Tamera dropped to the floor and stared at the clock, no longer able to hold back the tears.
Her phone buzzed again, skittering across the hardwood floors. Tamera set the clock on the ground and crawled over to her phone, picking it up to find another text from Caleb.
Still keep your spare key behind the loose brick?
No—Tamera had moved it not long after she and Caleb broke up. She texted him back with shaking fingers.
I showed Katie the texts.
A string of curses soon came through. Tamera deleted the texts with shaking fingers, then blocked the number.
What a mess.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Dragging himself to practice the next day took a concerted effort. Wyatt texted Tamera three times while getting ready, and again on the drive, but she never responded.
He was just pulling into the stadium parking lot when his phone rang. He pulled to a jerky stop in a parking space and fumbled to answer it, his heart momentarily lifting until he saw Natalie’s name on the caller ID.
He leaned his head back against the headrest, then answered the call, doing his best to keep his voice light. “Hey, sis.”
“Anything you want to tell me about, big brother?”
Wyatt blinked, surprised by her accusatory tone of voice. “I don’t think so.”
“Because the article I’m staring at right now says I’m going to be an aunt. Are you freaking kidding me? You chose Becky to be the mother to your progeny? You’re an idiot.”
“Whoa.” Wyatt sat up and put the phone on speaker, then opened up his web browser. “Becky is pregnant, but the baby isn’t mine. We never … it’s just not possible, okay?”
Natalie’s heavy breathing echoed across through the line. It would’ve made Wyatt smile if he wasn’t so upset. He could imagine how she looked right now—sprawled across her bed, staring at the ceiling as her sandy blonde hair splayed around her. “You swear it?”
“I swear. You know me better than that.”
“I thought I did, but the article … I don’t know. It messed with my head.”
Wyatt paused, finding the article in question. He massaged his eyes, that sick feeling back in his gut. The photographer had caught Becky kissing him and the angle made it look like Wyatt was responding.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered.
“What’s going on? Mom and Dad are going to flip out when they see this.”
“Becky is insane, that’s what’s going on.” Wyatt sighed deeply, closing the web browser in disgust.
Tamera would see that article, if she hadn’t already. It was inevitable with how much time she spent online. The stupid article was probably why she wasn’t answering his texts. He had a sinking feeling she’d already seen the picture, read the lies, and believed every word.
“Explain,” Natalie demanded.
So Wyatt told her about what had happened the day before while Natalie listened intently.
“Do you think Becky had the photographer planned all along?” Natalie asked.
Wyatt got out of his truck and grabbed his duffel bag. He’d better hurry, or he’d be late to practice. “I don’t know. On the one hand I wouldn’t put it past her. On the other hand, she has nothing to hold over me now.”
“This will blow over,” Natalie said. “The article is all speculation. This isn’t even one of the good tabloids.”
“I don’t think that will help me with Tamera,” Wyatt said quietly. He nodded at a teammate across the parking lot and slowed his pace a little so they wouldn’t run into each other before he finished his phone call.
“Wyatt, give the girl a break. I’m your own sister and I called to yell at you, worried the rumors were true. You did date Becky for six months—it’s not a stretch to believe a baby is within the realm of possibility.”
The hairs on his arms prickled in outrage. “I’ve done nothing but try and earn Tamera’s trust from the very beginning. I can’t have a relationship with someone who’s constantly questioning my motives.”
“I agree,” Natalie said easily. “Geez, don’t bite off my head. I’m just saying she was taken off guard. Probably a little shocked at what was happening. Let her cool off a bit, then explain everything.”
“But—”
“Do you like her?” Natalie demanded.
Wyatt entered the corridor leading to the locker room and lowered his voice so it wouldn’t echo. “What do you mean? Of course I like her.”
“I mean do you like-like her. Does she make your tummy get butterflies? Do you get all hot and bothered when she’s in the room?”
Wyatt rolled his eyes, but couldn’t deny the quiver he felt at the mere mention of Tamera.
“Is she the first thing you think about before falling asleep, and the first thing you think about when you wake up?” Natalie continued.
Wyatt lifted his duffel bag higher on his shoulder, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes. I watched Eye in the Sky, Wyatt—I think Tamera’s the real deal. So give her a chance, okay?”
A chance. He felt like he’d already given Tamera so many, and the thought of putting his heart on the line one more time was agonizing.
Wyatt glanced up at the locker room door. “I’ve got to go, Natalie. I’m at practice.”
“Think about what I said,” Natalie said, then hung up without saying goodbye.
Practice was exactly what Wyatt needed. He put all his energy into the drills, even earning a compliment from McKinley on his hard work. And all the while, Natalie’s words swirled in his head. Was Tamera’s reaction only natural? She’d been betrayed in the worst possible way by her boyfriend and sister. Was close friends with a pathological liar and cheat. That would mess with anyone’s head.
As he walked back to the locker room after practice, he knew he would put his heart on the line one last time for Tamera. He had to talk to her. She deserved the truth, even if she slammed the door in his face. And he needed to know he’d tried.
Wyatt quickly got dressed after his shower while Tyrone gave him the side-eye.
