Chapter 21

Reese

 

 

“Thank you, Mrs. Lancaster,” I said, handing the kind woman her change, letting the coins rattle in the drawer as I closed it.

“We’ll be seeing you at the Pink and Black Gala this year, won’t we, dear?”

That event had been one I’d attended since I was a teenager. My granddad had always instilled giving beyond receiving. The Pink and Black had been one of my favorites, in part to the pretty gray-haired woman in front of me. It benefited the Kids Around the Corner, a charity that gave tuition to kids who couldn’t afford to go to sport camps. Mrs. Lancaster’s grandfather started it. When he was younger, he’d been one of those kids. After he passed away, his family made sure to continue his work.

The first time I went to the gala was unforgettable. The room looked magical all decorated in, of course, pink and black. Gorgeous pastel floral arrangements and flickering gold candles adorned the tables. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. Even the guests in their gowns and tuxedos played a role in make-believe becoming reality.

Most of the people were adults, however Mrs. Lancaster pulled me aside to introduce me to her neighbor. That was the day I met Alexa. A smile split my face as I recalled a dark-haired girl around my age talking to a boy who appeared to be high school age. Always a flirt that one.

“Yes, of course. I may even have a date this time.” I winked.

“Yep, she’s ditching me for a hot man,” Alexa teased, plopping a hand on her cocked hip. “Can you believe that?”

Mrs. Lancaster laughed. “Oh, you girls are so silly. I can always count on you to brighten my day. I’ll see you both later.”

Alexa’s expression morphed from gleeful to the opposite. “Have you talked to him yet? I don’t follow the sport but it’s all I’m hearing about. Even satellite radio DJs are announcing it.”

“No, I haven’t talked to him since yesterday. He sent me a text that he was hanging out with Jackson. Plus, I’m not exactly sure what to say. I don’t want to make him feel worse by asking dumb questions, like, how are you? when I know he’s anything but good. It’s like asking me if I’m cold when it’s less than sixty degrees outside.”

She nodded. “I feel really bad for him.”

“I do too. We had such a great night and then morning came, I woke up alone, and the you-know-what hit the fan.”

Her hand went into the air. “Uh… hold on one second, Missy. Are you telling me that you and that gorgeous man sealed the deal, and I’m just finding out now?”

My cheeks warmed with her question. “You know I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Reese Parker, I’m insulted.” Her eyes darted around the empty bakery. “It was great though, right?”

A ringing sound came from my pocket just as my mouth opened to tell her that he was the best I’d ever had. Not that I’d had a lot, but if he were the last man I made love to, I wouldn’t be disappointed. Plucking out my cell, I saw my granddad’s picture I kept as his contact.

“Hi, Granddad.”

“Hi, sweetheart. I hope I’m not interrupting you.”

“No, you’re not interrupting.” I glanced at Alexa who undoubtedly disagreed with me.

“Can you come down to the office? We’re going over a few stats and profiles for the draft. We could use your mind.”

“I see. In other words, your staff is driving you crazy.”

“Did I say that?” He chuckled.

“Okay, I can come there. Give me about an hour?”

“Sounds good. Thanks, honey.”

“My pleasure.”

When I slid the phone into the back pocket of my jeans, Alexa crossed her arms in front of her chest. “If that was anyone but your grandfather, you wouldn’t be going anywhere.”

I giggled and took off my apron. As I hung it on the hook before walking into the break room to get my things, I turned and threw my friend a tantalizing tidbit. “The best I’ve ever had.”

Right before the door closed I heard her exclaim, “I knew it!”

Grandpa’s office buzzed with activity. People wearing headphones talking animatedly also indicated the intensity of free agents, trades before the draft, predictions of what would be done during the draft, and any other instances that may cause a stir. Unless you worked for the organization, people thought the season started in August and ended after the final game. When in fact, like other businesses, it operated year-round.

I said hello to a few people who simply nodded. When I saw my granddad’s assistant, relief flashed across her face. “Hi, Isabelle.”

She let out a breath. “Hi, sweetie. Your grandfather is expecting you. Go right in. I was just about to head out for lunch. He had lunch brought in for you both.”

“Thanks.” I knocked once before entering. My granddad sat at a small round table. Piles of paper were stacked and lined up. God forbid he did this all on his computer. No, that would be Isabelle’s job, once he decided what to do. He said it was easier to shift things around manually. I suppose he was right. Plus, who was I to buck a system that had been working for decades?

“There she is.” He stood and pulled me into his arms. The familiar scent of his cologne reminded me of home and warmed me better than a cozy fire. “Thanks for coming in.”

“My pleasure.” I shrugged off my coat, hung it over the back of the chair, and sat down. “So, who are we looking at today?”

“First…” He turned and let out a breath. “I heard about Trent.”

I nodded sullenly. “Yeah, that was a shock.”

“I’d say. Never saw that coming.”

“No one did.”

When I glanced at the table, I saw we were starting with special team players. Unlike my granddad, I pulled my tablet out of my bag, and brought up who I liked. Idaho had a tremendous kicker who hadn’t missed a field goal under fifty-three yards last season. Then there was a returner from Arkansas who only played his last two years in college because he got a scholarship in track before he made the switch to football.

