Three Rivers (A Gateway to Love Novel)

by Barlow, Chloe T.

  "Mommy, Mommy, did you say yes?"

  Althea pulled away and looked over to see Aubrey, Jenna, and Johnny grinning at her like eager fools.

  "What's that, Johnny?" she asked.

  Griffen grinned at him, "I asked if Johnny would be okay with us getting married. He was cool with it."

  "I said heck yeah! I asked Santa to make Uncle Gwiff my daddy, too. Just to be safe."

  "And Aubrey and Jenna?"

  "They tortured it out of me. And I needed to make sure the ring was okay."

  "And that we approved, too, of course!” Aubrey exclaimed.

  "You know, you two are owed some serious love-life meddling karma from me."

  "No way, we're staying free and single forever, right Jenna?"

  "Yeah, whether we like it or not,” Jenna muttered as she looked down at her phone, reading something that had her face twisting into frustration.

  "Jenna, are you okay?" Althea asked gently.

  "What, me? I'm great! Besides, this is your night."

  "Yeah," Aubrey burst in. "Enough, Tea you're killing us. You said yes, right? If not, you have a weird way of saying no.”

  Althea held up her hand and they squealed and jumped on her so hard she almost took a header into the concrete fountain’s bed.

  "Easy guys. I don't want her to get a concussion. I mean, we've got celebrating to do, right?"

  Althea smiled. "Yes, we do.”

  Tears started to run down her cheeks and she couldn't catch her breath. She looked at this beautiful man in front of her and then back to the rivers behind her.

  They call them the "Three Rivers" but it's really two rivers joining together to form the third. One surrendering to the other to become something bigger and much more important. The rivers are not lesser for moving on and joining together, they are broader, stronger, and lead to so many more opportunities — as one.

  She and Griffen were one now, but it was greater than just the two of them, because Jack would always be a part of them both. Their love for Jack would stay with them and grow as they moved forward on their own third river.

  Althea smiled because she knew she was finally ready to move on.

  Just as Althea felt her heart traverse this gateway to a new beginning, Griffen turned her body so she could see the massive Christmas tree explode with lights before them, reflecting the joy in her heart at this second chance at life — and love.

  THE END

  Keep Reading for a Sneak Peek of

  Book Two in the Gateway to Love Series:

  City of Champions

  (Anticipated Release: Summer 2014)

  Tragedy and betrayal taught Jenna Sutherland early on that her safest bet was to fiercely avoid any risk, whether it is in work, life, or love. Now a respected orthopedic surgical resident on the cusp of finally breaking through in her career, she’s more guarded than ever.

  When injured NFL quarterback Wyatt McCoy bulldozes into her life there’s no denying he’s cocky, selfish, and downright dangerous — everything Jenna’s sworn she doesn’t want. Yet, when the levelheaded doctor finds herself facing down her greatest fear she’s suddenly tempted to gamble all she’s fought so hard to build. Will she win at love or lose everything — including her heart?

  "Tea, I'm gonna head home and skip the tour," Jenna whispered to Tea as they followed Tom Wilkins, the assistant GM of the Pittsburgh Roughnecks, who was chattering almost nonstop several feet ahead of them to Griffen and Johnny.

  "No way, Jenna," Tea whispered back more intensely, stopping suddenly until Aubrey barreled into her from behind.

  "Jeez Tea, are you trying to kill me?" Aubrey huffed at her.

  "No, but I may kill Jenna. She wants to go home," Tea turned back to Jenna with a surprising amount of frustration in her eyes, considering she was usually so sweet — maybe a little dramatic at times, but always sweet. "You really can't be serious, Jenna. Not after Griffen went to all this trouble setting up this day for us."

  Jenna had to admit to herself that it was an impressive feat on Griffen's part. He'd used his connections with Tom, who was an old high school buddy of his and Tea's deceased husband, Jack's, to get them seats in the owners' box and now this private tour of the stadium facilities accompanied by a meet and greet with three starting players.

