Chapter 16
16
No matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
Faraaz Kazi
A fter a night of tossing and turning in the barn, Teddy made his way downstairs to fill buckets of grain for the horses at 5:15 a.m., and they already had grain. He entered the chicken coop to gather eggs; either they’d not laid any or someone already collected them. The pigs had empty slop troughs and fresh water. New hay lined the cows’ open-front shed.
Did she stay up all night?
Surprised to find it unlocked, Teddy opened the kitchen door with apprehension.
Baylin stood at the sink washing a mug. She looked up when he walked inside, and Teddy had his answer; dark circles under puffy, red-rimmed eyes sent a jagged stab of regret through his gut.
“Good—” he began.
“Jax asked me to tell you that your car is ready,” she interrupted.
The knife twisted.
Teddy had spent the week telling Baylin all about Boxy, far beyond anything she’d been interested to hear. He’d shared his worries that the treasured car would never be the same. He’d been on pins and needles waiting for word from the garage.
In that moment, Teddy couldn’t have cared less that Jax had finished working on her.
“Oh, that’s great.” His attempt at enthusiasm flopped.
“I need to leave by seven; if you can be ready by then, I’ll drop you off at his shop on my way.”
“I’m ready now,” Teddy said.
“Great.” Her great sounded even bleaker than his earlier one.
Teddy opened his mouth to ask how he could help, but she brushed past him.
He couldn’t blame her… She felt blindsided.
But at the same time, he’d never lied, never meant to hide who he was. In fact, they’d done nothing but talk as they worked together every minute of the past week. And while the specifics of his upbringing and his job never came up in conversation, Baylin probably knew Teddy and his personality better than anyone else on earth.
“I thought you knew,” he called after her.
She halted.
“I told you my name,” Teddy added, catching up to her in the hallway. “That first night.”
She spun around to face him, anger glowing in her eyes.
“And I should’ve just known your name?”
“Well, I am kinda famous,” he said with an innocent shrug.
That defense failed; her fury escalated.
“Didn’t you google me? Isn’t that the reasonable thing to do before letting a stranger stay with you?”
“In the barn,” she emphasized. “And no, I didn’t. You seemed trustworthy. And harmless. You seemed like a good guy.”
“I am a good guy,” he countered.
“Oh no,” she said in a voice teetering on hysterical. “I’ve done my research now…rich and famous, celebrity playboy, a girl at every major league stadium in America!”
“Playboy isn’t quite right, and the girlfriend part is a huge exaggeration.”
That didn’t help the situation, either.
Baylin spun back around, took a step into the pantry, and slammed the door in his face.
Yikes.
He stayed put, leaning against the wall, listening to her shuffle boxes and bins.
When she opened the door to find him there, a frown creased her beautiful face.
“I don’t need your help,” she informed him, although the crate she carried looked to weigh as much as she did.
“Too bad,” he replied, taking the crate from her whether she liked it or not. “You’ve got it.”
They loaded the truck with items to replenish what she’d sold from her booth and drove into town without a word.
“Go straight to the Conrad Hotel,” he ordered when she put on her blinker to turn down Main Street toward Jax Fielding’s garage. “Please,” he tacked on, trying for a gentler tone. Man, could she push his buttons.
Teddy carried the heaviest tubs and crates from the truck to Baylin’s booth, but word had spread: Teddy Gwenn has come to town. Every few steps, someone stopped to meet him, show him their baseball card collection, ask for an autograph, or take a selfie.
When the expo hall opened to the public, things got exponentially worse.
“Do you mind taking your entourage elsewhere?” Baylin asked, when shoppers couldn’t get past his fans to see her displays.
He did as she asked, guiding the group around him to the middle of the exhibit hall, where there was open space.
But he wasn’t happy about it.
As a boy, Teddy vowed that if he ever made it to the bigs, he’d always be friendly and kind…no matter how tired he was, no matter the score, and no matter how much he needed to be somewhere else. He’d developed a reputation for being accessible and approachable, arriving early to batting practice and staying late after a game. The people who supported him deserved that. But that day —the entire day — the constant flow of people tested his patience. He wanted and needed to be by Baylin’s side.
She, too, had a steady stream of people stopping by her booth. Even with two high schoolers there to ring up purchases for her, Baylin worked straight through lunch. He’d kept an eye on her across the room, and she hadn’t slowed or sat down at all.
Midafternoon, Teddy extricated himself long enough to visit Anita’s setup in the refreshment room.
“How ya doing?” he asked her.
“Better than you, I hear,” she answered. “But congratulations on the game last night.”
Salt in the wound.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “Thanks.”
Anita laughed at him in reply.
“She’ll come around,” she said.
“You think so?” A twinge of hope tugged at his chest.
“I do,” she affirmed. “Baylin’s had some tough surprises in her life. Your identity?—”
“I never hid—” he interrupted to defend himself. Not defend…explain.
Anita didn’t wait to hear his justification.
“Your full identity,” she continued, speaking over him, “snuck up on her. And if I know Baylin —at least in her mind — it proved she shouldn’t have risked falling for you.”
“But my playing baseball doesn’t change how I feel, not about her.”
“Maybe not,” she said. “But it changes how things progress, how they develop and grow between you. She gave up any ideas she had about leaving Green Hills when she agreed to take on the farm. Your life is the extreme opposite. You might not see that as a roadblock, but Baylin will.”
“You think she’s falling for me?” he asked with the first genuine smile he’d had since the day before.
