by Taylor Hart
He brushed his lips to hers, feeling more love, happiness, joy, excitement, and worry than he’d ever felt in his entire life. “I guarantee I love you ten times more.”
“Always a competition.”
He kissed her again. “And I win.”
That was the truth. Undoubtedly. They’d done a double wedding with Grant and Jewel, the day after his movie premiere in L.A. It’d been a Kent family event, full of antics by his crazy brothers—Sloane singing, Zane bossing the wedding staff around with little Lily snuggled in a baby carrier on his chest, and so much laughter and joy.
The biggest surprise they’d received, however, was that Tara had gotten pregnant so quickly. Part of Will had worried that it’d be really hard on her, but she had been so happy and the pregnancy had gone smoothly. Thank the good Lord. Which was what he’d been doing a lot these days.
He’d been disappointed that he’d been unable to play in the last couple of games last season because the trainers had determined he still wasn’t ready, but after almost losing Tara, nothing seemed that important. It also helped that he’d started this past fall and that the Storm was leading the league, on its way to a championship in the next couple of weeks.
However, today, being here with his wife and his first child being born felt like he’d already won.
Another contraction hit and her whole body seized. “Ahh!”
“The baby’s almost here.” The wise, older doctor stood waiting, a grin on his face.
Will’s phone buzzed and he saw it was Zane FaceTiming.
“Do. Not. Answer. That!” Tara called out, shooting him a crazy look.
“Not answering.” He put his phone away and prepped himself to endure more hand-crushing pain.
“Almost! Almost!” the doctor called out. “One more push! Give me one more push!”
Suddenly, a baby was crying and Will’s heart soared.
“Will.” Tara’s face was slick with tears.
He turned and saw the doctor lifting a baby. Overwhelmed, he felt a surge of love like nothing he’d ever known rush through him.
“A boy.” The doctor held the baby up proudly.
The nurse wrapped the baby and the doctor cut the cord. Then he turned and held the baby toward Will.
“Uh.” Stage fright hit him, but he put his arms out uncertainly. Why should he be freaking out? He’d practiced carrying the football around the house, pretending it was a baby, a hundred times.
“It’s okay, Will.” Tara nodded at him.
The doctor gently placed the baby in his arms, and the baby’s eyes were open while he cried.
Will couldn’t believe how he fell immediately in love. This baby was the most precious thing he’d ever seen. “Hey, baby …” He hesitated. They hadn’t decided on a name yet.
A huge smile filled Tara’s face. Will kept the baby for another second, then held him out to her. “You pick the name.”
Tara pulled the baby to her. “Hey, big guy. Your daddy and I were waiting to meet you first, but …” She looked up at Will. “I’m thinking your dad’s name. Your name for his middle name.”
Another gush of emotion hit him, and he felt a tear escape. “Connor.”
She nodded. “Connor William Kent.”
Will knew that no championship game would ever be this good. He lightly sat next to her and put an arm around her and the baby, feeling like he would burst. “I love you, Tara.” He pushed his lips to her forehead. “Forever.”
Leaning up, she met his lips. “Forever.”
Thank you for reading The Betting Groom! *Disclaimer*—Cameron Cruz is getting another love story!…Just so you don’t worry!—Be watching for it!….Cause I love the guy!
You can find Will’s friends’ stories below!
Dalton Ruffalo’s story HERE!
Evan Cook’s story HERE!
AND THERE’S MORE!
And you can find his brother’s stories below!
Grant in Her Fake Hollywood Fiance: Christmas Romance Series HERE!
Tom in Married by Christmas: Park City Firefighter Romances HERE!
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The Risky Groom-by Carly Morgan
The Christmas Spirit
Dalton Ruff admired the bright lights of Denver. They glittered by as he stared out the window into the night. The landscape was different from the small-town sandy beaches and balmy weather that he’d grown up in, but between the snow and the Rocky Mountains, he’d fallen for it and he loved the state of Colorado he now called home.
