Tackling Life: A Sports Romance (Tackling Romance Series Book 2)

by Kathleen Kelly

  “Are you in pain? Do you want me to get the doctor?”

  “No, I’m fine. I just wish Gray was here.”

  Tyson nods but says nothing. For the past seven hours, we’ve had the same conversation many times. Hell, since I moved to New York, we’ve had this conversation repeatedly. Tyson thinks Gray should know. Maybe when Dawson is older and wants to get to know his father, I’ll tell Gray. Until then, it’s just us.

  DIANDRA

  Present Day

  The flight back to New York seemed to take forever, then battling traffic to get to the hospital felt like an eternity. Now, as I walk back into the hospital where I gave birth to my son all those years ago, sadness fills me.

  I deserved every horrible thing that Gray said to me. Every harsh look, but I was hoping he’d see me and remember what we once had.

  That he once loved me.

  That, at one time, he wanted to build a life with me.

  If I’d known then what I know now, I would have told him. Dawson needs him, and for my son, I would sacrifice anything, and I have, with Tyson’s help. Once Dawson was born, he helped me get the financing to open my own agency. Without him guaranteeing everything, the banks wouldn’t have touched me. To this day, I still look after his interests in New York for free. Although Tyson never invested in me financially, I wouldn’t be where I am without him. Tyson gave me a place to stay, opened doors, and supported me emotionally. He’s good friend.

  The hospital feels too quiet as I make my way to Dawson’s room. My mom and dad stayed with him while I was away. The door to his room is open. Peeking in, I find my mom and dad asleep in chairs, but Dawson is sitting up staring at a teddy bear. His eyes light up when he sees me. “Mommy!”

  I hold my finger to my lips and pad softly into the room. Neither Mom or Dad wake up as I sit on his bed.

  “What have you got there, big man?” I whisper.

  “Tyson gave it to me.”

  I cock my head to the side. “When did he give you that?”

  “Just before.”

  “Is he here?”

  “He said he’s going to get a hot chocolate, but I think he’s getting coffee.” Dawson’s little lips turn down. He doesn’t like coffee.

  I laugh. “Why would he say hot chocolate if he’s getting coffee?”

  “To trick me!” Dawson giggles.

  “Shh.” I glance at my parents, but they are still sleeping. “Did you miss me?”

  Dawson nods his head vigorously. “Did you see my dad?”

  “Yeah, baby, and he’s coming to visit.”

  “He is?”

  “Yes, and he’s bringing his mom, so you’ll have another granny.”

  “Do I get another grandpa too?”

  “No, you won’t. You’re super lucky and just get me,” teases my dad as he stands and hugs me.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “When did you get back?”

  “Just now.” I smile down at Dawson. “Did he have a rough night?”

  Dad rubs the top of Dawson’s head. “Yeah, big man here couldn’t sleep. Your mom and I stayed up with him. I guess we both dropped off.”

  Mom groans as she straightens up in her chair. “He missed his momma.”

  “Grams, you snored.”

  My mother straightens her shoulders and pushes her hair out of her face. “I do not snore.”

  Dawson giggles. “Yes, you did!”

  “Now, Dawson, your grams does not snore, she simply breathes loudly.” Dad smiles at Mom, and she blushes.

  He has always had a way with the ladies. It’s one of the reasons they got divorced. Dad couldn’t keep his hands to himself, and one day Mom simply had enough of his philandering ways.

  “How did it go, honey? What did Grayson have to say?”

  “Did you see they won, Mom?” interjects Dawson.

  I position myself next to him on the bed and tuck him into my side. “Yes, honey, I saw.” I stare at Mom. “He’s coming, so is Minerva.”

  Mom’s face clouds over. “She’s going to be so cross with me.”

  I shake my head. “No, Mom. I explained it to her. She’s hurt, but she can’t wait to meet Dawson.” I tickle under his arm, and he laughs.

  Dawson looks up at me and yawns. As part of his disease he gets tired easily, so I’m a little surprised he didn’t sleep with me being gone.

  “How about you close your eyes, little man?”

