Madi giggled. It was adorable how Travis had gone from suave, I-need-nobody, bad boy Travis Redmond to swooning, love-struck Ares; it was endearing. There was hope for mankind, after all.
“Well, you know I’d say do it from the heart and not be extravagant, but I know you,” Madi quipped.
“Yes, you do. And you know I gotta make it big and show-boaty. I was thinking of doing it at one of the games.”
“Dude, seriously?” Brett scoffed.
“What?”
“That’s so cliché.”
“I don’t care. I want it to be in front of millions… What?” he asked, looking at Madi.
“You know Sky isn’t gonna like being the center of attention like that. The courtroom is one thing, but millions of fans is quite another.”
“You also know how insecure she is. If I do it that way, she has no doubts as to my love for her,” Travis reasoned.
He had a point. “Alright then do whatever you want. She’s gonna love whatever you cook up, Chef Ares.”
“Uh, that’s why I asked for advice. You’re a woman, you know these kinds of things.”
“Alright, well, think more on it and get back to me with some ideas,” Madi whispered before Sky came back into ear shot.
“So, you guys wanna scuba tomorrow? There’s a shipwreck just down the beach a-ways?” Brett asked just as Marcel brought over another delicious-looking batch of grilled fish tacos topped with jicama slaw, chipotle mayo, and mango salsa. Everyone dug in and moaned aloud, savoring the sweet and spicy melding together in beautiful harmony.
“Jeez, Marcel! I love this man right here, but you’re giving me serious doubts about matrimony.” Sky licked the juice running down her fingers and moaned again as she bit into her taco.
“Hey!” Travis pouted and got them all laughing. “No fair, Aphrodite,” he whimpered into her ear and began whispering, getting giggles as his big hand moved over Sky’s bare arm.
Madi smiled at the love they shared and how they seemed so in tune with one another. Had she and Hunt been like that? Had their attraction to one another been that hot? She wasn’t sure and the realization that her memories were starting to fade away hit her gut hard. She couldn’t remember the taste or touch of Hunter’s lips on her own. She couldn’t remember exactly how he smelled; she couldn’t remember the feel of his hands touching her. She gulped her last sip of the margarita down and stood to go make another, getting looks from the three of them as she did so.
“You ok, Mad?” Travis asked.
Madi nodded her head even as Brett stood. “I’m fine. I’m just gonna make another margarita.”
“I’ll do it.” Brett began to take the glass from her but she pulled it away and shook her head.
“I got it. It’s fine. You sit, finish your taco.”
Madi turned, heading back through the screen door and into the kitchen. She poured some ice into a shaker and began measuring out tequila, triple sec, and Grand Marnier. She was adding the lime and fresh sours when she noticed Brett watching her from the doorframe. She gulped as he took a step forward, and she shook the shaker.
“You ok?”
“Sure.”
She wouldn’t be ok for a time, she knew. She was going to have to get used to her new normal, living the life of a twenty-eight-year-old widow. As Brett had told her time and again, it was going to take time, one day at a time. Time. Time. Time. It was all about damn time. Time was a thief. An enigma. Something that was relative; it could never be borrowed, some had too much of it and others would never have enough. It was never on anyone’s side, and it healed all wounds. Time, to Madi, was an unmet promise. If she never heard the word again, that would be just fine with her.
“Does it bother you having them here?”
“No, why would it?” Madi frowned, not understanding why Brett would ask her that.
“They remind you of what you lost.”
“Everything reminds me of what I’ve lost. I’m not envious of their love, Brett. They have something most people only dream about. I’m happy for them. Very happy.”
“Me too. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want it, too.”
The future. He was speaking to her about the future. Why? He’d never seemed interested in talking about marriage and children and all that before. Why was he doing so now?
“You’ll find it, Brett. I’m certain. You’re handsome, you’re affectionate, you’re giving. Any woman would love to have those qualities in a partner.”
“You’ll have love again too, Sunflower. Don’t give up on it.”
