After The Fire (One Pass Away Book 3)

by Mary J. Williams

  “Oh, my God. He’s coming over here.” Karla’s hand fluttered around, straightening everything in sight. “Would it be weird if I asked for his autograph? Dale will never believe it.”

  Gaige didn’t hurry, giving Violet plenty of time take him in. Long ago she had asked her mother what he looked like. Tall. Blonde. Handsome, I suppose. Violet had pushed for more, but her mother’s description had been vague.

  Recently, Violet had voraciously filled in the details. There was no shortage of pictures. She discovered what he looked like then—and now. Nothing had prepared her for seeing him in person.

  Tall. Blonde. Handsome. Her mother had nailed that part. Gaige wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, crisp white shirt, and pale lavender tie with ease. A different kind of uniform than the one he wore on the football field, but it was just as effective. He commanded attention. Eyes followed his every movement.

  If her mother had tried, there was no way to convey charisma or sex appeal. To understand, one had to experience it in person. Half a room away, and she could feel it—and it grew with every step he took.

  Gaige stopped in front of her. She took a deep breath. The moment felt big. As though one look would change everything. All the conversations. The hours of holding his hand—not needing to say a thing. For the first time, Violet raised her gaze and met his.

  GAIGE FELT LIKE someone punched him in the gut. Someone with a small, delicate hand which made the shot he took to his ribs during Sunday’s game feel like a love tap

  Neither of them spoke. Sizing each other up, he supposed. The silence lasted a few seconds—it felt longer. There was a time when they talked endlessly. About everything—and nothing. Now, he struggled for a simple greeting.

  “Hi.”

  That hadn’t come from Violet. Surprised, Gaige looked over her shoulder. The bartender gave him a slow smile and wave.

  “Gaige. Mr. Benson.” Karla giggled, tripping over her words. “I’m sorry to bother you. Would you mind signing this for my boyfriend?” She laughed again. “And me?”

  “Sure.” Gaige accepted two coasters and a pen. And Gaige is fine. What’s your boyfriend’s name, Karla?”

  “Um. Jeez. I knew it just a second ago.”

  “Dale,” Violet offered automatically. Gaige shot her a quick look but kept writing.

  “You know my name.” In a daze, Karla clutched the autographs to her chest. “How?”

  Gaige lightly tapped her nametag with the pen. The gesture made Karla give a dreamy sigh. “Right.” She blinked, looking at Violet, then back a Gaige. “This is… Sorry, I don’t know your name.”

  “Yet you know her boyfriend’s.” When Violet laughed, Gaige could have kissed Karla. Unknowingly, the bartender had broken the ice. She had just earned a tip. A big one.

  “Funny how that works,” Violet answered.

  Confused by the obvious undercurrents, Karla looked at Violet, then Gaige, then back at Violet.

  “Do you know each other?”

  “Do we?”

  Violet shook her head, making his heart sink.

  “No.” Violet shook her head, making his heart sink. “But I’d like to. If that’s okay with you.”

  “That’s the best offer I’ve had in a long time.” Gaige’s eyes warmed, smiling when he heard Violet let out the breath he hadn’t realized she was holding. “I was supposed to meet someone for a business dinner. If you agree to join me, I’ll cancel my previous plans.”

  “Interesting.” Violet slid from her seat. In heels, the top of her head reached his chin. “I’m meeting someone.”

  “Business?”

  “Not anymore.”

  “Shall we?” As Violet started across the room, Gaige set a few bills on the bar, sliding them toward Karla. “Thank you.”

  Confused, but thoroughly entertained, Karla watched Violet and Gaige until they were out of sight. Shaking her head, she picked up the money. When she took a closer look, her eyes widened. She grabbed her phone and dialed the first number on her contacts list.

  “Hey, honey. What’s up?”

  “Dale? Are you sitting down? Well, put your sweet ass in a chair.” Karla looked at the three hundred-dollar bills she clutched in her hand. “You will never guess what just happened to me.”

