“You have? What about stalking me with your phone?”
The cold hands of guilt wrapped its fingers around her throat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. If you’d only talked to me. Talk to me now, Zach. Why are your brother’s ashes in the yard of this house of all the houses you’ve lived in? Why this place?”
He went white. “The only person who knows the answer to that is my brother Wade.”
“Trust me enough to tell me. Open up to someone, Zach. Take a chance on us.”
“What about you, Kel, you gonna take a chance on me?”
“I am taking a chance on you.”
“Only because it’s to your advantage. How do you feel about me as a person? How do you feel about us seeing where this thing goes? Do you want to end it in a few weeks?”
Kelsie swallowed. She didn’t want to end it, but she didn’t want to be the first person to say those words, only to have him laugh in her face and tell her tough shit. She couldn’t bear the rejection, the heartbreak of being without him, and she couldn’t say the words she wanted to say without knowing where he stood.
When she didn’t answer him, he turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him.
She reached out to him, but her plea died in her throat.
Chapter 23—Loose Ball Foul
For the next few days, Kelsie drilled Zach on proper party behavior and casual conversation until his eyes glazed over and a hint of defensiveness and annoyance crept into his demeanor. They sniped at each other like the sex-deprived couple they were. Since “The Fight,” as she labeled it, he’d slept in the other bedroom and stayed clear of her.
The day of the gala, she pushed him too far, harping on him about his clothes, his hair, his shoes. By the grim set of his lips, he wanted to stuff a sock in her mouth.
As soon as it was time for the guests to start arriving, Zach retreated to the deck, obviously preferring to stand outside in the clear, frigid night rather than act as a host. A twinge of sympathy tempered her anger. He hated social situations like this, and she knew it’d be difficult for him, but he wasn’t getting out of his duties that easily. Not on her life. In a huff, she dragged him to the front door and lectured him on how to be a proper host. He ground his teeth and stared over her head. She reached a hand up to brush off a spot of lint on his lapel. At his warning glare, she snatched her hand away. He brushed the lint off himself.
She’d endured these last few days by pretending nothing mattered. That they didn’t matter. That their future was no big deal, yet inside she was a mess. A huge, heartbroken mess. Meanwhile, Zach built prison walls around his heart, strung barbed wire along the top, and kept his distance.
As the first guests arrived, Kelsie lurked in the background, ready to jump in at the first sign of him floundering. Zach’s jaw tightened and his brow creased, obviously perturbed by her hovering. She needed to stay close, make sure he was okay, be his lifeline, whether he appreciated her or not. She wouldn’t let him free-fall. She’d figuratively hold his hand every step of the way.
Zach looked like a million dollars in his designer suit and carefully cropped hair. She loved how he filled out the shoulders of his tux and the easy athletic grace in his confident stride. She smiled with pride as women took second glances at him, looking him up and down. A few times Kelsie hooked her arm through his, just to stake her claim.
She tagged along as Zach led several teammates through the house. They all cleaned up so well that she barely recognized the men when they’d shown up in a group a few minutes prior, but their large, fit bodies gave them away as professional athletes.
They wandered through rooms transformed into a Victorian Christmas extravaganza and a testament to Kelsie’s hard work and lack of sleep. The group halted in a room displaying the silent auction items to their best advantage with careful lighting and presentation of each expensive item. She almost smiled when she heard the pride in Zach’s voice.
Hanging back as they moved on, Kelsie repositioned a helmet autographed by last year’s championship team into a better spot under the makeshift spotlights illuminating the auction items. The rest of the room was bathed in Christmas lights nestled in sprigs of holly and cedar boughs.
“The house looks incredible.”
Kelsie jumped, not realizing she wasn’t alone in the room. She turned to face Veronica. For once the woman looked sincere, as if she cared. “Thank you.”
“My father wants to extend Zach’s contract for another two years.”
“And you? What do you want?”
