So that was it? He just shows up getting her all hot and bothered, eats her chocolate and demands her attendance at his game? “Maybe,” she shrugged, biting back a smile. He was too cocky for his own good and if nobody else was willing to serve him a nice slice of humble pie, than it needed to be her.
“My suite box is number nine,” he ignored her, the ends of his mouth pulling up. Slipping on his aviators, her knees went weak. “And don’t try and dodge me again, Sunshine. You won’t get very far.”
“Whose house?”
“Our house!” Shay screamed along with his teammates in the middle of the huddle with Monaghan screaming the pre-game speech. Trevor stood beside him, everyone’s hands in the air. The roar of the crowd filtered around the field and the stadium felt electric. This was going to be a good game. He knew it. Could feel it. And it had to be for more reasons than he could count. “This is easy,” Shay screamed, turning around in the huddle looking at each member of his team. “We’ve done this before, boys.” His teammates screamed louder at the reminder of the last time they took the field against the Falcons and won in overtime. “Do your job,” he yelled as Myles shook his head violently. “Everyone just do your job. Champs on three.”
Every teammate squeezed in closer, lights from the stadium bouncing off freshly polished helmets. “One, two, three, champs,” they all yelled as the group dispensed onto the field and along the sidelines even more wound up than when they had left the tunnel. Walking out onto the field with Monaghan and Perry for the coin toss, adrenaline surged through his entire body. Reminding himself to enjoy these times on the field with friends that he respected, he hoped like hell he could retire as a Mav and even though he knew it didn’t necessarily matter how well he performed today as a means to keep him on his team, he was still going to give it all he had. Leaving it all on the field. For his team, his fans and his brother.
“Heads,” Monaghan ordered as the ref flipped the coin before it landed on the field.
“Heads it is.”
Sweet. They would get the ball first and show Atlanta exactly what they were in for this afternoon. He loved setting the tone for the entire game in the first few plays. Trotting to the sidelines, he grabbed his helmet as Nolan, his offensive coach, reviewed the strategy. Hearing the crowd behind him, he smirked securing his helmet strap. It was time to put on a show.
“You ready for me baby?” Shay mocked, sending a kiss face to the cornerback who was going to try like hell to keep him from catching another perfect spiral from Monaghan. And the keyword, was try. Grunting through the cage of his helmet Shay chuckled back at him, getting in position focusing on Jax’s call over the crowd. He had been working on his cuts lately, as per Rory’s evaluation and he was anxious to show them off. Knowing now that his brother was watching this game back home felt cool as shit and this game, like every other game, was going to be for him.
“Set, go, Otawaaaaa,” Monaghan called off, hiking back deciding not to change the play at the last second for once. As a receiver he had the mentality that nothing was uncatchable. And it wasn’t. Cutting around the safety, he felt Monaghan’s ball blow to his chest as he jumped over the cornerback. Running over the line, a few defensive players whipped past him slowing down their pace.
First play. First score.
“Atlanta,” Shay yelled, flexing his arms and pointing to the far side of the stadium. “Is back that way.”
The crowd roaring louder, his picture swirled around the screen inside the circular stadium. The crowd competing against the celebratory music, fans waved around navy blue and aqua towels violently. Today felt sweeter than usual as he unhooked his helmet looking up at his suite box seeing Whitney cheer along with the rest of the crowd. Her hair wild and smile wide, she held Quinn on her hip with her small headphones. Yes. Today was definitely sweeter and he knew exactly why.
And he liked it.
“Oh my gosh, did you see that?” Whitney squealed, looking down at Charlotte typing away on her phone.
“Hmm?” Charlotte looked up glancing out over the glass partition at the scoreboard. “Oh, cool.”
