Tackling Love: A Sports Romance (Tackling Romance Series Book 1)
Page 13
“Okay.”
I feel like she’s studying me, and I have no idea why. The crowd roars, and my attention goes back to the big screen. The Warriors have scored again, and there’s no way the other team can win.
“Hell, yes,” I cheer.
“Skye?” asks Diandra.
“Yes?”
“Do you think you could take me with you when you meet up with Colt?”
“Umm, okay…. I guess. Is there a reason you don’t want to go by yourself?”
“It’s been a while, and I have something to share with Grayson, and I have no idea how to do that on my own.”
Looking at Diandra, she’s beautiful, seems confident, the kind of woman who unknowingly makes every other woman in the room feel inadequate.
“It’s nothing bad, is it?”
“Oh no, just unexpected. Something I should have told him three years ago and never did. Tyson Reed knows. We thought it was best at the time if we kept it to ourselves, but times have changed.”
The clock runs down, and the whistle blows signaling the end of the game.
The New England Warriors have won.
I hug Diandra and laugh. “Woohoo! They won.”
“Was there any doubt?”
“You never know.” I let her go and stand back. “You’re not going to hurt Gray, are you?”
“I promise it’s not my intention.”
“That’s not a no.”
A frown creases her pretty brow as Diandra grabs my hand. “Please, Skye.”
Tyson Reed walks over, grinning from ear to ear. He thrusts out his hand, and I take it.
“Congrats, Mr. Reed,” I gush.
“I never doubted them.”
Diandra quirks an eyebrow and puts a hand on her hip. “Really?”
Tyson goes red and shakes his head, then he looks down at me and gives Diandra a sideways look. “Did you tell her?”
“No, I only said I needed to talk to Gray.”
Tyson puts his lips together and puffs out his cheeks. “Good luck.” He looks around the room. “I have a press conference to get to, and you two have a celebration. Have fun.”
Tyson pats my upper arm, kisses Diandra on the cheek, and leaves us.
I cock my head to the side and look into her dark brown eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity in their depths.
“Is Gray going to be upset?” Diandra takes a moment then nods once. “Then why should I let you come?
“Because it’s something he needs to know. And I picked tonight as it’s going to be the best night of his life so far, and it might soften the blow.”
I look from her to the team owner who’s staring at us, and then back again at Diandra. Surely, if it were something incredibly bad, he wouldn’t want one of his star players upset?
“Okay, you can come. I’m supposed to meet Colt and Gray downstairs in a limo. They’ll still be talking to reporters and changing, so it’ll be an hour or so. Do you want to wait here or go wait in the limo where it will be a bit quieter?”
Diandra smiles and looks relieved. “Quieter sounds good.”
“And I can probe you for information while we wait,” I reply with a grin.
We make our way to the limousine, amid much cheering and jostling from the New England Warriors fans.
The big guy who picked me up is waiting next to the car. “Miss Hadley, you found a friend?”
“Yes, I did. This is Diandra Evergrow. She’s a friend of Grayson Moore’s.”
The man nods and opens the door to the car. We both climb in, and I open a bottle of Cristal in preparation for the upcoming celebrations.
“Want one?” I ask.
“Yes, please, might settle the nerves.”
“How do you know, Grayson?”
The smile that was on her face falters when I hand her a glass, and she takes a large gulp.
“We met in college. Gray was playing college ball then, but he got a contract with the New England Warriors. He was moving onto bigger and better things, and I didn’t want to hold him back.” She looks sad, a small frown marrs her forehead.
Diandra catches me staring at her, and she shakes herself and smiles.
“I broke it off. It was my decision. At the time, Gray was not happy. Tyson helped me. He made it so Gray was too busy, too worn out, and surrounded by his teammates that I became a memory.”
“What did you need help with?”
Diandra puts the glass down and looks serious, she moves forward on the seat. “We have a son.”
My mouth drops open as I watch Diandra smile. “What?”
