He ran down the long hall and onto the street but didn’t see anyone.
Zach turned to Danny huddled under a blanket near the doorway. “Dan, did you see someone just come out these doors?”
The guy nodded and pointed toward the end of the block where a car pulled away from the curb. Zach could just make out the blond head of the driver, and he knew the car.
Kelsie had followed him here. Or found him another way.
He fished his phone out his pocket and punched a few buttons. Disgust sliced through him when he saw it in full living color on his phone. The old Kelsie still lived and breathed.
She’d been stalking his every move via his phone.
She didn’t trust him. Without trust, they had nothing, no matter how hot the sex.
Zach tossed the old veteran enough cash for a warm meal and a room for the night then trudged back into the building, devastated. He rested his forehead against the cool concrete block wall of the deserted hallway and braced his hands on either side of his head. Breathing in and out in a slow rhythm, he attempted to gain a semblance of normalcy before he rejoined the kids—which was damn tough to do when a trap door opened beneath his feet and catapulted him downward toward an unknown fate.
* * * * *
Kelsie lay in bed and waited for Zach to come home. Only he didn’t come home. Feeling like a conniving bitch, she checked her phone. It showed him back at HQ. At midnight? Well, they did have a big game on Thursday night. But he could’ve at least called or texted her to let her know. Her heart filled with righteous anger. She didn’t deserve this cold shoulder from him. She’d give him a piece of her mind when he got home. Mark used to pull this crap on her, and she’d let him.
No more.
Finally, around 1:30, she heard him come in the bedroom. He undressed and crawled into bed beside her. She kept her back to him, strung tight and ready to pummel her fists into the pillow in frustration. “You’re late, where’ve you been?”
“You tell me.” The hint of anger and disappointment in his voice put her on alert. He knew something. A little of her anger fizzled, but only a little.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She picked her words carefully, not sure she wanted to hear his answer but needing to hear it, yet still pissed in her own right.
“Don’t play stupid, Kelsie. You haven’t really changed a bit, have you?”
“Yes. Yes, I have.” She sat and faced him, glaring at him. She went still inside, but the anger and disappointment simmered below the surface, even as she battled with her guilt. At least she was trying. What about him?
“Then tell me. Where was I tonight?” His cold voice chilled her and stalled her reaction.
“You weren’t here with me. Seems you don’t think enough of me to share your life with me, especially the important things.” She tossed hurtful words back in his face and waited for his temper to detonate.
“Don’t lie to me. I hate it.” Zach switched on the light at the nightstand and sat on the side of the bed. He scrubbed his face with his hands and heaved a frustrated sigh.
“I hate it, too. Why didn’t you tell me about your work with homeless kids? Why? Why?” Her voice climbed higher and higher until she was screeching.
“Because it’s something private, something special, something I don’t share with anyone.”
“Not even your wife?”
“Especially not the wife who uses my phone to stalk me then follows me like I’m a cheating husband.” He stood, hands on his hips and glared at her. She glared back, equally pissed off.
“If you’d been honest with me, I wouldn’t have had any need to be dishonest with you.” Damn him, damn him, for turning this back around on her. She’d done what she’d done because he kept a part of himself protected from her.
“I’ll sleep in the other room. At the rate this team’s going, you’ll only be stuck with me for a few more weeks. Once this gala is over, you can waltz into your world of wealthy men and up-scale clients. You don’t need an uncouth guy like me to drag you down.”
“Do you think that’s what I really want?” Kelsie grabbed her stomach, feeling as if someone had sliced her open and gutted her insides.
“Isn’t it?” He looked so proud, yet she saw underneath his angry bluster a man who was lost and needing love. For a moment she wanted to pull him into her arms and tell him she was sorry and beg him to forgive her, but the stiff set of his body kept her away, reminding her of why she’d done what she’d done in the first place.
“You’re so close-mouthed about everything. I had to know. I trusted you, but I had to know. You have to understand where I’m coming from.”
“Do I? Do I really, Kelsie? Do you have any idea where I’m coming from?”
“A little. What I can wrench out of you. Your dad is in prison for killing your mom and beating your brother until he was brain dead. I know your brother’s ashes are buried in the yard of this house. Why? Why of all the places you lived did you bury him here? Tell me, Zach, open to me. Be honest with me. I’ve been honest with you.” She clenched her hands in to fists, digging her fingernails into her palms.
“You have? What about stalking me with your phone?”
The cold hands of guilt wrapped its fingers around her throat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. If you’d only talked to me. Talk to me now, Zach. Why are your brother’s ashes in the yard of this house of all the houses you’ve lived in? Why this place?”
He went white. “The only person who knows the answer to that is my brother, Wade.”
“Trust me enough to tell me. Open up to someone, Zach. Take a chance on us.”
“What about you, Kel, you gonna take a chance on me?”
“I am taking a chance on you.”
“Only because it’s to your advantage. How do you feel about me as a person? How do you feel about our life together? Do you want to end it in a few weeks?”
Kelsie swallowed. She didn’t want to end it, but she didn’t want to be the first person to say those words, only to have him laugh in her face and tell her “tough shit.” She couldn’t bear the rejection, the heartbreak of being without him, and she couldn’t say the words she wanted to say without knowing where he stood.
