Forward Passes (Seattle Lumberjacks)

by Jami Davenport

  The crowd erupted with their approval. A slow smile crossed Tyler’s face. Satisfaction warmed his insides. Determination flowed through his veins. His body thrummed with pure joy.

  He loved this game.

  He was back.

  * * * * *

  Lavender sat in the stands between her brother, Andy, and her father. Andy taught high school on the Eastside and following the family tradition, coached football and baseball. Lavender had made several of his high school games, even though the ferry ride to the mainland every weekend proved to be time-consuming.

  So much had changed over the past few months. She’d called her father and arranged a meeting with him and her brother. They talked it out, had a good cry and agreed to forgive and move on. Her grandmother found out and threw one of her maniacal fits, but Lavender didn’t cave this time. She held her ground.

  Together with her brother, she met with Doris and Larry a few weeks ago. They told Doris they’d like to have a relationship with her, but regardless they’d be having a relationship with their father also. Doris would hear nothing of it. Larry, on the other hand, surprised them. After Doris stormed out of the room, he promised them he’d get her into counseling. He’d keep the lines of communication open with them.

  The old mansion was a flurry of pounding and sawing as carpenters and craftsmen worked to restore it to its former splendor. Homer supervised the remodeling when Tyler’s sisters weren’t in residence. The two women sent the workmen cowering for cover.

  Lavender accepted her father’s invitation to attend a Jacks game for a couple of reasons. One, to be with her father and brother. Two, to see Tyler. She missed him. He’d been right about a lot of things, and she owed him an apology.

  Hopeful that she could have it all, Lavender watched the last piece of her life’s puzzle on the field below. Tyler Harris commanded his team, the picture of absolute confidence. When the defense went in, Tyler didn’t sit on the bench. He roamed the sidelines and shouted encouragement to the defense when needed and chewed ass when deserved.

  She stole her brother’s binoculars, ignoring his annoyance. Tyler looked good. Really, really good. She’d stalked the Internet for the past months and found little gossip about him. He’d been laying low, working out, studying the game. She’d expected nothing less. One small article she read made her proud. Tyler had become a regular at several veterans’ facilities in Seattle over the past few months, along with the cancer ward at the children’s hospital. She gave herself a little credit for pointing out to him the good he could do as a local celebrity. He’d obviously taken her advice to heart.

  He’d either be happy to see her or snub her. She didn’t know what his reaction would be; she only knew that if she didn’t try, she’d wonder for the rest of her life what could have been.

  One step at a time. First, she’d confronted her grandmother with the truth. Then she’d reconciled with her dad. Now she’d figure out where she stood with the Jacks’ sexy quarterback.

  Selecting Tyler’s cell number, she texted a picture of Tyler on the field and a picture of her in the stands, hoping he hadn’t changed his number in the past few months. As soon as he checked messages in the locker room after the game, he’d know she was there.

  She’d tell him she loved him. Then the ball would be in his hands, literally.

  * * * * *

  Reveling in their victory, Tyler wasn’t in a big hurry to leave after the game. He stood in the locker room and savored the moment. The place buzzed with excitement and the promise of a new season and a new beginning. Hell, yeah, it’d be an uphill battle to win a third championship. The entire league gunned for them, but Tyler believed in his guys. He hoped they believed in him.

  As the locker room started to clear out, he made his way over to Murphy’s locker. The guy shoved his wallet in his pants then met Tyler’s direct gaze.

  Tyler held out his hand in a peace offering. “Good game.”

  “Don’t expect me to say the same of you.” Murphy snubbed him, ignoring his outstretched hand and concentrating on the contents of his locker. “Your receivers caught some uncatchable passes.”

  So that’s how it’d be played out with Murphy. “You’re an asshole.” Tyler growled at the jerk. Hey, he’d offered a truce. The guy threw it in his face. “Your attitude, not mine, is going to damage this team. If we lose the championship, it’ll be on you.” He moved closer, getting into Murphy’s space. “You know what? I think you’re disappointed I had a good game.”

  Murphy studied him long and hard. “For the average pro quarterback that performance would’ve been good. For you, it was mediocre.”

  Tyler’s eyes widened in false shock. “Murphy, you’re getting soft, man. That sounded suspiciously like a compliment.”

  Murphy narrowed his gaze, irritated most likely with himself. “You’re a prick.” He grabbed his jacket and stalked out the door.

