Chasing Jillian: A Love and Football Novel

by Julie Brannagh

  Chapter Thirteen

  ONE WEEK AFTER Jillian came to his house for dinner, Seth walked into Strikes Bowl on a Wednesday evening and glanced around. Most of his teammates were here already, with assorted wives, girlfriends, and a few significant others. It was the yearly fund-raiser for Zach Anderson’s foundation, which sponsored college scholarships for underprivileged kids.

  Seth avoided most of these things. He usually ended up getting stuck in a corner somewhere with an overzealous male fan, who wanted to recount every minute of last season, or an overzealous female fan, who wanted him to sign body parts that would get him a fine from the commissioner’s office. Zach asked him if he’d attend a few days ago. He really didn’t have a good excuse, so he was here. Last year, he had Kim to run interference for him. This year, he didn’t have a date.

  Seeing this, one of the Shark Babes attached herself to his arm. God, he hated strong perfume on any woman.

  “Hey, Seth. Can I count on you for the Special Olympics fund-raiser next month? Those kids would all love to meet you.” If the look in her eyes was any indication, she’d like to meet him too, preferably later tonight in her bed.

  Seth tried to pull away, but she wasn’t budging. She was now rubbing one breast against his forearm. She had to know that any man under ninety was going to react, and sure enough, he did.

  “When and where is it?”

  “It’s at Sharks Stadium, silly. Tom’s our featured speaker. We’re trying to get as many of the guys there as possible to sign autographs. Plus, people will give more money if they can meet the players.”

  “Let me talk to my agent. He arranges all that stuff.”

  “Sure.” She didn’t move. “So, you probably know about the after-party.”

  Oh, he knew about the after-party. He couldn’t figure out how she knew. The guys guarded that information pretty carefully. Plus, cheerleaders weren’t allowed to date players, but it seemed like they always did. Well, other players. He wasn’t going to find a reason to piss off the coach.

  “Yeah. Thanks for the info.” He finally managed to extract his arm. “You’re Jennifer, right?”

  She laughed like this was the funniest thing she’d ever heard.

  “No. I’m Ashlee. You’re Seth.”

  “Yes. I am.”

  He moved away from her. He wouldn’t be attending the after-party unless he wanted to spend an entire evening avoiding yet another situation he shouldn’t end up in.

  The bowling alley was crowded. Even with thirty lanes available, fifty or so current and former Sharks, their guests, and the coaching staff, not to mention cheerleaders, front-office folks, and fans who’d paid to get in, blocked every possible exit. He needed a beer. He headed toward the bar, only to notice a familiar blonde woman a distance away, chatting and laughing with a couple of former Sharks.

  Jillian was here, which was the best news he’d had all day. This would fix everything. He’d have someone to talk with; he could introduce her around. She’d want to go to the after-party just to see what was going on. She hadn’t told him she was coming tonight. Then again, she didn’t spend a lot of time socializing, as far as he could tell. He was still trying to get through the crowd to her.

  Damian Drake, the shutdown cornerback who had retired from the Sharks one season after his buddy Brandon McKenna hung up his own cleats, handed Jillian the Full Sail Ale IPA he’d just bought her.

  “Girl, stay away from that nasty lite beer,” Damian insisted. “There’s better beer. Tell her, McKenna.”

  “You’re doing a fine job, Drake,” Brandon said. He nodded at the IPA Jillian held. “I see the ladies got the drinks I sent over.”

  Brandon’s wife, Emily, sat at a table a short distance away with Damian’s date and Matt Stephens’s newly pregnant wife, Amy. He’d ordered a round of club soda with a lime twist for the three women, and the bartender had managed to scare up a plateful of fresh saltine crackers for Amy, who was battling twenty-four-hour-a-day morning sickness.

  “Jillian, stick with us. We’ll have you drinking the good stuff in no time flat,” Brandon told her.

  Jillian grinned at both of them. Brandon was frequently in and out of team headquarters due to his job with Pro Sports Network. He’d always been friendly with her, and she enjoyed talking with him as well. Obviously, he was handsome and charming, but even more, he made an effort to get to know her.

