I Crosse My Heart Read online

  I CROSSE MY HEART

  CityScapes: Wisconsin

  CJ Bower

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  I Crosse My Heart (CityScapes)

  Dedication | This goes to Dan, Ruth, the Kapanke family, and the entire Loggers organization. | Without your amazing support, this dream would not have become real. | Thank you with all my heart.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  About CJ Bower

  Copyright © 2021, CJ Bower

  Editor: Small Edits

  Cover Artist: Fantasia Frog Designs

  Models are Cody Krueger and Lizzie Kammueller.

  Photography courtesy of Royal Touch Photography, St. Paul, Minnesota.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright observed above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  The La Crosse Loggers logos, uniform, stadium, and likenesses were used with special permission from the La Crosse Loggers organization and the Northwoods League.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Dedication

  This goes to Dan, Ruth, the Kapanke family, and the entire Loggers organization.

  Without your amazing support, this dream would not have become real.

  Thank you with all my heart.

  Chapter 1

  I never should have moved into that apartment.

  Kallie exhaled a sigh as she gazed out over the panorama. She was glad that their time with their Roommates from Hell was almost over. When she and her best friend Amy had moved into the apartment with Ingrid and Zoe last year, they’d had no clue the nightmare that had awaited them.

  “Would moving back in with Mom and Dad be considered defeat?” she asked the crickets chirping on the other side of the chain-link fence. “Or just a retreat and regroup?”

  The underbrush rustled in front of her, and a fat cottontail appeared briefly as it ducked between the bushes.

  The view from the Grandad Bluff Overlook never failed to take Kallie’s breath as she took in the sights of the city in the late-May dusk. She stood at the rail and gazed at her favorite natural spectacle, letting the peaceful scenery quiet her inner turmoil. The location a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, she’d been one of several visitors the last time she’d ventured to the top of the overlook.

  Tonight, however, she reveled in the solitude. The chaos from her roommates cut in on what little time she’d had to study. She’d nearly tanked her last final, which jeopardized her goal of graduating with honors and her chances of getting hired by a top clinical research laboratory.

  Glancing up at the sky, she imagined her uncle smiling down at her. “I’m sorry, Uncle Seth. I’m trying, but my classes have just gotten too hard. I don’t know if I can do it.”

  Seth had been the one to inspire her to choose Clinical Laboratory Science as a major. He’d passed away two years ago from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which made her decide to learn as much about the disease as she possibly could. Like many before her, she wanted to find a cure for that, and many other cancers.

  She rolled her shoulders to ease the tension in her back.

  From her vantage point Kallie could see two of the three states in the Mississippi River Valley, with Minnesota directly across from her. Down the river, the headlands of Iowa were indiscernible in the rapidly disappearing light.

  The late spring air was balmy as she studied the landscape, birds chirping in the serene atmosphere as they began settling for the night. La Crosse glowed below as lights winked on along the streets. Directly across the city, the Cass and Cameron Bridges spanned the main channel of the Mississippi as boats and barges glided along the tranquil waterway. To her far right, open waters of the Black River glistened as Mother Nature serenaded her. Sighing, she closed her eyes as her thoughts inevitably returned to her current sticky situation.

  Moving in with Zoe and Ingrid had been a huge mistake. With no regard to either Kallie or Amy, Zoe had had male visitors stop by at all hours, day or night, and none of them had stayed more than a couple hours each.

  More than once, Kallie had caught Zoe wearing her clothes, and she was pretty sure one of them had stolen cash from her wallet. She’d snuck back into Zoe’s room to retrieve her clothes. However, without proof, she kept quiet about the cash.

  The peaceful vista soothed away some of Kallie’s post-finals stress, and reminded her of how small she was in the grand scheme of life. When she opened her eyes, dusk had fallen. The craggy cliffs fanned the last of the sun’s waning rays. Reds and oranges spread like fingers, fading into the blues and indigos of twilight. White and red lights roamed the grid of streets as her fellow city slickers rushed toward their destinations in the bumper-to-bumper traffic through the marshland; a quiet oasis in a bustling town. She could just make out the towering spire of the St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in the heart of downtown.

  Crickets ceased their songs as rustling from the rocks on the other side of the fence below startled her. Kallie jumped back, her heart pounding. The metal hand rails played a light song from the gusts of breeze passing between them, at the same time sending her long hair in all directions. The waning twilight made it difficult to see more than a few feet in any direction, and she couldn’t tell where the noise came from. The floodlights shining up the flag pole in front of the park shelter gave minimal assistance. Time to tell the Wicked Witches they’re on their own.

  Both she and Amy had made the decision to move at the end of May, and had spent the last two days relocating their stuff. Zoe and Ingrid spent all day yesterday at the spa, and had made a road trip to the Mall Of America in Bloomington, Minnesota for a day of shopping.

  Though they were all mostly broke college students, Zoe seemed to have money to burn. An insane amount of extra cash, to be honest.