One of his best friends and teammates on the Denver Storm, Chase sat beside him, his eyes closed, his head resting against the seat. Dalton shook his head mirthlessly, unsure whether Chase was sleeping or praying. Both sounded like great ideas. Dalton was tired. Exhausted really. And not just because he’d spent the last several hours in jail.
The past few years playing football had been a whirlwind, each day blurring into the next like the lights outside the car window. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed it. He had. Football had saved him in more ways than one since his parents died. Without it, he shuddered to think where he might be instead. But he was eager to have the week off. Christmas was six days away and then he had to be back to check in with the team the day after that. It would be a nice opportunity to rejuvenate his mind and possibly his heart.
“Will you wake me up when we reach the hotel?” Dalton asked the driver.
“Sure thing, buddy.” The elderly gentleman with twin caterpillar eyebrows scrutinized him in the rear-view mirror.
“Thanks.” Dalton’s permanent residence was situated in an upscale suburb of Denver, more than a forty-five-minute drive from the town’s epicenter. Since he’d had the Christmas charity dinner for the Denver Children’s Hospital earlier that night and had to catch a flight to Florida early the next morning, he’d decided to stay at a hotel near the airport. Chase had done the same thing since he was flying out to Montana for Christmas.
“Preach,” his whispered, using the nickname the whole team had given Chase over the years since he’d been with the team. The running back murmured but didn’t respond.
It was better that way. Dalton had a lot to think about. He closed his eyes, resting his head against the chilly window. It felt amazing against his hot head. God, help me do some good, he prayed silently. He couldn’t help thinking about the trouble he and his friends had gotten into earlier in the evening. It’d started out great. He’d gone to the formal charity dinner with every intention of finding the most beautiful woman in the room and flirting with her the whole night. But then his best friend, Will Kent, the team’s quarterback had gotten into a verbal tussle with an irritating reporter. Dalton had gone to defend his friend and somehow, he and four of his friends, including Chase had wound up in jail.
Jail!
Not a great way to start his break. His role as wide receiver had been taking its toll—on his body and his mind. Time away from Denver and his teammates was exactly what he needed, and he was seriously excited. But when the team’s owner found out what had happened tonight, someone would pay. Dalton had no desire to be in the same room with Mr. Cruz when he was told what had happened… which brought his thoughts around to the bet.
Will Kent, the team’s quarterback, had suggested the friendly Christmas wager and the five of them agreed. The bet was simple. Find their first love or the girl that got away, ask her out on a date, and kiss her before Christmas. Loser had to tell Mr. Cruz what happened with the jerk Ken doll reporter and his cameraman.
At the thought of breaking the news to the owner, he winced.
Dalton refused to fail. That wasn’t an option.
The details of the bet sounded easy enough in theory. But, they weren’t. At least not for him. The love of his life was a woman named Ly
dia Landon. They met their freshman year of college, and as soon as he’d seen her jogging around the college track during his first football practice, he’d fallen head over heels. By the end of their sophomore year, they’d talked about marrying after graduation. Lydia was everything he wanted in a woman. She was beautiful, inside and out. Blond hair, creamy skin, and brown eyes that changed color according to how she was feeling. Her eyes were like mood rings. Sometimes they lit up with flecks of gold. Other times, when they were kissing, they would turn to caramel.
At thoughts of her, he gritted his teeth. She’d dumped him when he decided to go pro instead of finishing college. She hadn’t supported him and his dreams. Instead, she’d believed he would play his “little game” until school ended and then get a real job. A jolt of pain shot through his heart at the memory of their last fight before he left. It boiled down to one thing. She hadn’t believed in him.
Since that day, Dalton had spent most of his time focusing on the game that’d saved him from himself. He really believed football was life. Keeping his eye on the prize had served him well. Any down time was spent dating, clubbing, exercising, or tinkering with cars.
