Read No Breaking My Heart for Free Online Page B

Garbage receptacles overflowed with opened and tossed letters. He’d barely been able to squeeze in. Walking anywhere but the perimeter had been impossible. The starting lineup had received a ton of mail. He saw his name posted on the back wall. He found his entries piled in a corner, reaching all the way to the ceiling, and spilling outside the emergency exit.
    He’d sucked in air. Felt as overwhelmed as Santa Claus at Christmas. Hemmed in, and claustrophobic, he’d dropped onto a metal folding chair. Untying a mailbag, he’d withdrawn a handful of letters. Opening each one, he’d skimmed the contents. Men and women, boys and girls of all ages had their hearts set on attending preseason. Each entry was well-written, the words hopeful, but none hit him on a gut level. He had no idea what he was looking for from his fans, but he wanted something beyond praise of his career and the mention of how cool he was.
    Three hours passed, and his eyes had crossed. He’d had enough. No winner. Straightening, he’d stretched, then left the room with every intention of returning the next day. Needless to say, his well-intentioned plans never materialized. He got distracted easily.
    A guys’ night out with five of his teammates landed him and his buddies at an after-hours men’s club. On the darker side of midnight, Halo had hooked up with one of the hostesses. The sex had been wild. Had lasted three days. She’d drained him.
    Shame on him, but he’d never gotten back to the mailroom. Despite that fact, a boy stood before him now, all wide-eyed with hero worship, believing that he’d won. In a roundabout way, Danny had saved his ass. The spring training event was the last thing on his mind when he’d arrived at the cottage. Yet he’d found his winner. The boy would get Jillian off his back. He went with it. A meant to be, if he believed in destiny.
    He figured the chicken was somewhere in the house. The boy would get Halo’s foot in the door. He extended his hand. “Congratulations, Danny.”
    The boy grasped Halo’s hand with both his own. His cast rubbed roughly against Halo’s wrist. “Thanks for picking me.”
    â€œThanks for writing a great letter.”
    Danny puffed out his chest. “What part did you like best?”
    â€œUh—” Pause. “It was all good.” That should satisfy the boy. He eyed the kid’s cast and changed the subject. “How’d you break your arm?”
    Danny’s smile slipped. His shoulders slumped. He sighed heavily. “I tried to save Quigley from getting hit by a car,” he said. “It was all my fault. I left the side gate open. Quigs escaped.”
    â€œQuigley?” Halo asked.
    â€œMy daughter’s dog,” Martha explained. “Danny was pet sitting. The pug ran into the street. Into traffic. Danny took off after him. A car rounded the corner before he could reach Quiggie.”
    â€œI wasn’t fast enough,” the boy confessed.
    Martha pressed a comforting hand to Danny’s shoulder. “The driver slammed on the brakes. Too late. There were injuries. Fortunately, Danny and Quigley are both recovering.”
    The boy and his mother looked expectantly at Halo, waiting for him to say something. Anything. “It took courage to chase after the dog,” he managed.
    â€œYou’d have done the same,” Danny said. “I know you would have.”
    How could the kid know that? Halo wondered.
    â€œMy son admires you,” Martha told him. “You’re his role model.”
    Role model . Halo didn’t stand well on a pedestal. He was far from perfect. But people saw what they would. He’d gotten by on his good looks and athletic ability for much of his life. He had flaws just like the next guy. And a few deep scars. He did have something in common with the kid, which he shared. “I broke my wrist and two fingers when I was your age.