The entire team is here waiting for you. Where are you? E
She was at the pub, waiting for him. Brett shot to his feet, shrugged into his sport coat and hurried out the door. Ten minutes later he strode into the private room at the pub as if he owned the place, amid backslapping and bear hugs. Brett couldn’t stop smiling. Then he saw her, and he smiled all the more.
She sat at a pub table with Lavender, Kelsie, and an elegant, tall black woman he couldn’t recall ever meeting. Their eyes met, and Brett nodded briefly. They weren’t exactly out of the closet regarding their affair, and Brett decided he’d leave it to her to decide if and when she’d reveal that truth.
Brett took his time working his way to Estie’s high-top table, even as he felt her eyes on him as he made his way across the room. Finally, after what seemed like a torturous lifetime, he stood beside the table. Lavender and Kelsie left to join their men and only Estie and her friend remained.
“Hey.” He hitched his hip on the barstool, ignoring the shooting pain in his thigh, the throbbing at his temples, and the bruised ribs—such was the life of an NFL quarterback.
“Hey, you.” Estie smiled at him. She looked at her friend. “Brett, this is my dear friend, Sylvia.”
“Nice to meet you, Sylvia.” Brett was struck by the fact that he didn’t know anything about Sylvia. Estie had never mentioned her. Maybe she was a friend of Richard’s, and he’d best mind his manners and keep his hands to himself—not that he’d dare touch Estie with hawk-eyed Harris burning a hole in his back.
“Sylvia is a veterinarian and a good one.”
The exotic woman nodded. “In fact, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Estie mentioned you’d be the perfect man to foster an animal for a soldier who’s been deployed.”
“Oh, she did?” Brett glanced at Estie, who cringed.
Sylvia smirked, not minding in the least that she’d put Estie in a tough spot. “Yes, Humphrey needs a foster home until his doggie daddy comes home from the Middle East.”
“What kind of dog is Humphrey?”
“A Great Dane. You’ll love him. He’s mellow and sweet.”
Brett frowned, not looking convinced. “I don’t know; I’m gone a lot.”
“Estie will babysit of course. Don’t say no until you meet him.”
Brett opened his mouth to protest but Harris interrupted. He gave Sylvia a hug then turned his laser-sharp gaze on Brett and Estie. Freddie flanked Estie’s other side, watching them with the same shrewd gaze as Tyler. Brett tried his damnedest not to squirm. Instead, he did the safe, cowardly thing, tipped an imaginary hat to the ladies, and hurried off to get a brew. Once he grabbed the beer, he joined several of the single guys for good debate on whether or not the offensive line coach had bad hair or a bad toupee. As if he gave a shit.
They were going to the championship, and the love of his life would be in bed with him tonight. He’d take it, even if it only lasted a short while. After all, it wasn’t the destination, it was the journey, and he’d enjoy the hell out of it while he could.
Brett glanced over his shoulder and his gaze clashed with Harris. The guy’s eyes narrowed, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Oh, fucking hell. The guy suspected something. Brett grinned at him, hoping to defuse a possible bomb. Harris scowled back.
Their secret love affair was coming close to being discovered. Sooner rather than later. Brett had a sixth sense about things like this.
He could almost smell his fate in the air and feel the sense of foreboding as if it were a living entity, an entity he’d hold off for as long as he could.
* * * * *
Estie glanced in her rearview mirror and smiled. Brett followed at a safe distance in his SUV as they headed home in separate cars.
Despite how ecstatic Brett had been about the win, something had been off all night with him. She’d be damned if she knew what.
Estie got out of her car and waited for him on the front porch.
He walked up the steps and stood beside her, his expression unreadable in the porch light. “Sit for a while on the porch with me.”
“It’s freezing out here.” She hesitated, but something in his eyes changed her mind. She hustled inside to get a blanket and let the dogs out. Less than a minute later, they sat next to each other on the small loveseat. Stars twinkled in the night sky and a sliver of a moon glowed in the distance. Estie cuddled next to Brett and pulled the blanket tight around her to keep out the crisp winter air.