  “So, your wife’s sitting in the pregnant section. Is there something you’d like to tell me?” Damian slapped Brandon on the back.

  “There’s not, but I wouldn’t object if there was.” Brandon winked in his wife’s general direction. “I keep telling Emily that I want a little girl with red hair just like hers. She’s afraid the boys will use her for tackling practice, but they’re not touching my little princess. I’ll make sure of it.”

  Jillian had to smile at the mental picture of a tiny redheaded girl, curled up in her big blond daddy’s arms.

  Damian rolled his eyes.

  “Listen, man. She might show the two of them how things are. She’d have your genetic material, wouldn’t she?” Damian said.

  “That’s right. I’ll have to remember that.” Brandon turned to face Jillian. “So, where’s your date? I’d like to meet your young man.”

  Amy Stephens approached the group. “Oh, no, you don’t,” she said. Amy gave her brother-in-law a gentle punch in the arm. “Jillian, do not let him near anyone you’re dating. He’ll check his credit score and threaten bodily harm if the guy does not treat you like a lady at all times.”

  “Hey. It worked with you, didn’t it?” Brandon reminded Amy.

  “Yeah, it did after you scared the pee out of everyone else but Matt.”

  Brandon laughed and leaned down to kiss Amy’s cheek.

  “How are you feelin’, squirt?”

  “Awful.” Amy smiled, though. “All I want is another healthy baby.”

  SETH FINALLY MANAGED to reach the small knot of chatting, laughing people. Jillian evidently felt comfortable enough with the group she was talking with to tease them a bit.

  “So, Brandon, when are you and your wife going to ask me to babysit?” she said.

  Brandon saw Seth approach over Jillian’s head, nodded to him, and said, “You know, we’d like that. Our usual babysitters are all out of town or out of commission over the next week or so, and I’d like to take my wife out to dinner. Let’s put something together.”

  Jillian beamed. “That would be great. I love kids, and I’d love to spend time with your little boys.”

  “Hey, Jill. It’s nice to see you here.” Seth reached out to cup Jillian’s elbow in one hand.

  “Seth! I didn’t know you’d be here!” He realized with a shock that she was genuinely happy to see him. Amy had vanished into the crowd while they were talking, most likely on her way to the ladies’ room.

  Damian gave Seth an elaborate handshake.

  “I’m a fan. Minnesota’s QB won’t forget your name for a while, will he?” Damian said.

  “I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact I carved it into his ass as he crawled off the turf,” Seth assured him.

  Brandon caught Seth’s eye and raised one eyebrow.

  “Sorry, Jill,” Seth said.

  “For what?”

  “Ladies are present,” Brandon explained. “Listen, Jillian. John won’t mind if I stop by next week and firm up that babysitting thing, will he?”

  “No. I don’t think so,” she said. Brandon reached out to give her a side hug.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I need to spend some time with Mrs. McKenna. You’re bowling with us, aren’t you, Jillian?”

  “Sure. Of course.” She beamed up at him.

  Seth wondered what he could do to get Jillian to smile at him that way. Did she have a crush on McKenna? Shit. Then again, half the wives and girlfriends of guys on the team had a crush on McKenna. What was it about him, anyway? Seth was just as handsome. He had a little money too. All women liked th
at stuff.

  “I’ll meet you all over there,” Jillian said. “Will it be all right if Seth joins us?”

  Brandon’s eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced over at Seth. They were friendly when talking as part of Brandon’s job or in the weight room, but Seth got the general impression that Brandon wasn’t crazy about his spending any time at all with Jillian, for some unknown reason. “Oh yeah. We’ll fit him in.” He shook Seth’s hand once more and walked away.

  Damian was already sitting in the lane’s seating area with his date. Seth listened to the noises of those practicing before the bowling tournament started, people chatting, and a little music.

  “I wasn’t sure if you were bowling with someone else, and I didn’t want you to feel left out,” she said to Seth. She looked a little worried.

  A pity date. This was getting better by the minute. He’d fended off six women on his way across the bowling alley, but the one he’d headed for believed he needed social help.

