The Blindsided Groom (Last Play Masquerade Romances Book 4)

by Heather Horrocks

  As he made his way over, she took a step back. He slowed his walk, knowing his size, well past six feet and two hundred fifty pounds, could be intimidating. When he was no more than two feet in front of her, he smiled, his cheeks rubbing against his mask. “Hello, I wondered if you’d like to dance?” He held out his hand.

  Her eyes met his and a flicker of recognition filled his heart. “Nate. Um, hi.” Her voice was familiar, soft yet purposeful. Also, slightly confused.

  “Have we met?” It was hard to tell with the masks on.

  She snorted and chuckled. “Nate Decker, are you serious?” She took his outstretched hand and placed it on her waist. “Are you telling me you don’t recognize your ex-wife?” She reached up, wrapping her hands around his neck.

  Realization dawned. His heart raced with a combination of horror and exasperation. “Hazel?”

  “Hey.” She giggled and his heart clenched as memories of all the times he’d made her laugh bombarded his mind. He’d never admit how much he’d missed her.

  “You look different. Good.” He tried to smile though he wasn’t sure he accomplished the feat. “Beautiful,” he added.

  “So do you,” she responded, her gaze faltering.

  In that moment, their pasts rushed back through him. Their relationship started out like a fairy tale. They met through a friend. Hazel was on her final year of medical school, intent on becoming a pediatrician. They were drawn to each other after just one date. By their one-month anniversary, he knew she would be his wife. After four months, he asked. They’d married a year later. It’d been the happiest day of his life, even more than when he’d accepted a position in the professional football league. After six months, Hazel got pregnant. Nine months after that, she gave birth to a perfect baby boy and Nate had fallen in love all over again. It was a different kind of love. They named him Gus. For three years, they were blissfully happy. Then their perfect son started to fall down. After many terrible tests, the specialist they consulted revealed their son had cancer. It was terminal.

  Hearing the news, it was as though someone had ripped his heart out through his chest. Some days, he struggled just to breathe. As hard as he took the news, it was worse for Hazel. As a pediatrician herself, she blamed herself for not seeing the signs earlier. Nate had tried to comfort her, but he’d been too wrapped up in his own grief.

  Gus died three months later. Six months after that, Hazel filed for divorce. That was over two years ago.

  Now, as he held her, he pulled her closer to him. “Hazel.” He whispered her name against her hair and felt her shiver. The song ended, and Hazel pulled away, but he held her fast. “Don’t go,” he said. She glanced up at him. There were tears in her eyes. He guessed she’d been thinking about their past and their beautiful son, the same as him. He twined her fingers with his as the next song started. “Shall we?” He thought for a moment she would leave. Instead, she leaned into him, resting her head against his broad chest.

  They stayed like that for the next several songs. As he held her, he couldn’t help but think about how much he’d missed her. He also felt guilty for the way he’d handled himself during Gus’s sickness as well as after he died. He’d been a mess. For days after the funeral, he couldn’t pull himself out of bed. He’d completely withdrawn into himself. The fact was, he hadn’t been there for Hazel. He could’ve supported her and asked for her support in return. Instead he’d been a ghost. A shell of a man. Their divorce was his greatest regret.

  As they swayed to the music, his heart seemed to unclench and start to beat again. In that moment he realized he still loved her. But could she love him again? Could she forgive him for pushing her away? His mind went through all sorts of different scenarios about how he might convince her to let him back into her life. A continuous prayer for help stayed in the back of his mind. They hadn’t spoken in two years. At that time, she was still a pediatrician. Since she was at this charity event he guessed that hadn’t changed. He was glad. She’d believed Gus’s death was on her. It’d taken her a month to go back to work after the funeral. Then she’d only gone in for two weeks before telling him she needed more time and had gone to stay with her family in Ever After, Montana. He’d offered to go with her, but she’d refused. It wasn’t too many weeks after she returned that she asked him for a divorce.

  He’d agreed out of anger, allowing the grief that was eating him up inside to fester and turn his feelings against her. Once she was moved out, the team’s owner, who’d just suffered the loss of his first wife, had called Nate into his office and ordered him into grief counselling. He still went once in a while. Nate had learned a lot about himself over the last two years, including how to better communicate his feelings. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair.

  She lifted her head, confusion dancing in her glorious hazel eyes. “Nate,” she began, but at that moment her phone rang. She took it from her handbag, checking who was calling. “It’s my mom. I need to take it.”

  “Of course.” Nate released her and she answered.

  “Hello.”

