Defensive back Steve Sanderson was charging on his right, but Cade broke free of the tackle and pounded forward. Only one player, the strong safety “Fig” Figueroa, was in front of him. Cade pushed into a sprint down the sidelines, and when Fig dived for him, he shoved him with his free arm and danced into the end zone.
Holding the ball high, he slammed it to the ground and took high fives from his elated teammates. Who said a scrimmage didn’t count? The coaching staff would be busy studying the videos in the weeks to come to select the starter. Even though he’d thrown away their Super Bowl with a game-losing interception, he was still a contender today. In the game of football, guys didn’t dwell on the last play. It was always the next one, and the next. In this game, everything was redeemable as long as one performed.
Which couldn’t be said about real life.
After the team meetings, ice tubs, massages, and another meeting to view videos and go over the offensive formations, Cade was finally released to go home for the day.
Home meant Andie, his girlfriend. He’d never had one before, never felt the need when women piled on him three deep, but everything changed once he met Andie Wales one wintry day in the bowels of a university library.
Just thinking about her made him half-hard, which wasn’t a good thing in the locker room. He couldn’t wait to get home to their media center bedroom, explore her every nook and cranny, get his hard dick between her soft folds. He’d turn off all the lights, pull the room darkening shades, deprive them of all sight and sound, nothing but the thrill of his cock surging inside her—no other music than the sound of her coming and the slap of their bodies, like pounding surf and crashing waves, and her moans reverberating deep into his soul.
He adjusted his loose fitting pants and looped a windbreaker over his arm to cover his crotch area. Like all pro-football players, he was a horny man, and there was no aphrodisiac more effective than all the hitting and spiking of adrenaline on the playing field to prime his pump.
Time to get home to Andie.
He threw his towel into the hamper and strode to the parking lot at a quick pace. Unfortunately, Todd Irvin was parked next to him.
The star quarterback smirked and gave him a fist bump. “How’s the baby? Heard you had quite a scare.”
“Baby’s doing good.” Cade wasn’t about to give his competitor any indication things weren’t on the up and up. “Is your wife expecting? Or do you like to hang out at the baby doctor’s office?”
Todd’s eyes shuttered with an unreadable expression. ”Maybe she is, maybe she isn’t. What’s it to you?”
“Nothing, except Roxanne’s going to redo the paternity test after she delivers the baby, so, maybe you need to start cloaking the captain next time you play.”
Irvin’s brows ridged, and his upper lip curled into a sneer, ruining his picture perfect image. “You play, you pay. Me and my wife, we’re church going folks. You won’t catch us on the wrong side of the Sport Holler website.”
“Then watch who you take selfies with.” Cade flipped his key fob in the air, caught it, and beeped open the door to his Porsche.
# # #
Andie’s nerves were frazzled by the end of the day. The afternoon passed in close company to Declan without the ability to speak to him in private. His over-expansive cologne invaded the stuffy set, and the tiny touches he’d bestowed on her were irritating, as if he still possessed her.
The set designers hovered around taking notes as Andie explained the historical significance of every article, from cloaks to pottery, to the pieces of bronze used as mirrors and the jewelry a desert princess would possess. She should have been excited to be inside an ancient Israeli bridal tent, taking note of the headdress, veil, and other accoutrements of the royal wedding, but with Declan’s presence, all she could do was keep her sentences short and to the point and try to stay away from her very present not-so-ex-husband.
Finally, the consultation was over, and they exited the set. The two designers walked one way, and Andie headed back to her cubicle. Declan followed her down the corridor, dogging at her heels. Didn’t he have any place to go now that the consultation at the set was over?
“You’re really good with the details,” Declan said, brushing his fingers over her shoulder to swipe her hair back. “Who would have known you couldn’t mix wool with linen?”
“That’s what they’re paying me for.” Andie gritted her teeth as she placed her laptop in her messenger bag. She took a deep breath while his hand wandered over the back of her neck. His touch was giving her the creeps, but she didn’t want to get on his bad side before he signed the paperwork.