  Any other day she'd be jumping at the chance, but after finding out the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine she so coveted was more out of reach than she realized and another depressing call with her dad, all she wanted to do was take a hot shower, eat ice cream, and hide — and not necessarily in that order.

  "It was really sweet of him, Tea," Jenna said calmly, "and I do appreciate it, but I had a crappy day and am totally beat. I went to the game, hung out in the box with everyone, it's not like I blew this off."

  "Jenna I can't believe you're missing a chance to check out some hot NFL players in the flesh — you know, when you aren't working and servicing them professionally," Aubrey said to Jenna, her voice dripping with its signature class and grace.

  "Jesus Brey, why do you always make me being a sports medicine doc sound like I'm a hands-on sex therapist for athletes?"

  "Because that would be a way more fun thing to hear you blather on about in our apartment instead of ACLs this and rotator cuffs that," Aubrey responded, closing her eyes, flopping her head to the side, and making distinct snoring sounds.

  Jenna rolled her eyes at Tea but was getting no support from that member of their triad. Instead Tea simply glared at her.

  "Hey, are you guys coming?" Jenna heard Griffen's deep voice boom back to them. He jogged in their direction and immediately looked at Tea with concern. "Gorgeous, is everything okay?" he asked her softly as he placed his hand at the small of her back. Tea looked up at him and the two simply stared in each other's eyes for a moment. The adoration they shared for each other was almost palpable. The moment was at once intimate and touching, making Jenna feel like a voyeur — a very single voyeur.

  Ugh, now I'm feeling lonely on top of everything else, Jenna thought to herself as she made a mental catalog of the comfort foods presently in her apartment. I'm going to need more ice cream, maybe I should stop on the way home.

  "I'm fine," Tea said reassuringly to Griffen. "It's Jenna, she's got a bad case of the stick-in-the-muds. She's trying to go home."

  "No way, Jenna, this is a huge opportunity to meet these players and they're expecting all of us, it will look bad if one of us bails. It'll be short, I promise, and I know Johnny will be bummed if you leave…Please."

  Griffen shot his best puppy dog eyes at her, bending his head down and letting his longish, dark wavy hair fall on his forehead.

  "Uh oh, Jenna, he's got you in his blue-eyed clutches, you're toast," Aubrey said with a giggle, which Tea quickly joined in on with her own snickering.

  Griffen wouldn't look away and threw out his bottom lip further. Jenna had to admit that he was devastatingly handsome. Yes, he was madly in love with her best friend but she was a woman, after all.

  "Fine," Jenna muttered as she started walking toward Tom and Johnny.

  "Success!" Griffen shouted with a fist pump in the air while Tea and Aubrey cheered. "Come on, hurry up ladies, they're waiting for us."

  "All right folks, are we ready?" Tom asked when they caught up to him. Everyone nodded and proceeded to fall in behind him again like obedient ducklings until they made it to the entry area in the NFL team's locker room.

  Tom stood next to the three players that were pegged for the meet-and-greet portion of what was rapidly feeling like one of the longest days of Jenna's life.

  "I have our quarterback Wyatt, wide receiver JJ, and cornerback Trajan here to meet you. If you're NFL fans, as I know at least a couple of you are, they won't need much introduction," Tom said with a smooth tone suffused with authority.

  Johnny's eyes were wide with excitement and Jenna stood amazed at how
he was speechless for probably the first time since he was born. She loved to see Johnny so happy and proud, knowing that his "Gwiff" did all this for him.

  She also noted that each of the three handsome players waiting for them had showered and seemed amiable enough, despite what was surely the annoying task of meeting "VIP Pittsburgher" Griffen Tate and his motley crew entourage after a long game and depressing defeat in overtime.

  Jenna knew this was a unique opportunity for her to build on her growing relationship with the team as a potential go-to orthopedic surgeon, but it was hard to shake off her bad mood, especially when the notorious Wyatt Alejandro McCoy was eyeing her like she was a glistening Mojito on a hot day at the beach.

  The son of a Mexican model and one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of the 1980's, he was only in his second season with the Roughnecks, but had quickly developed the kind of reputation that a sensible woman like herself knew to steer clear of — even if he was blindingly good-looking.

