Cami’s Georgia Patriots Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  Then she looked at sweet, beautiful Sariah across the table, picking at her fish. Sariah had been through so much pain and heartache. Lily had to play this right, keep earning her hundred dollars an hour and get that bonus. The joy on Sariah’s face when Lily gave her the money for the massage therapy school she had been saving up to attend the past three years would probably equal Josh’s joy at meeting Hyde.

  Dinner cleanup went quickly, and Lily was in awe again as Hyde pitched in like he was part of this large family. She wished she could buy a few minutes in his head and know what he was thinking. Was it Oh man, paste on a smile and get this over with and never agree to visit some crazy chick’s house again? Or was there any chance it was Hey, these people are pretty chill. It’s not bad to be worshipped by my fans and see it up close and personal?

  It was obvious nobody in her family wanted them to leave after dinner, but Lily was trying to gauge Hyde’s reaction and desire to stay around or get back to his huge and probably quiet home.

  “Do you want to go on a hike with us?” Josh asked Hyde, his big brown eyes begging. Lily knew she could never resist the little man, but she didn’t know if Hyde would be immune to that gaze. He’d probably seen that out of a lot of little kids.

  “Sure. I love hiking.”

  Josh jumped up and did a happy dance. “Sweet! Can we do the Silver Lake Trail?”

  “The whole trail might be a little long, buddy,” Lily inserted, “but let’s drive up there and see how far we can get.”

  They all laced up the closest-sized tennis shoes they could find—her mom was a champion shopper at Goodwill—and headed out front. Josh and Mary climbed in the back of Hyde’s sport utility while the rest of the family followed in the old van. They drove out of town and up Guanella Pass.

  Mary reverently stroked the leather armrest as Josh bounced in his seat. “Show some respect for the ride,” Mary admonished her little brother.

  Hyde chuckled. “It’s just a car, sweetie.”

  “Just a car? Just a car? This is a Lexus RX 450. It has 301 horsepower and the best entertainment system and most luxurious interior in its class!”

  Hyde looked bemused, but he was nice enough not to laugh at her little sister. “Sounds like you know more about my car than I do. I’ll make sure to appreciate it more.”

  Mary gave a dramatic sigh. “See that you do.”

  “Mr. Metcalf, sir,” Josh said. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Hyde pressed his lips together. Lily hoped he was hiding a smile and not irritation. “Sure, Josh, but it’s okay if you call me Hyde.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t do that, sir.”

  Hyde glanced at Lily and smiled. “This one’s been trained to respect his elders.”

  Lily didn’t tell him that the exuberant Josh had a hard time sitting through school or church, let alone showing inordinate amounts of respect, but this was his idol.

  “What’s the question, bud?”

  Josh took a long breath, then rushed out the words: “I know you’re the best player ever, and it’s not your fault you got sick and stuff, but sir, can you please, please tell me that you’re going to win the Super Bowl next year?”

  Hyde chuckled out loud. “I’ll do my best.”

  Josh sighed dramatically. “I guess that’s all anyone can do, right, sir?”

  “Definitely. You do your best and leave the rest up to the Lord.”

  * * *

  Hyde absolutely loved this family. Lily kept watching him closely, checking if he was handling everything okay or something. He wanted to tell her not to worry. This was the best time he’d had in a long time. He always enjoyed interacting with his fans, but out of necessity he kept them at arm’s length. With Lily’s family he had the opportunity to be with people who obviously thought he was the stuff, but were able to be real with him and talk with him.

  He hiked up the wide trail and over a bridge with Lily walking in front of him and Josh clinging to his hand. This stout little dude was such a stud. Hyde had to keep hiding the laughter when he called him “Mr. Metcalf, sir.” He loved that Josh was enamored with him; the ego boost was always fun, but he felt a connection to him. For some reason, it reminded him of the way he’d always felt with his father—worshipful and in awe, but still comfortable enough to talk to him and stay close. Yet his father had deserted him and his mom. Hyde would never do that to Josh. He squeezed the little guy’s hand.