Brett took her hand and held it tightly, as he stared straight ahead. She couldn’t help admiring his strong jaw and rugged features.
He swallowed and turned slightly to meet her gaze. “Your brother knows about us.”
“Did you tell him?” Estie cleared her throat, but nothing cleared the dread sliding through her. Tyler could be a ruthless asshole, and Freddie a formidable bitch. If Tyler knew, Freddie would know, and all hell would break lose.
“No, I didn’t need to. He figured it out, just like he observes defenses and figures them out.”
“Did he confront you?”
“No, he hasn’t said a word. Yet.” Brett stared into her eyes with that special kind of intensity she both admired and envied. “We need to tell your family about us.”
“Not yet.” Estie squeezed his hand, marveling at his long, strong fingers that fully engulfed her smaller hand.
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I’m still sorting out what all this means in my own mind. You were right. I’ve decided to go to vet school. I have to pick up the necessary pre-vet requirements before I can even apply, and I need to figure out how to do all this. “
“In other words, make detailed plans.” He had to smile.
“Touché.” She’d made lists all day, worked on a detailed plan, and no matter how she worked it, she didn’t see where Brett fit in the next several years. “Tyler and Freddie won’t like it. The minute they find out they’ll attempt to bully me into staying and handling Ty’s finances.”
“Stand up to them. Tell them this is what you want. What you have to do.”
Estie nodded. “It’ll be a battle. They’ll try to steamroll me.” Especially since she’d never mentioned her secret desire to be a veterinarian.
“I’m sure it will, but they love you.”
“I need to be who I want to be. I never realized I wasn’t until we talked. This is the first step.”
“What about us?” His expression was mixture of tentative and hopeful.
She hated to dash his hopes, but she couldn’t lie to him. “I don’t know, Brett. I don’t know where you fit. I’m looking at a couple years of pre-vet and several more of vet school. I want to do the pre-vet at the same college that houses the vet school so I don’t have to hassle with transfer credits.”
His face fell. “I’ll be with another team next year. I could make sure the team I choose has a vet school within commuting distance.”
Estie would love that, but she couldn’t allow herself to be beholden to a man she felt as if she knew better than herself, but in reality barely knew at all. A man with dark secrets—like Richard, and possibly worse in some ways. She’d glimpsed what hid behind that sadness, and the power of his pain scared the crap out of her. She couldn’t control it or fix it.
Besides, Brett had some football games to win before he legitimized himself as an official starting quarterback.
“Let’s get through this season.” Estie kissed his cheek. “Remember, one game at a time. Then we’ll figure out what our future holds.”
A muscle tightened in Brett’s jaw, but he nodded. “Okay, I can live with that, as long as I have a chance, and I have a better chance now than I did yesterday. I do love you, Estie.”
She wished he’d quit saying that. It heaped even more guilt on her, guilt neither of them needed, considering everything else going on in their lives. “I know you do. I think I love you, too, but I have to be sure this time.” What the hell did she know about love?
�
�I understand.” He didn’t look like he understood one damn bit, not the way his pale blue eyes turned just a slight bit frosty or the way he pursed his lips together in a grim line.
Estie rubbed her stomach, but the motion did nothing to dislodge the lump in the pit of her belly or the guilt weighing her down.
“Brett, I don’t know where I fit in your life either. We’re on separate paths, and we came together for a brief moment, like a shooting star that burns bright.”
“Then sizzles out in the atmosphere to become nothing? Is that what you’re saying?”
“No, not at all. You and I will never be nothing. No matter what happens to us, you’ll always be special to me.” Oh, God, this sounded like a break-up speech. She didn’t want to go there, not now.
“You’re the first woman I’ve ever been in love with, Estie. Did you realize that?” He grasped her hands tightly, turning sideways so he faced her on the loveseat. Marilyn chose this time to lay her head on their intertwined hands, but they both ignored her.
