“Get your fucking mind off your beauty queen and on the field.”
Obviously, Harris was looking for a fight, and Zach didn’t mind giving it to him. He was sick and tired of the quarterback’s criticism from the sidelines, as if the jerk had ever played a down of defense in his pussy-assed life. Zach shot to his feet, unmindful of Harris’s extra inch of height. He had forty pounds of muscle over the QB.
“Are you accusing me of putting a woman over football?”
“Not accusing. Stating a fact.” Harris stepped forward into Zach’s space. Their faces only inches apart. Fury radiated off Zach in waves. He itched to plant his fist in Harris’s smug face. The asshole had been begging for it for months.
All noise in the room ceased, even the endless rap music from Dante Reed’s corner of the locker room stopped. The players shuffled their feet. Some kept their backs to their battling team captains, others openly gaped like bystanders at the scene of a bloody crime.
“Well, how’s this for a fact? You aren’t playing any better. Maybe you should practice what you preach.” Out of the corner of Zach’s eye, he noticed Derek and the backup quarterback, Brett Gunnels, inching toward them. Brett was a quiet guy and not big enough at five foot ten to be better than a career backup in the NFL, but the guy had guts. Zach would rather see him starting than Harris when Harris’s head wasn’t in the game. Yet, if Harris’s head was elsewhere, where the hell was Zach’s? Down south?
“Hey, now.” Derek, the team peacemaker, attempted to step between them, but neither Zach nor Harris budged.
“Stay out of this,” Tyler snarled. Derek didn’t retreat but didn’t make another move to interfere. Brett stood his ground, too, ready to break up a fight, while Zach’s defensive line moved behind him, like his own personal posse of defenders.
Shit, any minute they’d have a brawl in the locker room.
“Kelsie isn’t my problem. You are.” Zach flexed his fingers, walking a thin line between strangling Harris and decking him. He had no doubt he could lay the guy out in one or two punches. “My grandma could play better football than you and with a lot more desire.”
“Fuck you. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. You shouldn’t shit in someone’s backyard until you clean up the crap in your own.”
“You’re scaring me, Harris.” Zach’s booming laugh echoed across the silent locker room. Only then did he notice a small group of local reporters inside the locker room door, witnessing the team dysfunction for themselves, complete with high-def cameras.
HughJack pushed past the reporters breathing fire. “Get the fuck out of here,” he spat at the reporters and booted their asses from the room with one homicidal glare. They scurried out the door, a couple of them getting stuck as they did so. HughJack slammed the door after them so hard Zach felt the vibration through the soles of his shoes.
Oh, crap.
Zach’s anger deflated along with his chances for a Super Bowl ring. Even Harris backed up a step and plastered a friendly smile on his face. “Hey, Coach. Murphy and I were just having a little fun with the reporters. Nothing serious.”
HughJack looked from one to the other with a scowl that struck fear in Zach’s heart.
“Tomorrow morning. My office. Six thirty a.m. Don’t be late.”
“Six-thirty?” Harris’s whining faded off into the sunset when HughJack swung around at him.
“You got a problem with that?”
“No, sir. I’ll be there.” Tyler stood up straight as if at attention. Zach half expected the suck-ass to salute or lick the coach’s feet.
HughJack pinned Zach with his penetrating gaze. “And you?”
Zach nodded with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that his days with this team were numbered. Even Kelsie’s charm and manners couldn’t get him out of this mess.
* * * * *
Rachel, Lavender, and Kelsie sat in a private booth in a pub near Jacks Stadium. Kelsie had survived a couple tense days waiting for the fallout from Tyler’s discovery of Zach and her. So far nothing happened. Maybe Tyler would keep his mouth shut. After all, he did seem to like Kelsie, despite what he felt about Zach.
“Oh, I forgot to pay you. Thanks for taking care of our horses.” Rachel opened a checkbook and scribbled out a check, handing it to her.
