Calling It

by Jen Doyle

Clearly aware of that, Tuck gave a big smile. “As all of you know, we’ve got a history here with the whole high school basketball thing.” No puzzlement involved in that round of cheers. It took a full minute for the noise to die down, stopping only when Tuck finally held his hands up. “So, uh... He’s probably going to kill me for this, but I know it would mean a lot to everyone to get a word from a special guest we have here today. And, to be honest, he’s had a rough couple of months. Considering what he’s done for us, I think that it wouldn’t hurt for us to maybe welcome him home.”

  Dorie glanced over at Fitz, who looked right back at her and smiled. “Wait for it...” Fitz mouthed. Or maybe said, because the noise had already started up again, and words were lost entirely. The rumble began down at the court as the kids on both teams jumped to their feet and started cheering—screaming—at the tops of their lungs. It built up to a roar as hundreds, no, thousands, of people began stomping their feet. Dorie was afraid the building might actually come down. The entire gymnasium erupted into a frenzy as Nate stepped out on the court.

  He had on a baseball cap that he hadn’t been wearing when he left the library, and Dorie was pretty sure he’d used it to blend into the crowd. As though a man like him could possibly blend. When he finally took the cap off and gave a little bit of a wave, the frenzy became something else. It was as if love was being rained down upon him. As though the town had ripped its heart open and tucked him inside.

  Taking the microphone, he began to say something but could barely get out, “Thanks, but...” before someone yelled, “We love you, Nate!” and the noise started up again.

  Without even realizing she’d done it, Dorie found that she was on her feet and cheering along with everyone else in the place, including those still streaming in. It took Nate a while before it occurred to him that he was the one who needed to stop it. Unlike everyone else, he was speechless, his hands at his sides. He finally brought the mic up again and held his hand up, just as Tuck had before. Even with that, it took him a few starts before the crowd started to quiet down.

  “Tuck’s right,” he said, once the noise was at a manageable level. “I’m going to kill him.”

  Although he smiled, Dorie didn’t think he was kidding.

  “But he was also right about this meaning a lot to me,” Nate was saying. “More than you can know. So thank you.”

  Watching him closely, Dorie drew her arms tightly around herself, wishing she could hug him instead. In fact, on the outside, he seemed no different than he had in any other public appearance he’d ever done. The Tonight Show, Late Show with David Letterman—hell, he’d hosted Saturday Night Live once upon a time with that same grin. She’d come to see another side of him, though, and to her surprise, she could tell he was only just barely managing to hold himself together.

  “I’m pretty sure you’re not interested in a speech from me,” he continued, “and as I’ve been standing here for, um, a while—” His quick grin drew a laugh from the crowd. “—I’ve been thinking that maybe you’ll all indulge me for a few minutes of reminiscence. Guys? Want to join me out here?” He turned his head to the end of the court and for the first time Dorie realized that it wasn’t just Wash that had come to the game with him, but Max Deacon and Jason Pike, as well. Eyes widening, she turned to Fitz.

  With a huge smile, Fitz just nodded as another round of stomping and applause accompanied the men out onto the court.

  “Tuck? Coach O’Reilly?” Nate said, gesturing for them to come out, as well. Then he said four other names and two of the boys from each of the benches got up and practically floated to the center of the court.

  “So I know I’m just a dumb jock...” Nate grinned. “But I do know what it means when there are ten guys on a court.” He looked down the line he’d just assembled, his eyes coming to a rest on the boys. “You think you could maybe pretend we’re not fifteen years too old for this?”

  It took a few seconds for the boys to realize they’d just been asked to play basketball with four-fifths of The Dream. The light dawned on them at the same time it dawned on just about everyone else in the gym. And this time the noise didn’t stop until every one of the boys on each of the teams had their moment on the court. It took well over an hour, but it felt as though it had been no time at all. Watching The Dream play in person was unlike anything Dorie had ever experienced.