“Yes, you big dork. She likes you!” Anita shook her head. “Now buy something… I have this new investor, and he expects a profitable return on his money.”
Loaded up with two boxes of assorted pastries and a drink holder full of coffees and teas, Teddy made it through the crowd and back to Baylin’s booth without too much hassle. Perhaps that was the trick…don’t have hands available for shaking or signing.
She still wouldn’t stop to talk to him, but she did say thank you for the coffee, and when she took a sip, Baylin’s countenance relaxed, albeit an infinitesimal amount.
Since she wasn’t ready to forget or forgive quite yet, Teddy decided he’d find a way to pick up Boxy.
That prospect, paired with Anita’s assurance that Baylin would get over being mad at him — eventually — put a spring in Teddy’s step.
He’d just walked outside and pulled out his phone, hoping to use a ride share app, when a truck pulled up beside him.
Rhys Larsen lowered his window. “Need a lift?” he asked.
“I think so,” Teddy answered. “I can’t seem to find a car service.”
“Not here in Green Hills,” Rhys laughed. “Where ya headed?”
“Fielding’s Gas mind if I make a couple of stops along the way? My fiancée handed off her errand list so she could shop at the festival.”
“I’m happy to tag along, if you don’t mind company.” Teddy walked around the the truck and climbed in. “Fiancée, huh? When’s the big day?”
“Next month; we leave for Scotland in a couple weeks…feels like I’ve been waiting all my life to make Maree my wife.”
“The fabric designer?” Teddy asked.
“She’s the one,” Rhys confirmed, adoration heavy in every word and painted all over his face.
“Baylin mentioned her work, said it’s incredible.”
“Maree’s a rare talent,” Rhys bragged. “She’s also an unbelievable cook.”
“Okay,” Teddy said with a nod. “That sounds good for you…”
“And for you, too.” Rhys insinuated something, but Teddy didn’t follow. “Here, take a look…”
He handed over a sheet of paper. Teddy skimmed the list written on it: two sirloin steaks, one yellow onion, two-pound bag baby potato medley, small sweet potato, spinach, orange bell pepper, yellow squash, 8-ounce sliced Bella mushrooms, medium cucumber, fresh carrots, one pomegranate, pine nuts, three or four apples (assorted types) , and on, and on.
“Looks delicious! Y’all have a special dinner planned?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Rhys hedged, pulling into the Get’n’Go parking lot. “Let’s get your groceries.”
“Excuse me? My groceries?” Teddy hustled to catch up to Rhys.
He’d already snagged a basket and selected an onion.
“Did you say my groceries? ”
“I did,” Rhys confirmed.
“Was your offer to give a ride random?”
“ There is no such thing as a coincidence, ” Rhys said with a chuckle.
“Are you quoting NCIS? ”
“Yep, Gibbs’s rule number 9.”
“I’m scared that you know the rules and the numbers,” Teddy commented. His eyebrows wrinkled as he considered that fact, as well as Rhys’s admission that he’d been set up.
I’m being set up. On a date.
“What’s going on?” Teddy demanded, stepping in the grocery cart’s path.
“Word on the street is that you, my friend, are in the doghouse. The Busy Bees’ Quilt Guild seems to think you need a helping hand digging out.”
“I didn’t?—”
“Doesn’t matter,” Rhys interrupted him, pushing the basket around Teddy with a pat on his shoulder. “They have a hunch you’re a good thing in Baylin’s life, and all they care about is her happiness. Even if nothing comes from your friendship ,” he hesitated at the word, “…they don’t enjoy seeing her sad, not for any reason.”
“I want to be a good thing; I want to be in her life,” Teddy admitted, deep in thought.
“Maree’s going to meet you at Baylin’s farmhouse, so she can cook you a dinner to dazzle. Janie Lyn’s in charge of getting Baylin home for dinner. Landry — that’s Davis’s girlfriend and Maree’s best friend — is closing up the O’Casey Farm booth tonight. And Miss Sadie’s going to soften Baylin’s heart a little so she’ll be willing to sit through dinner with you.”
“I wish you didn’t make that last bit sound like the hardest part,” Teddy said with chagrin.
“Baylin’s got a sweet nature; I’m sure she wants to forgive you. But her feelings are hurt, which means her pride is bruised. Sometimes, setting aside our ego is the biggest obstacle.”
“I pray this dinner plan works.”
“We all are,” Rhys said. “I’ve been there; I almost lost Maree. Take all the help and prayers you can get,” he commiserated. “Do whatever it takes to see if she’s the one.”
“Am I too late for Larsen Love Therapy?” Daniel Davis asked from across the produce department.
“Ha ha,” Rhys mocked. “You didn’t seem to mind my help last year when you had to convince Landry you were worth taking a chance on love.”
“That’s a true statement,” Davis confessed. “Jax said he tried calling, but neither of you answered. He needs to lock up the shop early. I’m here to steal Teddy and get him over there before Jax closes for the weekend.”
Did everyone in Green Hills know his whereabouts and shortcomings?
On one hand, everyone’s knowledge and interference in his life startled and disturbed Teddy. On the other hand, he connected with, respected, and appreciated the community’s wish to help. He admired the way they wanted to be there for Baylin, and even for Teddy…a virtual stranger.
He thought a lot about that as he drove Boxy to the farm. Teddy decided the pros outweighed the cons. He was all-in with making this dinner a big success for both Baylin and himself.
A win-win.
He couldn’t be happy if Baylin wasn’t; he couldn’t claim a victory if she couldn’t, too.
And he had faith.