by Lacey Legend
“Okay, the car is off limits. But the girls and the partying? Is that really you? I’m not judging, I’m just asking because it seems like that guy is a completely different person from the one I know.”
“It’s an image. I have to live up to it,” Jared defended himself weakly. “I’m young and I don’t want to be tied down. I've seen guys who got suckered into bad relationships and lost everything. I don’t want that to be me so if I don’t get to know them, then I don’t have to worry about gold diggers.”
“Fair enough, but you have to see what kind of idea that gives to people, especially people like A.J.,” Rick pointed out.
“So, A.J. sees me in the gossip rags and thinks I’m a male whore or something, is that it?” Jared’s frustration bled into his tone. “I mean, no double standard here.”
“It’s different and you know it. She’s afraid,” Rick explained. “I know Ally told you her story. You have to understand why she wouldn’t want any part of that.”
“Why does she have to be a part of it? I’m not asking her to marry me. I’m just…” Jared trailed off.
“You’re just what? Falling in love with her?” Rick laughed. “Yeah, we know. It’s pretty clear that you want her to be a part of your life for more than just PT.”
“I didn’t say that,” Jared muttered.
“That’s the point, you don’t have to. It’s all over your face every time you leave PT.” Rick grinned. “I just need you to accept it and decide what you want to do about it.”
“How would it even work? I mean, I have to go back to my life and she wants nothing to do with it.” Jared groaned. “Why am I even saying this? I just told you I don’t want any type of long term anything. I can’t do it.”
“Why not?” Rick threw the question out there, the one that’s been hanging in the air around Jared for weeks.
“I don’t know,” Jared grumbled. “I am not good at being tied down. I’ve not had a real girlfriend since my freshman year of college. It’s not part of the image unless you’re a family man and once that happens, you aren’t exciting anymore and your game suffers.”
“What about Jeremy Waters? Jimmy Farrel? Ty Jones?” Rick rattled off three of the all-time greats who were known to be family men. “They were also active in their communities. Hell, look at your own team! Trent Roberts is a family man and one hell of a tight end.”
“Trent is about to retire,” Jared pointed out, “and he met his wife in college. She was an athlete, too, nearly made the Olympic team for swimming. Sarah gets it.”
“And A.J. doesn’t? She probably gets it more than most,” Rick suggested. “But none of that matters, does it? You like her. You want her to like you. Why not start with that hurdle and see what happens from there?”
“I don’t think it’s going anywhere.” Jared looked out the window. “She wants nothing at all to do with me.”
“Like I said, show her the real you.” Rick repeated himself, emphasizing the “real.”
“Yeah, yeah. I hear you.” Jared frowned, it seemed impossible. Yet, he couldn’t help but consider it, consider her.
“You’ve got two weeks until the wedding, how’s about you really give the PT some good effort and really try to be positive in your sessions. Then, at the wedding we’ll get you all cleaned up and let her see this side of you.”
“Nobody can recognize me, Rick,” Jared reminded him.
“Nobody will. We’ve got it covered,” Rick assured him. “But you have to at least trim that beard. You crossed over from disguise to overgrown mountain man about two weeks ago.”
Jared burst out laughing. He’d been considering his facial hair for over a week. It didn’t itch any more but it was scraggly and kind of gross. Not that he ever even cared for facial hair in the first place. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Marie can help with that. Once upon a time I had a beard,” Rick confessed. “Not my cup of tea these days but Marie used to trim me up real nice. She can work on that mop of hair, too. Who cut it for you, Edward Scissorhands?”
“You’re a funny guy, Rick,” Jared replied dryly. “Funny, funny guy.”
Chapter3
Jared sat in the back of the church for the ceremony. He’d never been particularly comfortable around religion but Rick asked him to be there. Then Marie insisted. Paul even tried to convince Jared to sit with them but he politely declined and opted for a row in the far back that gave him an excellent view of the attendees.
Unsurprisingly, A.J. was not among them. Jared watched everything, the way couples interacted, mothers doted on their children, even an elderly couple that held hands and looked at each other with the same love that Ally and Colin shared. Mercifully, the ceremony went fast and the minister was highly amusing.
“You look lovely, Ally.” Jared led the procession line in his hurry to avoid the crowd. “Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you, Jay.” Ally leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Jared slid out of the way so he could tackle the steps since they remained a bit of a challenge. He leaned heavily on the railing to descend. It creaked and he worried that it may give way more than once.
“You shouldn’t be doing stairs like that yet.” A.J. appeared at the bottom of the steps, dressed in a simple blue dress that highlighted all of her best assets.
“I’m doing just fine, thank you very much,” Jared retorted.
“Mmhmm.” A.J. grunted. “Let me help you.” She climbed the five or six steps to reach him and slipped one arm around his waist to offset the weight from his bad leg. “I should have known you’d be here.”