“I know. I should have told him, and I was always going to, but he’s been chasing tonight for so long, and Gray has done so well for himself, I didn’t want to complicate things.”
The glass partition between the driver and us comes down to which I jump at the intrusion.
“Ms. Hadley, they’ve just sent word that’ll they’ll be another half an hour. Do you two need anything back there?”
“Something for shock,” I reply.
“I’m sorry?”
“Exactly how much alcohol is back here?”
“It’s fully stocked, Ms. Hadley.”
“We’ll be fine, then,” I say as I nod at him.
The glass partition goes back up slowly, and I’m left staring, once again with Diandra.
“A son?”
“His name is Dawson. He looks just like Gray.”
“And you never told him?”
“No.”
I finish the rest of my glass of bubbles. then lock eyes with her. “Did you come out of the woodwork now because he’s worth more money?”
Now, it’s her turn to looked shocked with her mouth hanging open and her eyebrows raised. “What? No, no, no! I don’t want money. That’s the last thing I want, you have to believe me.”
She seems sincere, but a child?
A child she never told Gray about?
I’m questioning whether I should even have her in the limo. I don’t want to upset Gray or Colt.
“I promise you, I don’t want money from Gray. I have my own accounting firm in New York.”
“But you do want something?”
Diandra nods. “I do.” She drops her gaze to the limousine floor. “He’s not going to like it. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be pissed, but we need him.”
“We?”
“Dawson and I.”
There’s so much I want to ask, but it’s not my place. Instead, I refill my glass and hold up the bottle to her.
“Yes, please.”
Diandra holds out her glass, and we both sit in silence waiting for the men.
The door to the limousine flies open.
Colt, with freshly washed, damp hair, falls into the limousine. “We won!”
“I know, baby. Congratulations.”
The smile on Colt’s gorgeous face freezes as he sits opposite me with his eyes glued to Diandra.
“What are you doing here?” demands Colt.
“I’m here for Grayson.”
Colt shakes his head. “He’s meeting us at the club.” Colt’s eyes flick to me. “He wanted to give us some alone time.” Colt pushes his hair off his face. “Why are you here, Diandra.”
She glances at me, her pretty lips turn down. “We have a son. His name is Dawson. He’s sick, Colt, and Gray may very well be the only one who can save him.”
Colt frowns and looks at me.
“Wow! What a night! You won the Super Bowl, Gray has a son, and I love you. Seems like a perfect night to me.” The words rush out of me in an attempt to divert the conversation.
Colt’s face softens, and he cups my jaw. “You chose now to tell me you love me?”
“Felt like the right time.” I scoot over and sit next to him. “And I do love you.”
With a shake of his head, Colt kisses my lips. “I love you, too.”
Grayson’s and Diandra’s story will continue in:
Tackling Life
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To all the readers, bloggers, supporters and other authors in Kelly’s Angels—you guys lift me up every day.
Without the readers, there wouldn’t be a reason to write.
The bloggers let everyone know when I have a release. I am eternally grateful to you all for helping me spread the word about my books.
The supporters are the friends and family who might not read me, but share my posts and always have my back.
Authors, some of you are my closest friends. You are part of my tribe, and as I know you want the same for me, I only ever want you to succeed and for all of your dreams come true.
Some of you will fall into all of these groups.
But all of you are important to me.
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Kathleen Kelly was born in Penrith, NSW, Australia. When she was four, her family moved to Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Although born in NSW, she considers herself a QUEENSLANDER!
She married her childhood sweetheart, and they live in Toowoomba.
Kathleen enjoys writing contemporary romance novels with a little bit of erotica. She draws her inspiration from family, friends, and the people around her. She can often be found in cafes writing and observing the locals.
If you have any questions about her novels or would like to ask Kathleen a question, she can be contacted via e-mail: kathleenkellyauthor@gmail.com or she can be found on Facebook. She loves to be contacted by those that love her books.