The Player's Game

by Alice Gaines

  The football coach touched his arm. “This way, Mr. Howard. The team is waiting for you.”

  He glanced down at Katy. “Want to do this? You could wait on the bus and get some work done.”

  “I’m in,” she said.

  “Yeah, Pops,” Harrington called. “Warm them up for me.”

  Go screw yourself, twerp. He didn’t say the words out loud—he had to maintain his image as Mr. Nice Guy. At home was another story. Katy had heard his complaints many times.

  As he and Katy followed the coach, he noticed she was frowning.

  “That little twerp needs to go screw himself,” she said under her breath. He smiled. That was just one of the many reasons he’d married her.

  …

  So, this was what a public relations tour was like? This one was to drum up support for the local NFL team and to promote the local Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. Grant had been on them before, but Katy had never gone along. Hanging out in the school’s locker room, allowing the fans to get to know some of the players, and learn about the team’s charitable work… It was sort of a civic duty. And for sure, the young players Grant met today would never forget him.

  Except for the little exchange with the hotshot young QB, Grant seemed to be enjoying himself. Katy had never really watched him interacting with kids before. Most of the members of the team would reach college age in a year or less, but they were still so young. Not far from the age she’d been when she’d met Grant. He’d worked his charm on her then, and now he was working it on these young men.

  He’d always wanted children—he’d been up front with her about that from the beginning. More people to provide for and protect. He would have shielded her from all of life’s unpleasantness while she produced baby after baby like a laying hen popping out eggs.

  Not that she’d never wanted a child. Just not now, when she had so many other things to accomplish. He’d paid lip service to all that and had put her through law school. But when push had come to shove, he’d expected her to put her ambitions aside to create a family for him.

  One of the team wives slid up next to Katy and handed her a bottle of sparkling water. “You look like you need this.”

  Katy grasped the bottle and took a long drink. “Thanks. I guess I did. I’m Katy McCord, Grant’s ex-wife.”

  “Laura Nelson.” Laura pointed toward the star running back who’d come along on the trip. “That one’s mine.”

  The one in question had a group of players around him as he demonstrated some moves. His name was Nelson, too. Laura must have taken her husband’s name in marriage. Grant had never insisted on that with Katy, but then, maybe Laura had wanted to change her name.

  “It’s all so exciting, isn’t it?” Laura said.

  “Excuse me?”

  “All this.” Laura gestured with the hand holding her sparkling water bottle. The movement indicated the entire locker room. She found that exciting?

  “We were so thrilled when Bill got drafted in the third round,” Laura said. “Then he made the team and first string.”

  Katy thought back to her and Grant’s senior year. He’d gone in the first round, and although they’d felt sure he’d make the team, they’d never had any assurance he’d become the starting quarterback. Then, during his first few years in the NFL, she’d been too absorbed in law school to worry about Grant’s career. He’d fretted about her—insisting she take cabs when she could have ridden the subway easily enough. He’d always been thinking of her, even if she considered him overprotective. Maybe she should have thought about what he’d been going through instead of always worrying about her grades and passing the bar. Maybe now that he was facing new challenges in the person of Jimmy Harrington, she could finally help him out.

  “I’m head of the wives’ club,” Laura said. “We do charity work to support our husbands and go shopping together. You should join us. No reason we can’t take ex-wives, too.”

  “I’m afraid my career keeps me very busy,” Katy said.

  “So, let me ask…” Laura giggled. “Are you the one in the video?”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  Laura put her hand on her chest and laughed out loud. “That was funny.”

  Yeah, maybe because she hadn’t been the one pounding on doors. Laura kept laughing, and the sound of her voice had other people staring in their direction. Grant stopped talking to the person next to him and glanced toward Katy.

  Now the room buzzed, as people spoke to each other behind their hands. Even the high school kids got into it, and no one could snicker better than a bunch of teenagers. The principal cleared his throat and glared at his students, but that only stopped the laughter. The smirking continued.

  “Now, don’t go picking on Mrs. Howard about that video,” Laura said to the whole group. A real helper, that one. She’d even given Katy Grant’s last name, which Katy had never taken. Then Laura put her arm around Katy. “We all do things sometimes.”

  Yeah, things. But not everyone got caught on a security camera doing them. Katy’s stomach sank. Nothing she could say would make this situation better.

  But it could get worse. Across the room, Grant got that look in his eyes—the one he’d had in the elevator when he’d confronted her “date.” He was in full protector mode. And that spelled trouble.

  She shook her head at him, signaling him to stay where he was. But the more the laughter and gossip continued, the more intense his expression grew.

  He finally left the kids where he’d been standing and walked to her side. He didn’t do anything but simply put his hand at her elbow and look around at everyone. Laura finally cleared her throat and stepped away. The football coach went to the center of the room. “Okay, team, everyone into the gym for the assembly.”

  Lockers closed and feet shuffled off as the room emptied of people. Students first, followed by faculty, then the rest of Grant’s teammates and their wives. Finally, the principal smiled at Grant. “We’ll see you in a minute.”