Kelsie glanced at it, surprised by the amount. “It was my pleasure. I love horses, but I can’t take this. It’s too much.” The old Kelsie would’ve pocketed the check and been annoyed it hadn’t been more money. The new Kelsie handed it back. She’d had a wonderful place to live for over a week in exchange for a few hours of work.
Rachel stared at the check and tried to hand it back. “Please, take it.”
Kelsie shook her head, doing a friend a favor without expecting something in return felt liberating. And Rachel had become a friend. Despite how desperate Kelsie might be for the cash, she wouldn’t ruin that feel-good feeling by accepting payment.
When Kelsie didn’t take the check, Rachel pushed it into her hands.
Sighing, Kelsie tore the check into small pieces. “Consider this a favor from a friend.”
Rachel shrugged and smiled. “If that’s how you want it.”
“Hey, ladies, shhhh. Listen.” Lavender pointed to one the many televisions hanging around the room.
Kelsie’s head snapped upward just as she heard Zach’s name mentioned on the post-game show. Two sportscasters sat at a large table. A large still picture of Zach and Tyler in uniform was displayed behind them.
Kelsie brought her hands up to her face. “Oh, no.” Her heart sank to the basement.
Rumors of team unrest on the Lumberjacks came to a head today after the Jacks’ fourth loss. A locker room altercation between offensive team captain Tyler Harris and defensive team captain Zach Murphy had to be broken up by coaches and teammates.
Clips of Tyler and Zach in each other’s faces and about to come to blows followed the news reports full of speculation and some facts. The short clip ended when HughJack stormed into the locker room and booted the press from the room.
Unnamed sources close to the team indicate the friction between Murphy and Harris has been escalating since training camp. This recent altercation was set off by Harris’s comment regarding Murphy’s dedication and lack of focus since he’s been dating a former beauty queen. The sportscasters went on to cite statistics to prove their point along with how well Zach’s former team was doing without him.
Dread welled up inside Kelsie. Dread for Zach, knowing his status with the team had just shifted from a comfortable lead to a twenty-one-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
She knew, too, that if Mark saw this, he might very well figure out who the “former beauty queen” was. Her fingers curled around her drink as she decided that her problems would have to wait. Right now, Zach was going to need her.
The three women looked at each other.
“I wonder if HughJack is reconsidering our plan now?” Last week Rachel approached Veronica and the coach with the women’s plan to force Zach and Tyler to get along. HughJack hated the idea and said thanks but no thanks.
Lavender shook her head and sighed. “Who knows. Ty’s gonna be unbearable to live with tonight. I’d better head home so I can be ready to diffuse the bomb.”
Rachel stood at the same time as Lavender. “Me, too. You okay here by yourself?” Rachel tossed a hundred on the table. Most likely, her way of compensating for Kelsie not accepting her check.
Kelsie nodded. “I’m fine.” Only she wasn’t fine. She was sick to her stomach.
What would HughJack do now that the feud hit a very public forum?
Kelsie watched the clips on the sports channels unable to draw her eyes away from the train wreck.
Her cell rang, and she answered it without checking caller id, hoping it was Zach.
“Kelsie?” A crisp, businesslike female voice left no doubt in Kelsie’s mind who was on the other end of the phone.
“Yes?”
&nb
sp; “You’ve certainly done a fine job with Zach.” Veronica’s displeasure reached through the phone and grabbed her by the throat. “Was this your intention all along? Did you create your finishing school just to snag an athlete?”
“I—I—It’s not like that.”
“What is it like?”
“There’s nothing going on.” She didn’t have anything to say for herself.
“That’s not why I hear.”
Damn Tyler Harris.
“Do you expect the Lumberjacks organization to throw good money away so you can seduce one of our players?”
“I’m not seducing anyone.” Kelsie hated the panic in her voice but couldn’t keep it out.
“Well, you’re certainly not teaching him manners and tact either. You’re fired.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re fired, and I expect you to return the deposit you received from the team.”
