Through Rosie-Colored Glasses: Book Three in the Game Winner Series

by Nicole, Angela

  Christ. I’m so fucked.

  “You’re fucking perfect,” I confess as my forehead rests against hers. “I’m trying to go slow with you.”

  My confession must flip some switch inside her because Carol becomes the aggressor. With her hands on my ass, and her ankles now wrapped around my waist, she pulls me in. She’s silently asking for what she wants.

  I kiss her deeply, then pick up my pace. She meets my intensity by giving it right back to me. Our bodies slap, heat rising between us.

  I can feel my dick start to contract at the base, chasing the orgasm that taunts me.

  “Von!” She yells as she goes over the edge, pulling my right along with her. With long deep thrusts, I give her all I have body and soul.

  She’s mine. And damn if I’m not hers.

  Carol

  My breathing slows enough for me to focus on the man staring down at me. The desire I saw in his eyes is replaced by something else. He’s furrowing his eyebrows as if he’s trying to figure something out.

  Von rolls off me. Side by side, we both stare at the ceiling in silence. Then it hits me. He regrets what just happened. I can feel the tears start to well up as I cover myself with the top sheet. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed.

  Von’s hand goes to my back. “Where are you going?’

  I swallow before I speak so he doesn’t hear the sadness. “I need to use the bathroom.”

  Gathering my clothes as I make my way across the hall, I breathe a little easier once I’m in the bathroom.

  My reflection in the mirror says it all. I’ve been thoroughly fucked and now I think I’m getting fucked over. But I won’t let him see me cry. I dress quickly. Taking a deep breath, I hold my hand on the closed door. With my head held high and my shoulders squared, I make my way back to his bedroom.

  I find Von, now dressed in his Calvin Klein underwear, staring out his bedroom window. My heart lurches as his head drops.

  Suddenly he turns as if he sensed my presence. “Why are you dressed?”

  “I should go. Tomorrow is a work-day and I need to be in early.”

  “Don’t go, Carol. I just need a minute.”

  He needs a minute. A minute to what- stop feeling guilty about what just happened.

  Our eyes pin each other in place.

  “Do you still love your wife Von?” I blurt out.

  He closes his eyes but says nothing.

  I’m such a fucking fool, I admonish myself.

  “I have to go.”

  He doesn’t stop me.

  Von

  “Morning Daddy,” Cass says as she comes in from her night out. I have a suspicion Brenda, Sophia and my daughter cooked up our evening alone last night. I’m not mad about it but I don’t like Cassidy thinking about my sex life.

  “Hi, Cass. Have fun last night?” I regret the question the second it comes out.

  “Not as much as you did I’m sure,” she giggles.

  Before heading into the shower, I pour each of us a cup of coffee. “My love life is not up for discussion,” I tell her as I slide the cup over her way.

  “So you have a love life now? Then all my hard work has paid off.”

  “I mean it, Cass. There are just some things I won’t discuss with you.”

  My daughter's wheels are turning.

  “Like mom’s affair?”

  I almost choke on my coffee at her question. How the hell did she know? I try to play it off. “Cassidy Sellers. What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Come on Dad. I know about what mom did. I overheard her on the phone one night while you were on the road.”

  She blows out a breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I felt like I was betraying both of you either way.”

  I stare at my coffee not really knowing what to say. Cassidy moves over to me. “After mom died I saw how you grieved for her. The guilt you felt for not being with her when she died was so obvious. But one day that changed. It was the day you were cleaning out her office.” She shrugs. “I knew something was wrong because you became angry Daddy. You wouldn’t talk about mom anymore. Every time I’d mention her name, you didn’t want to talk about her.”

  I swallow the lump in my throat, fighting the tears for what was and isn’t anymore.

  My daughter, my rock, wraps her arms around my shoulders. “I don’t know what happened between you and mom. I love you both, but you’re the only parent I have left. I want you to be happy and I think Carol can do that for you.”

  I can’t even speak. All I can do is nod my head.

  “I’m still tired so I’m going back to bed. I love you, Daddy.”

  “Me too Cass. So much.”

  I watch my grown-up little girl as she walks down the hall to her room.

  Fuck. Now I’m left alone with thoughts of Carol and Mia.

  Do I still love my wife? That’s the question Carol left me with. I don’t blame her but she mistook my silence for missing my wife. I mean sure I do, but the wife I met all those years ago. One I could never get back after her betrayal.

  I need to go for a run to clear my head. I don’t want to fuck this up with Carol, but I’ve been out of the dating world for so long, I need to regroup after last night.

  Carol

  It’s been two weeks since my night with Von and it’s been awkward as hell. Thankfully, we haven’t seen much of each other at work due to his soccer travel. I did hear he’d be back at work today. In fact, Brenda was all too eager to tell me.

  “Mama? When is Daddy coming?” Rosie asks as she draws at the table in my office.

  I had to bring her in with me this morning because Chris and Brenda were busy so they couldn’t watch her. And now we wait for my ex to come to get her. I hate the days she goes with Kevin.

  “He should be here in an hour or so.”

  Before I can continue, my office phone rings. It’s the catering department wanting me to come and sign for a shipment.

