Emma sat next to Avery with Tanner on her other side. She chattered with her sister about nothing just to keep her mind off the inquisition to come. She snuck a glance at Tanner. He stared straight ahead at the view, looking completely unconcerned, but a muscle jerked in his jaw betraying his nervousness, and he kept rubbing his temples as if he had a headache.
Avery patted Emma’s hand. “Hang in there. They don’t own you. Just set them straight and leave.”
“Does Isaac agree with that?”
“Isaac isn’t happy because he cares about you, and he doesn’t trust Tanner, but all in all, he agrees with me. This is your life.”
Emma nodded, shored up by Avery and Isaac’s support and Tanner’s presence.
Izzy strode onto the deck with a pitcher of margaritas, while Cooper followed with the glasses. Isaac who didn’t drink, declined and sipped on water instead. Everybody else grabbed the drinks as if they were lifelines. Emma caught Isaac studying Tanner as he downed his margarita in a few large gulps and grabbed another. Tanner ignored his brother.
Rather than sitting down, Cooper and Izzy leaned against the railing taking the strategic place of power by looking down on the others. Izzy appeared to be running the show, because Cooper said nothing and waited for her to speak.
“Would you like to explain yourself?” Izzy glared down at Emma in her usual straightforward manner.
“There’s not much to explain. I’ve been singing karaoke on Wednesday nights at the casino for months.” Emma forced her tone to be neutral and calm. Inside she was quaking.
Izzy pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. “Emma, why? Why would you do that?”
“I love to sing. I want to be a singer, but I’m about to be an elementary school teacher instead because of some stupid pact we made as kids.” Unable to hold back, Emma spat out the truth and braced herself for the backlash. Tanner squeezed her thigh right about the knee in silent support for which Emma was grateful. She caught Izzy’s quick glance downward and her narrowed eyes said it all. She was getting wound up.
“We agreed our parents’ life is not the life for us. You know what a crappy life they have. You know what it takes to get to the top, and even more, to stay there.”
“Maybe I want the chance to try—with or without your blessing.” Emma drew in a deep breath waiting for Izzy to detonate, but she didn’t, despite the tension thick in the air.
“What about him?” Cooper asked, jerking his head in Tanner’s direction. Caught staring at Emma, Tanner gave a guilty start and moved his hand off Emma’s thigh.
Emma jumped to the rescue before Tanner could open his mouth. “I ran into Tanner a few weeks ago at karaoke, and we’ve been keeping each other company.”
“What kind of company?” Isaac spoke up, and Tanner shot his brother a warning glare.
“None of your fucking business.” Tanner narrowed his eyes at his brother, and the animosity reflected there broke Emma’s heart.
“You’re dead, you know. If Cooper doesn’t kill you, I will,” Isaac growled. “Emma isn’t the type of girl a guy like you should be stringing along.”
“The same could be said for Avery,” Tanner shot back.
Isaac looked ready to come after Tanner, but Avery steadied him with a hand on his shoulder and a whisper in his ear. Isaac leaned back against the railing, but he didn’t look happy.
Izzy picked up the baton and continued her inquisition. This time she leveled her accusing glare at Tanner. “We’re friends. Close friends. How could you treat my sister like one of your nameless women? You know she’s inexperienced and vulnerable.”
“It’s not like that,” Tanner insisted, even though not one person on the deck believed him. Not even Emma, even though she wished he were telling the truth. Tanner could lie with the best of them, and it’d take a stellar performance to get off this deck with his balls and Emma’s convictions intact.
“Oh, really? What the hell is it like?” Cooper growled, his hands curling into fists as he assumed the role of protective big brother.
Emma leaned forward, ready to interfere, but held her silence. He ran his hands over his face and sighed, long and deep, as if he were struggling with some inner demon or perhaps several.
“It’s just not like that.”
“Enlighten us,” Cooper insisted.
Emma cocked a brow at Tanner. He’d dug this hole, he’d have to crawl out of it on his own. Besides, she was dying to hear what he had to say.
