Playing For Keeps (30 page)

Jacelyn watched openmouthed.

Mike stepped forward. “That wasn’t exactly
what happened, Kyle. Your mother and me not seeing each other isn’t
your fault.”

“Isn’t it? Dad just said it was.”

Jacelyn groaned. “Kyle, honey--”

Kyle turned on her. “Jeez, Mom, how could you
think such awful things about Coach and still sleep with him?”

The stark words silenced everybody. The look
on Mike’s face told her Kyle what he’d said had hit home with.

Neil bristled. “I’m finding this conversation
very unpleasant, Jacelyn. I’m going to bed. You’ll have to make
sense of this.”

When Neil left, Mike spoke to Kyle again.
“You do need to talk to your mother. I’ll head out. But before I
do, I want you to know that the problems between me and your mother
went a lot deeper than you changing your major. We aren’t seeing
each other for a lot of reasons, Kyle. We’re really different, son.
These things happen between people and it’s nobody’s fault.” He
squeezed Kyle’s shoulder. “Especially not yours.”

Mike turned to Jacelyn. “You should stay here
and talk to him. It’s too late to drive back. I’ll take Kyle’s car
and he can ride with you in the morning. I’ll leave yours at your
house and pick mine up.”

“No, we’re heading out. But you should drive
Kyle’s car.” She wanted to say so much to Mike but she had to
concentrate on her son now. “Thanks again.” She gestured, her hand
indicating Neil’s house. “For all this.”

“You’re welcome.” With a last pat on Kyle’s
shoulder, Mike took his keys and left.

She put her hand on her son’s arm. “Come on,
I’ll explain it all to you on the drive back.”

o0o

Jacelyn could feel Kyle watching her across
the car. He looked as though he wanted to ask how somebody so smart
could be so stupid at times. “Let me get this straight. You and
Coach hooked up. You liked him, and he liked you, enough to...you
know. Enter Dad. He says it’s Coach’s fault I’m switching majors,
and you agree to kick Mike out of our lives.”

“Not exactly.” She glanced over at him. “I
agreed to consider it.”

“Well, that’s not as bad. Coach would still
be pissed about it, though. Wasn’t he?”

“Yes, but, honey, none of this is Mike’s
doing. It’s all mine.”

Kyle laid his head against the seat. “Nah.
From what I can piece together, it’s mostly Dad’s fault.
Again.”

“No, Kyle. First off, I think your father has
a lot of regrets about how your relationship has evolved since he
left. So you have to foster a new one with him and starting with
blame won’t help. But mostly, I take responsibility for my own
actions. I was the one who agreed to consider your dad’s
demands.”

“Why did you?” When she hesitated, he said,
“Because you thought it was best for me.”

“I had to think about that, honey.”

“Hell, Mom, I’m almost twenty years old. I
know my own mind.”

“I guess you do.”

“Why didn’t Coach tell me the truth tonight?
When I went to Buckland?” He shook his head. “I said some awful
things because I didn’t have the whole story.”

“Why do you think?”

“He was protecting me, too. He didn’t want me
to think you two split up because of me.”

“We didn’t. If my relationship with Mike was
meant to be, honey, your father couldn’t have affected it.”

Kyle was quiet. Finally he asked, “Are you in
love with Coach, Mom?”

Jacelyn sighed. She needed to be more honest
with her son from now on. Like he said, he was twenty years old.
“Yes, honey, I am.”

“I think he loves you, too. He tried to
protect you tonight. Just like you did me.”

She shook her head.

“What?”

“He was willing to miss the game in Oakland
for you.”

“He’s so cool, Mom. You’re crazy if you let
him go.”

“I’ve already lost him, honey.”

“Well, to quote one of my favorite sports
heroes, ‘It’s not over till it’s over.’“

“What are you saying?”

“That there’s still time to fix this if you
really want to. You got choices, Mom. You gonna drop back and punt
or you gonna go for it, fourth and goal?”

“I don’t have any idea what that means.”

“Think about it.” He lay back and closed his
eyes. “Oh, and Mom?”

“Yes?”

“He was willing to protect me just like you
were tonight, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seems to me, then, you two aren’t so
different after all. In what counts.”

