Showdown (Gridiron Book 2)

by Lea Hart

  Turning, Scott screamed. “Dear God, woman. Do you feel as bad as you look?”

  “Shut up and don’t scream anymore. You sound like a girl.”

  “Have you looked in the mirror yet? Screaming was the most polite response I could come up with.”

  Pouring a large cup of coffee, she added sugar and then grabbed the cream out of the fridge. “I’m in a very delicate state right now and would appreciate if you would refrain from making comments about my appearance. You’re an uninvited guest, so you have to deal with me as I am.”

  Standing, he moved in her direction. “Sorry. Do you want me to make you some toast?”

  “Sure, that would be nice. The bread is in…”

  “I know where the bread is, Ronnie. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been hanging out here a lot over the last month since Chase and I have become friends.”

  Sitting at the table, she studied him. “I guess that’s true. I hadn’t thought about it until just now.” Taking a large gulp of coffee, she started to feel better. “What are you doing here this morning?”

  “Waiting for Chase to finish up his phone call. We’re going over to the stadium to work out and toss the ball around.”

  “Oh.” She watched Scott pull the toast out and put butter on it. He grabbed a jar of jam out of the fridge and brought it over to the table. “Thanks. I guess I won’t fire you as a client today.”

  “Awfully nice of you,” he smirked. “How are you feeling? I heard you and Ella went to Walmart and you lost your shit.”

  “I did not lose it at Walmart. We bought some nail polish and other junk, and then went to a bar and got drunk.”

  “The other story I heard was much better.”

  “The day is young, so don’t count me out yet. I’m right on the edge, and it’s hard to predict when the next storm is coming.”

  “You have my number in your phone, right?”

  “No.”

  “You should put it in there in case Chase is busy and you need a ride home or you want me to come get you out of jail.”

  Patting his hand, she took another sip of coffee. “Good to know. You can never have enough people in your life who will put up bail.”

  “That’s true.”

  Chase walked in and frowned. “You better not try and kiss her again.” Walking over to get more coffee, he muttered to himself about who he could trust and who he couldn’t.

  Scott shuddered. “Have you seen her yet this morning? She’s too scary to kiss.”

  “I wake up to her every morning, so of course I saw her. She looks as beautiful as she always does.” He kissed her head and sat down, grabbing her hand. “How are you feeling, honey?”

  “Like I drank too much and have recently been hit by a car and had my dream of children ripped out of my arms.”

  “That good?”

  “Yep, that good.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and drank her coffee. If she took one thing away from her conversation with Ella yesterday, it was to quit hiding from what was going on. She felt like crap and probably would for quite some time, so it was best just to accept it.

  Otherwise, she was going to end up in Walmart with flying arms and a small blaze that she was responsible for. “Can you take me to the Dollar Store later on?”

  “Sure. Are we searching for anything specific?”

  “No. I just like to go and see what they have. I find it therapeutic to walk the aisles and check out the merchandise.”

  “All right. Let’s plan to go after lunch.”

  “Perfect. I’ll take a shower and then work for a bit. I have to make my money-grubbing clients richer, so they can buy stuff they don’t need.”

  “Said the woman who’s going to troll the aisles of the Dollar Store for plastic crap from China,” Scott replied.

  Rising, she patted his arm before walking away. “I’ve got more money than God, so a couple of trips to the Dollar Store are not going to break me.”

  “Honey, before I forget to tell you, Jack called. Ana heard about the shenanigans yesterday and felt left out. He said something about her wanting to do more than drive the get-away car, so give her a call when you have a chance.”

  “I will. She had her big presentation yesterday, so that’s why we didn’t invite her. I’ll make sure that she’s included for the next one,” she replied before answering her ringing phone.

  Chase glanced over at Scott. “Why do you always look confused when you’re around us?”

  “Because you live in crazy town and think it’s normal. Why does Ronnie have more money than God?”

  “Because she’s smart and has tripled the size of her inheritance. You’re damn lucky that she took you on as a client and I bet your grandchildren are going to be thanking her too.”

  “Let’s go work out, so you can be back in time to take your girlfriend to the Dollar Store,” he replied with a snicker. “I bet you never thought you’d end up here after winning three Super Bowls.”

  “You’re right. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to meet a woman like Ronnie and get her to fall for me. I know at your age this probably seems pretty dull, but from where I stand, this is fucking paradise.”

  Ronnie ended her call and walked over to Chase and kissed him hard. “You’re the one who’s paradise.” She heard Scott groan and kissed Chase again because she was lucky to have him and wanted him to know.

  Scott stood and walked over to the coffee pot. “Should I leave?”

  Ronnie lifted her mouth away from Chase’s and laughed. “No, I need to get some work done before we leave for Jacksonville tomorrow.”

  “How long are you two going to be gone?”

  Chase, kissed Ronnie’s cheek and then stood. “We’re going up for a few days and then flying to New Orleans to have Easter with Ronnie’s family.”

  “Are they all as crazy as her?” Scott asked.

  “Every single one of them,” Ronnie replied before walking toward the door. “I’ll see you later, Chase.”

