One way or another. And then he'd decide what to do about Celia. And his account.

When the game ended after the visiting team failed to score the necessary runs to overtake the Tide in the ninth inning, Celia stood, her cheeks flush with excitement.


'We're going to have an awesome season. I just know it!"

He stood beside her unsure of what would happen now. Nothing had gone the way he'd anticipated.

Sure enough, she grabbed his hand and began pulling him toward the exit. 'Come on," she said.


But they didn't leave the stadium. Instead they went down to a restricted area, where Celia flashed a pass he hadn't seen up to this point. He shouldn't be surprised. But when they stopped outside the players' locker room, he was.

They waited a good while. Several members of the press came and went. Finally one of the players stuck his head out the door, looked up and down and then his eyes brightened when he saw Celia. Evan was a little starstruck. It was the Tide's catcher, Chris Davies. He was a veritable legend in baseball, and it was rumored this would be his last year before he retired.


'Cece! You should have just come on in. Noah got held up by an interview, but he wanted you to come on back."

Celia walked over and gave the catcher a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. 'Good game, Chris. You're looking as awesome as ever."

The big man actually blushed. He glanced up at Evan, and Evan was convinced the guy scowled at him.

'Oh, Chris, this is Evan Reese. Evan, this is Chris Davies, the Tide's star catcher." 'Yes, I'm well aware," Evan said. 'Great game. I've watched you a lot of years." 'You Evan Reese who makes the sportswear?" Chris asked.

Evan nodded.

'Cool. You two come on back. Noah should be done by now."

Despite his wealth and position, Evan couldn't control the incredible rush of walking into the Tide's locker room. It was every little boy's dream. It was why he'd gone into the business he had. He loved sports, and he was as in awe of the big dream as any other kid out there who loved sports.

Several players stopped Celia for a quick hug and a kiss. Some ruffled her hair and she gave them affectionate pats in return.

'Cece! There you are."

Evan looked up to see Noah barreling his way through a crowd of people. The next thing he knew, he had Celia in a giant bear hug, swinging her around in a circle.

Evan watched, his irritation growing more with each passing second.

Finally Noah put her down.

'Hey, did you see? Fantastic hit, wasn't it?"

Celia smiled broadly at the other man and her affection for him was obvious. A fact that made Evan even grumpier. Endorsement or not, he was ready to deck the star right in the jaw.

'I saw, of course. You were awesome as always."

'Hey, I need to get a quick shower. You two can wait for me over there," he said, gesturing toward a sitting area that was removed from the chaos of the open locker room. 'I won't be long."

Celia kissed his cheek. 'We'll be there. Take your time."

Noah ruffled her hair affectionately and loped off toward the showers.

Evan opened his mouth to ask but then shook his head. He'd wait. This had to be worth the price of admission.

Celia led him into the adjoining room and sat on one of the leather couches.

'This is usually reserved for coaches and their families," she said when he sat down in one of the chairs across from her. 'None of the press or players will come in here."

'You know I have a hundred questions, Cece," he said drily.

She flushed a little guiltily. 'Okay, so maybe I'm guilty of wanting to watch you experience everything firsthand. I mean I could have warned you but that wouldn't have been any fun."

He raised an eyebrow. 'The only question I want answered right now is whether you're involved with Noah Hart."

He watched her eyes go wide in shock. Her mouth fell open, and he knew in that moment, whatever he might have assumed—even with good reason—he was dead wrong.

'It was a sensible assumption," he defended before she could speak.

'Evan, Noah is my—"

They were interrupted when the three men Celia had gone to visit in the stands came through the door.

'Cece, love," the older man said when his gaze lighted on her. He smiled big and held out his arms. Celia went into his embrace and endured a painful-looking bear hug.

The other two men regarded Evan with what could only be considered as suspicion.

'Going to introduce us, Cece?" the bigger man asked.

'Of course," she said as she curled her arm around the older man's.

'Evan, I want you to meet my family. This is my father, Carl, and these two are my brothers, Adam and Dalton. Guys, this is Evan Reese. He owns Reese Enterprises. I brought him back to talk to Noah."

