Playing at Love

by Ophelia London

Jack didn’t appreciate how astonished his daughter sounded. He didn’t want to give Tess the impression that he was some slave driver.

  “Sure,” he said, grabbing a sponge ceremoniously. “Give her a tour of the whole house.”

  Jenna looked up at Tess expectantly. “Okay?” she asked.

  Tess grinned. “Okay.” She leaned down to Jenna. “Anything to get out of cleaning up that mess, right?”

  Jenna giggled. “Right.” She grabbed Tess’s hand and the two disappeared.

  Luckily, they were gone for a while, because Jack was having a devil of a time with his cleanup duties. First, he couldn’t get the blades out of the hand mixer. Then he wasn’t sure what to do with the rolling pin. But the worst was the flour. It was everywhere. He couldn’t scoop it, and when he tried, it wound up on the floor. Finally, he pulled out the vacuum and Hoovered the whole mess. As he was winding the cord, he heard Tess’s phone ring. When he returned from putting the vacuum back in the hall closet, her cell was going off again.

  Just as he was wiping down the counter, Tess walked into the room.

  “Nice house,” she said. “Though it’s a little empty. The only room that seems to be put together is your man cave. You have your big-screen TV in there and not in your living room.”

  “It’s where I watch tapes of the games,” he explained.

  “You realize this place will never be a babe magnet if you don’t get those pretty little soaps for your powder room.”

  “Noted.” He leaned against the counter. “And I don’t have a powder room.”

  Tess laughed. “Jenna’s really something, Jack. And smart.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Wherever did she get that from?”

  Jack narrowed his eyes playfully. “Your phone was ringing earlier,” he said. “I was very polite and didn’t try to answer it.” He took a beat. “Unlike some people.”

  “Very funny,” Tess said, sliding her phone off the table. Jack noticed her eyebrows knit together as she examined the missed calls.

  “Anything wrong?”

  “Uh, Joe called,” she said. “But didn’t leave a message.”

  “Walker?” Jack asked, puzzled, reaching for his own cell to check missed calls. There were none. So why was Walker calling Tess on a Friday night?

  “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she said. “But I’d better call him.” She stepped out into the other room.

  Jack set down his phone and started putting the last of the dishes away. He’d had such a good time tonight. Except for those few minutes at the beginning, it had been surprisingly relaxed and fun and easy. He and Tess had talked for a bit over dinner about the problem at school, but they hadn’t come up with any solutions yet. He knew they would eventually.

  “Joe, come on! You cannot be serious!”

  Jack wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, but Tess’s voice was coming through the wall.

  “Do you understand what that’s going to do to our chances? Do you have any idea?”

  Jack stared though the doorway toward the room where Tess was. She sounded upset, really upset. Which automatically upset Jack. He turned, ready to rush to her side, but stopped himself. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his business until she made it his.

  “This isn’t fair, Joe, and you know it.” Her voice wasn’t as loud anymore, but there was a bite to it. She wasn’t merely upset—she was angry. “Do you realize this means the choir will be going into Regionals—our one and only chance—with absolutely no competition experience? Does that sound fair?”

  After a few more low words that Jack could no longer make out, Tess came back into the room. Except for the two blotches of red staining her cheeks, her face was ghostly pale.

  “I have to go,” she said stiffly, looking past his shoulder. “Thanks for—”

  “Tess?” Jack said. “What’s wrong?”

  “The Invitationals next week.” She still wouldn’t meet his eye. “The choir can’t go.”

  “Why?”

  She was staring straight ahead at nothing, her voice quiet but robotic. “The school doesn’t have the funding for transportation, for the bus.”

  “Do they have to take a bus? Can’t you go in cars?”

  “No,” Tess said. “Walker already requested a refund and it’s too late to get all the insurance forms for a car pool.” Her eyes slid down to the floor. “That’s it,” she said. “We’re not going.” She took in a sudden inhale and lifted her eyes to Jack. “Tell Jenna good-bye for me. And thank you for dinner.” Before Jack could say a word, she spun on her heel and was out of the room.