  And watching Nate play in person was unreal. The Dream had happened so long ago that she hadn’t remembered that part—and watching him play baseball was, yes, a perfectly fine way to spend a few hours. But the TV cameras couldn’t catch how amazing an athlete he truly was. Nearly everything he did—from effortlessly sinking a basket from halfway down the court to coaxing and coaching through his interactions with the kids—he elevated those around him rather than outshined them. And when he, Wash, Jason Pike and Max Deacon went two-on-two after all of the kids cycled through, it was as beautiful to watch as the best choreographed dance. No one wanted to leave.

  When the gym finally began to empty, Dorie chose to follow the crowd out rather than accept Fitz’s invitation to meet up with “the boys” and have dinner.

  Opening her arms wide as if to capture the euphoria in the room, Fitz smiled. “I don’t think we can hide it anymore.”

  “No,” Dorie answered, trying to keep from crying. They wouldn’t be able to hide anything after tonight. And since that meant Nate would know she’d been lying to him, she also couldn’t imagine he’d be able to forgive her. “But I think it would be better if he didn’t know I was here.” She bent down to grab her things.

  Not being an idiot, Fitz grabbed Dorie’s arm. “Hey,” she said warmly, “he can’t be mad after this.”

  Though Dorie was pretty sure Fitz was wrong about that, she wasn’t going to argue. Instead she shrugged, trying to make it appear as if it was the most casual thing in the world. “Maybe not, but I’d rather he not have to find out right now.”

  Nodding her understanding, Fitz pulled her hand away. “You’ll still be at trivia night?”

  “Sure,” Dorie said, maybe a little too quickly. At Fitz’s glare, she rolled her eyes. “Okay. Yes. I’ll be there.” After an even stronger glare, she was actually able to laugh. “I promise.”

  Then, before she could change her mind, she stood up and let the crowd carry her away.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nate sat back in his chair, the sounds of Deacon’s Bar and Grille ringing out around him. He pushed his plate away and smiled, his gaze traveling over the friends and family who surrounded him.

  He really had been ready to kill Tuck. So much for Let me just hang here in the background and not make it into a big deal. Fitz, too. As he’d found out soon after the crowd had dissipated, Tuck had given her a heads-up, enough so that she’d be able to get their family there, too.

  But he hadn’t been exaggerating about how much it meant to him. Honestly? If his knee wasn’t as much of a lightning rod issue as it was at the moment, he’d have sunk down right there in the center of the court. One-on-one was overwhelming, yes, even when it was words of support. That gymnasium, though, was like being in a different universe. It was the one place in the world where he was on equal ground with everyone else. Yes, the constant flow of his money into the Foundation helped sustain the people in this town. But whatever he gave they gave right back. Not with money, of course. Nor was it adulation—not the misguidedness that crashed down as soon as there was a nick in the pedestal. No. They were each other’s life force, survivors through and through.

  And it reminded Nate that this was where he belonged. In just two short days, everything had changed. He’d been right about them going easy on him, and it had been a little stilted at first. But as he’d begun to settle back in it seemed they had, too. As he sat here at this table, with the people he loved most in the world surrounding him and talking around him—not about or a
t him—it was almost as though the distance had never been there in the first place. Fitz had even given him a huge hug “just because” on their way out of the gym. And if the past six weeks had taught him anything, it was to appreciate those kinds of moments. To trust that what he had here was solid. That it would be here for him. And that maybe someday that circle would expand by one more.

  His smile faded as he looked around the room. He’d spooked her; he knew that. Hell, he’d spooked himself. Which made no sense. He’d been engaged up until two months ago—to a woman who could be downright frightening when crossed. Yet the idea of being married to Courtney hadn’t scared him half as much as kissing Dorie. But the only thing he found more terrifying at the moment was the thought of never kissing her again.

  Well, no, there was that other not-exactly-inconsequential thing, the idea that maybe she did know who he was, that she’d been playing him all along.