She extracted the battered mailing envelope from her bag. From the markings on the envelope, it looked like it was Declan’s fault for not leaving a forwarding address. Unfortunately, it had taken the post office two years to return it to her. It was better to just get this over with now, rather than delay confronting him.
When she turned to face him, he was openly leering at her with a smirk on his face. “So, now that we’re done with all of the historical aspects of your job, how about we have dinner to catch up?”
“Actually, I have a piece of business I need to clear up with you. Let’s go to an empty conference room so we can talk.” Andie led him to a room, closed the door, and handed him the envelope with the divorce papers.
“What’s this?” Declan raised an eyebrow.
“Our divorce papers. Somehow they got lost in the mail.”
“No way.” Declan removed the papers from the envelope. “I don’t believe you.”
“What’s not to believe?” Andie spread out her hands. “Remember, you had them prepared and mailed them to me to sign? You told me to send them back so you could file it, since it’s easier to get a divorce in California, a no fault state. We agreed.”
Declan wagged his finger at her. “And here I thought you’d changed your mind, you little heartbreaker.”
“Never, please sign it, and I’ll be on my way.” Andie grabbed a pen from her purse and held it out to him.
Please, please, please.
Declan’s nose crinkled. He made a big show of flourishing his hand through the sheaf of papers, flipping them one by one until he reached the last page.
Sure enough, there was Andie’s signature, but nothing from Declan.
“Are you going to sign?” She waggled the pen, and he took it, tucking it over his ear.
“First, let me read it.” He turned his nose to the air. “I never sign anything without reading it thoroughly.”
“But you were the one who drew it up.” Andie tried not to sound like a whiny mouse. “Better hurry and sign before you get a contract. California’s a community property state. It means all marital assets are split fifty-fifty.”
A sideways grin tilted Declan’s cheeky face. “You don’t say. Seeing as I have nothing but debts, and you, my darling wife, are gainfully employed. How much was your sign-on bonus?”
“Whoa, wait. That’s not fair.” Andie crossed her arms. “We agreed a long time ago. It says here no one owes the other person anything and that it’s no one’s fault. The ink hadn’t even dried on our marriage certificate before we decided to split.”
If only she hadn’t been so stupidly starstruck two years ago by the fact that Declan was going to Hollywood. What an idiotic ninny she’d been. Stopping at that silly Elvis Presley chapel with her supposed leading man had been the worst mistake of her life.
Declan hovered the pen above the line with the ‘x.’ “Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, shall I sign or get the dough?”
“Wh-what?” The air deflated from Andie’s lungs. “Please, please sign. I really don’t have much money. My father had a stroke and he’s paralyzed.”
“Ah … bring out the violins, why don’t we?” He shoved the papers back into the envelope. “How about we go to dinner and I’ll think about it?”
“But, that’s not fair,” Andie sputtered. “For two years I thought we were divorce
d.”
“And I thought we were still married. What’s the rush?”
The rush? Cade, of course, but if she let on how desperate she was, Declan would only milk her eagerness for some unknown advantage.
“Fine. I’ll go to the ladies’ room and be right back.” Andie left the papers with him and hurried to the restroom to freshen up her makeup. She had to think of a plan. Maybe she should say she was the one in debt and that she was a gold digger. That could work.
She’d stick to dollars and sense. The less emotion she put into this transaction, the better. As soon as Declan signed the papers, she’d be free to breathe again. Then she could devote all her thoughts to Cade and enjoy the newness of their love affair, while everything was hearts and roses. She couldn’t wait for this day to be over so she could be back in Cade’s arms, free and clear. He’d said something about an evening baseball game under stadium blankets. Hmmm …
Darn, she really, really didn’t want to cancel her date with Cade just to beg Declan to sign. She’d turn it around. If he signed, they could have a drink to celebrate—some other night.