  Shaking his head and chuckling, Tyler yanked on his navy Jacks sweatshirt and grabbed his car keys. He paused to look around the empty locker room. This season would be his biggest challenge, but he felt up to it. Rejuvenated. Ready to face the world. Either Murphy would come around, or he wouldn’t. People used to say Tyler had a chip on his shoulder. Murphy sported a boulder. Tyler didn’t give a shit. They’d win with the jerk or without him.

  He was getting his game back. Today he’d bask in the win, enjoy the journey, just like Lavender suggested. At the thought of her, the now-familiar ache built in the pit of his stomach and radiated outward. He’d started to dial her number so many times in the past month and chickened out. He sighed and pressed his forehead against the wall for a moment.

  His cell phone chirped, indicating a text message. Tyler pulled it out of his sweatshirt pocket and tapped the screen. His blood stopped circulating, his lungs quit pumping air, his finger froze as he saw Lavender’s name on the message. He tapped the picture and opened it. A picture of him on the field. He tapped the next picture. Lavender in the stadium.

  She’s here. In Seattle.

  His soul sang for joy, and his body hummed in response. Licking his dry lips, he tapped the screen to dial her number. And waited. It seemed like a lifetime, but the phone only rang a few times with an eternity in between each ring.

  Her soft voice, sounding a little uncertain, a little apologetic, answered. “Tyler?”

  “Uh, yeah.” His glib tongue deserted him and tied itself in knots.

  “Where the hell are you? I’ve been waiting for over an hour.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Where the fu—fudge are you?” Please God don’t let her be heading for the ferry.

  “At the ale house across from the stadium.”

  “On my way.”

  Tyler sprinted out of the locker room, out of the stadium, and across the street. He shoved open the door and paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting in the room. The door slammed against the wall. People glanced up, realized who he was and cheered. He sketched a salute, as he skimmed the room for a diminutive redhead.

  He spotted her at a corner booth. Weaving through the rowdy after-game crowd, he high-fived guys on the way to her table.

  “Hey.” He slid into the seat across from her. She looked great in a Jacks jersey, his number he noted, and her red hair in a sassy ponytail. Her face was flushed, and her eyes danced. She was happy to see him. His heart raced with joy. His head tamped it down, warned him not to get too excited.

  “Hey to you, too.” She offered him a tentative smile. “Great game. You looked better than ever out there.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but I felt good. You came to my game.” He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants.

  “With my brother and my father.”

  “No shit?”

  “No shit.” He heard the smile in her voice, as well as saw it on her face.

  “How did that happen?” He glanced around the room. “Where’re your dad and brother?”

  “I sent them back to the
hotel. Said I had some important business to take care of.” She started twisting her ring.

  Some things never changed. “Lavender, I—” He stopped when she held up a hand.

  “Just hear me out. You were right, you know.”

  He shot her his trademark cocky grin. “I’m always right.”

  She rolled her eyes at his regression into his asshole role. “About my grandmother. I read the paperwork Dad left me. I see things more clearly now. I always thought it was one hundred percent my father’s fault, now I see it’s more fifty–fifty. My grandmother made it really hard for him. She told a lot of lies. I’ve talked to Grandpa. He’s attempting to get help for her. Right now she’s not speaking to me.”

  “I’m sorry, Vinnie. She’ll come around. Despite her faults, her grandkids mean a lot to her. I don’t believe she’ll chance losing both of you.”

  “It’ll take time. Right now she accuses me of betraying her.”

  Tyler took her hand and squeezed it, stopping her ring twisting. Her hand felt so small and delicate. “And your dad and brother? How’s that going?”

  “It’s going well so far.”

  Swallowing around the lump of emotion in his throat, he looked up and took the plunge. “And me. Where do I fit in?”

  “Where do you want to fit in?” She met his gaze, her eyes full of hope and more.

  He held her hand to his heart. “Right here.” His voice gave out making him sound like a croaking frog.

  She choked back a sob of joy, lifted her gaze to his, tears streaking down her face.

  “I miss you.” He grabbed her other hand and squeezed. She squeezed back.

  “I miss you, too, you lovable asshole.”

  “Reformed asshole.”

  Lavender laughed and leaned forward, and Tyler met her halfway across the table. His mouth captured hers, and he lost himself in one hell of a reunion kiss until someone shouted “Get a room.”