  Josh grinned up at him. “Isn’t it cool here, Mr. Metcalf, sir?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  The rest of the siblings were down by the stream, tossing in rocks and laughing as they splashed each other.

  “Do you want to go throw some rocks in?”

  “Yes!” Josh tugged on his hand, pulling him off the bridge and down to the water. He finally released his fingers as he pried large boulders out of the ground and threw them in. Hyde helped him get some really big ones up, and together they tossed them in and screamed out when they got splashed.

  When the sun disappeared behind the mountain, the temperature dipped and Hyde realized his fun was coming to an end. Allie had been with his mom since early afternoon, and it was past time he got home. He turned to Lily. “We’d better get back. My mom.”

  Lily nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. “We need to head out,” she told her dad.

  “It is getting late, and these monkeys have school tomorrow.”

  Sariah sighed. “Lucky me, I get to scrub poop off toilets at five a.m. sharp.”

  “Lucky.” Caleb pulled a face.

  “Lucky as a bleeding woman in a shark cage.” Sariah winked at her brother but when she saw Hyde looking at her she turned away and tucked her hair around the right side of her neck.

  Hyde had noticed that Sariah seemed shy around him, but most things out of her mouth were funny. He wondered why she wasn’t in college. He remembered the dilapidated state of their small home. They probably couldn’t afford college. He wished he dared ask Lily how she’d gotten through.

  They all trooped back to the vehicles. Hyde took his time saying goodbye, shaking everyone’s hands and receiving a hug from Lily’s mom as he thanked her for the delicious dinner. Josh was waiting to be last. Hyde extended his hand, but Josh threw himself against Hyde’s abdomen and squeezed tight. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Metcalf, sir. This was the best day of my life!”

  Hyde rubbed Josh’s head and grinned. “Mine too, buddy. I’ll come see you again soon, okay?”

  “You will?” Josh’s eyes were wide as he leaned back.

  “For sure. Lily tells me I need to come get a cinnamon roll from Annie at Cake.”

  “Oh yeah. Those are the best.”

  “And next time I come, I think we should go to the park and play catch.”

  Josh swallowed, his eyes glistening. He squeezed Hyde even tighter, and Hyde’s heart squeezed too. He hoped if he would’ve had a little brother, he would’ve been like this kid.

  “I love you, Mr. Metcalf, sir.”

  Everyone else chuckled, but the irony of telling someone you loved them, but not being willing to call them by their first name was lost on Josh. Hyde found himself swallowing hard. His mom often told him she loved him, but she’d been more confused lately and he didn’t know if she loved him or the idea of him. His dad used to tell him how proud he was of him, but Hyde could count on one hand the times he’d said love. Hyde felt like Josh really did love him, even though he knew it was mostly worship of what he’d done on the field. Hyde hadn’t realized he was starved for this declaration of love until now.

  Lily’s dad had to pry Josh off of him. They all said goodbye and each hugged Lily one more time; then he got Lily’s door and they backed out of the trail’s parking lot.

  Hyde glanced back to see Josh waving vigorously, tears splashing down the little guy’s cheeks. Lily had similar wetness on her smooth skin; obviously she loved her little brother. Hyde choked up a little bit. Family. This was what people spouted on about when they bragged ab
out being surrounded by a family that loved them.

  He reached over and took Lily’s hand in his. She squeezed his hand back. “Thank you.”

  “Thank me?” He chuckled. “Oh no, Lily, thank you for letting me be part of your family today.”

  She shook her head. “You’re so great, Hyde. Who knew that this burly animal of a football player had a tender side?”

  “Don’t let it get out.”

  She laughed, scrubbing at her face with the heel of her free hand. “It means so much to me, to all of them, that you would come.”

  He rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand, using his left hand to maneuver the Lexus down the steep, curvy mountain road. “Honestly, Lily. When I first agreed to come, it was mostly because I had a huge crush on my trainer and would do about anything she asked.”