  Shit. I don’t think Rosie will be able to walk that far as quickly as I need her to so we can get back to my office on time.

  I can’t leave her here by herself so I do the only thing I can.

  “Rosie, let’s go see if Coach is here okay?”

  “Yeah, Mama. I wanna see him,” she squeals as she grabs my hand for support.

  I have no idea if he’s here yet or not but with every step I pray he is.

  Crap! When we get to his office, his door is closed. I can’t hear any noises but I decide to knock.

  “Is he here Mama?”

  I shake her hand that’s clasped in mine. “I don’t think so, baby.”

  The apparent disappointment on my daughter’s face is turned around the second he opens his door and she hears his voice. I won’t lie, I’m happier too.

  “Rosie, what are you doing here? Working with your mom?” He asks as he bops her on the nose.

  She giggles. “No, I’m waiting for my dad. I have to spend time with him.”

  My heart lurches in my throat when our eyes meet. We really haven’t spoken since I put my foot in my mouth.

  I clear my already tightened throat. “Von, I’m sure you’re busy but can Rosie sit with you in your office? I have to run to catering really quick.”

  “Sure, come on kiddo. You can help me make out the roster for the first game.”

  “Did you hear that Mama? I get to tell Coach what to do.”

  Von and I both laugh. He gives me a wink, breaking the tension between us. Maybe he doesn’t hate me after all.

  “Go do what you gotta do. Come on Rosie,” he says as he reaches his hand out to her.

  I’m on the verge of tears as I watch her little hand in his, as they make their way to his desk.

  “I’ll be right back,” I yell as I run down the hall on my way to catering.

  Von

  “Everything okay?” I ask Rosie. She’s been quiet which is unusual for her. Yeah sure she answered my questions when I asked her who I should put on the roster for next w
eek’s training camp, but she hasn’t really engaged me at all.

  “I don’t like going with my dad. But I don’t want to tell mama because it’ll make her feel sad. She’s been really sad,” she admits as her mouth turns down.

  Oh shit. Please don’t cry I think to myself.

  “I know mama doesn’t like it when I go with daddy. I heard her say she feels guilty. Do you know what that means Coach?”

  Damnit where the hell is Carol? I know I need to answer Rosie but shit it’s tough. Especially when I feel the way I do about what happened to Mia.

  “Guilty means when you do something wrong. Feeling guilty means when you do something wrong and feel bad about it.”

  Rosie looks at me, furrowing her brows. She’s wringing her hands together. “What do you think mama feels guilty about Coach?”

  I run my hand through my hair.

  “I don’t know sweetheart. But I do know she loves you very much,” I whisper as I bop her on the nose.

  “Do you feel guilty sometimes?” She asks.

  Shit now I’m getting choked up.

  “Yeah, Rosie I feel guilty sometimes, probably more than just sometimes.”

  “Maybe you wouldn’t feel guilty if you just say you’re sorry.”

  It hits me like a ton of bricks. Out of the mouth of babes, they say and it’s true. I’ve never said I was sorry to Mia for pushing her away. Instead, I focused on the hurt I felt.

  “I think you’re right Rosie. I need to say I’m sorry to the people I’ve hurt.”

  She smiles and goes back to typing on my computer.

  Carol is one person I need to apologize to, although I didn’t intentionally hurt her. She took off without letting me explain. And then, of course, I made it worse by avoiding the conversation.

  After Carol, I need to have a talk with Mia.

  “Oh my gosh, I made it back,” Carol pants as she runs into my office. “I didn’t want Kevin to get here before I did.”

  “Mama, I helped coach with his training camp. I told him who he should invite.”

  Carol smiles. “You did huh? That’s a pretty big job. Did you thank Von for letting you hang out in his office?”

  Rosie tosses me her big easy smile. “Thank you, Coach.”

  “You can come and work with me anytime.” I wink at her.

  “Thank you, Von, for helping me out. Come on Rosie. Let’s get you ready for your dad.”

  Carol helps Rosie up from her chair.

  “Carol, could you come back to my office after you see Rosie off?”

  I can see the internal battle she’s waging. I know it well.

  “Sure,” she says with a quick nod before turning out the door.

  I spend the next thirty minutes trying to find the right words to explain what happened two weeks ago. I need to make sure she knows I wasn’t quiet because I regretted what happened, instead I was processing how I could feel what I was for her so quickly.

  I glance at my watch just as Carol makes her way into my office. God, she’s gorgeous in her pink suit. Her hair is up, and she’s got her glasses on. My dick stirs just the way it always does when she’s around.

  “You wanted to see me?” She asks as she leans against the doorframe.

  “Please come in and sit for a minute. I want to talk to you about what happened between us.”

  Carol

  It’s come down to this. I can’t believe I agreed to have this conversation. Sure. I know we need to clear the air but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. And right now I don’t like it.

  I just got into with Kevin. I should be happy that he told me he can’t come down as often to see Rosie but my heart breaks for her.

  I sit down across from Von, ready to hear all the reasons why we should just be friends and the night we spent together was a mistake.

  “I’ve fallen in love with you,” Von blurts out. I almost fall out of my seat.

