Change of Hart

by M. E. Carter

  “Incoming call from Sara.”

  I was on my way home after practice when the hands-free system alerted me of the call. The further we got into the season, the less intense practices were. We did a lot of drills and ran through a bunch of plays. But it wasn’t the same hard-core practice we had done back in August. We had more than found our groove at this point and risking a serious injury wasn’t worth it anymore.

  I pressed the hands-free button to answer the call. “Hey, beautiful!” I said. “How is New York treating you?”

  “Hey, sexy,” she answered in her sultry voice. One of Sara’s best features was her voice. It didn’t hurt to sound like that when you were trying to make it in Hollywood. While she hadn’t had a huge break on the big screen yet, she did alright playing supporting characters. And she was highly sought after for voiceover work, so she did just fine. “New York is full of just as many voluptuous women with low standards as always. New York has missed you. So have I.”

  “I’ve missed you, too, baby doll,” I said with a grin. “We’re playing the Giants, uh, next month I think. I was gonna call you before we got in. See if you wanted to hook up.”

  “It’s funny you should say that,” she responded. “I’ve been looking at your schedule and it appears kick-off is at one. I have a movie premiere that night at eight. Think you could stick around overnight and go with me?”

  “You have a premiere? That’s great! Big part?”

  “It’s still a supporting role,” she said with excitement. “But Jay, it was so much bigger than American Ambiance was! The cast has bigger names and the role was of the best friend. It was the biggest on-screen part I’ve ever done! I’m really excited and nervous. I need you there holding my hand!”

  I was genuinely excited for her. “That’s so great, Sara! Didn’t I tell you it would come? You are too talented and too sexy to not be a huge star!”

  “Aw, Jay. You’re too sweet to me.”

  “I’m just telling you the truth, darling,” I said. “I don’t see why going to the premiere would be a problem. Can you have your publicist call mine and coordinate everything? You know I’ll forget by then.”

  She chuckled huskily. “I know. I’ve already put my publicist on standby. I wanted to clear it with you first, but yes, I know you will forget. You always seem to forget about me when you’re not here.”

  “That’s not true,” I argued. “You still come up in conversation with Deuce.”

  She snorted. “That’s because Deuce is a giant perv who still wants to get in my pants.”

  “No, Deuce is a married man who is whipped now with a baby on the way.”

  “No!” she said. “That’s so great! Tell him I said congratulations!”

  “I will.”

  “I know you are super busy, so I won’t keep you,” she said, “but Jason, don’t you dare reserve a hotel room for that night in New York. You are all mine when you come here. And don’t you forget it!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I agreed. Sara was certainly a bossy little thing. But we understood each other. That’s why our relationship had lasted as long as it had.

  “Ok, well I have a zillion things to do now so I’ll see you next month.”

  “Looking forward to it, baby cakes,” I said with a smile.

  “See ya later, sexy,” she said and hung up with me still smiling and looking forward to spending some time with her in the Big Apple.

  The night of the gala, I rented a limo. Not one of those tacky prom limos. But a really nice sleek black limo with comfortable leather seating and some champagne in the back. I knew this was gonna be a night to remember and I wanted it to be as special as it could be for Addison.

  I was decked out in my tux. I owned it, but got an updated cumber bun and tie when some stylist Adam hired informed me that mine was out of style. I had no idea any part of a tux went out of style, but I just rolled with it.

  When the driver and I got to the house, I was surprised to find Mick and Jaxon still there.

  “Well, don’t you look like a million bucks,” Mick said as he walked toward me from his truck.

  “Thanks,” I said. “What do you think of the tie? Is it too, I don’t know, trendy?”

  Mick looked at me like a deer in headlights. “Uhhhh . . . aren’t all tuxedo ties the same?”

  “That’s what I said,” I answered, wondering for the umpteenth time if the stylist had duped me into buying something I already had.

