“Clara, I can’t believe you’re actually here.” Adrienne wrapped her in a side hug with her free arm.
“Me either.” The two had talked about getting together for years, but it had never seemed to work out between their schedules.
“Come on inside. I was just about to get lunch going for the kids.”
Clara grinned. “Let me guess. Mac N Cheese and Dr. Pepper?”
Adrienne laughed. “Please, I’ve grown up since then. We add hotdogs now.”
The interior of the house was exactly what Clara had pictured. Simple and minimal, everything had its place. Clara wished she had that trait, but organized chaos seemed to be more her style. She knew where everything was, but it appeared a cluttered mess to everyone else.
“So, how is the new job?” Adrienne asked as she plunked the little girl in a high chair and opened the fridge to pull out a bottle of milk. She placed it in the bottle warmer and then moved to the stove to stir the pot.
“It’s been good. So far.”
Adrienne turned around and fixed her with a knowing stare. “Uh oh, I hear hesitation. What does that mean?”
Clara sighed as she sat down in one of the cream-colored barstools. “You remember that ex-boyfriend I told you about?”
Adrienne’s brow furrowed as she thought back through the years. “The one who wanted to be a football player?”
“That’s the one. Turns out he made it, and now I’m one of the athletic trainers on his team.” Clara’s eyes dropped to the marble counter, and she traced a gold thread that ran through it with her fingertip.
“I see.” Adrienne opened a cabinet and grabbed a bowl, filling it with Mac N Cheese and setting it before her son. “And is that an issue because you still care about him?” She grabbed the bottle from the warmer and handed it to the little girl.
“I… I don’t know. It was such a mess when we broke up, but I honestly never thought I’d see him again.” The memory of her father telling her that she had to break it off with Mason tried to enter her mind, but she pushed it away. She would not revisit that right now.
“And have you spoken with him yet?” Adrienne filled another bowl of Mac N Cheese and offered it to Clara who shook her head. She’d never been able to stomach the taste of the powdered cheese sauce herself.
“Yeah, a little. He came into my office to help me unpack. He didn’t seem mad, but we were interrupted by my new boss before we really got to talk much. I’m sure I’ll have to work with him soon and I have no idea what to say.”
“Do you even know if he’s still single?” Adrienne raised a brow as she sat in the barstool across from Clara.
Clara hadn’t even considered that. Would it be better if he were taken? Worse? She honestly had no idea. “I don’t, but I have been following him a little in the news and they’ve never mentioned a girlfriend or wife.”
“Wait.” Adrienne set down the spoonful she was about to eat. “You mean you knew he played for this team when you took the job?”
Clara grimaced and the “yes” she squeaked out was much higher than her normal voice. “You have to understand that this was a huge opportunity. These jobs don’t come around very often, and I couldn’t not apply.”
“Uh huh. I hear that, but I kind of feel like you don’t get a pass on this one.” She picked up the spoon again and pointed it at Clara. “You knew what you were getting yourself into.”
And she had. Sort of. She’d known he would be there, but she hadn’t been prepared for the barrage of feelings that would hit her when she saw him again. Nor had she been prepared for her breath to catch around him and her heart to beat faster when he was around or when someone mentioned his name. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
Clara didn’t want to talk about Mason any longer, and the growling of her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t had lunch yet either. “Do you have anything I can make a sandwich with? Or a salad?”
“Of course.” Adrienne laid out bread, meat, cheese, and vegetables and Clara fixed herself a decent meal.
“So, how about you?” she asked as she sat down again. “How is your job going?” Adrienne had studied social work in college, and the few times they had spoken on the phone over the years, she had always told Clara how stressful it was but how much she loved it.
Adrienne took a sip of her Dr. Pepper and glanced at the two children to make sure they were still good before answering. “Well, I’m just getting back into the swing of things after maternity leave, but it’s harder now.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean having kids of my own. It always broke my heart to see children in bad situations and to have to take them away from their parents, but I knew it was for the best. It hurt even worse when I had to reunite them with those parents before they were really ready in some cases, but now that I have Cade and Chrissy, it’s so much harder. Every little face I see reminds me of them, and I think about how awful it would be if someone took them away from me.”
Clara looked at the two beautiful children as she chewed. That would be hard to take. She wasn’t a mother yet herself, but she knew how much these two meant to Adrienne. After swallowing, she posed the question that sat heavy in the air. “Are you going to keep doing it?”
Adrienne sighed and scooped out the last of her Mac N Cheese. “I don’t know. David makes good enough money that I don’t have to work, but it’s always been a part of me, you know?”
Clara did. Adrienne’s father had left when she was little, and her mother had raised Adrienne and her little brother all by herself. Unfortunately, her mother’s schedule and absence a lot of the time had strained their relationship, and Adrienne had moved out as soon as she was of age. She’d worked hard to provide for herself and her little brother, and though she had spoken with her mother a few times before her death, Clara wasn’t sure she had ever really forgiven her.
“Is there something else you could do in the same line? Maybe running a fostering program or working at an adoption agency?” In truth, Clara had no idea what other avenues Adrienne’s degree might work for, but it was worth a thought.