  “Jill, it’s fine. I’ll get some shoes. Would you like something else to drink?”

  “Yes, please.” She wrinkled her nose as she looked at the beer that was still three-fourths full. “This isn’t my favorite,” she confided.

  “Let me help,” Seth said. He took the beer out of her hand and polished it off with a few swallows. “What can I get you instead?”

  “I’d like a . . . ” She thought for a moment. “I’d like one of those hard-lemonade things.”

  “Coming right up. Why don’t you find the lane we’re bowling in, and I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  He sauntered off. There wasn’t a line for the shoes, which were the most butt-ugly things he’d ever seen. He’d been in several of these bowling events now. Maybe he’d remember to buy some shoes of his own at some point. Damian was at the bar, getting more club soda.

  “Hey. Where’s Jillian?” Damian said.

  “She went to warm up.”

  Seth placed his order and turned to watch the activity in the lanes as he waited.

  Damian took a swig of the beer that still sat in front of him. “My date wants to fix her up with some guy at her office.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Oh yeah. She met Jillian at the fund-raising event last month, and she’s been talking about it for days. She thinks they’d like each other. The guy seems okay, and we really like Jillian.”

  “Does the guy know she’s dating someone else?” Seth knew Jillian’s alleged “dating” was fiction, but it might be fun to tease her a little with it.

  Damian’s mouth dropped open. “What the hell? She never told us. Where is he tonight?”

  “Hell if I know.”

  Seth took a swallow of the beer the bartender had just delivered. He picked up Jillian’s drink as well and made his way across the bowling alley.

  THE TOURNAMENT STARTED. The athletes turned out to be fairly good bowlers. The females in their party gave it their best efforts, but it was quickly apparent there hadn’t been a lot of practicing. Amy wasn’t bowling. Her sister, Emily, was helping Brandon keep score. Then again, Brandon must have had amazing powers of concentration. His wife was sitting in his lap, whispering in his ear, and generally draping herself all over him.

  “Emily just got back from performances in Italy this afternoon. She was gone for a month,” Amy told Jillian.

  “And they’re here?”

  Amy took a tiny nibble on another saltine.

  “The boys are at Grandma and Grandpa Hamilton’s, and they’re staying in a hotel half a block away. They’ll probably stay another hour or so, and then they won’t surface for a couple of days.”

  Jillian let out a laugh. Maybe someday she’d know what it was like to be in love, but she wondered if she’d ever find what Brandon and Emily obviously had.

  Matt Stephens sat down next to his wife and pulled her close.

  “Fifi. Sweetheart. Let me take you home. You’re not feeling that well, are you?” He laid one big hand on Amy’s belly.

  “I want to visit with everyone. Maybe in a little while,” she said.

  He whispered something in Amy’s ear; Amy blushed and batted playfully at his hand. “I am already pregnant, thanks to you, mister.”

  Matt Stephens was a former Shark who’d left Pro Sports Network to open a microcredit firm that lent to women-owned small businesses. The business was thriving. When he wasn’t involved with that, he showed up at events like tonight’s to sign autographs and bring additional attention to the charity in question.

  “Hey!” Brandon McKenna was supposed to be taking his turn bowling, but he turned to face Matt. “That’s my sister you’re feeling up, Stephens.”

  “She’s married. Mind your own business,” Matt said, but he got up from his seat to hug his brother-in-law.

  Seth dropped onto the bench next to Jillian.

  “What’s going on?” he asked her, nodding at Matt and Brandon.

  “A family thing.” Jillian felt the familiar stab of pain in her chest. “You’re bowling, right?”

  “Oh yeah. I might break a hundred,” he joked. “Are you bowling?”

  “As little as possible. I suck at it.” She took a sip of the drink Seth handed to her.

  “You’re probably better at it than you think,” Seth observed. Jillian was pleased by his confidence in her, but she knew that would change when he actually saw her in action.

  “Well, aren’t you sweet?” Amy called out to him.

  Seth gave Amy a nod and a smile. Jillian noticed Brandon’s eyes on Seth as he walked back to the scoring table. He didn’t look happy. She wondered why.

