by Taylor Hart
She sighed and laid her head against his chest. “I guess I have to face the fact people die.” She pulled back, her Cleopatra eyes looked up at him. “I would rather live in a fairy tale sometimes. The one where the prince never dies and my father lives.”
Holding her tighter, his emotions spiraled. Would he be lying to say he wished her fiancé was still alive? He shook his head. That was dumb to even think about, so he focused on the now. “I think the truth is that sometimes the messy part of life is the thing that makes us appreciate every moment. It forces us to choose to believe more good is coming.”
She sniffed. “Is that what you believe?”
Holding her closely, he wanted to shield her from all pain, wishing he could promise her dad would live. “Yes, I choose to believe good is always coming. And it’s a choice—to believe or not to believe.”
Looking up at him, she smiled. “I like that.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
She said, “Remember how I told you I used to wish you’d come to Florida.”
Of course he remembered, she’d wanted him to be her prince. A pang of guilt centered in the middle of his chest. “Yes.”
“Before I met Kyle—I mean, you were in college, but I just thought …” She waved a hand. “Never mind.”
A million regrets filled him and emotion welled inside his throat. Gently, he stroked her face. “I loved you then, Cass, and—” He wanted to tell her he still loved her, but it wasn’t the right time yet. He stared down at her and the desire to kiss her intensified. “I want to kiss you, but I will wait until you’re ready.”
She blinked. “I want to kiss you, too. But I just …”
“Then we’ll wait,” he said immediately. “Because good is coming.”
Slowly, she smiled. “I actually want to believe that.”
Chapter 17
The next day, Cassidy sat at the kitchen table texting back and forth with Anthony, laughing at his witty banter.
Her father looked up from his eggs. “Who are you texting?”
“It’s Anthony, and he’s razzing me.” She texted him, teasing. ‘I think you’re Zeus Jr now.’
He sent back, ‘Ha ha.’
She smiled and got up, clearing her plate and then her father’s. After Anthony had brought her home last night, she couldn’t explain it; it just felt different. Everything.
“I was still eating that,” her father said.
“Oh.” She laughed, embarrassed she’d gotten so involved in her texting with Anthony she’d taken her father’s food too soon.
Her father nodded to her phone. “I guess you guys are getting along.”
She could tell her father liked it. Even though he’d not liked Anthony at the beginning, he seemed like he was getting chummy with him again. At least they had seemed to bond over Chinese food.
Her father wasn’t a man of many words, so most of the time they just went about their tasks, living. She was really enjoying this time with her father, and a bonus, he was doing better, so she didn’t feel like she had to circle him all day, as he called it.
“Did you know your mother was dating another man when I met her?” he asked abruptly.
Intrigued, Cassidy paid closer attention. “You’ve never told me this.” She was always curious about anything in regards to her mother, because he hardly talked about their dating life.
He nodded. “Your mother was quite the looker, much like you. And …” A soft smile crossed his face and he looked out the window.
Her heart sped up. He still loved her mother; he didn’t need to tell her that. He told her in a million ways just by the look on his face at this moment.
“I met her at a rodeo.” He sighed. “It was after the actual rodeo, at a dance. She was dancing, rather closely, with another man. As she turned to look at me and our eyes met, there was just this …”
“Zing,” she filled in, mesmerized by this story she didn’t know.
He laughed. “I asked her to dance a few dances later and it was just …” His eyes moistened.
She leaned in. “What?”
“I found out she was even more beautiful on the inside.” He cleared his throat and sipped his coffee. “It was the beginning of something beautiful. I had to track her down via the white pages back then. No cell phones.”
She laughed, imagining her father tracking her mother down through a stack of phone books.
“I spent the next couple of weeks juggling the rodeo and dates with her. I punched out the guy who still thought he was dating her.”
“What?”
Her father chuckled. “Your mother told him it was over, but he kept showing up.”
“Did you end up in jail?”
Her father shook his head. “Naw, men were less likely to sue back then.” He winked at her. “It just hurt our pride a lot more.”
She laughed again, loving that her father had opened up to her.
“I think she might have loved the other guy a little bit.”
“What?” She hadn’t expected this turn in the conversation.
He sighed. “Sometimes you can love two people, sugar box.”
Now she knew he was referring to Kyle. Memories of him crept over her, but it was okay. “Maybe,” she said noncommittally.
For a couple of moments they didn’t speak. Then her father grunted. “Ya know, I can’t help but think that Anthony looks at you the same way I looked at your momma.”
Her heart flip-flopped. “I’m just writing an exclusive on him, Daddy. That’s all.” The words felt chalky on her tongue; it wasn’t the truth anymore.
He searched her face. “I think you’ve loved that boy your whole life.”
“I loved Kyle too.” She said it softly, looking out the window, hating that she still felt she had to defend her relationship with Kyle.
“I know, sugar box.”
There was silence between them for a minute, and she thought about her father’s story.