Going back to typing, she propped her feet back up on the ledge in front of her. What was her deal? Charlotte had been relentless the past few weeks trying to convince her to come to a Mavericks game and now that she finally decided to take Shay up on his offer instead of staying home and folding laundry and to give her and Quinn something to do, she had to nearly drag Charlotte out of the house. “Well I think it’s all so exciting,” Whitney said, bouncing Quinn on her hip. She looked so cute in her little headphones to drown out the loud noises and her small Mavericks onesie that Liv had given her. The stadium was alive today. The sounds of crashing helmets coming from the field mixed with the announcers and the crowd wasn’t anything like she had seen on television. It looked just like a regular game. Men entering and leaving the field, but her favorite part was watching Shay. He was a showman, which hadn’t surprised her. He was also fascinating to watch. He was fast too. She never realized how quick he could move and that surprised her.
Smiling into Quinn’s hair, their conversation on the mountaintop back at his parents’ house came to mind. That he was living this dream for both himself and Rory and she hoped they could repair their relationship. Shay was such a good man. Such a devoted family man that he hid from everyone and she had been fortunate enough to have had a rare glimpse of that. She wanted to shake him from her system. Wanted to put distance between them, but looking over at the billboard as his face flashed, smiling while another man made a field goal, her heart cramped a bit. For some reason he wasn’t leaving her alone. Provoking her and teasing her and stirring emotions that she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Feelings she had never felt.
Leaning against an aluminum beam, Whitney cringed at the memory of the last time she had been down in the basement of the stadium. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet, somehow almost yesterday. Watching other players exit the locker room, their families in Mavericks gear greeting them, she smiled. She wondered what it was like to be married to a professional athlete. Thinking of Liv and Chelsea, she knew it wasn’t easy. The men being away nearly every other weekend and wrapped up in the season six months out of the entire year. But she assumed it had its perks. Like getting to witness incredible wins. Wins like today. Waving to Trevor coming out of the locker room, he gave her a small hug smelling nothing like a man who had just played a rough game all afternoon. “Hey, sweetie.”
“Great game,” she smiled excitedly.
“It was, wasn’t it?” he nodded, standing up straight.
“Where is Chelsea? I was looking for her?” she asked. Charlotte hadn’t been much company and Liv had been sitting down by the field with the girls so she had texted Chelsea at halftime but hadn’t heard back.
A sly smile spread across his face, before he hid it quickly. Looking away, he cleared his throat. “She wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I told her to stay home and watch the game from bed.” His dark brown eyes were animated and she had a small feeling that it didn’t have anything to do with the winning game. In fact, it had been a few weeks since she had heard from Chelsea come to think of it.
“Well then,” she bit back a smile and she could tell he was eager to break the news. “Send her my love and let me know if she needs anything.” Giving him another hug before he took off, she smiled watching him leave. The superstitious woman that she was, Chelsea had probably put the fear of God into Trevor not to announce the pregnancy until after twelve weeks.
Quinn had become antsy during the third quarter and with Charlotte not watching a lick of the game she had decided to take off before it had even ended. She knew Charlotte was busy and exhausted, and maybe even a little overwhelmed, but something else was going on and she needed to find out what it was. Offering to take Quinn home with her, they had left and she stayed behind and watched the end of the game. It was too intense and Shay had been too entertaining not to see the final score. And boy was s
he glad that she had. Plus, she really wanted to thank him. He had taken care of them, appointing someone to escort them to the suite and giving them a very unnecessary full-service staff. At least that was what she had been telling herself as she waited over an hour for him to come out of the locker room. That she was hanging around just to thank him. He had been taunting her all afternoon. That smirk broadcasting across the stadium, running and jumping and laughing on the sidelines. And those gosh darn football pants. Wanting to fan herself at the reminder, she looked up seeing him finally come out of the locker room, a tight Mavs shirt hugging every professionally trained muscle on his arms.
She was so excited that they had won and so happy for him that before she had a chance to stop herself she ran towards him jumping into his arms. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he dropped his bag, hugging his arms around her waist as she buried her face inside his neck and just rested. Feeling his fingers grip her skin underneath her shirt, he held her in comfortable silence and she had visions of staying like this forever. Silly, but Shay was so warm and she felt protected. It had been a few days since she had even thought about Adam showing up again and it was because she had been too consumed with this man. The man’s whose arms were now tightening around her harder as she rested deeper into him. Leaning back, she smacked a big kiss on his cheek. Holding his face a moment, a grin teased his mouth. “Is that all I get for winning the biggest game of the season?”
