Playing for Hearts (87 page)

Angie rubbed her hands over her face. “I'm going to quit the job. Gary is more important than money or my time. I've known this since I was younger, even before I slept with him. He's kept me sane, out of trouble, and supported me in everything I've done. He even got me the damn job, and look what it's doing to us.”

“Wait.” Dana stopped walking and pointed at her. “Nobody said anything to you about your—” she twirled her finger in the air “—hot sex at the stadium, right?”

She shook her head. “No. Gary was the only one who they talked to, and they warned him if he continued seeing me, they'd get rid of me. I broke my contract. They'll forgive him, he's their star, but I'm replaceable.”

Gary talked about her regrets if they stayed together and she got fired, but the only thing she wanted to take back was her dumb idea to risk everything for a blow job and incredible, wicked sex against the side of the car. Why she'd thought that was a good idea was beyond thinking about. She had to be smarter; more mature. She was dating a professional football player, not a teenager. She groaned. “I can't even think.”

Shauna stood up slowly, covering Trevor with a blanket. “I need to put this little guy down for the night and hope he sleeps for a few hours.”

Angie stood. “I'm going to go to bed too.”

“Sleep. That will help you think better.” Dana approached her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, drawing her close. “If you need us, we'll skip shopping tomorrow. Just call us. I put my number in your phone earlier.”

She nodded against Dana's shoulder. Her eyes misted over again and she gave her new friend a squeeze. “Thank you. Both of you.”

Shauna kissed her cheek. “We've got your back. If anyone knows what it's like to keep an egotistical man in line, it's us.”

Angie forced a smile, walked them to the door, said goodnight, and latched the door. Gary wasn't egotistical. He was the kindest, gentlest man she knew. He'd always been that way. Sometimes she wondered if his size pushed him to take things slower for fear his temper would get the best of him and he'd hurt someone. Yet, she'd never seen him even argue with someone. It was like he saved all his energy for the field and for the opposing team.

Grabbing her phone off the table, she walked to the bedroom. She looked at the time. Two-thirty in the morning,

She was going to be dead to the world tomorrow if she didn't get any sleep. Her stomach quivered and she pressed her hand to her belly. How was she going to sleep without Gary?

With the first game of the NFL season the day after tomorrow, she needed to get her life straightened out. She flopped down on the bed. There was no use undressing and crawling under the covers. She doubted if she could sleep. Even if she managed to doze off, she'd probably wake up in a worse mood than she was already in.

She turned her classic rock playlist on low and scrolled through her messages on her phone. Everyone she knew had texted her the last couple of days. Her dad, Drew, Jules, Jeff Lowry…she clicked on his name.

Heard a rumor about U. True?

She deleted the message, wondering how he'd gotten her phone number. She groaned.
Shit.

She'd given every player on the team who'd needed a massage a way to contact her in case they wanted to set up a time to have her work on them when it was a day off from practice and games. The overtime wasn't required of her, but she knew how important playing was to each one of them. It was imperative that the Seahawks go the distance.

Her phone vibrated and she shut off the music and sat up. She stared at the screen, holding her breath as she read the incoming text from Gary.

Won't call. Just want to tell U...goodnight.

Her hand shook. She exhaled and quickly tapped on the keys.
Wait!

Several seconds passed, and she was afraid he wouldn't respond when she read,
What?

What was she going to say? She missed him? She was sorry? She wanted to go back to his condominium to sleep with him?

She worked her lips in worry and typed.
I'll make things right. Promise.

Before she could lie down, he replied.
Not you. Me. Don't say anything to them. I'll Fix it.

How typical of him. He took the blame on himself, and wanted to sort her life out. She wasn't incapable of taking care of herself. Sure, he'd gotten the job for her—she'd been sure of that ever since John said she came highly recommended by a player…

Her whole life, she'd relied on him. First as her rock to see her through her mother's cancer and death, and then later to keep her safe and out of trouble when she went out to the clubs with her friend. He was always there. A few times, he'd even intercepted her from making a huge mistake and leaving with another guy.

At the time, she'd seen him as an overbearing friend of her brother's. Now, she saw his love for her had been a constant in her life, and she'd taken it for granted. Well, no more. First chance she got, she was going to fix their little problem and he wasn't going to stop her.

Night, G. Love U.
She hurried and powered down her phone.

She had no desire to read his reply or wait to see if he'd give her more than a generic goodbye from a friend. She laid her head on the pillow and clutched her phone to her chest. Shauna and Dana's advice from earlier went through her thoughts. They were right. Professional athletes were a pain in the ass to handle, and impossible not to love.

A half an hour until game time, and Angie was nowhere to be found. Gary laced up his shoes. She wasn't picking up her phone, and she hadn't been at the hotel when he drove over there last night to check on her after reaching her voice mail all day long. For three long days, he'd had no idea what the fuck was going on.

He'd even had Drew call her to see if she'd answer his call, thinking she finally realized what he'd done and wanted no part of him. He struggled into the home jersey, not wanting to ask anyone for help. Truly alone, he wanted to get away from everyone. He wanted Angie.

“Hey, have you seen Angie? I'm supposed to warm up with her before the game.” Lowry stood beside him, holding his uniform pants in his hand.

Gary shook his head. “Haven't seen her.”

Lowry moved in closer. “Hey, man, is it true? Were you fucking around with her?”

Gary lunged for Lowry and smashed him against the locker, hands fisted in his shirt, face to face. “Don't go there.”

“Jesus, Satchel, what the hell is wrong with you?” Pierce yanked the back of his jersey, but Gary refused to let go of Lowry.

“Don't even speak her name. Got it?” Gary gave him another shove before letting him go.

