Chapter 18
“Mom, I’m fine.” Andie helped her mother empty the dishwasher the next morning. “He’s okay too. Nothing’s broken, but I’m sure he’s going to be sore.”
“Shall we go by later and help him get back to his apartment?” Her mother set out two coffee mugs. “It must be hard for him not have any relatives around.”
“He’s used to being alone and traveling. Besides, I think he’s more comfortable there.”
“Okay, well, we’d love to meet him. Maybe he can stop by for dinner?”
Andie accepted the cup of coffee and stirred sugar and cream into the mug. “When he feels better. He’s on muscle relaxers and heavy pain drugs. Besides, you need a rest. Why don’t I cook and watch Dad tonight and you can go out with friends.”
Mom squeezed her shoulder. “You’re a sweetie. I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to Fran. I can’t believe she charged us for Gollie’s spaying and never carried through with it. I’m going to ask for our money back.”
“Maybe she had some unexpected expenses. Times are tough for everyone.”
Her mother wiped her gray hair from her eyes and sighed. “Tell me about it. Your father’s medicines are so expensive. I hate to have to ask you if you can cover the electric bill. I know you’ve been trying to save a little nest egg for when you move out.”
Andie set her coffee cup down. “I’ll do it. I don’t think I’ll be moving out any time soon.”
“Are things okay with Cade?” Her mother gave her a sidelong glance while she stirred milk into her cereal.
Andie took a deep breath. “He’s wonderful, but I’m trying not to think about what’ll happen when he leaves. He says he’s some kind of celebrity and he travels around the country. I’m not sure he’s the type to settle in this small town.”
“You’ve just met him. You don’t know what he would or wouldn’t do.” Mom pressed her hand and smiled. “Take it a day at a time and seize every moment. That’s what I’m doing with your dad. Every moment he’s with me is precious. Things could change at any time. But all we have is now, and a life built from nows.”
Andie bit her lip and nodded. “How’d you get so wise?”
“I’m your mother, of course. When you’re ready, let’s change your father’s bed. The doctor’s visiting today.”
# # #
Andie was ten minutes late when she strolled into the Opp Library. She hurriedly stowed her purse in her desk and booted up her computer to check her emails.
She’d meant to call Cade. It wasn’t as if she left on bad terms, but time slipped by. Her father was having a difficult morning. He refused to communicate and kept his face turned away from her mother.
She didn’t know how much longer her mother could shoulder the entire burden, but they had no money to hire a home health aide, and sending Dad to a nursing home or care facility was against her mother’s wishes.
“Yoohoo, I see you had too much fun this weekend.” Andie’s boss, Margo, sauntered into the office and plopped herself into the guest chair. “Wait till I tell you what I found out about that creeper guy who’s been stalking around.”
“Huh? What?” Andie brushed the hair from her face and shut her email. “There’s a creeper here?”
The library tended to draw in people from the community seeking shelter for a few hours. The comfy couches and restrooms provided them with a few hours respite from the cold weather.
“Yeah, you’ve met him. In fact, I saw you walk off with him Friday evening.” Margo’s eyebrows drew together and her nostrils flared. “He’s not who you think he is.”
“You mean Cade?” Andie’s nerves sizzled while warning bells flashed.
“Yep. I caught him defacing library materials.” Margo jutted her jaw with a bulldog demeanor. Her pudgy arms shook with barely suppressed anger.
Andie’s jaw dropped. “He wouldn’t do that. He knows how precious our collection is and how rare some of our manuscripts are.”
“I have proof. I caught him in the act. Follow me.”
Margo marched into her office and picked up a clear plastic unsealed evidence bag. “Sport Holler, the gossip rag of players and playees. Let me pull on gloves before handling.”
“Gloves? Are you calling the police?”
“Maybe, maybe not. But look carefully.” Margo spread the crinkly cover over her desk pad. “Who does that look like?”