  “Wait!” He managed to stop her at the open front door.

  “I’m…I’m sorry, but I have to go.” She was clenching her jaw but also blinking back tears.

  Jack felt a sudden panic seize his heart. “What can I do?” he asked. Honestly, he didn’t know how he could possibly help, but his desire to offer was a natural response.

  Tess was still for a moment, but finally she looked at him. “Nothing,” she said. Her voice was choked and watery. “It’s my problem and I’ll…I’ll figure something out.” She turned away again. “Thanks for dinner and…um…good night.”

  Jack didn’t know what to do. When someone needed help, his instinct was to jump right in, no questions. But Tess hadn’t asked for help—in fact, she’d basically told him to stay out of it. So, Jack could do nothing but stand with a hand on the doorframe and watch her run down the front path, climb in her car, and drive away into the night.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Early the next morning, Tess tied her laces in double knots before grabbing her iPod and heading for the door. She hadn’t slept very well the night before and her body felt raw and achy. She would’ve much rather stayed in bed, but she knew the best physical remedy was to take her regular morning run.

  She pulled on her favorite pink zip-up sweatshirt and trotted down the stairs outside her apartment building. The early October morning was chilly and she plunged her hands in her sweatshirt pockets, fingering her house key and the tiny can of pepper spray she now carried around with her ever since that morning at the park with Jack.

  Her chest felt a suddenly heaviness at the thought of him. Once and for all, she had to clear her mind and figure out a way to make up for the show choir missing the competition next week. It was doable, of course; not all teams who placed at Regionals had attended Invitationals, but it was still a blow.

  She turned up the volume of the steady techno track and headed across the street to the park. Before she’d even made it to the running path, she spotted a figure standing by a bench. He was wearing gray running shorts and a blue sweatshirt. Grizzlies Football was typed across it in bold silver letters. He lifted a hand to wave at her.

  She pulled out her earbuds, slowed her pace, and walked over to him. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I remembered you saying you run here every morning.” Jack shrugged. “I thought I would try to catch you before I went to the gym.” Tess noticed a black gym bag slung over his shoulder. “You left so suddenly last night. We didn’t finish discussing—”

  Tess’s sigh cut him off. “Is this because we didn’t figure out how to stop the school pranks last night? Jack, that stuff will blow over eventually.” She ran a hand across her mouth. “I have such a bigger problem now. You have no idea.”

  “No,” Jack said. “I mean, I know. That’s not what I meant.” He took a step forward. “I want to help. If I can.”

  “I wish you could,” Tess said softly, then looked away. “But you can’t.”

  Jack dropped his gym bag, reached out, and took Tess’s arm. “Well, and what if I…”

  But whatever Jack was about to say, he didn’t get a chance to finish. Tess turned her head to follow his eyes. There was a man approaching. For a moment, Tess didn’t recognize him. But a second later, a shiver ran up her spine—it was the guy from that morning before, the one who had been on the park bench, about to do who-knows-what to that girl.

  “Wel
l, look who it is,” the guy said, a bit too sinisterly for Tess’s taste.

  Tess stared at him, wondering if he lived under the jungle gym and only came out in the wee hours of the morning when she happened to be there with Jack.

  “Tess.” Jack’s voice was low and steady. “I want you to get behind me. Now.”

  Tess’s heart jumped to her throat as she did what he said.

  The closer the dirty guy got, the more Tess noticed how small he was. Jack had four inches and probably sixty pounds of muscle on him. Why in the world was this guy picking a fight? He must be doped up, Tess considered. Some drugs made you feel invincible. This guy was obviously not in his right mind. Why else would he be so cocky?

  That’s when Tess broke out in a cold sweat. From around the same corner, another guy appeared. He looked just like the first guy, like they were brothers or cousins, or members of the same gang.

  “Yo, Marcus,” guy number two called. “What up?”

  Guy number one didn’t turn his head, just kept walking toward Tess and Jack. “This one,” he said, pointing at Jack. “He’s the douche who made Lucy run off on me.”

