Game Changer: Seattle Steelheads Football (Game On in Seattle Book 7)

by Jami Davenport

  This time she didn’t respond. She was probably afraid he’d bark at her again. He couldn’t resist saying something, though. “We are a proud people. We lost our culture in the late 1800s due to laws that were passed preventing our cultural practices and increased exposure to white ways. We’ve been finding our way back ever since.”

  “I’m sorry.” She squeezed his hand. “You have every right to be proud of your heritage. I’m humbled to be invited to meet your family and perhaps absorb a little of what makes you the person you are.”

  Hunter smiled, relief replacing the doubt. Kate was open to learning. That meant more to him than anything else. He pulled up to the nondescript gray ranch house with white trim where his parents had lived his entire life. The driveway was packed with cars, and his mother stood in the doorway. She rubbed her hands on her ever-present apron and waved.

  Hunter parked behind his uncle’s beat-up truck and opened the passenger door for Kate. She was gripping her seat as if she’d decided to stay in the car. He pried the nearest hand from the seat and gave it a squeeze. Her palm was cold and clammy.

  “They’ll love you,” he whispered in her ear, just like he di—

  He blinked a few times. Shocked at what he was thinking. Did he love her? The most unlikely woman. She was practical and pragmatic. Not the least bit spiritual or introspective. How could he love someone so opposite him in every way?

  Squelching those disturbing thoughts, Hunter dealt with the moment at hand. He led Kate to the gaggle of relatives now standing on the front porch and introduced her to them one by one. Still holding her hand, he led her inside. A fire was blazing in the woodstove, and the delectable aromas of food cooking floated in the air.

  Kate answered the questions his family shot at her with amazing dignity. But he shouldn’t have been surprised. If anyone could handle this group, Kate could.

  And she was handling them surprisingly well.

  * * * *

  When Kate won the bet for the salmon dinner, she never expected it to be on an Indian reservation in Puget Sound complete with traditional Coast Salish dancing, music, and storytelling. Hunter’s tribe was one of many stretching along the coast of Washington, Puget Sound, and British Columbia. She’d studied up as best she could before coming here. She knew his grandfather and great-grandfather fought for the fishing rights guaranteed by treaty, yet denied by the government years ago. His beloved nana and her daughters and granddaughters made authentic Coast Salish baskets and beadwork, which were highly sought after.

  His father championed tribal causes and had spoken multiple times to the state legislature and even on a federal level. Hunter’s was a family to be reckoned with. She was mesmerized and completely charmed by their gracious acceptance of her and willingness to share their culture with her—an outsider.

  The family homes were modest and part of a housing development built years ago by the federal government. They were mostly rectangular three-bedroom ranch houses. Yet they were filled with love and music and savory aromas. She envied Hunter for his big, loving family. Never once did money seem to matter to them. They had all they wanted.

  The huge salmon bake was hosted in his parents’ large backyard. Hunter cooked the salmon in the traditional way, on alder stakes in the ground over hot coals. He apologized for the lack of fresh salmon, but she didn’t care. The salmon was savory and moist and melted in her mouth.

  “This is truly the best salmon I’ve ever had.” She moaned softly as she took another bite and chewed slowly. Hunter beamed with pride. His nana nodded approvingly, and the other relatives at the table nodded and smiled, except for one female cousin about Hunter’s age. Kate ignored her. She wouldn’t let one cranky cousin spoil this night.

  Hunter’s father, as handsome as Hunter and in great shape for a man in his fifties, smiled kindly at her. “The Coast Salish tribes believe the salmon are our relatives, and they live in a city under the sea. We respect them and all living creatures. We are bound by our beliefs to protect them from exploitation and extinction.”

  Kate nodded, fascinated by what his father had told her. “I would like to know more.”

  “I have many books I can lend you. Next time you come we can discuss what you’ve read. It’s important you understand our ways.” He smiled kindly at Kate, and she smiled back.