The headline read “Not O-Cade,” and the byline said, “Losing quarterback despondent. Will he be let go?”
The man on the cover was a long-haired, non-bearded version of Cade, except his eyes were blue, which explained the colored contacts he’d left in the bathroom.
Andie sank to the guest chair in her boss’s office. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Maybe he’s gone off the deep end. You see what the article says?” Margo turned the pages and read, “Los Angeles Flash backup quarterback, Cade Prescott, is no stranger to trouble. A reformed juvenile delinquent and born to an alcoholic, he’s had impulse control issues since birth. After starting quarterback, Todd Irvin, was injured in the third quarter of the Super Bowl, the Flash tapped Prescott to handle the final drive. He delivered an incredible seventy-five yard drive only to blow it when he called his own play at first and goal, explicitly disobeying his coaching staff. Prescott refused to explain his actions and disappeared shortly after the game. No one knows his whereabouts and there are questions on whether he’s met with foul play or worse.”
His last name was Prescott and not Preston? No wonder she hadn’t located any dirt on him. Poor Cade must have been so ashamed of his big screw-up.
“Stop, stop.” Andie clutched her hands over her mouth. “He’s obviously hiding out because he’s sorry for what he did. I have to find him, Margo. Is it okay if I take time off?”
“Why? Are you involved with him? Actually, if you do find him, bring him here. I’d like an exclusive interview with him in exchange for me not taking this evidence bag to the police. Now that we know who he is, the police will be very interested to find out that he’s defaced library material in our fine town.”
“But, Margo, it’s just a sports gossip rag. I’m sure he offered to replace it. It’s not like this is one of the original Book of the Dead papyri."
“Library material is library material.” Margo thumped her thick hand on her desk. “You may have the day off, but only if you bring Cade over. Who would have thought? A pro quarterback for the LA Flash. Maybe he can swing tickets for their opener in that brand new stadium they have in the Hollywood hills.”
“I doubt he wants to give interviews or hand out tickets.” Andie’s heart was beating like a bat escaping a cave. “Please leave him alone. He must have come here to find peace.”
Margo snickered and crossed her arms. “You’re so naïve. Now that you know his real name, why don’t you find out what he’s really running from? The website of Sports Holler is a good place to start.”
“Let me speak to him first, I’m sure he has a good explanation. I know I don’t have any vacation days left since my father’s illness, but I need to go.”
“Sure, go ahead. Just don’t hold out on me.” Margo tapped her cell phone. “Hold still.”
“What?”
Flash. Margo took a picture of her.
“What was that for?”
“Congratulations, Andie. You’re about to become a celebrity.” Her boss rubbed her hands together while a Cheshire cat like grin slithered over her face.
Chapter 19
Cade ached all over, but he skipped taking the muscle relaxers. Now that Andie was gone, there was no reason to lounge around at the ski lodge. He needed to get back to town, get his cell phone replaced, and see about the dog reward.
Besides, he also had to check in with his agent. If he wanted to move from Los Angeles, he had to put out feelers now and see whether he could get out of his contract. The closest pro team was the New York Warthogs.
After checking out of the lodge and pi
cking up Red, he drove back to Itasca. Traffic was slow, and he passed several news vans parked near the university. After being detoured around the campus, he arrived at his apartment.
“Come on, boy,” he said to Red. “I bet you need a walk.”
Oh boy, was he stiff. Getting out of the SUV was more like rolling out, and he hung onto the frame to ease his muscles so he could stand straight.
As soon as he opened the back door, Red leaped out, knocking him back. Cade’s arms windmilled, and he grabbed onto a street sign just in time.
“Red, Red, get back here,” he yelled. “Red.”
Cade tore off after his dog. What had gotten into him? Maybe being penned up at the ski lodge had done a number to his obedience training. He’d remind his dog-walker to take the dog to refresher lessons once he returned to California.
Woof. Woof. Red darted across a two lane highway and barely missed getting hit. Cade loped a little further up the road before cutting across traffic.
