Without Chase (15 page)

Rose served her husband another helping of the ribs and asked, “you’re awfully young to be on your own in all these foreign countries, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m hardly ever alone, actually,” she told her. “I’m usually travelling with other models, or the photographers, or stylists… there can be as many as a dozen people on a shoot and we all travel together.”

“So you and my brother don’t really see each other that much.” Henry declared. “Because doesn’t he travel to New York a lot? And of course there’s the love of his life in D.C.” with just the right amount of pause to imply a different meaning, Henry added, “his house, of course.”

Jamie didn’t react. “We make it work,” she said simply. She wasn’t going to fall into the trap of defending herself. As her father always told her and Luke, ‘never complain and never explain.’

William Sr. nodded approvingly at her answer and even Lynn Bixby looked pleased. Clearly, this was a sport Henry enjoyed and they had watched him play it many times at this table. But with Jamie and Adam working as a team, Henry was outnumbered and he knew it. So he switched tactics and spent the rest of the dinner charming everyone back to his side.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jamie

After dinner, the Bixby family cleaned up the patio and kitchen. They all went to the family room to watch a movie, but as everyone was discussing which movie to watch, Adam stood up and held his hand out to Jamie.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he told her.

He went to their mud room, which contained an impressive amount of sports equipment, and took out a camping lantern and two thick blankets. Jamie found some citronella candles for the bugs and took those as well. Silently, they walked past the tennis courts and the pool to a small slope facing away from the house. Adam hung the lantern on a branch of a magnolia tree and placed the blankets underneath. Jamie lit the candles around them and they laid down together staring at the stars above, in a circle of candlelight.

After a few minutes of contented silence, Adam took her hand and kissed it. “I’ve been waiting to be alone with you all day,” he said.

Jamie propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. “We played tennis this afternoon. That was alone, wasn’t it?”

“Not like this.” He played with her hand absently. “Has my family scared you off yet?”

By way of answering, she said. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” He knew what was coming.

“Your faith---I get the feeling your family doesn’t approve?”

Adam turned to face her. “Oh, they’re OK with a little faith. The going to church every Sunday kind of faith. But not the seven days a week kind of faith. The kind that would actually interfere with living your life like everyone else. And definitely not the kind of faith that some of my mother’s constituents might find offensive or… excessive.”

“So you hide it.”

“I hide how devout I am.”

“You’re pretty good at it, Adam.”

He shook his head. “Not really. If I could, I’d witness to everyone, everyday. But I respect my mother, and I believe that she wants to do the right thing---and she does help a lot of people in her position. So I don’t want to jeopardize that by burdening her with a son who is a, um, ‘bible-thumper’.” Adam sighed. “Sad, isn’t it? I’d be less of a political liability to her if I were a drug addict or convicted felon.”

A thought occurred to Jamie. “But if your family is not necessarily religious, then---”

Adam lay back and looked at the stars again. “I wasn’t a very good kid when I was younger,” he began. “When I was 13, I started experimenting---with drinking, pot, even messing around with girls.” Feeling Jamie’s look on him, he said, “I said messing around, so pretty much everything but---come on, I was barely past puberty! Anyway,” he continued, “one night I snuck into Henry’s room, took his keys and decided to go out for a drive.”

“At 13?” Jamie was shocked. “How did you know how to drive?”

“Yeah, actually Henry taught me. I was tall enough, and I think he thought it was funny. So anyway, I drove to my friends house and we got drunk out in his backyard. Then I guess his mom heard us, so I hightailed it out of there. I decided to drive home even though I knew I should wait until the alcohol had worn off.” Adam stopped, and Jamie saw him struggling with the memory.

“I’m driving down the road, and I knew I was drunk. I knew I was weaving, I knew the road kept going out of focus---but I didn’t stop. Then all of a sudden, I round a corner but instead of the road, I see a big old tree in front of me. I mean, it was right there, right in front of my headlights, taking up my whole windshield. And I remembering thinking, oh shit, I’m gonna die now. And then all of a sudden I felt the car being pulled away from the tree, like there was a big giant magnet behind it.”

Adam sat up, and his voice was full of wonder. “It wasn’t the car spinning away, or swerving---because there wouldn’t have been enough time for that. I was a split second away from impact. No, that car was pulled back away from the tree. You know how, if you sit facing the wrong way on the train, you feel yourself moving, except you’re going in the opposite direction?” Jamie nodded. “Well that’s what happened in that car---it was just this easy backwards movement---and I was so awake and so aware. And the car just seemed to be filled with this, this golden warm light, and I felt this presence in the car with me, and I knew it was God. Just knew it!” He caught his breath. “And when the car stopped, I was back on the road. Except the ignition was turned off and the car was in Park. It was like I had just pulled into a parking space. I started the car and I drove home--totally sober. But I knew that God had just placed his hand on me. And after that night, I’ve just known that God was real, and I want to live my life serving him.”