“One day at a time.” Estie fought off the sobs threatening to choke her. She didn’t deserve this man’s devotion or his loyalty or least of all his love.
Brett nodded and hugged her. Estie clung to him and fought her inclination to let him take care of her. She couldn’t do that. Not this time. This time was different. This time she’d make good, sound decisions based on what she wanted, not what everyone else thought was best for her, even Brett.
Chapter 13
Collision Course
The next morning Brett was back at it without taking one day off. In fact, he patted himself on the back for beating Harris to the practice facility. After working out, he sprawled in a chair and watched film from yesterday’s game. About an hour later, Harris walked in.
Brett ignored the man. He didn’t want to talk about Estie, but Harris wasn’t known for his tact or for keeping his trap shut. There was so much running through his mind. Estie Harris might be his forever love, but their paths seemed to be careening in opposite directions, and she did love her plans. As she focused on getting her life organized and redirected, he felt her pull back from him. A little more each day. While he applauded her strength and determination to make the right decisions for her, he didn’t want to be shut out of her future plans. In fact, the mere thought made him sick to his stomach. He was a freaking wuss when it came to this woman.
Brett sighed and re-ran the film, having missed the entire play. Harris dropped into the seat next to him with a heavy thud. Brett kept his eyes straight ahead, even as Harris fidgeted in the seat next to him. The guy never fidgeted, so that in itself was fucking weird.
Harris cleared his throat. “You ran that play perfectly. I couldn’t have done it any better myself.”
“Derek made a helluva catch.” Brett gave credit where credit was due, but a satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched Derek streak into the end zone after a fifty-plus-yard pass play.
“He can make that catch with his eyes shut if the pass is right on the money. You put it right on the money.”
Brett shrugged one shoulder. He could feel Harris’s gaze dissecting his every weakness and more, like maybe whether or not Brett made good brother-in-law material. Brett could only wish.
“You’re good. Really good. You just needed your shot.” High praise coming from Harris.
“Thanks.” Brett felt his face heat up.
Those piercing blue eyes sliced into him with expert accuracy. “So what’s your plan, Gun? Where are you going after this season?”
“Ideally, to a starting job somewhere.”
“Miami has the best team without a decent quarterback. They’ll be looking closely at you.”
“I know.” Did he ever. He also knew that the nearest vet school was too far away for Estie to commute, if he got lucky enough for her to go with him.
“You don’t sound thrilled about that. It’d be a great opportunity for you.”
“I know.” Brett kept a neutral tone, but Harris’s eyes narrowed like a hunter sensing the nearness of his prey.
“Don’t let this thing with my sister fuck up your future.” Tyler’s chin jutted out with that stubborn-assed scowl that spelled trouble for the guy on the receiving end.
“What?” Brett played dumb, but Estie’s brother wasn’t buying it for one fucking second.
Harris rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t stand Richard, but he’s been around in some form or another since our college days. He’s like a sliver that you miss after you pull it out.”
“Never had that experience.”
“Let me give a word of unsolicited advice. I like you, Gun, and I don’t like too many people. My sister isn’t right for you.”
Brett opened his mouth to protest and Harris held up a hand to silence him.
“Hear me out. It’s not that I wouldn’t like you two together. In fact, I’d prefer it, but I know her. She has to have control or the appearance of it. You don’t strike me as a guy who is easily controlled. I swear to God she plans when she’s going to the bathroom each day.”
“I appreciate the warning, but I’m a big boy.” Brett rubbed the back if his neck, but the motion did nothing to alleviate the tension.
“I know, but you’ve never dealt with a situation like this one. I love my sister, but I wouldn’t wish her on my best friend. Stay clear of her, Gun. You have two games to win. Two games to show the NFL that you’re more than your height. You don’t need her screwing with your head when you’re going after something as mentally and physically tough as a Super Bowl.”
“I’ll be ready. Don’t worry about me.” Brett made the mistake of meeting Harris’s direct gaze.