  Once they’d all left, Grant turned toward Katy. “I’m sorry.”

  “I was the one pounding on the doors,” Katy said. “I got myself into this.”

  “I drove you to it.”

  “You can’t take responsibility for everything, Grant.”

  His answering huff told her that he thought otherwise. She had to stop trying to change him. No matter how many times she’d told him she had her own life and could take care of herself, she’d never convinced him to stop hovering over her. He still did it now, even though they were divorced. Still, at the end of this tour, they’d separate again. She could stop fighting him then.

  The tour manager came up to them. “You ready to face a gym full of these brats?”

  “They’re not brats,” Grant answered.

  “They were acting like it, just now,” the manager said.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Grant said.

  “Whatever you say.” The manager shook his head and chuckled. “The video was funny.”

  Grant stared at the manager until the guy raised his hands in surrender and followed the path the others had taken out of the room.

  Grant squeezed Katy’s elbow. “Ready to take on the brats?”

  “I am if you are.”

  “That’s my girl.” He bent and placed a kiss just above her temple. Then, like the man in charge he was, he led her off after the others.

  …

  Visiting three schools and a shopping center made for a really long day. With the local stuff done, they’d come home for the night. The overnight trips would start tomorrow when they ventured farther away.

  Grant watched Katy do her best to stay awake on the bus ride home, but eventually, she lost the battle, rested her head back against the seat, and closed her eyes. How many times had he put his arm around her and held her against him in a purely innocent ges
ture? As they’d watched a movie at home after grueling days for both of them. On flights when she pretended not to be afraid the plane would fall out of the sky. On dates in college, in his beat-up old pick-up.

  Scratch that. Those times had never been innocent. Once they’d even managed to have sex while he’d sat on the passenger seat and she’d straddled him. They’d been so hungry for each other in those days. If he wanted to tell the truth, that hadn’t dimmed in the least.

  She shifted, clearly uncomfortable, so he slid his arm around her. For a second or two, she opened her eyes, although they didn’t quite focus. Then she sighed, closed them again, and leaned into him.

  Katy, Katy, Katy. He so shouldn’t be doing this, and she so shouldn’t let him. She knew what any sign of vulnerability she offered did to him. He’d been protecting people his whole damned life, even when he was too little to have any effect on the world. Then he’d fallen in love with her, and his instincts had kicked into high gear. He could deal with her like an adult human being when she was in up-and-coming lawyer mode. But when she snuggled against his chest like a kitten, he turned into warm mush inside. Still, he allowed himself to kiss the top of her head then lay his cheek against it.

  In a few blocks, reprieve came into view—their old building where she still lived. The bus stopped outside, and he stared up at the window of the condo they’d shared. He’d come home here so many times. He had his own place across town now. Life was good there.

  He shook her gently. “You’re home.”

  She sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I guess I fell asleep.”

  “Something like that.”

  She glanced out the window but didn’t move to get up. She bit her lip as the wheels started turning in her head. Grant had watched her thinking often enough to let her finish without help.

  “Want to come up?” she said.

  “You sure about that?”

  Most of their group had already left the bus. Only the manager and one other teammate remained. Neither of them, nor the driver, said anything about Katy’s hesitation.

  “I could use a nightcap, and you were always great company for that,” she said.

  “Okay, but just for a little while,” he said. “We have a longer trip tomorrow.”

  She finally got up and gathered her purse from the floor. “Come on, big guy.”

  No way he was turning this invitation down, even though it’d probably get him in trouble. So, he got up and followed. No one commented as they left and entered the building.

  Joe, the doorman, noticed, though. His face brightened. “Mr. Howard. Good to see you. I’ve been following you on the television.”

  “How’s it been, Joe?” Grant asked.

  “Just fine, sir.” Joe looked from Grant to Katy, and his smile widened.

  “Good night, Joe.” Katy waved as she headed toward the elevators.

  Again, Grant went after her. Who knew what that “good night” meant? She wasn’t coming down again, for sure. But had she said “good night” for both of them, as if he was going to stay? He’d make himself crazy if he tried to puzzle that out.

  Katy didn’t stand far away from him in the elevator, but she didn’t cuddle up to him, either. She fidgeted a bit, and his own hands couldn’t quite figure out where to go. If this was going to be awkward, why had she invited him?

  She smiled at him as she used her key to let them in. They passed the guest bedroom on their way to the living room. Grant stopped and looked inside. “New desk?”

  “I thought I needed a bigger one.”

  She’d gotten big, all right. The polished wood monster took up much of the room. She’d turned the space into an office, complete with file cabinets and a copy machine. When she’d been in law school, she’d studied in a corner of the living room, leaving this bedroom for guests, like his mom. He’d thought someday it would be a nursery.

  “You still like Scotch?” she asked. “I think I have some.”

  “Perfect.” This wasn’t his home any longer, and he had no say in what she did with it, so he went into the living room and waited while she poured drinks.