She frowned again, not understanding why he was saying these things. She cleared her throat as she poured the final margarita into her glass and took a sip. “So, you wanna go scuba-diving tomorrow?” she asked, wanting to steer the subject away from serious things.
“It might be cool to explore a shipwreck, don’t you think?”
She grinned and nodded. “Maybe we should take a run in the morning after all these, huh?” She pointed to the drink and Brett nodded.
“I’m down.”
“I don’t mean to be a spoilsport, but I think I’m gonna go take a hot bath and go to bed.”
“You aren’t a spoilsport. Enjoy your bath. I’ll be up shortly.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. It made her shiver, but she tried not to let him see it.
Half an hour later, she’d soaked until she was pruney, trying to relax her mind and name all the things she had left despite her husband’s death—Brett, her friends, her family, her job. All the things she loved. She was starting to go from the denial and depression phase of her grieving process and swing into the acceptance part. Although she felt she hadn’t quite turned the curve yet, it wasn’t as far away as she’d originally thought. Coming here to Cancun was a good idea, getting out of that house was a good idea, Brett had been right. Fresh air cleared her mind; while her heart was still heavy missing Hunter, she felt lighter. Her mood could be contributed to the margaritas she’d housed and the hot bath but, whatever the case, she felt better and her eyes less puffy than they’d been in days.
Madison got out of the tub and dried off, applied a coconut lotion of Val’s she’d left there and inhaled it, loving the scent as it invaded her nostrils. It was the epitome of beach, sand, and sun and made her smile. She dressed in the shorts and tank top she’d left out for herself before exiting the bathroom.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a half-naked Brett McFadden standing beside the bed. He’d been in the process of undressing when she interrupted. She gulped but couldn’t still her eyes from taking in his massive frame: broad chest, toned arms, sculpted torso. Her eyes moved to the unzipped pants now falling down his legs and blue boxers, boxers that looked tiny on his muscular thighs and tapered hips. Her eyes came back to his chest. She’d forgotten how big he was, or better yet, not realized how big he was—he’d not been this big in college, had he?
Madi realized she was gaping and focused her eyes on the painting of surfboards to her left. God, how had she missed all those bulking muscles of his, those chiseled bands of thick coils covering every manly inch of him? And why was she suddenly so aroused?
It’s because I’m on my period, she told herself. I’m lonely, I—
She’d only been with one man, her husband. And now he was gone, and she was simply admiring another man’s physique. A man who also happened to be her and her husband’s best friend. A man she’d once loved. A man she still wanted—Oh lord. Who couldn’t want a stud that looked like that? She’d be crazy not to want him.
“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, realizing Brett hadn’t moved, not even an inch.
“It’s ok,” cool and collected Brett said. How was he not as rattled as she was? How was that even possible? Brett moved into the bed and pulled the covers up, but only to his waist—Damn him. “I’m in.”
Oh shit! He’s gonna sleep in only his boxers? Madi’s mind reeled. What would happen if he cuddled her? She would feel those
hard muscles on his torso naked against her back. Had they slept that way the last few times? And how in God’s sweet name could she possibly not remember!
“You comin’, Madi?” Brett questioned. Madi was sure she appeared to be having a stroke, from an outsider’s perspective, blinking rapidly and freezing in one spot only to move to another.
“Yeah, I uh, I thought I forgot something.”
“All you need is me, Sunflower, and I’m right here.”
She frowned again and looked over at him. He continued to say these things that confused her, things she didn’t understand.
“Mad, baby, are you alright?” he asked again and turned, the big muscles in his throwing arm rippling with his movement.
I want to fuck the shit out of my best friend right now. No, I am indeed not alright.
She took a deep breath in and moved toward the bed. It was nerves, hormones, lack of sleep, trauma, guilt, grief. She ran through an entire list in her head of all the things this was, the emotions she’d been feeling since Hunter died, that’s all it was, new emotions, new life, new…
But as Brett moved in behind her and pulled her into him, she felt peace, a serene knowing in her heart that she was right where she was supposed to be, in his solid, comforting arms.
