirby replied, smiling. “And what’s the second thing?”\n“Oh that. Well, it’s a clothing-optional hot spring,” he said. Kirby punched his arm.\n“Nice of you to tell me that now!” she said, laughing.\nThe hot springs were secluded and despite the cold winter air, the warmth rising from the pools made the atmosphere warm and balmy. They had a pool to themselves, and Kirby wondered at what point Dave had decided it would be okay to reserve a clothing-optional, private hot spring for them to use today. But she did not ask questions and was mostly just flattered by his thoughtfulness.\n“I’m going in,” he said, winking.\n“With your ski stuff on?” she asked, winking back.\n“Nope,” he replied, taking off his snow boots and beginning to unbutton his ski pants. He pushed them down his thighs and Kirby, though she knew it was rude to stare, couldn’t take her eyes away from his muscular, powerful, legs covered in a light coat of golden hair.\n“You can close your eyes if you want, and I’ll be in the water in a flash,” he said. “Or you can keep watching, I don’t mind.”\nKirby spun around with her hands over her eyes, feigning modesty, but mostly just to hide her blush and shallow breathing. When she heard a splash behind her, she knew he was in the water.\n“Coming in?” he asked. “I dare you.”\n“I think I will, but let me just get used to the water first. She stripped down to her panties and thermal shirt and sat on the side of the pool, feet and legs in the water up to her knees.\nDave swam over to her and she admired his strong chest and shoulders and the way he effortlessly glided through the water. As he swam towards her, she noticed a band around his waist in the dim light of the pools.\n“Hey! You cheater. You tricked me! You still have your underwear on!” Kirby said, laughing.\n“Well, it is a first date, after all!” Dave replied, splashing her.\n“Then I’m keeping my underwear on too,” she said.\n“Suit yourself!” he said, pulling her by her feet into the water.\nShe came up for air, sputtering and smacking his chest in protest for being dunked.\nDave grabbed her hands and held them to his mouth, placing a tiny kiss on each one in turn, and smiling down at her. And then he pulled her closer, and she was snuggled against his chest. It rose and fell with his rapid breaths. She looked up at him, into his eyes, and giggled. He smiled back, taunting her with his eyes, daring her to leave the safety of his arms.\nAnd then his goofy smile vanished, and it was replaced by a hungry, intense look, and he lowered his head to meet her eyes. His mouth reached for her, and she didn’t back away. And then he was kissing her, and his lips were burning against hers, sending pure shock through her body. She opened her mouth to his, meeting his needs and challenging him with her own, and surrendering to him at the same time. He explored her mouth with long sweeps of his tongue, and she tasted as wonderful to him as he knew she would – like summer skies, like the first crack of a bat in spring training, like freshly mowed grass and fireworks after winning a home game. He heard a little whimper escape from her throat and he pulled her closer to him, willing her to give him all of her mouth and all of her moans.\n“Kirby,” he whispered, as she pulled his lips gently with her teeth. “I knew it would be like this, from the first time I saw you.”\n“You’re driving me crazy,” she said, running her hands along his strong back and trailing kisses down his neck and onto his chest. “We have to stop, we can’t do this here.”\nShe tried to pull away, and so did he, but they couldn’t. Instead, they surrendered again, amidst heartfelt groans as he claimed her mouth with his once more. Her hunger was deep and hot, and her body pressed against his was making him pulse against her. The bulge in his briefs was growing and pressing against her, and still they could not pull away. Their tongues entwined, stroking each other wildly and making Kirby lean against Dave as she trembled and shuddered with the passion he was stirring in her.\nAnd then they were both pulling away, trying desperately to catch the reins of the hunger that was consuming them.\n“Never before,” Kirby said. “I’ve never been kissed like that.”\n“It was the best first kiss ever, for me too,” he said. “There’s more. We aren’t done yet.”\nHe kissed her gently on the forehead and held her body next to his, letting the spring water swirl around them and cocoon them in its warmth.\n“You called me your girlfriend,” Kirby said, softly, whispering it into the warmth of his bare chest.\n“I sure did,” he replied. “I hope you don’t mind.”\nAfter a long pause, she replied. “No, I don’t mind at all. Not one bit.”\n\nCheck Out all my books, posted on Steemit!",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckenridge - Chapter 6: Can I Buy You Some Peanuts and Cracker Jack?",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckenridge - Chapter 6: Can I Buy You Some Peanuts and Cracker Jack?",
      "body": "Chapter 6: Can I Buy You Some Peanuts and Cracker Jack?\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\n“There aren’t many weeks left in the ski season, you know,” Scarlet said and lifted her steaming mug of chai tea to her glossy red lips.\n“I know, you’re right. I haven’t been skiing all winter. Maybe this weekend, if you’re up for it?” asked Kirby.\nBud had given Kirby the morning off because he was not opening the hardware store until later that day, in the afternoon, due to a routine financial audit he was having done that morning. Unaccustomed to having a morning off, Kirby thought it was as good a time as any to get together with Scarlet for coffee. Tucked into a quiet corner of the coffee shop next to the hardware store, LuLu’s, Kirby was starting to wonder if calling Scarlet had been a good idea or not. As soon as the two sat down, Scarlet started in with all the things that were deficient in Kirby’s social life.\n“I can’t ski this weekend. A few of us are going to Denver for the John Legend concert at Red Rocks. It should be pretty fun. Maybe next weekend?” Scarlet said.\n“Sure. Maybe.”\n“Oh, hey, I heard some gossip. Apparently we have a new celebrity in town. Did you hear? Dave Kensington moved here a week or so ago.”\nAt the mention of Dave’s name, that quivering feeling in Kirby’s belly came rushing back, and she quickly suppressed it before looking up from her coffee mug to meet Scarlet’s eyes.\n“Oh? Where’d you hear that?” she asked, with a tone of indifference.\n“My friend Christy works at the country club. She saw him there the other night having drinks with Trevor. Can you believe it? I didn’t even know they knew each other!” said Scarlet.\n“Oh, you know how Trevor is,” Kirby replied, not without first having to swallow the bile that rose up in her throat at the mention of Trevor’s name. “He makes it his business to know everyone around town, you know that. Especially the people that might be able to do something for him, or help his image, or make him some money.”\nScarlet nodded. Though she wished the circumstances surrounding Kirby’s break up with Trevor had not been so ugly, she was glad they weren’t together anymore. Trevor was a creep, and in no way did he deserve her beautiful friend Kirby.\n“Anyway, I already knew he was here,” continued Kirby. “He came into the hardware store and left me a complete puddle of melted goo. The man is seriously hot.”\n“Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell me?” Scarlet demanded. “What’s he like? I imagine he gets followed around all over the place by the press and all his groupies…”\n“Actually, I didn’t even know it was him until Bud told me later on, and then I was really embarrassed because I worried I hadn’t rolled out the red carpet for him, like he expects maybe.”\n“Yeah, guys like that get annoyed if you don’t stroke their ego,” said Scarlet.\n“Well, now that I know he’s hanging out with the likes of Trevor, I don’t really mind that I didn’t give him celebrity treatment,” said Kirby, laughing. “If he comes in the store again, I’ll just treat him like any normal guy. That’s the way to get under the skin of those celebrity types, the ones that care so much about their precious image.”\n“I don’t know, Kirby. Maybe you should give me a call the next time he comes in and I can pop over and buy some paint or a new hammer, or some other tool I have no idea how to use. I mean, I know you’ve had your fill of guys that only care about their society status, but I haven’t had that opportunity yet. I wouldn’t mind hanging on the arm of some famous ball player!”\nKirby looked at Scarlet then, all traces of humor gone from her face. “I would never be part of setting you up like that, Scarlet. You don’t know what you’re getting into dating people with a reputation in the community, and I imagine ballplayers and any sports figure are probably a hundred times worse. Your life stops being your own. You become an extension of their reputation. They expect you to show up certain places, act a certain way, look and dress the way they need you to in order to help them get the attention they think they need and deserve… Scarlet, it’s like prison. It’s not a relationship, it’s an arrangement. And arrangements are expendable. You don’t want that.”\n“Well, if you say so. I guess you’d be the one to know about such things. No, for me I guess it’s just a steady string of nobody ski bums,” laughed Scarlet. “Anyway, I gotta fly. I have a meeting in a few minutes. Thanks for coffee!”\nAfter a big hug, Scarlet left Kirby in the coffee shop in a sour mood. She sat at the table sipping her coffee and wondering why romance these days had to be this way: you have your choice of a ski bum with no future or drive or motivation for anything other than finding newer, fresher powder, or a career man with tons of motivation and drive who doesn’t know how to love anyone but his own career. Was there any other kind of man out there? What about the literary characters in the books she read? Where does a girl find something like that, someone kind and chivalrous like Anne’s Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables, someone passionate like Romeo, or someone like Christian Grey who knew all fifty shades of how to sweep a woman off her feet?\nSighing, she rose from her table, thanked the barista, and bundled up before heading back out into the cold to walk to work. There were still a few minutes left before Bud would be opening, but the weather was cold and windy and she didn’t feel like killing time walking the streets and looking in the shops. So she let herself into the hardware store early and stayed quiet so as not to disturb Bud’s meeting.\nMaybe Scarlet was right. She should probably make some time to ski soon, if for no other reason than that it made her happy. She booted up her laptop on the cashier’s counter and opened the website of her favorite ski apparel company, Western Slope. She loved the colors and styles of their trendy apparel and for a moment held onto a twinge of looking back and missing those years of her life when what she wore was noticed by people and she took pride in her appearance. Looking down at her brown leggings and cream leather Uggs, she realized how plain and dowdy she was dressing lately. It’s not like anyone notices, she thought. But maybe some colorful new ski clothes would be fun for a change.