“Dad hired him to put some spark back in this team. He knew about his long-standing feud with Tyler but figured Zach’s signing would put Tyler on notice that no one is sacred if they’re not performing up to expectations.”
“Zach has brought back the old Tyler, from what I understand.”
“They’ve had some rocky times, but things seem better.”
“They’re trying.”
Veronica was tougher to read than a seasoned beauty pageant judge. She didn’t give anything away.
Veronica frowned. “All that matters to me is the team. I convinced Dad to put his trust in Tyler Harris, and I was right about him. He’s the face of this franchise. We built a championship-caliber team around him. Anyone who doesn’t respect and appreciate all he’s done for the Steelheads is not welcome in my book. Zach has been a problem, but if his improvement continues, I might be amenable to keeping him on the team.”
So, there it was. Zach’s stubborn pride and public dislike of Tyler had tarnished him in Veronica’s eyes. Of course, spilling a tray of drinks on the woman didn’t help. “Zach wants what’s best for the team. He has the same goals as you.”
“As far as I’m concerned, the jury is still out.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“In case you want to distance yourself.”
“I’m not going anywhere, and neither is Zach. Your father and the coaches are happy with his progress off the field and his performance on the field.”
“Thanks to you. I was wrong about you. You do have a talent for smoothing those rough edges sported by most athletes. After all, good professional athletes are alpha, strong, aggressive, and bluntly honest. Tact doesn’t win games. So, of course, they need help in that area. You’re different than the average image consultant, but then, you know all this.” Veronica looked her up and down, then tapped her chin. “My father has interests in other sports teams, which would give your business quite the boost.”
“But?” Kelsie definitely heard a but in there.
“It depends on how tonight goes. If it’s a disaster, you’re going to have a hard time getting clients in this town.”
“It’ll be perfect. You wait and see.” If Zach messed up or any detail wasn’t perfect, she’d never work in his town. She’d be living in her car and eating out of dumpsters.
“It had better be.” Veronica turned on her heel and hailed another person across the room.
Kelsie hurried to the powder room for a personal pep talk. She’d known all along this gala was a test for her as much as Zach. They were both on the hot seat. She could do this, and so could he. Together, they’d be formidable.
Noises from the party filtered through the bathroom door. Kelsie put on her game face, straightened her shoulders, opened the door, and strode into the room, pausing to chitchat with guests on her way to check on the bar and the food. Then she would find Zach and see how he was faring. She stepped into the kitchen. The caterers were busy working and everything seemed in order.
“Kelsie.” The smooth, cultured voice behind her stopped her in her tracks. The night had just gone from bad to disastrous. A root of panic pushed up through the ground and attempted to take seed in her brain. She shook it off. Mark would not belittle her or scare her. She wouldn’t allow it. This was her time. Her moment to prove how far she’d come.
She turned on him, all haughty and cold. “What are you doing here?” Each word steamed like dry
ice. Funny how much smaller and less threatening he seemed.
“I wanted to see what my wife was up to.”
She raised her head higher. “I am not your wife.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you are my property.” Mark’s handsome face contorted into a cruel sneer. Kelsie wondered how she’d ever been fooled by him.
“I’m no one’s property.” She looked him in the eye, something she hadn’t been able to do for years.
“We’ll see about that. I know how important this gala is to you.”
For a moment, she hesitated, fearing what he might do to ruin this party. Judging by Mark’s smirk, he caught her moment of indecision.
Any moment, he’d be moving in for the kill.
Only this time she’d be armed and dangerous with her newfound confidence and hard-won independence.
~ ~ ~ ~
Zach tugged on his bow tie. Stupid-assed things. Tyler Harris stood across the room, smiling and talking with the billionaire geeks. Zach could barely manage to talk to his smartphone. In fact, when he talked to it, it talked back, and the phone had a major attitude. Meanwhile, Harris was cool and collected as if he were talking to buddies while bellied up to the bar.