Oh, God, could Kyle be right? On the entire
drive back, she couldn’t quell the thought. And the hope that
sprang with it.

Mike forced back the urge to scan the stands,
to look for Jacelyn. The players were warming up just before the
game against Michigan started; he managed to keep his gaze from
traveling to the team’s friends-and-family section, but still he
thought about her. He knew Ty would be there, along with Millie and
her kids. And Kyle would come with Eric. Things were finally square
between Mike and Jacey’s son. Mike had driven up to Rockland on the
Tuesday after the Oakland game to have lunch with the boy. They’d
sat in the Cyber Café and talked. Kyle had apologized for jumping
the gun…

“Sorry about blaming you, Coach. It’s just
that where my mother’s concerned, there’s no question where my
loyalty is.”

“That’s how it should be.”

“Did I, like, you know, ruin things between
you and me?”

“Nah, ‘course not. We just had a small
misunderstanding.” Mike had taken out the passes Kyle had returned
to him and slid them across the table. “Can you make the game
Sunday?”

The boy’s face had lit from within. “Yeah,
sure.” He’d glanced at the passes. “There’s still four here. Mom’s
invited?”

“Um, yeah, I guess. How’s she doin’?”

“She’s sad.” Kyle’s expression had been
hopeful. “You should go see her while you’re here. She’s got office
hours now.”

“Maybe...”

He hadn’t, though. Twice he’d started up the
steps to her office, but he’d walked away instead. She had to come
to him. She had to make her choice clear. She had to decide on her
own, without pressure from him, where
her
loyalties
lay.

Absently, he watched the players warm up. He
couldn’t wrap his brain around the fact that she’d thought she was
pregnant and hadn’t told him. What did that mean? Would she have
told him eventually? Would she have gotten rid of it?

Did you want more babies after
Kyle?

Not at first. When it was too late, I
wished I had, though.

She probably would have had his kid. Hell, he
would have wanted her to have it. Truth be told, once the dust had
settled, he wished like crazy she had been pregnant. That would
have forced her hand.

Yeah, Kingston, and you never would have
known, the rest of your life, if she’d truly picked you.
Still, a baby with Jacey. A sister for Kyle and Ty. Being able to
live together as a real family. When had Mike discovered that’s
what he truly wanted out of life?

The whistle blew and he knew he had to get
his mind away from those crazy-making thoughts. What the hell? He
needed to know if she was here, so he grabbed his binoculars from
the bench and scanned the reserved seating section.

He found Kyle next to Tyler, both wearing
team sweatshirts and Bulls’ caps. It was the beginning of October,
and today was warm.

Millie. Her boys. And several of the players’
wives. Some brunettes wearing Bulls’ shirts. Somebody with a
football jersey that had his old number on it. Mostly everybody’s
face was obscured by the caps. Still, he’d have recognized Jacey if
she was here. Damn it to hell, he thought, turning to the players.
She hadn’t come.

He was absurdly disappointed.

o0o

Jacelyn watched Mike pick up the glasses and
scan the crowd. She wondered if he saw her. If he did, would he
want her to be here? Over the past week, she’d started to call him
innumerable times. But she’d stopped herself. She could tell when
they went to get Kyle in Ithaca that she’d really hurt him. At
first, she thought it best to leave it there. Then Millie and Kyle
and Eric had been vocal about how wrong she was.

First her brother...
What the
hell
is wrong with you, Jace? You love him, he’s crazy about you and
your kid. Where is your head at?

Then Millie...
Damn it Jacey, wake up. He
took all the blame for splitting so your son didn’t get hurt. He
drove up here then down to Ithaca, and was willing to miss a game
for you guys. Do you have any idea what all that means?

And finally a discussion with Kyle...

Coach was here today.

Her heart had plummeted.
He was?

He didn’t come to see you?

No, did he say he would?

Nope.
Kyle shook his head.
Looks
like the ball’s in your court, Mom.

Now, that expression she understood. She was
going to have to make the move to get Mike back in her life. And
she’d be damned if she didn’t choose him. She wanted him. And she
was willing to fight for him. She patted her jeans pockets. Two
things had come in the mail that week for her to use as ammunition.
Decision made, she decided to do it in person, too, because she
thought she’d have a better chance of convincing him if he still
doubted her sincerity.

