by Taylor Hart
Maddy was next to them in her high chair, completely sticky and happy, with so much syrup on her that every time she flapped her little hands down in the mess it sounded like a sticker ripping. “Gaa.” She blurted, happily chatting back at Sam’s silliness.
“That’s right.” Sam smiled at her, taking the wet towel next to him and trying again to wipe Maddy, but she started squawking. He finally gave up and put the towel down, shaking his head. “This girl.” He looked at Tiffany.
She held a napkin over her face, dabbing at her own messy syrup. The way he stared at her, like he could see into her soul, made her feel heady and light. Or maybe it was the fact she hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours.
“What?” he asked.
Not liking that she was reacting so much to this man, she reached for her water and shook her head. “Nothing.”
Sitting back into the booth, he crossed his arms. A wide grin spread across his face, stretching the tiny scar above the right part of his lip that she found so attractive. “You did it.”
Excitement filled her. She grinned back. “We’ll be in Omaha tomorrow night, then Boulder in two days, and then Denver two days later.” She held up a finger. “Then Phoenix two days after that. It’s...” She’d never felt so happy and wired and filled with nerves in her entire life. She pushed back her plate. “Because of you.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Me? No.”
“Yes.”
Emphatically, shaking his head, he pointed at her. “No, that was all you.” He paused and grinned. “Wow, I just realized that soon I’ll be chartering a plane to see one of your concerts.”
The idea of anyone chartering a plane to get an opportunity to hear her sing was completely overwhelming.
The side of his lip turned up. “But I have news, too.”
Excitement stirred in her. “What?” She knew he was waiting to hear from Miami and he looked happy.
He shrugged, then a wide grin cracked his face. “Not as exiting as yours.”
“Come on,” she begged. Not used to being the center of attention, especially because Brett had always been the center, she rapped the table with her knuckles for emphasis. “Tell me.”
Picking up a napkin to dab the corners of his mouth, he sighed, acting all bothered. “I got my contract with Miami.”
She laughed at the way he tried to under play it, but he was blushing. It didn’t surprise her, but she was supremely happy for him. “That’s amazing.”
Lifting and then dropping a shoulder, he acted casual. “Yeah, starting quarterback.”
“That’s a big deal.” Warmth filled her, and she reached across the table and put her hand over his. “So you got your dream back, and I get to start mine.” She laughed. “It’s exciting.”
For a brief second, she could have sworn that Sam didn’t look that happy. Then he grinned and lifted his orange juice for a toast. “To dreams.”
She lifted a glass. “To dreams.”
He held it against hers. “It looks like I’m going to have to be a groupie sooner rather than later.”
Nervous electricity filled her. “Just as long as you’re not one of those creepy, stalker ones.”
He flashed her a grin. “I’m not promising, I’ll do what I gotta do to get noticed by you, even if that means taking off the shirt.”
29
When Sam woke up later that afternoon to the sound of a baby crying, he rolled over and checked his running watch. Four-fifteen. Sitting up fast, he paused, clearing the fog from his brain. He couldn’t believe how much had happened in such a short period of time.
He thought about Tiffany and how her mother had run into the diner and thrown her arms around her and shouted, ‘Praise the Lord!’ at the top of her lungs when Tiffany had told her. Excitement for her wove its way through him.
If he were being truthful, he was slightly sad she would be leaving so soon. He’d looked forward to a couple more days with her in Wolfe Creek.
Grabbing his clothes, he rushed to the bathroom and almost slammed into Roman, who was headed to Maddy’s room.
“You and Maddy are keeping the same nap times now?” Roman teased.
“Yep,” Sam agreed and quickly shaved and showered. He hadn’t had time to fill Roman in all that had happened the night before because he’d been too tired. As he got dressed and cleaned up his things and his room, he thought about Tiffany. He wanted to go spend a few hours with her. He grinned, but first he had to tell Roman the good news.