Kelsie went cold inside. She’d just been doused with a bucket of Gatorade without the high of winning the game. Raising her hand to her head, she bumped her drink and the cold, sticky liquid spilled into her lap. Grabbing napkins, she frantically worked to clean up the mess, hold the phone, and keep herself together, all at the same time.
She couldn’t pay back the money. She’d cut off all her other financial options, and this business was her only future. She needed her finishing school to be successful. “But—”
“No buts. The team no longer needs your services. After this incident tonight and Zach’s sloppy play, I can only surmise your influence has had a negative effect, rather than positive, your business is a sham, and you are nothing but a desperate woman.”
True on all counts, but damn it, Kelsie wasn’t giving up. “It’s too late to move the gala elsewhere. The preparations are well underway.”
Silence for a long moment then Veronica sighed heavily. “I’ll figure out something.”
“Zach will still host it, and he’ll be the polished man I promised he’d be.”
Veronica snorted. “Why? What do you get out of this?”
“If it’s successful, and we raise more money than last year, you’ll use my business and recommend it to others.”
“And if not?”
“I pay back the money and match it with a donation to your charity of choice.”
Veronica waited so long to answer that Kelsie thought the call might have dropped. “Fine. I’ll agree to that.”
Kelsie let go of the breath she’d been holding then sucked it back in again when she glanced out the window of the pub. Across the street stood trench-coat man, leaning up against his black sedan and smoking a cigarette.
Things just went from bad to worse.
CHAPTER 14
Goal-Line Stand
Zach’s house was dark when Kelsie doused her headlights and coasted into her usual parking area. Scranton peeked out of his hiding spot sequestered under mounds of warm blankets. He opened one eye, blinked a few times, and slipped back under the covers. Kelsie sighed. She wished she was small enough to curl up under those blankets, but doing so in the cramped car seat didn’t quite work. Glancing around, she hit the door lock and hoped she didn’t need to go pee in the middle of the night. Not with her stalker making an appearance less than an hour ago. She didn’t believe he followed her here, but he knew about this place so it’d only be a matter of time before he checked it out.
So why the hell did she come here then?
Because she felt safer knowing Zach was a hundred feet away? Because deep down she trusted him? Or was it more complicated than that? Maybe she had more than a high school crush on the big, tough football jock?
Kelsie rubbed her empty tummy and sighed. Brushing her teeth in the pub’s bathroom, she missed the comfort of Rachel and Derek’s little cottage. Funny how those things she took for granted such as running water, a toilet, and electricity became so valuable when she didn’t have them. Rain spattered against the window and distorted the trees outside into an ominous scene from a horror movie. A clap of thunder sounded, and Kelsie jumped. Her teeth chattered and not because of the cold. Scranton whimpered and dug deeper, reminding her of a gopher she’d witnessed digging a tunnel through her grandmother’s flower garden. It hadn’t ended well for the gopher. She hoped it ended better for Scranton and her.
Lightning lit up the car followed by another crash of thunder. Kelsie dove under the blankets and threw them over her, huddling beneath them. Scranton scrambled back underneath and plastered his shaking body against her ribs.
Her heart slammed in her chest as if it, too, wanted to escape the confines of the car. Her breath came in short gasps. Her hands shook with fear. Somewhere out there was a man who made it his business to mind her business at the least and wished her harm at the worst.
She couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t live in this car never knowing what lurked outside ready to do unspeakable things to her. There had to be another way. Maybe a live-in nanny or caretaker or something. Anything but this.
The wind picked up and flung buckets of water against the windows louder than an angry ocean surf. She shivered as the gloom and damp moist air waterlogged every cell in her body, frightened and thinking about what she’d give right now to feel safe and have a warm bed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Kelsie froze, certain she didn’t hear what she thought she’d heard. She held her breath and didn’t move. Her heart pounded harder than a drummer in a heavy metal band.
Tap. Tap. Tap. A little louder this time.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.