Her spirits sank when she returned to her cubicle. Not only was Declan hanging out with Leroy, whose cube was next to hers, but Sylvia and two copywriters were also standing around.
“Hey, there’s my wife!” Declan hooked an arm over Andie’s shoulder.
Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no. The creep had blown her cover.
“Wife?” Leroy raised both eyebrows and glanced between them. “You’re joking.”
“No joke,” Declan said. “It’s not every day you walk into a building and find your long lost wife.”
“Ex-wife, or soon to be.” Andie stretched her hand out for the envelope with the divorce papers. “These are our divorce papers.”
“Wait,” Sylvia said when she recognized the envelope. “That’s what was in it? It was postmarked two years ago.”
“Apparently lost in the mail, but found today,” Andie said. “Declan initiated the divorce because he didn’t want me gold digging. I think he should sign now before he gets that big contract with Silver Studios, don’t you?”
Leroy’s and Sylvia’s eyes popped out, as did the other two coworkers’, who looked from Andie to Declan and back again.
“If you’re digging for gold, you’re welcome to dig for my nuggets.” Declan’s lips curled with a good-natured grin as he put his arm around Andie and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Awww … how sweet in a pervy kind of way,” Sylvia said with a smirk. Today, she was wearing a T-shirt with half a happy face and half a sad face. Her makeup was sprightly on one side of the face, and droopy and vampish on the other. What was with these theatric types? The copywriters, a hipster male and female pair, giggled and snorted at what they most likely thought of as entertainment of the reality type.
Declan gave Andie’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “I want another chance. It must be fate or kismet or the universe that put us together at the Matt Damon prints outside the Chinese Theatre. We, Andie, me and you, were meant to be.”
“I don’t know,” Leroy cut in, scratching his decidedly not-King-David beard. “You haven’t seen the big bruiser she’s been hanging out with.”
“Actually, I know who he is,” Declan said. “He’s the anti-glorious dirt bag who threw the losing Super Bowl interception. I’m surprised they still have him on the team. So, Andie, is he the real reason you want to toss our fairytale romance aside? You know, he’s nowhere near as cultured as I am. I’d say he’s a real Philistine, whereas I, baby, can be your King David.”
Icy chills crunched Andie’s gut. Ever since the shock this morning of finding out she was still married to Declan, Andie had tried not to think about Cade, although it’d been nearly impossible. She loved that big bruiser. Loved him with a vengeance, and no one was going to hurt him.
“Can we shelve the personal attacks? I think we’re all mature enough to know that we should end this as amicably as possible. Please, can you sign the divorce decree?”
Knowing Declan, nothing was going to be easy. He was an actor, after all, and loved to play in front of audiences, even one as small as the four Silver Studio employees hanging out late at the office.
“I just might,” he said with a straight face, then paused.
“Good. It’s about time.” Andie prodded him. She laid the signature page on her desk.
Declan made a big show of rolling his sleeves up. He rubbed his hands, blew on them, then tested the pen on scrap paper. He held the pen right above the line and stuck his tongue sideways from his lips as if he were a grade school boy doing his letters.
One second passed. Two. Three. The rascal was milking this moment, as his audience, Andie included, waited with bated breath. One of the hipsters had his camera phone trained on the scene.
“Pffuh.” Declan let out a loud puff of air. “I can’t do it.”
He slapped the pen on the desk and dropped to his knees.
Andie’s heart cratered and she dropped to her knees, her hands clasped together. “Please, Declan. Sign it. I mean, we all know I’m after your money.”
“And I want you to have it, because I love you, darling.” Declan’s lips swooped over hers as the stupid peanut gallery cheered and clapped.
Andie was so shocked she opened her mouth to scream before realizing her mistake. Declan’s tongue took advantage and shoved itself into her mouth. Andie sputtered and desperately turned her face from side to side to escape the lip lock, but Declan must have been used to reluctant costars because he moved with her and made it look like a hot kiss.
