First Down (Texas Titans #3)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Jaxon often takes liberties he shouldn’t.” Grayson reclaimed his swivel chair while gesturing to the guest chair across from him.

  He wasn’t thrilled his partner had hired her without checking with him first. Great. She was there to prove herself to a man who clearly thought she’d gotten the job offer because Jaxon was a leg man. Alana sat down, crossing her legs as she leaned forward and clasped her hands over her knees. “I’ve been doing some research on your company, and I’m very impressed with how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time.”

  “Most people research a company before the interview,” Grayson said, reaching for a sheet of paper. “You waited until after Jaxon offered you the job before you checked out our company history?”

  She hadn’t said as much, but since she was a terrible liar, she decided to be honest. “A friend emailed me the job listing. She knew I was looking to relocate—”

  “Why is that?” Grayson asked. “It says here your current address is in Sacramento. Why do you want to move?”

  “I just need a fresh start.” She tried to resist the urge to press her hand against her temple when a dull ache spread across her forehead. “The friend I mentioned, we went to college together. She lives in Arlington, so this seemed like as good a place as any to move to.” She realized her explanation made her sound flighty, as if she was willing to pick up and move on a whim. “I’d been thinking about making a move for some time.”

  “Why?” he asked, glancing over her resume for what seemed like the tenth time.

  “Excuse me?”

  He sighed, setting the paper down on his desk. “I asked you why you’re relocating.”

  Grayson wasn’t amiable like his partner. She feared if she told him the truth, he would hold it against her. “Is that relevant?”

  “To me it is.” He folded his arms over his broad chest and stared her down. “I don’t relish the idea of investing resources in training and development if the employee in question doesn’t intend to stick around.”

  “I’m looking to build a new life here in Arlington,” she said, gripping the armrest of her chair when her stomach took a nosedive. “But I can’t do that unless I have a job.”

  “Is something wrong?” he asked, leaning forward.

  He looked concerned, but unless she missed her guess, he was thinking about the ramifications for his company if she passed out and hit her head, spilling blood on their inlaid marble floor.

  “I skipped breakfast this morning,” she said, pinching her lips together. “It was stupid, I know—I’m hypoglycemic. But I was a little nervous about this interview.”

  His eyes softened. “I’ll be right back.”

  Alana closed her eyes as he left the office. She was blowing everything. He would never trust her to be a valuable employee if she couldn’t even take care of herself. She heard the door, and she opened her eyes.

  “Here,” he said, setting a blueberry scone and glass of orange juice on his desk. “Have this. It should help.” He lifted a broad shoulder when she gave him a questioning look. “My mother’s diabetic. I know orange juice elevates the blood sugar pretty quickly.”

  “I’m sorry about this.” She wrapped her hand around the glass tightly, hoping she could bring it to her mouth without spilling it. Her hand was trembling. “It was silly of me not to eat something before I left the house.”

  “The house?” he asked, leaning his backside against the desk as he stared down at her. “I thought you were from out of town. You’re not staying in a hotel?”

  “No,” she said, eyeing the scone. She would have killed for a bite, but she didn’t want to be rude. “I’m staying with my friend and her mother while I’m here.”

  “Why?”

  She didn’t know why he was making her personal life his business, but it wouldn’t serve her to antagonize him. “Because they offered, and I didn’t care to waste money on a hotel. Besides, like I said, Kari and I went to college together, and we haven’t had the opportunity to spend much time together the past few years.”

  “Why not?”

  This is getting ridiculous. The conversation felt more like a police interrogation than a job interview. No way would she tell him her ex was an obsessive control freak who’d tried to tell her who she could and couldn’t see. “I’m not sure how any of this is relevant, Mr. Barrett. I thought you wanted me to come in today to make sure I was qualified for this job.”

  Grayson’s eyes narrowed as he pushed off the desk. “Why don’t you enjoy your breakfast while I have a word with my partner, Ms. Holmes? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  ***

  “What the hell do you know about this woman you hired?” Grayson asked, throwing Jaxon’s door open without knocking. His receptionist had told Grayson her boss was alone, and he didn’t feel like wasting time on social niceties.

  “I know she’s hotter than hell.” Jaxon taunted him with a wide grin. “What else do I need to know?”

  Grayson clenched his hands on the back of the guest chair in front of Jaxon’s desk. “She’s hiding something, and I want to know what it is.”

  “You’ve been watching too many cop shows,” Jaxon said, rolling his eyes. “If you got out more—”

  “Shut it, I’m serious. I get a weird vibe from her.” Grayson couldn’t put his finger on it, but he’d met enough deceptive women to know one when he saw her.

  “You’re so suspicious,” Jaxon said, turning his attention back to his computer. “You really need to relax.”

  Grayson forced himself to take a deep breath. “I asked you what you know about her.” No one knew how to push his buttons quite like Jaxon. Telling him to relax was a sure-fire way to piss him off, and Jaxon knew it.

  “I know she’s divorced,” Jaxon said, not tearing his eyes away from the spreadsheet on screen. “Her ex owned some big software company. I Googled him after she left yesterday. He’s loaded, yet she didn’t seem interested in a settlement.”