“I was invited,” Jared said sharply.
“Happy accident, huh?” A.J. asked.
Jared didn’t respond. His leg ached a bit but he would not let her know that. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to dance the night away.”
A.J. almost laughed but instead rolled her eyes and headed back up the steps to see Ally. Jared leaned against the wall for a rest. He hung toward the back of the pack as they gave the newlyweds a proper send off – something Jared never really understood since they would all see the bride and groom again in a few hours at the reception. Shouldn’t the sendoff be after the reception? He puzzled the irrationality until Rick popped up beside him.
“I could really use a drink.” Rick leaned against the wall next to Jared and pulled a flask from the breast pocket of his tuxedo. He took a swig and passed it to Jared. “Want some?”
Jared grinned and accepted the flask, downed a bit and relished the burn. “It was a lovely ceremony.”
“Yeah, I guess. Seen one, seen ‘em all.” Rick took another drink from the flask and Jared realized his friend had already crossed over to the realm of tipsy. “My last kid is married off.”
“Congratulations, Rick.” Jared patted him on the shoulder. “You have an awesome family and I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Aw, it’s what anybody would do for somebody in need.” Rick brushed off the compliment as was his style.
“No, Rick. Not everybody would do what you’ve done for me. Trust me. People aren’t like this, people don’t welcome a stranger into their homes and include them in weddings after knowing them for a month.” Jared’s voice filled with more emotion than he expected. “People don’t do this and I want you to know that I won’t forget it.”
“Hey! Will you two stop sipping on that flask and get moving?” Marie called over to them, her face a mixture of elation and amusement. “We need to get to the reception hall!”
Rick winked at Jared and headed off toward his wife and family. He turned back to Jared and gestured for him to follow. “C’mon, kid, you’re a part of this family whether you like it or not.”
**
The reception hall buzzed by the time Jared walked in with Rick and the family. Dozens of people milled around the tables with drinks in hand and the gift table was already piled high with white and silver packages. T
he DJ played boring elevator music as they entered – a travesty that Micah vowed to correct before disappearing into the crowd. Paul guided Jared and Max toward the bar and ordered up three beers.
“It is time to drink up and let loose.” Max grinned and guzzled half the bottle down, finishing it with a long, low belch.
“Max!” Marie hollered in her most motherly voice. “Manners!”
“Sorry, Mom!” Max apologized hastily.
“Ah, your lady hath arrived,” Paul gestured toward the door.
Jared turned slowly, moving to lounge casually against the bar so he could get a better look. Paul was right, A.J. entered the hall with a silver-wrapped package. She looked even lovelier in the sparkling lights of the hall than she did outside the church. Jared took another drink from his bottle and turned back to Paul and Max as if nothing changed.
“Dude, really?” Max didn’t even try to cover his disapproval.
“What?” Jared asked. “I’m not going to run right over like some pathetic loser.” In truth, he needed to rest his leg. This was the longest he’d been on it and the first day he’d gone without his brace. The bandage just didn’t have the same effect. He slid onto the nearest stool and waited for the guys to call him on the stupidity of his actions.
They didn’t. Instead, Max slid onto the stool next to him and started pointing out various guests of interest. Apparently, there were several available cousins who would be more than happy to tend to Jared’s needs. Jared only half listened, far more intent on watching A.J.
“Just go talk to her.” Max noticed Jared’s focus and nudged him lightly with an elbow.
“I think I need more beer before that happens,” Jared insisted.
“Nope, you are cut off my friend,” Paul intervened. “You aren’t going to make a very good impression if you’re drunk.”
“You’re right.” Jared set the empty beer bottle down and headed for A.J. He grabbed two flutes of champagne from a waitress walking by. “You look like you could use a drink.” He extended one of the glasses to A.J.
Surprisingly, A.J. accepted the champagne. “Thanks.”
“You look beautiful.”
She gave him a strange look, as if waiting for a punchline. “Thanks again.”
“Can we call a truce and be nice to each other for one night?” Jared decided to take the direct route.
“We aren’t at war.” A.J. rolled her eyes at him. “We’ve been over this.”
“Just for one night do you think you could put aside all of the things you don’t like about me and give me a shot?” Jared tried a slightly different approach.
A.J. seemed to consider his suggestion for a long while. He watched the indecision flicker across her face and felt certain she’d refuse him. But she didn’t. “Okay. I can do that.” She extended her hand. “I’m Alexis, it’s nice to meet you.”
Jared grinned and shook her hand. “I’m Jared. It is a pleasure to meet you, Alexis.”
“Lovely reception, isn’t it?” She gestured around them.
“Yes, it is,” Jared agreed. “Would you care to sit with me?” She nodded and he led the way to an unoccupied table, even pulled a chair out for her. He sat and extended his bad leg so that he still faced her. “So, Alexis, what do you do?”