  Her lips curved in a smile.

  “But being here with all of them, especially Josh …” He shook his head in wonder. “Everybody should have a little brother like that.”

  “I’m very lucky,” she agreed.

  He was the lucky one. He’d finally broken through Lily’s professional boundaries. Maybe now when he asked her out she would say yes without him acting like a jerk and threatening her paycheck.

  Chapter Ten

  Lily went through the next week in a happy fog. She trained Hyde every morning, and his words—“a huge crush on my trainer”—played over and over again in her head. Worrying about keeping things professional became less and less important. Hyde was so great. The possibility of awkwardness descending upon them and her not getting her bonus was pushed to the back of her mind.

  They laughed and teased while she kicked him into shape, but her training docket was so full she rarely saw him outside of their sessions. Friday morning he asked if they could do something that day. She readily agreed, thankfully her appointments ended early as most people wanted to have weekend nights open.

  He picked her up in the afternoon and drove her through town, across the highway, and up the hill to his house.

  His mom and Aunt Allie were waiting for them at the door. They each greeted Lily with a quick hug like they already knew her. His mom seemed lucid today, but she still gave Lily an almost wary glance where Allie’s gaze was welcoming and warm.

  “I love your home,” Lily said to his mom. “All this light and the big windows. I feel like I’m outside.”

  “The windows are my favorite,” his mom agreed. “Thank you.”

  They wandered through the open main floor with groupings of couches and a huge dining room area and even a music room. There were arches to differentiate between areas or sometimes a step down or up, but it was all very open. At the back of the house was a brightly lit kitchen with lots of windows interspersed with cherry wood cabinets. The huge peninsula was granite, and the top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances and cooking area made even Lily want to try her hand at cooking.

  “We’re making you a lovely picnic,” Hyde’s mom said.

  “So hopefully you can get lost in each other and get a kiss.” Allie winked mischievously at Hyde.

  “Really, Auntie?” Hyde rolled his eyes. “Nothing like ruining a guy’s hopes.”

  “If you were only half as confident with women as you are on the field,” Allie teased.

  Lily couldn’t help but laugh. She liked this feisty lady. “No. Maybe a tenth as confident. Have you seen this man play? He’d be kissing every attractive woman in the nation if he was half as confident.”

  Allie laughed loudly, while Hyde looked adorably embarrassed.

  His mom seemed frustrated with their comments. “Hyde doesn’t need a girlfriend,” she said, patting his cheek. “My boy has always been a good boy and only loved his momma.”

  Hyde smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “That’s right, Momma.”

  Lily’s stomach dropped. Hyde was so sweet with his mom, but Lily couldn’t forget about the times that his mom had told the press that Hyde’s girlfriend wasn’t worthy of her boy, and shortly after they would break up. Was Lily going to be another one of those girls his mom would take down with innocent yet hurtful words?

  “Well, go. Don’t let us old women interrupt your time.” Allie shooed them with her hands. “We’ll just be in here, assembling your picnic and eye-dropping on you.”

  “Eye-dropping?” Hyde asked.

  “Like eavesdropping, but we’ll just watch what you’re doing instead of listen in.” She winked broadly, and they all laughed.

  Hyde opened the French doors and ushered Lily through onto a wide Trex deck. There was a built-in outdoor kitchen, comfy outdoor sofas, and tables and chairs interspersed throughout. Beyond the deck stretched a nice spot of grass, almost as big as a football field, bordered with trees, flower beds, and paths with a pool area off to one side.

  It was a warm spring afternoon. Hyde took her hand, and they walked across the grass.

  “Had to have enough room to have a football game out here?” she asked.

  He glanced at her with a smile. “My dad made sure of that. My buddies would come over and we’d have great games. Supposed to be two-hand touch, but they usually turned into tackle.”

  “Without pads?”

  He shrugged. “We were tough kids.”