Evan could swear she said the last pointedly. He relaxed and shook the hands of each man and endured a painful grip from each. Typical measuring stick of a man. See if you could make the other wince. He squeezed back with as much force and endured grudging looks of respect from her family.

Interesting that they were all back in the players area and that they'd sat in different areas for the game, although Celia had said she'd gotten the tickets particularly for him.

'Very glad to meet you, sir," he directed at Celia's father.

'Are you the man responsible for my Cece working so many long hours?"

Evan lifted one eyebrow then glanced between Celia and her father. Celia closed her eyes in despair and shook her head helplessly at Evan. He remembered her saying that according to her father and brothers, her only requirement was to look pretty and let them support her. Apparently they weren't on board with her having a career.

'I'm afraid I am, sir. I wish I could say it was something I regret, but Celia is one of the brightest minds I've encountered. She's going to single handedly turn my advertising efforts around. I think in a year or two, Reese Enterprises won't simply be one of the leaders in athletic apparel, but the undisputed leader when it comes to sportswear.

Her two brothers eyed Celia with renewed interested while Celia stared at Evan, her eyes wide with shock. He could almost swear she looked a little teary. He smiled at her and reached for her hand. To his surprise she accepted without complaint and curled her fingers tight around his.

'If you're meeting Noah about business, we'll just scoot on out," her father said.

'You going to make Sunday dinner this time or will you be busy again?"

'No, I'll make it," she said as she leaned up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. 'Sorry about last weekend. Something came up."

Evan realized that he was what came up when he'd finessed Celia away for the weekend. While he was sorry she'd missed what was evidently an important family gathering, he couldn't summon any regret for the way their weekend in Catalina had come together.

'It was nice meeting you all," Evan said sincerely.

The other men nodded and shook his hand again before departing the room.

'Interesting family," he said when they'd gone.

Celia sighed. 'I love them dearly, but they're pretty insufferable."

'It's obvious they love you a lot."

She smiled. 'Yeah, and I love them to pieces, too. Warts and all."

A moment later, Noah Hart ambled into the room and once again gave Celia a bone-crushing hug. Then he turned to Evan and looked back at Celia.

'So, is this the man?"

'I'd say you're the man if you agree to front my new line of athletic wear," Evan said, taking charge of the meeting.

'Evan, I'd like to you to meet my brother. Noah Hart," Celia said as she stepped forward. 'Noah, this is Evan Reese, owner of Reese Enterprises."

Evan eyed them skeptically. Her brother? Everything made a hell of lot more sense with that revelation. And what was with the different last name? To his knowledge, Celia hadn't married, or was this one more thing she'd kept him in the dark over?

His question must have been obvious even to Noah, because he grinned and slung an arm over Celia's shoulder.

'Cece had a different father—well, different mother, too. Kind of a long story but my father married Celia's mother when Cece was just a baby. We helped raise her, especially when her mom died when Cece was so young. Hence the reason her last name is Taylor."

Evan cleared his throat. Here he'd been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he was more concerned with finding out Celia's secrets than securing a deal with Noah Hart.

'I thought it might be best if you and Evan went to dinner and talked about the deal Evan is offering," Celia inserted.

'What about you?" Evan asked sharply. He hadn't counted on Celia leaving him and Noah. Hell, he hadn't even realized he'd be meeting Noah so soon. Suddenly his plans for a night of making love to Celia didn't seem so realistic.

'I have other plans," she said lightly. 'Besides, I really have nothing to do with this part. You and Noah need to discuss the possibilities. I'd just be in the way." Noah shrugged then looked at Evan. 'You like barbeque?"

'Love it."

'Good. I know this great place just a few blocks from here. We can grab dinner and talk."

'I drove him here, Noah, so you'll need to give him a ride back to his place. That okay?" Celia asked. She turned to Evan. 'I'll see you tomorrow morning. Nine o'clock at the Maddox."

'I can have my driver meet me," Evan said. 'It's not a problem." He glared at Celia as he said it. The woman was ditching him. What he'd thought was finally an effort to see him outside of a business setting had, in fact, just been a business meeting in disguise. He'd deal with her later, though. Right now he had a sports superstar to woo, and he'd be damned if he let his irritation with Celia interfere.