  “You’ll be here when I wake up?”

  “I’m never leaving you again.” I kiss the top of his head, and he yawns.

  “Okay, Momma.” Dawson closes his eyes, and within moments, his little mouth falls open, and he’s asleep.

  “How bad was it?” asks my mom.

  I let out a breath and move off Dawson’s bed. “He’s mad. Minerva is excited.” I give Mom a forced smile.

  “Did you explain to him why you left?”

  I shake my head. “No. He didn’t give me a chance.”

  “Well, you hurt him pretty badly, Diandra,” says Tyson as he comes into the room with what I assume are four cups of coffee.

  “Did you get a hot chocolate?” I ask with a grin.

  “He ratted me out?” Tyson laughs.

  “Gray will be here soon.” I take a coffee off Tyson. “I don’t think you should be here. He was furious.”

  Tyson purses his lips and then looks at Dawson. “Yeah, he has a right to be. Did he say he’d do it?”

  The moment we were told that Dawson needed a kidney transplant, Tyson got tested. He’s not a match.

  “He wants a paternity test first.”

  Tyson’s mouth drops open, and my mother gasps.

  Holding up my hands, I turn so I’m facing everyone. “He has a right. Gray didn’t know I was pregnant, let alone had a child. The main thing is… he’s coming. We’ll deal with everything else as it comes. Dawson is our only priority.”

  Tyson hands out the other coffees to my parents. His jaw is ticking, which means he’s angry. My dad is also looking at me with his lips turned down.

  “At the end of the day, this is all on me. I should’ve told Gray. I know you all think that too.” Looking down at my feet, I take a deep breath and look at the people I love most in the world. “I thought I was doing what was best for Gray, but it has backfired horribly. If I could take it all back, I would.”

  Mom embraces me. “Oh, honey, Gray is a good man. Well, he was. I’m sure he’ll do the right thing.”

  Five hours later, and I’m waiting nervously for Gray and his mom in the hospital lobby. I told my parents and Tyson to leave, as I don’t want any tension when they arrive. Unfortunately, that means I have to deal with Gray by myself. My stomach is in knots as I wait for them. Dawson was asleep when I slipped out of his room. His color doesn’t look as good today, and I think he’s lost a little more weight.

  Gray is the first one through the doors. He’s wearing jeans, a dark jacket, and a white shirt. Minerva has on a pale blue pantsuit. Both look frazzled, or maybe it’s annoyance? Gray isn’t the man I knew anymore. He was never cold or said things to deliberately hurt me, but I suppose I only have myself to blame.

  Minerva is the first to see me. With determination, she strides toward me, wrapping her arms around my frame, holding me tightly. It’s a comfort, I didn’t know I needed.

  “How is he?”

  “He’s holding his own. Dawson was asleep when I left.”

  Gray stands behind his mother. He’s gotten broader and filled out more since we were in college together. He lets out a sigh and runs a hand through his short, cropped hair.

  “Okay, we’re here,” he says in a flat monotone.

  Minerva turns around quickly and gives him a stern look, her mouth a hard, thin line. “Grayson.”

  He looks at his mother and shrugs, a silent war going on between them.

  Gray won’t even look at me.

  I clear my throat, and Minerva grabs my hand.

  “Would you like to meet him?” I as
k her.

  “Oh, yes. Very much.” Minerva links arms with me, and I walk her through the hospital. Many of the staff say hello to me as I pass.

  “You’re here a lot?” asks Gray.

  “Yes. Dawson is here full-time now.”

  “That must be expensive.”

  “Grayson Moore! You mind your tongue,” hisses Minerva.

  “It’s okay.” I pat her arm. “It’s expensive, but we get by.”

  Gray grunts and follows us from behind. His anger is like an armor he’s wearing to protect himself. My only hope is he’s nice to Dawson.

  GRAYSON

  I saw her the minute we entered the hospital. Motherhood has done nothing to diminish her beauty. Diandra is still the center of the universe, and the rest of us gravitate toward her. More than one person stopped to look at her. Diandra has always had a presence.