  He’d assumed she would be here again. She checked Hunter’s reaction, but he was talking to a cousin and hadn’t noticed the exchange.

  The graciousness with which Hunter’s family accepted her into their homes and their family humbled Kate. After dinner, the group bundled up to ward off the chill of the cool evening. Hunter put his arm around her as they watched his young cousins dance to celebrate spring. One teenage boy kept a beat on the drum as the children sang their songs in a language Kate couldn’t begin to understand.

  After the dance, the elders swapped stories while sitting in front of a blazing fire pit stacked with logs. Everything was going well. His family appeared to like her, and Hunter looked at her with a different light in his eyes. She didn’t want to name that look, but it went beyond lust, beyond simple enjoyment, and journeyed into a realm she’d avoided, especially with someone so different from her. Only they weren’t all that different in many ways. She saw that now. They both wanted to do what was best for their families, even if they went about it in different ways. They took joy in the simple things more than material items. They were also stubborn and driven by a mission larger than themselves. This journey to Hunter’s home would make them closer, rather than driving them apart as she’d feared.

  When it came time for the dishes to be washed, Kate jumped to her feet. Despite protests, she insisted on helping and found herself with Hunter’s two grandmothers and his mother in the small kitchen. Kate cleared the table, feeling warm and welcome.

  For the first time, she had hope. She and Hunter could make it work.

  * * * *

  Hunter watched Kate’s ass as she walked into the house with his mother. He was proud of how well she’d gotten along with his family, and his heart warmed when she’d offered to help with dishes. His bitch cousin never helped. He glanced toward where Darla had been sitting, picking at her nails and yawning. She was gone now, and he was glad. She’d been so disrespectful to their elders when they were telling their tales. He couldn’t believe Darla and Talia had been best friends all through high school. They seemed so different.

  He felt his father’s gaze on him and glanced in his direction. Tom cocked a black brow sprinkled with gray in the direction of the kitchen. No words were needed. His father believed Hunter and Kate’s relationship was serious. Hunter had begun to wonder how serious. More serious than he’d assumed before this trip, that was for sure.

  He shrugged and gave his father a hell if I know look. His father’s answering look appeared to say good luck.

  Standing near the fire to fend off the cool March evening, Hunter tried to focus on the tale his uncle recounted about last year’s fishing excursion to Alaska, but his mind drifted frequently to Kate. He should beg off the rest of the evening and head to the hotel at the nearby casino and get Kate naked.

  Hunter rubbed his hands together near the flames. His thoughts were confused where she was concerned. He’d expected this trip to drive home how far apart they were and how obvious it was they didn’t make a good match. It’d done the opposite. He didn’t know whether to rejoice or run and hide. He stared into the fire, but no answers were revealed in the orange flames.

  “Hunter, so good to see you.”

  Hunter jumped and whipped around. She appeared out of the darkness into the flickering firelight like an apparition called forth from his deepest and most guarded dreams. He could only stare. He hadn’t seen Talia in a few years. She looked the same. Long black hair, perfect face, slender body. Nothing had changed.

  Except for him.

  He looked into those eyes and expected a surge of pleasure, a song of joy, and a spike of lust.

  He
felt none of those things. He waited but nothing came.

  Talia’s warm brown eyes clouded over, and the smile slipped from her face, as if she read his mind.

  “Talia,” he said quietly, aware the family looked on. “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here now. I took a job as a tribal counselor a month ago.”

  Funny how his family failed to mention that fact. “I see. You’re looking well.”

  “Thank you. So are you. As stunningly handsome as always.”

  “Stunning?” He frowned; no one ever called him stunning, and certainly Talia never had.

  “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by. Darla said you were home for a quick visit.” Their conversation was stiff and stilted, not the easy bantering he enjoyed with Kate.

  “Uh, yeah. A very quick visit.” He wanted her to leave now. As late as last fall, he’d have welcomed a reunion with her as a second chance to recapture the woman he loved. Now he didn’t know where he stood on the issue.