“I do worry about you, and I worry about my sister. Her steering has gone out and she’s grasping for something to stabilize her. You happen to be handy, and she’s on the rebound. Once she gets a new direction mapped out, not even hell will stand in her way and especially not a mortal man. You’d be a dumbshit not to take that into consideration.”
“Thanks. I will.” He met Tyler’s eyes. “I think we have something special, like you and Lavender.”
Harris’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “You just keep that fantasy, buddy.” Harris nodded and snatched the remote from Brett’s hand, running it back several plays and nitpicking every move Brett made. Just like always. And right now Brett needed that familiarity.
Later, he’d digest Harris’s words and decide how much truth there might be in them.
Unfortunately, he believed there might be a lot.
* * * * *
Estie paced near the door waiting for Brett to pull up. He’d called her several minutes ago on his way home from Jacks HQ, and her patience was razor thin. Even as a kid on Christmas day, she couldn’t stand disorganization and wanted presents neatly unwrapped in order of size, while her sister and brother woke up early and ripped into them. Only this wasn’t about unwrapping gifts—well, not exactly—and she sure as hell hoped her surprise didn’t backfire. A very large, slobbering surprise.
As he walked up the front steps she threw the door open for him, even as she glanced back at the large Great Dane laying by himself in the kitchen, head in his paws, looking more depressed than a well-fed animal had a right to be.
“Hey.” Brett pulled Estie to him and kissed her soundly. “I missed you.”
Estie smiled at him, even though it felt forced. Maybe springing the dog on him was a really bad idea with even worse timing. “I missed you, too.”
“Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!”
“Looks like Bongo missed me also.”
Estie laughed. “Hard to say with Bongo.”
Marilyn pushed at his hand with her nose, and he reached down to pat her while Risky waited for his turn, and the cats, being cats, ignored him because cats did not grovel like mere dogs for attention. Brett’s easy grin slipped from his face when he caught sight of the extra dog in the house. He pushed past the animals vying for his attention and knelt i
n front of Humphrey.
“Hey, buddy. Who are you?”
“This is Humphrey. The big guy I was telling you about whose daddy is in the Middle East.”
“The one you want me to foster.” Brett stroked the dog’s head, and Humphrey thumped his tail on the floor a few times, which was incredible in itself. He sighed and stood. “Estie, I don’t have time for the animals I have, let alone another one.”
“I’ll take care of him when you’re not here.”
“I’m never here, except to sleep.” He kept frowning, even as she could see him soften toward the dog.
“I know but in a month that’ll change.”
“It’d better be a month. If it’s not, we didn’t make it.”
Estie brought a hand up to his cheek and ran a finger across his stubble. “You look tired.”
“I am tired, but there’s no time to rest. Not until this is done.”
“I understand.” She leaned into him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his shoulder.
Brett threaded his fingers through her hair. “I know you do. That’s what makes you unique. A lot of women couldn’t tolerate the time a guy puts into football. Not like you do.”
“Don’t put me on a pedestal, Brett. I don’t deserve it. Lots of women do just fine with football husbands and boyfriends. Look at Lavender, Kelsie, Rachel, and Mac. They’re thriving. I’m nothing special. I’ve really only dealt with this for less than a month.”
He pulled back slightly, hands on her shoulders, and searched her face. “Could you handle it for longer?”
“Brett, I just got out of one serious relationship and the trauma of losing my career. I want this to be more than a rebound.”
“It is.” He rested his chin on her forehead, as she buried her face in his chest.
She pulled back to look him in the eye. “I want it to be, but maybe we should slow down a little.” Estie watched his face fall and felt like a bitch. She couldn’t let him make the wrong decisions based on where he thought their relationship might be going. It wouldn’t be fair to him. She’d already messed with one guy; she couldn’t mess with Brett like that. He might be tough on the football field or on a battlefield, but when it came to love, he was too vulnerable.
Time of Possession (Seattle Lumberjacks #5) Page 17