A golden red streak charged toward Red, then bounced around wagging her tail. Gollie!
She ran circles around Red and pounced on him playfully with small excited yips.
Cade lunged and grabbed ahold of Red’s collar. “Come on, boy. We got to get Gollie back to her owner.”
Gollie wagged her tail and sniffed Cade, but when he tried to grab her, she shied away. The last thing Cade needed was to lose Andie’s dog. If she was still in heat, maybe Red could mount her and then while they were stuck together, he could get ahold of the female dog.
Good plan.
He ruffled Red’s fur and let him go. “Go get her.”
Sure enough, the dogs pranced around in a mating dance, flirting and wagging their behinds. They trotted up the hill toward the campus, and Cade could do nothing but follow closely.
Their antics got the attention of the students passing by. Several whipped out their cell phones and pointed them at the dogs. There was a lot of laughter and joshing by the guys and squeals from the girls.
Great. Just great. His dog was going to be in a viral video. But he couldn’t afford to lose Gollie at this point and have Andie pissed, so he stood back and waited for nature to take its course.
# # #
Andie charged out the library and wound her way through the campus toward College Town. She’d called the ski lodge and they told her Cade had checked out. She’d go to his apartment and wait.
Would he be upset with her for finding out his identity? But then, it wasn’t like she snooped or anything. Margo had hit her over the head with it. In any case, she had to get to Cade and let him know she wasn’t after his money or fame. A pro football player. That explained his awesome physique and tolerance of pain. But athletes were some of the worst types of guys to settle down with. They were always on the road and they had oodles of cash, which meant hordes of easily available women. A guy like that wouldn’t be satisfied to settle down with a small town librarian.
The campus seemed awfully crowded. Students milled outside the student union, and there was a large crowd gathered in the engineering quad near the bridge to College Town.
Guys were holding up cell phones and hooting, and the snow was packed by all the foot traffic. What was going on?
As she walked by, she heard girls squealing.
“Oh my, that’s so nasty.”
“The poor dog. He’s attacking her.”
“Oh yeah? She’s getting the best fuck of her life.”
“Go, boy. Woohoo!” Male voices shouted and laughed.
Typical students. Some dogs having sex, and they go wild.
She skirted around the crowd and cut under an overhanging tree, but her way was blocked by the voyeurs.
This was getting freaking ridiculous. She hopped onto a low wall to get around, when her mouth dropped wide open.
“Gollie. Gollie!” She jumped, slipped on the ice, and fell off the wall. A man picked her up. “You okay?”
“No, I’m not. That’s my dog. Get away from her, you brute, you …”
The male was Red. Cade’s dog. What was he doing here, and where was Cade?
Fury exploded from Andie’s chest, and she charged forward, her hands in fists. “Leave my dog alone. Leave her alone.”
She launched herself at Gollie and grabbed her collar. “You can’t keep doing this. You’re going to get pregnant.”
Gollie licked her face, seemingly oblivious to the male dog rutting at her tail end.
“You sweet, sweet girl. What are we going to do with you? And where the hell is Cade?” She held onto her dog and looked around.
OMG. Cell phones were trained on her and the dogs. The guys were leering, and the girls had their mouths covered, giggling. In a few short minutes, these videos would be uploaded to clouds worldwide.
No wonder Cade was nowhere to be seen. That chicken shit was probably hiding while his lech of a dog was doing the dirty work.
Sure enough, Red was done, but stuck. He had the gall to lick her hand. Ewww … and act like he was her friend, wagging his tail as he panted with satisfaction and the biggest doggie smirk she’d ever seen.
Now that the action was over, the students dispersed to go to their classes. Now came the twenty to forty minute wait.
Andie knelt on the ground and hugged her dog. No matter what, she was glad to have her back, even if she had several doggie biscuits in the oven.