“Emma is special.” He paused and looked down at her, like a man in love wearing one of those same sappy smiles she’d seen on Cooper and Isaac’s faces. He was one heck of a good actor. Emma almost believed him, but she couldn’t allow herself to be that naive.
“Of course she is, and you are an opportunist who charms his way into women’s pants and never gives it another thought,” Avery spoke up, surprising them all.
Tanner blinked a few times then cast a murderous look in his brother’s direction, obviously blaming him for Avery’s attitude. His lapse was momentary though. The charmer came back full force, his smile blinding and his eyes sparkling. “I can understand your concern given my track record, but people change. Avery, you should know that as well as anyone. Look at this guy.” He pointed at Isaac whose scowl was a blue ribbon winner, even for Isaac the master of intimidating scowls.
Avery raised an eyebrow and shrugged one shoulder in a total non-committal gesture. “I like you, Tanner, just not for my sister.”
“Maybe you should give me a chance like all of you gave Ice a chance.” Tanner grinned at his brother as if they were long-lost friends. He was really laying it on thick and his talent for fabrication fascinated Emma.
“Yeah, like the Steelheads are giving you a chance?” Isaac shot back, right on target with a low blow.
Tanner paled under his tan. His brother had hit a nerve, and Emma suddenly felt as if everyone here knew something she didn’t.
Emma turned to him. “What?”
Tanner didn’t answer. He stared straight ahead as if the view from the deck were the most fascinating thing he’d seen all year.
“It’s not a coincidence you’re looking to clean up your act after the Steelheads were sold to a family and community-oriented group. You play the charity card well, though I question your sincerity, and you don’t play well with family.” Isaac continued, in a voice oddly devoid of emotion.
Tanner swung his gaze to Isaac. “That has nothing to do with it. Emma is truly special, and I’m lucky to have found her. We’ve been secretly seeing each other for a long time,” he lied smoothly, like a man who’d had tons of practice and perfected his fabrications to an art form. “We’re crazy about each other, like Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers because our families will never approve.”
Emma knew her mouth was hanging open, and she was speechless. Tanner was laying it on thick. She knew he was good, but this good? She’d never realized what a consummate actor the gorgeous charmer was. If she hadn’t been the other half of his story, she’d believe him. By the stunned expressions on everyone’s faces, they might actually fall for his bull.
“Is that true?” Cooper asked. All eyes turned to Emma, and she squirmed.
Unable to articulate the truth and still reeling from Tanner’s concocted story, Emma nodded. “Yes,” she spoke with more conviction than she felt.
“We want to get married,” Tanner added. “With your blessings, of course.”
Emma’s heart skyrocketed into her throat, rendering her at first speechless, then as she realized Tanner was just trying to save his ass, her heart did a high dive down to her toes and refused to swim to the surface and save itself.
She felt sick, absolutely sick. Her sisters turned to gape at her, and she managed a feeble shrug. Instead of disputing what Tanner said, she said nothing.
Tanner pulled her close and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, pausing to sweetly place a lock of hair behind her ear. Another stellar performance from him which had her sisters starin
g in wonder at the two of them.
Izzy spoke first, “Emma, are you in love with this man?” She pointedly glared at Tanner. He smiled benignly back at Izzy, appearing unfazed. He gazed at Emma and tilted his head in that adorable puppy dog way of his and grabbed her hand. Tanner squeezed her hand, holding it tightly, just like he held her heart in his big hands. Their eyes met, like they had that first time five years ago in Husky Stadium. Once again reminding Emma that she knew. Oh, yes, she knew and perhaps fate had intervened to seal the deal.
Reluctantly prying her gaze from his, and encouraged by his closeness, she looked Izzy straight in the eyes, swallowed, and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I love him with all my heart.”
At least, she wasn’t lying about that one simple fact.