  “She told you that?” Grayson asked. “And you believed her?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Jaxon raised a shoulder. “I have no reason to distrust the girl.”

  It was ironic, Grayson thought. Jaxon wouldn’t trust any of the women he dated, yet he had no problem trusting a potential employee—perhaps because his heart wasn’t on the line. “Yeah, well I do. I want a background check on her before we proceed.”

  “So do one,” Jaxon said.

  Grayson hated being put in that position. He hired based on his instincts, which rarely failed him. Now Jaxon was putting him in the awkward position of having to delve into a woman’s personal life because he’d hired her prematurely. “Fine, I will.”

  “You in for dinner tonight?” Jaxon asked as Grayson walked to the door.

  “Dinner?”

  “Yeah, the Cunningham twins are back in town, and I don’t know about you, but it’s been too long for me.”

  Grayson didn’t know if his friend was suggesting he’d been without a woman, but he highly doubted it. Women threw themselves at Jaxon, not that he’d met one who’d kept him interested past the third date. Grayson gripped the brushed nickel doorknob. “I’m kind of tired… and stressed. I may just hit the gym and order in tonight.”

  Jaxon groaned. “Come on, you can’t expect me to entertain both of them.”

  Grayson knew Jaxon wouldn’t have any problem doing just that. “Ask one of the other guys.”

  “Whatever.”

  Grayson made his way back to his office hoping he wouldn’t find their new hire in a heap on his office floor. She had looked a little pale and shaky when he’d left. If her story about hypoglycemia was true, she should have felt better by now. If not, she was definitely trying to hide something.

  He strode into his office. “Feeling better?”

  “Much, thank you,” she said, offering a weak smile. “I’m sorry about that. I usually don’t make the mistake of skipping meals, but I was a bit nervous about this interview, Mr. Barrett.�
��

  “Call me Grayson.” If he turned on the charm, maybe he could learn more about her background. If their investigator turned up information contrary to her story, he could let her go.

  “Only if you’ll call me Alana,” she said, smoothing a hand over her skirt.

  “Fine, Alana it is.” He removed his suit jacket and hung it on the back of his swivel chair before undoing the buttons at his wrists and rolling back his sleeves. He caught Alana looking at him before she tore her eyes away. He smiled, hoping she bought his softening attitude toward her. “I hope you don’t mind. I’d like to get a little more comfortable. Truth is, I’d much rather wear jeans, a T-shirt, and cowboy boots to work.”

  “Then why don’t you?” she asked, her eyes raking over him. “You are the boss, right?”

  “Yeah, but it’s important to dress for success, especially since I’m out there every day representing our brand.”

  “That makes sense, I guess.”

  “When you walked in here today, you looked like you’d seen a ghost,” he said, sitting and tilting back his chair. He regarded her carefully for any sign she may be uncomfortable with his question. “Care to tell me why?”

  “You… uh… reminded me of someone, that’s all.”

  “Who?”

  She looked as though she’d rather not answer, but she finally said, “My ex-husband.”

  “Ah, I see.” Grayson would have to Google the guy as soon as Alana left, if for no other reason than to determine whether there were any similarities.

  He watched her carefully. He intended to make her uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, but closer inspection only made him uncomfortable. He could see why his partner had hired her. She was stunning, with long blond hair, bright green eyes, and curves that didn’t belong on such a tiny frame.

  “What do you do for fun, Alana?” He knew he’d caught her off guard, which had been his intent. “I think you can tell a lot about a person by their hobbies, don’t you?”

  “I guess,” she said warily.

  “So…?”

  “I love sports,” she admitted, looking a little sheepish. “That was part of the reason I was so excited about this job.”

  “Sports?” He tried to hide his disbelief. In his experience, women who looked like her had rarely heard of a line drive, much less hit a fastball. “Really?”

  “Don’t look so surprised,” she said, laughing. “I have three brothers. I was a real tomboy growing up.”

  “Is that so?” Asking her to create a picture of her life was a mistake, especially since he was determined not to like her.

  “Yeah, I played just about every sport. I haven’t had a lot of time for organized sports,” she said, licking her lips. “But I still manage to work out. I’m kind of addicted to weights, and I love to run.”

  She could be describing me. Grayson would be in real trouble if she continued to give him reasons to like her. How was he supposed to keep the best interests of their company in the forefront of his mind if he was blinded by her gorgeous smile? Weight training certainly explained those ridiculous curves and toned arms. “They say diet is 80% and exercise is 20%. You think that’s true?”

  “I do. I try to eat clean, but I love having a greasy cheeseburger and crispy fries on my cheat day.” Her cheeks turned pink. “How bad is that?”

  He grinned. “You’re a woman after my own heart. Listen, you feel like a cheat night tonight? Once you earn it, of course.” A little voice in his head told him he was crazy to even suggest it, but he figured a social setting could help lower her defenses. Besides, he wanted to find out if she could really hold her own in the gym or was just feeding him a line.

  “I don’t think—”

  “It’s a business dinner, of course. I was planning to hit the gym after work anyways. I just thought you might like to come with me?”

  “In that case, I’d love to.” She smiled. “Thanks for the invite, Grayson.”