  Not wanting to appear too interested, I pretended not to see her, but my mother almost ran to Diandra the moment her eyes landed on her. Dee barely looked at me. She’s not wearing a ring, but a woman like her probably didn’t stay single for long. The thought of her with another man makes me angry. When I join them, I run a hand through my hair to ease some of the tension within my body.

  As we walk to her son’s room, many hospital staff greet her by name and say hello. This means she must spend a lot of time here. This is a private hospital, so the medical bills alone must be crippling her. It makes me wonder how she can afford it. I did some digging on the plane, and she does have a lucrative accounting firm, but even so, all of her money must be tied up in keeping her son alive.

  Diandra comes to a stop at what I presume is Dawson’s room. She positions herself in front of me, a frown on her beautiful face.

  “Dawson is only three. He knows you’re his daddy, and he’s a huge fan.” She closes the gap between us and rests her hands on my chest. “Please be nice to him, Gray, he has been through so much. He’s innocent in all of this.”

  Her hands on my chest make my heart beat faster, and a warmth spreads through me. This woman destroyed me once, and it seems she still has power over me. I close my eyes and shake my head slightly when I open them again. She’s still there, still bewitching, but she’s not mine anymore.

  Dee drops her hands and steps back. Whatever she sees in my face causes her to cringe away from me. My mom glares at me and places an arm around Dee’s shoulders. They go into the room, but I hang back for a moment to get my heart under control and remind myself that she can’t be trusted.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I enter the room. Laying on the bed is a small boy. His eyes are closed, and from the doorway, I can tell he’s way too thin. Even his color is a little off. He’s far too pale. Mom and Diandra are on one side of the bed, so I walk around to the other. His little face is relaxed in sleep, and his mouth is open. Mom is right, he’s the spitting image of me at his age. Reaching out, I brush the top of his head. He doesn’t stir, but his mouth closes.

  “He’s had a big day,” whispers Dee.

  Clutched in his arms is a teddy bear. The boy looks so sweet, and my heart breaks a little at my attitude toward his mother.

  “What do you need me to do?” I ask in a voice that’s barely above a whisper.

  “What do you need us to do?” my mother corrects me.

  “His doctor will want to see you. If you’ll follow me, I’ll see if he’s in his office.”

  Not able to stop myself, I reach out again and touch his head. I need to reassure myself he’s real.

  I nod once at him, then say, “Be back soon.”

  His face scrunches up, and I think he’s going to wake, but in the blink of an eye, he goes back to his relaxed pose. Smiling, I meet Dee and my mom in the hallway.

  Dee smiles at me, and I quickly lose the smile on my face. I’m mad as hell at her, and I’m not going to give her an inch. At my sudden change of expression, Dee also loses her smile and gestures for us to follow her.

  She has obviously spent a good deal of time here. Not only do the staff know her name, but she knows theirs. Eventually, we come to an office, and Dee walks right in. A woman is behind a desk on the phone, and she points at a door, nodding for Dee to go in.

  Dee knocks once and then opens it. An older gentleman is standing on the other side of the room, putting on a white lab coat.

  “Dr. Otto, this is Grayson and Minerva Moore. Gray is Dawson’s dad.”

  The doctor finishes putting on his coat and walks toward us, a huge smile on his face. “Well, I’ll be! You’re Grayson Moore of the New England Warriors! You boys did good.” He takes my hand and pumps it up and down.

  “Yes, sir, we did.”

  Dr. Otto looks at Diandra. “I know you said that your son’s father was a professional athlete, but I had no idea it would be Grayson Moore.”

  Diandra smiles. “I told you who he was.”

  Dr. Otto lets go of my hand and nods. “You did, but…”

  Diandra rolls her eyes. “Yes, I did. Could you please explain to Gray and his mom what we need them to do.”

  “Of course, sit, sit!” orders the doctor.

  “What do you need us to do?” I ask as my mother takes a seat. I decide to remain standing.

  “We’ll need a urine test and a blood test. The blood test will see if you have a matching blood type and antigens. The only other thing we need to consider is your overall health, but looking at you, I can’t see that being a problem.” His gaze goes to mom. “Unfortunately, Mrs. Moore, you’re too old to be a donor.”