Kelsie had been flitting nearby all night, spreading cheer among the guests. Zach caught the hungry looks of the men and envious looks of the women as she glided off in her pink sequined dress that dipped lower in the back than in the front. He shot murderous glares at any men who ogled her.
Sleeping in another room didn’t work for him. Only he didn’t know what to do about it. He’d worked his ass off trying to woo her with flowers and chocolates, and he hadn’t a clue if his plan was effective or not. There had to be more. Between the sheets, on the counter, and in the back seat of the truck, the two of them were beyond compatible. But relationships weren’t built only on sex, they were built on love and trust, two things they both struggled with.
He loved her, but could he trust her? How much was he willing to compromise just to feel her silky skin on his? The answer seemed to be a lot, sorry sap that he was. Speaking of trust, Zach ground his teeth so hard his head hurt. Kelsie had followed him around all night as if she expected him to belch, fart, or spit any second and embarrass their guests’ delicate sensibilities. Her hovering grated on his nerves and stretched his patience to the point of breaking. He hated this stuff, and Kelsie’s lack of faith irritated and discouraged him. He couldn’t do anything right. He never could. Not as a kid. Not as an adult.
Despite a few of Zach’s minor mishaps, the gala was going off without a hitch. They were raising a record amount of money, and Zach had made sure some would be earmarked for the homeless shelter where he spent his Tuesday nights.
Brett walked up to him, beer in hand. “Boy, you are one lucky dumb shit.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kelsie. She looks at you like you’re the only man on earth.”
“She does?”
“Yeah. You dickwad, don’t you even notice?”
Zach shrugged, a little sheepish. “I thought I just saw what I wanted to see.”
Brett rolled his eyes and wandered off, leaving Zach alone with his thoughts. He glanced around, glad Kelsie wasn’t hovering anywhere near. His gaze darted around the room of milling people. Maybe he should ask her to dance, get her to thaw a little.
Only he couldn’t find her. Finally, he checked the last place he expected her to be—the kitchen. Staff bustled about the room with brisk efficiency, while the caterer organized and inspected. Zach’s gaze swung around the room. He paused and blinked. Kelsie stood over by the breakfast table, hands fisted at her sides, shoulders thrown back, and a look of defiance on her face. He didn’t like the threatening stance of the guy standing only a few feet from her.
Zach did a double take.
It was Mark.
Even though his beauty queen appeared to be holding her own, Zach mounted his white stallion and rode to the rescue, only to rein himself in a few steps from her. One scathing glance from Kelsie broadcast loud and clear that she didn’t need or want a white knight. Well, screw that. He’d rip the asshole’s head off if he made one move toward Kelsie, gala be damned. In fact, if they were anywhere else but this damn gala, he’d already be mopping the floor with the guy’s face.
The two continued their stilted conversation as if he weren’t there. Mark looked like some model out of some fucking men’s fashion magazine, but then he always had. Zach hated his type. Not only was the guy a coward, but he had a way of making Zach feel like he didn’t measure up. High school all over again. But not this time.
His protective instincts rushed to take over, but he cleared his throat and fought them off, bent on showing her how much he’d learned. “Mark, you’re a long way from Dallas.”
“You’re a long way from the trailer park,” Mark sneered at him.
Zach bit back a retort and tried to remember Kelsie’s lessons about tact and playing nice with others. He really wanted to plant his fist in the asshole’s face. “I’m thinking about putting one in my backyard just so I’ll feel at home.” He kept his voice calm.
Kelsie stared at Zach as if he’d just donned a tutu and started dancing to Swan Lake. She blinked a few times. “Mark was just leaving.”
“Actually, I’m not going anywhere.”
Zach tensed up, ready to grab the guy by the scruff of the neck. Never get defensive and don’t make rash moves until you’ve considered all your options. Kelsie’s words bounced around in his brain. He took a deep breath. “I believe you may want to reconsider.”
