Wild Card (Texas Titans #5)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Hey you,” Carly said after connecting the call. “What’s up?”

  Sophie hesitated. “Damn, it’s good to hear your voice. I didn’t think you’d pick up.”

  “The truth?” Carly set the note on the nightstand as she propped a pillow behind her head and sat up. “I’ve been missing you.”

  Sophie sighed. “I miss you too, honey. You have no idea how much.”

  Carly smiled when she heard the relief in her friend’s voice. They would be okay. Like every other fight they’d had over the past twenty years, this one would soon be a distant memory because at the end of the day, they needed each other.

  “Mama asked me to call you,” Sophie said. “They’re having lunch at their place after church. You wanna come?”

  “Um, will Brett be there?” Carly didn’t know how she felt about seeing him again so soon after they made love. Maybe a reprieve to figure things out would do them both some good.

  “I don’t think so. Mama said something about him leaving town for a few days. She said he needed a little R&R.”

  “Huh.” Carly told herself she was ridiculous to feel deflated. He was giving her the space he sensed she needed. She should be grateful.

  “I told Mama I was gonna cut out on the service today but I’d head over to their place and get lunch started. You wanna help me? We can catch up before everyone gets there.”

  “Sure, why not?” She didn’t have anything else to do, except for a pile of work, and she didn’t feel like working today. “I’ll just grab a quick shower and meet you there.”

  “Great!” Sophie sounded excited. “I can’t wait to see you, Carls. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “I can’t wait either.”

  “You know how much I love you, right?”

  “Right back atcha, girl.”

  ***

  Carly was rolling out the pastry for her butter tarts when Sophie said, “I don’t mean to pry, and you can tell me to mind my own business, but—”

  Carly rolled her eyes. “Just ask already. You’ve never been shy before. Why start now?”

  “Okay, I’m dying to know,” Sophie said, covering the cut fruit with plastic wrap. “You and Dylan?”

  “We’re not seeing each other anymore.”

  “When did that happen?” she asked, popping the large bowl of fruit salad into the fridge.

  “Yesterday.”

  “And you’re okay with it?”

  “Sure.” A beat of silence passed, making Carly laugh. “You’re not done interrogating me, are you?”

  “How could you tell?” Sophie fisted her hand on her hip.

  “Because no one knows you better than I do.” Carly filled the tin cups with cut pastry and set them in the oven to brown before facing her friend. “So ask already.”

  “You and Brett?”

  “Ah, that’s a little more complicated.” Carly claimed the stool at the counter that Ethel always used while preparing meals. She wrapped her hands around her tea mug. “He came to see me last night and told me he wants all the same things I want. He claims he’s in love with me.”

  Sophie’s eyes widened. “When you say he wants the same things you do, are you talking about a baby?”

  Carly wouldn’t think of saying this to anyone else, and it made her a little uncomfortable talking to Brett’s sister about it, but Carly was dying to know how Sophie thought she should handle her dilemma. “We slept together last night. He was the one who suggested we not use a condom. He said he wants to make me happy, that he’s ready to give me everything I want.”

  “Awww.” Sophie flattened her palm against her chest. “That’s so romantic. I think I’m going to cry.”

  “Soph, get a grip. This is Brett we’re talking about. Do you really think I can believe him? I mean, this is quite a departure for him. When was the last time he had a girlfriend for more than a minute?”

  “You may be right.” Sophie took a sip of her hot apple cider. “Maybe you should take it slow.”

  Prudent advice but not what Carly wanted to hear. Carly wanted her best friend to tell her that she was over-thinking things again, that the man of her dreams was willing to give her the life she’d always wanted and she’d be a fool to be cautious.

  Sophie swirled her drink with a cinnamon stick as she said, “You want me to talk to him, try to figure out where his head’s at? Maybe that would help put your mind at ease?”

  Did she want Sophie to run interference for her? “Maybe. I’ll think about it and let you know.”

  “You and Brett.” Sophie’s smile grew before she squealed like a little girl. “God, this is so exciting. You could really be my sister-in-law!”

  Getting caught up in her friend’s enthusiasm, Carly giggled. “Remember how we used to talk about that when we were teenagers? We’d lie upstairs on your bed, daydreaming about the kind of men we’d marry someday?”

  Sophie smiled. “And there was no doubt in your mind you’d end up with Brett. You wanted to buy that big white house on Morrow, remember? The one with the wrap-around porch.”

  “I still love that house.” Carly beamed whenever she walked by the old house and thought about living there and raising a family. There were two old rocking chairs, and the couple who owned the house, the Morrisons, could always be found there after dinner, rocking and talking. Carly imagined doing the same one day, making memories with her soul mate. She’d often chastised herself for seeing Brett in the chair beside her. Even after she’d told herself she was over him, that she only loved him as a friend, he was still the one who sneaked into her daydreams when she was least expecting it.

  “I have news of my own,” Sophie said, looking like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. “But you have to swear you won’t tell anyone. This is strictly on the Q.T.”