Her thoughts quieted, her breathing slowed and she surrendered to the valiant knight who’d rescued her long ago.
“Hi, I’m Madi,” a seven-year-old Madison Hope Taylor smiled to the tall, handsome boy. He looked nervous but handsome all the same. No-nonsense emerald eyes, light brown hair, lips tight. His face was oval-shaped, and she immediately pointed to the ball cap atop his head. It was their logo, the Gladiators, the team her father now owned and had for the last month. “I have one just like it.”
That got a smile out of the quiet boy, whose perfectly straight white teeth made him even more handsome.
“Madi, this is Brett, Drew’s oldest son. You’ll be seeing a lot of one another. Drew’s going to be working alongside me as our general manager.”
“Will he go to school with me?” Madi asked.
“He will indeed. He’s going to be in the second grade at Chesham Elementary,” Mr. Drew stated with a smile.
“That’s where I go!”
“I knew you’d be thrilled,” her father said.
Brett looked up at his father and gave him a frown. “Dad, she’s—she’s a girl.”
Drew and her father had a good laugh about that. “Son,” Drew stated, “one day, you’re gonna like girls, a whole lot. I promise.”
“You don’t like girls?” Madi’s brows furrowed. Her father stepped up behind her and took her shoulders, but Brett answered her with, “It’s not that. I just—”
“Brett,” Madi’s father ruffled the tall boy’s hair. “Why don’t you two go out to the field and throw the ball around? Let Madi show you what she likes to do for fun.” Her father winked at the boy, who scowled back at him. Her father handed him a football, and he took it, wearily.
She and Brett moved off then, out of her father’s office, and she led them to the elevators that took them out to the tunnel, the locker rooms, the weight room and the practice field. Madi already loved it here. It was her favorite place to be. She got upset if her father came here without her. She knew she couldn’t come when she was at school, but she was here every second she could be.
Madi was different than her five-year-old sister, Brooke. Brooke was girly, liking dolls and makeup, and tea parties. Madi was a tom-boy; she preferred pants to dresses, hats and ponytails to curls, and would rather play football than babies any day—she hated playing babies, and that’s all Brooke ever wanted to do.
“Whoa,” Brett said as they passed through the locker rooms. “This is so cool.”
“I know. Just wait til you see the field. It’s huge.”
“So, you can throw a football?” Brett asked doubtfully as they came nearer to the mouth of the tunnel leading out to the practice field.
Madi gave him a little laugh. “Yeah, can you?”
Brett gave her a laugh in return. “Yeah. My dad says I got a good arm.”
“Maybe one day you’ll play here, for the Gladiators.” She grabbed the football, elbowed him, and ran off in the direction of the thirty-yard line. “Can you catch?” she asked and giggled again, launching the ball towards him.
He caught it roughly against his chest and looked at her like she’d just given him all the candy in the world. “Wow.”
“Just ‘cause I’m a girl don’t mean I can’t do what you can.” She sassed and planted her hands on her hips.
It took him a minute to respond. He grinned a crooked grin and gripped the ball in his hand, lining the laces up and threw it back to her. He had what her dad had called “good form,” making the ball fly in a spiraling straight line. Madi took a few steps back, shuffling quickly, and jumped, catching the ball against her chest with an, “Umph.” She fell to the ground hard. Her tumble and the sound of the ball hitting her caused Brett to run over to her and extend his hand out.
“Oh my gosh, are you ok? I’m sorry I didn’t mean to—”
Madi laughed, slapped his hand away and stood. “Got it. And that’s a fair catch, by the way. I maintained possession.” She cocked her brow, daring him to argue, using the words she’d heard her father use to impress the boy.
Brett laughed. He was pleased with her. The boy who didn’t like girls was happy with her. It made her heart fill with joy.
“Wanna do it again?” she asked.
“Maybe we should do some tosses instead. I don’t wanna hurt you.”