  Seth got up to take his turn for practice and called over his shoulder, “Watch this, Jill.”

  He lined up on the floor in front of the lane and swung the ball with grace; it rolled smoothly along. Strike. Jillian applauded, and Seth made an exaggerated bow.

  “Let’s see that again!” Damian shouted.

  “Of course.” Seth lined up once more and swung the ball as gracefully as he had the first time, but for some reason, the ball had a mind of its own. One lone pin stood.

  “Shi—crap.”

  “You got most of them,” Jillian reassured him.

  “Most of them isn’t good enough, Jill.” He dropped onto the bench again. “Are you hungry?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “I’m going to go get another beer.”

  He loped off. Brandon glanced around to see where Seth went, folded his lips, and returned his attention to his wife. Damian plunked himself down in the seat Seth had just vacated.

  “So, Jillian. What’s this I hear about you having a special friend? You never told us you had a boyfriend.”

  Several heads swiveled around.

  “Huh?”

  “We haven’t met him yet.”

  “Why didn’t he come with you?”

  Amy, ever the diplomat, blurted out, “Where is he?”

  Jillian stifled a sigh. She should never have made up a story; now she was caught. She thought for a moment. “He had something else he had to do this evening.” She shrugged her shoulders and tried to look casual.

  “How long have you been together?”

  Jillian shrugged her shoulders again. She was busted, and there was no way out. “A few months.”

  “Has he met Seth?” Brandon asked.

  “No. Not yet.”

  Emily looked up from nuzzling her husband’s ear. “How did you meet him, Jillian?”

  “Oh, we met on Facebook.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No.” She let out a shaky laugh. “Kinda weird, huh?”

  Matt and Brandon exchanged a glance, and Damian spoke.

  “Well, that’s too bad. My friend Kiara, here, knows a guy at her office we wanted to introduce you to.” He slid his arm around his date’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “He’ll be disappointed.” Damian gave Jillian a wink.

  Jillian waved one hand. “That’s so nice of you both to think o
f me, but things are fine. He’s kind of shy. Maybe he’ll show up at something soon and you can all meet him.”

  Matt and Brandon were still exchanging looks. Jillian wished she knew what the two of them were thinking, but maybe she didn’t want to know. Brandon helped his wife to her feet, said something into her ear, and squeezed Jillian’s shoulder with one big hand as he passed by.

  “Excuse me for a moment,” he said.

  There was a short break before the next game started. Matt and Damian drifted off toward the bar. Jillian saw Brandon walk over to them, and Matt snagged Seth’s arm to pull him into their group too. The discussion was animated, but Jillian couldn’t hear any of it.

  Amy moved over closer to Jillian, and Emily sat down on her other side. They both seemed to have as little interest in bowling as Jillian did.

  “This is all Brandon’s going to talk about when we get out of here,” Emily said. “He’ll make sure the guy you’re dating is on the up-and-up.” She grinned at Jillian. “He lives for this stuff.”

  “He’s such a meddler,” Amy said, but she smiled as she spoke. “I can’t imagine what’s going to happen if Emily ever has a little girl.”

  Emily let out a groan, and all three women laughed. Emily did her best impression of Brandon’s deep, Southern-accented voice. “She’s not dating until she’s thirty-five.”

  “That’s going to happen,” Amy said.

  Dread curled sticky, uncomfortable fingers around Jillian as she chatted with Amy and Emily. Oh, God. She hadn’t thought of this. What would she do? She didn’t want to admit that she’d made up the whole thing, but she really didn’t want to tell them there was no boyfriend. She’d really stuck her foot in it this time. Maybe it was better that they think she was some kind of a lonely loser than find out that she’d deceived all of them.

  “So, Jill—you don’t mind if I call you Jill, right?” Amy said.

  “Of course not. Seth calls me that all the time.”

  “You two are just friends?” Amy said.

  “He really is a nice guy, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem that way,” Jillian joked. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Brandon and Matt appeared to be grilling Seth somewhat. Damian was looking on.