“Yeah, maybe. I’m still thinking about it for now.”
“Mommy, can we play in the backyard now?” Cade asked from the table.
His cute voice tugged at Clara’s heart. If she hadn’t broken things off with Mason, would they be married now? Would she have kids of her own? Maybe a little boy who looked like him that he could play football with in the backyard?
Stop! That was not a path she needed to go down. She’d made her decision years ago when she’d allowed her father to convince her that breaking up with Mason was the right thing to do. There was no going back from there. A husband and kids might still be in her future, but they wouldn’t be his kids.
“Sure, Cade, as soon as Miss Clara is ready,” Adrienne said as she took her bowl to the sink and washed it. That part hadn’t changed either. Adrienne had never been one to leave a dish in the sink; she’d always washed them immediately after use. Clara wondered if that stemmed from being on her own so young and probably not having many dishes to spare.
“I’m ready,” she said, balling up the paper towel she had made her sandwich on and tossing it in the trash can she spied by the door. Then she grabbed Cade’s bowl and took it to Adrienne, knowing her friend would want to wash it too before heading outside.
When the dishes were washed to Adrienne’s satisfaction, she grabbed Chrissy and the four headed out back.
A small play structure, complete with swings and a slide, sat in the yard, and Cade took off running toward it before the door was even shut behind them.
“He must enjoy that,” Clara said with a laugh.
Adrienne rolled her eyes. “He does. He is all boy, that one, and we haven’t been able to get outside much.” The day was unusually warm for January, but Clara knew what she meant. It had been cold and rainy most of the last week.
Just then Cade’s cry pierced the air. Clara looked to see him sitting on the gr
ound and holding his arm. Though she hadn’t seen it happen, she could imagine he must have slipped on the ladder of the slide and scraped his arm.
“Oh dear, can you hold her?” Adrienne asked, holding out Chrissy for Clara to take.
“Actually, where’s your First Aid Kit? I’ll fix him up. It’s what I do, after all.”
Adrienne gave quick directions, and Clara hurried into the house and to the bathroom. In the cabinet under the sink had been Adrienne’s words. Clara opened the door and found the kit exactly where she’d said it would be. Another point for a neat and orderly house. If only she could keep hers the same. Then she raced back outside to bandage up the boy.
After a few promises that he was okay and a Band-Aid to cover the scratch, Cade happily went back to the play structure. It was amazing how easily kids could bounce back from tears and hurts. Clara watched him and wished that broken hearts in adults were as easy to mend.
6
Mason
Mason smiled as he brushed a strand of hair from Clara’s face. Her lips curled into a smile, and she opened her mouth to speak. Instead of sweet words though, the noise that came out of her mouth was an annoying beeping sound. Mason looked around to see where the noise was coming from, but when his gaze came back to Clara, she was gone.
With a sigh, he realized the offensive noise was his alarm clock and his time with Clara had been nothing but a dream. He slapped the snooze button on the alarm and slowly opened his eyes. He hadn’t dreamed about Clara in years, yet she’d visited him nightly since Friday. It had to be because she now worked for his team, and though they had yet to have a meaningful face to face conversation, he had managed to score a little time with her Friday evening before Justin had interrupted them.
Justin. The thought of the way the head trainer had looked at Clara sent a wave of repulsion through his body. It wasn’t that Justin was a bad guy, but this was Clara. His Clara, and he couldn’t imagine her dating Justin. He was much older than her for one thing, and Mason was pretty sure he’d just gone through a messy divorce.
Kicking back the covers, he swung his legs out of bed and sat up, pausing for a moment to let his body adjust to the new position before he stood. So far, it hadn’t been awkward working with her, but she had just started and they hadn’t been alone for very long. He needed to find time to speak to her about the past before it did get awkward. They had made it to the playoffs again this year, and he certainly didn’t need to be distracted with the most important games ahead of them.
He grimaced slightly when he rose to his feet. He’d twisted his ankle or something during practice on Friday, and though he’d iced it over the weekend, it was still tender. Clenching his jaw, he limped to the shower. Perhaps the hot water would help.
The steam and heat from the water relaxed the muscles of his shoulders, but it did nothing for the pain in his ankle. As he toweled off, he knew he would have to wrap his ankle and hope no one noticed. Thankfully, he always kept medical tape in his bathroom for instances like these.
Sitting on the bed, he wrapped the ankle, careful not to put the tape too tight. The last thing he needed was to lose circulation in the foot and cause an even greater injury. With that deed done, he pulled on clothes, grabbed his wallet, and headed toward the training facility.
The sun was just rising as he pulled into the parking lot, sending brilliant oranges and purples across the sky. Mason hated getting up early, but he sure didn’t mind getting to see the Texas sunrises. Though he’d only ever lived in Texas, he’d spent time in other states for games and they just couldn’t compare to a Texas sunrise or sunset.
After turning the ignition off, he grabbed his bag and headed toward the front entrance. The pain in his ankle appeared to be less with the support of the tape, and he was fairly certain that he wasn’t limping. Which turned out to be a good thing because he reached the front door at the same time Clara did. He hadn’t even seen her approaching, but he had been a little distracted by the sky.