He changed the subject. “What’s on tap for this week?”
Refocusing, she thought through her schedule. “I have some interviews with Kade and Felicity.” Which she was nervous about. “I have one with Mr. Knight, and I’m actually Skyping some of the interviews with some old players Anthony played with in Houston.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean?”
He pointed south. “Houston is forty minutes away. Why don’t you talk the boy into going with you one afternoon and get the interviews done? He’d probably like that. Take a ride, enjoy the time together.”
She was resistant to the idea, but by the time she showed up at the stadium and was walking in, she knew that’s what she wanted to do. She knew Anthony would say yes.
There were gaps in his life that could be important. They were something the article was missing, and she had to figure them out. After going through the extensive Google doc and setting up a timeline on her wall, she’d categorized a lot about Anthony. Maybe, maybe it was that she was distracted by the man. There was no two ways about it. Every other second, she thought about how amazing he was. How handsome and strong and good, how patient and kind he was. She thought of that beautiful song he’d finished for her. She needed time with him to grill him about some details.
She worried she was too close to the man to provide any kind of perspective. When she got to James Knight’s office, she was surprised to see Anthony waiting for her in full football gear. Her heart raced. “What are you doing here?”
“I can’t be in my own stadium?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Well …” She was once again nervous to do the interview, which was an odd feeling because she’d done hundreds of interviews. “You have practice.”
Anthony grinned. “I knew you were coming and I wanted to say hi.”
Her mind drifted to memories of watching him for hours in high school.
He pulled her in for a hug. “I have to go, but stop by when you’re done. I want to ask you something.”
>
“Do you want to go to Houston with me tomorrow afternoon?” She blurted the words, her head feeling fuzzy.
Letting her go, he looked confused.
“To interview some of your old teammates.” She was nervous and she didn’t like it. “You’re probably busy, it’s fine. Never mind, it’s stupid. I just, my father said I should ask.” Could she sound more lame?
He smiled. “Is this a date?”
She glared at him.
He let out a soft laugh. “I would really like to go with you,” he said a bit smugly.
The image of kissing him popped into her mind. How easy it would be to reach up and brush her lips to his. No, no, no. She had to get this out of her head. “Okay, would two o’clock work?” She knew they had early practice and the afternoon off tomorrow.
“Yes.” He stared at her lips.
Mr. Knight opened his door. “Cassidy, I’ve been wanting to chat with you.”
Both of them jumped.
Mr. Knight let out a roaring laugh. “Well?” He looked between them. “Interesting.” Glowering at Anthony, he waved a hand in the air. “Get back on the field, Kincaid.” He winked at her. “Come on in, Ms. Stone.”
The next day she sat in Anthony’s Porsche as he sped down the highway toward Houston. “I’m glad you asked me to go,” he said.
She couldn’t decide if she was glad she asked him or not, still stewing in nervousness. Pulling open her laptop, she got to the Google sheet on him that his father had given her and she’d been tweaking.
“So this is a working car ride, too, not just a date?” he asked.
“I have to get this article done by next week, so yes, it is a working car ride.”
His lips turned up in a half smile. “Are you just using me for the exclusive, Ms. Stone?”
Her heart fluttered and she thought of the other night at his ranch, of the trueness of everything between them. As nervous as she felt on one level, it felt so dang good, too. She reached out and put her hand on his. “Yep.”
Clasping her hand tighter, he grinned. “That’s what I thought, and I’m fine with that.”
They drove for a bit, and she had to take her hand back to go through some of her facts. “I can’t figure out some of the facts your father has given me and of course I’m condensing down the article, but maybe you can fill in some timeline stuff.”
“Sure,” he agreed easily, turning down the Texas Waters song on the radio.
“Okay, accident occurred June eighteenth of last year.”
“Check.”
“Your rehab started only a week later in the hospital with Kade at your side.” She had a great picture of that which she would use.
“Yep.”
“You moved to Dallas and moved in with your brother a month later, starting rehab with trainers coming to his house and to his gym?” She tapped her clipboard with her pencil.
“Yep.”
She scrolled through more facts. “I would like to get a snapshot of you and Kade at his home gym. I think fans would like that.”
“We can do that tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll let Kade know.”
She nodded. Thinking about Felicity and the way she was protective of Anthony had her palms sweating.
“She’s fine, by the way.”
“What?”
“You were wondering about Felicity. She’s fine. A sweetheart, really, when you’re nice to me. She’s going to really love you when she gets to know you better.”
She let out a sputtering laugh. “I don’t know how you could always read my thoughts.”
“Because we’re in sync.” He pointed back and forth between them. “Always have been.” Their eyes met, and she knew what he was saying was true.
Clearing her throat, she went back to her spreadsheet. “So from September to February you lived with your dad and worked with trainers at his house.”
“Kade’s house, and then about that time I started working with the team. Kade just cajoled me into going to trainings and doing some drills for fun.”