* * * *
From a young age, Tanner had resorted to lying to get out of trouble—not that it always worked, but he did have a talent for weaving believable stories when combined with his superior acting abilities and award-winning smile. He’d just woven a doozy, and he still wasn’t sure why the fuck he’d done it. Maybe to prove them all wrong—even though they were right—or maybe to raise his stock in Izzy’s eyes or maybe to see his asshole brother and the self-righteous Cooper Black rendered speechless. Hell if he knew. Self-introspection wasn’t his strong suit.
Regardless, Emma was an even better actor, because no one was talking right now as they gaped open-mouthed at Emma after her declaration of love. Hell, he almost believed her. She grasped his hand and stared into his eyes in such a way he almost forgot they had an audience. He resisted this very foreign urge to wrap her in his arms, protect her from all her demons and his, and never let her go.
Shock sliced through Tanner, shaking him to his very core. This wasn’t just about sex. It was something else. Hell yeah, he wanted to have sex with Emma, but he’d enjoyed singing together and hanging out. During the season, football consumed most of his time. In the off-season, it was a rarity for him to think beyond his next drunk and his next lay. Spending time with a woman who wasn’t naked while enjoying the hell out of her company had never entered into the picture—until Emma.
Isaac’s gaze burnt into him, so he met the jerk’s narrowed gaze with a challenging one of his own. Isaac’s mouth crooked with evil intent, and Tanner braced himself. He never underestimated Ice’s ruthlessness. The ass would’ve made a helluva linebacker.
Tanner raised an eyebrow, daring his brother to make the next move. Bad decision on Tanner’s part because Isaac usually won a battle of wits with anyone including a younger brother obsessed with people liking him.
“What about you, Tan. You love her, too?”
Tanner had chosen that moment to take a long gulp of his margarita, and he almost choked on it, which caused Isaac to scowl even harder.
“That stuff is bad for you. You should lighten up.”
Tanner laughed. “You’re telling me this?”
“Do you see me drinking?”
Tanner narrowed his eyes and tried to remember the last time he’d seen Isaac drink, but then they didn’t exactly spend quality bonding time together. “I’ll take that under consideration, big brother.”
“Good. Answer my question.”
Tanner sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be getting off easy with Isaac. He never had. They’d always competed, and Isaac had protected Tanner and Zeke as best he could from their father’s wrath, paying dearly for it right up to the day he deserted them to play in the juniors halfway across the country. Tanner had never forgiven Isaac, not for his desertion when his brothers needed him most and definitely not for the part Isaac played in their sister’s death.
Despite his easygoing façade, Tanner liked to hang onto his grudges. His grudge against big brother was his favorite one to date, even though Tanner suspected it hurt him more than it hurt Isaac.
Tanner glanced at Emma. She gave him a shaky smile, as if afraid of his answer. He hated disappointing people. Absolutely fricking hated it. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and turned to face his brother.
“Yes, I love her.”
Emma gasped and put her free hand over her mouth. Izzy and Avery did the same thing, while Isaac and Cooper exchanged looks of disbelief. Their mistrust pissed Tanner off, even if it was deserved. They didn’t believe him. Well, damn it, he’d show them.
“And,” he paused for dramatic effect, “we’re getting married.” He looked from one man to the other, daring them to call his bluff. Izzy made a strangled sound and covered her face with her hands.
Emma squeezed his hand so hard, he almost congratulated her on her grip. He smiled at her in what he hoped was a doting fiancé fashion. She glared at him. He grinned even harder. He loved it when she was badass.
No one said a word.
“We thought we’d just run off to Vegas, but hell, now that you guys know, maybe we’ll have a small family ceremony before the season begins.” Tanner took another gulp of his drink, winked at Emma, and hugged her tight to him. She felt good, pressed against his side, and he planned to keep her there a while. Standing, he pulled her to her feet.
“That’s enough for one day. I’m sure Emma will fill you in on the details later.”
As if in a trance, Emma let him lead her out the door to his car without a word. Luckily none of the others followed. She still didn’t say a word as he drove her home. In fact, her silence made him a little nervous. She had to be fuming right about now. He’d just committed them to a marriage in front of her family and friends.
He guessed that was one way to get in her pants.