He rushed down the stairs and found Roman wearing the pink apron and feeding Maddy.
“Guess what?” Sam stood at the counter across from him.
“You got the contract with Miami.” Roman didn’t even look at him, carefully scraping baby food off the backside of a spoon before placing it into Maddy’s mouth.
“How did you hear?” Sam threw his hands into the air and moved to the kitchen sink, taking out a glass and getting himself some water.
Roman looked at him. “They issued that contract early this morning. You didn’t think ESPN would be privy to that information?”
“But I haven’t even formally accepted.” Sam put down the glass and picked up an apple on the counter.
Roman shrugged. “You will. You know you will.” He glanced at him and then broke into a wide grin. “Those are some good numbers, Dumont. I’m happy for you.”
Happiness surged through him. He grinned back. “Thanks, man.”
Roman gave him a quick nod, then turned back to Maddy and spoke to her. “Yes, Maddy, we’ll have to go see your Uncle Sam play in some pre-season games, won’t we? We’ll be making some trips to the beach.”
Just thinking of Roman and his family coming to visit made Sam ridiculously happy. He moved next to Maddy and gently put his hand on her head for a second.
She grinned and then spit more food at Roman.
Sam laughed. “Good job baby girl.”
Roman scoffed, but didn’t even move. “Don’t encourage her.”
Sam tugged his phone out of his pocket, texted his agent, and asked him to put him in touch with some realtors in Miami. He wanted to find a place on the beach.
Roman cleared his throat. “So Mr. Starting Quarterback for the Surf, what’s going on with Tiffany?” Roman pumped his eyebrows. “How did Luke Bryant go?”
Sam put his phone down on the counter and sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Dude.”
Roman stood, taking the towel on the counter and then turning back to wipe Maddy’s face. “What?”
Sam shook his head.
Roman gave him a disbelieving look. “You like her. You really like her.”
Sam moved around the counter and sank onto a barstool, feeling uncertain. “I do.”
Taking off the high chair lid, Roman pulled Maddy out and passed her into Sam’s arms.
“Gaa.” She smiled and smacked his face lightly.
He snuggled into her.
“Wow.” Roman cleaned the counter and put all the extra food away. “Who would have guessed that you’d fall for Katie’s best friend?” He sounded amused.
Sam blew a raspberry against Maddy’s tummy, and she giggled. “It’s strange, isn’t it, Maddy?”
She giggled again.
Sam turned to Roman. “But Tiffany has big news too.”
Roman whirled back to Sam, rolling his eyes. “She’s leaving on tour tomorrow for two months.”
Flabbergasted that Roman apparently knew everything, he laughed.
“My wife’s best friend, remember?”
It was so weird and normal and completely crazy how much his life had changed since he’d come to Wolfe Creek.
Roman wiped his hands on a towel and moved around the counter, easily taking Maddy as she stretched her arms up for him. “Da. Da.” He nuzzled her neck, and she giggled again. He turned to Sam. “So what are you going to do about Tiffany?”
Sam shrugged. “She’s starting a life, I’m going to Miami, what is there to do?” It made him kin
d of sad.
Roman moved into the living room.
Sam followed, seeing Josh with some of his friends climbing up into the tree house in the back yard. “You know he’s climbing, right?”
Roman shook his head. “He plays like he’s never been hurt.” Roman stared at him for a second, then his eyes flicked to Sam. He grinned. “I guess that’s a good thing, right?”
Sam plopped onto the floor next to Maddy. “What?”
“Playing like you’ve never been hurt before.” He lifted his eyebrows. “You could approach this relationship with Tiffany that way.”
Sam huffed out a breath. “Okay, Obi Wan Kenobi.” Sam grinned at him.
“What?” Roman frowned and sat next to them, picking up a toy and tossing it at Sam.
Sam easily deflected it and laughed. “I appreciate the wisdom.”
Roman rolled his eyes. “Somebody has to talk some sense into you.”