  TERRANCE HAD MADE the reservations, and Gaige approved. The hotel’s restaurant was one of the best in the city. The menu was varied, and the specials changed on a nightly basis. He loved the lobster bisque and shrimp scampi, but if seafood wasn’t your thing, they served a steak that would make the angels weep.

  Another reason he liked to eat here was the wait staff didn’t fawn all over him. Either they weren’t football fans, or they were trained to keep that, oh, my God, oh, my God, thing out of their expressions and their voices. Violet and he were seated without any fanfare.

  Terrance would have requested a window seat, out of the flow of traffic. That was exactly what they got. The waiter took their drink orders, informed them of the specials, then faded away to let them decide what to order.

  “I know we agreed to put business aside, but…”

  “Why don’t we play it by ear.” Violet set down her menu. “I’m having the baked halibut.”

  “Steak. I love the way this place does shellfish, but I’m in the mood for red meat.”

  Violet laughed.

  “Steak is funny?”

  “There is so much to say. I have so much I want to say. But I can only think of one thing?”

  “What?”

  “Your eyes are green.”

  “And yours are blue.” Gaige couldn’t look away—he didn’t want to. “So damn blue.”

  Before they could say more, the waiter arrived to take their order.

  “That steak sounds good,” Violet hedged.

  “I’ll give you a bite.”

  “Or two?”

  Gaige nodded. “If you’ll share your halibut.”

  “Deal.”

  Gaige handed the waiter their menus. The silence that settled over them didn’t feel awkward. More like they were choosing their words carefully before they spoke.

  “Do you mind if I call an audible?”

  Violet gave him a blank look.

  “That’s football lingo, right?” She covered her face with her hands. She peeked between her fingers. “This is embarrassing. I feel like I should know more about it. That it’s one of those things that should have seeped in by osmosis. But I’m woefully ignorant.”

  “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I’m the one with the problem. Normal people don’t use terms like audible in everyday conversations.”

  “I don’t mind,” Violet assured him. He could hear the earnestness in her voice. “What does it mean?”

  “During the game, if I don’t like the defensive formation, I have the option of changing the play. I call out a different signal, alerting my teammates. That is an audible.”

  “Fascinating.”

  “Really?”

  “You sound surprised.”

  Gaige thought for a moment, considering the best way to help Violet understand. “Football, in general, is sexy. The hitting. The long passes and spectacular catches.”

  “The tight pants.”

  Gaige caught the twinkle in Violet’s eyes and laughed.

  “That, too. But the terminology can be a bit dry.”

  “Try medical texts. That is dry. You can throw an audible at me anytime.”

  Anytime. It made Gaige think of the future. Their future. Anytime, anyplace. But he was getting ahead of himself.

  “Then here it is. No talk about the past. Our past. Not tonight.”

  “Then when?” Violet asked.

  “Tomorrow? The next day?” Gaige knew what he was asking, but for some reason, he wanted one night before they picked at old wounds.

  “I’m scheduled to leave tomorrow evening.”

  “Stay.” When Violet hesitated, Gaige took it as a good sign. “We have a game on Thursday. The short week mea
ns I’ll be busy at practice and in meetings. But my evenings will be free.”

  “Let’s get through tonight.”

  Gaige wanted a commitment. Jesus. What was wrong with him? All he could think about was pushing Violet until she agreed to stay. If she left town, would he ever see her again? It was as though his brain couldn’t grasp any other scenario. The second she got on that plane for New York, his chances with her were over. Logically, he knew it wasn’t true. But his emotions overrode common sense.

  “I want to stay.”

  Gaige felt a surge of hope.

  “Then stay.” Gaige stopped himself from pushing. Instead, he dangled a little incentive. “Have you ever been to a professional football game?”

  “No.”

  “Thursday’s game is a sellout. But if you stick around, I might be able to dig up a ticket.”

  Violet laughed. It was a sound he remembered well. Happy. It sent a warm feeling through his body.

  “Bribery?”