  “Oh, yeah?” guy number two said. Then he veered and was walking toward them. “Sounds like he needs a lesson in respect.” Tess felt an icy chill when he pointed at her. “And maybe his pretty little girlfriend, too.”

  “Tess,” Jack said. “Do not move.”

  Tess nodded briskly, even though she knew Jack couldn’t see it.

  Jack widened his stance and was kind of leaning forward on the balls of his feet. His fists were clenched. Tess couldn’t help realizing that Jack hadn’t uttered a single word to the guys. Not a “Look, we don’t want any trouble here,” or a “What is it you want?”

  No. Jack knew what they wanted. And he probably knew there was no way to talk them out of it. He was already on the offensive. She felt like moving closer to him for protection. Maybe even getting right behind him and sliding her arms around his tight—

  Tess snapped awake when the guys neared them. Every muscle in her body clamped down. When Jack bobbed back, dodging the first swing, she screamed.

  …

  As long as no one pulled a weapon, Jack knew it would be over soon. He doubted either of these guys had trained on how to withstand a three-hundred-pound lineman at full speed. It was all about a low center of gravity, balance, and experience. He was mostly worried about Tess. If she stayed behind him and didn’t get in the way, she wouldn’t be touched.

  It was her scream that threw him. When he turned around to make sure there wasn’t a third perpetrator, he got clipped on the chin. He was dazed for just a moment but steadied himself enough to block the next punch and throw one back, sending the recipient flat on his back.

  When guy number two came at him, trying to grab him around the waist and drag him down, Jack threw the guy off and hit him with a kidney punch. The guy doubled over, gasping, while the first guy got to his feet and started running at Jack. When he realized he was about to be taken from the right, Jack automatically turned to block the guy with the side of his body. The guy tucked his head and rammed into Jack’s shoulder.

  It was the perfect hit, Jack realized as he stumbled back, nearly losing his footing. He grit his teeth, stifling the groan of pain he felt from his old football injury when he’d torn his shoulder ten years ago. The next thing he felt was someone butting against him from the other side, knocking him to the ground, landing right on his bad shoulder.

  Jack couldn’t help groaning that time, as the wind was knocked out of him. Just as he was rolling to his knees, he saw Tess. She was standing in front of him, holding her arm straight out in front of her. A moment later, he heard a hissing sound and howls of pain before the guys ran off. Jack lifted his chin, staring after them in breathless wonder. Only then did he notice Tess lower the little spray can.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, dropping to her knees. Her hands were hovering over him, as though she wanted to touch him but wasn’t sure what to do. “You’re hurt.”

  “No,” Jack gasped. “It’s nothing.” He sat up.

  “It’s your shoulder,” Tess said, noticing the way Jack was holding it. “What happened?”

  Jack exhaled sharply through his nose. “Damn torn muscle,” he said. “It can’t take a good beating like the rest of me.”

  “Do you need a doctor? Should I take you to the hospital?”

  “No, it’s fine. I just need to ice it down before it swells. I can take care of it at home.”

  “Jack,” she said. “It looks like it’s already starting to swell. Come on.” She grabbed his gym bag, moved to his left side, and put an arm around his back. “I’m right across the street. You can ice it there. Come on, lean on me if you can’t walk.”

  Jack chuckled. “It’s my shoulder, not my leg,” he said. But then he instantly regretted pointing that out when she dropped the arm she’d had around him. Jack took a few steps then made it a point to limp and wince. Tess was immediately at his side again, one arm around his back, the other pressed against his chest to support his weight.

  “Easy now,” she said.

  Jack was trying not to grin as they hobbled across the street toward a tall brick apartment building.

  “Can you make it up the stairs?” she asked. “I’m on the third floor.”

  “Ow, I think so.” And the Oscar goes to…

  She let go of him to fish a key from her pocket. “On the couch there,” she said after entering her apartment, leading him to a white sofa lined with red and turquoise pillows. When Jack sat, Tess dropped his gym bag and disappeared.

  He leaned back against the cushions.

