Full Court Seduction

by Synithia Williams

  He tried to walk past her. She grabbed his arm to stop him. Her eyes flashed with an anger so sharp he wouldn’t have been surprised if her glasses shattered. “If I hadn’t decided not to go, are you saying you would have told me not to go?”

  He ran a hand over his face. Frustration crawled over every inch of his skin. “I shouldn’t have to tell you not to go. You should know better than to take a trip out of the country with your ex-boyfriend.”

  As soon as the words left his mouth and he saw fury on her face, he knew he’d made a mistake.

  “I should have known better?”

  He reached for her hand. “Danielle, listen—”

  She snatched her hand away and took a step back. “I should have known better. Even if I chose to go, that doesn’t mean anything about our relationship. You said you trusted me.”

  “I trust you. I don’t trust him.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “No guy asks his ex to take any type of trip with him unless he has other intentions.” He meant that with everything in him. “I saw the way Luke looked at you. The way he looked at us together. He didn’t like it and he wants you back.”

  She threw up a hand and turned away. “Now you’re being ridiculous. Luke and I are just friends.”

  “You can’t be friends with an ex.”

  “Just because you hate Christy doesn’t mean everyone who breaks up hates each other.” She sucked in a breath and her mouth snapped shut.

  Anger, frustration and jealousy seethed through every poor of his body. When she took a step toward him he moved backward.

  “I’m sorry,” Danielle said. “I should have brought her up.”

  “Don’t be. You said what you meant. I meant what I said earlier. You shouldn’t have even considered going out of town with him.”

  “I wanted you to come with me,” she said. “Several athletes are going. That’s why Luke is going. I would have asked you to come.”

  “When is this trip?”

  “Early June.”

  “That’s during the finals. Right after I’ll be preparing to go to Phoenix.”

  Her eyes widened. “You are going to Phoenix?”

  “The offer they made is hard to refuse.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If I go to Phoenix we’ll be the team to beat. My chances of winning a championship not just next year but for several years go up. It’s the chance of a lifetime.”

  “When were you going to tell me about Phoenix?”

  “After the play-offs.” When he was also going to ask her to go with him.

  “So it was over when the play-offs ended. You asked me to support you only so you could leave the second you got what you wanted.”

  The words to deny her accusations sat heavily in his throat. He wanted to tell her the truth, that he wanted her with him wherever he went, that he was falling in love with her. But he wouldn’t put his feelings out there when she was considering leaving. He wasn’t going to start checking up on Danielle. He wasn’t going to worry about her sleeping around or going back to her ex. He’d been in one of those paranoid situations before. If Luke was who she ultimately wanted, then she could have him. If she wanted to go to Malawi with him, let her go.

  “If that’s what you want to believe, then I can’t change your mind,” he said.

  “And if you want to believe that me going on this trip means I’m going to betray you the way she did, then you do that.” She grabbed her purse off the couch. “I think I’ll spend the night at home tonight.” Then she left.

  Chapter 15

  The town council chamber was filled to capacity. A hum of excitement filled the room from the multiple people waiting for the meeting to start. The waste-water provider was answering several tough questions the council posed to it based on the letter and comments submitted by the River Watchers before they gave any approvals for local permits.

  “I think the council may deny this,” Debra said after she and Danielle finished talking to a few of the residents of Crescent Acres. Since the council meeting was at six o’clock many of the residents had come out in support.

  “I hope so. We’ve brought enough attention to the issue. There are a lot more people interested in protecting the river than there were before.”

  Thanks in a large part to Jacobe. The times he’d brought up the River Watchers, their website and social media accounts received a huge jump in hits. He may not have actively campaigned against the permit, but his knowledge of the subject when asked helped. The full council chambers was proof of that.

  Danielle scanned the room again though the effort was useless. She would know if Jacobe was there. The buzz of conversation would have increased by now. She hadn’t spoken to him privately since the argument. She still went to the semifinal games that were local. As Debra said, “Why waste good tickets?” He acknowledged her presence at least, but he didn’t ask her to wait for him and hadn’t asked her to attend the away games. Pain and anger were a constant clash inside her. He had said he trusted her, trusted her to know better.

  A man and woman entered the council chambers. Hot, uncomfortable tingles rushed across her skin. “I don’t believe it.”

  Debra looked up. “What’s wrong?”

  “My parents are here.” They spotted her a second later. With hesitant smiles, they walked from the door of the chambers and over to her and Debra. Her mom had cut her hair, and her dad had more gray at his temples than before. The changes were a reminder that she hadn’t seen them in a year.

  “Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?”

  Adele’s smile appeared confident, but her eyes were uncertain. “Tonight’s a big night for you. We missed the cleanup and the gala. We decided to come to the council meeting to show our support.”

  Debra touched Danielle’s elbow. “I’m going to go sit down.” Her smile was encouraging before she walked away.