  She'd watched him like a hawk during the whole game, but assured herself that her acute interest was purely due to her love of the game and a small concern for what looked like a subtle issue with his throwing arm.

  Yet, with each moment he stared at her, her blood warmed and her ability to ignore the focused gaze of his gray-green eyes became increasingly difficult.

  "What do you say, guys?"

  "Huh?" Jenna muttered inelegantly, completely oblivious to anything in the room but the arrogant grin on Wyatt's face. Aubrey, who never missed a beat when it came to tormenting her friends, immediately pounced.

  "Tom here asked if we wanted a tour. I was thinking maybe we should split up. Mr. McCoy, our friend Jenna here doesn't know much about football, could you possibly..."

  "Take her on a private tour for more focused instruction?" he asked with that same damned leering expression.

  "No, that's not necessary," Jenna responded curtly.

  "I insist. It would be my pleasure. Though I didn't catch your name," Wyatt inquired.

  "Jenna, her name's Jenna," Tea blurted out, knocking her forward with her shoulder. "And you two should definitely split off, what a great idea," Tea crooned with a devilish grin.

  "Tea, jeez," Jenna whispered scowling at her. She couldn't believe that they were messing with her like this. Well, actually she could believe it. They all did it to each other, she just preferred to be on the giving end of it. "Sorry for the hold up guys, we just need to chat for a bit," Jenna said, dragging Tea and Aubrey out of earshot of the group of confused men.

  "What the hell are you two up to?" Jenna whispered with irritation.

  "What?" Tea whispered back innocently and then twisted her face into a scheming sneer. "Are you the only person that can torment her friends into talking to guys?"

  Jenna turned to Tea and gave her a full scowl, "Seriously...notorious high profile athlete a-holes? You know the answer to that," Jenna whispered back. "I'll just go on the tour with you guys."

  "Now Jenna, you wouldn't want to look rude after members of such an important part of your growing career have been so gracious to us, would you?" Aubrey teased.

  "Dammit Aubrey," Jenna fumed.

  "You know I'm right. Now stop being so pissy and let that hot guy show you around before you offend him or anyone else here." Aubrey responded calmly.

  "Fine," she huffed, turning to face Wyatt. "All right Mr. McCoy, let's go," Jenna said, walking toward him with her toughest facial expression. It just seemed to make him more amused.

  "Please call me Wyatt. How about we start with the locker room, that seems as good a place as any to begin your education," Wyatt drawled at her.

  Of all the days to have to deal with a cocky self-impressed jackass...This guy can't be for real, Jenna thought to herself in frustration. It's official, I will be killing Aubrey and Tea later. But I'm stuck with him now, so my double homicide plans will have to wait.

  Jenna took a steadying breath. She then steeled her nerves and schooled her face into its most confident expression before responding, "Sounds good Mr. McCoy."

  "Oh come on, now. Don't be so formal. Don't you like me, sugar?"

  "I just met you, I have no opinion of you," she answered.

  "I don't think you're being honest. I think you definitely have an opinion of me, and it doesn't seem good," he responded, leading her into the expansive room lined with cherry wood lockers, benches, and various equipment. Jenna had been in countless locker rooms during her life — including this one — but the nearness of Wyatt McCoy made it feel surreal and claustrophobic.

  It was a dream set-up for an athlete like herself, but all she could focus on was the singing heat coursing through her from merely his fingertips on her lower back.

  She turned to him to break the connection, but that only served to plant her back against a locker and her face smack dab in front of his well-built chest.

  Her sense of déjà vu was overwhelming — the feeling that she’d been in this place before and it had ended so very badly.

  Jenna looked up into his eyes and immediately regretted it. Having spent so many years avoiding any romantic involvements with athletes, her instant attraction to this one was vexing to say the least.

  Wyatt looked down at her and smiled. "Now that I have your attention, maybe we can get to know each other better, you can give me a chance to improve that low opinion you have of me. Did you like the game?"

  "It was a tough loss and you seemed to be having a rough go of it."