\nShe was about to press submit order on the webpage to place her order for some pomegranate-red ski pants and a matching paisley ski jacket when she heard the door. We aren’t open yet, and I thought I locked the door behind me when I came in. I must have forgotten.\nShe looked up at the door and prepared to let her first customer of the day know that they would be closed for another twenty minutes, but she choked on the words when she saw who it was. Dave. He looked amazing in another pair of jeans that seemed molded to his body like they were custom-cut for him, hanging loose in all the right places but hugging his muscular thighs and butt, and a black ski jacket. She stared at him because she could not have averted her eyes if she wanted to. It would have been impossible and required herculean strength she simply did not have where this man was concerned, apparently. Her heart thudded in her chest, warning her it would implode if she did not take her eyes off the hot man in front of her, and her legs grew so weak she had to recline back on the stool behind the counter to keep from falling over.\n“Good morning,” Dave said, casually. His voice was like melted caramel, smooth and warm, but there was a hint of strength and dominance in its undertones. Her mouth opened to reply, but no words came out.\nAnd then she remembered what Scarlet had told her, about Dave having drinks with Trevor. Something about realizing what type of guy he hung out with was an immediate turn off, and in that instant, she found her words again. They were devoid of attraction for him, completely controlled, and she even managed to add in a little iciness and distance just to drive home the point that he was not her kind of guy.\n“Good morning to you, Mr. Kensington. I am glad you came in so that I could apologize in person for… mishandling your order the other day. We’re so pleased you’ve brought your business to us, and I’ll do my best to meet your every expectation in the future.”\nDave walked up to the counter, and probably sauntered would be a better way to describe his stride. His hands were shoved in his pockets and Kirby could see the outline and definition of his quads through his jeans as he moved slowly towards her. She looked at his face, finally drawing her attention away from everything about him below his neck, and their eyes met. He held her gaze and his lips curved into a crooked, teasing grin.\n“I liked you better when you didn’t know who I am, Kirby,” he said. She loved the way her name sounded on his lips and she felt her resolve to be cool and distant fading away. How did he know her name? Oh, right, it’s on my laptop lid.\n“Oh, and why is that?” she asked, saucily.\nHe paused before replying, and Kirby took this to mean he was trying to think of the best way to phrase his response so that she would not suspect him of being what he was – an egocentric celebrity. “I’m just a guy. I happen to play baseball for a living, which makes me lucky, not special. I have found that being in the public eye is a lonely place to be, and I’d rather be surrounded by people that think of me as just Dave, not Big Dave of the White Sox. I’m just Dave.”\nThe way he spoke the words “just Dave” slayed her, and her heart leapt at the thought of him being lonely in the spotlight. And then she caught herself and reeled her heart back in. “And I, ‘just Dave,’ am just a girl who happens to live here and work in a hardware store. I have found that those in the public eye who come to a celebrity oasis like Breckenridge and have drinks at the country club with people like Trevor von Stoup are generally not too eager to stay out of the public eye, and so I doubt your loneliness and wonder if it is really a case of ego starvation. And so, Big Dave, just so you know, I don’t even like baseball and I don’t plan on asking for your autograph. So, please tell me how I can help you. What’ll it be today? A new hammer? Some nails? How about some duct tape?”\nKirby was flushed from releasing her torrent of words, but it couldn’t be helped. This tall, strong, beautiful man infuriated her. She saw right through his false modesty, and she was not going to fall in line with the millions of other eager women who were just waiting for Big Dave to give them a glance. She wasn’t like that, and she refused to give him the satisfaction. She even wondered briefly if Trevor had put him up to this, told him where to find her if he was looking for a girl to mess with.\nTo her complete surprise, Dave threw back his head and started laughing. He didn’t stop for several minutes, and to Kirby’s complete disappointment, she found that he had a wonderful laugh – melodious and light – and she was tempted to join right in just to share his joy in whatever it was he was laughing at. The man was contagious, and she was struggling to fight that.\n“What in God’s name are you laughing at?” she demanded, angrily.\nHe finally stopped laughing long enough to reply, before being consumed once again in a fit of mirth. “I had forgotten how fast news travels in a little town like this,” he said. “It’s been awhile since I lived here, but it’s all coming back to me now. Let me guess – you have a friend who has a friend who knows somebody who works for someone who works at the county club?”\n“It’s something like that, yes. But I don’t see what’s so funny about it. And I didn’t know you used to live here.”\nHis face got serious then and he leaned over and put his elbows on the counter so he was eye level with her. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Kirby. And yes, I used to live here. Breckenridge High class of 1990. What I’m really laughing at is this: we aren’t so different, you and I.”\nKirby thought about this for a moment. “I’m not sure what that means, I guess.”\n“What I mean is, for whatever reason, you can’t stand Trevor. And guess what? I can’t either! Yes, I had drinks with him. One drink. Because you’re a lady, I won’t even tell you the things he said to me that made me want to punch him. We’re the same, you and I. I don’t know what he did to you – I can guess – but the fact remains, neither of us care for the man, and that makes me like you even more,” he said.\n“Even more?”\n“Yeah.”\n“What does that mean?”\n“It means… I don’t have a mouse problem or a squeaky door. I was going to tell you today that I need some paint, or some varnish, or something, anything, but all I really wanted was to see you again. There’s something about you… I need to know what it is. Could I call you sometime? Maybe we could have dinner, or… I don’t, maybe we could…”\nDave was floundering, flushed and shy suddenly. Kirby could not help but smile at him as it was perfectly charming how nervous he was, trying to ask her out. She hated seeing him suffer like this, and a glance at her laptop gave her an idea on how to help him out of the verbal mess he was drowning in.\n“Skiing. Do you ski? I was going to hit the slopes this weekend. Want me to keep me company?” she asked, smiling brightly at him.\n“I’d like that,” he said. “I’d like that very much.”\n“Okay,” she said, smiling. “See you Saturday then. 10am at the lift. Will the paparazzi be joining us?”\n“I hope not. So far, you and I and Trevor, and your friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, are the only people who know I’m here, and I’d sort of like to keep it that way. Can you keep a secret, Kirby?”\n“Absolutely. I’ve had my fill of the media for one lifetime,” she said.\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nAfterwards, she regretted saying such a thing. Discussing her past was not something she was interested in getting into with Dave, and she hoped he had not heard her slip-up that referred to her years of living on Trevor’s arm, smiling for cameras and being talked about in the society pages. She wondered if he had heard or not.\nAs soon as he left the store, she texted Scarlet.\nI’m going skiing this weekend, she said.\nGood, said Scarlet.\nI’m not going alone, she clarified.\nEven better, said Scarlet. Who’s the lucky ski bum you found to go with you?\nHe’s not a ski bum. He’s a baseball player, she said.\nShut up! Big Dave? Are you skiing with Big Dave? Kirby could hear Scarlet’s voice yelling through her text messages, and she imagined Scarlet sitting at her desk getting way too excited, jumping around, waving her phone, and inches away from running through the snow and ice over to the hardware store to hear the news in person.\nYes. I think it’s a date.\nWith that, she threw her phone in her bag and let it buzz away with incoming messages from Scarlet, no doubt pumping her for details and asking what she was going to wear. Kirby smiled to herself, enjoying having some news to share for a change, and replaying everything Dave had said to her in her mind for the umpteenth time. That he seemed as put off by Trevor as she did had been magic words to her. They had that in common, and that was enough for her, for now.\nShe reopened her order from the Western Slope and clicked on Edit. She added a few more items – a matching headband and gloves, a new set of thermal shirt and pants to wear under her ski pants, and then expedited shipment. Her new ski outfit in pomegranate red to accent her dark hair would arrive well in advance of her ski date on Saturday. She could hardly wait.\nThe afternoon was quiet in the store as the storm working its way through the valley was cold and bitterly windy, and most customers were apparently staying home and keeping warm. So she spent the rest of the afternoon Googling Dave Kensington. It was not a bad way to spend a cold, snowy day stuck in a hardware store. And she was relieved to learn that at least Google didn’t have any dirt to share with her on Dave. She liked men who didn’t have any dirt in their pasts.",
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      "title": "My Romance Novel: Return to Breckenridge - Chapter 5: Home Field Advantage",