Her face feeling warm, she looked at him a moment, his eyes flashing with humor. And heat. Their mouths nearly touching, she pressed her nose to his. She wanted more. Oh, so much more but he scared her. Gosh, did he scare her. His eyes dropping to her mouth and back up again, he looked at her as if seeing right through her. “Where’s Quinn?”
“Charlotte took her home,” she said, searching his face and he looked disappointed. Walking towards the exit without a word, she gripped onto him tighter, against the cool, fall night air. A chill running up her legs, Shay placed her down beside his car. She remembered this car. It had been the one he had taken her to the hospital in. Smiling to herself, she watched him throw his bag into the back seat before reaching for her hand walking towards her car parked on the other side of the lot. So many things had changed since that day. She didn’t feel as afraid or anxious anymore. She was happy and slowly moving forward with her life. She was almost excited for the future now. She had an incredible job, a precious daughter and somehow the man she felt herself spending more and more time with was making her feel something again.
“This is me,” she pointed to her car and Shay slipped his hands up the side of her face, backing her gently against the driver’s side door. The wind picking up, a rush of cool air swirled in her hair as he covered her mouth. Softening into him, he took charge of both their mouths and she let him. Shay kissed her the way he did everything. With careful, concise determination.
Placing three more slow pecks on her lips, her eyes fluttered open and he looked down at her, his hands resting against her cheeks. “Come home with me.”
Like everything else that came from that skillful mouth of his, it wasn’t a question. It was more of a demand. “I can’t,” she heard her voice crack. “I want to tuck baby girl into bed.”
Shaking his head after a minute, he opened her car door and a piece of her heart felt heavy. She didn’t want to leave him. She wanted to relax with him after that intense game. Maybe that was how the wives did it? They persevered through all the traveling and the contracts and media frenzy, the tradeoff being able to love on their men after a hard fought, victorious game. Visions of him lying across her couch, his head inside her lap with Quinn sleeping on his chest came to mind and her heart cramped. Where in the world had that come from? This. Whatever this was, had absolutely nothing to do with a picture perfect family. She needed to remember that. Sliding into the front seat, she pushed the unproductive thought aside.
“Sure you don’t want to come home with me?” he asked, leaning his arms against the window. “Some Netflix, the couch,” he grinned. “Maybe I can rub your back,” he winked and she wanted to melt. “Or just your butt?”
“Ha!” she laughed out loud and started the engine. Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what she wanted as the scene from a moment ago flashed again in her mind. “Good night, Nova.”
Clicking off the television, Shay stared at the screen. He had seen that episode of Game of Thrones three times already. Easing up from the couch he walked to the sliding door, the chill from the water running through the house. The pool lights offering the only light, he looked out towards the water listening to the sway of smooth waves. Taking another swig of water, he winced. He was sore up top and his legs burned, but it had been worth it. Winning that game today had felt great and looking up and seeing Whitney and Quinn cheering him on, had felt even better. He still wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but he also knew that he hadn’t wanted her to leave after the game either. He felt corny as all hell by how relieved he was that she had waited for him. Nobody other than groupies had ever waited out the coach’s talk and media frenzy for him after a game. And nothing held a candle to seeing Whitney leaning against that pole and that smile widening the moment she saw him. He felt like he was back in college when his girlfriend of the semester, usually a fighting Irish cheerleader, waited for him after games. Only this time that cheerleader came in the form of a sweet, southern, hot mom whose cutoffs and cowboy boots had him groaning. So much more carefree and excited than the last time he had seen her in that same basement; frightened, alone and in pain. Taking out his phone he looked at another text from Walsh.
Liam: A “W” for the biggest game of the season calls for a celebration. Where are you?
Shay: Yeah and that “W” beat me the hell up.