The game took forever. Jacelyn got more and
more nervous as the clock ticked down. She kept watching Mike,
striding along the sidelines, yelling to the players, talking into
the headset. Damn, why couldn’t football games be shorter?

o0o

They’d won. Mike should be happy. After
returning to the locker room, after the cheers and pats on the back
with the players, he took his time showering and dressing. As the
scalding water beat down on him, he thought about the night ahead.
He was planning to meet Kyle, Ty and Millie, Gage and her kids at
an out-of-the-way restaurant for dinner.

Without Jacey.

He let loose a string of obscenities.

Stepping out of the shower, he dried off,
dressed and still he lingered. For one thing, he didn’t want to
face any hangers-back who were looking for his autograph. Jeez,
people were still after it. For another, he wasn’t looking forward
to pretending things were peachy keen in front of Jacey’s friends
and her son. Mike was miserable. He wanted Jacey with them, with
him, in his life.

Then do something about it.

Oh, hell, watching from the stands wasn’t
cutting it. He was going to hike on back to the playing field and
win this game. Plain and simple. Nothing more to it. Finally, he
strode from the locker room, thinking about how he might go about
getting his ladylove back.

The door slammed behind him with a heavy thud
that echoed loudly in the area outside the locker room; it was
empty, thank the good Lord. At least he didn’t have to deal with
rabid fans who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Then somebody stepped out of the shadows.
“Hey, Coach.”

Damn it. For a minute, she just stood there.
The one who had been in the team family section, wearing the
football jersey with his old number on it. Slowly, she approached
him.

And Mike’s heart began to gallop in his
chest. He’d recognize that graceful sway of hips anywhere. When she
reached him, she whipped off the cap and all that gorgeous blond
hair spilled everywhere. “Hi.”

He found his voice. “Hey.”

She held up some papers. “Can I have your
autograph?”

He stared hard at her, remembering that first
meeting. “I, um, don’t give autographs.”

“Oh, please, just this once.”

“I suppose it’s for your son.”

“Ah, no. It’s for me.” Then she said,
wrenchingly, “For us.”

“Ja—”

“No, don’t say anything. Just open the top
paper and sign it.”

He looked down. And unfolded the document. It
was his contract to teach at Beckett next semester. “Please, Coach,
give it your John Hancock.”

Drawing in a breath, he scrawled his name on
the dotted line.

“Now the next one.”

He arched a brow. “Two? Hmm. Don’t know ‘bout
that. Maybe I’ll sign it.” He moved close enough to smell the
take-me perfume she wore. “If I get something in return.”

“You can have anything you want in return.”
Her tone was achingly sincere. “But look at it, please.”

Mike couldn’t help himself. He leaned down
and brushed his lips over hers. “I miss you so much.”

Jacelyn grasped his shoulders. “I miss you,
too.”

He stepped back and opened the second thing,
which was in some fancy envelope. An invitation.

You are cordially invited to attend the
annual Beckett Holiday Ball held on November 11th at the Burgundy
Basin Inn. You may bring a guest.

“The ball’s an annual event,” she explained
softly. “I go every year.” She swallowed hard. “So does every
member of the Beckett faculty. And the mayor. And anybody who’s
anybody in Rockford.”

A lump formed in his throat. “You want me to
go?” He waved the other sheet. “As a faculty member?”

“No, as my escort.” She held his gaze
unflinchingly.

Reaching out, he traced the edges of the
number on her football jersey. He needed to hear some things out
loud. “Why, Jacey?”

She caught his hand and clasped it close to
her heart. “Because I love you and I want a life with you.” She
brought his fingers to her lips. “I’m so sorry about
everything.”

Leaning in, he met her forehead with his.
“Me, too. I didn’t make any of this easy for you.”

Jacelyn shook her head “No, it was me. I was
wrong.”

Mike brought his hand to her lips. “Know
what? I’m sick of all this blame. Let’s deep-six it.” He glanced
around. “If it’s all the same with you, I reckon I’d just like to
start over again.” He grinned. “Maybe pretend we just met, here,
with you askin’ for my autograph, like the last time.”