  Danielle focused back on her parents, shock and happiness swirling in her like a whirlpool. “You didn’t have to do that. I could have come home this weekend and let you know how things went.”

  Her dad nodded. “You can still come home this weekend, or next. It’s come to our attention that we’ve been too busy for our own daughter. That’s about to change.”

  Danielle stepped forward, and took her mom’s hand in one of hers and her dad’s hand in the other. “I’m sorry I said that. Mom called on a bad day and I overreacted. I understand the work you two do is important.”

  “You’re right,” Adele said. “Our work in the community is important, but so are you. What you said made both of us realize that we don’t always act that way. You were always so self-assured, so confident, we didn’t think you needed our extra attention.”

  “I’ll always need my parents,” she said softly.

  Her dad squeezed her hand. “We’ll always be there to give it to you.”

  The intensity of the hum in the chambers increased. Awareness prickled the back of Danielle’s neck. Jacobe was there. The thought passed a second before she glanced to the back of the room. His eyes were already on her. She gasped. He hadn’t come alone. Will, Isiah, Kevin and other members of the team were there as well, and signing the paper to speak against the permit.

  Her parents swiveled to see what the commotion was about. Adele looked back at Danielle. “Are you and he still dating?”

  “We’re cool,” Danielle answered.

  Her dad’s brows drew together. “What does that mean?”

  If only she had the answer to that. “Nothing. We’re still dating, but it’s not serious.” That was the only answer she could think of that wouldn’t have her dad bucking up overprotectively and her mom scowling at Jacobe.

  Even though Jacobe and the rest of the team smiled and stopped to greet fans, it was clear
he was making his way to her. She glanced across the room to where Debra, Mason and Patricia were all wearing victory grins. Danielle felt similar. This had to help their end.

  She looked back at Jacobe and committed everything about him to memory, sure that soon she wouldn’t even be able to say they were dating but not serious. His shoulders seemed broader, more powerful beneath a dark V-necked T-shirt and black blazer, his legs impossibly longer in dark slacks.

  “You came,” she said, when he made his way to her side. The rest of the team found seats in the chambers. “And you brought company.”

  “Of course I came. I would only have missed this for a game.” He pointed to the rest of his team. “They just followed me.” He looked at her parents.

  Danielle quickly did the introductions. Jacobe’s eyes widened. “I’m happy to meet you. Danielle has told me about the work you do in the community. It’s admirable.”

  Her parents looked both proud and sheepish. “We’re hoping to get more involved with Danielle’s work.”

  The council members entered the chamber. Danielle led her parents and Jacobe to the seats in the front that Debra had saved for them. The council members quickly noticed the members from the Gators and smiled and waved their greetings. Everyone around here was an even bigger Gator fan now that the team had done so well in the play-offs.

  The council meeting progressed quickly through the opening pledge of allegiance and as resolutions passed from the various members of the community. To Danielle’s surprise, the chairman requested a change in the agenda to move the vote on the Clear Water permit up in the agenda. Danielle shifted in her seat and glanced at the agenda. He moved it ahead of the opportunity for citizens to speak. She gave Debra a wary look.

  “What’s this?” she whispered.

  Debra shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t like it.”

  Neither did Danielle. The council approved the change and then went straight into the vote.

  Liberty sat forward in her chair and tilted the microphone forward. “As we can see from the turnout here today, including that from the members of our championship Gators team, this is an important issue. The council members have already discussed the seriousness of the outcome and have taken into consideration the multitude of phone calls, emails, and messages left by the community. Please remember that as we make our votes.”

  Danielle held her breath as she waited for each member to vote for or against the proposal. When the proposal passed unanimously to deny the local permit, even though Liberty’s yes was less than enthusiastic, she nearly bounced out of her seat and yelped her joy. Not getting the local permit would go a long way to the ultimate denial of the state permit.

  After the council meeting ended, there were a lot of congratulations and handshakes. The council members came over to Jacobe to thank him for bringing their attention to the issue.

  “Great job, Danielle,” her dad said when they were standing outside of the council chambers an hour later. It had taken that long for most of the crowd and residents to clear out.

  “Thanks, but this is just the beginning. I’ve still got to work to make sure the state denies their permit. Clear Water needs to shut down, not put in patchworks that will do more harm than good. The state knows it.”

  Pride filled her mom’s eyes and she hugged Danielle tight. “I love you, Danielle. And I’m so proud of you.”

  Tears burned the back of Danielle’s eyes. She’d known her parents loved her, but hearing them say that and having them here was ten times better than having the feeling as a vague belief she kept telling herself.

  Jacobe came over after her parents said goodbye and walked to their car. “Can I give you a ride home?”

  “How do you know I need a ride?”

  “Debra let it slip.”

  She’d have to remind Debra to butt out. They had ridden together to the council meeting. Danielle wanted to be petty and ask if he was sure he wanted to give her a ride, except her need to be alone with him again burned away any petty feelings she had. She missed him. “I’d like that.”

