The Playboy Next Door

by Christina Tetreault

She passed by her brother and hoped he didn’t intend to say more.

  “I give it maybe a week, Trina,” Striker said as he followed her into the kitchen. “Then you’ll be back home again.”

  She wanted to tell her brother he was dead wrong and she wouldn’t be back until he moved into his new condo next month. She kept her mouth shut, though, as she pulled back on her jacket. She knew her brother might very well be right.

  “Have a good week.” She didn’t wait for a reply as opened the door and headed downstairs.

  Chapter 7

  Tony arrived at the football field just as the high school’s door opened and the students streamed outside, free for the day. Most days, he’d already be inside Coach’s office by now, going over the man’s plans for practice that afternoon. Today, he’d remained at work for as long as possible. The last place he wanted to be was cooped up inside with Cat’s father and brother. He’d toyed with the idea of staying in Boston all afternoon and skipping practice all together, but in all the years he’d worked as an assistant coach, he’d only missed one practice. Even then it had taken a hospital bed to keep him away.

  “Hey, Coach Bates,” a voice drifted through his open car window.

  He must look like an idiot just sitting there in his car. He pulled the keys from the ignition and said, “Hi, Robby. How’s school going this year?” A junior at North Salem High, Robby Darcy had played on the football team the previous season. When his grades tanked, his parents pulled him from the team.

  “Got Mrs. Andrews for algebra this year. She’s impossible.”

  He’d had Mrs. Andrews himself for algebra, although when he had her, she’d been a first year teacher named Miss Marcus, but even back then she’d been a hard-ass math teacher.

  “My parents got me a tutor.” Robby sounded less than enthused about it. “I’m meeting him at the library now.”

  “Good luck. The team needs you next year.” What else was he supposed to say? If you got Mrs. Andrews for math, you’re screwed. He knew for a fact Robby Darcy’s talents did not lie in the academic arena.

  Robby nodded and jogged toward his car in the student parking area.

  With nothing else to delay him, Tony grabbed his stuff and headed for the familiar high school.

  Like every afternoon, Coach sat inside his office, located at the back of the locker room, with the door open while the players changed and goofed around. Today, however, Striker wasn’t with him.

  “Hey, Coach Bates,” a few players called out to him as he headed for the office.

  Tony waved in the players’ direction, but kept on walking.

  “Coach,” Tony said as he stopped in the doorway.

  Coach looked up from his desk and waved Tony in. “Traffic bad today? You’re usually here before now.”

  “Construction had everything backed up.” Admitting he didn’t want to face the guy or his son wasn’t an option.

  “I sent Striker out on the field. I’ve already gone through the plan for this afternoon with him.” Coach picked up two clipboards containing the plays he wanted the players to run that afternoon and handed one to Tony. “Do me a favor and watch Briggs today. Let me know if you think he’s ready to play in Saturday’s game,” he said, referring to a junior on the team who’d just come back from an ankle injury.

  “Will do.”

  “And word of advice, Tony, keep out of Striker’s way today. He’s looking for a fight. I got an earful from him yesterday and this afternoon.”

  “I’ll try.” He wasn’t looking to get into it again with Striker, but he couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t happen either. Hopefully, Striker realized how bad it would look if they got into a fight with the entire team looking on.

  Tony glanced through the plays on the clipboard and waited to receive his own earful from Cat’s father.

  Instead, Coach stood and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “The guys look up to both of you. Don’t do anything stupid out there today.”

  Don’t tell me, tell your son. The thought formed, but Tony managed to keep it from passing between his lips. So far, Coach wasn’t acting any different around him despite the fact he must know the truth. He’d like to keep it that way.

  Tony spent most of practice running players through drills and watching Daniel Briggs for any sign he wasn’t ready to be back on the field again. At the same time, he kept as much space between himself and Striker as possible. From the moment he’d walked onto the field, the guy had been sending dirty looks his way. Despite the glares, Striker hadn’t approached him once. Before that afternoon, Tony hadn’t realized just how much he enjoyed talking and joking around with the guy. Funny how you didn’t notice some things until they changed.

  Although they kept out of each other’s way, the players picked up on the tension floating between them. Several times, Tony caught different players glance first at Striker and then at him. He’d even caught George Dalton nodding in his direction after saying something to Ethan Hughes during a water break.

  Coach blew his whistle twice, giving the signal practice was done and everyone should park their butts for a quick team meeting. Every year, the guy ran every practice the same way. He even had when Tony had played for him.

  “Nice work out there today. Offense, you did a good job of protecting Hughes, but we’ve got Marblehead here Saturday. They’ve got the best defense in our division this year. You’ll need to step it up out there.” Coach looked at several of the offensive players seated on the bench, before he turned toward the defensive lineman sitting on the grass. “Defense, just keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Tony tuned out while Coach spoke. So far, he’d made it through practice without a run-in with Striker. He only had to go another five minutes or so and it’d stay that way.

  “That’s it for today. See you all tomorrow.”

  He’d never heard better words.

  En mass, the players stood, prepared to hit the showers and whatever responsibilities they had for the night. Now that he could, Tony planned to beat it himself, but the hand that came down on his shoulder stopped him.