What if it was the stalker? What if he had a gun? She didn’t want to die. She wanted to live and prove she could be a better person. Shouldn’t a person be allowed time to show they’d learned from their mistakes? Yet, what did a predator care about redemption?
“Kelsie.” The gruff, muffled voice sounded concerned not predatory. Still she didn’t move. “Kelsie.” Now the voice sounded impatient and a lot like—
With trembling hands, she pulled down the blanket, wiped some moisture from the car window, and looked out.
Oh, crap. She’d been outed.
Zach’s face was pressed up against the window, his wet hair plastered to his head. Rivulets of water ran off his nose and clung to his eyelashes. Her wildly beating heart didn’t stop its runaway pounding. It pounded even harder now, the fear gradually being replaced with other emotions.
Kelsie almost preferred the fear.
Humiliation surged through her. Worse humiliation than being turned down for job after job or being belittled by her ex for some minor transgression. She never wanted Zach to see her reduced to this—homeless and living in her car. She ducked her head under the blankets and sent up a silent prayer that the man would just go away.
“Come in the house,” his deep, husky voice carried through the glass and over the sounds of the storm.
His tone didn’t allow any discussion, but when did that ever stop her? Peeking out from under the mound of blankets, Kelsie shook her head.
Zach yanked on the door and found it locked.
She turned her back to him and gathered the blankets around her like protective armor.
Pound. Pound! POUND. He’d break the window if he kept that up.
She turned to glare at him and mouthed go away.
He shook his shaggy head, sending droplets of water flying.
They stared each other down for what seemed like an eternity. He didn’t flinch despite the rain pouring down his face and dripping off his nose and chin. He’d be sick if he stayed out there much longer.
Kelsie caved first and ended the standoff.
With a sigh, she unlocked the door and decided to put on airs—a bad habit she’d picked up from her mother—and act as if he were disturbing her in her house late at night.
Zach wrenched open the door, and she almost fell out. Righting herself on the seat, she clutched the blankets to her chest while smiling her lil-ol-me smile as if he were a pageant judge. She faked
a nonchalant yawn and rubbed her eyes.
Zach didn’t smile back or even react. “Let’s talk in the house. I’m drenched.”
She raised one eyebrow in her best imitation of a snobby English blue blood. “Please.”
“Please.” He didn’t say it like he meant it. He said it like he’d love to strangle some sense into her, but she ignored that small detail. She didn’t need a second invitation. Her stalker was out there somewhere, watching her every move and possibly plotting all sorts of evil deeds.
Gathering Scranton, Kelsie sprinted barefoot through the rain into the house and didn’t stop until she was huddled on the edge of the leather couch near the blazing fire crackling in the massive stone fireplace. Zach sank onto the couch next to her and dangled his hands between his knees, water still dripping off him and forming a small puddle on the hardwood floor. She stared at the dancing flames, not certain if the heat on her face was caused by the warm fire or her own mortification.
“You’re sleeping in your car.”
Well, duh. “Obviously. Can’t get anything past you, can I?” She hated the sarcasm in her voice, but it just slipped out.
He almost smiled. “You haven’t. You’ve been sleeping out there off and on for several days now with the exception of the week you took care of Ramsey’s horses.”
Okay, so, so much for assuming he was oblivious to anything that didn’t involve football and sex. “You knew?”
“Yeah, I figured you had your reasons, and they were none of my business.”
“I’m trespassing.”
He shrugged. “It’s supposed to get down to 29 degrees tonight.”
Scranton crawled off her lap and onto Zach’s. The traitor licked Zach’s impressive bicep, as if to thank him for the rescue. Tentatively at first, Zach petted the tiny dog. With a contented sigh, the little poodle curled up on Zach’s lap, barely bigger than the large hand stroking Scranton’s back. A second later he was snoring like a three-hundred-pound lineman after a tough Monday Night Football game.
“We were doing just fine in the car.”
Down by Contact - A Seattle Lumberjacks Romance Page 15