  “You know your secrets are safe with me.” Carly hadn’t intended to remind Sophie about their argument, but the way Sophie’s smile slipped told her she had. “Forgiven and forgotten. Now spill.”

  “I slept with Dalton last night.” Sophie lit up like a Christmas tree as she set her mug on the counter. “Can you believe it? Dalton-freakin’-Mitchell. The best linebacker to ever play the game. Three-time-Superbowl—”

  “I don’t care about his stats! I need to know how it happened. And what about Brooks?” Carly grabbed her friend’s hand.

  Sophie wrinkled her nose. “We broke up. It was time. That relationship had run its course.”

  Carly felt a stab of guilt that she hadn’t been there for her friend. No matter what Sophie claimed, they’d been seeing each other for more than a year, making it one of Sophie’s longest relationships. “So Dalton was what? Rebound sex?”

  “I don’t know what you’d call it.” Sophie fanned her face as she said, “But it was awesome. I mean, seriously, amazing.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe this.” Carly rubbed her forehead, knowing Brett would go ballistic if he found out. While Dalton was one of his close friends and Sabrina’s brother, he was still a notorious player. “Are you going to see him again?”

  Sophie shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe. But chances are I’m going to go back to playing the field. I’m not ready to pick the man for me until I’ve test-driven a few more.”

  Carly smirked. “Does Dalton know you were just test-driving him last night?”

  “Believe me,” Sophie said, biting her lip, “he was the one doing the driving.”

  ***

  Brett felt good being up at his old cabin. He’d bought it years ago, when his work schedule had made it difficult for him to escape for a real vacation. The cabin was an easy two-hour drive and promised complete solitude except for his next-door neighbors, John and Ellie. John was a career military man, and Ellie was stay-at-home mom. They were so far removed from his life back home that Brett had no idea how they’d found common ground, but after years of fishing and hunting together, Brett counted John among his closest friends.

  Brett was standing on the porch, facin
g the lake, when John crept up, scaring the hell out of him.

  John laughed when Brett jumped. “Hey, man, didn’t mean to scare you. I saw your truck and wanted to stop by and say hi. I’ve got to book out tomorrow.”

  “Really? You’re due back already?”

  John had spent the better part of the past several years on a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East, but from watching the news and listening to John’s tales, Brett knew there was nothing peaceful about that place. John’s life was still in jeopardy every day, and he hated to think of his friend walking back into the line of fire.

  “No choice, buddy,” John said, slapping Brett’s back. “You know me. It’s in my blood, just like my old man and brother.”

  “How does Ellie feel about it?” Brett thought about how difficult it would be for him to leave Carly for months without knowing when or if he’d be coming home to her.

  “It’s a tough time for her to be alone,” John said. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You plannin’ on stickin’ around for a while?”

  “I’m not sure what my plans are yet. Why?”

  “Ellie’s pregnant again. Just about two months.” John grinned.

  Brett slapped John on the back as he offered his hand. “Hey, that’s great. How’s the little mama doin’ this time around?” Ellie had had a hard time with her first pregnancy, dealing with debilitating morning sickness the first trimester and complete bed rest the third trimester.

  “Looks like we’re in for more of the same, I’m afraid.”

  “Shit, that sucks. Anything I can do to help her?”

  “I hope so.” John looked hesitant. “I know you’re crazy busy with your work and traveling all the time, but—”

  “You can ask me anything. You know that.”

  John stared out at the calm water. “I love this place, but it’s so damn rural, you know?”

  “Yeah, but that’s part of the appeal.” Brett couldn’t imagine living here all the time though. Complete solitude wasn’t for him.

  “For you, maybe.” John clenched his jaw. “Don’t get me wrong, Brett. This is our little slice of heaven, but I hate to think about Ellie out here all by herself with Johnnie, especially in her condition. Ellie wouldn’t want me to worry about her, but…”

  “You want me to check on her from time to time?” If Brett were in John’s place, he’d feel exactly the same way.

  “Would you mind?”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Thanks, man. That’ll really put my mind at ease, especially with her parents being in New York.” John gave Brett a sidelong look. “You okay? Looked like you were somewhere else earlier. Got a lot on your mind?”

  “I’ve got Carly on my mind.” That wasn’t the first time Brett had mentioned Carly to John, though he’d never met her.

  John smirked. “I knew this day would come. You always talked about that girl like she was the be-all and end-all. We wondered how long it would take you to come to your senses and figure out she was the one for you. Ellie was worried you’d wait too long and she’d find someone else.”

  “I almost did wait too long. That’s what finally made me wake up and realize I was about to lose the best thing that’s ever happened to me. To my best friend, no less.”

  “Ouch,” John said, clutching his chest. “That’s gotta hurt.”

  Brett gripped the railing. “You have no idea. Dylan and Carly have some history. I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise when they hooked up again, but…”

  “It was.”

  “Yeah, it was.” He lowered his head. “It was the timing more than anything that threw me.”

  “Now you’ve really got me curious.”

  Brett would have to tell John the whole story if he wanted his advice, so he pointed at one of the Adirondack chairs, inviting John to sit. “You want a beer?”

  “No, I gotta head out early. I should get to bed soon.”

