Chapter Four

Thursday afternoon, Julie moved through the house, mindlessly picking up the toys scattered around. Toys multiplied almost like mosquitoes every time she turned her back. She really needed to do a better job of teaching Aiden to pick up after himself. After putting away small cars, plastic army men, and wooden train tracks into their appropriate containers, she picked up the phone to call her mom. “Hey, did you get that clog out of the drain?” Julie asked, with her cell phone cradled between her shoulder and ear. She brushed on sparkling sea green nail polish onto her right thumbnail.

The sound of her mom’s laughter came through the phone. “I tried the Plumber Gel stuff, but the darn thing won’t budge. Time to call a real plumber. What’s the name of the outfit you used for the leak in the bathroom?”

“Down The Drain. I have their card somewhere,” she said, before glancing at her shiny nails. Don’t want to mess up all my hard work rummaging through my purse for a business card. “I’ll give it to you tomorrow.” Having Mom live right down the block was wonderful. When she lived at Fort Bragg, she’d missed having her close by.

“Oh, that’s right. You’re not coming for dinner tonight. I bet Aiden’s excited to see the inside of Warriors Stadium.”

“It’s all he’s talked about for the past few days. I’ve learned more about the Warriors football team than I ever thought possible. Aiden thinks he’s meeting a real life superhero.”

“To a young boy, Reagan Harrison probably is a superhero.” Her mom paused. “Chrissy told me you declined her invitation to the party this weekend. Honey, you need to get out there and live your life. Ever since you’ve moved back to Timber Lake, you’ve become a hermit, isolating yourself. I’m glad you went to the banquet last Saturday. Meeting new people is good for you. I love you, and John loved you. He’d want you to live your life to the fullest.”

Julie sighed in resignation. “I know, but right now I’m doing the best I can. My focus needs to stay on Aiden. I don’t have time for a social life.”

“I know your life hasn’t been easy lately. You’ve persevered through tough times, and you’re an incredibly strong woman. I just don’t want you to wake up someday, regretting that so many good things passed you by. Don’t lose any more precious time to grief. Now go and have fun, and I’ll see you tomorrow for our lunch date.”

“Thanks, Mom, I love you, bye.”

“Love you, too, baby. Bye.”

Julie pressed End, but remained seated at the kitchen table. Her mother was right, of course, but she didn’t have the energy to fight through her sorrow. She missed John every minute of every day. At times, she’d go over to her computer to write him an email, wanting to share some news then remember he was gone. That realization always hit her like a physical blow to the heart.

Don’t lose any more time to grief, her mom had said. So far, nothing had given her any reason to expect a good future. A void in her life existed that she couldn’t imagine being filled. But if she wanted to really start living again, she needed to find a reason for hope.

Would she ever get a straight answer from the Army? They were acting as slippery as a greased pig. And while she ran around after it, the truth remained just out of reach. Bringing home his body to lay him to rest in Arlington National Cemetery wasn’t enough. Why was he dead? And who was responsible?

Aiden rushed into the house through the back door. “Mom, when do we leave for the stadium?” His eyes shone wild with excitement.

“In two hours. You need to shower before we go. You’re a mess.” She grinned at her son, who was covered head-to-toe in dirt.

“Okay, but I want to finish mine and Mike’s race track in the yard.”

“You have thirty minutes, then it’s upstairs with you. We need to make you look presentable for Mr. Harrison. I don’t want him thinking I have a mud monster for a son.”

“Yippee!” Aiden shouted. “I can’t wait to meet him. I bet he’s as big as Mr. Miller from school. Mr. Miller told us that he could’ve played football in the pros if it wasn’t for his bum knee. Can I get ice cream from the truck when it comes by?”

Her son’s mind worked like a crazy train, jumping from one thought to another. She shooed him outside. “Go outside and finish your track.”

Aiden bolted out the door and jumped high up into the air, like he was part kangaroo. Julie heard him tell his friend Mike they had to hurry—he needed to take a shower before he met Reagan Harrison.

Her son was her biggest blessing—more valuable than all the money and fame in the world.

****

The time was a few minutes before four o’clock, and Reagan roamed past the staff entrance of Warriors Stadium. He’d paced back and forth for the past fifteen minutes. Every so often, he would look out the glass doors for Julie’s car. If not for seeing Julie, he would’ve been in a crappy mood. Today had been a rough practice, with the coaches running the team ragged. Their tough love was part of training camp, getting men in shape for the season—the pain came with being a professional athlete. But tell that to his body, which ached like he’d been run over by a herd of buffalo. And tomorrow he’d go through the process all over again.