  And yet, despite the fact that that was actually the most logical explanation—too many people had wanted too many things from him over the years for him not to be surprised—he just didn’t believe it. Couldn’t. Maybe after Courtney he just wanted to think that Dorie was aboveboard. Or maybe it was just his dick talking.

  At just that moment the door swung open and Dorie walked in. Her hat and coat were dusted with the snow that had started falling; her cheeks and the tip of her nose were bright red. After a few stomps of her feet, she took a tentative step farther into the building, stopping as the hostess greeted her. Although she was clearly on the fence about being here, she gave a bright smile.

  Though her eyes lit up when Fitz waved, she hesitated, masking her discomfort by pausing to take off her gloves and unbutton her coat. If Nate hadn’t been watching her so closely, he probably wouldn’t have noticed that she gave a little shake of her head and then squared her shoulders. His first thought was that she was adorable. His second thought was that he needed to take a step back and at least acknowledge that this insane attraction might be coloring his judgment.

  “Hey, Librarian!” Wash yelled, standing up but not bothering to make everyone else stand so he could work his way out from behind the table. He grinned and opened his arms wide. “You coming in or what?”

  Dorie’s face relaxed into a genuine smile. This time she didn’t have to shore herself up; Wash’s invitation was clearly all she’d needed. It pissed Nate off, not that Wash gave a damn. All his glare at Wash got him was a chuckle as Wash sat back down. The man redeemed himself by gesturing for the hostess to put the extra chair next to Nate.

  Although Dorie had gone tense again, she nodded her thanks when Nate stood up and pulled the chair out for her. She went entirely still when he put his hands on her shoulders to help her with her coat. When his thumb happened to brush the skin at the nape of her neck, he did, as well. Everything else disappeared and time froze as he was struck by how right it felt to be here with her in this moment. Like the absolute certainty when the pitch was about to hit the sweet spot, that the ball was already on its way out of the park.

  He couldn’t help it. He let his hand brush her cheek. “This is a good thing,” he said.

  “It’s not,” she whispered, although he took comfort in the fact that she didn’t immediately pull away. “It’s really not.” Then she neatly took her coat from his hands and stepped around him, smiling brightly as Fitz made introductions.

  “You know most everyone. Jules, of course,” Fitz said, “and our sister, Ella. And this is Jason and Deke.”

  Dorie muttered something under her breath, but by the time Nate turned to her, she had a smile on her face. “Deke as in Deacon?” she said, ignoring him completely. “Of Deacon’s Bar and Grille?”

  Turning on his considerable charm, Deke smiled. “As in grandson-of-the-Deacon-who-started-the-place. But, yeah, that would be me.”

  Dorie’s quick grin was mirrored in her eyes. “They let you sit down and eat?” Her family apparently owned a few restaurants in Boston, and Deke was all over that.

  Nate was so busy trying not to be irritated at how animated she’d become with Deke that he almost missed the land mine. The tradition was that after a game, Deke could be like any other customer. And, well... Fuck. If this was all just a charade it was a good one and Nate wanted it to last for at least a few more hours.

  The waitress came to take Dorie’s drink order and conversation went on from there, although Dorie was more subdued tonight than he’d seen her. For as much as the questions were now lingering in his mind, Nate sat back and spent the next half hour actively restraining himself from reaching down and taking her hand. From draping his arm over the back of her chair. As it was, he couldn’t help but occasionally glance down at her, the curve of her neck drawing his eyes down to the swell of her breasts. A hint of midnight blue lace was peeking out from underneath the V-neck sweater she wore and it took everything he had not to dip his head down and run his tongue over it.

  Sweet Jesus, he wanted her.

  Thank God Fitz finally drew Dorie into the conversation, asking, “So how are you with the whole trivia night thing?”

  Dorie grinned. “I’m a librarian. I do just fine.”

  “Excellent.” Fitz reached across Deke for a buffalo wing. “Because we could use a ringer tonight. Nate is frighteningly good at filling in the holes the rest of the boys can’t quite manage.”

  “Oh? And what holes would those be?” Dorie asked. And then immediately blushed and choked on her sip of water as she realized what she’d said.