“Well, well, well,” he said with a teasing lilt as he pulled the door open for her. “I guess you can’t avoid me now.”
Her mouth dropped open in protest. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”
He raised his brow at her. “Oh really? The only time we spoke on Friday is when I sought you out.” He pointed at himself when he emphasized I and then to Clara with the word you.
Her perfect pink lips pulled into a line before she shook her head. “Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, I have been a little busy unpacking and trying to get settled.”
“It’s because you can’t handle my hotness, right? I mean I didn’t have these guns back when we dated.” He flexed his arms, enjoying the smile that spread across her face.
Clara rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. “Stop it. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?” Mason put on his best hurt puppy dog face. “Are you saying I’m not hot? That I’ve lost it since we dated?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.”
“So, you’re saying I never had it? I’m so hurt.” He let his mouth fall open in mock hurt, but his eyes twinkled to let her know he was kidding.
“No, I…” Her words faltered and her face flushed as she realized he had caught her.
Feeling just a bit sorry for her, he offered a reprieve. “It’s good to see you smile again.”
“Thanks, you too.”
They stood there for a minute, both unsure of what to say next. Thankfully, or not so thankfully - Mason wasn’t really sure which - Justin interrupted their moment. Again. This man was turning out to have the worst timing in history as far as Mason was concerned.
“Ah, good, Clara, there you are. I’ve got the schedule for today, and I wanted to discuss game procedures since this Sunday will be a game day.”
Clara nodded, her demeanor back to all business. “Guess I’ll see you later,” she said to Mason before following Justin down the hall.
Mason watched her go, unable to keep his eyes from her and the way Justin looked at her or the way his hand touched her lower back as he led her down the hall. Mason knew the man was looking for comfort, but he could only hope that Justin wouldn’t find that comfort in Clara’s arms.
Pushing the door to the locker room open, he entered and dropped his bag on the bench. A moment later the door opened again, and Blaine strode into the room.
“I was looking for you. Coach wants to see you.”
“Me? What for?” All kinds of traitorous thoughts raced through Mason’s head. Had they found out about his former relationship with Clara? Was he in trouble for talking to her? Had the coach seen his injury on Friday? Was he in trouble for not reporting it?
Blaine shook his head. “I don’t know. He just asked me to find you and send you his way. I’d suggest you don’t keep him waiting though. You know how he gets the week before games.”
“Right.” Coach had a tendency to be a little more high strung and laser-focused the week leading up to a game, and Mason knew better than to keep him waiting. He finished stowing his stuff in the locker and then headed to face the music. Whatever it was.
The anxiety only grew the closer he got to the coach’s office. Before knocking, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart. It would do no good to enter looking guilty before he knew what the meeting was even about.
“Come in,” the coach’s deep voice came from the other side of the door.
Mason pushed the door open and hoped he looked more confident than he felt. “You asked for me, Coach?”
“I did. Have a seat.” Coach pointed at the chair opposite his desk. “I watched the tape from practice on Friday.”
Mason’s heart sank as he sat in the chair. This was about his injury then. He wasn’t sure if that was the better of the two options or not. “Coach, I can explain…”
Coach held up his hand and fixed Mason with a silencing glare. “How bad is it, Dixon?”
“It’s not bad, Coach, really. I landed aw
kwardly on it, but I iced it all weekend. It’s much better today.”
Mason tried not to squirm under the coach’s penetrating stare. The man’s gaze was like an intimidating lie detector. “Okay, well, I want you to see the new athletic trainer today. Have it looked at and taped up, and take it easy on that foot. We need you for Sunday’s game.”
“Yes, sir.” Relief flooded Mason as he stood. Yes, he might have to meet with Clara, but he was pretty sure he had just dodged a bullet in there.
He returned to the locker room and changed into his practice gear before heading to find Clara.
She was staring down at her desk when he knocked on the door. He must have startled her because her small jump sent the papers on her desk flying to the floor. Mason rushed over to help her pick them up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No, it’s fine. I was just focused and not expecting anyone for another hour.”
They each grabbed for the papers, their hands touching as they reached for the same one at the same time. His eyes locked with hers and memories from their time together flooded him. He remembered the first time he held her hand. He had thought at the time that he’d been so suave - pretending to yawn and then placing the hand he covered his mouth with on top of hers. She had smiled but said nothing, and he’d fallen even harder for her.
He let go first, hoping to sever the memories as well as the connection he was feeling right now. “Sorry.” He picked up the rest of the papers that were out of her reach and placed them on her desk.
“It’s okay.” She stood after gathering her stack of papers. “What are you doing here?”
Mason shrugged. “Coach sent me to see you before practice. I twisted my ankle last Friday, and he wanted it checked out and taped up.” He pointed down at his foot. “However, I did that this morning.”
She raised an eyebrow at him and pointed to the bed that sat in her office. “Well, if Coach wants me to take a look at it, you better sit down and let me see it.”
Mason took a deep breath as he walked to the bed. He hoped Clara wouldn’t be able to see anything wrong. There was no way he was missing Sunday’s game.
Touchdown on Love Page 3