At four o’clock on the dot, he spotted a Jeep drive into the staff parking lot, Julie’s distinct red hair unmistakable through the windshield. He opened the door to meet her.

She stepped out of the car as Reagan approached.

“Hi, Julie.” His voice cracked. Get it together, Harrison, you’re not sixteen. He cleared his throat. “Nice to see you again.”

“Hi.” She went to the back door to let her son out of his booster seat. “Thanks for arranging this. Aiden’s really excited, so I hope you’re ready. He may give you a run for your money.”

“I’m ready for anything.” His wide smile might seem too eager, so he dialed it back a notch. Spending time with her son would remind him of why he didn’t date single moms. Although he was incredibly attracted to her, he figured a widow with a young son was too much responsibility. At this point in his professional career, he was very careful of who he let into his life. He didn’t need any distractions. This tour with Aiden should shake loose any romantic notions he had toward the kid’s mother.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a dark-haired boy sprung out of the back seat and landed directly before Reagan. The kid was struck speechless. His wide, round eyes mirrored his gaping mouth.

“Hi, Aiden.” He shot him a friendly smile. He bent down and held out his oversized hand to shake Aiden’s. “I’m Reagan Harrison. Your mom told me you’re a big Warriors fan. Would you like to come with me and take a look inside the stadium?”

Aiden gave a slow nod and looked over at Julie.

She took hold of Aiden’s hand and gave him a soft nudge with her elbow. “He’s usually not this quiet. Enjoy the silence while it lasts because once he finds his tongue, he’ll be talking non-stop.”

Laughing, Reagan motioned for them to follow him toward the building. They walked to a large, glass-fronted visitor’s entrance. “The stadium is pretty quiet right now, but during home games the parking lots fill up with fans for their tailgate rituals. This place can seat seventy thousand people, and the stadium can get unbelievably loud.” He held open the door for Julie and her son.

As they entered, their footsteps clicked on the black granite floors. Historical Warriors photographs surrounded them. The team colors of red and silver were everywhere, from the paint on the walls to the modern lobby furniture.

“I’m taking you to the front offices first,” Reagan said.

Julie and Aiden followed along into a large central room, with a half dozen office suites attached to this main hub. Behind a glass-topped desk sat a petite, dark-haired woman whose fast clicks on the keyboard sounded like a snare drum. She raised her gaze as the door closed behind them, her pink reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose.

“Julie and Aiden, I’d like to introduce you to the person who makes this organization run, Rosalie Turner. Rosie, these are the friends I was telling you about earlier. I’m showing them around the stadium.”

Rosalie came from behind her desk, approached them with her short stride, and gave Reagan a hug.

She was just shy of five feet tall, and Reagan knew he looked like a giant in comparison.

“Very nice to meet you, Julie and Aiden. I work as the office manager for the front office staff. That includes the General Manager, Vice-President and all other operational management. My job is to make sure things run smoothly around here.”

“And she does it well. Thanks for letting us bug you for a few minutes.” He had a lot more to show them.

“I’m glad to meet you. Aiden and I are very fortunate to have Reagan showing us around. You have a beautiful office.”

“Well,” Rosalie said, walking over to Julie. “He may try to hide his soft side, but under that rough and tough exterior is a heart of gold. Don’t let him try to pretend otherwise.” As she went back to her desk, she gave Reagan a quick pinch on the arm.

He let out a loud laugh. Time to move along. “That’s enough destruction of my bad boy reputation for one day. See you around.”

“Bye.” Julie followed him out the door, still holding onto a silent Aiden’s hand.

As soon as they exited the room, Aiden finally piped up. “I’m almost as tall as her.”

Reagan and Julie’s eyes met. Her smile felt like a full force kick to his chest, rattling something inside him he’d thought was long dead. “Come on, kid.” He put a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Let’s go see the locker room.”

That was all the encouragement Aiden needed. The next hour was filled with questions, comments, and even suggestions on how Reagan could improve his game.

By the time they got to the field, Reagan wondered how to get back that shy, quiet boy he’d met in the parking lot.

As soon as their feet touched the grass, Aiden took off running across the field. He zigzagged toward the end zone and finished with a touchdown dance.