The weight of his words hung between the two of them. Jamie sat up and put her arm around him. “You’re lucky,” she told him. “You’ve felt grace. But it must be a burden, too. Because you know something that the rest of us are just going by… well, by faith.”

He nodded and exhaled as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “I didn’t tell my family right away because I was afraid of getting in trouble. But then, the older I got, the more I realized they wouldn’t have believed me anyway---they would have explained it away.”

“And maybe your family wouldn’t have wanted to know, anyway,” she added.

Adam looked surprised. “Why do you say that?”

“Because then they can’t deny how strong your faith is. Right now, you’re making it easy for them to believe what they want to believe about you.” Jamie thought of something else. “Is that why they’re making such drama about putting me in a different part of the house, like we can’t keep our hands off each other? Because it allows them---”

“---to pretend that I’m like any other twenty five year old guy out there? Having sex under my parents’ roof with my beautiful girlfriend?” Adam finished for her. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Oh Adam.” This time it was her turn to sigh. Suddenly everything was so clear. Why Adam moved across the country to away from his family, why he seemed determined to build a life of his own away from them.

“Yeah, it sucks, doesn’t it?”

Jamie reached up and pulled him down on the blanket next to her. Adam held his face close to hers until their lips touched. Adam began slowly exploring her mouth with his tongue. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you,” he told her.

He pulled her shirt off, and began kissing the tops of her breasts until he impatiently reached over and took her bra off. He cupped one of her breasts in his mouth as his hand slid up her skirt until he found her slickness. He played with her until she arched against him for release. With a sure touch, he moved lower and lifted her skirt above her waist. As Jamie squirmed, he pulled her underwear down and began pleasuring her with his tongue. Jamie gasped and gave herself up to him, allowing herself to feel the waves of pleasure coming over her, then finally shuddering at the intensity of her climax.

When she got her breath back, Jamie put her clothes back on. As she eased Adam on his back, he shook his head. “I want to watch you,” he said. He stood up, and Jamie gently pushed him against the tree. “My turn,” she whispered, and began undoing his pants. He was throbbing and ready for her. At the first touch, Adam let out a slow groan. She looked up and locked eyes with him as she ran her tongue down the length of him. Teasing him with this several times before finally taking all of him in her mouth, she moved up and down on his shaft, varying the pressure and the speed until she heard him say, “Ahh, Jamie,” as he exploded. With a satisfied murmur, he pulled her up to him and they kissed before he gently lay her down on the blanket again.

They went back to lying side by side, spent and happy. “I’m glad we went outside,” he told her. “I think they would have heard me from the other side of the house.” When Jamie didn’t dispute this, they both laughed. “Can I come sleep with you tonight?” he asked. Jamie was tempted. She had never felt closer to him, and it would be nice to not feel so alone in such a big house. But if Lynn Bixby wanted them to sleep apart, then she wouldn’t disrespect her by doing otherwise. So she shook her head no. “Walk me to my room and say good night,” she told him.

Which he did. The house was already dark when they came back. Before she closed the door filmy behind her, Adam stuck his head in for one more kiss. “I love you,” he told her. “Thank you for being here.”

Jamie kissed him back. “I love you too.” she told him. “Thank you for trusting me enough to bring me here.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chase

The trip was a success, at least according to his agent. “You are back, baby!” Steve Green announced. They were meeting in one of the most expensive restaurants in Vegas. This one was a steakhouse designed to look like a men’s club from the turn of the century with the celebrity chef’s name on the front door.

“I’ve heard nothing except good things,” Steve said, switching between bites of steak and lobster. “The scouting reports say you’ve improved since last year.” He scrolled through his phone. “Here’s one I like: ‘Reston’s weaknesses from last season, most notably his mediocre passing and offensive rebounding were previously hidden by his freakish athleticism. Now, he shows vast improvement in his passing and rebounding stats without losing anything in speed or strength.’” Steve sighed and leaned back in the plush leather armchair that served as his dining seat. “This is gonna be fun.” Ignoring Chase’s silence, he continued. “Look man, I know this past year was tough for you. But you’re actually going to earn almost twice as much as you would have if that shit hadn’t happened. I get to renegotiate your contract, and your endorsement deals are gonna be fucking in-sane because you are a straight up global brand now.” He shook his head as if in disbelief. “I’ve never seen anything like this---usually when a player gets in trouble, that’s it. They’re done. But you turned this around, and shit, man, I don’t know what to say, except you are going to get PAID!”

Chase listened to the words. A part of him wanted to jump up and give Steve a high five---because his agent was right, he was in much better shape professionally and financially. But there was also the part of him that was numb, and had been numb since he saw Jamie at the airport. And the numbness was becoming so much a part of him that he didn’t even know how to react at this news.