  “Are you susceptible?”

  She seemed to consider it. “Morally, I’m opposed. But…”

  “But?”

  “I really want to see that game. You’ve corrupted me, Gaige.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.” Except himself. Mentally, Gaige was giving himself a high-five. “A little corruption is good for the soul.”

  Violet looked skeptical. “Isn’t it a slippery slope?”

  Her eyes were so expressive. Gaige could have looked at them all day. At the moment, he could see that she was teasing. What would he see after their first kiss? Would he know if she wanted more? Would her arousal be there for him to see—words unnecessary? Gaige couldn’t wait to find out.

  “Something tells me that your soul can withstand a little tarnish.”

  “Ah. I see.” Violet shook her head. “You think I’m the good girl who never colors outside the lines.”

  “I think I don’t know you at all. But I want to, Violet. If you’ll give me a chance.”

  It seemed right that when Gaige touched her, it would be by taking her hand. So many memories were tied to that little gesture. Again, her eyes told him everything. She felt it. The connection. It was still there.

  “Is it that easy?” she asked, looking at their joined hands. “I have so much to say, Gaige. So much to tell you. So much to explain. You might change your mind.”

  “I’ve waited a long time, Violet.”

  “We both have.”

  Gaige shrugged. “I want this.” His fingers tightened. “Is it too much, too soon if I tell you that?”

  “Sixteen years.” She sighed. “We aren’t kids anymore. But we aren’t old, either. I want to rush and slow down—all at once. Hurry up, damn it. So much time has been wasted.”

  “Easy off,” he continued her line of reasoning. “We don’t know each other. Take the time to discover where we’ve been and where we want to go.”

  “And,” she said, her eyes serious, “ we need to find out if we want to go there together.”

  Gaige knew his answer. Stay with me. That was it. The beginning and the end of his feelings. Love? No. Not yet. But he knew in his heart that it wouldn’t take much for that emotion to take root and grow. A little encouragement. Some heat. And a steady diet of honesty and communication.

  Believing in love was surprisingly easy. He knew the ugly side. His parents were still together—living out a sick pantomime of the emotion. Gaige didn’t visit. His only contact was with his mother. Sporadic phone calls that always followed the same pattern. A happy greeting that deteriorated into tears and recriminations.

  His longtime agent told him to change his number. Walter wanted him to finish the job and completely cut her from his life. But Gaige couldn’t bring himself to do it. He refused to listen to her tirades, hanging up the second she started. The ungrateful son routine had long ago lost its bite. Gaige paid their rent and each month deposited a set amount into their bank account. He did it for her, and her alone.

  Love could be ugly. Unhealthy. But it could also be beautiful and fulfilling. Gaige witnessed it every day—through his friends. It was possible to maintain a long and happy marriage. Terrance and his wife were a shining example. Mutual respect and friendship. They liked each other. At the end of a long and difficult day, all Terrance wanted was his Dil.

  That’s what Gaige wanted. He was tired of going home to an empty house. Tired of waking up alone. But he would never marry for companionship. He could get a dog for that. He wanted a lover. A friend.

  Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted Violet. He wanted her sixteen years ago, and nothing had changed. But he didn’t want to push too hard and make her run for the hills. So he kept that bit of information to himself. For now.

  “Stay. At least until Friday.”

  “Friday.” Violet clinked her glass against his. In a flash, her eyes turned from serious to teasing. “What are the chances you’ll win on Thursday?”

  “Nothing is a sure thing.”

  “But?”

  “Just for you, I’ll do my damnedest.”

  “WHAT DO YOU think?”

  “Impressive,” Violet said. “I didn’t think practice would be very interesting, but it’s a bit like choreography, isn’t it?”

  “I’ve never thought of it like that.” Riley Preston crossed her arms, considering the men on the field. “They aren’t the most graceful bunch I’ve ever seen, but I get what you’re talking about. The plays are designed with the utmost care. The team practices to get the steps just right.”