Reagan did spend some time around kids and loved his nieces and nephew. And then he made visits to the Children’s Hospital. But being around them was exhausting, and Aiden possessed an endless energy supply. Where was the sign-up sheet for that?

Overall though, this tour was going better than he’d expected. Aiden seemed like a good kid, and Reagan really wanted to keep seeing the beautiful smile on Julie’s face. Plus, the kid knew a lot about football for someone who was growing up without a father.

“I’m sorry about Aiden.” Julie shook her head. “He’s just so excited to be here, and you’re a larger-than-life hero to him. Thanks for being so kind and patient.”

“I remember being young and idolizing my sports heroes. I’d do the same thing if I was in his shoes.”

Julie’s gaze followed Aiden around the field, a wide smile lit up her face.

Outside, under the late afternoon sun, she was naturally lovely. Her glossy hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, and her navy shorts weren’t too long to hide her shapely legs. He had a sense that she was unaware of her affect on men. She had an effortless style that didn’t try to attract attention, but did anyway.

Reagan shook those thoughts out of his head. The way the soft curve of her neck beckoned him to go over and plant a kiss on the soft spot behind her ear shouldn’t be such a strong temptation. He needed to focus on something else. Anything else. Focus on her kid—that should break the spell. So, he watched Aiden run around the football field, in all his pretend glory.

Julie walked across the field, and then took a seat on the home team bench.

He followed her lead and sat next to her, making sure to leave at least a foot of empty space.

“I can’t believe how big the stadium looks from here.” Julie’s gaze roamed around at the green field spread out before them.

A large, dark scoreboard was set off to one side, and tens of thousands of stadium seats surrounded them.

“Playing in front of a full house must be exciting. I can’t even imagine what that must feel like.”

“At my first pro game, I was so nervous I threw up right before running onto the field. I still get amped before every game. It’s pretty exhilarating…the crowd and the noise. I’m very lucky to do this for a living.”

A football bounced off of his feet, and he heard a small voice pleading to play catch. How could he say no? He picked up the football and told Aiden to start running. Reagan passed him the football, but it slipped through Aiden’s outstretched hands and fell to the ground. He laughed as the kid scooped the ball and held it to his chest then took off toward the goal posts, going in for a touchdown.

****

As Julie watched them play, her eyes welled with tears. Her heart warmed to see Aiden so over-the-moon happy.

Reagan instructed Aiden on how to catch the football with his body, instead of just with his hands. Both their faces were tinted pink. Reagan’s from a slight sunburn that tipped his nose and cheeks, while Aiden’s was from pure exertion.

Frowning, Aiden listened to the instructions. His whole body glowed with awe and adoration.

Reagan threw the ball gently to Aiden. For the tenth time in a row, the ball slipped from his grasp. Reagan’s display of patience was award-worthy. Even a saint would be frustrated, but time after time, he only yelled back words of encouragement.

While they played, she noticed Reagan looked more natural today, in the khaki shorts and blue button-down shirt, rather than the expensive suit he’d worn at the banquet. The light cotton, short sleeve shirt accentuated his wide shoulders and thick arms. His blond hair was messy but still looked stylish. Chrissy was right—he was hot. Over six feet of all-American hunk. Luckily, she was just experiencing an innocent physical attraction. No danger of a broken heart. At this point in her life, she wouldn’t fall for any man, let alone a football star with a Hollywood girlfriend.

Noticing the time, Julie got off the bench and walked in the direction of an outsized Aiden tackling a much-larger Reagan. “Aiden,” she shouted, waving to get his attention. “We should probably be going now. Mr. Harrison had a busy day, and I’m sure he’s ready to go home.”

Reagan lay flat on his back with Aiden pinning him to the ground. With one motion, Reagan stood and brought Aiden along. He walked over to Julie, carrying her son safely tucked under his sturdy arm.

“Awwww,” Aiden said in a fit of giggles. “We’re having so much fun.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Maybe too much fun. Aiden would soon be a sleepy puppy.

Placing Aiden back on the ground, Reagan came over to stand next to her. “I heard the kid’s stomach growl and I’m getting kinda hungry, too. How about you two join me for dinner? There’s this burger and custard place a few blocks from here…Fuzzy’s. The joint isn’t fancy, but they have the best burgers in Timber Lake. What do you say? I hate to eat alone.”