  Tyler pulled back a few inches. “So—you think you could grow to love an asshole like me?”

  “No, I don’t think I could.”

  His heart cracked, his brash armor crumbled. He stood to go, his pride not allowing him to stay. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed his arm, surprising him by her strength and pulled him to her.

  “You didn’t let me finish. I can’t grow to love you because I already do—love you.” Lavender wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “Are you sure?” His breath stalled in his throat.

  “Yes, I’m absolutely sure. I’m stuck with you, and you’re stuck with me.” Love lit up her eyes.

  “What about the islands? You don’t like cities.”

  “I’m not leaving the islands, but I’ll live here during the season until you retire. After that, we’re going to be permanent residents at Twin Cedars.”

  “My dad and Uncle Artie would like that.”

  “Yes, they would.”

  “I’m making part of the mansion into a B&B for veterans and kids with terminal illnesses. Did you know that?”

  “No, but I’m not surprised. I knew I could count on you to do the right thing.”

  Tyler pulled her against him and hugged her tight. The crowd in the pub hooted and clapped. Lavender wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

  When she drew back, he grinned like a damn fool. A happy, contented damn fool who’d finally found his missing pieces, along with the love of his life.

  And don’t miss Zach’s story, coming soon!

  After twelve years in the league, all Zach Murphy wants is a Super Bowl ring. He’s been about hard hits not smooth manners, about breaking quarterbacks not making small talk at cocktail parties. But now he’s shattered something else. After dumping a tray of drinks on the team owner’s snooty daughter and accidentally feeling up the Governor’s wife, his tenure with his team looks perilously short. And things are getting worse.

  Life is looking up for Kelsie Carrington-Richmond. A onetime beauty pageant star and mean girl, she only recently stopped living out of her car. But both those times have passed. Her Finishing School for Real Men has a real shot, and the Seattle Lumberjacks have hired her to polish up their roughest player. Except…it’s Zach. Long ago she broke his heart. He’s just the beast she remembers—gruff, protective—but she’s nothing like the beauty from his past. Yet, getting knocked down happens, and getting back up makes a contender. And they both have the hearts of champions.

  DOWN BY CONTACT

  Jami Davenport

  Early 2013

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I often get plot ideas from a news story that intrigues me. Such is the case with Lavender’s plot line in Forward Passes.

  A few years ago a story made national news that caught my attention. A woman returned to South America taking her young son with her. A short while later she died. Her father (the child’s grandfather) refused to return the child to his American father. A legal battle ensued for several months ending in the child eventually being returned to his father, even as he claimed he’d rather stay with his grandfather. As I recall, the grandfather, a psychologist, stated he could turn any child against his/her parents using the principles of parental alienation. I never heard how that story ended up, but I never forgot it.

  I’m always looking for a good subplot for my next book and decided to research the concept of parental alienation. I met several people in the process who had varying degrees of horror stories, the worst extreme involved the mother killing the father in order to keep him away from his children. I learned that parental alienation is more common than I’d ever imagined, often brought about by loving parents or grandparents in the heat of a divorce or the aftermath. Some parents, grandparents, and children get over it and move on, others never do. The different behaviors exhibited by Lavender’s grandmother are based on a list of the common things an alienator does to alienate his/her children from the other parent or grandparent.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  An advocate of happy endings, Jami Davenport writes sexy romantic comedies, sports hero romances, and equestrian fiction. Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber husband, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare.

  Jami works in information technology for her day job and is a former high school business teacher and dressage rider. In her spare time, she maintains her small farm and socializes whenever the opportunity presents itself. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion, it is the most beautiful place on earth.

  FORWARD PASSES

  With two championships in as many years, superstar Tyler Harris is the best quarterback in the league. Gorgeous and rich, he’s at the top of his game. But everyone’s looking to take him down. There’s a building media frenzy around an unfortunate accident, and the only safe place seems a rundown mansion deep in the San Juans and owned by his late great uncle. There, Tyler gets sacked by the sassy redhead next door. It’s more alive than he’s felt in years.

  Lavender Mead has a good reason to dislike jocks, namely an absentee father who deserted the family to coach college football. Maybe that explains her penchant for bad boys who play ball for a living and break hearts for a hobby. Her new neighbor seems just the type. Yet, something is different about Tyler, and sometimes love requires a Hail Mary. You draw back your arm, pray…and give it all up to fate. And sometimes you win your ring.

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