“You okay, man?” Tyrone asked.
Wyatt blew out a breath. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I saw the article,” Tyrone ventured carefully. “Tough break. That’s a lot to take in.”
Wyatt shut his locker with more force than strictly necessary. “The kid’s not mine. But I know who is the father, and I don’t think he’ll be eager to come forward and set the story straight. Now Tamera won’t talk to me.” He ran a hand over his head, agitated. “Things were going really well yesterday.”
“She seems really nice,” Tyrone said. “Smokin’ hot, too, which doesn’t hurt any.”
“Unfortunately, she also has a lot of baggage and hangups. And Becky showing up yesterday didn’t help at all. Tamera won’t take my texts or phone calls.”
Tyrone shrugged. “We’re all a little screwed up deep down, right? If you like her, go explain. Even if she still calls it quits, at least you’ll know you tried.”
Wyatt nodded, grabbing his bag. He’d made up his mind before this conversation even began. “I’ve got to go.”
“Good luck,” Tyrone called as Wyatt raced from the locker room.
He was halfway down the corridor when Luke stepped out of his office and the two nearly collided. Wyatt skidded to a halt, barely managing to avoid bowling Luke over.
“Sorry about that,” Wyatt said, breathing hard.
Luke laughed, clapping him on the back. “In a hurry?”
“Kind of.”
“I won’t keep you, then. But I just saw the final cuts of all three commercials and I’m really excited to air them. Season ticket sales are going to explode once they hit the air.” Luke walked away, calling over his shoulder, “Great job, Wyatt.”
“Uh, thanks,” Wyatt said. His commercials hadn’t sucked?
Maybe the universe was finally working in his favor. And maybe his luck would hold for one more co
nversation.
Wyatt climbed in his truck and drove as fast as traffic would allow to Tamera’s condo. He pulled into the parking lot, surprised to see Tamera placing a suitcase in the trunk of an unfamiliar car.
He screeched into a parking spot and jumped out of the cab of his truck. “Tamera!”
She shut the trunk and looked up, surprise crossing her features for the briefest moment before her expression turned carefully blank.
He jogged across the parking lot and stopped a few feet away. “I’m sorry,” he said.
She folded her arms. “I saw the articles.”
It was hard not to curse. Wyatt put a fist to his mouth and took a deep breath. “Becky kissed me. If that photographer had taken the photo a second later, it would’ve shown me pushing her away.”
Tamera let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. “Typical.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
Tears filled her eyes and she blinked quickly. “I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt—over and over again. But your stories are seriously starting to skirt the edge of believability.”
“Becky needed money,” Wyatt said desperately. He could feel Tamera slipping away. Feel her past baggage blinding her to the truth. And he didn’t know how to fix it. “The whole team in San Antonio knew we were together—the players, the cheerleaders, the coaches. But no one knew about her and Drew.”
“Why?” she demanded. “Why did you keep quiet about what happened?”
“Because I was trying to salvage my career. I told you that I didn’t want to hurt the team.” He held his hands out imploringly. “I know you’ve been hurt before, Tamera. But I’m not here to cause you pain. Please.”
She held his eyes, and for a moment, he felt a glimmer of hope—a desperate and wild belief that they could work through this.
“I want to believe you. But I can’t trust my own judgment. You seem like a good guy. When we’re together, I feel like you’re telling the truth.” She shrugged, and he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. Assure her he would do anything for her. Fight for her.
“Please,” he whispered.
She blinked and looked down, fumbling for the car door and sliding inside. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll miss my flight.”
Wyatt placed his hands against the window and she rolled it down down. “Where are you going?”
Now she was definitely avoiding his gaze. “San Antonio. Drew invited me to visit for a few days. I need to get out of L.A.”
The car started moving, but Wyatt stayed put, his feet frozen to the blacktop. Drew. He was losing out to the quarterback once more, but this time the prize was infinitely more precious. No, not a prize—a person. Someone he loved.
“Don’t go,” he called after the vehicle. “Tamera. Tamera!”
She poked her head out of the window. “I’m sorry,” she said. And then the car disappeared down the road, taking the woman he loved with it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Tamera let the music of the club pulse through her, giving herself over to the beat as she danced with Drew. The dance floor crackled with energy as couples laughed and drank and kissed. The strobe lights caught Drew’s hair, highlighting the brown in his dirty blond.
Wyatt had come after her, and still she’d driven away. Tamera closed her eyes, pain slicing through her once more. But his claims were so ridiculous. She wanted to believe him, but she’d been wrong so many times before.
So why did her heart keep screaming that she was giving her loyalties to the wrong man? Why did she ache to hop the next plane back to L.A.?
Drew nudged her chin with one finger, forcing her to look up into his dark eyes. “You’re in your head again,” he said.
She’d spilled the whole story to last night, after he picked her up at the airport and drove her to the hotel. Drew had called Wyatt all kinds of names and insisted Tamera was making the right decision. When she got to the part where Wyatt insisted Becky’s baby must be Drew’s, he’d laughed darkly and said that seemed like the kind of story a desperate man told. But throughout the entire conversation, Tamera couldn’t help but think that Wyatt had never said anything bad against Drew. He’d accused him of lying, but he hadn’t insisted she break off their friendship. He didn’t waste his breath hurling insults. But Drew couldn’t wait to throw digs Wyatt’s way.