      "body": "Chapter 5: Home Field Advantage\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nDave was an early riser. As soon as the sun came up, his eyes were open and he was ready to start the day. This was particularly challenging when he had been awake late the night before at a game, or travelling, or unable to sleep because of a dark-haired beauty he couldn’t forget. The latter was the case last night, and now, stretched out on his back and covered in quilts, his eyes were wide open though he had not fallen asleep until well after midnight.\nAttention from attractive females was something he was accustomed to, like most major league baseball players. There was always a pack of fans, groupies, social media followers and women he met randomly during the course of a normal day who gawked, stared, and tried to get and keep his attention. And yet, the girl in the hardware store had been different somehow. It was as if she did not even know who he was.\nApparently Breckenridge skiers were also early risers because from his bed and through the bedroom window of his rented condo that faced the slopes, Dave could watch the skiers come down the mountain. They were bright spots of darting color, snaking back and forth across the fresh powder, wrapped in ski pants and jackets of every pattern and color imaginable. He made a pot of coffee in the small kitchen and then brought it back to bed. Sitting up against the headboard in a pair of boxers with the sheets draped loosely over his lap, Dave enjoyed the mountain view before him and sipped from his steaming mug. It was a fantastic distraction for his eyes as his mind continued pondering the hardware store girl.\nThe truth was that Dave had always wanted to settle down with a nice girl, someone he could laugh with and share a life with, maybe even someone he could start a family with. But none of the screaming female fans, and even a few male fans, seemed the right group of people to go looking to for a partner. None of them knew him and if he weren’t a professional baseball player, none of them would have given him a second glance probably. And that was precisely what made the hardware store girl different.\nShe had not known who he was, or at least did not let on that she did, and yet she seemed completely struck by him. The soft glow that crept into her cheeks did not escape him, and she had not stopped blushing the entire time he was in the store. He wondered if her blush stopped at her face, or had travelled all the way across her gorgeous body. He laughed, thinking of how distracted by him she had been, to the extent that she had completely screwed up his order. Of course, he had felt bad going back into the store to get it remedied, especially since he had not even needed the items and had only wanted an excuse to talk to her after catching a first glimpse of her soft curves and long, blonde hair. And he figured he had gone back again not to get her in any trouble, but so that perhaps he could have another chance to see her, maybe invite her for coffee or dinner. And then he was slightly relieved when she’d stepped out by the time he returned. He hadn’t wanted her to feel embarrassed.\nThey seemed to have similar tastes too, at least as far as realtors were concerned. As he had fished in his pocket for cash to pay for his purchase, Trevor von Stoup’s business card had fallen out onto the counter. The girl had reached for it, expecting it to be a crumpled bill, and then recoiled as if bitten by a snake when she saw what it was. It was very curious, and he wondered why she had been so startled by Trevor’s card. Maybe she thinks the guy is a creep too, like I do. If so, she’s got excellent taste.\nEven if he had found a nice girl in the recent years, making time for dating would have been more than difficult. During baseball season he travelled almost constantly. During the off season, he was training and working on the business side of baseball with his agent, Duke, as well as trying to get caught up on life he had missed during baseball season. He could not even remember the last time he had gone on a date, and that meant it had probably been years.\nIn that moment, Dave knew what he wanted. He wanted a date, a date with the hardware store girl, and a normal evening with a beautiful woman who was not with him because of his baseball career. Was it possible? He thought it might be, especially given that no one knew he was in town, no one besides Trevor and his realty folks. It had been so long since he had been in Breckenridge, he wondered where people even went on dates. But this did not bother him, not really. He was certain he could figure it out. After all, he had home field advantage, didn’t he? These were his stomping grounds, his kind of people and, given the chance, he was certain he could create an amazing date for a beautiful girl. There was only one detail missing: the girl. He didn’t even know her name.\nTake Me Out to the Ball Game could be heard from his cell phone and he reached for it on the bedside table.\n“Hi, Duke. What’s happening?” he said, cheerily.\n“Did I wake you?”\n“Not at all. Just having some java and wondering what to do with myself today. Maybe some skiing, I’m thinking.”\n“You sure your knee can handle that?” Duke asked.\n“I’m not sure of anything,” Dave laughed. “But you should see the slopes! I’d ski down on one leg if I had to!”\n“Well, aren’t you just in a fine mood today? Glad to hear it, Dave. Really glad to hear it.”\n“That sounds like a lead in to some bad news…”\n“Nope, I didn’t call with any bad news. I called with no news, actually. Meaning, I still haven’t found a place for you to play spring ball.”\n“Oh, that,” Dave said. He was surprised by how distant he felt from the world of baseball up here in the mountains of Colorado. That he was halfway hoping to find a place to move to and play baseball in the next week or so had mostly left his consciousness, and it felt good not to worry about any of that. “That’s cool. Don’t stress it. Really. I’m fine. I’m looking at properties and thinking about rebuilding my parents’ house, so I’m busy here and fine for a while. Why don’t we just plan on me taking the year off, Duke? I’ll rest up and get strong again, and we’ll see what happens next year, okay?”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“Sure, man. Looks like it’s headed that way anyway. Before I let you go though, what’s her name?”\n“What’s whose name?”\n“The girl you’re into.”\n“What makes you think I’m into a girl?”\n“I haven’t heard you sound this chipper and relaxed in years, Dave. Really. It’s been years,” Duke said, and Dave could picture his big grin teasing him when he said it.\n“Well, that’s actually what I was just sitting here thinking about, to be honest. I don’t know her name!”\n“Oh? A mystery girl?”\n“Pretty much. I just know she’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen and seems really… I don’t know how to describe her. Down to earth? Real? You know, like someone I’d actually like talking to.”\n“Geez Dave, you’ve got it bad. Well, good luck with that. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”\n“Sounds good, thanks for all you’re doing for me,” Dave said, and clicked off the call.\nHe tossed his phone on the floor and got out of bed, stretching. On the way to the shower, he looked around the condo. Surely there was something around that needed fixing, wasn’t there? Somehow he needed a legitimate excuse to get himself back to the hardware store, even if it meant he had break something himself just so he could go get the parts to fix it. He eyed the toilet. That seemed like something which, if broken, would definitely need to be fixed right away. How do I break a toilet?\nYou do have it bad, Big Dave, he muttered to himself, and stepped into the steamy shower.\n\nCheck Out My Other Books, Posted on Steemit!",
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      "body": "Chapter 4: Strike One\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nA hardware store is no place for a tourist typically. Bud’s store did not sell postcards or t-shirts, and it was off the main street. No tourist mistakenly walked into Bud’s, and so Kirby was accustomed to dealing with locals, most of whom she knew and known for years. So when she looked up from Pride and Prejudice, which she had been reading for most of that particularly slow afternoon, to see the backside of a man she didn’t recognize immediately, she was puzzled and curious.\nHe was standing at the bulletin board just inside the front door, and that alone was remarkable. She hadn’t even heard the door open and wondered how she could have missed the bell that tinkled overhead every time it opened. Better go easy on the reading and pay closer attention, she chastised herself.\nBut as she gazed at the man, who was oblivious to her and seemed engrossed in the bulletin board where local services were offered from contractors and builders, she realized that missing the door opening was not at all the most remarkable thing. It was his backside that was remarkable.\nTowering just over six feet, the man had a broad, strong back which tapered nicely into narrow hips, and a pair of jeans hugged his firm butt in a way that made her pulse race. His hair was shoulder-length, tucked behind his ears, and it was the color of sun-kissed straw. She stared at him, wondering if she should offer her assistance, or continue enjoying the view.\nMomentarily he turned towards her, as if perhaps sensing her eyes on his back, and smiled. She was completely disarmed. It wasn’t that his smile was flirty, in fact it could not have been farther from that. It was honest, bright, happy, and the eyes that twinkled at her from beneath long lashes were green like the sea. He walked towards her then, and her breath caught mid-exhale. Was it the way he walked, or the smile dancing on his lips, or those eyes that seemed to see right through her that made her struggle to find her words? She may has well have been standing there completely naked, as exposed as his piercing eyes made her feel.\nAnd then he talked, and his voice – Ah, what was he even saying? Her brain was processing nothing by that point – his voice and the way he looked at her…\nCLUNK!\nHer book fell from her hands to the floor and the noise gripped her senses and woke her from her daze.\n“Hi,” she said, a bit breathlessly. “Um, can I… help you find anything?”\n“I’m new in town and was just checking out your recommended list of contractors. I might be building a house. Just wanted to get a few numbers, make some calls, stuff like that,” he said, smiling at her with that warm, sexy grin that was melting her in areas that had not melted in a long time.\n“Oh, well sure, help yourself. Lots of people build around here, and there are some great contractors in the area.” Brilliant. Had she really just said ‘lots of people build’? Way to go, Miss Obvious!\nThe gorgeous hunk before her seemed unaffected by her inability to speak intelligently and had not, in fact, turned and run out of the hardware store to protect himself from hearing more of her stupidity.\n“Uh, but in the meantime, I do need a couple of things, if you could point me in the right direction?”\n“Sure! Absolutely!”\n“I’m renting a condo in town and there’s a nighttime intruder. A mouse perhaps. Have any traps? Oh, and a can of oil for the squeaky back door hinge…”\n“You got it, I’ll get those for you,” Kirby replied. “Be right back.”\nShe rushed through the store grabbing the items the sexy stranger had requested and rung up his purchase, bagging everything quickly. The sooner he’s gone, the sooner I can breathe again!