  Mom’s face falls, but she quickly recovers. “How soon can he do this?” asks my mother, gesturing toward me.

  “Now, if you’d like?” replies the doctor.

  Mom nods at him, and I lock eyes with Dee. Her blue eyes that I remember so clearly as being full of life are now cloudy with fear and stress. She’s watching me as her hands nervously twitch at her sides.

  “I’m good to go.”

  Dee visibly relaxes. “Thank you.”

  I nod at her, then put my attention back on the doctor. Being in the same room and looking at her stirs up all those old emotions that I long ago buried.

  “Come on, Doc, lead the way.”

  He walks out of his office and stops so I can walk beside him. “So, tell me, what’s Colton Anders like in real life?”

  I grin at him. “Colt is my best friend. Between you and me, Doc, he’s a pain in the ass but an exceptional football player.”

  “I noticed earlier in the season he wasn’t playing to his full potential, but he sure seems to have sorted himself out for the last few games.”

  “You need to have your head in the right space. Football isn’t all brawn. You’ve got to see the goal and go for it.”

  “Still working your plan, are you, Gray?” asks Dee.

  “My plan?”

  “Yes, when I knew you, you had a five-year plan. Is it all working out?”

  There’s an edge to her voice that wasn’t there before.

  I frown at her. “Not everything went to plan.” I stare straight ahead. “But you, of course, know that.”

  Her sharp intake of breath lets me know that she understands my meaning. It might make me an insensitive bastard, but I hope my little barb hurt her.

  GRAYSON

  The test results will take a week, and because I want to hurt Dee, I also asked for a paternity test. My mother hasn’t spoken to me since we’ve left the hospital. We’re staying at Dee’s apartment. It overlooks the park. On the ride up in the elevator, it’s obvious that she’s doing better than I thought. I should’ve known she’d succeed. Dee was always driven to be the best.

  The elevator stops, and Dee walks out first.

  She points to a door on her left. “The kitchen is through there.” Dee continues walking. “I thought you might want to freshen up, Minerva.”

  The floors are marble, and Mom’s and Dee’s shoes make click-clacking noises on its surface as they walk down the hallway.

  “I had
this room made up for you. It’s normally used as a library, but it has its own bathroom, although it is kind of small.”

  She opens the door, and we all walk in. There’s a four-poster bed in the middle of the room. The floors in here are wooden with a herringbone pattern.

  “This is small?” Mom asks.

  “Oh. Not the room, the bathroom. It’s through there,” replies Dee as she points to a closed door.

  “It’ll be fine, honey,” assures Mom.

  “Gray, if you’ll follow me?”

  I put Mom’s small carry-on on the bed. “Are you okay, Mom?”

  “I’m fine. I might just have a little lie-down.”

  “Yell if you need me.”

  Mom goes up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek and whispers, “Be nice.”

  I nod at her once, then follow Dee back out into the hallway. She walks toward the elevator and then takes the first door on her left. It opens into another hallway with three doors along it.

  Dee opens the first door. “This is your room.”

  The room has massive windows, which would let the light pour in, and a door on either side.

  “That door is the door to your mother’s bathroom and that one,” she points at the opposite door. “Is the bathroom that connects to Dawson’s room. Not that he’s using it right now, so you may as well.”

  “How big is this place?”

  Dee waves her hand in the air. “I don’t use all of it. My room is on the other side of Dawson’s. When he’s home, we use our bedrooms, the kitchen, and one of the living rooms.”

  “One of?”

  Dee shrugs. “Like I said, we don’t use all of the rooms.”

  “Do you rent?”

  Dee shuffles from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable. “Sort of. This belongs to a friend.”

  I drop my bag, and it makes a thud as it hits the wooden floor.

  “Would you like to see Dawson’s room?”

  I nod. The need to see his room is overwhelming me, not that I’ll admit it to Dee or my mother.

  Dee goes back out into the hallway. “The room at the end of the hall is mine.”