  He watched her listen intently, noticing the necklace around her neck. A butterfly covered in flowers hung from a silver chain dotted with lavender beads and small pearls. It was delicate and beautiful, and it reminded him of Hazel.

  She ended her call. “Thanks for the dance, but I need to go.” She started to walk away, but Nate caught hold of her bare arm. Soft, yet strong. Muscled.

  “What’s wrong?” He couldn’t help the feeling of dread spreading through his stomach.

  “It’s my sister, Lox. She’s in the hospital in Ever After.” As she spoke, worry filled her voice. “I need to catch a flight. I need to get to Montana. It’s important I’m there for her.” She glanced at her phone, the light illuminating the anxiety on her beautiful face. “I need to cancel my appointments for the next—I don’t know—few days, a week.” Her eyes welled with tears as she clenched her hands together around her phone, strangling it.

  “I can take you. I have a plane gassed and ready to leave.” His recently unbound heart filled with determination. He hadn’t been there for her before, but he could be now.

  Read for FREE in KU or Purchase HERE!

  BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS:

  1. Has anyone you know been diagnosed with ALS (or another degenerative nerve disease)? Have you had a loved one with any type of brain problems—from concussion to ALS to (like my father) Alzheimer’s? Were you the main caregiver? Did you burn out? How did you keep from burning out?

  2. Would you have given up a trip to Italy to “help” your brother?

  3. Have you, like Sylvia, ever been a woman scorned? Did it make you vindictive?

  4. Were you glad to see Daniel get back together with his wife? Were you touched by their renewal of vows?

  5. Do you feel sorry for Katie being raised with five rambunctious brothers? Do you have brothers?

  6. Do you think Ace Reid should have stayed out of the lives of his son? Or were you glad he stepped in?

  7. Have you ever had a crush on a football player?

  8. Do you still live in the town where you were born? If not, how far away are you from it now?

  9. Are you a football fan? What’s your favorite real-life team?

  10. Have you ever worked with a group or team that felt like family?

  Also by Heather Horrocks

  CHRISTMAS STREET Romantic Comedies:

  Bah, Humbug! (FREE Amazon, B&N, KOBO), Kissing Santa, The Naughty List, Deck the Malls.

  CHICK FLICK CLIQUE Romantic Comedies:

  Pride and Precipitation (FREE Amazon, B&N), A Hound Dog Named Elvis, Regally Blonde, A Pink Dog Named Fluffy (formerly titled Puppy Love), My Spare Lady, Movie Night at Candy’s Cafe (#1, 2, & 3), A Bulldog Named Desire, Fifty Shades of Greystoke, While You Were Stranded, Davidson and Goliath, Romancing the Clone.

  MOONCHUCKLE BAY Paranormal Romances:& Monster Movie Shorts

  Jingle Belle (FREE Amazon), The Artist Cries Wolf (FREE Amaz
on, B&N, KOBO) , The Bridesmaid Earns Her Wings, The Director Gets a Grip, The Prince Has a Bad Heir Day, The Fireman Finds His Flame, Elvis Gets His Groove Back, The Hacker Pushes Her Luck, The Contestant Flies Off the Handle, The Dog Designer Ruffles Some Feathers, Cupid Misses the Mark, The Composer Changes Her Tune, The Scientist Takes the Bait, The Librarian From the Black Lagoon, The Fruitcake That Saves Christmas

  HUNGRY CAT CAFÉ Paranormal Cozy Mysteries:

  The Hungry Cat Café (published in Hexes and Ohs)

  WHO-DUN-HIM INN Cozy Mysteries:

  Snowed Inn, Inn the Doghouse, Inn the Family Way

  BAD MOTHERS CLUB Cozy Mystery Series:

  Murder is Misunderstood #1

  INSPIRATIONAL:

  Women Who Knew the Mortal Messiah, Men Who Knew the Mortal Messiah, Women and Men Who Knew the Mortal Messiah.

  HISTORICAL WESTERNS:

  Violet: Bride of North Dakota (American Mail-Order Brides series #39)

  Colorado Dreams (Rocky Mountain Romances series #7)

  OTHERS:

  How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini, Old Maid of Honor, Baby Mine

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author Heather Horrocks writes inspirational romances and cozy mysteries that are funny, flirty, and feel good in multiple series (Moonchuckle Bay, Chick Flick Clique, Christmas Street, and Who-Dun-Him Inn). She loves making readers laugh, fall in love, and feel lighter at heart. Find out more at HeatherHorrocks.com.

  She lives with her witty husband Mark and funny little dog Gus (who has his own blog at her website www.BooksByHeatherHorrocks.com) and assorted long-term visitors who tend to come in and sit for a spell here and there, too.