  She’d changed stuff in here, too. His recliner had gone with him to his new place, and she only had a small TV on top of a low bookcase. She’d expanded the stereo, though, with large speakers and possibly hundreds of music CDs. When he checked them out, he discovered they were mostly classical and not the country he listened to.

  She emerged from the kitchen with two glasses. His Scotch, neat as he liked it, and a glass of red wine for herself. She handed him his drink and raised her glass, so he clinked them together.

  “The Harrington kid is obnoxious,” she said.

  “Comes with the territory.”

  “He’s trying to get your job, isn’t he?”

  “That’s what he’s there for.”

  She took a sip of her wine, studying him over the rim of her glass as she did. “You can’t be that nonchalant about him.”

  Of course, Katy would see behind his defense about Harrington. Even with all the money he’d piled up in savings and prospects for product endorsements to make him rich, losing the starting position meant losing the identity he’d had since his junior high coach had noticed his ability. The inevitable would happen—someone would take his place—either Harrington or another quarterback. He’d known that forever, but the thought still ate at his gut.

  “He could never replace you,” Katy said. “No one can.”

  “Someone will have to.” He took the rest of his drink in one swallow. “The kid’s good. He’s the future of the team.”

  “No.” For a second, she looked like she was going to stomp her foot. She was cute, actually. Denying reality because it would hurt him.

  “It’s football. You’ll have your law career for as long as you want. I only have, maybe, a couple of years left.”

  “You have the team’s passing record and the lowest interceptions in the league.”

  “You’ve been following me?” That shouldn’t make him happy. They’d been divorced for a year—separated for another year before that—and her approval shouldn’t mean anything to him. Lord knew she hadn’t approved of anything in the last months of their marriage.

  “You’re the best, and I was married to you for a while.”

  “Then maybe you’re biased.” In his favor. Wasn’t that a kick in the head?

  “Seriously, Grant,” she said. “You worked so hard.”

  “And it got me to the top of the heap. I can’t complain.” In reality, he could complain loud and often, but only to himself. Maybe he and Katy could have had the sort of relationship where they shared everything. Too bad it hadn’t worked out that way.

  So, now he was standing here in a place that had been his home—a weird combination of his and not his. He didn’t belong here any longer.

  He handed her his glass. “Early start tomorrow. Upstate. You’ll need to get your rest.”

  She looked at his empty glass in her hand and frowned. Maybe she’d expected him to have more than one drink. Then his inhibitions would have disappeared and he’d have eased her toward the bedroom. He’d been doing that sort of thing a lot since their divorce. Only he didn’t want to do it in what had been his bedroom. And he didn’t really need to see what changes she’d made in there.

  If they were going to have sex again, they could do it somewhere else. Like one of the hotels they’d be staying in on the road. And she could come to him because she honestly wanted him, not a present for her thirtieth birthday. If she did that, he’d give her what she wanted. He might be a sap about wanting to protect her, but he was human. When a guy got an opportunity to have the kind of sex they had, he didn’t turn it down. The feelings—the human connection—could get him into a hell of a lot of trouble. He’d have to deal with that later, and he would.

  But nothing was
going to happen tonight. He would not wake up in the home he’d shared with her. It would be too much like being married again.

  “See you tomorrow, Katy.” He kissed her on the forehead and left, whistling.

  Chapter Four

  Grant had kissed her forehead and walked out. It was a blow to Katy’s female ego, for sure. She’d created the perfect opportunity for them to have sex again, and he’d left…whistling! As if that wonderful night they’d spent together at Savvy had truly been a one-night stand.

  Things had been so pleasant between them. There’d been no pressure to make a choice between her work and her marriage. No talk of children. Just being friends, as they had been in college. Supporting each other and enjoying each other. If she could have that for the next week or so of the tour, she ought to be able to relax and bask in the warmth Grant put out—personally and sexually. One thing was for sure: she was not going to allow him to pass up the chance to have sex with her again. Even if she did need a little help from a friend.

  Katy stood outside Xandra’s door and waited for her friend to answer. Despite the hour, Xandra had told her to come up, so she had to be home and awake. Xandra opened the door, releasing a cloud of her cologne. Pleasant and spicy rather than floral.

  Xandra threw her arms around Katy. “You’re going to borrow a negligee, after all. Xandra’s Magic Closet is at your disposal.”

  “Thanks.” Katy allowed herself to be pulled into the condo.

  “Something happened to change your mind?” Xandra closed the door behind her and leaned against it. “Dish.”

  “I didn’t really change my mind.”

  Xandra gave Katy her don’t-BS-me stare.

  “Grant did it for me.” Yes, she’d asked him up, but she’d just awakened with her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. She just hadn’t wanted to give him up for a while. Then, they’d been together in the condo—the place where they’d made love so many times—and he’d been so tempting… She might not have planned for them to have sex, but she sure hadn’t expected him to walk away as if he didn’t feel that way about her any longer. “The bus came to drop me off, and I asked him up for a drink. He had one…then he just…walked…out.”