When she didn’t answer him, he turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him.
She reached out to him, but her plea died in her throat.
Kelsie Murphy did not want this marriage to end, and she had herself to blame.
CHAPTER 25
Loose Ball Foul
For the next few days, Kelsie drilled Zach on proper party behavior and casual conversation until his eyes glazed over and a hint of defensiveness and annoyance crept into his demeanor. They sniped at each other like the sex-deprived couple they were. Since The Fight, as she labeled it, he slept in the other bedroom and stayed clear of her.
The day of the gala she pushed him too far, harping on him about his clothes, his hair, his shoes. By the grim set of his lips, he wanted to stuff a sock in her mouth.
As soon as it was time for the guests to start arriving, Zach retreated to the deck, obviously preferring to stand outside in the clear, frigid night rather than act as a host. A twinge of sympathy tempered her anger. He hated social situations like this, and she knew it’d be difficult for him, but he wasn’t getting out of his duties that easily. Not on her life. In a huff, she dragged him to the front door and lectured him on how to be a proper host. He ground his teeth and stared over her head. She reached a hand up to brush off a spot of lint on his lapel. At his warning glare, she snatched her hand away. He brushed the lint off himself.
She’d endured these last few days by pretending nothing mattered. That they didn’t matter. That their future was no big deal, yet inside she was a mess. A huge, heartbroken mess. Meanwhile, Zach built prison walls around his heart, strung barbed wire along the top, and kept his distance.
As the first guests arrived, Kelsie lurked in the background, ready to jump in at the first
sign of him floundering. Zach’s jaw tightened and his brow creased, obviously perturbed by her hovering. She needed to stay close, make sure he was okay, be his lifeline, whether he appreciated her or not. She wouldn’t let him free-fall. She’d figuratively hold his hand every step of the way.
Zach looked like a million dollars in his designer suit and carefully cropped hair. She loved how he filled out the shoulders of his tux and the easy athletic grace in his confident stride. She smiled with pride as women took second glances at him, looking him up and down. A few times Kelsie hooked her arm through his, just to stake her claim.
She tagged along as Zach led several teammates through the house. They all cleaned up so well that she barely recognized the men when they’d shown up in a group a few minutes prior, but their large, fit bodies gave them away as professional athletes.
They wandered through rooms transformed into a Victorian Christmas extravaganza and a testament to Kelsie’s hard work and lack of sleep. The group halted in a room displaying the silent auction items to their best advantage with careful lighting and presentation of each expensive item. She almost smiled when she heard the pride in Zach’s voice.
Hanging back as they moved on, Kelsie repositioned a helmet autographed by last year’s championship team into a better spot under the makeshift spotlights illuminating the auction items. The rest of the room was bathed in Christmas lights nestled in sprigs of holly and cedar boughs.
“The house looks decent.”
Kelsie jumped, not realizing she wasn’t alone in the room. She turned to face Veronica. For once the woman looked sincere, as if she cared. Yet this was the woman who’d fired her without even one ounce of remorse and the same woman who wanted Zach off the team. “Thank you.”
“I’ve been doing a little research. You came here from Texas, no money, and the only person you knew in Seattle was Zach. I’m thinking you planned all this, knowing he’d take care of you.”
Kelsie measured her words carefully, even though she’d rather spit in Veronica’s face. “I can take care of myself.”
“My father wants to extend his contract for another two years. I’m dead-set against it. We both know you married Zach for reasons that have nothing to do with love. Take my advice. Get out while you can. Distance yourself. If you stay with him, I’ll see that you never get another client in this town.”
“Why do you hate Zach so much? He’s never done a thing to you.”
“Dad hired him to put some spark back in this team against my recommendations. He knew about his long-standing feud with Tyler but figured Zach’s signing would put Tyler on notice that no one is sacred if they’re not performing up to expectations.”
“Zach has brought back the old Tyler, from what I understand.”
“I wouldn’t give him the credit. He’s created a division in the team and too much strife.”
Kelsie bit back a response, torn between defending Zach and bettering her business. “Zach and Tyler are working hard to settle their differences.”
Veronica frowned. “All that matters to me is the team. I convinced Dad to put his trust in Tyler Harris, and I was right about him. He’s the face of this franchise. We built a championship caliber team around him. Anyone who doesn’t respect and appreciate all he’s done for the Jacks is not welcome in my book.”
So there it was. Zach’s stubborn pride and public dislike of Tyler had earned him a powerful enemy. Of course, spilling a tray of drinks on the woman didn’t help. “Zach wants what’s best for the team. He has the same goals as you.”
“Hardly. I want him off the team, at the least, benched. He’s a deterrent. The sooner it happens, the better.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you might want to run before tornado hits and save yourself.”
“I’m not going anywhere and neither is Zach. Your father and the coaches are happy with his progress off the field and his performance on the field.”
“Thanks to you. I was wrong about you. You do have a talent for smoothing those rough edges sported by most athletes. After all, good professional athletes are alpha, strong, aggressive, and bluntly honest. Tact doesn’t win games. So of course they need help in that area. It’s different than hiring an image consultant, but then, you know all this.” Veronica looked her up and down then tapped her chin. “My father has interests in other sports teams, which would give your business quite the boost.”