“Hey, looks like you found your dog,” Cade said, appearing at her right side. “You happy?”
“Where were you this whole time?” She lifted herself from the snowy ground. “Were you standing back watching?”
“I’m thinking I owe you a latte with white chocolate and peppermint candy canes.” His mouth curved with a lazy grin.
It was his eyes, however, that caught her heart. They were clear blue, the brightest blue she’d ever seen. His true color. She touched his face and stared into them, mesmerized.
“Your eyes, Cade. They’re blue.”
He blinked and turned away. “I’ll get the lattes.”
“No, don’t go.” Her hands snaked around his waist. “I know who you are. Margo showed me the magazine you defaced.”
His shoulders sagged and his face drooped. “I don’t know what to say. You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, why should I be? I’m shocked, and I don’t know what to think, but you’re still you under the fake name and colored contacts.”
“Did you read what they wrote about me?” His voice was guarded.
“Margo read some of it to me, but Cade, I don’t believe everything I read in the press. It’s just like all the things they said about King David. A historian’s job is to figure out the truth by analyzing the actions of all the players, and not just what was told about them.”
“I wish everyone thought like you.”
She tipped on her toes and drew his head down for a kiss. “Everyone’s not as smart as me.”
“Oh, Andie, you’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.” He bent toward her and captured her lips.
Chapter 20
“There he is,” a female voice announced, causing Cade to lift his lips from Andie.
It was Margo, leading the charge as a camera crew descended on him and Andie. The remaining students lingering from the doggie burlesque show gawked and pointed.
Crap. He’d been found. He should never have destroyed that magazine, leading him to be caught by that boss of Andie’s. Why, oh why, hadn’t he controlled himself better?
A reporter stuck a microphone in front of him. “Cade Prescott, tell us what you’re doing hiding out in Itasca.”
Cade pushed the mic and took Andie by the arm. “Let’s get out of here.”
“But the dogs are still stuck. Shall we pick them up?”
“Yes, you get yours and I’ll get mine.”
The reporters circled around. “You sure don’t waste time finding female companionship. Does your agent know about her?”
Cade ignored the reporter. He bent ov
er and lifted Red at the same time Andie picked up Gollie.
“Cade Prescott, it looks as if your dog’s stuck to hers. Are you stuck to this little redhead, too?”
“Don’t say anything, Andie. Don’t react,” Cade whispered under his breath.
“Care to comment on the rumors the Flash are letting you go? You disobeyed the coach’s call,” another reporter shouted over the din.
“Are you here for rehab? Is that why you fled the scene?”
Carefully, step by step, Cade and Andie crossed the quad with their dogs in their arms, but a horde of students blocked them, their cell phones in a row.
“Look at those dogs. They’re still stuck together,” yelled a man’s voice.
“Oh, wow, I wish my boyfriend could keep it up that long,” a woman said.
The reporters and camera crew took the opportunity and pressed them from behind.
“You can run, but you can’t hide, Mr. Prescott. There’s a certain female who was once stuck to you.”
“What’s he saying?” Andie asked Cade.
“Nothing, ignore it. He’s trying to get a reaction from you.”
“Looks like your dog isn’t the only one pregnant,” a female reporter stuck a mike in Andie’s face.
Andie pushed the mike and gawked at Cade, her eyes wide and accusing.
Crap. He’d forgotten to wear a condom. But how could the reporter know? Had Andie been spilling everything to a girlfriend? Dang.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “We’ll talk about this later.”
One thing he couldn’t abide was a woman with loose lips. Brag and compare. Somehow, he’d thought Andie was above that kind of juvenile behavior.
A hush fell on the crowd, and a chill prickled the hairs on the back of his scalp. A tall woman wearing a creamy mink coat with silver fox trim parted the crowd.
Cade’s face fell to the ground. It was his agent’s sister, Roxanne.
“I’m pregnant, Cade.”
~ To Be Continued ~
Book Two
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Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six Page 9