  “Can’t wait,” he replied.

  Hearing Scott gag, she let out a laugh and didn’t care what anyone thought of their relationship or her life for that matter.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Walking into Chase’s house, Ronnie wasn’t sure what to expect. He lived in the quiet Brierwood neighborhood that ran along a river with homes that had been around since the sixties. The homes were eclectic and beautifully renovated, and she thought it was an excellent sign that he didn’t live in one of those McMansions that faced a golf course.

  “Welcome home, honey. Once you see the house, you can tell me if we should keep it or just sell. I can’t imagine having much cause to come up here, but maybe with your golfing clients, you’ll need to have something close to Sawgrass.” He unlocked the door, and they were greeted with cool air. “Janet got the house ready and left us something for dinner, so all we have to do is unpack and relax.”

  “Your home is lovely, Chase. What a nice surprise to see that you have good taste.” Walking into the open living room, she started to notice all the details that made it so beautiful. “You really honored the integrity of the home when you updated it. Bravo.”

  “I’m glad you like it. All I really changed when I moved in was paint colors. The previous owners had it completely restored.”

  Running her hand along the back of the low-slung couch, she admired the Eames chairs that faced the patio. “Are these the real thing?”

  “Of course, why wouldn’t they be?” Laughing, he walked up and took her hand. “Did you wonder if I had a black leather sofa and glass tables?”

  “I might have, but can see you have lovely taste, and it’s just one more thing to like about you.”

  “I don’t want to mislead you because I had a black leather sofa in my first condo after I went pro. I thought I was the bomb with my loft in San Francisco and my cool sound system.”

  Laughing, she tried to imagine Chase right out of college and playing pro ball. “I need to see
some pictures of your coolness because it’s hard to imagine.”

  “We’ll see.” Taking her hand, he led her toward the patio doors. “Let me show you the pool and the river out back. “I have a dock, but haven’t had time to get a boat yet, which seems like a blessing considering your opinion of depreciating assets.”

  She elbowed him and laughed. “Sweet talker.”

  “We may want to have a place up here because we’re only two hours from Disney World, and when the kids get big enough, I’m sure we’ll be going there regularly.”

  Stiffening, she shook her head. “Chase, you don’t know that we’re going to have a family.”

  “Oh, yes, I do. There are lots of kids in the world who need a home, and we’re in the process of making a great one, so I expect we can have as many as we can handle.” Bending over, he wiped the tears that fell down her face. “It’s okay, honey. Just because it doesn’t match the picture in our head doesn’t mean it’s not a good one. Hell, for all we know, it could be better because Lord knows the children we’d produce would be a handful. And the jury is still out on us making one the old-fashioned way, so those are probably still coming our way at some point.”

  “You talk about it like we’re shopping for a car or something.”

  “No, I’m not. But I’m not picky about how we make a family, and all I care about is having one with you.”

  Turning, she folded herself into him. “Chase Bedford, you are a good man. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed his chest. “I love you.” Rubbing her nose against his shirt, she let out a sigh and thought about babies.

  Pulling away, he looked into her face. “I need you to repeat what you just said.”

  “I love you, Chase.”

  “Okay, it wasn’t my wishful thinking. It actually happened. Veronica DuMond Bedford loves me.”

  “I think you took a big leap there, sir. Because I don’t remember agreeing to take your name or you asking me to be your wife.”

  “All in good time, honey.” Wrapping her a little tighter, he kissed her head. “We’re going to be good together, Ronnie. Our home is not going to be a quiet one, but it will be filled with love, and we can’t ask for more than that.”

  Staring up at the man who she trusted with her life, she beamed. “I agree, Chase.”

  Opening the slider, she took a step out to the patio. “I love how close you are to the water. What is that out there?”

  “That’s the St. John’s River. It’s the longest one in Florida. I’ve never spent any time on it, but people say it’s beautiful. You can go fishing, and swimming in some parts. There’s marshland further down with some nice big gators, and we should go on a tour sometime and see what it’s all about.”

  Leaning down to stick her hand in the pool, she felt the warm water against her skin. “That might be fun. I’ve never taken the time to explore the state since I moved here. I set up my business and went straight to work, but now that I have someone to do fun touristy things with, I’m ready to have some adventures.”

  Taking her hand, he led her toward the water. “I came up here, bought the house, went to work, and haven’t done much else. Other than finding the woman who I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, it’s been work, work, work.”

  “Maybe we should just take one day at a time for now.” When he didn’t respond, she knew he was up to something. Following him down to the end of the dock, she looked out over the water. “I had no idea it was so vast and can see why you’d want a boat. What kind would you get?”

  Sitting down, he leaned back. “I have no idea.”

  Walking back, she sat next to him and leaned against his shoulder. “Are you sure, Chase?”

  “About the boat?”

  “No. About me…about us. I’m very likely not going to be able to have children, and can’t have you look at me a couple of years from now and resent the place we’re in.”

  “I want to build a life with you, and whatever comes our way will be a blessing.”

