“I’m paid to make sure you’re ready. Both Yank and Micki agreed we had no choice.”
His cell phone rang and he grabbed it from his pants pocket.
“Who is it?” Amy asked before he could take the call.
He glanced at the screen. “My brother.”
Taking him off guard, Amy reached out and swiped the phone from his hand. In an instant, she opened the window and threw the device into thin air.
“What the hell?”
Amy’s heart raced a mile a minute. She truly couldn’t blame him for being angry. But with the act of throwing his phone out, her heart pumped faster and more furiously in her chest. She’d scared herself while his face flushed red with anger.
“The Hot Zone will replace it,” she said, repeating what Micki had told her last night when she’d called to support Amy and her plan.
They agreed that given the chance, Roper would use his phone to call and check on his family or let them know where he was. Both women were convinced, though, that once he had the opportunity to unwind and he saw how focused he could be on his career, he’d willingly go along with their plan.
“I don’t believe this.” He ran a hand through his hair.
“Believe it.” Amy turned back toward the window, intending to ignore him.
Reverse psychology. She couldn’t think of another way to work around Roper’s anger. She curled her hands into fists and looked out the window, not really seeing the passing scenery.
“What’s going to stop me from picking up a phone at the lodge and calling someone to come get me?” he asked.
“Nothing except your own common sense. I’m counting on the fact that you want to get healthy enough that you’ll give this experiment a chance. See what relaxing without pressure does for your frame of mind.”
He’d soon discover that his suite had been stripped of a telephone and the staff had been instructed not to give him access to either the house phone or anyone’s personal cell phone. He could definitely find a way to leave or call home if he was downright determined, but it wouldn’t be easy. And Amy hoped that by the time he found the means, he’d no longer have the desire.
She drew a deep, calming breath. “I’m betting that after a few days, you’ll be thanking me for this.”
“Not likely,” he muttered.
“You don’t need to worry about your family,” she reassured him. “Micki is making herself personally available to them for any emergencies. You trust Micki to handle them, don’t you?”
He didn’t reply. Instead he shifted in the seat beside her and exhaled hard. Reverse psychology, Amy reminded herself, pushing aside the gnawing guilt.
Then she followed his lead and ignored him for the rest of the long car ride upstate.
A WOMAN WHO INTRODUCED herself as Lisa, the assistant manager, escorted Roper to his private suite. He wasn’t surprised to see he had a dresser and closet full of his favorite brand of workout clothes, T-shirts and a note assuring him anything else he needed would be provided by the concierge-whom he had to walk downstairs to reach since he had no phone in his room.
The suite had a fully stocked kitchen, including a refrigerator and pantry, along with a set of dishes and utensils for him to use. A quick glance told him the coffeemaker was state-of-the-art and his favorite flavored beans were sitting beside the appliance along with a note.
Relax and enjoy. You need it and so does your career. Courtesy of Athletes Only and the Hot Zone.
On the nightstand, there was a list of restaurants on the premises, a room service card and a printed schedule of activities specifically put together for him. From the daily physical-therapy appointment to the orthopedist on call if there were any problems, to the gym hours and scheduled masseuse, every one of his needs had been taken care of. Despite the fact that it was already past lunchtime, even today had been booked. He had a full afternoon of rehab and relaxation waiting for him.
Obviously he could find someone with a cell phone or grab a ride to town and use a phone, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the niggling feeling in the back of his mind that Amy had a point.
Though at the moment he was loathe to give Amy credit for anything.
AMY LEFT HER SUITCASE OPEN on the bed and pulled out a swimsuit. She hadn’t had a real swim since leaving Florida, not that she considered an over-chlorinated indoor pool the equivalent of what she was used to, but she’d have to make do. She had a lot of frustration and, yes, guilt, to work out and she knew no better way than a swim.
She changed and headed for the spa and gym area where the pool was located, deciding to leave her captive to his own devices for a while. And since it was winter, and most of the guests were skiing, she had the pool to herself.
She dove in and swam laps, taking the length of the pool with the crawl stroke she’d perfected as a teenager living down south. She made her way through the water, up one end and back down the other, over and over until exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. Satisfied she’d burned calories, as well as nervous, excess energy, she drew herself up and out of the pool.
But she wasn’t ready to head back to her room just yet, so she settled on a chair and relaxed, planning to wander the area and get familiar with the other amenities before going back up to shower and face Roper’s anger over dinner.
As it turned out, he didn’t show up for the reservation she’d booked at one of the lodge’s most exclusive restaurants, nor did she see him for the next three days. She kept track of him via the staff and by checking up on him with the physical therapist and others around the resort, so she knew he hadn’t escaped her so-called prison. She caught glimpses of him wandering the grounds or working out in the gym, but she left him to his own devices, grateful he hadn’t attempted to borrow a phone or hitch a ride home.
She had to admit she was impressed. Even if she was growing increasingly upset and frustrated by his refusal to talk to her at all.
THREE DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE Roper arrived at the lodge. He’d relaxed for the first time in ages, though it had taken a while. He had no idea unwinding from the reality of life could take so long or be so difficult. Hell, he hadn’t even realized how physically and emotionally taxed he’d been until his first massage.
At first, being out of touch from his family had been difficult. He’d worried constantly about his mother and how she was dealing with Harrison Smith. He wondered how many expenses she’d incurred without his sister’s permission in planning the huge wedding. He didn’t worry much about Ben, since without money, his brother was unlikely to get into too much trouble.
After a while, though, a funny thing happened. He stopped thinking about his family’s problems and he started focusing on himself. Not on the negative things, like not returning in time for spring training, but on what he could do to work harder and smarter in order to get back to the game he loved. Without his time being divided, he started to get into the routine set up for him, and he began to see how distracted he’d been before. How much he’d needed this escape.
How right Amy had been.
At first he’d deliberately avoided her, missing planned meals out of spite, wanting to make a point that he might have chosen to stay here but he was still in charge. He justified his actions by telling himself that he was just doing as she’d instructed, thinking only of himself for a change. Which he was. Yet he’d catch her watching him through the gym windows or eating with some of the guests she’d obviously met during her time there. He knew she was giving him space just as he knew he was being childish by avoiding her.
He waited for her at lunch at her normal time. When she didn’t show up, he asked Lisa about her. The woman told him Amy wasn’t feeling well. She was laid up with a cold and said she’d be in her room if he needed anything. He didn’t need anything, he was just starting to miss her.