  "Ouch, that hurts."

  "You keep telegraphing your throws like that and you're going to spend the rest of the season on your ass — trust me, that will hurt a lot more. You need to shorten your release," Jenna advised him.

  "Um, I'm not sure I heard you right. What was that again, sugar?"

  "Just critiquing your throwing style is all," she answered.

  "So, you were watching me closely, sugar?"

  "It's an occupational hazard."

  He looked confused for a moment but quickly regained his cocky composure. Meanwhile, Jenna kept feeling hers slipping away from her.

  With each unsteady breath she noticed another aspect of him that was intoxicating to her, whether it was the slight golden streaks in his chestnut hair, the matching hint of stubble on his strong jaw, or his broad shoulders — everywhere she rested her eyes on him only served to make her body more consumed with attraction and her brain more furious with that fact.

  "Well, for the record, I've never heard any complaints about my release," he said with a wink and Jenna rolled her eyes in disgust, which only made him chuckle in amusement. "Though I thought you weren’t supposed to know about football, sugar?"

  "No. My ex-best friends were playing a joke. Now that you know the truth, I'll be moving along, let you get back to your life."

  "But I'm having so much fun pretending to educate you. Maybe I can teach you Spanish."

  "I already speak Spanish so you've got nothing to teach me."

  "Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that. How about I teach you to relax?" he whispered in her ear — sending a shot of warmth coursing through her traitorous body.

  "I'm plenty relaxed," she huffed. He smirked again, running a finger across her shoulder until she jumped.

  "Relaxed, really? Hmm," he added with a cocky drawl and a slow perusal of her body that had her stomach tightening, even as her jaw clenched in irritation.

  Wyatt leaned into her until she could smell his freshly washed hair and count the beads of water on the part of his skin bared by the undone buttons at the top of his crisp Italian shirt. He was insanely attractive and far too close for Jenna's comfort. She cringed a little at her own big mouth, wishing she'd left this bad boy well enough alone. The worst thing you can do with someone like Wyatt is to engage him, and she'd done worse, she'd challenged him.

  Dammit Jenna, rookie mistake! she thought, chastising herself.

  Jenna shook herself out of her hormonal stupo
r and stood up straight enough that he backed off a bit, "I have to ask— does this usually work?"

  "What do you mean, sugar?"

  "I mean this ego the size of Texas routine of yours. The 'sugars' and the double entendres. I mean, come on. You want my opinion of you? Here it is. I find your little shtick — and you — exhausting and insulting. Please excuse me. I need to get back to my friends."

  "I was under the impression my 'little shtick' was working," he teased, raising a hand and placing it alongside her head.

  "Please. Working? Hardly," Jenna said, rolling her eyes again theatrically and ignoring the tightening in her belly and her intense desire to bury her face in his chest and just sniff him for a while.

  Pull yourself together Jenna! she ordered to herself.

  "Come on sugar, play nice," Wyatt said with a devious half-smile, looking down at her smugly.

  "My name is not sugar, you jerk!" Jenna shouted and his laugh in response had her face red in anger and humiliation.

  Right at that moment, the rest of her group walked in and Jenna felt sheer mortification at her position — pressed up against Wyatt McCoy of all people, in front of a locker — practically in her place of business — screaming at him.

  Everyone looked at Jenna in shock at her outburst, though Aubrey merely looked thrilled at Jenna's current predicament.

  "Don't worry folks, we're fine in here. I'll bring your friend to you soon."

  "No, that won't be necessary, I can go now," Jenna said as calmly as she could muster. She smoothed down her shirt in an effort to regain control of herself. She was about to speak when she heard, "Hey Doc!"

  Jenna looked up quickly, averting her eyes from her nosey companions and saw the kind face of one of her patients.

  "Hi Eloni!" Jenna threw Wyatt a sharp look but he wouldn't move. He still had his hand placed on the wall next to her head and the fiery effect he had on her sex drive was quickly replaced with plain raw irritation.

  That's more like it, she thought. Best to remember why you stay away from these types of guys in the first place.