Liking this interaction with Roman, Sam pretended annoyance. “What are you, my new shrink?”
“Oh, no.” Roman put both hands up. “Couldn’t pay a man enough for that job.” But he gave him a warm smile.
Wisdom. That’s what Roman was trying to give him. Sam thought about what Roman had said. Watching Roman pick up a car and make a zoom zoom sound at Maddy, he decided to tell Roman the truth. “I don’t trust myself, dude. I like her. I…” he thought about how good she was.
“What?”
He hesitated before let the words out. “I’m a cheater, and she’s pretty much perfect. I can’t. I just…”
At this, Roman sat up, moving to the couch. He leaned back and let out a long sigh.
“Don’t…” Sam said, going to his feet and to the opposite couch.
“You have no idea what I’m going to say.”
“Then what?” Whatever Roman was about to say, he deserved, but it didn’t make it easier to hear.
Roman didn’t respond for a few seconds. Then he let out a puff of air. “You’re different than you were.”
This had not been what Sam had expected to hear. “What?”
Roman waited for a beat, then said, “I’ve known you for a long time…in football years.”
Sam nodded. “Yes, you have.”
“I have watched you go from newbie to,” he said, hesitating, “to too big for his britches, to…” he shrugged, “to a pretty decent guy.” He winked at him. “You’ve grown up.”
Sam’s heart was beating fast. It was really good to hear Roman say that.
Roman leaned forward intently. “I’m telling you, Sam. You’re ready to trust yourself again. So get going.” Roman took Maddy from off the floor and put her on his lap.
Nervous jitters went through Sam’s gut. He stood. “But I told you I’d help with the kids the next couple of days.”
Roman smirked at him. “Go hang out with Tiffany tonight, don’t worry, I’ll let you clean the kitchen when you get back.”
30
He showed up at the cute, older home that looked like it was from movie Pleasantville. It had a perfectly immaculate yard and black shutters. His heart was pumping so fast it reminded him of how he felt before the first game of every season—jumpy. But it was a good anticipation.
Reese answered quickly, pulling him into a big hug and repeating ‘Praise the Lord, my baby got her shot.’
Happy couldn’t begin to express how pleased he was that Tiffany was getting a chance to live her dream and that her mom was so supportive. He laughed and looked around the quaint home. “Is Tiffany here?”
The enthusiasm on Reese’s face immediately fell. She went from looking like she was eating something sugary to something that was sour and spoiled.
“What’s wrong?”
Reese shook her head, letting out a breath. The big earrings she wore tinkled back and forth. “Tiffany likes to hike behind our house on a trail into the mountains.”
“Okay.” Sam didn’t understand why this seemed to upset Reese.
Her lips pinched. “She left about an hour ago. But…” She hesitated.
“What?” Sam wanted to shake her. Her hesitation made him nervous.
Rolling her eyes, she pointed past Sam to a black car in the driveway. “The jerk ex showed up a couple of minutes ago, and I told him she wasn’t here. He just took off to find her.” She shrugged. “He knows where she goes.”
Without thinking, Sam backed out of the house. “Where’s the trail?”
Reese pointed to the side of the house. “It’s that way. Just keep going. You’ll run into them.”
31
Tiffany sat on her favorite rock. It was the same one she used to sit on with her father almost everyday. They’d go hiking if the weather permitted. Then they would talk and sing. This was where she’d felt closest to him. “Hey Daddy,” she whispered. Some went to cemeteries to talk to their loved ones. Not her. This was where he was.
This land belonged to the ski resort, but the town was in the way, so it had never developed more lifts in this direction. She was glad. It had always felt like her property, like she had a connection to it.
Today she wanted to say goodbye to him for a bit. Tears were already in her eyes. “So I know you already know what’s going on. That I’m going on tour.” She laughed as tears spilled down her cheeks. “Can you believe it? They only wanted the band if I was the lead.” Covering her face, she let herself cry harder. Her father had always told her to believe in herself.