“We’re here,” the driver said.
“Thanks.” Dalton paid the driver, giving him a generous tip. “Merry Christmas.”
“Uh-huh.”
The night was chilly with a brisk bite in the air that nipped at the tips of his ears and his nose.
“Come on, man.” Dalton clapped Preach on the back as he stumbled tiredly out of the car.
They went through the hotel lobby, rode the elevator, and walked to their doors, which happened to be across the hall from each other, in silence. When Dalton had his door open, he turned to his teammate. “You’d best be thinking about what you’re going to say to Mr. Cruz because I’m winning this bet.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He had zero idea how he was going to win. Sure, he was flying to Florida and Lydia only lived two hours away from Port St. Austen, but could he really make the call? And what if she was married? That seemed highly probable. Any man would be lucky to have a woman like Lydia as his wife. She probably even had kids. That thought sent an ache through his heart. Was it worth it to him? Like the roar of a lion came a resounding, yes. He would find her. He just wasn’t sure where to start. But if she was available, he would find a way to win her back.
Preach chuckled. “Don’t be too sure, Ruff. I happen to know my girl is recently single and, if she’ll have me, I’m going to crawl back into her life and beg her to be my wife.”
Dalton studied his friend’s face. The man was determined. Without a doubt, he knew Preach meant what he said. “We’ll see, bro. Night.”
“Night. Have a good week.”
“You too.”
* * *
The flight from Denver to Florida had been turbulent, but thankfully it was over, and he was driving in his high-end rental car to his brother’s place. It wasn’t a long drive, about forty minutes, but it gave him time to come up with ideas on how to approach Lydia. Should he drive to Gainesville and demand she see him? Or contact her via social media? That seemed the easiest. At least then, if she was married, he wouldn’t have to see how happy she was, or the beautiful children she’d created with someone else.
And what if she was married? Then what? There wasn’t another woman he’d loved like her. He’d barely liked his last girlfriend, if he were being honest. Sure, he’d bought her a car, but that had been a last-ditch effort. A way to make something out of their relationship that wasn’t there. The fact that she’d cheated was a blessing, really, though her rejection still stung, especially since his teammates continually harassed him about it.
Dalton took the Port St. Austen exit. To his left was the ocean and his pulse immediately picked up. He was home! It would be good to see his brother Tristin again. It’d been a year since they’d met up in person, though they spoke on the phone once a week to discuss finances. Tristin was his accountant and Dalton was beyond grateful. He’d helped Dalton set up his retirement fund, invest his money wisely, and recently they’d discussed Dalton’s desire to start a nonprofit program, though he wasn’t sure what he wanted it to be yet. He knew most families didn’t have the kind of relationship he and Trist did, but then most families hadn’t gone through what he and his brother had. It still cracked him up that Tristin had changed his last name to Collins after Dalton started playing pro ball. It’d happened after Dalton won Offensive Player of the Year. Tristin had been engaged to his now-wife, but at the time she’d nearly broken things off with him because of all the girls she had to contend with. Dalton liked to tease his brother that he was “hot by association.” Tristin hadn’t found it funny.
Up ahead and off to the side of the road, Dalton noticed a family standing beside an old car. The hood was popped, and smoke swirled out of it. The man was on the phone, pacing back and forth.
Glancing in the rear-view mirror, Dalton flipped on the blinker and pressed the breaks, slowing the oversized SUV. The mom noticed his car and rounded up her children like a hen gathering her chicks and gave his car a cautious glare. He didn’t blame her. The dad ended his call and stood in front of them in a warrior stance.
Dalton smiled as he rolled down the window. “Hey.” He spoke kindly, giving them a friendly I-am-not-a-serial-killer wave. At least that was what he hoped. “Can I lend a hand?”
The man took a step toward him and Dalton got out of his vehicle. “You know anything about cars?” the man asked.