  It stopped everyone else who noticed as well.

  “Got a minute?” Striker asked.

  High school football players were a rowdy bunch, yet at that moment, Tony guessed he could’ve heard a mouse squeak.

  “Now’s not a good time.” Tony took a step back.

  The muscle in Striker’s jaw moved. “End it, Tony. Tell Cat you changed your mind and send her home.” Striker kept his voice low, but that only seemed to increase everyone’s curiosity. “You know she deserves better than you.”

  He couldn’t argue with Striker on that one, but he still didn’t plan on telling Cat to move home. “She’s a big girl who can make her own decisions, Striker. And no one is forcing her to stay with me. She can leave whenever she wants to.”

  Striker’s right hand clenched into a fist. “She doesn’t know you like I do. Cat’s not a slut like the women you usually date.”

  One of these days, his big mouth was going to get him into trouble. “How would you know what type of woman she is? Didn’t you call her a whore yourself the other night?”

  Tony prepared for the punch he knew was coming. The expression on Striker’s face gave him away.

  A heavy hand dropped on his shoulder instead. “Both of you, in my office,” Coach said in a voice that left no room for argument. “The rest of you, hit the showers and head home,” he said to the players who had stopped to watch the exchange.

  He followed behind Coach, tempted to blow off the man’s demand—it certainly hadn’t been a request—and go home. Unfortunately, Tony had too much respect for the man to do that. Striker walked next to him, his hands still balled up into fists by his sides. Tony suspected Striker wanted to go back inside about as much as he did.

  The office door closed behind him, which was something that almost never happened. Coach believed in keeping his office door open, so his players could come in whenever they needed to.


  “Listen, both of you, whatever issues exist between you two leave at home. I don’t want to see them on my field.” Coach stared at them both, and for a moment, Tony felt like a ten-year-old in the principal’s office.

  Coach switched his gaze to his son. “We talked about this, Striker. Now get over it. Tomorrow, I expect practice to run smoothly. If either of you can’t do that, don’t bother showing up.”

  Tony shot a look at Striker who, judging by his expression, wasn’t pleased with his father’s lecture. To his credit though, he didn’t say a word. Instead, Striker nodded.

  “Bates, get out of here and have a nice night. Tell Cat I said hello.”

  “Will do, Coach. See you tomorrow.” He didn’t stick around in case Coach changed his mind and decided he had some other words of wisdom to add.

  “You need––” Whatever else Coach said to Striker, Tony didn’t catch because the door closed behind him.

  Anxious to get home, Tony grabbed his jacket. Several of the players shot looks his way as he walked through the locker room, but none of them said anything to him, which was unusual. In fact, the entire locker room remained as silent as a tomb, which was something that never happened when you gathered that many teenage boys together.

  Halloween decorations of every shape and size decorated most of the homes he passed on his way home. The ghoulish holiday had always been a big deal in North Salem. There was even a town Halloween party every year that was designed specifically for families, although all residents were welcome. He had been to the event more times than he could remember.

  He turned onto Union Street and drove past Mack’s house. Already, he saw some young children on the sidewalks with their parents trick or treating. More than likely, his nephew would head out soon too, and Ben’s first stop would be his house. At some point, it had become a tradition for Andrea and Doug to bring Ben by his house before hitting any other home. The tradition drove his mom a little crazy, and perhaps that was why his sister insisted on doing it year after year. Since his brother-in-law’s parents didn’t live in town, he doubted it mattered much to them.

  In another year or so, maybe he’d have another niece or nephew coming to his house in some outrageous costume. His younger brother had been married for six months now, and John had mentioned that Kendra didn’t want to wait to start a family. He knew Andrea and Doug were trying for a second baby too. He’d overheard his sister telling their mom at the family’s Fourth of July cookout that summer. Andrea hoped to have a daughter. She’d also wanted the perfect television family of a son, a daughter and a dog.

  For a short time, he’d hoped for something similar himself. Not that he thought about that often anymore. And why would he? It wasn’t like he was missing out on anything. Actually, the way he saw it, he had the better deal. He could spoil his nephew rotten, and then send him home to his parents, much like a grandparent did. And it wasn’t like his lack of children would mean the end of the Bates lines. John planned on having children, and even if his brother didn’t, their cousins had children who would carry on the family name.

  Yeah, there was no reason for him to ever get married and have children, no matter what Mom and Dad said. If the idea had been trickling into his thoughts more and more these days, it was only because he’d recently seen so many friends head down that path. First, Sean dropped the news he planned to propose, and now it looked as though Jessie Quinn had all but moved in with Mack. Once things around him went back to normal, the annoying idea would disappear again.

  If it didn’t, then he’d find a way to make it vanish.

  ***

  Cat parked in Tony’s driveway and practically bounced out of the car. She’d been on cloud nine since late that morning when Dolores set up the interview with her. She still doubted she’d get the promotion, but to even be considered said a lot.

  She noticed the door ajar as she walked up the front steps, but didn’t give it much thought. Pushing the door open, she walked into the kitchen.