  “What are you guys doing after the gala?” Mick asked innocently as we walked up the walkway together. I should have recovered better than I did, but his question threw me off guard.

  “Um, we’re uh, I mean . . . ,” I stammered.

  Mick turned to look at me and saw me struggling. “Ooooh,” he said with his eyebrows raised. ‘Well, um . . . good for you,” he said, patting me on the shoulder. The conversation had turned very awkward, very fast. Fortunately for us, Jaxon had seen us both coming and threw the door open.

  “Jason! Pee-paw!” he yelled, lunging at both of us. He got to Mick first and hugged him, then somehow wiggled out of Mick’s arms into mine without ever touching the ground.

  “Hey, Mick!” I heard Addison yell down the hallway. “Thank goodness you’re here! Can you come help me for a minute?”

  He looked at me and I shrugged. “You’re the married one. I don’t know what women do in there.”

  He tousled Jaxon’s hair and walked down the hall, leaving Jaxon and me alone.

  “Are you taking my mom on a date?” Jaxon asked with a serious expression on his face.

  “I would like to,” I said, pulling out a chair in the small dining room on the right and sitting down. “But I need to ask your permission first, I suppose.”

  “How come?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

  “Well,” I said, rubbing my chin, “when a man likes a woman and wants to take her on a date, he should always ask her father first. Do you know who your mom’s father is?”

  “Yeah,” Jaxon said excitedly. “He’s my grandpa. He lives in Kansas. Did you know it snows in Kansas?”

  “I did know that,” I said. “Kansas is really far away so I can’t ask your grandpa if I can take your mom on a date. But you’re here and you’re the man of the house. So I’m asking you instead. Jaxon,” I said with a serious look on my face, “may I please have permission to take your mom on a date?”

  Jax looked like he was thinking really hard about his answer. “Are you gonna kiss her?”

  I laughed. “I probably will. But I will make sure she says it’s ok before I do it.”

  “Ok, Jason,” he said. “You can take my mom on a date.”

  I smiled. “Thanks buddy.”

  Mick came back into the room carrying a small overnight bag. “I think I’m supposed to give this to you,” he said.

  “Why do you have a smirk on your face?” I asked.

  “You think I embarrassed you outside,” he said, “you should have seen Addison’s face when she found out you were here and I offered to put her overnight bag in your car.”

  “I’m glad you are enjoying this so much,” I said sarcastically as he made his way out the door. As it shut behind him, Addison turned the corner from the hallway. And my jaw hit the floor.

  “I . . . I . . . You . . . ,” I stammered as I took her in.

  “You like it?” she asked shyly, turning in a slow circle.

  She was breathtaking. Her dress was a shade of royal blue, floor length. It was fitted from the top all the way to the middle of her thighs where it flared out just slightly, showing off all her curves. It was sleeveless and the front went all the way up to her collarbone, and there was a triangular cutout on her chest that showed off just a hint of cleavage. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. It was all wavy down her back and poufy in the right places. She was perfect.

  “Mommy, you look beauuuuuutiful,” Jaxon said with his eyes wide.

  “Uh huh,” I agreed, still staring and trying to figure
out what words were and how to use them.

  “Well,” she said, “it helped that the lady at Lord and Taylor had your credit card number.”

  “It was the best money I’ve ever spent,” I said, figuring out how to speak again as I stood up and walked toward her. “You are . . . wow.” It seemed like the best sentiment. Addison giggled.

  “So it’s ok for tonight?” she asked as Mick walked in the door.

  “It’s perfect,” I said, grabbing her hand in mine. “You are perfect. I kind of want to skip the gala now.”

  “None of that, now,” Mick said. “Jaxon and I haven’t left yet. Keep it clean.”

  I smirked. “Hey Mick, would you take our picture?” I asked, handing him my phone. I looked at Addison. “It kind of seems fitting to have a real picture taken before the vultures strike, don’t ya think?”

