Jessie had given Todd directions to the bar before she headed to the locker room to shower.
One look in the mirror and she nearly cried.
Her nose was already turning purple, and her right eye was going to be bruised too. During it all she must have bitten her lip, because that was tender and had a fresh cut.
As per the norm, Finn felt worse about it than she did. It wasn’t the first time he’d run her over. It wouldn’t be the last.
The man stood nearly six-eight, and he just didn’t have control over his long body. He was also nearly sixty, so trying to keep up with all the thirty-year-olds, that commanded some respect. And that was what Jessie had for the man. Nothing but respect.
By the time she’d pulled up to the bar, everyone was there. As she stepped out of her car, she saw Todd walking toward her.
“I thought you’d be inside,” she said tucking her phone and wallet into her pocket.
“I didn’t want to go in without you. I was worried about you.”
Jessie shrugged. “This is normal. You’ll see me like this again. People think basketball is easy, but you still get hurt. I can’t even tell you how many ankle braces I own because I’ve rolled my ankle. I’ve dislocated my knee three times. Oh, and jammed fingers—I’ve lost count.”
“And you’ll show up next Sunday to do it all over again?”
“Bet your ass I will.” She took a bold step toward him. “Will you show up next Sunday to watch?”
He blinked hard and nodded. “Every Sunday.”
And that was what she’d wanted to hear.
Jessie’s drink was waiting for her when she walked into the bar. Finn shook his head as he handed it to her. “One of these days you’re going to come up from the floor and sock me in the nose.”
She lifted on her toes, and he bent down, so she could kiss him on the cheek. “Never—ever. You keep showing up to knock me down, and I’ll keep getting up so you’ll buy me a beer.”
Jessie introduced Todd to the others and then ordered a plate of nachos. Over the next hour, one by one the other players left the bar or were joined by their families and escorted to the adjoining restaurant to eat. When Finn called it in for the night, he kissed Jessie on the top of the head and shook Todd’s hand.
“He’s a good guy,” Todd said as he pulled a nacho from the plate.
“Great guy. He was on scene when my brother got hit. I think that’s why it bothers him so much when I’m the one that goes down under him. He falls on someone every week. It’s harder for him to take when it’s me.”
“So you’ve known him your whole life?”
“Most of it. He keeps the game interesting for me,” she said with a smile and winced when it hurt.
A hand came down on Todd’s shoulder as they continued eating nachos. When he looked up, he shook the hand of the man who had stood next to him.
“Jessie, have you met Officer Phillip Smythe?”
Jessie reached her hand out to shake Phillip’s. “No. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Phillip said and shifted his glance back to Todd. “Heard from her?”
“Emailed. She’s doing okay.”
Phillip let out a breath. “Her mom is home and says she’s still working through some other stuff. When you talk to her, tell her we want her home.”
“I’ll do it,” Todd promised.
Phillip settled his eyes on Jessie. “What happened to you?”
“Run in with Big Finn during a basketball game,” she said, and that brought laughter too Phillip’s dull mood.
“Least graceful man I’ve ever met,” he humored. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just a little bruised. I’ll be just fine by next week.”
“Well, it was nice to meet you. Todd, I’ll talk to you soon.”
Phillip went on his way, and they both watched him as he made some patrons look the other way, while other’s called to him for conversation.
“Who is he worried about?” Jessie asked as she watched Phillip walk out the door.
“Lydia. She’s doing some self recovery, and he’s suffering.”
“They’re an item?”
“In his mind they seem to be. In hers—she can’t stand him.”
Todd was sure Lydia was about ready to come home, but he’d never give Phillip that impression. When Lydia was ready, she’d face what happened to her, go back to work, and deal with Phillip Smythe on her on terms.
“Are you going to be at the reception hall tomorrow?” Jessie asked as she drank down a glass of water before her next beer arrived.
“I’ll be there. Beer order arrives in the morning. I have a guy coming to work on the air conditioner. The carpet cleaners are scheduled to be there in the afternoon. If I’m lucky, Susan stops by with impromptu lunch again. What about you? You going in to get started on your space?”
The smile that tugged on her lips was hard to keep because of the pain in her nose, but she felt the glory of it. “I’ll be there. My parents are very excited for me and my new venture. They wanted to give me money to get stared, but I want to do this on my own.”
“When do you think you’ll be ready to open?”
“I’m shooting for a month.”
“Let me know how I can help. I mean, I’m around.”
The waitress brought their beers, and she took a long sip from hers. “How are you at painting?”
“Just above pre-school level,” he joked. “But I can hold my own.”
“I’m picking up paint tomorrow. If you’re so inclined, stop by.”
With everything he had going on he wondered just where he was going to find time to help her paint, but he knew he would. He found that spending time with her only made him want to spend more.
Still, he chalked it up to being lonely—and a little desperate. He didn’t want to come across that way.
They ordered another appetizer—buffalo wings, and a pitcher of water. A baseball game played on the TVs surrounding the bar, and for another hour they enjoyed simple conversation and each other.
The sun was down, stars were out, and the sound of crickets sang to those who would listen as they walked to their cars.
“Get home and get some ice on that bruise,” Todd offered as Jessie opened her car door.
“Will do, Doc. Do you drive out to the ranch now?”
“I’m at Lydia’s while she’s gone. So just across town.”
She didn’t get into her car, he noticed.
“Thanks for coming to the game.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
“Thanks for the drinks and the wings.”
“My pleasure. I enjoyed the company.”
Those crickets seemed to get louder, he noticed. What else was he supposed to say? For some reason, he didn’t want to walk away.
Jessie took a step closer to him. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there,” he said feeling like an idiot. He should move in. Kiss her. Hug her. Something other than sounding like an…
Jessie closed the gap, resting her hand on his cheek, she pressed a kiss to his lips and lingered there as if she were waiting for him to notice.
He noticed.
Todd moved in, wrapping his arms around her waist as her arms circled his neck.
Her mouth opened to his, and a wave of warmth flooded through him.
This was what he’d wanted and couldn’t gather enough courage to take. Jessie, she was braver than he was and he knew that.
Her fingers splayed into his hair as her tongue moved against his. The entire world could watch them stand there, and he didn’t care.
As she pulled back, she rested her forehead to his. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” was all he could say before she turned and climbed into her car. A moment later she drove away, and he stood there watching her disappear.
It had begun, he thought. Now he just had to keep enough nerve to continue. He liked her—really did. But one thing Todd Walker wasn’t good at was women.