  “Tony, you’ll never guess what happened today.” She put her purse and jacket on a barstool at the counter before heading toward the living room since she heard the television. “I’ve got an—” Cat stopped when she saw Tony’s sister, brother in-law, and whom she guessed was his nephew under the Storm Trooper helmet.

  The conversation in the room stopped and all heads turned in her direction. Cat noticed Andrea’s eyes darted in Tony’s direction before she turned her attention on her.

  “Cat, Tony didn’t say you were coming over tonight. How are you?” She walked over and gave her a hug.

  She returned the gesture, although why so many women in town insisted on giving each other hugs when they met up, she’d never understand. What was wrong with just saying hello and leaving it at that? That was what men did.

  “Great and you?”

  “A little tired, but good.” Andrea turned toward the little storm trooper. “We need to go, Ben, if we’re going to get to all the houses you want tonight.”

  “I want Uncle Tony to come with us,” a muffled voice said from inside the helmet. “He promised he’d come this year.”

  Andrea looked toward Tony and then Cat. “I think Uncle Tony has other plans tonight, Ben. Besides, this will be the last time we get to go trick or treating just the three of us.”

  “But he promised.”

  Tony pulled the helmet off his nephew. “Sorry, Ben, I forgot. How about we do something together next weekend instead? Just you and me. We’ll leave your mom and dad at home.”

  Ben’s eyes filled with tears, and Cat touched Tony’s arm. “Ben really wants you to go. Don’t worry. I’ll stay here and hand out candy and start dinner.”

  Ben didn’t wait to hear his uncle’s answer. He grabbed Tony and his dad’s hands and pulled. “Come on, let’s go before all the good candy is gone.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind door duty?”

  Actually, she was looking forward to it. Living on the third floor had meant few trick or treaters ever came to her apartment. “Just tell me where the candy is. I promise not to eat all of it myself.”

  Tony kissed her on the cheek. “There’s already two open bags by the front door. If you need more, it’s in the cupboard near the window.” He leaned closer to her ear. “Thank you.”

  After Ben stuck his helmet back on his head, Tony, Doug, and Ben headed out, leaving her alone with Tony’s older sister.

  “Sorry about that. I didn’t know Tony promised to come with us tonight. We only stopped by because my brother’s house is always our first stop on Halloween.”

  She’d known Andrea Bates her whole life, but she’d never interacted much with her. Andrea had been too much older than her for them to be friends or participate in the same activities. Still, she’d always come across as nice person.

  “No big deal.”

  “It’s a big deal to Ben, so thanks for encouraging Tony to go.” Andrea pulled her jacket back on. “Maybe I’ll see you at Thanksgiving. We have dinner with Doug’s parents, but stop by Mom and Dad’s at night.”

  Thanksgiving was more than a month away. A lot could happen in a month. “I don’t know what my plans are yet, but maybe.”

  She watched Andrea walk out the door, and then she turned her attention to dinner. She didn’t know how long Tony would be gone. His nephew was six, how long could a six-year-old trick or treat for?

  The contents of Tony’s refrigerator left her with few options, as did the freezer. Either he needed to go shopping or he never ate at home. She guessed it was the second. Over the past few months anyway, he’d eaten several of his evening meals with her. If she planned on staying here until Striker moved out, she’d have to do something about the state of Tony’s refrigerator. Maybe tomorrow after work she’d stop and pick up some things.

  Cat put the lone package of ground beef she found into the microwave so it could defrost and then looked around for paper for a shopping list. If she walked into the grocery store without a
list, she’d buy things she didn’t need. That happened to her all the time.

  It took a little searching, but she found a notepad and pencil in a junk draw. It seemed like everyone had one of those in their house. She knew she did, and so did her parents.

  Immediately, she listed what she considered the necessities, but then stopped. Tony might not appreciate her filling his kitchen with her favorite foods. Rather than waste time making a list, maybe she should wait until he got back and ask him if he even wanted her to pick anything up. This arrangement was a temporary one. If she started doing things like grocery shop, he might think she wanted this to turn into a permanent situation. While she was open to the idea, she doubted he was.

  Yep, she better wait until he got back.

  She crumpled up the list and tossed the notepad back into the junk drawer before she got out her phone. She’d heard it beep on her way home, so she knew she had messages. As she suspected, one of the messages was from Mom. Cat had called her around lunch to tell her about the upcoming interview. The second message was from her college looking for a donation.

  A new burst of excitement blossomed at the thought of the upcoming interview. The ringing of her cell phone and the name Zack across the screen sent the excitement spiraling downward.

  She ignored his last few calls and the messages he’d left. Maybe she should bite the bullet and talk to him. See what he wanted. Get it over with.

  “Hi, Zack. What’s up?” she asked as she watched the seconds on the microwave pass by.

  “I heard about the interview. Congrats.” Zack sounded genuinely pleased for her.

  Some of her annoyance slipped away. After all, friends could call each other to congratulate them.

  “I knew they’d pick you as a candidate.”

  Zack had his faults, but he’d also been supportive.

  “Thanks. We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure they have a lot of other people to interview.”

  “You have nothing to worry about, Cat. I’ll be shocked if you don’t get the position.”