  She smiled up at me while I was still smirking down at her when I heard the first click of the camera. I’d have to text that one to my mom. She’d be happy to see a candid shot of me with someone I really liked.

  We took a few more pictures before grabbing her small purse, getting in the limo and driving away.

  Before I leaned over to kiss her, I asked. “Is it ok if I kiss you?”

  She looked at me questioningly. “Of course it is. Why are you asking?”

  I shrugged. “I promised Jaxon that I would only kiss you if I asked you first and you agreed. That was the deal if he was gonna give his permission for me to take you on a date.”

  She smiled as she leaned over and kissed me on the lips. “That was really sweet of you. Thank you for making sure he was comfortable with this.”

  I smiled and kissed her again.

  Once again, we fell into comfortable conversation as we headed toward the Museum of Fine Arts. She told me about a coworker she was having difficulties with at work and I told her about my mom’s latest endeavor into the world of oil painting. Before we knew it, we could see the lights and all the pandemonium that went with it.

  “Whoa,” Addison said, looking out the window. “I’ve seen stuff like this on TV, but this is just wild.”

  “You ready to do this?” I asked, trying to give her an out. I knew this wasn’t the most comfortable thing for her and I wanted to make sure she was totally ready. “We can wait if you want. We don’t have to do this tonight.”

  She took a deep breath as the limo got in line behind a couple of other cars who were also dropping off at the event. “No,” she said, looking me in the eye. “I’m ready. Just please don’t leave me, ok?”

  I smiled at her. “And run the risk of another man hitting on the most beautiful woman there? I don’t think so.”

  She smiled wide in response.

  When it was finally our turn to make an entrance, the door opened and I stepped out, looking around. I recognized most of the reporters and knew which ones to avoid. As Addison’s foot came out to the curb, I smiled and reached my hand out to help her. She kept her eyes locked on mine until she was standing and took a deep breath.

  There were already flashes going off everywhere. But when Addison took her gaze from mine and started to look around, I swear the number of flashes tripled. I knew everyone was wondering who this gorgeous woman was and where I had found her. I was so proud to have her with me.

  We made our way up the steps to the staging area where we posed for pictures. I didn’t stop touching her the entire time . . . either my hand was on her back or I was holding her hand. She handled the entire thing like a pro, even following instructions and taking some individual pictures when she was asked.

  When we got to the media staging area, I bypassed April Gill and went to the next available reporter. April could still pick up my answers on her mic since she was right next to us. But as long as I was in the next reporter’s staging area, she couldn’t ask me anything.

  “Jason Hart,” Yvette Rodriguez from Channel 13 said, “who is this beautiful woman you have brought with you tonight?”

  “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” I said, smiling down at Addison. “This is my girlfriend, Addison Bryant.”

  “Girlfriend?” Yvette asked. “Is this a recent development?”

  I was glad Adam and I had anticipated some of these questions. I already had some answers ready.

  “I wouldn’t call it recent. We’ve been dating for a while. We’ve just been keeping it really low key,” I answered.

  “Addison, can I ask you a few questions?” Yvette asked. I appreciated that she asked Addison before she just assumed my date was as comfortable in front of a camera as I was.

  Addison looked up at me, seemingly a little shocked. But she recovered quickly. “Um . . . sure,” she said with that beautiful shy look on her face.

  “Jason has been known as a self-proclaimed bachelor for a while,” she started. “But what is he like as a boyfriend?”

  Addison looked up at me and smiled. “He’s a really great boyfriend. He’s so generous and caring. So easy to talk to. And he loves my . . . my family so much. I feel so blessed that even with all the gorgeous women he comes into contact with every day, he chose me.”

  “Well, who wouldn’t?” Yvette questioned. “Girl, you are stunning. Can I see the back of your dress?”

  Addison beamed as Yvette chatted with her a little longer about her dress and shoes. Things I knew nothing about.

  We answered a few more questions from other reporters we passed on our way in, everyone wanting to know more about Addison. They weren’t the only ones. I knew I had to pay attention to the event. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but remember that I was going to get to know her really well tonight.