“Can we, Mom?” Aiden asked while hopping around, pulling on her arm. “Reagan doesn’t want to eat alone.”

His concern for his new friend was endearing. She was outnumbered and knew it. “All right, let’s all go to Fuzzy’s. We wouldn’t want poor Mr. Harrison to eat alone.”

Reagan and Aiden high-fived, and Aiden raced toward the tunnel.

As they followed side by side, Julie turned to Reagan. “Thank you for doing this for him.” She touched his arm, sending an electric charge surging through her, multiplying as the sensation traveled down her spine.

Reagan swallowed and buried his hands in his pockets. “It’s no problem,” he finally said. “I’m having just as much fun as Aiden is.”

Walking off the field, she wondered if Reagan really meant what he’d said. Did he really enjoy playing with Aiden? This all would be a mistake if Reagan ended up disappointing her fatherless son. But when she watched him lift Aiden and drape him over one shoulder, she knew he was sincere. And she couldn’t have been more delighted.

****

They decided to drive their own cars to the restaurant. When they entered, the reaction Reagan received amazed her. The scene looked like the parting of the Red Sea. Everyone made way for the popular football player and his guests.

“You can let Mr. Harrison get a table ahead of us,” a short, balding man said to the hostess. “After last season, he deserves it!” The group with him nodded their approval.

With a few handshakes and high-fives, they were led to a booth. Reagan was popular because he strived for excellence. How hard did he have to work in order to maintain that standard? Did the pressure ever get too much?

The TV mounted on the wall was currently tuned to a news show. The screen flashed footage of pre-season training camp. Stopping, she watched the video clip of a man catching the football, only to be taken down by a much-larger man. Was that Reagan? She looked over and saw his proud smile. Wow. She never wanted to be on the receiving end of one of those tackles.

Julie slid onto her seat, scooting over to make room for Aiden. Wonderstruck, she watched Aiden get seated across from her, next to Reagan.

A young waitress rushed over with their menus, ogling Reagan.

He reacted calmly to the unwanted attention and excitement his presence incited. Motioning to Julie, he requested the waitress take her drink order first.

“My son will have a root beer, and I’ll take an ice tea with lemon,” Julie said.

Reagan ordered an ice water, and the eager server went to fill their order.

“You get this kind of reception everywhere you go?” Julie questioned. “Does this ever get old? All the hero worship and people falling all over themselves to impress you?”

He looked amused by her puzzled expression. “The attention does get tiring. Since Timber Lake is on the small side for a city that has a pro football team, there are not many places I can go unrecognized. Luckily, the town is used to seeing us players out and about.”

“I’ll never understand why people idolize athletes,” she said, and then let out a laugh. “Here I go again. My husband thought the Warriors team walked on water. So who am I to judge?”

Reagan turned to the boy sitting right next to him. “So, Aiden, what’s your favorite part of Warriors Stadium?”

At the sound of his name, Aiden straightened in attention. He’d been eyeing the wall of video games. “I thought the locker room was neat. Do you really have to wash in the big shower? I would wait until I got home to take a bath.”

Reagan laughed. “Yes, we all shower in that big room. We get very smelly by the end of a game.”

Their drinks arrived, and the waitress asked Reagan if he was ready to order. He again motioned to Julie. The girl blew out a breath before turning her attention to Julie. After taking Julie and Aiden’s meal order with a trembling hand, she finally turned her attention to Reagan.

While she listened to Reagan order a seemingly endless amount of food, Julie’s jaw dropped. How could any one person eat so much?

“What? I take it you’ve never eaten a meal with a football player during pre-season training.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to pay your grocery bills. I only cook for Aiden and myself, so we don’t go through a lot of food. But when John was home, I would make huge meals. He was always so happy to eat real food after months of crummy Army provisions.”

“My daddy fought in the Army,” Aiden said with a quiet voice. “But he died. We moved here to be closer to Grandma.”

“Your dad was a very brave man, and you should be proud of him.” Reagan then turned to Julie. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know that phrase sounds like hollow sympathy, but I really mean it. The men and women fighting in our military are the real warriors.”

“Thank you.” Sincere compassion shone in his eyes. Since she’d gotten to know Reagan, she’d thrown out the ‘dumb jock’ tag. There were many layers to him, and she liked what she found once she started to peel them back.

Their food soon arrived, and the waitress had enough sense to serve Julie and Aiden first, which earned her a smile from Reagan.