  Brett watched the sun dip lower, painting the sky amber, and his only thought was that he wished Carly was there to enjoy the sunset with him. “Carly’s always been the sweetest thing, the one who makes you think about forever, whether you want to or not, and I think that’s what scared me, especially when I was younger.”

  John chuckled. “I can’t say I can relate. You know Ellie and I’ve been together since we were seventeen. Never thought of bein’ with anyone else.”

  “I know how much you love her.” Brett said hesitantly, “But do you ever wonder if you were too young to make that kind of commitment?”

  John rested his booted foot on his knee. “Let me tell you something. When you do what I do for a living, you realize real quick how precious every day is. You may not get another, so when you find the person you were meant to be with, you don’t waste time lookin’ for someone else.”

  Brett thought of all the years he’d wasted believing there could be someone better when it was clear to him now that Carly was made for him. “You’re right. Why’d it take me so damn long to realize it?”

  “It takes as long as it takes, buddy. Never know, maybe it worked out this way for a reason. Ever think of that?”

  Brett swiped a hand over his mouth. “Here’s the thing—Carly’s havin’ a hard time trusting me. I’m not the guy I used to be. In her mind, I’ve changed and not necessarily for the better.” Just saying that, knowing her concerns were valid, cut deep. “I think she still loves me. She wants to believe in me, in us, but she’s afraid I’ll hurt her again.”

  “Again?” John smirked. “Screw sleep. I’ve gotta hear this. What happened?”

  “She had a thing for me for a long time. She was my little sister’s best friend and came to live with us when she was in high school, but there were a few years between us, so I figured she just had a crush that would run its course.”

  “But it obviously didn’t?”

  “She came home one summer, the year before she graduated college, a totally different person. I looked at her, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. She was all grown up, and craziest thing, she still wanted me.”

  “Huh. So what happened?”

  “She told me how she felt.” Brett imagined what might have happened that night if he hadn’t let fear get in the way. He would have taken her home, made love to her, told her how he felt about her, and prayed their relationship was strong enough to go the distance.

  “And?”

  “I took one look at her and saw forever.” Brett swallowed. What he wouldn’t give to see that same look in her eyes again. His gut told him he’d extinguished it forever, but his head and heart weren’t ready to give up. “That scared me. I was still young. I didn’t know what the hell I was gonna do with my life yet. High Rollers was just an idea, and I didn’t think I had anything to offer someone like her.”

  “So you told her that?”

  “No, I told her there was someone else.”

  “Jesus.” John shook his head. “That couldn’t have gone over well.”

  “I drove her right into my best friend’s arms.” Brett’s words were spiked with the agony he felt whenever he thought about what had happened after he left Carly at the bar. “By the time I realized I’d made a mistake, it was too late to fix it. The damage was done.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Brett brought his beer to his lips, not because he needed a drink but because he needed a moment to collect himself before he faced the truth. “She’d been saving herself for me. I was the one she wanted, but when she found out it wasn’t gonna happen, she turned to Dylan. He’d always had a bit of a thing for her. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it played out the way it did.”

  “Still, it couldn’t have been easy.”

  Brett rarely allowed himself to revisit that night because hanging on to that kind of resentment could have destroyed his relationship with Dylan, and he didn’t want that. It wasn’t Dylan’s fault. It was his. “I found out about it a couple of hours after they were together, and… it wrecked me, man.�
��

  “That’s when you knew you had real feelings for her?”

  “Yeah, but I let my stupid pride get in the way. I couldn’t go there, not after that, so I just tried to put it out of my mind and rebuild my relationship with Carly and Dylan.”

  “Did they ever get together?”

  “No, it was just that one night as far as I know.”

  “I guess the chemistry couldn’t have been all that strong,” John said. “If it had been, you wouldn’t have been able to pry them apart.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Brett took some solace in that. “But some things have happened lately that made me realize if I keep denying how I feel about Carly, I’m going to lose her for good. She’s gonna find a man who wants the same things she does, get married, have a couple of babies, and I’m gonna stare at her across the dinner table on holidays knowing she’s going to bed with another man every night. I couldn’t handle that. It’d kill me.”

  “So what are you gonna do about it?”

  “I’m finally ready.” Brett chuckled as his gut clenched with a little trepidation, but mostly excitement. “It may have taken me a while, but I know what I want now. I want her. Problem is she’s not so sure she wants me anymore.”

  John laced his hands behind his head. “Yeah, the girls worth fighting for usually don’t wait around for you to make up your mind. You’re damn lucky she doesn’t have someone else’s ring on her finger already.”

  If Brett had a reason to be grateful, that was it. “Jaxon thinks I should just give her some space, let her come back to me. You think that’s the right approach?”

  John laughed. “Man, that’s gotta be killin’ you. I’m surprised you’re not beating her door down right about now.”

  “I came from her place this morning.” Brett sighed. “Let me tell you, leaving her asleep was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I can’t make her love me. I can’t make her want the same things I do. She knows how I feel about her now, so I guess I just have to sit tight and what…? Pray she comes around?”