But so many things had gotten in the way of that.
“Thank you, Daddy, for always loving me. And thank you, God. Thank you.”
All these talks seemed to always turn into talks with God. That’s just how it was when she overlooked the mountains from here.
“Tiffany.”
At the sound of his voice, Tiffany knew who it was. Instantly, all the magic and joy flowed out of her.
He stood there, his brown hair disheveled as it fell longer down his shoulders and an earring in his left ear. He wore jeans and a black leather jacket. It was the jacket she’d bought for him for Christmas last year.
She stood, her heart pumping so fast she could barely get a breath. Anger, repulsion, and fear all moved through her.
He smiled and closed the distance between them. “I played a gig in Salt Lake last night.” He shrugged. “When I got to the diner to see you today, Lou told me the good news.”
It might be irrational to want to punch someone in the gut, but all she could do was think about what the new keyboard player looked like. She didn’t know much about her, but as she stared at Brett in this moment, she knew it didn’t matter anyway.
Pushing past him, she went into a jog. “I guess I am lead material.” She didn’t want to run away, but she wanted to get away from him. To quote her mother, ‘he’d always had some sick hold on her.’
“Wait.” He was running with her. “Would you just stop?” He grabbed her arm.
But she shrugged away. “No.” She stopped jogging and settled for a fast walk. “Just go away, Brett. It’s over.”
This time he took hold of her shoulder. “Please.”
The force of his grip stopped her.
She whirled back to him, but unlike when she’d usually been around him, this time she felt powerful. “In case you didn’t get the memo, I’ve moved on.”
Before she could stop him, he gripped her around the waist and pulled her into him.
The smell of leather and his soap and all the smells that were him battered her senses.
The rapid beat of his heart pumping pulsed into her. His eyes were on her lips. “I’ve never quit loving you, Tiff.” He licked his lips, and she knew he was about to kiss her.
32
It was irrational and ridiculous that Sam had run down the path at a full out sprint. But all he’d seen was red when Reese told him Brett had gone after her.
Careful not to fall or trip over rocks and sticks along the path, Sam didn’t have enough time to even notice or care how beautiful it was out
here. No. The only thing he had time to notice when he came across Tiffany pinned up against Brett was that he was dipping his head to kiss her.
Instantly, Sam stopped. All the energy was completely sucked out of him, like turning off a switch on a vacuum.
He didn’t have time to do anything, but it didn’t matter anyway. Tiffany reached back and then smacked him across the face. “Get away from me.”
33
Tiffany flung back to the path, pushing forward like a bull on a rampage. Then she saw Sam. Standing out of breath with sweat coming down his forehead, he stood there wearing one of those annoyingly tight athletic shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes. His face looked dangerous, and his fists were clenched.
For some foolish reason, Tiffany’s heart fluttered seeing him standing there looking all cave manish and protective. She flashed him a smile. “I guess I got to have the last word.”
At her words, he relaxed, grinned, and fell into step with her as she moved up the mountain path. “Yes, you did.” He let out a low rumble of a laugh.
“Tiffany,” Brett called out to her.
She kept walking, smiling at Sam and ignoring Brett.
“Tiffany, wait!” Brett was following them.
“Do you want me to tune this guy up?” Sam offered, and she could see his eyes light up thinking about it.
“He’s not worth it.” Tiffany picked up her pace.
But Brett picked up his pace too. “Oh, so you have a new boyfriend now? You think you can just walk away from me?”
Anger surged through her, wanting an outlet, but she kept walking, shaking her head at Sam not to do anything. Her house was coming into view.
“Right. I get it. You’ve moved on. Message coming in loud and clear.” He puffed out behind her. “Well, good luck.”
For some unfathomable reason, tears filled her eyes at how pathetic he sounded. She and Sam were almost to her back yard.