  Kallie suspected Zoe was employing dishonest means of obtaining it.

  Since all of the bills were in Ingrid’s name, Kallie felt no guilt in leaving them in the lurch. As far as she was concerned, it was no less than what they deserved. She had a bad feeling about why Zoe had convinced Ingrid to put all of the utilities in her name. Kallie only hoped Ingrid would figure it out sooner rather than later, and ditch Zoe. The woman was bad news, and Kallie was glad to finally be rid of her.

  With one last look over the incredible view, Kallie headed for her ageing truck. Eyes on the sidewalk, she followed the path around the building. Without warning, she collided with the solid wall of a man’s chest. Two strong hands caught her before she hit the ground.

  “I – I’m sorry,” she said, giving the man a cursory glance as she tried to sidestep him. “I wasn’t watching where I was go
ing.”

  The man held her captive, both literally and figuratively, his smile dazzling in the artificial lights. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I wasn’t watchin’, either.”

  His companions snickered. Kallie ignored them, her attention on the guy she’d bumped into. His aftershave held a citrusy note and his voice carried a gently rolling Texan drawl.

  “Are you all right?” He steadied her, then dropped his hands into his pockets.

  Kallie nodded, a shiver snaking down her spine. She wasn’t sure if it was from fear or the thrill of being held by him. He was gorgeous, with wavy dark hair that glistened beneath the halo of lights beaming from the shelter, and he hadn’t stumbled when she’d crashed into him.

  Common sense finally kicked in. Taking a step back she shoved her hand into her pocket and palmed her keys, sliding one key between each of her clenched fingers with the sharp ends pointing out. “Yes, thank you. I’m fine.”

  “I’m glad.” Amusement sparkled in his dark gaze, and one corner of his lips kicked up into a sexy half-smile.

  A wave of uneasiness sent goosebumps across her flesh as she recognized the inherent danger for a woman alone on the top of a cliff surrounded by four guys. Though they made no advance toward her, she gave them a wide berth. Holding her breath, she moved to sidestep him again, and sighed when he made no move to stop her.

  “Enjoy the rest of your night.” Kallie hurried to where her truck sat, ignoring the catcalls trailing in her wake.

  She climbed in and locked the door, then fastened her seatbelt and started the motor. Shoving the transmission into gear, she barked the tires as she peeled out of the parking lot. Only to end up slamming the brakes when she came up to a blind corner where the road disappeared up the incline.

  Kallie kept her pace slow as she followed the rest of the quiet lane dividing a dense forest until she came to the end of the road. The lights and smells from the Alpine Inn Bar and Grill greeted her as she braked to a stop at the T-intersection. Making sure the coast was clear, she turned onto Bliss Road and kept her truck beneath the speed limit as she coasted down the narrow, winding lane. Familiar with the street layout, her mind drifted back to the hot guy she’d run into, and her body still tingled from her collision against him.

  I wonder if I’ll see him again.

  RAFE’S PALMS STILL tingled with the feel of the woman’s flesh long after she’d fled. Lucas, David and Justin gave him a hard time, but he expected it. Hell, he welcomed it. He’d have done the same if one of them had bumped into her.

  He leaned against the fence with his back to the city as he listened to his teammates gossip about the pretty lady. They were all in La Crosse for summer baseball with the Loggers. Rafe hoped to improve his skills so he could help his team win a national title next season. However, his ultimate goal was to play for a professional baseball team.

  Needing a few moments alone to gather his thoughts, Rafe strolled down the sidewalk to the lower observation deck. The view offered an unfettered panorama as the city lay beneath him. Dusk gave way to night, with only a rosy glow remaining on the horizon where the sun had finally set and stars winking on overhead. He thought of his mission and why he’d signed the contract with the Loggers.

  The Northwoods League had become one of the frontrunners for producing power players. Rafe closed his eyes, recalling some of the huge names that had come from the Loggers’ previous teams. Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Andrew Knapp, Eric Thames, Matt Chapman. Rafe hoped to add his name to that growing list in two or three short years.

  Turning, he looked out over the city, not paying attention to the view as his thoughts returned to her. Her glittering eyes, her dark hair, her beautiful smile. Her intoxicating scent. Would her hair feel as soft and silky as it looked? Rafe breathed in deep as the crickets chirped around him. A hint of something familiar – his mystery girl? – teased his senses and he turned, opening his eyes. Disappointment crashed through him when he realized he was alone.

  “Guys?” he called out. The crickets ceased their orchestra as he dashed back up the sidewalk leading to the shelter. “Lucas? David? If you don’t come out, I’m gonna pound ya!”

  “RAAAAAAAAAAARR!”

  Rafe jumped. His heart nearly pounded out of his chest as his friends leapt out at him from behind the building. Justin was laughing so hard, he dropped to the ground clutching his sides. Rafe had the intense urge to kick him, but he didn’t. The team was short-handed, and needed all available players for the game.