  Nate found himself grinning, as well. He took a sip of his own water as Wash good-naturedly answered, “It’s their own damn fault. Raise the boy as a girl, and the boy’s gonna be able to answer all the girl questions.”

  To Nate’s surprise, it was Jules who threw the chip at Wash as everyone laughed, Nate included. “One of these times we’re going to beat you guys,” she said, “and you’ll all be the ones buying us dinner.”

  “Girls against boys?” Dorie asked. Finally—finally—she turned to Nate and gave him a smile. “I think you may have met your match.” Then she turned back to Fitz and Jules and raised her glass in a toast. “Six older brothers, ladies.”

  Even his mom joined in on the loud catcalls as the ‘ladies’ all leaned forward and clinked their glasses together.

  And before Nate could think too much about what that meant, Deke’s sister, Lola, who’d taken over quizmaster duties from Mrs. Deacon, got up on the stage. “We got off to a bit of a late start tonight, so let’s have everyone get into teams and see if someone can unseat the Dream Boys tonight!”

  Although he knew exactly what her response would be, Nate turned to Dorie. “A kiss for good luck?”

  “Not on your life,” she laughed. Then she was pulled up and out of her chair by Fitz as the tables were rearranged.

  * * *

  They did trivia nights a little bit differently in Inspiration. The first few rounds were exactly what Dorie was used to: write the answers down on a sheet of paper and turn them in. But here in Inspiration, those were just the elimination rounds. Now they were “down to the serious players,” Jules had explained—her disapproval of Dorie apparently relegated to the background now that they were on the same team together.

  Now in the final round, it was the Dream Boys, i.e., Nate, Wash and co. versus the Sisterhood, i.e. the team Dorie was on, which consisted of Nate’s sisters and her. Not awkward at all. Although, she had to admit, the more time she spent with Nate’s family and friends the more they became actual people, as opposed to The Dream and Co., and the more she liked them—the more she liked him.

  She didn’t like to think of herself as a shallow person. Yet she’d obviously—and without realizing it—pretty much thought of Nate exactly as he’d so self-deprecratingly called himself at the basketball game: dumb jock. Dumb jock with a beyond gorgeous shell, but still... Definitely bene
ath her in the brains department.

  He wasn’t, though. Not even a little bit. He was funny and quick and smart...

  And far too perceptive for her to let her guard down for even just a little bit. So rather than laugh and joke and generally let herself be grateful that she got to spend an evening like this, she closed herself off since it was obviously going to be her only one. She didn’t even want to think about how he’d react when he found out she’d known everything all along. Hell, given the way the crowd had responded to him at the game, she’d probably be lucky to escape being tarred and feathered before being run out of town. She couldn’t relax at all.

  And she was completely unprepared when Jules outright asked, “So what, exactly, is going on between you and my brother?”

  Dorie choked on her drink. “What?”

  Jules took a sip of her much more elegant glass of white wine. “He doesn’t generally date. Or hang out. Yet he’s spent two whole days with you.”

  Dorie resisted saying that she was as bewildered about that fact as just anyone else in the world would be. She also resisted saying that she wasn’t interested in dating per se. But telling someone that you really just wanted to have some seriously good sex with their brother didn’t usually go over well.

  Fitz, who had been helping Dorie deflect questions all evening, was unfortunately in the midst of a heated conversation with Deke and Wash about something. And Ella, though not quite as forthright as Jules, just sat back in her chair, as interested in the answer as Jules was.

  “Nothing,” Dorie finally said. Because that would be true sooner rather than later anyway. “I—”

  “Ready?” Fitz thankfully interrupted. Her gleefulness belying her words, she said, “So this is where things start to get ugly.” The ugly part, apparently, being partly due to the fact that the categories were stacked with questions provided by the opposite team.

  Ella said, “It’s a miracle that either team is able to answer any of the questions. We usually end up with a pretty pathetic score, and the guys somehow always manage to come out ahead.”