Liam: Come out for at least one. Some of the guys are here.
Shay: Nah, I’m good. I’ll see you tomorrow at practice.
Liam: Lame.
Snickering, he slipped his phone back inside his pocket. He didn’t feel like going out and pissing away time drinking. He was still recovering from spending a few days with his family and he needed to ease up. They had tried to nearly damn near kill him. Closing the door and flipping the lock, he strolled slowly through the silent house. He was beginning to question a lot of things lately. One of them being this house. Crinkling the water bottle, he chucked it in the trash flipping the light off. He knew why he had bought it. It was all part of the original plan that him and Rory had constructed years ago. Sharing a big house while playing in the league, hopefully in the same city.
Together.
A stupid decision because even back when he had bought the house he’d known Rory was never going to play again. Hell, Rory had never even been to this house. The bigger was better mentality was getting old lately and he was beginning to crave some simplicity in his life. Taking the steps he thought about selling it and if in fact he did get traded, he hoped somebody could put it to better use than he had. In the past four years it had done nothing but serve as a bed and breakfast, minus the breakfast, to countless women from around town and hosted one party.
But that was a hell of a party.
He was beginning to feel like a shit every time he walked up to Whitney’s condo too. The three of them all crammed into such a small space. They made it work, it was warm and welcoming and he knew enough that they enjoyed living together, but still. Whitney deserved better and Quinn deserved the best. She deserved a big room with a large window and her own bathroom. A yard to run around in and a swing attached to a tree to soar on and a pool to jump into. Whitney deserved a closet that wasn’t overflowing with both her and Quinn’s clothes and shoes spilling out the sides. A giant kitchen to bake that incredible banana bread and more than enough space to set a large family dinner table. The thought of domestic bliss on her face at his parents’ house made him grin. His phone chirping again, he groaned taking the last step ready to tell Walsh to give it a rest already. He wasn’t going anywhere. Not tonight.
>
Whitney: Something’s wrong with Quinn. I need you.
“I know my sweet angel.”
Feeling Quinn’s forehead again, Whitney winced. Gosh, she was so warm. More than warm, she was burning up. When she called the pediatrician he had advised to give her Tylenol and let her ride it out until the morning. But as luck would have it after rampaging the entire medicine cabinet, she didn’t have any. Charlotte was unreachable, no doubt burning the midnight oil sketching in her new studio across town. “I know,” she swayed Quinn on her hip, taking off another layer of clothes to cool her down. “I know.”
She couldn’t relax. She needed medicine and the thought of putting her in the car and driving her to the pharmacy hadn’t sat well. She needed help and she could have just called Magda or Liv or even Chelsea, but she only wanted Shay. Promising he’d be there as soon as possible she felt a little better, but nothing would ease her until Quinn got medicine in her, relieving her sweet girl of this fever. Gently placing the thermometer inside her ear again, she rocked her gently, her cries breaking her heart. Beeping, it read back 100.5. Closing her eyes, she ran her lips against the top of Quinn’s burning head. Gosh, was this her fault? Should she not have brought her to the game today? Did she cause this? Her fussing starting again, she picked up a bottle gently encouraging her to take some milk, but Quinn refused. How was she supposed to get her through the night like the pediatrician advised if her sweet girl was this sick and uncomfortable?
A loud knock fired off at the door and she moved to open it as Shay darted past her whipping inside like a hurricane. Two plastic bags in each hand he rushed for the kitchen. “I…” he said quickly, dumping everything out of both bags onto the counter. “I got everything they had.”
Looking at every item scattered across the counter, it looked like he had grabbed everything with a barcode on it. Three different kinds of children’s cold medicine, sinus medicine, electrolyte juice, medicine freezer pops, soothing cream and what was that? Teething gel? He looked terrified, his chest rising and falling as he looked back and forth between her and Quinn. Biting back a smile, she picked up the Tylenol off the counter. He really was adorable. “This will do fine, thank you.”
Hail Mary (The Mavericks Series) Page 19