  All three of them laughed like fools.

  “Dude, you should’ve seen your face,” Lucas chortled. “You damn near pissed your pants!”

  Rafe rolled his eyes. “I did not.” Despite being the same age as his teammates, growing up as the only child of a dirt-poor single mother made him feel older than his twenty-one years.

  “Did too,” David chimed in.

  “Did not.”

  David got close to Rafe’s face, their noses inches apart. “Did too.”

  Rafe drew his fist back to throw a punch, with no intention of connecting.

  “Whoa.” Lucas grabbed Rafe’s arm. “No bruises. The season hasn’t started yet.”

  “He deserves it,” Rafe countered as he backed away from David. “You all do.”

  “Ease off, Rafe,” Lucas insisted. “David’s our starting pitcher for tomorrow’s game against Rochester. We’re gonna need him.”

  “Fine,” Rafe bit out. He turned on his heel and headed back for the car, “accidentally” catching Justin’s shin with the toe of his sneaker. “Payback’s a bitch, boys.” He looked over his shoulder, never breaking his stride. “Let’s go. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day.”

  Justin rolled to a crouch, then stood as he brushed off his clothes. Good-natured grumbling followed in his wake as they all walked to the car. Rafe slid behind the wheel and slotted the key in the ignition.

  “You should’ve gotten that girl’s number,” David grumbled as they climbed in and buckled their seatbelts. “She was seriously hot.”

  Rafe agreed with his teammates, though he didn’t feel the need to voice his opinion. “I’ll get it next time.”

  “If there is one,” Justin taunted.

  Ignoring the taunt, Rafe started the car and headed back down the bluff. He hoped there would be one, but he knew asking her out wouldn’t be fair to either of them. His ultimate goal to play in the majors required intense focus and dedication. Even if he did make it to the minors, the odds of getting called up were stacked heavily against him. A relationship between him and the young woman would be nothing more than a summer fling.

  A distraction he couldn’t afford.

  Chapter 2

  “I still can’t believe Zoe went off half-cocked last night.” Kallie handed her ticket to the gate attendant. Her friend, Amy, was behind her as they entered the Copeland Park stadium for the Loggers’ season opener.

  “I can.” Amy scoffed. They passed through a sea of green and white as fans gathered in the front entry. “She thinks the whole world revolves around her. Even Ingrid worships the ground she walks on. It’s disgusting.”

  Kallie recalled the venom that Zoe had spewed when she and Ingrid had returned from Minneapolis at nearly midnight, and discovered the apartment practically empty. She’d insisted on waking both Kallie and Amy with a screaming match that had their neighbors emerging from their own apartments. Thankfully no one had called the cops.

  Kallie shook her head as she climbed the steps to their seats. “She still didn’t need to call me what she did.”

  “Look on the bright side,” Amy said from behind Kallie. “She’s Ingrid’s problem now. We’ll never have to see her again.”

  “Thank God for small blessings.” Kallie found her seat in the top row of the last section. “I’m glad my parents let me move back home.”

  “Mine did too.” Amy sat next to her and threw an arm around her shoulder. “I just wish you and I could move into our own place together.”

&n
bsp; “Maybe after graduation, when we both start working full-time.” Kallie sighed wistfully. “If we’re both still in La Crosse.”

  “Unless it’s you and me, forget it,” Amy declared. “I’m done putting up with roommates from hell. I’m still convinced Zoe was running a brothel from her bedroom.”

  Kallie winced. “I think that’s why my grades tanked last semester. Between the grooming salon and Zoe’s revolving door, I could never get enough quiet time to study.”

  Shaking off her melancholy, she scanned the stadium, taking in the electric excitement buzzing among the fans. Kallie wasn’t a huge baseball fan, but she supported the local teams when she could. And the Loggers always played a great game, no matter which team the scoreboard favored.

  The home team congregated near the bullpen in the left-field corner, warming up and doing drills. Rochester’s players did the same near the bullpen in front of the right-field corner party deck. A shrill goose honk cried out from somewhere in the stands.

  “Oh, great.” Kallie turned to Amy. “Someone let the geese out.”

  Amy chuckled. “Don’t they know it’s open season?”

  “I guess not.” Kallie laughed with her friend. “I’m gonna get some food. Want anything?”

  Amy shook her head. “I’m good.”

  Kallie headed down the metal bleachers and toward the stairs. A movement caught her eye. She looked around and saw one of the players waving at her from the field. A nervous giddiness stole over her as she recognized the guy who’d nearly knocked her over last night. He was even more handsome in the light. Instead of turning left at the bottom of the stairs, Kallie followed her instinct and walked around the third-base party deck to the short fence separating the field from the stands.

  “Hey, there,” the player drawled. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again.”

  Kallie smiled shyly. “Hi.” She was about to say more, but one of his teammates pulled him in a headlock and knuckled the top of his head.