She smiled. “I’m a physical therapist.”
“That sounds interesting.” Jared leaned back in his chair. “Any interesting patients?”
A.J. chuckled. “Actually, there is this one guy. He has a huge ego and is incredibly stubborn.”
“Sounds like an ass.” Jared played along. “You must be a saint to deal with people like that.”
“Actually, I usually work with kids.” A.J. relaxed some, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her long legs. “They are much easier to work with. It’s quite rewarding, actually.”
“Must be.” Jared recalled how the kids reacted to her. “You have any kids of your own?”
“Nope,” A.J. shook her head, “but I’d like to someday.”
“Me too,” Jared blurted before he realized what he’d agreed with.
They talked through dinner, mostly about their likes and dislikes, avoiding the heavy topics -especially his job. Jared could not recall ever having a conversation like this with a woman. They actually had a lot in common and he found himself making excuses to touch her, even a little brush of the arm or leg. He was surprised at how easy it was to make A.J. laugh and even more surprised when she agreed to dance with him. Jared led her to the dance floor and pulled her close.
“Don’t stress your leg,” A.J. warned.
“I won’t,” Jared assured her. “Why do you think we sat for so long?”
A.J. accepted this and leaned in close, rested her chin on his shoulder, and allowed him to lead. She smelled incredible. Jared was keenly aware of her closeness, how she felt in his arms, how she took on some of his weight when they rocked toward his bad leg. Nobody else existed but her, and Jared realized for the first time in his life that this is what life was all about, this is what made people want to marry and spend a full life together. Jared could spend the rest of his life with A.J. in his arms. Then the song ended and she pulled away, led him off the dance floor and toward the door.
“I have to go, Jay.” A.J. sounded apologetic, even seemed genuine. “I really enjoyed tonight but I have to get home.”
“Did I do something?” Jared asked.
“No,” she shook her head, “you were wonderful, surprisingly wonderful. I just have responsibilities and I have to go.”
“Can I see you again, like this?” Jared held her hand, dragging out the good-bye.
A.J. hesitated, she bit her lip. “I’ll think about it.”
Jared seized the opportunity to convince her. He pulled her in until her body was flush against his, every curve melting into him. A.J.’s eyes flared and then closed as he slanted his mouth on hers. Jared’s heart beat faster. A.J.’s soft lips actually kissed him back, her fingers roved up his spine sending chills over his whole body. He slid his hands down to the curve of her ass and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Jared pushed his tongue into her mouth, loving her taste and wanting more.
A.J. ended the kiss and looked into his eyes as if searching for something. “I’ll see you Monday. We’ll talk then.”
She detached from him, brushed her lips over his cheek, and slipped away leaving Jared feeling tense and frustrated in more ways than one. He hung out alone in the lobby for a long while, willing his body to obey. Monday could not arrive soon enough.
“There you are!” Rick, obviously intoxicated, stumbled up to Jared. “Tell me you didn’t screw things up, you looked so cozy earlier.” He threw and arm around Jared’s shoulders and turned him back toward the reception.
“It went well, Rick,” Jared assured him, “really well.”
“Good! That’s what I was hoping to hear.” Rick slapped him on the back. “Let’s go celebrate!”
He led Jared toward the bar but Paul and Max intercepted them, apparently aware of their Dad’s condition.
“There you are, Dad!” Paul greeted his father. “Let’s get you home, okay?”
“No! Let’s celebrate some more!” Rick swayed a bit but Jared helped keep him upright.
“We can celebrate at home, okay, Dad?” Max countered. He winked at Jared. “Jay will come with us and everything, right Jay?”
“Yep, sure. Let’s all go back to your house and celebrate some more.” Jared played along and helped navigate Rick toward the cars.
“I see what you’re doing, boys,” Rick slurred as he stumbled into the back of the SUV.
“You go ahead and ride up front, Jay. I’ll stay in back with Dad,” Max suggested.
Jared closed the door behind Rick and limped around to the passenger seat. His leg ached and all he wanted was a nice, soft bed. As expected, Rick passed out before they made it back to the house. With Jared’s leg he could only hold doors open while Paul and Max carried their Dad into the house an
d got him tucked into bed.
“I can take you home if you want, Jay,” Paul offered, “or you can just crash in the guest room. Mom will make a huge breakfast in the morning and then we can get you home.”
Worried about what his leg would be like in the morning after being on it for so long, Jared asked Paul to drive him home. He fell into bed without even undressing, too tired all of a sudden and he had a lot of planning to do before Monday.
**
“Calm down,” Rick told him yet again.
“I’m calm,” Jared snapped.
“Yep, real calm,” Rick muttered. He pulled up to the hospital and put the SUV in park. “Good luck.”