“Pssh, you aren’t gonna hurt me. Me and my daddy play catch all the time.”
Brett seemed impressed with that and chucked her chin. “Ok, Jerry Rice. But let’s run some routes, alright?”
“Ok.” Madi jumped in glee and handed the ball over to him.
They played for a time, even getting a little physical with some tackles, but the boy seemed to enjoy her company so it made her happy. They had fun, and soon, the coach was calling them back in. Madi knew it was close to time for the players to come practice. She took Brett’s hand as they entered the tunnel. She heard the noise before she saw the padded bodies coming at her but was too late to move. She was going to be hit, and there wasn’t anything she could do.
She felt a tug on her hand and felt arms wrap around her as she crashed into Brett’s chest. He tucked her head against him and turned, pressing her back to the wall of the tunnel, keeping them from being crushed by the giant football players entering the field. The noise of their running through the echoing tunnel seemed to go on forever before Brett pulled back some and looked down at her. Fear and relief painted his face—and she was sure her own. He gulped and ran a finger down her cheek.
“You-you saved my life. You’re a hero,” she said in awe of this boy who made her heart soar.
“That’s what heroes do, right?” He winked, took her hand, and they headed back to her father’s office.
CHAPTER SIX
Madi awoke to her phone ringing. It was Lathem Turner, their scout. She answered her phone on the third ring, “Hey, Scoop.” He was called “Scoop” as he had a nose for scooping up the best catches. He’d found Pax and TJ two years prior, Langley last year.
“I got a guy you’re gonna wanna look at, Madi. He’s awesome. Fast. Strong. Gonna make a great fill-in for Hunter.”
Madi’s breath took. How had she forgotten that they’d have to fill his spot? Her heart raced, but she was able to keep her cool and her head about her. No tears came to her eyes. That had to be a good sign, right?
“Oh, um…yeah, great.”
“I don’t mean to spring this on you, but his agent called me first thing this morning. You can tell me to piss off. I know you’re on vacation right now and probably not thinking about the team.” Ha, she was always thinking about the team. It was her life and had been since she was seven.
“No, um, it’s fine. If you think we should talk w
ith him, then let’s do so.”
“Great. I already spoke to your father, and he wanted me to discuss it with you before we set anything up. His name is Quillan Layton; he was a TE for the Ravens.”
“Yeah, I remember him. His wife died last year, right? And he left.”
“Yes! But he’s wanting to come back this year. And he’s better than ever. His numbers at the Combine last month were impressive, Madi. I’m surprised someone hasn’t already grabbed him up.”
“Well then, talk to him and let’s set up a meeting. You know I trust your judgement, Scoop.”
“Good. Yes! I can’t wait for you to meet him. He seems excited to get back to playing, and I think he’ll make a great asset to the team we have now.”
“That’s great news. I’m glad we found someone who’s got you so excited.” Madi laughed. It felt good, really good to be able to talk about replacing her husband without being assaulted by anguish.
Lathem laughed on the other end of the line. “I know. But I’m telling ya, once you see him in action, you’re gonna be the one excited. We’re going to the Super Bowl this year, Madi. I feel it.”
“I sure hope you’re right. We got the talent, that’s for sure.”
“So, you want me to set something up for week after next? I’ll inform him you’re on vacation. I think he’s taking his daughter to Disney World anyway, he said.”
“Yeah, just let me know what time. We’ll fly back before then. I need to get back to the complex soon anyway.”
“I’m glad to hear it. And Madi, if you need anything…”
“Thanks, Lathem. I appreciate it.”
She said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, feeling hopeful.
Brett stood by the window, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes questioning as Madi grinned up at him.
“Everything ok?”
“Yeah, Scoop found a replacement for Hunter.” She tried not to let her voice waver when she said his name, but it did. Brett’s reaction didn’t help; his head fell and he looked upset. “Brett…”
“And you’re ok with this?” he retorted as he looked back up at her, eyes narrowing.
FALSE START (Gods of the Gridiron Book 2) Page 8