  “Excuse me?”

  He runs his hand through his hair as he gets up from behind his desk. Von makes his way to me, spinning my chair around to face him.

  He crouches down in front of me, taking my hands into his.

  Von shakes his head. “I never expected to fall for you the way I have Carol. I told myself after what happened with Mia, I’d make a life for just me and Cass. I didn’t think I’d have room in my cold heart for anyone ever again. Then that night in the coatroom at the wedding, I knew you were different.”

  “Von,” I start but he puts his hand up.

  “The night we made love, I admit I was quiet. But it wasn’t for the reason you thought it was. Was I thinking about Mia?” He shrugs. “Yes but only because you’re the first woman I’ve been with since she died. Maybe I was feeling guilty that I didn’t feel guilty. I don’t know. But I do know I don’t regret what happened between us, Carol. In fact, I hope it happens a lot more often.”

  To say I’m floored that this man feels this way is an understatement. I’m about to tell him I’ve fallen for him too, but he continues.

  “And then there’s Rosie.”

  I can feel the tears well in my eyes.

  “She’s perfect Carol. She’s made me see so many things differently, better. You’re the best mother and that just reinforces how I feel about you. Okay, I guess I’m done.”

  The minute the words leave his mouth, mine is on his. I want him to know I feel the same way. Our tongues duel for control, but Von gives in easily allowing me to guide what happens next.

  With my hands in his hair, I pull him closer. I move away slightly so I can look into his eyes. I hope he sees what I see in his. Love.

  With my forehead against his, I admit my feelings too. “I think I fell for you when you gave me your shirt on my first day. It was so difficult to concentrate knowing I was wearing it.”

  We both laugh.

  “Now what?” I ask almost afraid of the answer.

  “Well, we never did tell your brother about us, so I think that’s step number two.”

  “What’s step number one Von?”

  He looks down at our hands.

  “I need to make amends with Mia for pushing her away. I’ve held on to hatred for too long. I think telling her I’m sorry will help me move forward.”

  I nod because I do understand. Things left unsaid can fester. I don’t want that for him.

  “I’m going to go to the cemetery after work and ask for forgiveness. Then I’m going home. I’d love it if you were there Carol. Is that selfish of me? Asking you to be waiting for me after I visit Mia?”

  Is it? Mia was his wife after all. He needs the closure he hasn’t had yet. But the fact he wants me to be his new beginning makes me happy.

  “No, it’s not selfish Von,” I move my hands to his face. “I want to be the one you turn to when you’re ready.”

  Von nods, then places a light kiss on my forehead.

  “Chris is coming in about an hour. We’re going to head to the gym so we can run through what we want the new guys working on. It may be a risk to tell him about us in the same room as heavy dumbbells,” we laugh. “But I don’t want to hide it anymore. Carol, I don’t care what he thinks about us but I know you do so I’m telling him as a courtesy.”

  “I understand and thank you for that.”

  After another quick kiss, Von gives me the code to get into his house and I head back to my office, waiting for my brother to kill my new boyfriend.

  Two hours later there’s a knock on my door.

  “Hi, brother.”

  Von

  Two hours earlier…

  “What the hell do you mean you want to date my sister? Does Carol know this?”

  I bark out a laugh as we wind down on the elliptical machines. “Of course she knows Chris. I wanted to be the one to tell you though. I guess I’m old-fashioned that way. Since your parents aren’t with us any longer, you’re the man of the family.”

  Now it’s Chris’s turn to laugh. “I may be the man of the family but I’ve never told m
y sister what she can and can’t do.”

  We’re silent for a minute. Chris exits his machine. Grabbing a towel and a drink, he sits on the bench looking at me.

  I make my way over to the weight bench across from him. After a swig of my water, I prod him.

  “What is it?”

  Chris shakes his head, “I don’t know what to say man. Carol has always been either with Kevin or on her own. Seeing her with you as a couple is gonna be weird.”

  “You’re okay with that? Seeing us as a couple?”

  Chris runs his hand over his beard. “Let me ask you something. What about Rosie? My niece has had enough shit thrown at her already, from her Cerebral Palsy to Kevin coming in and out of her life. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

  “Chris, that little girl stole my heart the first time I saw her determination at soccer camp. She’s an inspiration, a true testament to how you and Carol have raised her. It’d kill me if I ever hurt her.”

  Chris nods. “And I’ll be the one to do it.”

  I have no doubt he isn’t kidding.

  “So you really like my sister huh?” He shakes his head.

  “I have for a long time, Chris. Carol and Rosie have broken down the wall I put up when Mia died. I’m determined to make sure they’re both happy.”

  Chris extends his hand. “I’ll hold you to that Von. They deserve it and so do you.”

  Carol

  One year later…

  Today’s the day Rosie and I are moving in with Von. It’s taken him six months to convince me even though every part of me wanted to say yes the first time he asked.

  My main concern has always been Rosie. How would she react to living with coach? Every time they’re together, my fears of her being hurt ebb away. She worships him and I’m pretty sure he does her too.

  Kevin has been coming around less and less. Which is fine by me. Rosie seems not to care much either. She prefers to go on dates with me and Von.