A sharp rap of knuckles on the tabletop popped them apart. Holy enchilada. Could her day get worse?
Ronaldo Silver stood at the entrance of her cubicle.
“Well, well, well,” he said. “Another video about to go viral. The Jaded Actor and the Hot Librarian.”
“No, please.” Andie waved at the hipster with the camera phone. “Delete it. It’s not what it looks like. Seriously.”
“That’s what they all say,” Ronaldo swiped the phone from the hipster who’d been recording and replayed the video. “Very interesting. We also do reality shows here, Miss Wales. Care to audition for a few?”
Chapter 3
Cade’s lusty fantasies deflated back to reality as soon as he got home. The car he lent to Andie was not in the garage, and his mother met him at the door with a worried expression.
“Have you heard from Roxanne yet? Rob called on the house phone and when I answered it, he just said for you not to look for her, that she’s okay and to trust him.”
“What? Am I supposed to believe him?” Cade drew his hand over the side of his neck, rubbing out the irritation. “They’re hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is. He’s my agent. He should answer to me.”
Cade yanked the phone from his pocket and spied the reminder. Baseball game at seven.
He palmed his forehead and groaned. He finally had Andie back in his life and in his bed, and he’d promised her a romantic evening with baseball, hot dogs, and kisses under the stadium lights.
It had been so worth begging Ronaldo to give Andie the job. Otherwise, how would he ever have had the chance to get her to come out to Hollywood and live in his house?
He hated to text her and cancel, but he had to go track down Rob—camp at the guy’s house if possible, until he got some answers.
Instead of texting, he called. Palming the phone, he said to his mother, “I have to take care of something.”
Andie picked up on the third ring after he’d retired to his bedroom.
“Hey, how was your day?” he asked, not sure how he was going to cancel their date. “Something came up here.”
“Oh, uh, what happened?” She sounded frazzled.
“Are you in the middle of something?”
“No, I’m fine. Let me find somewhere private.”
A few moments later she was back. “Much better. Is everything okay?”
“A
ctually, I don’t want to worry you, but I have to go to Rob’s house and look for Roxanne. She checked out of the hospital.”
“She did? Why? Is the baby okay?”
“As far as I know. I’m sorry about the baseball game tonight.”
“That’s fine. I should be home in a half hour. Do you want me to come with you?”
Gosh, this woman was sweet and considerate. Selfless. He’d love to have her at his side, but he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t pull over to a secluded area and have his way with her in his Porsche. Her fresh vanilla scent mixed with passion flower, if what he’d read on her shampoo bottle was true, filled his veins with desire. Damn, he needed her. But not now. Not when his baby had to be found and kept safe.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be out, or even where I’ll be.” Cade wiped his face and sighed. “I’ll make it up to you, babe. Our team’s playing the San Diego Surfriders this weekend. How about we drive down together?”
“Weekend? I haven’t thought that far. Don’t we have to see if the baby is okay?”
“You’re right.” He wished he could give Andie a hug, slip his tongue between her lips, and whisper sweet words to her. She cared more about his baby than about her own enjoyment. “I’ll see you back home then. Love you.”
“Love you too,” she said.
He hung up. He must have caught her in the middle of an important scene, because she definitely sounded uptight. Hollywood could be a real pressure cooker, and it’d likely be worse once they started shooting.
Forty minutes later, he arrived at Rob’s Pacific Palisades home. He hadn’t bothered to call ahead because it would have warned his agent he was on the way. Instead, Rob’s personal assistant, Danny, let him in.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Danny said. “Your lady’s been driving me nuts.”
“Roxanne is here?”
“Yep.” Danny pointed toward the guest room. “Bed rest, but she’s got me on this walkie talkie leash, ordering me around. Get this, get that. Take this to the printer, bring these samples back. I’m going crazy.”
Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six Page 22
