Throat even tighter now, she forced herself to keep busy. Because busy, she couldn’t think too much. Or so went the plan, and she was in the middle of adding a gold streamer to the silver ones already strewn between two huge chandeliers when she felt someone steady her not-quite-steady ladder. She glanced down, and her heart lodged in her throat.

Pace.

He stood there looking fit and relaxed and so good that she nearly lost it. He was in faded Levi’s and a Cal State sweatshirt, laid-back and casual.

But she couldn’t pull off laid-back and casual, not with his eyes drinking her in. “Hey,” she managed, gripping the top of the ladder.

“Hey.”

He wasn’t favoring his shoulder, and there was no sign of any pain as he held the ladder for her, eyes locked on hers.

She’d imagined what it would be like to see him again, what she would say, how she would try to make him want her again.

But she couldn’t do it.

Not after the past hour, seeing how the guys saw her, what they thought of her. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, beg him to want her. “You’re healing.”

“Getting there. Come down, Holly.”

Her throat burned so badly she could hardly breathe as she backed down. He kept his hands on the ladder so that she ended up climbing right into the crook of his arms. She slowly turned to face him. “No pain?”

“None. I’m day-to-day again.”

“Oh, Pace,” she breathed, knowing that meant he could play again as soon as he was ready. “I’m so glad.”

He shifted his hands from the ladder to her hips. “You look good,” he said very quietly. “You’ve gotten some sun.”

Her heart gave one hard kick against her ribs. One more kind word, and she really was going to lose it. “I’ve been playing ball.”

“With River and Chipper and the other guys?”

She nodded, and he arched a brow. “They didn’t tell you?” she asked.

“No.” But he didn’t look irritated. He looked . . . pleased.

“I’m getting good at hitting,” she informed him. “And I think pitching might be a calling.”

He smiled, and dammit, she nearly melted.

He noticed the streamer in her hand, the one she hadn’t been able to get up high enough. “Need some help?”

Her throat tightened even more, completely blocking off her air supply as her chest constricted hard. “Why are you being so nice?”