The Sweet Spot - Strike Zone Series Book 1

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

      As promised Molly ordered flowers for Kayleigh the next day and I was informed immediately when the flowers were refused. I had no choice but to go in myself to find out why. That's when I learned she no longer works there.
     "What do you mean she doesn't work there? I just saw her there yesterday!" Dread and a little panic fluttered in my stomach.
     "She was let go yesterday. Is there something I can help you with?" The receptionist asked.
     Molly is going to kill me. "Do you have her phone number or address you can give me?"
      "I'm not allowed to give out that information, sir. Would you like to talk to my manager?" I could tell she didn't want this call to go up the ladder. The last thing I want to do is deal with that pushy woman.
      Rubbing my forehead feeling a headache coming on. I close my eyes, squeezing the bridge of my nose. "No, I'll figure something out."
      Now, I really feel like a jerk. I remember her saying she had just moved here and had just started working at the medical office. I remember the look on her face and the managers when I yelled at her. I remember the look of defeat on her face when she went back to her boss's office, and I remember what she looked like walking down the street. I couldn't forget about it. Every time I close my eyes, I see her.
     That's the thing. I have a horrible temper, but I've also got a conscience that reminds me of what I've done and doesn't let up until I know I'm forgiven. I've been dreaming of her for a week. It's like I'm my own Jiminy Cricket with my conscience nagging me. It sucks but I do feel better after I've fixed what I've done. Without Kayleigh there, I'm not able to apologize. I feel like shit. I'm seriously thinking that my outburst got her fired that day. That really doesn't make me feel good about myself.
     Having just finished up my pre op appointment, I start to head out when I see the same manager in the hall. What the hell is her name? Gina, Ginger?
     "Excuse me! Excuse me, can you answer a question for me...?"  I call out to her, hoping she doesn't realize I don't remember her name.
     "Cheyenne." Ooh, way off!
      Her voice is sickeningly sweet as she strolls towards me, hips rolling side to side, chest pushed out and perked up for me to view. She's trying way too hard for me. "How can I help you, Mr. Segler? Would you like the same as last time?"
     Uh, that's a hell no! She remembers me too well.
     I have to keep this professional, I can already see this is gonna be a problem. "I'm looking for a girl I ran into last time I was in. Blonde hair, small, pretty? She was new here. I bumped into her and spilled her coffee. I think she works the front desk."
      The way her lips curled up and looks like she smells a pair of old sweaty gym socks tells me Kayleigh's dismissal was her doing. She lifts her chin and looks snobily down her nose, as if she's better than her employees.
     "She's no longer employed here." Cheyenne says disgustedly and crosses her arms over her chest. "I heard you when that klutz dumped her coffee on you. You were rightfully upset with her and I couldn't see keeping her on when she upset you so much. I had to fix the problem for you. We want to maintain our professional relationship with you, and your team, of course. We couldn't allow her behavior to continue."
     It was my fault. Me, my big mouth and nasty temper did this. She did get canned that day. Shit! "I think there's been a mistake. She didn't do anything wrong. What happened was on me." Cheyenne only smirks, shaking her head at me. She's not gonna fix this. "Do you have a phone number I could reach her? It's important."
     The anger flashes in Cheyenne's eyes, then is quickly masked. "I'm not allowed to give that out. Besides, Nate, you don't want to bother with someone like her. She's so below you. You know I can help you with whatever you need."
      Oh no, not good. This woman is the last thing I need. I can see her talons coming out as she steps closer. Yeah, that's not happening. I know her type. She wants to land an athlete to fund her lifestyle. She's the kind that doesn't want love, but money. She is the kind that thinks she's better than every other female out there. She wants to land the richest guy and burn as fast as she can through his bank account. I've met my share of women just like her and I made my mistakes, but I've learned how to spot them now.
      "I don't think so. I should get back to my sister in the waiting room. We have to be somewhere to go." I turn around and start heading down the hall. I'm getting better on these crutches. I'm faster than I was a week ago and my control is now much better. I wish I moved this well earlier, then I wouldn't have cost Kayleigh her job. I've been a jerk before, but I've never cost someone their job. That makes me responsible.
      "Wait! You're the one that sent the flowers!" She yells accusingly. Yeah, she is really pissed off. I pause but don't turn around to acknowledge the comment and keep going. I knew giving her anymore ammunition at Kayleigh wouldn't be a good thing. Not that she would ever give Kayleigh her job back. That's going to stick with me for a while. I need to find her.