  Well, he’d made it into her apartment—not the way he’d envisioned it, maybe, but beggars can’t be choosers. He quickly took in his surroundings. The room looked like Tess: feminine and classic. It even smelled like her. He looked over the back of the couch toward where she’d gone and wondered what was behind that door. Her bedroom? But he’d better not think about her bedroom or next he’d be thinking about her in her bedroom. And she wouldn’t be wearing a bathing suit this time.

  Maybe it hadn’t been a smart idea to come here. Really, his shoulder didn’t feel that bad anymore. Now that the initial pain was gone, it was mostly just sore. He tried to rotate the muscle but when it pulled, he stopped, knowing he shouldn’t push it.

  Tess returned a moment later with a blue ice pack. Her hair was out of its ponytail, hanging down around her shoulders, and she was peeling off her sweatshirt as she walked over to him.

  “Where do you…?” she asked, doing that hand-hovering thing again. “Your shoulder?” She nodded toward it.

  “Yeah.” Jack exhaled. “Thanks.”

  Tess lowered herself to his side, carefully, as if she was afraid to make the couch cushions move. “Should I?” She motioned at his sweatshirt. When Jack nodded, Tess began slowly unzipping the front. Jack didn’t move his eyes from her face. While making a grimacing expression, she peeled off one sleeve, then the other. When she pressed the ice pack against his shoulder, they winced in unison.

  Tess laughed softly. “Is this okay?” she asked.

  Jack lifted his chin to look her in the eyes. “It’s perfect,” he whispered.

  …

  Tess felt something sizzle down her limbs when he looked at her. Her heart was racing from the adrenaline still pumping through her blood. Just moments ago, she’d been terrified for her life, but once that passed, her heart had continued pounding as she held Jack’s body close, helping him up to her apartment. She’d practically ordered him in without a choice, not wanting him to leave.

  “What did you use on them?” Jack asked her. “Mace?”

  “Pepper spray,” she answered, dropping her eyes, pretending to concentrate on the ice pack that was helping to keep her overheated body at a relatively normal temperature.

  He nodded. “Good. That was fast thinking.”

  She switched hands, careful not to press too ha
rd. “I carry it all the time now,” she said nonchalantly. “Because of you.”

  “You want to know something?” Jack whispered, leaning toward her just an inch. “You saved me. Thank you.” He paused. “See how easy that was?”

  Tess laughed. “You’re going to forever hold that over me, aren’t you?”

  “Forever.”

  Tess stopped laughing and felt the ice slip under her fingers. She couldn’t stop her heart from pounding in her chest, so hard, so fast. She didn’t know if it was a warning or a green light.

  “Tess,” Jack whispered, and there was such longing behind it that Tess could hardly stay seated. “I want to—”

  She nodded, unable to speak.

  “What about school?” he asked. She felt his breath brush against her skin as he spoke. “Our programs—”

  She squeezed his hand, cutting him off again. She knew what he was about to say. They shouldn’t be doing this. They’d gone over the subject a dozen times. And Tess had been over it a thousand times in her own mind, from every angle. Maybe Jack had, too.

  Yes, there were plenty of obstacles: their jobs, her parents, his daughter, and even her past relationship disappointments. But Tess didn’t feel any of those things holding her back when Jack reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. She closed her eyes, leaning into his warm palm.

  His other hand was on her face now, tilting her forward, and then the touch of his lips against hers. She sighed into him, feeling his skin, tasting his minty breath. His hands slid from her face only to wrap around her.

  “Jack!” Tess whispered in alarm. “Your shoulder.”

  “Your lips,” he whispered back, pulling her in for another kiss. This one was deeper, completely stealing her breath away. Her heart banged inside her rib cage as he pressed his hands against her back, drawing them together.

  Her hands slid into his hair as his mouth left hers and went trailing down her jaw. Tess’s fingers knotted at the back of his neck. He swept her hair away, kissing down the side of her neck, then moved to the other side, kissing his way back up, pausing for just a moment over her ear. Tess quivered and held onto him tighter.