\nHe smiled at her and thanked her for her help, and she could have sworn his eyes had seared right through her clothes and seen her naked behind the counter, including her toes which still needed a pedicure. Had the man really just undressed her with his eyes? Surely not. Not me. Not looking like this, she thought.\nAs he walked towards the door of the store, she enjoyed the view one last time and wished him a good stay in Breckenridge. Then he was gone.\nShe ran back to the office, popped her head into Bud’s office and asked him for an early break. “I just need a quick gulp of air and a cup of coffee, I think,” she said. Bud agreed to watch the store, and she ran out the back entrance and leaned against the wall of the store, gulping in the chilly air and hoping it would be enough to jump start her lungs again.\nWhen she returned fifteen minutes later with a cup of coffee from the café next door, Bud was waiting at the cashier’s counter for her. The look on his face was a puzzlement to her as she didn’t think she could recall ever having seen him look disappointed, the way he did just then.\n“Kirby, a quick minute, please?”\n“Sure, Bud, what’s up?”\n“The man asked for a mouse trap and a can of oil, right?”\n“Uh… yep, I think that was the order,” she replied. Of course it was the order! How could I forget a single second of that encounter?\n“So, do ya mind tellin’ me then why you sent him away with a raccoon trap and a can of paint thinner?”\nKirby’s eyes grew wide. Had she really screwed up his order that badly?\nBud sighed, and she knew by his deep exhale that, yes, in fact, she had royally screwed up the simplest order. She immediately felt bad, and started apologizing.\n“Kirby, you’re a hard worker, and it was an honest mistake, and you don’t need to worry about it this time. The man could not have been kinder when I fixed your mistake. It’s just that…”\n“What? Just that…what?” Kirby pressed. Please don’t fire me, please don’t fire me.\n“Well, you’re going to feel badly when I tell you this, but the fact is, the man you helped is sort of a big deal. I mean, it was Dave Kensington, and he said he’s moving here and building a house…and, well, he’s sort of a big customer for us, so I’m a little annoyed our store got off on the wrong foot with him,” Bud said patiently.\n“I’m sorry, Bud. Wait, who? Dave Kensington? Who is that?”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\n“You don’t know who Dave Kensington is? Of the Chicago White Sox? The southpaw with the 0.32 batting average? Are you kidding me?” Bud was as breathless then as she had been twenty minutes ago, and Kirby was immediately embarrassed.\n“Truth is, I don’t really follow baseball, so… I mean, I guess I didn’t recognize him. I mean, I guess he sort of looked like a baseball player, but…” she said, apologetically. Stop babbling and apologize, make this right. “I’m sorry, Bud. I didn’t sleep well last night, it won’t happen again.”\nBud was all kindness then, patting her shoulder in a fatherly way and muttering all the way back to his office about “Dave Kensington, in my store!” and “How could she not have recognized him? The man’s a legend!”\nKirby sat down on the stool at the register and sipped her lavender latte pensively. She had blown it, she knew that. But more than that, she was disappointed. She was disappointed that she had been so immediately attracted to the man, especially after she had sworn off men for good after the Trevor situation. And more than that, if she was honest with herself, she was secretly disappointed that the man who had so completely turned her on after an almost two year dry spell with men ended up being a celebrity.\nYou don’t do celebrities anymore, Kirby, remember? High profile men are nothing but trouble, she counseled herself. No, if she ever did become involved with another man again, it would be the kind that was low-key, zero maintenance, a complete nobody, someone she could trust because she would know he was not worried about his public image or his reputation in the community. If she ever dated again, a decision she had not yet made, she would fall only for the kind of man she found under a rock. A complete nobody. Then, and only then, could she fully trust that he was in the relationship because of her, not because of what her pretty face or beauty queen past could do for his public image.\nThe man with the tight rear end and strong back and shoulders was dismissed from her mind then, and she decided she no longer thought he was attractive. As of that moment, those long locks of straw-colored hair were a complete turn off for her.",
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      "title": "Romance Novel: Return to Breckenridge - Chapter 3: Surveying the Field",
      "body": "@@ -16329,8 +16329,33 @@\n n Stoup.\n+%0A%0AMore Coming Tomorrow...\n",
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      "title": "Romance Novel: Return to Breckenridge - Chapter 3: Surveying the Field",
      "body": "Chapter 3: Surveying the Field\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nBreckenridge was everything Dave had remembered it to be, and a lot of things he had not remembered. For example, the blue sky and cold air and the high altitude that his body was not yet re-acclimated to were things he remembered. But the way the town had exploded with tourists and the amount of construction going on to support new resorts and restaurants was something he didn’t expect. Breckenridge had been a sleepier little town the last time he visited to close the sale of his parents’ house. Now, it was busy, crowded, bustling, and glittering with the wealth of its well-to-do visitors. It was not uncommon for celebrities to visit, and many of them even owned homes in the area. Rumor had it that the first lady and her daughters even came to Breckenridge for ski weekend getaways.\nDespite the outward appearance of his childhood home town, of wealth and opulence, Breckenridge felt right to Dave. There was something welcoming and warm that greeted him as soon as he drove into town. Having traveled and lived in many towns, he had grown into a mindset of expecting every town to pretty much feel the same. But as he pulled his car into the parking lot of the realty office after checking into his hotel, he could not deny that this town felt different to him. If felt like home. He felt intuitively that he had made the right decision to come back here, to come home. If only his parents were here to greet him, it would have been a perfect arrival.\nHe wasn’t sure what his next move should be. He knew he wanted to stay awhile, but the thought of settling into a hotel for an unknown period of time was not comforting. He thought he might as well rent a place, and if things went well perhaps he would buy some property and build a home. But all of that was beyond the scope of today. Today, he was going to talk to a realtor and just see what the Breckenridge of his youth had turned into, what was available, and what things were costing these days.\nHe stepped out of his rental car and winced as his knee clinched up. Too many hours in a plane and on the road had made his knee stiff and he desperately wanted to go for a run and stretch it out. But that would have to wait. A figure inside the reality office had caught sight of his car, and was even now moving towards the door to welcome him in from the cold. He hugged his jacket close around him, blew some hot air into his cold hands, rubbed them together briskly for warmth, and walked into the office.\n“Hello! Welcome to Breckenridge!” A young man in corduroy slacks and a sweater extended his hand to Dave, welcoming him into the realty office.\n“Thanks! It’s good to be here. Is there someone I can talk with about property in the area?” Dave asked the man.\n“Well, sure! Come on in and let’s hear more about what you’re looking for, and we’ll get you set up with just the right person,” the man said. Dave was fairly certain he had just been sized up by the eager associate, including an up and down glance across his clothing and a quick appraisal of the value of his wristwatch and shoes, but he let it pass without comment and followed the young man towards a sitting area.\n“Can I start with your name and what it is you are in the market for?”\n“Of course. No problem. I’m Dave Kensington, and I am looking to see about possibly buying some property to build on, and in the short term I might like to rent a condo.” Satisfied that he had been thorough with his answer, Dave sat back and looked at the young man, who was taking notes on an application.\n“Great. Perfect. I’ll just be a minute… wait a second. Did you say you are Dave Kensington?”\n“Yes,” replied Dave, bracing himself for what he knew would be the next question.\n“Of the Colorado Rockies and then of the Chicago White Sox?”\n“Yep, that’s the one.”\n“Oh, man! Wow! So great to meet you, Big Dave! I’m a huge fan. I was so sad when you got traded to the White Sox. Welcome back to Colorado!” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll just be a moment. Let me just tell Katrina that you are here!”\nThe young man scurried into a back office and Dave could hear excited whispers. Momentarily, a long, leggy blond in a navy blue pants suit walked out to the waiting area and extended her hand to Dave.\n“Mr. Kensington, I’m Katrina Andress, senior partner here at von Stoup and Associates. Welcome to Breckenridge,” she said.\nKatrina was middle aged and attractive, trim and put together, Dave noticed. Especially attractive was the fact that she didn’t let on that she knew he was a major league ball player. She treated him with respect, but with an air that said she knew exactly what was required of her in dealing with the rich and famous, and she was accustomed to it.\n“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Andress.”\n“Call me Kat,” she said, with a wink. Okay, so maybe she doesn’t know how to treat a professional athlete, or maybe she’s coming on to me? “If you’d like, step into my office and we can discuss your needs.” I hope it’s my realty needs she’s planning to discuss and nothing more, Dave thought as he followed her.\nKat’s office was plush and attractive and Dave settled into a comfortable chair across from Kat’s desk.\n“I’m looking for some property, I think. I might to want build in a few months, if I end up staying in the area. Perhaps something out of town, with some acreage and a creek running through it…” Hearing himself describe the property he had in mind sounded an awful lot like describing the property he’d grown up on. Why not? Might as well ask, he thought. “It’s funny, I actually used to own the very thing I’m looking to buy now, but I sold it a few years ago. I don’t suppose 418 Aspen Grove is still around, maybe even purchasable?”\n“418 Aspen Grove. I know that property,” Kat said, pausing to think. “Oh! Yes! I know the one. It actually was slotted for some development, the von Stoups bought it years ago and tore down the structure on it…”\n“You mean, my house… my old house…” Dave said, slowly.