“That’s great, man” Chase said. Then because he had nothing else to add, he said it again: “that’s really great.”

Steve, who had been doing his best to ignore Chase’s attitude throughout dinner, gave him a concerned look. “What’s up, Chase?”

Chase forced himself to focus. “No, it’s all good, man.” Then he fell back on the excuse he’d been using since he was a kid: “I’m just tired from the game today.”

Steve didn’t buy it, and as usual he got right to the point. “Is Jamie still with that producer guy?”

“How do you know about that?” Chase supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. Like all good agents, Steve made sure he kept tabs on his clients’ on and off court problems.

Steve waved a hand as if he were swatting a fly. “Matty and Helene. Toughest women in the business, but damn if they don’t love reading gossip on the Internet. Helene says it’s research.”

“What do they tell you?”

“That he’s not some drunk musician like the last guy. Boring guy from an old family.” He paused. “So he may actually have a chance with her.”

Chase nodded. “Sounds about right.”

“Chase, listen…” Steve looked as if he’d rather eat nails than have a conversation with his client about his broken heart. “I know it’s tough. I mean, you and your mom aren’t speaking, so you probably feel like you’re all alone or something, but you’re young and---”

Mostly to put Steve out of his misery, Chase cut him off. “I’ll be alright, Steve. I just thought it would end up differently, that’s all.”

His agent looked relieved that he could change the subject. As a server brought warm bread rolls to the table, he asked, “so when do you want to move back to the US?”

The question throw Chase for a loop. “Oh yeah,” he said slowly. “I guess there’s no reason to stay in Spain once the season is over.”

“The season ends in a month. The tenants in your LA house have actually moved out already, but their company has agreed to keep paying for the whole twelve months. However, if you want to release them from the contract---”

“Yes.” It was the first thing in the conversation that made him happy.

“Well, but you’d have to refund---”

“Come on, Steve. You just told me I was going to be a fucking multimillionaire. You think I care about some god damned rent money?”

Steve winked at him, glad they were joking around again. “How about the deposit? Do you care about that?”

Chase stretched out with a big smile and put his arms behind his head. “I don’t care about anything except living in my own house again.”

Steve threw up a cautionary hand. “Hold on, though. You don’t know if your team is going to trade you. If the Waves do that, you’re going to have to move to another city, so don’t get too attached.”

“Yeah, but I can always live in LA during the off season. And I’m glad you were looking out for my money before, but this time, I’m going to keep the place for myself.” He was finally feeling a little different. After seeing the money from his rookie contract being depleted by legal fees and consulting fees and not knowing if he was ever going to play again, it felt good to not have a financial cloud over him.

There was also another good thing about going back to his house---he and Jamie would be neighbors again.

With that thought, as well as the feeling of being a very rich man, he spent the night in Vegas partying. He and the international players were given VIP passes to the best clubs, and they decided on a few favorites. The beautiful women quickly followed, so that no matter where he and his friends were, they were always flanked by arm candy.

Tonight was no exception, and after a couple of false starts, Chase found himself drawn to a tall blonde from Australia---an aspiring actress currently living in LA, natch. He had already been drinking heavily, and kept forgetting her name.

The next morning, when he woke up, his heart leapt when he saw someone with wavy blonde hair lying next to him. “Jamie?” he asked groggily, reaching for her.

The girl turned around and he tried to hide his disappointment. “No, it’s Emma, remember?” She muzzled against his neck and he found himself idly wondering why he hadn’t asked her to leave the night before.

As if reading his mind, she told him, “you asked me to stay last night.”

“Oh. I don’t remember.”

“You were pretty out of it.” She flipped her hair so it lay across her shoulders seductively. “You kept calling me Jamie.”

It was all beginning to come back to him, except he thought it had been a dream---making love to Jamie, hearing her moan his name as she came.

“Oh.” He said again. He looked at Emma. She didn’t really look like Jamie, but looking at her in the light, he knew why she had been a good substitute. She had the same long-limbed, slender hipped body Jamie had, and she wore her hair long and loose. More out of curiosity, he wanted her again, if only to see why he would have gone so deep into his dream.

Emma reached down and touched him knowingly. “You can’t get enough of me, can you?” she said.

“If you say so,” he said, wondering how many times he had sex with this girl last night.

“Well, I guess you can’t get enough of me pretending to be this Jamie girl, anyway.” Emma said, straddling him. Chase closed his eyes. As she began to move on top of him, she added, “I was getting ready to leave last night, but you pulled me into bed with you and just wrapped me up like I was your teddy bear or something. You know what you said?”

Chase wished she would stop talking. “No, what?”

“You said, ‘stay with me, Jamie’.”