“Sorry,” Tamera said, forcing herself to smile brightly at Drew. “It’s been a week.”
The article about Becky’s pregnancy hadn’t made much of a splash. Tamera spent most of last night trolling social media after she checked into the hotel, but the story had only been picked up by one or two minor blogs. No one seemed to care that Wyatt James and some random cheerleader may or may not be having a baby. Their relationship had never been public and news of Wyatt’s trade was still the hotter topic on the web. But that hadn’t stopped Tamera from reading every comment proclaiming what an adorable couple they made and offering up congratulations.
“You think too much,” Drew said with a sly grin. “I don’t think I should leave you alone tonight. Let’s cancel your hotel room. You can come back to my place.”
Pinpricks of unease made their way up Tamera’s spine and she took a cautious step back. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Drew rested his hands on her waist, pulling her toward him. “You mean a lot to me, Tamera.”
“You mean a lot to me, too. As a friend.” She emphasized the last word as she pulled away, avoiding eye contact.
“Don’t be like that.” He grabbed her hips again, swaying to the beat of the music. “We were great together on Eye in the Sky. Everyone expects us to hook up. Let’s give the fans what they want. That should make your agent happy.”
“Drew.” She pushed against his chest, her own tightening in fear. “I think you’ve had a little too much to drink. Let go.”
“You are such a tease.” He dropped his hands and scowled. “I’ve done everything I can to be a good friend to you. I took you under my wing on Eye in the Sky.”
She gave a disbelieving laugh. “Uh, we both know I was the brains of that duo. You ruined my game.”
He continued doggedly on, ignoring her. “When your ex freaked you out, who flew across the country to comfort you?”
“I never asked you to do that.”
“You owe me.” He raised a finger and pointed it at her face.
She slapped his finger away roughly, heat flowing through her. “I don’t owe you anything.”
He swore, his face turning red. “Then what have I been wasting my time for?”
Her mouth fell open as she stared at Drew, like she was seeing him for the first time. She’d seen glimpses of this side in his diary room interviews but thought it was all part of the game.
Wyatt was right—Drew had been the bad guy all along.
“Did you lie to get Wyatt transferred to the Coyotes?” Tamera demanded.
Drew rolled his eyes. “Do we have to talk about that again? Let’s dance.”
He tried to grab her hips once more, but she swatted his hands away. “Answer the freaking question.”
His eyes hardened and he took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Yes, I lied. Becky and I had been seeing each other for months. When Wyatt found out, I couldn’t let him stick around. The team would’ve looked at me differently if they knew.”
She shook her head in horror. “The baby.”
“What?”
“Becky’s baby,” she practically screamed. “Wyatt is right. You’re the father.”
Drew looked around quickly, then grabbed her arm and hauled her off the dance floor. She yanked her arm from his grasp, but followed him out of the club and into the cool night air.
“You are so naive,” Drew sneered, his lips turning up in disgust. “Of course the baby’s mine. But I’m not about to let a kid ruin my career.”
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” She ran a shaky hand through her hair. “You tried to ruin
Wyatt’s life. He’s been the good guy all along. I was an idiot not to see it sooner.”
“You and me belong together,” Drew shot back. “Everyone sees it. Why do you keep fighting the inevitable?”
“Oh no.” She held up her hands and walked backward. “You and me are done, Drew.”
His face darkened and he grabbed her arm. “I never wanted Becky. She was just a fling.”
“Let go,” Tamera said, feeling her palms grow clammy. She tugged, but Drew held on tight.
“When I met you on Eye in the Sky, I realized you were a girl I actually enjoyed talking to. Not just someone to mess around with in the bedroom. I want you so bad.”
Tamera let out a shaky laugh, still trying to pull away. “And you thought the correct way to win me over was to ignore your responsibilities and abandon the mother of your child? To let a good guy get harassed by the press—to try and ruin his career—for something he didn’t do?”
“Tamera.” Drew’s grip relaxed and his eyes grew soft in the moonlight—the puppy dog look he’d used on Eye in the Sky to manipulate others into doing what he wanted them to. “I’m sorry. I only lied because I was afraid of losing you.”
She yanked her arm away and scrambled backward. “Well, congratulations, Drew. You’ve definitely lost me.”
“Tamera!” Drew called.
She hurried back into the club and ducked into a hidden alcove. With trembling hands, she pulled her phone from her clutch and requested a ride through an app. A few moments later, Drew stormed past. Tamera shrank into the shadows, holding her breath until he was out of sight again.
Tears filled her eyes and her legs began to tremble. She sank into a crouch and dropped her head into her hands. Wyatt had asked her to trust him, but she’d left instead. What a horrible, awful mistake. In the moment it had felt wrong, but she’d ignored her gut and plowed forward. How would he ever forgive her?
A few minutes later, she ducked out of the club and into the car waiting for her.
Match Me if You Can (No Match for Love Book 7) Page 17