\n“Yes, I believe it was a house. But then, some development plans changed and it moved out of the path of some plans they had for a new slope, and… you know what? Let me just check something here.”\n“Sure, take your time.”\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nKat clicked away at her keyboard and Dave could see listings of various properties scrolling across her screen. Finally she said, “It’s not currently for sale, but if you’re interested in it, I happen to know the owner and I could make an inquiry for you.”\n“I’d like that. Just out of curiosity, you know. I may or may not be interested in buying it back, but it was my childhood home and I’d love to see if I could get it back again,” Dave said.\n“Sure, not a problem. Why don’t you leave your number with me and I’ll get back to you soon on any properties I find that meet your criteria, and with any news on the Aspen Grove property, okay?” she said, smiling.\nDave agreed and left his mobile number with Kat. Thanking her for her time, he stood to leave.\n“If you’re new in town and need someone to show you around, I could spare some time to…” Her offer, which Dave was not even sure he wanted to hear her finish stating, was interrupted by a phone call at her desk. Her attention was momentarily distracted from their conversation by her glance at the caller ID, and then fully distracted when she saw who was on the line. Flushed and suddenly nervous, she said to Dave, “Could you give me a moment? It’s the boss.”\n“Sure,” Dave said. “I’ll just wait out in the lobby.”\n“Hi, it’s Kat,” he heard her say as she picked up the phone. And then, to Dave, she called with urgency in her voice, “Mr. Kensington, one moment! My boss would like to speak to you. Could you take the call?”\nDave was confused. Who was her boss and why did he want to speak to him? And how did the boss even know Dave was in the office?\n“Uh, sure, no problem,” Dave said, moving to take the receiver from Kat. “It’s Dave Kensington here,” he said.\n“Mr. Kensington! Welcome to Breckenridge and more importantly, welcome to our little realty office!” said a bright, cheerful male voice. It commanded attention and rang with an undertone of confidence and certainty. The man’s voice reminded him of an umpire, with its “I’m the one calling this game!” sort of authority.\n“Uh, thank you. And to whom am I speaking?”\n“We’ve actually spoken before, though you might not remember. I’m Trevor von Stoup, and I actually bought your parents’ property from you a few years ago. Maybe you remember?”\n“Oh! Yes, of course! I do remember! Good to talk to you again!”\n“Likewise! We’ll have to get together for a drink soon,” Trevor said. “I always like to welcome the new high rollers to town personally!”\nDave wasn’t sure if he liked being referred to as a high roller, but he didn’t object to the man’s obvious intention to make him feel welcome. It actually was sort of flattering to be welcomed back to Breckenridge like a celebrity, even if no one yet knew that his baseball career was headed south.\n“I’d like that, thanks. Say, about that property, you don’t still own it, do you?”\n“I do! I’ll work up some numbers with Kat and see if we can’t get you an offer on the table for it, m’kay? Meet me at the country club later for a drink? We can discuss it then! Say, 7:30?”\n“Uh, sure. Sounds great! See you then, Trevor,” Dave said, and handed the phone back to Kat.\n“Oh, I do hope you boys can work something out,” Kat said, with a grin like a cat who has just spotted a mouse.\n“We’ll see! Thanks for your help, I look forward to hearing what you come up with. Call me anytime,” said Dave. It was a standard ending to a business conversation that had gone well, but afterwards he wondered if it had made him seem forward. And honestly, he hoped she only took it as it was intended, as in invitation to talk about properties whenever it suited her.\nThere were several hours to kill before 7:30, so Dave took the opportunity to walk the streets of Breckenridge and re-orient himself to the town he had known as a boy. Trevor was a name he remembered, he realized. More than the name of the man he had worked with to unload his parents’ property, he knew the name von Stoup and remembered hearing it in school. Trevor was a few grades behind him, but as the heir to the von Stoup fortune, most people knew of him at least.\nThe day was cool, in the mid-40s, and Dave kept an eye out for any clothing shops in town. He knew he would need to buy some additional snow gear if he was going to stay awhile, and had no recollection of where the clothing stores were anymore. He took a left at a corner, thinking he saw a sign on a store down the next block that looked promising, like a clothing store perhaps, and wandered further away from the main street of town. It turned out to be a hardware store though, and he made a mental note of its location. If he was going to rebuild a house on his parents’ land, he might need to pop in and make some connections with the building community. Surely the hardware store could advise him on contractors in the area.\nAt 7:25, showered and dressed in khakis and a button-down shirt, Dave walked into the country club and was immediately recognized by the hostess and escorted to the bar to meet Trevor.\n“Dave! Thanks for coming,” said Trevor. Dave noticed Trevor was shorter than him, but his shoulders were just as broad. His blond hair was cut short and he had a healthy tan, a small miracle in the dead of the winter; his suit was clearly expensive, and his cufflinks were even more expensive. The man was wealthy and powerful, at least that’s the picture Dave got when he first met Trevor.\nThe two men settled at the bar and ordered drinks and Trevor asked baseball questions and worked hard to make Dave feel at home. Dave knew this was how these conversations worked, the ones that led up to a discussion of money and property and business. A little shooting the breeze, finding some commonality, and then it would be time to talk numbers. So he rolled with it, answering Trevor’s questions and getting a feel for the man who obviously was a prominent business figure in Breckenridge, despite his youth.\nBut no matter how he tried, he could not get a good read on Trevor. He was polite, professional, eager to please, and knowledgeable about Breckenridge business and baseball, but what was below the cool, calm exterior?\n“I’ve been talking with Kat about your property, and I think I can part with it. Our expansion at the ski resort has shifted to a new location, so I, we, won’t be needing your parents’ property after all. You and I both know it’s a beautiful piece of land though, and I paid a chunk for it a few years back. You probably remember,” Trevor said, cautiously.\n“I do remember. It was quite a bit more than I thought I’d get for it, and more than it was worth at the time. But now, I mean, I don’t know… I may not even be staying around town. I like Vail quite a bit, and Avon is nice. I’m not sure Breckenridge is where I belong anymore,” said Dave. If he could give the impression he didn’t need the property, perhaps Trevor would not expect him to so easily be taken advantage of.\n“Well, let’s see if we can arrive at a good number for you then, one that I won’t lose my shirt on and one that will help you get back your childhood home.”\n“Shoot. I’m game to consider whatever you’re pitching.” Dave was fairly certain Trevor would not lose his shirt, no matter the price; the man clearly looked like he had plenty of shirts to spare anyway.\nTrevor took a long swig of his drink and set the tumbler down gently. He looked at Dave and said with a quiet confidence, “Two point five.”\nDave was mid-sip with his own drink in hand when he heard the number, but finished swallowing as if the number had not phased him at all. Trevor had bought the property from him for three million, and it was appraised at $750k at the time of the sale, so “two point five” was hardly a steal.\n“Well, that is a bit more than I think I’m up for at the moment, especially since the house that came with the property has been demolished, as I understand it,” said Dave, casually.\n“Oh! True! I had all but forgotten about that! Well, in that case, since you will have the costs of a rebuild, I’ll knock it down to one point five. Am I in the ball park now?” He jeered at his own baseball joke, which Dave did not really find all that funny. Did the guy really think he could waltz in here, through out a few baseball jokes like bad pitches and expect him to bite?\n“I don’t know, Trevor. I’ll think on it, okay? Like I said, I’m not quite sure I’m ready to settle down in ol’ Breck at the moment, and I’m still considering my options.”\nTrevor slapped his hand on Dave’s back fraternally, like they were bros, and stood to leave. “No worries, man. Give me a shout when you’ve made up your mind.”\n“Sure thing. Nice to have met you,” said Dave, also standing to leave.\n“Oh, and one more thing,” said Trevor. “You got a girl? I know you ball players like to make the rounds, so I doubt you’ve settled on just one yet.” He laughed at his own bawdiness.\nDave chuckled, more annoyed than he let on at Trevor insinuating all ballplayers were, well, players, and replied, “No, still lookin’ for the right one.”\n“It’s hard, isn’t it?! There are so many to choose from! Well, hey, if you get lonely while you’re in town, call the number on this card and order anything you like,” Trevor said, handing Dave a business card with a phone number on it.\nDave looked at the card with a question in his eyes. “What’s this? Order anything? Like…what kind of anything? Order what, exactly?”\n“Oh, anything, you know, anyone, any of the girls! It’s just a little side business I run. I employ all types, whatever you’re into. All shapes and sizes, all colors and creeds, all of them eager to please,” Trevor said, winking.\nIn that moment, Dave’s impression of Trevor was solidified. The man was a sleaze in a business suit and he wanted nothing to do with him. And, he also knew he would do what it took to get his family’s property away from such a prick. His mom and dad’s beloved stretch of acreage did not belong with the likes of Trevor von Stoup.",