“Mom, can I go play video games?” Aiden asked.

“After you finish your meal.” She pointed to his plate, filled with a cheeseburger and fries.

“I’m glad I don’t have to eat all the food Reagan got.” Aiden looked wide-eyed at the spread.

“Someday, maybe in high school, this won’t look like so much. If you’re still playing football, you’ll need to eat a lot to stay big and strong.” Reagan flexed his arm.

Oh, my. The arc of his huge bicep, which should be given its own zip code, practically made Julie swoon.

“I can see my food budget going up, even as we speak.” She popped a salty fry in her mouth. To think of Aiden as a teenager was hard to imagine. Since he was only seven-years-old, that day seemed far away. In between Aiden’s chatter, she asked about Reagan’s football season—when it started and how many games they played during a season.

“We play four pre-season games during training camp,” Reagan explained. “Then, the regular season starts in September, which is thirteen games long. Maybe more if we make the playoffs.”

Aiden piped in. “My football team plays ten games. We’ve won two games and lost four. How many do we have left, Mom?”

Julie reached over to grab a napkin from the dispenser on the table, and then handed it to Aiden. She motioned for him to wipe off his ketchup-covered mouth. “You have four more. The next one’s this Sunday. You’ll be playing Michael’s team.”

“I play wide-receiver. I have to catch the ball, run to the end-zone, and try not to get caught or drop the ball. I drop the ball sometimes,” Aiden informed him.

“I have this Sunday off with no practice. Would it be all right if I come and watch your game?” Reagan asked Aiden.

The boy bounced on the booth and let out a shout. “That would be so cool! My friends didn’t believe me when I said I met you. Will you really come?”

“Only if it’s okay with your mom.” The arch of Reagan’s eyebrows rose higher over his bright, blue eyes.

Both of them looked across the table at Julie, expectation all over Aiden’s face. Julie wanted to say no. She didn’t want her son too attached to Reagan. He was a popular, hard-hitting, and very attractive football player. And she was a single mother of an impressionable son. This situation could go wrong in so many ways.

“All right.” Finally agreeing against her better judgment. “You’re a saint to spend your free time watching a youth football game. Maybe I can take the opportunity to learn something about the game, if you wouldn’t mind giving me a lesson from the sidelines.”

“Sure, you’ll be an expert before you know it.”

I highly doubt that. “I’ll give you the time and directions before we leave.”

“This is going to be the best game ever!” Aiden said. “Can I go play some video games? I’m done with my food.”

Reagan handed him several quarters, and Aiden was off and running.

Their waitress came back to see if they needed anything else, and then laid the bill on the table.

Julie opened her mouth to offer to pay her portion of the bill.

Reagan shook his head before a word left her lips. “This was my idea and my treat.” He pulled out his wallet and grabbed two fifty-dollar bills.

Their lucky waitress had just earned herself a huge tip.

With his wallet put away, Reagan took a pack of gum out of his pocket and put a piece in his mouth. He then offered her a piece, which she accepted.

Peppermint gum. A good scent on him.

Reagan’s cell rang, and he picked it off the table.

The name Brynn was clearly displayed on the screen, and she shifted her gaze toward Aiden, who was now gripping the steering wheel on a racing video game.

He hit the ignore button and set the phone face down.

Looking back at him, she caught a quick flash of uncertainty cross his face, like he wanted to take the call but didn’t want to be rude. “Thanks for everything.” She grabbed her purse to get ready to leave. “You really went out of your way to make Aiden feel special. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you for your kindness. But don’t worry, it can be our secret.” She gave him a teasing smile. “Wouldn’t want to spoil your bad boy reputation.”

Breaking eye contact, he shrugged his broad shoulders and his gaze dropped to his lap. “No need to thank me, plus my reputation could use a little sprucing up.” He shifted his gaze back to her and leaned forward, his hands resting on the table between them.

He now held something in his right hand. The mystery item was hidden in his fist, which lay face up on the table. As he opened his hand, one finger at a time, several quarters were exposed. Motioning his head toward the video-game machines, he gave her a challenging grin. “Ready to play, or are you chicken?”

She sent him a wary look. He was very charming and seemed to be an expert at using it to get his way. Sliding out of the booth, she lifted her head to stare him straight in his blue eyes. “Let’s go,” she said, pinching her lips tight to cover her growing amusement. “You better bring your A game, because I play to win.”