  He directed her toward one of the paths, and within seconds they were sheltered by the trees and flowering bushes. It was its own world. Lily gasped. “This is gorgeous. I would live out here.”

  “My mom tries,” Hyde said, his voice tired.

  “Do you mind me asking why you’re staying with your mom?”

  “I told you she has early-onset Alzheimer’s. My dad deserted her, and I just couldn’t put her in a retirement home or hire someone who wasn’t family. Auntie Allie helps a ton, and we have a neighbor girl who comes after school for a couple of hours. They play piano together, read, take walks, or work in the flower beds.”

  They wandered up the trail that butted against the mountainside. Lily marveled about what a great guy Hyde was. Few people were as dedicated to their family as he seemed to be. “I had no clue this was here. I thought you lived in a subdivision.”

  “Dad chose the best spot in the subdivision and bought two lots so there’d be more room, but last year I remodeled the house, put in the pool, and expanded this garden for my mom.”

  “So what are you going to do when the season starts?”

  “I got nothing.” He shrugged. “Any ideas?”

  She bit at her lip. “You might have to hire somebody full-time. I’m sure you have to live in Atlanta during the season?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And you travel a lot?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry, Hyde. It has to be tough.”

  “It is.” He stopped walking and turned to face her. The birds twittered around them and the air was still springy and slightly cool, but it felt warm and summery next to the warmth of his body. Hyde stared down at her, and his gaze made her shiver. “I’ve never had a thing for my personal trainer before.”

  “Oh?” She tilted her head to the side, her heart thumping much too quickly. “Have I given you the excuse lately that I need to keep things professional?”

  He smiled. “I think we’re way past professional.” His large hands encircled her waist and tugged her closer. “I’ve never brought a woman home to meet Mom and Aunt Allie before, either.”

  “Really? Does that make me special?”

  “You have no idea how special you are. Thank you for making an exception and dating your client.” He smirked. “I’ve never dated anyone who meant to me what you’re coming to mean to me.”

  Lily really liked the thought of that. Holy cow. They’d known each other two weeks, and Hyde Metcalf was saying she meant something to him? She wanted to punch the air or do a dance. Who cared about professionalism when you were in Hyde Metcalf’s arms? “You’re a pretty stand-up guy, Mr. Metcalf, sir. Who would’ve guessed the mega-stud football player who was so impressive to me
was even more impressive in real life?”

  He arched an eyebrow and pulled her flush against his body, bending his head closer to hers, his warm, cinnamon-tinged breath brushed across her lips. “That’s kind of you to say,” he whispered against her lips. “Especially when you haven’t experienced the most impressive thing about me.”

  “Oh, what’s that?” She gazed up at him from beneath her eyelashes, melting into his arms and overanxious to try out his kiss.

  “My lips.”

  His grin was reflected with her own. He covered her mouth with his and manipulated her lips with a firm yet soft pressure. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up onto tiptoes, returning his kiss with everything she had. She wasn’t star-struck over Hyde anymore because he was so real to her now and one of the best men she’d ever known, but this kiss had her seeing stars again.

  Hyde backed her up a few steps until she was pressed against the smooth bark of a birch tree. Lily couldn’t help the moan that escaped or the trembling as his hands trailed from her waist, up her back, and cupped around her neck, tilting her head to a different angle and deepening the kiss. This was an ecstasy she had never experienced.

  “Lily! Mr. Metcalf!” Josh’s voice carried through the trees.

  Lily jerked away from Hyde. That was definitely her little brother’s voice. “Josh?” she murmured, still heady from Hyde’s kisses. “What’s he doing here?”

  “It’s a surprise.” Hyde grinned, took her hand, and led her back along the trail. They emerged onto the grassy area, where they found Josh and Caleb waiting.

  Josh’s face lit up. “Lily!” He barreled into her with a fierce hug that only Josh could give. Then he pulled back and glanced shyly up at Hyde. “Mr. Metcalf, sir, can I give you a hug?”