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      "body": "Chapter 2: Life After a Curve Ball\n\n![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)\n\nKirby stepped out of the shower onto the plush, ivory rug and studied her toes. She needed a pedicure badly. Before, inventorying her grooming needs daily and taking care of those responsibilities expediently had been her way of life. Now, she relished the simplicity of a new lifestyle, where manicures, pedicures, waxing, plucking, tweezing, tanning, shopping, and hair appointments did not run her life. But it was true – she needed a pedicure. Thankfully it’s still winter and will be for several months longer, and I can hide my toes in wool socks stuffed in Ugg boots, she thought.\nShe moved towards the closet, tossing her towel in the hamper’s general direction, and proceeded to pull out her personal, unofficial uniform: a long sweater and leggings, a thick pair of socks, and whatever color of knee-length Uggs matched the whole ensemble. Her closet was a walk-in, though all she needed anymore was a scant three feet of clothes rod for the few outfits she rotated between. The rest of the space was a cacophony of clothes chaos – colors, patterns and textures abounded amidst an array of daywear, evening wear, summer and winter clothing, accessories, bags, shoes, something for every occasion and every season. She was pretty sure the local dry cleaner had been forced out of business when she had stopped dating Trevor, since she probably had been their biggest customer. A high profile boyfriend required a high profile wardrobe. And a high profile wardrobe required a dry cleaner that could keep up with the volume.\nKirby swept her long, dark hair into a messy bun, slid on some simple, silver hoop earrings, and grabbed her messenger bag before stepping out the door of her condo. She slammed the door behind her, cursed under her breath, and re-entered to grab her coat, scarf and gloves. I’m going to be late, she thought gloomily. At least I don’t have to scrape the windshield.\nShe set off at a brisk pace and walked in the direction of No Place Like Home, the hardware store where she worked. Taking care not to slip on the ice that coated the walkways after last night’s storm, she tried to move as quickly as she could. Bud, her boss, would not mind if she was a few minutes late, but being late went against her grain. And also, she did not want to risk annoying her new boss in even the slightest way.\nThe best part about working for Bud, beyond the fact that he was an easy going boss, was that he didn’t care who she was. If he had heard the nasty gossip about her, he didn’t let on that he had. And that was rare in a town like Breckenridge.\nA lifelong resident of Breckenridge, Kirby was well aware of its good points and annoying points. On the positive side, it was a lively, pristine ski town known for its picture perfect winter slopes and its cool, wildflower-blanketed summers. Though she could not recite all the nitty gritty history of how it had been founded and how long ago it had become a jewel of the Colorado Rockies, there was one fact most residents could not escape: somewhere back in the wood pile, as the saying goes, the von Stoup family bought up every parcel of inhabitable land in the area and, over time, had sold it to the city as the needs of the community and tourists had grown. The von Stoups acted as though they owned the town though, and they made sure they had two hands – or at least nine fingers – in every single pie.\nKirby had found herself unfortunate enough to be included in a pie, or was she a black bird baked in a pie as the nursery rhyme said? Regardless, she was apparently the only girl stupid enough to find herself in the crosshairs of the von Stoup’s only son, Trevor. They had gone to high school together and he had been a charmer even back then, but still a normal guy and not arrogant at all despite his family’s wealth and prestige. They had dated all through their early twenties and when he proposed marriage, she accepted. Something snapped then, something in his head broke. Trevor changed overnight into a greedy, controlling, domineering real estate mogul, like his dad, and became more concerned with appearances than anything else. When he started hitting her, Kirby knew it was time to leave.\n\n![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)\n\nFinding the courage to leave an abusive relationship took a lot of strength, but that paled in comparison to what Trevor put her through next. Apparently the von Stoup family PR strategy did not include their heir losing a fiancée, and a beautiful, classy one at that, and before she knew it, Kirby had the entire family on her back. They rallied against her in defense of Trevor, even though his parents knew of how abusive and cruel he had become. When Kirby refused to come to heal and return to Trevor and instead threatened to go to the police, they delivered the final blow that ruined her life – the “Crazy Lady” Press Release, as her best friend Scarlet had come to refer to it.\nKirby had been walking out of the elementary school where she taught kids with special education needs when Scarlet had called her to tell the news. “It’s best that you hear it from me,” she had said. The news channels in the area and the newspapers had already picked up the press release written by the von Stoup PR Director which basically stated that Trevor had “regrettably” broken his engagement with former Miss Breckenridge model and teacher Kirby Hudson after it had come to light that Kirby had a drug problem, a drinking problem, an eating disorder, and had been refusing the therapy and rehabilitation they had so desperately tried to provide. “We will always love Kirby and wish her all the best. We hope she will find the peace she is seeking and the help she needs. Regrettably, Trevor has broken his engagement with Ms. Hudson so that he may resume his search for someone who is compatible with his rightful goals and aspirations as the von Stoup family heir,” the release had said.\nHumiliated and depressed, Kirby was soon jobless too. The school district refused to renew her contract as a teacher, citing that she may be a risk to the students she taught. She moved home with her parents for a while to lick her wounds and regroup. A year later, they moved to Tennessee to help her sister who had given birth to triplets, and Kirby chose to stay. Regardless of how amazing a fresh start sounded at the time, there was a defiance in her that resisted running away and letting the von Stoups have the final word. More than that, Kirby loved Breckenridge and could not imagine leaving behind its snow-capped peaks and blue skies. Those were dark days though, and only a combination of stubbornness and a love of the mountains had gotten her through. And Scarlet. Scarlet had stuck by her throughout it all.\nIt was Scarlet who had introduced Kirby to Bud, Scarlet’s uncle. Desperate for a job and declined for even the most menial positions all over town, Kirby was realizing the full effects of jilting the von Stoup family when Scarlet offered to introduce her to Bud.\n“He’s hiring a cashier, Kirby. It’s not the most glamourous job, but he’s a good guy and the hardware store will always be in business. It would be a safe, quiet place for you to work. Interested?”\n“Absolutely,” Kirby had said, ready to try just about anything that was safe, legal and ethical in order to get some cash flowing again. Bud had hired her right away, and kept her working hard and paid regularly, which was all Kirby needed.\nLosing her job at Bud’s hardware store for something as dumb as chronic tardiness would have been the pinnacle of stupidity, and Kirby knew it. Bud was a tough-as-nails old codger who didn’t appear to give a damn about the von Stoup family’s reach, and that was the kind of boss and employment opportunity Kirby could not count on being able to find a second time around.\nI’ll probably be a gray-haired spinster still working at Bud’s hardware when they roll me out and stick me in the ground, Kirby thought gloomily as she entered the store and began her work day.\nThough she appreciated her job, she would be lying if she said the trauma of the von Stoup run-in didn’t still affect her. She was taken care of financially, her meager paycheck paid her bills at least, but she was wounded still in many ways. In effect she had become a recluse – even her dowdy clothing and lack of keeping up with the high maintenance beauty rituals she had once found important where a testament to how much pain she was still in. She did not want to draw any attention to herself, did not want anyone to recognize her as the “crazy lady” who had managed to lose Breckenridge’s most eligible bachelor, and she certainly was not interested in dating. Maybe she never would be.\nKirby tied her brown, canvas apron around her waist and tidied up the workspace around the cashier’s counter, including the sloppiness left by her co-worker, Evan, who closed at night. Kirby worked 7am to 3:30pm, and was relieved by Evan who worked the evening shift and closed the store. Beyond the usual pleasantries of asking how the day went, Evan was not a chatty guy. He was your typical ski bum, skiing all day and working in the evenings to cover his meager expenses: season pass lift tickets, skis, coffee, granola bars, and rent at the no-frills hostel at the base of the slopes. Though he had spent his entire life in Breckenridge like Kirby, and they had even gone to high school together, there’s was an easy working relationship: he didn’t ask her anything, she didn’t ask him anything, and if he recognized her from the von Stoup PR drama, he didn’t mention it. She could use more people like that in her life, she always thought.\n“Morning, Kirby,” came Bud’s cheerful voice from the back of the store. “You are early today. I thought the snow would’ve slowed you down a bit.”\n“Oh, no, not at all. I don’t drive in, remember?”\nBud smiled a warm, gentle grin that always reminded Kirby of her grandpa. His worn overalls hung loose at his hips and long at his feet, obscuring the bowed legs that made walking look almost painful at times.\n“You feeling okay today, Bud?” Kirby asked.\n“Yeah, the cold snap makes my rheumatism flare up,” he said, patting his legs. “But I’m a tough old guy, and I’ll be fine. We got a new shipment coming today, care to give me a hand unloading when it arrives?”\n“No problem at all, just give a shout when it arrives,” Kirby said. “I’m just going to re-do the store front display in between customers. I had an idea on how to showcase the de-icer and shovels a little more attractively, if that’s okay with you?”\nBud waved a hand at her dismissively. “You’ve got a decorative touch this store’s never seen before, and customers like what you’ve done to the place. Have at it. You’ve got my blessing! Just don’t forget to stop working sometimes. You’re young and there’s a whole world out there beyond this hardware store, you know?”\n“Oh, I know,” she said. “For now, I’m content right here. Thanks again for the opportunity.” She never missed an opportunity to express her gratitude for a chance at a job. Bud had gone out on a limb for her, in essence flipping a middle finger at the von Stoup family, and she would not soon forget it.\nWith a “don’t mention it” grin, Bud walked back to the office and left Kirby to manage the store. On a cold stormy morning, business was likely to be slow and Kirby set about the task of rearranging some displays to pass the time.