  “I’d always thought Hunter and you were destined,” Darla said, reminding him they had an audience. Hunter shot his cousin a scathing scowl.

  “So did I,” added his aunt Edith, clueless as usual, and several others murmured agreement.

  “I’d always pictured the two of you doing great things for the youth of the tribe,” added another aunt. Hunter paled and prayed for them to shut up. They meant no harm, but their words drove home what an outsider Kate was despite how graciously they’d welcomed her.

  Kate had no idea what it was like growing up on a reservation or in a culture rich in tradition. Talia did. At one time their mutual backgrounds had meant the world to him. Now he wasn’t sure how he felt about any of it.

  Hunter’s father rose and steered the conversation to another topic. They spoke of the summer’s paddle to a neighboring tribe. Kate would know nothing of such a thing. She certainly knew what paddling was, but not on the level they engaged in.

  Hunter stared into the fire, willing it to hypnotize him and put him in touch with the truth of his situation.

  Talia moved to stand next to him. She nudged his shoulder with her shoulder. “I’ve missed you.”

  He grunted a noncommittal answer.

  “Could we go somewhere and talk?”

  “I’m here with someone, Talia. This isn’t a good idea.”

  “Please, just for a short while. I feel we need some closure after how I left you.”

  “That’s all water under the bridge now. I’ve made my peace, and I don’t need to talk to you to have closure.” Hunter glanced toward the door of the house, which led to the kitchen, wondering if Kate could see them. And if so, had the women inside filled her in on who was talking to him in front of the fire?

  Hunter was conflicted. Part of him wanted to talk to Talia and part of him wanted to run like hell.

  “Please,” she begged him, her brown eyes huge and luminous in the firelight.

  “Just for a few minutes.” He glanced again toward the kitchen window.

  “I know there’s someone else, and I don’t want to cause any problems. I just need to talk to you.”

  “Okay, but only for a few minutes.”

  Reluctantly, Hunter followed her into the darkness. As he passed, he glanced at the kitchen window and saw Kate’s stricken face.

  Ah, shit.

  They walked to a small park. Hunter grew more agitated with every step. Nothing felt right between them anymore. He shouldn’t be here with her.

  He should be with Kate.

  Talia reached for him, but he stuffed both hands in his pockets.

  With a sigh, she sat down on a wooden bench carved with the totems of their ancestors. Talia understood what the totems meant to their people. She knew the stories behind them. She valued them as much as he did. Kate knew nothing of any of it, but she’d shown enough interest that his father had offered to lend his precious books to her.

  “Why did you come back?” He remained standing, having no intention of sitting on the same small bench as Talia. She gazed up at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. He’d never been able to resist her tears, but this time he hardened his heart and refused to be sucked into her web again.

  “Hunter, I was wrong. I was young and impetuous and impatient. I had an idealistic view of you and me saving the world, at least our little part of the world. One thing these past few years has taught me is how much I have missed having you by my side, a strong warrior in our war against the destruction of our culture.”

  “I was never by your side. I was always one step behind you, and you were leading me where you wanted me to go, not where I wanted to go.” The truth of his words hit him like a punch to the gut.

  “Is there a chance for us?”

  He mulled his answer over, and with a shock, realized there wasn’t a chance. He didn’t want Talia anymore. He’d waited so long for her, convinced himself they were meant to be, that he hadn’t realized when he’d stopped thinking of her. Slowly, he shook his head.

  “There’s nothing I can do to change your mind?” She stared into his eyes for a long time, then sat back against the bench and closed her eyes briefly. She’d seen the truth in his eyes, even if she hadn’t believed his words.

  Talia stood with a grace he’d so often admired and steel in her voice. “But we were destined. You always said that, and I knew in my heart you were right. Can you see it in your heart to forgive me?”

  “I do forgive you, but I was wrong. You are not my destiny.”

