Strike Out by Cheryl Douglas Read Free Book Online Page A

personal safety. As soon as his parents’ backs are turned, he makes a run for the front door.”
    “Really?” Zach’s brows knit together. “That must be stressful for the parents.”
    “You have no idea. They’ve tried different locks, but nothing works.”
    “How much do they need for the dog?” Zach asked.
    “Fifteen thousand dollars.” All of the men were listening intently. She could tell they weren’t nearly as self-absorbed as some of the successful entrepreneurs she’d met. They would be happy to donate to her cause, but not before she’d established how it could help them.
    “Consider it done,” Zach said.
    “What?” Rennie’s heart hammered. Surely he hadn’t said what she thought he’d said. The Zach she knew back in high school and college would have given the shirt off his back to a stranger in need, but she thought that becoming a professional athlete had changed him.
    “Just tell me who to make the check payable to. I’ll drop it by your office later today.”
    “But you can’t…” Rennie struggled to think of a plausible reason why he couldn’t do that. The only reason she could think of was that it would change her view of him. Of course, maybe that was his angle. He was trying to score points with her by throwing his money around. Well, it wouldn’t work. “Sheldon’s parents are very proud people. When I suggested a fundraiser, they shied away from the idea, but they’re desperate. They’re tapped out financially; they live on a busy street and can’t afford to move.” She struggled with how much she should tell them. “It’s gotten so bad they’re sleeping in shifts because he’s started sneaking out of his bed at night and heading straight for the front door.”
    Jaxon covered his mouth with his hand. “I can’t imagine what that must be like for them.”
    “It’s brutal,” Rennie agreed. Her heart went out to them. Sheldon was their only child, the light of their life—much like Tyler was the center of her world. “I really want to help them.”
    “But you won’t accept my money?” Zach asked, a muscle in his jaw flexing. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
    “I told you, they’re very proud people,” Rennie said softly, touching his arm before she realized what she was doing.
    His eyes fell to her hand. He looked up, drawing her in with the dark gaze that used to be able to hold her captive for hours… in bed. “Fine, if you won’t let me give them the money, at least let us host the event. I’ll donate whatever you need as far as tickets or signed jerseys. I’ll get my teammates to come together and help out too.”
    Rennie was overwhelmed with gratitude, which she knew was dangerous. She didn’t want to be indebted to him, but she couldn’t afford to reject his offer. Sheldon’s family needed help, and no matter the reason, Zach seemed more than willing to provide it.
    “Not that anyone asked my opinion,” Matt cut in, glaring at Zach, “but I think it’s a great idea. We’ll have an auction and notify the press. It’ll be good for business, not to mention fun. You can’t beat that.”
    “No, you can’t,” Zach said, smiling at Rennie.
    She really tried to resist the urge to smile back, but her twitching lips had other ideas.
     
    ***
     
    Zach knew he was venturing into a fool’s territory with Rennie. She was like a drug. The more time he spent with her, the longer he wanted to prolong the experience. The initial tension and awkwardness faded away when he convinced her to join him for a cocktail, and the rest of their lunch had felt natural. Like two old friends reconnecting after a long period of separation. Billy Joel’s “Italian Restaurant” played over the drone of the lunch crowd, making him smile.
    “What are you smiling about?” she asked, bringing her wine glass to her lips.
    “I was thinking about how much you used to love Billy Joel.” He smiled. “Did you ever see him in concert?”
    “As a matter of fact, I