Rekindled Read Online Free

long
dark hair blew in the wind and settled over the shoulders of a bright blue peacoat
he recognized as his sister's. Tight jeans showcased her trim legs. Her gaze
met his and a stab of desire flared to life. What was she doing at his job
site?
    An alert went off on his phone. He glanced at the text message on
the screen. Domingo Torres, outfielder for The Glendale Riptide and the batter
whose line-drive caused Adam's injury, had become a friend in the months since
the incident.
    Heard you received some invites for Spring Training. Looking
forward to seeing you out on the mound again, buddy.
    At thirty-two years old, this would likely be his last shot at
playing in the major league. The nagging concern of not being able to shake his
lack of control on the mound ate away at him, day after day. Rubbing the scar
on his eyebrow, Adam replied with a "thanks," then tucked the phone
in his pocket.
    A flash of blue outside the window caught his attention. Gemma
chatted with a few members of his crew as she handed out sandwiches.
    The bright blue color was the same shade as the bikini she'd worn
when they'd met at a polar plunge five years earlier. He'd immediately been
interested. They'd set their belongings near each other and chatted while
waiting for the plunge to begin. Their first date involved warming up with
coffee after the plunge. They'd participated in another plunge the following
winter, holding hands, wrapped in each other's arms. Warming up after that one
included a steamy shower for two at his apartment.
    Stop . He didn't need those thoughts seeping into his head.
    He turned away from the window and sidestepped tools and crew
members as he made his way through the rooms. Several members of the Hunter's
Peak Trappers, the town's minor league baseball team and the same team that had
given Adam his start, made up part of his crew. Minor league salaries fell far
below their major league counterparts. He couldn't think of a single player or
manager who didn't have a second job in the off-season. The fact that Hudson
Contractors was able to employ them was a source of pride for him and his
father.
    Adam called out to Connor Muldoon, centerfielder for the Trappers
and the hardest-working member of his crew. "Up for some batting practice
after work today?"
    "Sounds good." His friend took off his work gloves and
followed him.
    Adam owed Connor for trying to help him through his slump.
Pitching sessions with him showed he hadn't lost his velocity. If he could
overcome his mental block and stop throwing wild pitches, he might stand a shot
at regaining his place on a team.
    They stepped through the front door. Cold air stung exposed skin
and chilled the sweat worked up over a full morning of manual labor. The tails
of his thermal-lined flannel jacket kicked up in the wind. Gemma stood at the
table, handing out sandwiches. The tip of her nose had turned pink. Dark hair
spilled out from underneath a white knit hat. Silky strands danced around her
face and tempted him with the memory of how they’d felt sliding through his
fingers.
    Connor's voice turned into a buzzing in his ear. He shook his head
and forced his concentration back on his buddy. “Sorry. What?”
    "I thought of a way to streamline the order system. Mind if I
run it by your sister when I get back to the office?"
    "Anything to speed up the paperwork would be great. Jocelyn's
head is swimming with the amount we have now."
    "Cool. I'll talk to her." He looked at the lunch table
and grinned. "Lunch looks great today."
    Adam's jaw clenched. Connor had better not be looking at Gemma. He
turned to face his friend. Connor's eyes were stuck, gleaming, on the array of
food covering the table. Relief flowed fast. He relaxed his muscles. And then
his gaze locked on a pair of violet eyes fringed by thick lashes. Those eyes
haunted him. He saw them every time he closed his own.
    As if caught under a spell, he crossed to her. Beautiful didn't
begin to describe her. Exotic,