  Her dark eyes flashed with anger. “And she is? She knows nothing of our people. She knows nothing of our struggles, our pasts, our futures. She is an outsider, and she will never belong. Not like I would.”

  Hunter turned on his heel and walked away. Not wanting to continue this conversation any longer, and fearing Talia was right.

  * * * *

  Kate waited for Hunter to talk to her about Talia. She waited so long she couldn’t bring herself to ask him what had happened when they’d walked off into the darkness together.

  Instead, they had sex that night and fell asleep. Or at least Hunter did; he could sleep in a train station five feet from rumbling rail cars and locomotives.

  The sex between them was always good, but tonight it’d been tinged with tension and self-doubt. She could see the conflict in Hunter’s eyes. She’d been stupid to come here and think they could actually go beyond a casual relationship into something meaningful, but she’d done just that. Everything had gone so well at first. His family had warmed up to her immediately, and she to them.

  She should cut him loose so he was free to return to Talia, but she couldn’t let go. Not yet. She clung to the remnants of their relationship like the horizon clings to the last moments of daylight, only she wasn’t going out with a blazing sunset. Instead, she was disappearing into the clouds.

  The next morning, Hunter had business to discuss with his father. Kate excused herself for a walk around the neighborhood. She bundled up, as it was chilly out. The sky threatened rain, but she didn’t care.

  She couldn’t get out of Hunter’s parents’ house fast enough. She caught the pitying stares of his mother and grandmothers. Once outside, she sucked in the cold air and let it burn her lungs. Walking along at a brisk clip, she headed east. The housing development sat on the edge of a forest with tall trees dominating the landscape. She hoped to find a trail into the dark woods where she could hide for a while.

  “Kate?” called an unfamiliar voice from behind her.

  Kate slowed. Her entire body tensed. She half turned and saw a woman bundled in a jacket hurrying to catch up to her. Only when she was closer did Kate realize who the woman was.

  “I’m Talia. You’re Kate?”

  As if she didn’t know. Kate nodded, unable to speak past a constricted throat.

  “Do you mind if I walk with you?” Talia asked with fake cheerfulness.

  Kate shrugged and kept walking, hoping the woman would get the hint and disappear. Sh
e wasn’t that lucky.

  Kate veered from her course toward the forest and turned down a side street, hoping Talia would continue on her intended route. She didn’t. Glancing about for an escape, Kate’s eyes settled on a sign that read McCoy Tribal Heritage Center and Museum. Beyond the sign was a large, obviously new building.

  Talia followed her gaze and smirked. “This center is Hunter’s father’s brainchild. Hunter provided the bulk of the funding for that building with money from his rookie contract. He’s done a lot of good for this tribe, as have his relatives, but you wouldn’t know anything about that. When we were learning the stories of our ancestors, you were playing with Barbie dolls. When we were dancing in celebration of the first salmon of the year, you were celebrating your birthday with cake and ice cream. When your people took away our fishing rights, Hunter’s great-grandfather joined in the fight to have them reinstated.”

  “My people did nothing to your people. My people have never lived in Washington.” Kate hated the venom in her voice. Her people had done plenty to those less fortunate, but Talia didn’t need to know that.

  “Don’t play stupid. You obviously know nothing and have very little understanding of how we feel.”

  “Maybe I don’t. But I have utmost respect and admiration for the people I have met and what they stand for. I’d like to know more. I wasn’t born into this like you were, but I am willing to learn.”

  “You can study for the rest of your life, and you will never be one of us.” Pure loathing smothered the fake friendliness in Talia’s voice.

  “I’ll leave that to Hunter and his family to decide. Not you.”

  At the mention of Hunter’s name, Talia’s face turned a deep bing-cherry red. Kate waited for steam to blow out of her ears.

  Talia pointed at herself and sneered. “I’m Hunter’s chosen one. I veered off the path set for me at birth, but I’m back, and I’m fighting for what’s mine. Hunter is mine. We are destined, and nothing you do will change that.”