“But?” Kelsie definitely heard a but in there.
“Zach needs to be off the team first. You can help me with that.”
Kelsie opened her mouth to chew Veronica’s skinny butt then closed it, attempting to practice what she’d preached so often to Zach.
“Well?” Veronica tapped one toe of her Jimmy Choos on the hardwood floor. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Kelsie hesitated, momentarily torn between her old opportunistic self and the new Kelsie she’d worked so hard to reinvent. Taking a deep breath, she threw herself under Veronica’s bus. “I’m with Zach, and he’s on the team.” Even as she sealed her fate she felt sick to her stomach and gloriously free at the same time. She’d never work in his town. She’d be living in her car and eating out of dumpsters. Yet, it felt damn good to stand up for Zach and do the right thing.
Veronica huffed. “We’ll have to see about that.” She leaned closer, a sly smile on her coldly beautiful face. “Did you ever wonder why your stalker went away after you married Zach?”
“What do you know about my stalker?”
“Enough to know that Zach hired him to scare you and force you into his arms for your own safety.”
“Zach would never do such an underhanded, dishonest thing.”
“Oh, wouldn’t he? How well do you really know him?” Turning on a spiked heel, Veronica strode from the room.
Fanning her face, Kelsie headed for the powder room as she fought for composure. Veronica caught her off guard with that comment, but she did know one thing—she trusted Zach, and she didn’t trust Veronica. Yet if Zach didn’t hire the stalker, who did? And how the heck did Veronica know about him?
Unless…
Noises from the party filtered through the bathroom door. Kelsie put on her game face, straightened her shoulders, opened the door and strode into the room, pausing to chitchat with guests on her way to check on the bar and the food. Then she would find Zach and see how he was faring. She stepped into the kitchen. The caterers were busy working and everything seemed in order.
“Kelsie.” The smooth, cultured voice behind her stopped her in her tracks. The night just went from bad to disastrous. A root of panic pushed up through the ground and attempted to take seed in her brain. She shook it off. Mark would not belittle her or scare her. She wouldn’t allow it. This was her time. Her moment to prove how far she’d come.
She turned on him, all haughty and cold. “What are you doing here?” Each word steamed like dry ice. Funny, how much smaller and less threatening he seemed.
“I wanted to see what my wife was up to.”
She raised her head higher. “I am not your wife.”
“I told you when the divorce papers were signed that it would never be final. You’d come crawling back eventually.” Mark’s handsome face contorted into a cruel sneer. Kelsie wondered how she’d ever been fooled by him.
“But I didn’t, did I?” She looked him in the eye, something she hadn’t been able to do for years.
“You will. Soon. I understand your convenient marriage is about to become inconvenient.”
For a moment, she hesitated, fearing he knew something she didn’t. Judging by Mark’s smirk, he caught her moment of indecision.
Any moment, he’d be moving in for the kill.
Only this time she’d be armed and dangerous with her newfound confidence and hard-won independence.
* * * * *
Zach tugged on his bow tie. Stupid-assed things. Tyler Harris stood across the room, smiling and talking with the billionaire geeks. Zach could barely manage
to talk to his smart phone. In fact, when he talked to it, it talked back, and the phone had a major attitude. Meanwhile, Harris was cool and collected as if he were talking to buddies while bellied up to the bar.
Kelsie had been flitting nearby all night, spreading cheer among the guests. Zach caught the hungry looks of the men and envious looks of the women as she glided off in her pink sequined dress that dipped lower in the back than in the front. He shot murderous glares at any men who ogled her.
Sleeping in another room didn’t work for him. Only he didn’t know what to do about it. He’d worked his ass off trying to woo her with flowers and chocolates, and he hadn’t a clue if his plan was effective or not. There had to be more. Between the sheets, on the counter, and in the backseat of the truck the two of them were beyond compatible. But relationships—uh, marriages—weren’t built only on sex, they were built on love and trust.
He loved her, but could he trust her? Did it matter as long as they were sharing a bed? How much was he willing to compromise just to feel her silky skin on his? The answer seemed to be a lot, sorry sap that he was. Speaking of trust, Zach ground his teeth so hard his head hurt. Kelsie had followed him around all night as if she expected him to belch, fart, or spit any second and embarrass their guests’ delicate sensibilities. Her hovering grated on his nerves and stretched his patience to the point of breaking. He hated this stuff, and Kelsie’s lack of faith irritated and discouraged him. He couldn’t do anything right. He never could. Not as a kid. Not as an adult.
Despite a few of Zach’s minor mishaps, the gala was going off without a hitch. They were raising a record amount of money, and Zach had made sure some would be earmarked for the homeless shelter where he spent his Tuesday nights.
Brett walked up to him, beer in hand. “Boy, you are one lucky dumb shit.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kelsie. She looks at you like you’re the only man on earth.”
“She does?”
“Yeah. You dickwad, don’t you even notice?”
Down by Contact - A Seattle Lumberjacks Romance Page 28