Or make her hate him forever.
And he didn’t like that second option one damn bit.
Chapter 5—Screen Pass
Emma’s emotions ran the gamut—hope, fear, anger, confusion, love, and, well, more anger. Tanner drove in silence back to her barn apartment, while she stared out the passenger window. He parked on the gravel parking area next to the barn and heaved a heavy sigh.
“Tanner, I left my car at your house,” she said as an afterthought, completely forgetting she’d met him.
“I’ll get it to you later.”
Emma wasn’t in the mood to argue. “Let’s go inside. Avery and Isaac will be driving by here any minute.”
Avery and Isaac lived further down the gravel driveway beyond the hayfield in an old house they were remodeling.
“Aren’t you worried they’ll see my truck here?”
“Worried?” Emma’s voice cracked as if she were on the verge of a meltdown, and she forced a semblance of sanity into her tone. “What more can we do to make this worse than it already is?”
Tanner grinned at her. “Not much.”
Emma glared at him, exasperated by his flippant tone. He treated this nightmare like a game, while she found it anything but.
Tanner followed her upstairs to the small barn apartment and flopped on the worn couch. Emma sat across from him, knowing if he touched her, she’d agree to anything no matter how stupid it might be, such as marrying a man who considered love a game to be won.
“You think this is amusing, don’t you? You did this to yank your brother’s chain and to hell with me and my feelings.” Her voice rose to a maniacal screech. She tried to tamp it down.
Tanner refused to get dragged into her anger, which infuriated Emma all the more. He merely blinked at her and said nothing as he picked up the remote and turned on the TV.
Emma snatched the remote from his hand and pressed the Off button. “You lied to them, they caught you in your lie, so you told an even bigger one. How are you going to get out of this?”
“Marry you.” Tanner’s lopsided smile melted at least a smidgen of her anger.
“Are you crazy? You’d marry me rather than admit you lied?”
He grinned. “Sure would. We’ll tell them later we rushed into it, and it’s not working out. Go our separate ways once the season is over.”
Emma was beyond appalled. How could he approach marriage in this flippant manner? To Emma
marriage was sacred, a promise between two people to stay in love forever no matter how difficult it might be at times. She rubbed her eyes and met his amused gaze. How could he take this so lightly? “Doesn’t marriage mean anything to you?”
His cocky smile faded. He blinked at her as if not understanding her question and scratched his stubbled chin.
“Marriage is forever,” Emma lectured in a huff, knowing she sounded uptight and self-righteous but beyond caring. She glared down at him, hands on her hips.
Tanner snorted. “Honey, nothing is forever. Not in my life.” He grinned at her. “Besides, any chance I have to best my brother, I’ll take it.”
“Best him? By beating him to the altar?” Her voice took on that screeching tone again as she edged toward hysterical.
“Sure thing.” Tanner kept grinning, completely unfazed.
“You really are crazy.”
“So I’ve been told. But I’m fun as hell, too.”
And sexy as hell, but he already knew that; no reason to further inflate his big head. “Nobody does shotgun weddings anymore, and I’m not pregnant.”
“Yeah, but we can practice. You said you wanted to wait for marriage. Consider this a license for us to screw each other’s brains out guilt free until we get tired of each other.”
“Are you kidding?” She had a raging, pounding headache, and she never got headaches, but that was what the man did to her.
“Come on, Emma. Don’t overthink this. I could use a nice girl like you to bolster my image with Fish management. We’ll have fun.”
“Fun? You think marriage is fun?” Tanner talked about marriage as if it were nothing more than a plot on a reality show. As far as she knew, that might be part of his plan.
“Probably not, but it should be.” He grinned again, but she didn’t smile back.
“You’re only doing this because I’ll make you look good to the Steelheads’ new management and coaches. You’re using me.”
“And you can use me all you want, baby. I’m yours. My money is yours, and my body is sure as hell yours.” His green eyes hooked her and reeled her in. Before she succumbed to his charms, Emma broke the gaze and paced into the kitchen to make some coffee.
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