  “You’re victorious,” Jacobe said once they were seated in his car.

  “Thanks to you.”

  “I’m only a part of it. I got the attention your way, but you’re the one who did all of the talking to convince me, the council and the public to support the measure.”

  “Still, you got their attention. I appreciate that.”

  “Working with you all helped my reputation more than I expected. It’s amazing how much people saw me as less the bad boy and more the good guy just because I helped out at your events.”

  Danielle had forgotten he was only helping out to improve his image and not because he had any real care for the environment. Jacobe gave back financially, but working with her was the only situation where he gave of his time. Obviously, he wouldn’t have wanted to go with her on the Water for Kids trip. No wonder he’d scoffed when she’d mentioned she was going to ask him to go.

  He shifted in his seat and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’ve done some thinking since the other night.”

  She clasped her hands in her lap and looked out of the window. “Oh, really? What have you come up with?”

  “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

  Danielle’s head whipped around. “What?”

  “I’m sorry. I said I trusted you and I do. I think you should go to Malawi with Water for Kids.”

  “You want me to go?”

  “If we weren’t dating, would you have hesitated to say yes?”

  She shook her head. “I wouldn’t.”

  “I know. You should go. I know something like this will go a long way to bring attention to the River Watchers. Ultimately it’ll help your goals here. Don’t hold back your dreams because of me.”

  Words every woman wanted to hear from her man, but was he telling her not to hold back because he wasn’t holding back his dream?

  “If I go to Malawi, when I return will you be packing your bags for Phoenix?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know, Danielle.”

  Pain tightened her chest. She faced the window again so he wouldn’t see. His hand, warm and strong, covered hers on the armrest. “If I do go, that doesn’t mean I want it to be the end of us, if that’s what you’re thinking. I can’t ask you to drop everything in Jacksonville and move to another state. Well, I can, and I want to, but I won’t pressure you into that decision.”

  He took his eyes off the road for a second to smile at her. “Not much anyway.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I am. I care about you, Danielle. I trust you. At the end of the summer, you’ll be back and I’ll know where I’m going to play next season. It’d be juvenile for us to break up now because of what might happen. Agreed?”

  He cared about her. Not love, but again she knew that was a word he wouldn’t throw out easily. Maybe they needed this. The heat between them had burned hot almost from the start, but heat didn’t build a long-lasting relationship. Would absence make their heat burn hotter, or would she return to find he’d cooled off?

  The thought pained her, but it was a very real possibility and one she’d rather face sooner rather than later. She didn’t want to move to Phoenix, but maybe she would later. If they couldn’t survive a summer apart, which was nothing in the scheme of things, how would they survive a long-distance relationship?

  His hand squeezed hers. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Everything you just said. Okay, I’ll go. And I’ll consider how we’ll make things work when you move to Phoenix.”

  His nod was stiff. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back. “Cool.”

  “Cool,” she said. She was really starting to hate that word.

  * * *

  The atmosphere on
the plane delivering the Jacksonville Gators back home after winning the last game of the semifinals and making their way to the finals was nothing less than exuberant. Singing, drinking, chanting and lively conversation filled first class and had spilled over into coach. Jacobe laughed and joined in with his teammates, but his heart wasn’t really in it, and more than once he drifted away from the conversations to stare out the window.

  “Jacobe,” Isaiah called. “What are you doing when you get home?”

  Jacobe turned away from the window to Isaiah in the seat next to him. Kevin sat in front of them and was currently on his knees facing backward to talk with them.

  “I’m taking Danielle to the airport later.” Surprisingly, he said that without any of the unsureness he felt inside.

  Kevin shook his head. “You really want to send your girl off with her ex-boyfriend?”

  “I’m not sending her off with her ex-boyfriend. She’s going on a trip to bring water to those who need it.”

  “With her ex-boyfriend,” Kevin said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not worried that he might try to cuddle up in her tent one night.”

  “No. Danielle isn’t Christy.” He kept telling himself this.

  “She may not be like Christy, but that doesn’t mean Luke won’t push up on her.”

  Jacobe glanced at Isaiah next to him. “You think?”

  Isaiah shrugged. “I’m not sure. I know he has a lot of good things to say about Danielle. I don’t think he’ll try and go there. He’s all saved now, and breaking up relationships isn’t his thing.”

  “He said that?” Jacobe asked.

  Isaiah shrugged. “In so many words. I pressed him about his relationship with Danielle.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “Because you’re my friend,” Isaiah said without batting an eye. “I know Luke has been cool with us, but I don’t work with him every day. I know that your history with Christy really messed with your head. If his plans were to get with Danielle I wanted to know so I could tell you.”

  Jacobe was struck speechless. He’d never really considered Isaiah and Kevin close friends. In a few sentences, Jacobe realized he’d been wrong not to. They had his back, were men he could trust. That felt nice. He hadn’t understood how much he missed having friends he could count on. “I appreciate that, man.”