  We wandered around the gala for about an hour, looking at the silent auction items and introducing Addison to people I knew. Everyone looked surprised when I introduced her as my girlfriend. I had never brought one of those before, but she seemed to get along with just about everyone. Except for one, of course.

  “Well hello, neighbor,” a voice said behind us. Addison and I turned around to see Danielle with her husband, Luke. I should have known they would be coming to an event like this. It was one of the most sought after events in Dallas for women like Danielle to attend.

  “Danielle, Luke,” I said, nodding their direction. I glanced at Addison and noticed her eyebrows were slightly raised. Probably in recognition of the name.

  “Nice to see you again, Jason,” Luke said kindly, reaching his hand out to shake mine. Then he reached for Addison. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Luke Green.”

  “Oh, um,” she said nervously, returning his shake, “I’m Addison Bryant. Nice to meet you.”

  “I didn’t realize you’d have a date with you this year, Jason,” Danielle said with just a bit of snark in her voice.

  “Oh, I’m not just his date,” Addison said, her confidence returning quickly as I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me. “I’m his girlfriend.”

  Danielle’s eyebrows shot to the sky. “Good for you, Jason,” Luke stated strongly. “It’s about time you found yourself a good woman. Life is so much better with a strong partner by your side. Take it from me. I have the best woman in my life.” He leaned over and nuzzled into Danielle’s neck. She didn’t seem to even notice. She was too busy keeping her narrowed eyes on Addison.

  I didn’t like that look at all. It made me wonder what she was up to. I was really hoping she didn’t turn the flirting up a notch now that I was in a serious relationship. I liked Luke. And I didn’t want to have conflict with him if I had to call the cops on his wife.

  Fortunately, we got the signal to head to the ballroom for dinner before the conversation started to get any more uncomfortable.

  “Well, it was nice to see you,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll run into you in the lobby.”

  We said our goodbyes and turned away.

  “So that’s her, huh?” Addison said quietly in my direction.

  “Yeah,” I replied. “See what I mean?”

&n
bsp; “Ohmygod, yes! Did you see the daggers she was throwing in my direction? How does her husband not pick up on that?”

  “You know, I honestly thought he knew and just ignored it,” I said as we walked through the ballroom door. “But after seeing that, I’m starting to wonder if he’s just another clueless bastard she’s snowed.”

  “Poor guy,” she agreed. We found our table and place cards. We were sitting with the president of a local bank and the general manager of a local TV station. Both appeared to be in their fifties and both of them had their wives with them. Deuce and Vanessa were also at our table, which made both Addison and me happy. It was really nice that my best friend’s wife got along so well with my girlfriend.

  We had a great meal of Caesar salad, smoked salmon, asparagus covered with hollandaise sauce, and sautéed zucchini and squash. For dessert, we had chocolate cake. It was good, but it wasn’t even close to being enough food for me. Fortunately, Addison was stuffed by the time she took two bites of her cake. It’s not hard to guess who ate the rest.

  Two hours after we sat down, we had finally finished our meal and enjoyed the results of the silent auction. I had won a four-day trip to an exclusive ski resort in Colorado, including lift tickets, ski rentals, and a private condo on the mountain. And by “won” I mean I had just bought myself a really expensive trip. I figured I could talk to Addison about taking Jaxon this ski season since he seemed to like the idea of snow so much.

  When the gala finally started wrapping up, we booked it to the limo. We’d had fun, but we both were anxious to start the rest of our evening.

  “Did you have a good time?” I asked as we settled into the back of the car.

  “I did,” she said with a smile on her face. “I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in, but everyone was so nice.”

  “It helps that they were all so taken with you,” I said, leaning over to kiss her. “You looked absolutely radiant tonight.”

  “You looked pretty good yourself, Hart,” she answered, putting her hand on my cheek and drawing me to her mouth.