Pierce and Morgan pushed him behind the last row of lockers. Gary turned away from them and ran his hands through his hair. The last thing he needed was some asshole talking trash and getting Angie in more trouble.

“Want to tell us what went on back there for you to screw up before the first game of the season?” Morgan crossed his arms and put his foot on the bench in front of him.

“No.” Gary glanced at them and punched the locker. “Just keep Lowry away from me, and tell him if he knows what's good for him, he won't open his damn mouth.”

Morgan's brows rose. “He's not known for poppin' off before a game.”

“Yeah, right.” Gary shoulder shoved his way through Morgan and Pierce and turned. “Where's Coach?”

Pierce hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “Got called up into the main office with Doc and Angie.”

“Fuck,” Gary mumbled. “Thanks.”

Tension and relief swept through him at the same time. He walked back to his locker and found Lowry gone. At least he knew where Angie was, and she hadn't done something stupid like take off for Deadhorse and walk away from her job. But a meeting before the game with the administrators? They'd let her go before the whistle blew to start the game.

The injustice of her punishment sucked. It was unfair to make her be the one responsible. He'd loved her for longer, and couldn't believe she'd fallen in love with him. Gary sat on the bench and stared at the tiled floor. Hell, that was his plan all along.

He'd talked himself into believing he was doing her a favor getting her a job with the Seahawks. Even told Drew he'd watch out for her and bring her back to Seattle and help her find a place to live. When all along, he hoped it was the right time, the right moment, the right conditions to come clean with how he felt about her.

He loved her.

There was never any doubt that she was the woman for him. He'd hidden the truth from Drew and everyone else, because he thought he was doing the best thing and staying away from her. The only person he was protecting was himself.

He was afraid of losing her. He had few little things in his life he'd loved. His mom, and she left him to the state. His friends, and he made sure to keep them close but they were ultimately just people in his life he didn't want to lose, with no real investment on his part. And then there was Angie.

For the longest time he tried to tell himself he'd built her up into the perfect woman, into someone he could keep at a distance without getting hurt. But now he knew everything about her: what she was like when she woke up in the morning, and how she needed someone to practically lie on top of through the night, so she could sleep. The reality of having her was more than even he expected.

He wasn't willing to lose her, no matter what.

If they fired her, he'd make up being an asshole toward her.

If they kept her on, he'd fight everyone to make sure they could have a relationship. If that included trading him to a different team, he'd gladly go.

“All right, listen up, team.” Coach's voice boomed in the locker room.

Gary stood and turned around. His gaze found Angie first. She stood a few steps behind the coach with her shoulders back, her arms straight, and her eyes on Gary. His chest tightened. He'd expected a distraught Angie, and instead he found her strong, confident, and reassuring him with a single look.

“Lowry, Tanner, and Jenson, you'll see Doc for your warm up in the exercise room today,” Coach said.

“What about Angie?” Lowry walked across the room.

“She's no longer employed…”

The voices buzzed in Gary's ears, but he ignored everything. Angie stepped around Coach and moved toward him, smiling. The moment she was close enough to touch, he hooked her neck and brought her against him.

He shook, having her back in his arms, half relieved their secret was over, and half angered over their relationship thrusting her back into unemployment.

“I'll speak with them,” he whispered in Angie's ear.

She shook her head against his chest and then peered up at him. “You don't have to. I quit. They never brought up what happened between us. I asked for a meeting before the game today, because I didn't want to leave them in the lurch any more than I already am. They still have time to call in another massage therapist as my replacement for the rest of the season.”

“What are you talking about?” He cupped her face. “You can't walk away.”

“Yes, I can. I did. You talked about regrets, and the only one I'd ever have is if I picked a job over you.” She inhaled deeply, and smiled. “You're the most important person in my life and I'm not willing to worry about a contract, or to hide how much I love you. You mean more to me than making money or having an awesome job on my résumé. Nothing else compares to coming home and loving you.”

“Honey,” he whispered, stroking her face. “I'm not worth that sacrifice.”

“You're worth everything to me.” Her toughness melted, and her gaze grew misty. “I won't let you lose me,” she whispered back. “I love you.”

He captured her mouth, and kissed her. No, he
kissed
her.

His hand came up and palmed the back of her head, holding her in place, and he showed her exactly what her promise meant to him. No one in his life ever put him first, made sure he was secure in knowing they were a permanent fixture in his life, and loved him more than anything else.

There were no words to describe what he was doing to her. His soul shattered and he wanted her to experience every emotion consuming him. She gave him everything back. His tongue tangled with hers. Her lips slipped into the perfect mold of his mouth. He held her still, wanting her to accept it all and she did without any question.

There was nothing but him and her. And the feelings.

When it was over and before she could speak, he said, “We're getting married.”

“What?” She held on to him.

“After the game, we're flying to Vegas, and we're getting married. I'm not going another day without you.” He kissed her quickly. “Call Drew and your dad if you want. Hell, call Jules, Grayson, and the rest of them and have them fly out too. But it's happening tonight.”

Her lips broke out in a smile and her eyes lit up as she nodded her head. “We'll get married.”

“Yeah.” He laughed.

Cheers broke out in the room. His gaze snapped to the others. He'd forgotten they were even there. He pulled Angie back into his embrace and spoke to the team. “We're getting married tonight in Vegas. You're all invited.”

Several minutes of congratulations, and Coach was bringing the team back to the game they were about to play. First game of the season, against the Raiders. Gary kissed Angie, and patted her ass as she walked away.

“Where are you going, Swanson?” Coach yelled.

Angie jolted and turned around. “Outside, Coach. I'm no longer part of the team and—”

“You're marrying Satchel, right?” Coach asked.

She nodded. “Yes, Coach.”

“Then you're back on the team. We can't lose you if these men are going to stay healthy and off the bench,” Coach hollered.