For the next two hours, we watched some films, read more stats, debated a few players, and came up with a game plan for our special teams, defense, and our offensive line. Now came the hard part. A quarterback. The leader of the team needed to be someone special. Someone respected by everyone and not someone who thought more of themselves than the team. That was why I wanted to skip over the cocky quarterback that most teams were drooling over.

“Donnelly will be announcing his retirement at the end of the week.”

“He gave good years to the team.”

“Yes, we’ll be celebrating that on Friday night. Don’t forget the Pink and Black Gala is coming up.”

“I’ll be there. Hopefully, with Trent.”

Granddad rubbed his chin, sat back in his chair, and tossed the pencil he held in his hand onto the table. “Tell me about Trent.” I felt my face flame, which for some reason he thought was funny. “I meant about how he’s feeling.”

“I’m not sure what you’re asking me.”

“We need a quarterback. Trent’s available. I know the doctors are saying six to nine months, but we can figure it out. If it’s six months, it brings us to the beginning of the pre-season. We have Carter who can lead us until then. And before you say it, yes, I know Carter isn’t the best. But if we have the best waiting, we’ll make do for now. In your honest opinion, tell me what you think.”

I stood and began to pace. A silent debate went on in my head, but in all honesty, no debating had been necessary. There was only one answer I could give my granddad. The only one that made sense.

Straightening my spine, I rolled my shoulders back, and said with the utmost confidence. “I would draft or try and trade for either Mitchell Grayson from Phoenix or Drake Reynolds from Wisconsin to be our quarterback, but I wouldn’t bring Trent on as a starter. I’m not sure I’d bring him on at all.”

Movement in the doorway caught my attention. When I turned, I expected to see Isabelle. Instead, Trent stood there looking shocked and disappointed… again. The same look I’d seen yesterday reappeared. Except this time those feelings were because of me.

“Trent?”

I watched his Adam’s apple drop down his throat in a hefty swallow. When he didn’t say anything, my granddad stood. That must have pulled him out of wherever his thought had taken him because he shook his head. “Hi, Mr. Reese. I wanted to come and talk to you about a future with your team, but I see that your consultant has already discussed it with you.”

“Son, come in and have a seat.”

Trent shook his head again. “No, thank you though. I wish you a great season. Good luck in the draft.”

When he turned and walked away, tears immediately filled my eyes. With blurred vision, I practically had to run to catch up to him.

“Trent, wait. Let me explain.”

A few employees looked on with curiosity. Not wanting an audience, I pulled him into an empty office and closed the door.

“You want to explain? You want to tell me why you, my girlfriend, told her grandfather not to bring me on as the team’s quarterback when you both know I’m the best in the league? Is this payback for not signing on with you five years ago?”

“What? No! That’s not—”

“I can’t believe this.” He moved and let out a slight grimace.

“It’s that. Your health. That’s what it is. I’m not willing to risk your health for our wins. If you want to go sign on with another team, by all means go do it. But I heard that your knee isn’t healing as well as it should be. I also heard that another concussion wouldn’t be good. Not that I didn’t already know that.”

“So you made it personal? You took the knowledge you knew as my girlfriend and used it against me.”

“No, that’s not it.” I reached for him but he pulled his arm away from my touch. “I did it because I care about you”—and I think I’m falling in love with you—“and don’t want to see you risk further injury.”

He inhaled in a huff. “This is caring to you?” My chin quivered and all I could do was stare. “If you cared, you would know I need this in my life. I’m a quarterback. It’s what I know and what I live for.”

I wanted to say he was so much more than a quarterback, but I knew enough about the man not to go there. A deep-rooted part of me also wanted to say, let us be who you live for, but I didn’t, instead tears clogged my throat because when it came down to it, it was his life that concerned me. Then anger simmered and my heart slammed against my ribs in a rhythmic dance. “Did you know that over sixty-five percent of fatalities among football players are due to brain injuries? Do you know how terrifying that is to me? To everyone who loves you? So you can think what you want, but it’s because of how much I care that I can’t be the one responsible. I’m sorry.”

Trent rolled his lips between his teeth. I noticed his deep scruff and the dark circles under his eyes. He probably hadn’t slept since we were together. His beautiful green eyes lacked the sparkle they usually held, then they locked onto mine, and rather than seeing adoration or even like, I saw the opposite. “You made this personal, Reese. This isn’t about statistics that you love to spout. I’m fine. It was a mild concussion, that’s it. And as far as my knee, you wouldn’t have known what was said if you weren’t my girlfriend at the time.”

At the time?

I could literally feel a deep burning inside of my chest, but I did my best to hold it together. The look in his eyes matched the way he scrubbed his jaw before massaging the back of his neck. Did he realize what he’d said? He just told me we were no longer together. All I could do was stare.

“I’ll catch on with another team.” When he paused I half thought—no prayed—he’d apologize for his gruffness. Maybe even take back the at the time comment. Instead all he said was, “See ya ’round.”

He turned on his heel and strode out of the office, leaving me alone with my shattered heart. Despite the pain I felt, and the fact that I truly did care about him, I’d rather see him walk away than hurt himself. Except, as he disappeared down the hallway, he took a piece of my heart with him… one I knew I’d never get back.