\nWinter time was a slow time in the store as not many people undertook home improvement projects until the spring. With the exception of emergency items – plungers, snow shovels, de-icer, and wood stove replacement parts – Bud’s store was mostly quiet, and that was how Kirby liked it. On most days, she worked around the store sweeping and tidying shelves until 10:30 or so,then stopped for a cup of coffee. If business was slow after that, she would open a book and read behind the cashier’s counter, setting down whatever romance novel or classic literature piece she was reading if a customer came in. After a bowl of soup from the café next door at lunch time, she passed the afternoon cleaning windows and bathrooms, chatting with Bud and helping with whatever he needed, and then tidying up her workspace for Evan before she left for the day.\nIt was all very routine, very peaceful, and very expected. Every day was the same. Though she loved the anonymity the store gave her, there were times when she felt lonely and wished she had someone to go home to and cook for and cuddle up with to watch the snow fall, but that was probably not in her cards, she had decided. The men in Breckenridge fell into two categories – those who had lived here forever, and would therefore remember her von Stoup run-in and stay as far away from her as possible, and the tourists who came for ski weekends and holidays and were only interested in one night stands. Her chances of meeting someone outside of those two categories were virtually non-existent and that, she figured, was why books existed. Books filled the void in her life, the loneliness, and the long hours when she wasn’t working, and allowed her to live a million lifetimes through the eyes of the characters she had come to adore. She talked to her parents and her sister on Sunday, and occasionally had coffee with Scarlet. What more did a girl need?\nAt 3pm after finishing unloading the day’s shipment with Bud, her phone buzzed in her pocket. There was only one person who texted her, so she knew already who it was.\nIt’s Thursday, Scarlet’s text message said.\nYeah? So? Kirby replied, just as cryptically.\nIt’s Ladies Night. Dollar wings and draft beer at Peggy’s tonight. You in?\nWhat? Are you kidding?\nNo. You need to get out more.\nPeggy’s Roadhouse was a local’s haunt off the beaten path and Kirby was pretty sure there was some sort of magic voodoo powder in those wings, because they were highly addictive. Still, everyone knew the purpose of Ladies Night at Peggy’s or anywhere else in the USA was to bring the ladies out, which would bring the men out as well. The idea of eating wings with Scarlet while getting hit on repeatedly by men slung over pool tables was not Kirby’s idea of fun. Plus, there would not be anywhere there who did not already know her and know of her fictitious drug, alcohol and eating disorders, thanks to the von Stoups.\nI’ll pass, thanks, Kirby texted back.\nYou say that every time I ask you out. I’m going to have to stop letting that slide. You’re turning into a hermit.\nNot a hermit. I’m just hibernating. I’ll come out in the spring, like the bears. I promise.\nScarlet was right. A week didn’t pass by that Kirby didn’t turn down some invitation or another from her long-time friend. Though Scarlet was understanding, even Kirby wondered how long she could keep the world at arm’s length. It had been over a year since the von Stoup smear campaign, and did she really think she could hide from the world forever?\n“You have to get back out there, Kirby,” Scarlet had said on more than one occasion. “When you hide away, you let them win. Get back out there. Get on with your life. Show them that their lies haven’t ruined your life.”\n“But they have,” Kirby had replied. “They have.”\nWhen she was honest with herself, Kirby could admit that she hid from the world not because she was afraid of meeting someone who knew the lies the von Stoups had spread about her, but because she was afraid of running into Trevor. She would not be able to look at him again without remembering all of the pain he had put her through, emotionally and physically, and she just did not feel strong enough to face him. Even a year later, he still called her from time to time, to taunt her, to tell her he missed her when he was drunk, and to tell her she was worthless when he was sober and angry. Every contact with him made her skin crawl. To see him in person when there was not the safety of only sound waves from her phone connecting them was a scenario she simply wasn’t ready for yet. And maybe she never would be.\n“Good night, Bud! See you tomorrow!” Kirby called towards the back of the store. She grabbed her coat, waved to Evan, and left the hardware store. The sun would be setting soon, by 5pm for sure, as it did in the winter, and she rushed to get home by way of the market and the library before darkness set in. Maybe I should get a cat or something. A goldfish. A hamster. At least then I’d have someone waiting for me at home. As darkness nestled in around her and the cold, long winter night awaited, Kirby felt the strongest twinge of loneliness she’d had in a long, long while. As she let herself into her condo and began preparing dinner for one, she wondered if she should have taken Scarlet up on Ladies Night after all. Maybe Scarlet was right. Maybe it was time to get back out there. Maybe it was.",
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      "title": "Return to Breckinridge - Romance Novel Chapter 1 of 9",
      "body": "Chapter 1 - Bottom of the Ninth, Bases Empty\n\nDave had been waiting for Duke’s phone call all morning. From the second he awoke in his king-size bed, alone, and settled onto the penthouse deck with a cup of coffee, he had kept his phone by his side. It remained silent.\nThe sun came up over downtown Indianapolis, glinting off of copper-colored buildings and streak-free office glass, and he had put on a pair of shades and continued to wait. By the time he finished taking a dip in the hot tub on the deck, spent a few minutes flipping through the newspaper and not focusing on a single word, and poured himself a third cup of coffee, his heart was starting to sink. He texted Duke: Any word yet? You’re killing me, man!\nDuke did not reply.\nDave showered, put on some running shorts, looked at his workout closet and tried to decide what footwear to select: there were cycling shoes if he was up for road-biking, trail shoes for running some off-road terrain, or his new Asics, if he was up for running a few miles on pavement through downtown. He tested his knee. It felt tight, but not as tight as yesterday.\n“You’re getting better and stronger. Every day, man, every day,” he said, encouraging himself, and slipped on his trail running shoes. He needed to get out of the city, breathe some air that wasn’t tainted with exhaust, and be alone with his thoughts.\nDuke still had not called.\nIn the elevator down from the penthouse, Dave picked away at an app on his iPhone and within seconds had ensured an UberX car was waiting for him on the street below. He climbed in the front seat and directed the driver to a trailhead by the river, on the outskirts of downtown. As they drove, he massaged his knee, willing the tissues to warm to his touch and relax. It had been six months since his knee surgery and he was healing nicely, but he was starting to get antsy and wanting to stretch it out on long runs more and more, to see how far it would take him. He didn’t have much time to waste with passive healing; spring training was a month away and he needed to be out there, sweating, working out his body, proving to himself and everyone else that he was strong enough – no, stronger than ever – and ready to play ball.\nThe driver dropped him off by the trailhead and Dave took off on the trail that led down to the river. The cold, gray Midwest air greeted him like an old friend, and he would miss it. Where would he be traded? What city would he call home by this time next week? He paced himself and was encouraged by how strong his legs felt, and as the miles ticked by, he tried to imagine his future. Who it will be? Houston? Denver? Minnesota? God, anyone but Kansas City, please!\nAnd then Duke called.\nBreathless, Dave slowed to a jog and moved to the edge of the trail. Even if he had not been expecting Duke’s call, he would have known it was him by the “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” ringtone he had downloaded for Duke’s number. Duke had been Dave’s agent for sixteen years, staying loyal and true and finding opportunities for Dave’s southpaw pitching arm all through the minor leagues, up through the majors, and into some of the best years of his career as a Chicago White Sox star pitcher. He had enjoyed escaping by private jet to the anonymity of nearby Indianapolis in the off-season, close enough to Chicago, but not too close, and Dave wondered where Duke was about to whisk him off to next.\n“Duke, it’s about time! I nearly ran half a marathon this morning trying to shake off this nervous energy! How is the draft going, what have you got cookin’, and where should I book a flight to? Where am I headed to next?!” He paused his questions finally and listened quietly for Duke’s reply.\n“It’s not good, man.”\n“Not good? Duke! You always make it good! Don’t let me down now!”\n“Dave, it’s not me this time. I can’t work a whole lot of magic for a sixteen-year veteran with a bum knee.”\n“Hey, hey, hey. You say ‘sixteen-year veteran’ like it’s a curse! It’s my best asset! I’m experienced! And everyone loves a southpaw! Duke, what gives?”\n“I’m just going to spit it out, Dave. We have always been up front with each other, and there’s no point being a pussy about this. The draft is done, man. You weren’t picked up. The best I could get you was a slot with a Triple A team…”\nDave interrupted him before he could finish. “A TRIPLE A TEAM? I’m not going back to the minors, Duke. That’s like telling a doctor he has to go back and repeat kindergarten. What the hell, man? I don’t get it! Why didn’t I get picked up?”\nDuke sighed audibly. “Look, man, I hate to have this convo on the phone, ya know? We should be bellied up to a bar and throwing back a few cold ones before we get into all this. But here we are. On the phone. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still working a few leads, but I hear what folks are saying about you. They’re saying you’re done. Your knee is a problem, your pitching arm is getting old, and the southpaw notoriety can’t overcome all of that. Best thing I can advise is, take a year off. Get strong again. Take a break. Coach little league if you need to get your ballpark fix. Let’s try again in a year.”\nDave hung up the phone. He didn’t have the stomach to discuss this news any longer. He didn’t know which was harder to hear: that there would be no big league spring training team waiting for him, that he was being encouraged to take a year off, or that there was a very real possibility that his baseball career was over.\nAn hour later, still sweaty from his run back to town, Dave took a seat at a local craft beer bar in his neighborhood. He intended to stay awhile. He ordered a double IPA from a local brewery, and let the strong taste of hops overpower him with its pungent and arresting bitterness. It matched his mood perfectly.