“A little.” His smile grew. In truth, he knew a lot about cars. His father had been a mechanic and as a kid, he and his dad had spent hundreds of hours under the hood. Even now, tinkering with engines was his favorite pastime outside of football. “Want me to take a look?”
The man sighed heavily. “That would be great.” He shook his head. “I was driving. There was a noise and the car stopped. We pushed the car off the road, but…” He paused, shaking his head again. “I’m at a loss.”
Dalton followed the man over to the front of the car. “I’m Dalton Ruff,” he said, extending his hand.
“Eric Garvin.” The man shook his hand. “That’s my wife Isabel and our children, Ashton, Carla, and Evie.”
Dalton waved, hoping to ease their wariness. “Nice to meet you all.” Thankfully the weather in Florida was nothing like the weather in Denver. He’d gone from freezing temperatures there to the high sixties here. He took a deep breath, realizing how much he’d missed Florida weather. Beyond the smell of burning car fluids was the scent of the ocean. Later, he intended to take a run along the beach. There was something altogether amazing about running alongside crashing waves while birds squawked in the distance.
“Hey, are you Ruff, as in Dalton Ruff of the Denver Storm?” Eric asked, awe in his voice.
“You follow football?” Dalton asked, twisting one of the tubes in the old vehicle. The car needed a new radiator belt, but he wasn’t sure how to break the news. The family, while they appeared to be happy, didn’t seem well off, and fixing the car would cost a good chunk of money. Dalton remembered what it was like to have to choose between eating lunch at school or skipping dinner. After his and Tristin’s parents died, Tristin had agreed to be Dalton’s guardian. They’d received enough money to pay for the funeral and pay off their parents’ house, which Tristin still lived in, but that was it. Tristin had gotten a full-time job while going to night school. It’d been a rough couple of years until Dalton received a full ride to Gainesville college on a football scholarship and times had been beyond tight. It was one of the main reasons why he was mostly frugal with his money now. Other than the car he’d bought for his ex-girlfriend, he liked to save.
“He loves it,” Isabel said, coming over to them, the children in tow. The oldest was the boy crossed his arms, trying to appear tough.
“You’re something of a local hero.” Eric crossed his arms and watched while Dalton worked. “Getting out of this small town and making a name for yourself. T
hat’s something.” The man seemed impressed and that warmed Dalton’s heart. He knew he was blessed, receiving millions for throwing around a football, and he tried not to let it go to his head.
“I don’t know about that, but thanks for saying so.” Dalton came around the car and noticed the frayed ends of Isabel’s shirt and clenched his hands into fists, making another split-second decision that might get him into trouble with his brother slash accountant, but it would be worth it. “So, listen, this isn’t something I can fix right now,” he began, indicating the engine. “But I’m here all week and was going to be doing a whole of nothing during my time off.” He paused, searching their faces. Eric was cautious as was his wife. “If you’d let me, I’d be honored to work on your car and get it fixed.”
“Well, I appreciate it…” Eric began, running a hand nervously through his hair.
Dalton felt like a total heel. The last thing he wanted to do was make the man or his family feel uncomfortable.
“If we fix up the car then we can’t have Christmas,” the boy said, stomping his foot.
“Hush,” Isabel quieted her son.
“Oh, no. Forgive me for implying I wanted anything. If you allow me to fix up your car, that would be all the payment I need. See, I love fixing up cars. It’s something of a hobby of mine.” He pulled out his phone. If they said yes, he would call a local company to come and tow the car.
“You’ll fix it up for free?” The oldest girl didn’t seem convinced, her dark eyes staring at him with accusation.
“If you’ll let me, yes.” Dalton tucked his hands in his front pockets and softly kicked at a rock, waiting. If there was one thing he knew, it was the difficulty of deciding between taking someone’s help and holding on to a smidge of pride.
“My brother knows a little about cars…” Isabel touched her husband’s arm, her eyes filling with tears as the seriousness of their situation just occurred to her. “But… How will I get to work?”