  “My pleasure.” He wrote his cell number on the back of a business card. “Why don’t you text me the address of where you’re staying? If five o’clock works for you, we can hit the gym, shower there, and head out for dinner. Just bring a change of clothes with you.”

  “Sounds great.” Alana stood and offered her hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

  “You too.” He hoped she’d turn out to be everything she seemed; otherwise, he was setting himself up for disappointment.

  ***

  Alana stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror on the door of her friend’s childhood bedroom. She did a half spin to look at her backside in the mirror. She didn’t go anywhere without her running gear, so she hadn’t had to scramble to find something to wear to the gym. Alana was still perplexed by Grayson’s offer. He’d seemed to be looking for reasons not to like her, so why had he asked her out? Was it a ploy to get her to lower her defenses? If so, he wouldn’t get very far. She was an expert at dealing with manipulative men.

  When she heard a knock on the bedroom door, she glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. It was too early for Grayson to make an appearance, unless he was hoping to arrive early to extract information from Kari and her mother. If that was his plan, he would hit a dead end. That pair was as loyal as anyone she’d ever known, which was why she loved them like family.

  “Come in,” Alana called.

  Kari opened the door and leaned against the doorframe. “Mama said you were going out. I thought she said you had a date, but it looks like you’re going for a run.”

  “A gym date,” she said, swiping Chapstick over her lips. She’d packed sandals and a sundress in her gym bag. Hopefully Grayson wouldn’t want to go anywhere too fancy for dinner. “It’s not a date, really. It’s a business dinner.”

  Kari pulled the elastic from her long, blond hair and shook her ponytail loose before rubbing her scalp. “How does the gym fit in?”

  “I’m not really sure,” Alana admitted, sitting on the edge of the double bed. “He asked me what I do for fun. I told him I like to run, and next thing I know, we’re making plans to hit the gym before dinner. Weird, right?”

  “It does sound kind of strange.” Kari kicked off her ballerina flats before wiggling her toes into the plush carpet. “Is he cute?”

  Cute wasn’t the word Alana would have chosen to describe Grayson. Sexy. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Dangerous. But she didn’t want to alarm her friend, so she said, “You’ll see soon enough. He’s picking me up in about ten minutes. I hope that’s okay.”

  Kari sat beside her on the bed and fell back, throwing her arms over her head. “You can consider this your home as long as you’re here. You know that.”

  “I love you guys for that,” Alana said, glancing over her shoulder. “Rough day at work?”

  Kari’s mother had been a single parent, so when Kari had decided to go to college in California, Joanie went along for the adventure. She’d rented a little house not far from campus where Kari and Alana would often go when they tired of the slop the cafeteria dished out. After graduating with a business degree, Kari had taken a leap by moving with Joanie to Arlington. Kari had opened a little jewelry store to sell her handmade wares, and so far, it had been well received. If Alana had to leave her family in Sacramento, being with Kari and her mother was the next best thing. The thought of moving to a strange city where she didn’t know a soul was a daunting prospect.

  “It was a good day,” Kari said, stifling a yawn. “I finished a couple of pieces I’d been working on for a few days, sold a few pieces, and managed to finish preparing for the craft show in two weeks.”

  “With any luck, I’ll be living here by then. I’ll help man the booth so you won’t have to pay anyone.”

  “What would I do without you?” Kari rolled onto her side and propped her head in her hand.

  Alana laughed. “You’ve managed just fine for the past seven years. Thank goodness for phones, video chats, and text messages though.”

  “What would
we have done without those?” Kari teased. “I still can’t believe I’m back here, living with my mother.”

  Kari and her live-in boyfriend had parted ways late last year. Since she couldn’t afford to keep the business going and pay rent, she’d had to move back in with her mother.

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” Alana said. “What if we got an apartment together?”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, I think it would be fun.” Alana laughed. “Something bigger than our dorm room though. By our last semester, I was ready to hurl your shoes out the window. Every time I turned around, I was tripping over them.”

  “I wasn’t that bad.” Kari laughed, nudging her friend’s backside with her knee.

  “No, you were worse.” Alana bent to tie her sneakers.

  Kari asked, “You would seriously want to live with me? I thought you were looking forward to having your own space after living with that control freak for so long.”

  Alana had been staying with her parents since the divorce, mainly because she knew her ex wouldn’t dare hunt her down there. Her father was a retired police captain who would happily have Ronan’s butt thrown in jail if he caught a whiff of harassment. She hadn’t told her parents about Ronan’s manipulation, mainly because she didn’t want to worry them.

  “I don’t know.” Alana tucked her foot under her knee. “It might be kind of fun, us living together again. What do you think?”

  “I don’t know,” Kari said hesitantly. “You know I’d love to, but Mama’s letting me stay here rent-free so I can save up a down payment for a house. Figured it was time for me to grow up.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Alana said. She’d been thinking about how nice it would be to have a little house of her own. One that she chose and decorated herself, not like the mausoleum her ex had bought behind her back and paid a team of designers to finish to his specifications. He’d never consulted her about even a stick of furniture. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. Maybe if this job pans out, I’ll be able to do that in a year or two, buy a little house of my own.”