  “But on occasion, they find the need to improvise,” Claire Thornton added.

  These were Gaige’s friends. But in only a couple of days, Violet believed they could be her friends as well.

  Perhaps she was more of a snob than she realized, but Violet was surprised by the diversity of Gaige’s inner circle. The football players were a given. He spent the majority of his time with them. It made sense that his closest buddies would be his teammates.

  Without a cheat sheet, or any hint from Gaige, Violet decided that Sean McBride was his best friend. Occasionally they spoke in a shorthand she couldn’t decipher. Football references and personal ones—inside jokes that only close friends would be privy to. They had shared a field and each other’s lives for over eight years. They had an ease, a comfort, that Violet couldn’t help but envy. She didn’t have anyone in her life like that. And she had no one to blame but herself.

  She chose to keep people out. Gaige chose to draw them close. It was a small group. They looked to him for advice and support. And Violet could tell that there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do for him.

  Claire and Riley added the diversity. They were connected by football, but each was interesting and accomplished in her own right. Smart and independent, they were exactly the kind of women Violet admired.

  “What’s it like to own a football team?”

  They were seated in the owner’s box, drinking lemonade and eating big, juicy hamburgers prepared by the team’s personal chef. According to Gaige, he was a new addition—brought on by Riley. The snacks in the locker room had improved immensely.

  They had a bird’s-eye view of the field while sitting in climate-controlled luxury. It was raining on the players—Violet, Riley, and Claire were warm and bone dry.

  “Until quite recently, I was an owner in name only. My father ran the team.”

  Claire snorted. “Sorry. It’s just the term ran the team, is debatable.”

  “Violet is too polite to ask, so I’ll explain.” Riley popped a French fry into her mouth. “If it had been up to my father, he would have run the Knights into the ground. He drafted poorly. Occasionally a good player, like Sean or Logan Price would slip through. But he did his best to keep this team mediocre.”

  “Gaige pulled them up to good, by his talent and sheer will,” Claire explained. “He and a handful of others are the reason they made it to the playoffs all those years. Most years, this team was held together by chewing gum and kite
string. Gaige tried his heart out, but they didn’t have the talent to get to the Super Bowl.”

  “But this year is different. It has to be.”

  Violet could hear the absolute conviction in Riley’s voice—plus something more.

  “Why?”

  Riley hesitated, exchanging glances with Claire.

  “Time rolls on,” Claire finally answered. “There’s a small window for any team. Gaige and Sean have been at this a long time. Logan could play for another ten years. Or,” she swallowed, her eyes shadowing over, “his knee could give out on him.”

  Gaige had shared the story with her. This was Logan Price’s first year back after sustaining a career-ending knee injury. Claire had helped him regain his dream. And the two had fallen in love along the way.

  “It’s an unfortunate part of the game. Logan is in great shape, Claire. Hell, Sean and Gaige are just as likely to sustain an injury as he is.”

  Violet didn’t know how Riley could be so calm—her words so matter of fact.

  “Sean is your fiancé. Are you scared every time he takes the field?”

  “Scared?” Riley shook her head. “My grandfather loved this game. He taught me everything I know. It was my passion before I met Sean. I learned to take injuries in a philosophical way.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means, hell yes, she’s scared. But she hides it really well.”

  Riley laughed, sticking her tongue out at Claire. “Busted. It’s easier when you aren’t in love with one of the players. I keep my worries to myself, though. Sean doesn’t need me reminding him of something he knows too well.”

  “Gaige has been lucky, hasn’t he?”

  “Gaige is a God,” Riley and Claire said simultaneously.

  They burst out laughing, Violet joining them. The conversation moved on to the latest movies, Claire and Riley invited Violet to join them for a matinee before tomorrow’s game. Agreeing, Violet looked out at the field. It was a strange and interesting world that Gaige lived in. She wondered if she would fit in.

  “I’ll say one thing, Gaige.” Sean slung a sweaty, mud-caked arm over his shoulder. “Your taste in women has improved.”