\nHe had started pitching at the age of 6, after being bumped up to the 8-10 year old team from the t-ball team, thanks to the persistence of his father. It hadn’t stopped there. Year after year, his dad pushed the boundaries on his behalf, creating new opportunities where none seemed to exist before, and opening doors on competitive teams who insisted he was too big, too slow, and too left-handed to be any good. But his dad never gave up. And his mom, wow. She was an angel. Picking him up after practice, shuttling him to small towns for weekend games, washing his whites each night so they would be crisp and grass-stain free each morning… His parents had paved the way for him to have the baseball career he’d always dreamed of. It had paid off. After a short trip through the minors, he had been picked up by the Colorado Rockies and spent a record eight seasons picking off hitters one by one, leading his team to division titles and three post-season playoffs. And then he had gone to Chicago and had another great few years, until his knee started acting up.\nDuke’s news was debilitating because it was not what he expected to hear that day for starters, and because he had been four years old the last time he had started the spring season without a baseball team to play for. What do people do in the spring when they don’t have spring training?\nA few beers under his belt, he decided to ask the bartender this exact question. He didn’t look like a baseball player, so perhaps he would know the answer. Dave was a planner and a plotter by nature, and if he was going to be forced to sit out this spring, he was going to make damn sure he knew how to do it right.\n“What do people do in the… you know, in the spring?” he asked the bartender, a short man covered in tattoos.\n“Well, there’s gardening,” he said, eyeing Dave as if to assess how he was holding his liquor.\n“Screw gardening. What else is there?”\n“If you had a ranch, you could rope some cattle, or repair your barn after the snow melts, or go hiking, or…”\nThe voice offering suggestions came from behind him and he turned to find out who owned the melodious sound that was filling his ears. If she was anything as beautiful as her voice, he expected to find a beauty queen standing behind him.\nShe might as well have been.\nAll of five-feet-four-inches tall, the petite brunette with dark eyes and full, glossy, pink lips eyed him curiously. Dave was accustomed to getting hit on in bars, especially in Chicago where he had played the last few years after being traded from Denver, but not in Indianapolis, covered in sweat, where no one knew him.\n“I don’t have a ranch,” he said. “So, we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board. Buy you a beer while we brainstorm?”\nThe brown-haired beauty scooted onto a bar stool next to his, and she ordered a cranberry and soda with “a third of a shot” of vodka in it. The bartender eyed her curiously, and she waved her hands along the length of her body as if to demonstrate how tiny she was. “I’m a little drinker,” she said sweetly, to Dave, and then added, “and I like to stay clear-headed, so I can remember the experiences I have.”\nExperiences? What experiences is she going to have? Dave wondered. The wink and the squeeze of her hand on his thigh told him all he needed to know. The miniature Barbie had him in her sights. And he couldn’t say he minded. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman, and perhaps she was just the distraction he needed after the day’s news.\nHe turned his body on the stool so that he was facing her, letting the outside of his thigh move around the back of her stool to let her know she was the only person he was looking at. Part of the problem of being a major league ball player was that women assumed you were their pass into the media, their sugar daddy, their meal ticket, and they would happily be your arm candy in order to get those illusive fifteen seconds of fame. Dave had a strict rule about women during baseball season – he swore off of them completely. But now? He was headed into spring without a team, and maybe that meant it was time to occupy himself with a girlfriend while all the ballplayers were busy for a few months. Gillian, the brunette by his side, was adorable, too cute for words, and had a bubbly personality to match; he thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon of flirting and drinking and being the object of this beauty’s attention.\nHe extended a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. As he did, she placed her hand over his, moved his hand towards her mouth, and placed a lingering, sweet kiss on his palm. She ran her other hand over his thigh in slow, lazy circles that moved closer and closer towards the top of his leg. He felt himself growing hard with the anticipation of each circle of her little hand.\n“I have a place close by,” she said. “Looks like you’ve been out for a run. Would you care to come over and let me help you freshen up? I have a shower, you know…” she said coyly, smiling up at him beneath long lashes.\nHe stood then, paid their tab at the bar, and together, hand in hand, walked towards the entrance. He held the door for her and they stepped out into the late afternoon sun.\n“So, how did the draft go today, Big Dave? And do I get to find out for myself why they call you Big Dave?” Gillian asked as they walked towards her car.\nDave stopped in his tracks. Something wasn’t right. It was becoming more and more clear to him now that he was outside, in the light of day, looking at Gillian without the effect of a beer in his hand and the bar lights overhead.\nThey called her Gilly in the bull pen. An opportunist with a propensity for hard-bodied ball players, Gilly had worked her way through the starting line-up of the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple A affiliate of the Philadelphia Pirates. He had heard the rumors: she notched her bedpost with the jersey numbers of the ball players she brought there, and now it appeared Gilly was making her move into the big leagues, or so she thought. There hasn’t been a press release yet. She has no idea I didn’t get drafted.\nDave smiled down at her; the bartender’s strange glance at him as Dave had put a protective arm around Gilly at the bar now making sense. “They call me Big Dave because I outweigh most pitchers by fifty pounds, easy. There might be other reasons, too. But, I don’t think that’s information you’ll be finding out after all. Thanks for the company, Gilly the Gigolette.”\nHe left Gillian staring at him, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face, as he took off running down the street back to his penthouse. While he was not opposed to some female companionship, he just was not up for a girl who looked at him as a stepping stone into the major league’s publicity scene. Letting himself in, he grabbed a cold bottle of water and headed back out to his patio. He sat quietly, watching as the sun started sinking below the horizon. It had been an eventful day, full of events he wished he could forget.\nAs afternoon turned to evening, and evening turned to night, he sat on his deck and let the relaxation from the beers roll over him. He thought about his knee and wondered how to strengthen it in the coming year so he could play again. He thought about what he would do with himself in the coming months before baseball season started, and what he would do afterwards when he would not be able to turn on the TV without finding a baseball game. Money was not an issue and he didn’t need to work. The seasons of professional ball had left his bank account well-stocked, and then his parents had left him quite a bit of money as well when they passed away.\nHe thought about his mom and dad then, wishing they were around for him to talk to. Their only child, they had given him every advantage in life, and gave him a strong foundation for the career he’d enjoyed. Always, at every turn, they had been there to give advice when he asked for it. When they died unexpectedly, victims of a drunk driver, he had been crushed and had been feeling the weight of their absence ever since.\n“If Dad were here, what would he say? What advice would he give me?” Dave wondered, aloud.\nDave sat quietly, wishing he could hear his father’s voice, hoping that if he sat still enough, he just might. In that moment, the clouds parted and a few twinkling stars could be seen over the bright lights of Indianapolis, though most of them were faded out by the blaring lights of the city. His dad had loved the stars. Together they spent many nights peering through a telescope, catching glimpses of planets and constellations, and enjoying the crystal clear night air.\nOf course, there was nothing crystal clear about Indianapolis air. The air back home in Colorado had been though. In the hills above Breckenridge where he had grown up, the stars had been dazzling beacons. He remembered his dad’s words then.\n“Son, I’m going to tell you something important,” his father had said. “The stars will always guide you home. If you ever get to a spot where you’ve lost your way, just know that if you can get back to a place where you can see the night sky, see every star that twinkles back at you, the perspective you need will come. Stars are there to remind us of what’s important in life. When you can’t see ‘em, they’ve got no way to help you.”\nNone of that had seemed to make any sense when he was 19, itching to see the world and move to a bigger town, but it rang with truth for him now. The home he’d grown up in had been a modest A-frame on a large plot of land behind the ski resorts. It was quiet there, a creek ran through their property, and he had enjoyed the changing seasons in their pristine, mountain retreat. When his parents passed away, Dave had debated what to do with the property. By that time, he was living in Denver and enjoying the lifestyle of an up-and-coming sports icon, and didn’t make it back to Breckenridge often enough to feel justified keeping the place. When a local developer had offered to buy the property for three times what it was worth so that Breckenridge could groom some new ski slopes, Dave accepted without so much as a backward glance.\nBut now he missed the stars and he wondered what had become of his parents’ property. And somehow his dad had known he would someday. “If you ever get to a spot where you’ve lost your way,” he had said. I think I have, Dad. I think I have.\nIn the morning, Dave closed up his penthouse, packed a few bags, and took the first flight out of Indianapolis to Denver. He rented a car and began the drive west, into the mountains, towards home, to Breckenridge. He’d be able to see the stars there, he knew it. And somehow, the answers would come to him. His dad had promised they would.![rtb777.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ7zFBdVwxyv51fLtP51bcWJaWFovXiWhsY1wq8sJeeq3/rtb777.png)![rtb.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuAAV312Jr7GnntdK19gd5fC13PyDdSoVuGERUKY9qE/rtb.jpg)",
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