“I can handle this, Zach. I was doing just fine before you showed up.” Kelsie pointed toward the door. “Good night, Mark.”
“I’m not leaving.” Mark leaned against the kitchen table and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh, but you are,” Kelsie said.
Zach clenched his fists, then unclenched them. He let his arms hang loosely at his sides. Think before you speak. Plan your words carefully. Defuse a volatile situation with calming words. “It would be best if you left. Let me escort you out.”
“You’re mine.” Mark stood his ground. “For better or worse. What happened to the worse?”
“I got tired of it. I’m not yours anymore. You don’t have the power to hurt me or control me.”
“You’d pick this backwoods hick with no redeeming characteristics other than knowing how to tackle over me? You used him then, and you’re using him now. That’s all you know how to do, sweetheart, is manipulate and use people. He’s a stubborn fool if he thinks you’ll stick around once you’ve gotten what you wanted out of him.”
“You’re a dishonest criminal who bilked innocent people out of their retirement. You aren’t fit to breathe the same air as this man.” Kelsie’s voice rose to an almost shriek. Sensing she was about to lose her shit, Zach wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and held her to his side. He would not be baited by this asshole, nor would Kelsie.
“I’m guessing Kelsie never told you the truth.”
“The truth?” Zach’s life teetered for a moment, then righted itself. He noticed several of his teammates come into the kitchen. They must have heard Kelsie yelling.
“Come on, even you can’t be that dumb and clueless. Did you honestly think it was a coincidence that Kelsie showed up at that charity event a few months ago?”
Zach didn’t have an answer for that while Kelsie struggled to free herself.
“You’re lying!” Kelsie yelled at him.
“You’re a pawn. She came to Seattle specifically because you were here, and she figured she could manipulate you into helping her out. You were her last resort. You always have been.”
Zach shook his head, feeling oddly off-kilter. Kelsie jammed her elbow in his side, but he didn’t let go. “You’ve been set up, buddy. You were always a sucker for her. She invited me here tonight to make you jealous. Sound familiar?”
“You lying bastard. I never invited you. You’re a
fucking felon.” Kelsie tried to pry Zach’s fingers from her waist.
Zach couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could hardly breathe. Even his teammates who stood watching the whole sordid scene seemed to hold their collective breath.
He fought like hell to wrap his brain around Mark’s comments, and one truth spoke louder than the rest. He stared Kelsie’s ex square in the eyes and shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t do that.”
“Let me handle this. This is my battle, not yours.” Kelsie stepped away from Zach and turned to her ex. “I’m calling the police and having you removed from the premises.”
“You know what?” Mark threw back his head and laughed, as if bent on goading Zach, but Zach would not be sucked into a physical altercation. He would not ruin Kelsie’s gala.
“You’re washed up. Without football, you’re nothing, no better than your murdering father.”
“You asshole. How dare you insult him like that?” Kelsie was in full protective mode.
Zach could feel every cell in her body vibrating with uncontrolled fury. He realized he’d let go of her too soon and snaked his arm back around her. With one vicious stomp, she rammed her lethal heel down on his toe. He yelped and released his hold on her.
She grabbed a large metal mixing bowl off the counter by its handle and brandished it like a weapon. “Get the hell out of here. Now. Do you understand? You bastard. Get out.” She advanced on Mark, swinging the bowl in front of her. Caramel sauce sloshed over the sides and drizzled across the floor. Mark’s smile slid off his face. He backed up and regarded the armed woman warily.
Under different circumstances, Zach would’ve doubled over with laughter at the sight of Kelsie whipping the bowl back and forth within inches of this chickenshit’s head. Zach’s prim-and-proper lady was defending him like the fiercest of warriors with a stainless-steel bowl—not exactly the warrior’s weapon of choice.
“You’ve sunk to his level.” Mark threw one last volley.
Offsides: The Originals (Seattle Steelheads Book 3) Page 24