“You football players, thinking those drills would actually be fun. Sounds more like torture.”
He grinned. “Nope. Fun.”
Concern washed through her. “Were you in pain?” She thought of all the exercises his trainer had listed.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Okay, can I talk to the non-Thor guy? Did it hurt?”
He let out a soft laugh. “Pain is pain,” he said evasively. “No one wants to hear about a whiny football player.”
It was clear she wouldn’t get a straight answer out of him. “You don’t have to cover your pain with me, Boss,” she said softly.
Looking vulnerable, he nodded. “Yes, it was very painful.”
She scrolled through the facts. “I have a Google alert that someone took that selfie with you in Zion’s National Park.” She loved Zion’s, even though she’d only been once as a kid. “That’s the only place you went on vacation during that time?”
For a second, he was quiet.
“Anthony?”
“Yeah, that’s the only place I went.”
Once again, she didn’t know if it was because of this mind connection they had, but it felt weird, off. Mulling on that, she asked him more questions, about his house being built, how far he was from Kade.
“That does it. You’re coming over to my house tomorrow and getting a feel for it,” Anthony said. “Plus, I’ll make you dinner.”
“I … I’d like that,” she said, thinking about going to his house to be with him for non-article purposes.
He took her hand again, and she loved his warmth. “Don’t get cold feet on me, Stone, okay?”
Her face fell. “I was engaged only six months ago.”
He didn’t look at her, kept his eyes on the road, but he said softly, “You know it could have been different back then, if I wouldn’t have been so stupid.” He kissed the back of her hand. “We’ll take this slow.”
“Slow?” she asked, thinking she might kiss him on the lips.
He glanced at her. “So you’ll let me cook dinner for you next week? Let’s do next Monday after our win in San Diego.”
“Okay. Monday morning is the day we get the scan for my dad, so that will be good.” Nervous energy zinged through her thinking about her father.
He squeezed her hand and turned up the radio. “Good things are coming. I believe that, Poe. Don’t worry.”
Unable to stop herself, she whispered, “I want to kiss you.”
Giving her a sharp look, he held tighter to the steering wheel. “What?”
Her face warmed in embarrassment. “Just sayin’.”
Yanking the wheel, he slowed and parked on the interstate, making her laugh. He put the car in park and turned to her. “It’s about time.”
When their lips met, it was like summer days and strawberry shortcake topped off with fireworks on the fourth of July. This man was everything to her. Fire exploded inside of her and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
He deepened the kiss, and unlike when they’d been on the dance floor, this time she felt not only passion and joy and all the past; she felt the future … and she felt free. A bird flying, arms out, face into the wind. It was amazing.
Pulling back, he searched her eyes. “I know you’re not ready for this yet, but I love you, Poe. I always have.”
“Just shut up and kiss me, Boss.”
Once again he put his lips to hers. This time they both drank from each other, and she thought of a man lost at sea holding to a buoy. He was her buoy. Tears misted in her eyes.
After making out for a long time, he broke the kiss, softly laughing and keeping her close. “Come to the game with me this weekend?” he whispered, leaning in and trailing kisses up her jawbone to her ear.
She flinched and giggled. “In San Diego? I can’t leave my dad.”
“Bring him. It’ll take his mind off the scan results.”
“No.” Her gut reaction. �
��He can’t fly. I’m sorry.”
A smile played at Anthony’s lips. “You would take the Kincaid jet. You could come with my dad. He’d love to have company.”
Cass thought of how much her dad loved the Titans. He probably would be willing to do that. Fueled by a surge of excitement, she leaned in and kissed him. “Okay.”
He quickly kissed her three more times, trailing down her neck. “Perfect.”
She sighed, feeling giddy. She thought of the fact they would be riding in the Kincaid jet. It felt over the top. “Dating a billionaire is such a pain,” she laughed.
Slowly, he ran the back of his hand down her face. “Well, get used to it, Cassidy Gertrude Stone, ’cause it’s happening.”
Frowning, she leaned into his hand. “I think I like it better when you call me Poe.”
He squeezed her hand. “I like it too.”
An idea hit her. “What if you play in this game?”
He scoffed. “No, not gonna happen.”
She grinned, liking the idea more and more. “It would be perfect for the exclusive. We can show you taking another shot. I could ask Mr. Knight to give you some time.”
“No,” he said quickly, shutting her down. “No.” He leaned back into his seat and looked at the road.
She was surprised he was so passionate about not playing. “Anthony, are you worried that you can’t do play as good as Kade?”
Rolling his eyes, he fiddled with the radio station. “No.”
She felt like he might be doubting himself based on previous conversations. Taking his hand, she held it in both of hers. “Boss, I know you can do anything if you get in the game. Not just this game, but any game—you’re going to be fine.”
A vulnerable look softened his face. “I admit, I have been a bit nervous.” He lifted an eyebrow at her. “Of course it’s stupid, but …” He sputtered, looking doubtful.