     I head out to Dillon and Molly, who are patiently waiting for me. I guess they're both surprised by the fact that I'm not screaming at anyone and moving as fast as I am. I don't bother to set up the surgery appointment but will call in. I don't want to wait around and get stuck talking to Cheyenne any longer than I have. I need to get Dillon to help me find the mystery girl.
     "Let's go!" I say, blowing past them to the door. "Come on! Stuff to do, people to see."
     They take their time getting to their feet and we head to the elevator, when I hear fast footsteps behind us. "Mr. Segler? You forgot your prescription and a note from the office manager for you."
      I frown, nodding as I take both from her as we get in to leave. I wait until the doors close before I look at what was handed to me. One is a prescription for pain medication and the other is an address and time scribbled on it. Wow! She really didn't take that hint. I hand Molly the prescription and crumble up the other. As soon as the door opens to the ground floor, I toss it in the trash can right outside the elevator. My mind is set. I'm finding Kayleigh and apologizing.
     "Store first! I'm running low, Mol." Dillon announces, crawling into the backseat of her small sedan. As I wait to get in, I once again see the beater car of Kayleigh's still sitting in the lot. She still hasn't gotten it fixed?  it's been a couple weeks now. "Can't let this body go to waste. Speaking of waste, what's the deal with wasting that date tonight, dude? You got plans?"
     "Nope! Just don't want the chick that gave me it." I informed him. "Hey, I need your help tonight, Dil. I need to find someone. You remember the girl we took home last week?"
     "The beater chick? Yeah, why?" Dillon asks as we pull out of the lot, turning right on to PCH.
      "I need to find her." I say, looking where we're heading. We pass Harbor and I see the condo complex where we dropped her off. I look around the building and along the beach. She's around somewhere. I just don't know where. Hopefully, I'm not too late to apologize.
      We park in the grocery store lot and stroll in. Dillon grabs a cart while Molly goes straight back to the Pharmacy to get them working on my prescription. I'm still looking around for her. I bet she shops here. It's close enough to her place, she could walk.
     "Where are you?" I mutter to myself, getting Dillon to look over his shoulder at me.
     "This is really bugging you isn't it?" I'm not one who normally lets things eat at me. I don't usually have a lot of guilt that unsettles me. But costing someone their job, someone who obviously needs that job, yeah, it's driving me nuts.
     "Did she hit you as someone who could afford to be out of work?" I quiz Dillon for his opinion.
     "She drives a piece of shit. She wasn't wearing fancy clothes, she didn't have those long ugly claws for fingernails and her hair was natural, not from a bottle. She was polite and almost scared of us. She didn't even know who we were, that I would have noticed. She wasn't exactly what I would have called high maintenance. None of that tells me she can go without a decent job." Nodding, I agree with everything he said.
     "I cost her that job. She said she just started there. I gotta make this right, D. I don't like thinking I put her out on the street." I'm not the nicest guy around but I've got a conscience.
     "It's gonna take twenty minutes. Do you need anything while we're here?" Molly asks, walking away from the pharmacy and over to us as we wait for my prescription.
     I don't like taking medicine. I hate it, actually. Everyone is always scrutinizing athletes about what goes into their bodies, what we eat, drink and any medicine we take. I know sometimes it's necessary, but it's not for me. I'll deal with the pain before I take anything. It's one of the reasons Molly shops for Dillon and I. No one really knows her. She can buy Dillon his Cocoa Puffs and get me my Red Vines without a reporter posting it on the national news.
     "Yeah. Grains, greens and strings." I tell her, making her laugh. She knows my codes for my junk fest. Grains means Mac and cheese, greens means Heineken, my favorite beer, and strings are my Red Vines. All three are near and dear to my heart.
     "Feeling stressed are we? Don't mix those greens with your meds." Molly warns as we start strolling through the aisles. Dillon gets his stuff as we head down the cereal aisle. That's when I see my blonde standing there looking at the big bags of generic cereal.
      My luck may have just changed my way. Quickening my steps, I leave Molly with Dillon at the Cocoa Puffs and get about halfway down the aisle before I stop. Remembering how shy she seemed, I slowed down like I would approach a hurt animal.
      "Kayleigh?" I call out to her, wondering if my luck could really be that good today.