  “But I have a lot of stuff to work through. I may be on the edge of a breakdown and have a feeling that it won’t be pretty. I may not always be that girl you spoke with on the phone all those months ago and may end up losing my mind in Walmart like Aunt Cecilia. Getting out while you can could be your best move.”

  “I have no interest in getting out. I love you, just the way you are and all I ask is that I be your first call from jail. I’m here, and will never leave, even if you set an accidental-on-purpose fire in Walmart. You can count on me because I’ll never abandon you and will always fight for us. You have a strong mind and a fragile heart, and you have to trust that I’ll always protect you.”

  “That is the finest thing one person has ever said to another. And I can’t believe how lucky I am that I had the good sense to go after you.”

  Throwing his head back, he let out a bark of laughter. “You never went after me. I came after you, and you didn’t have a prayer of escaping me.”

  “That’s true. I amend my earlier statement and will say that I’m lucky you chose me.”

  Kissing the top of her head, he smiled. “I did choose you, and you don’t have to be shiny and bright for me; in fact, that might get annoying.”

  “Well, you did carry me out of a bar when I was drunk and crying. I guess it doesn’t get less shiny and bright than that.”

  “Do you remember when Scott was giving you a hard time and said you looked scary?”

  “Yes, because he screamed when he saw me. I can tell you that’s not something I enjoyed with a hangover. Especially in my own kitchen.”

  “Well, he asked me if I saw you, and at the time I thought that was a weird question, but later realized that you always look the same to me. Beautiful and hungover with crazy hair appears the same to me as when you’re dressed up and ready to go out to dinner.”

  “Now I know that you’re just as crazy as me.” Placing her hand on his face, she pulled him down and kissed him. It was a perfect moment on a lovely evening in the arms of a man who was going to change her life. “I feel much better and believe I’m physically healed. So maybe we could practice that baby-making later on, even though we don’t have a chance in hell of making one.”

  “I believe it’s important to stay in peak physical condition because you never know when you’re going to be called in for the big play. Practice is vital, so we should keep on top of our training and not be results oriented. Because when we get the go signal, we’re going to be ready.”

  “I know why they paid you so well, honey. That was an inspiring speech and one I’ll take to heart.”

  “I’m glad it worked. Do I have to feed you before we start practicing?”

  “I think that might be a good idea because I don’t want to under-perform due to the lack of proper nutrition.”

  “That’s true.” Standing up, he held out his hand. “Let’s take a swim, and then we can eat on the patio.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “I haven’t even shown you the house yet.”

  “As long as you have a bed, it’s going to be fine.”

  “I do, and it’s king-sized, so we have lots of room.”

  “Perfect.”

  ***

  Watching the sunset over the river, Ronnie let out a contented sigh. “Sometimes when your life falls apart, it comes back together in a way that’s far better.”

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.”

  “What made you fall in love with me?”

  Placing her hand over his, she smiled into the fading sun. “It wasn’t one thing and, if I’m being honest, I have to admit it started on our first date. When you walked into the library, I was smitten.”

  “Too bad I screwed it up.”

  Shrugging, she smoothed out her dress. “I think it all worked out because it made me get out of my own way so that by the time you came around again, I was ready.”

  “Not that ready since I had to plant my ass in your pa
th until you gave in.”

  “Maybe so, but it worked because you made me see you and everything you revealed let me know there’s no better man in the world and I would be lucky to have you as a partner. But I have to tell you the thing that really sealed the deal was your willingness to take me to the Dollar Store. You never complained, walked around with me for over an hour, and didn’t make fun of me when I bought all the crap for the kitchen. I figure, if you can do that, then there’s nothing you won’t do for me. Forget the fact that you’re handsome, accomplished, kind, a master in bed, and rich. It was the Dollar Store that got to me.”

  “I sure like your description of me, and it makes me seem like a catch.”

  “You are a catch, and I caught you, so now you’re mine.” Leaning over, she gave him a gentle kiss. “And to think I wanted to shoot you a few weeks ago.”

  “I’m damn glad that I got that turned around. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and I plan on seeing the love side a lot more than the hate side. And just in case, I’ll be making sure you never find your gun because I may give you some cause over the years to want to use it.”

  “I doubt it.” Looking out at the water, a frown fell across her face. “I hope I can pull myself out of my pity party before you get sick of me. I know I have a hundred blessings in my life, and shouldn’t allow myself to wallow. But I have to tell you; there are moments that feel awfully black to me.”

  “I think you should just feel what you feel and not judge yourself. I’ve seen you get better every day and as long as you don’t try to pretend that it’s all okay, I think you’ll be fine. Recovery doesn’t happen in an instant, so try and be patient.”

  “All right.” Watching a boat skitter across the top of the lake, she thought about how much fun it would be to do that with Chase. There were a lot of things that were fun to do with him, and as he stood up next to her with his hand out, she hoped that they were going to do one of her favorite things. Placing her hand in his, she followed him into the house and knew the faded orange sky was a perfect backdrop for what was about to happen. “I love you, Chase Bedford.”