Still Loving You

by Sheryl Lister

  She watched his long strides cover the short distance to his car and then closed the door. This wasn’t supposed to happen again. Sure, she had hoped they would declare a truce of sorts, but this? And what had he meant by good? This attraction seemed to be out of their control, but she couldn’t see anything good coming from them starting up again.

  Chapter 6

  Wednesday morning, Lauren sat with Nigel discussing food placement and labeling the stations. She decided on a stoplight-type system to keep it simple—red for high-fat, high-calorie foods that should be very limited; yellow for foods that had nutritional value but still should be eaten in limited quantities; and green for fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat options. The goal would be to encourage players to eat from the green list most often. She had also decided to set up a smoothie bar with greens, fruits, yogurt, milks and protein powders, all labeled to assist players in understanding what each food provided for their bodies.

  Nigel sat back in his chair and folded his arms. “Lauren, I know I’ve said it before, but you’re a great fit for this team.”

  “Thanks.” His words brought back what Malcolm had said over dinner two nights ago. Automatically, her mind shifted to the kiss they’d shared in the door of her condo. She hadn’t been able to forget it or his words. When he picked her up yesterday, he’d placed a quick kiss on her lips, but nothing more. The parts of her that loved his kisses were disappointed, but the saner parts of her knew she should try to stop whatever was developing. Nigel’s voice pulled her back into the conversation.

  “And I know for a fact that those recovery shakes are going to be a huge hit.”

  Her brow lifted. “Oh? Practice hasn’t started.”

  “No, but Malcolm Gray was here on Monday working with a rookie, so I made them the one with strawberries, pineapple, vanilla protein powder and orange juice.”

  So that was why Malcolm had been at the facility. Yet he hadn’t mentioned anything about the smoothie over dinner. “They liked it?”

  “Better than that. Malcolm mentioned it being similar to ones he made for himself. If the star running back is on board, it’ll be easy to bring everyone else along.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. I hope they don’t think I’m trying to be the food police. I don’t expect them to eat healthy one hundred percent of the time, but if they do it close to eighty, I’ll take it.”

  He laughed. “The food police? I think it’ll be fine, but between me and you, a few of these players need someone to police them.”

  Lauren smiled. “I’ll have the color-coded signs done by the end of the week, as well as the diagram for the station layout we discussed.” She glanced down at her watch. “I need to get going.” She gathered her notes and stood.

  Nigel followed suit. “Showtime next week and we’ll be ready. We can get together next Monday to go over the grocery list. Training camp starts on that Saturday, so I’ll have my two assistants do the shopping on Thursday. I want to give us time just in case we overlook something.”

  She pulled up her calendar on her iPad. “I have some free time between eleven thirty and one—will that work?”

  He picked up his phone and pushed a few buttons. “Let’s make it twelve.”

  “Got it.” She powered the device off and put it and a folder into her tote bag. “See you later.” She made a quick stop at her office to pick up the shopping list for Terrell on her way out. She would be going shopping with the player to help him make better selections. Her cell rang as soon as she got to her rental. Lauren smiled upon seeing her father’s name on the display.

  “Hi, Daddy.”

  “Hey, baby. Sorry about not getting back to you last night. I didn’t realize the phone was off until this morning. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “No. I have an appointment in half an hour, but it won’t take long to get there. I know you probably listened to my message, so do you think I should get the transmission fixed or buy a new car?”

  “With the price they quoted, you’d be better off buying a new one. I checked around at a couple more repair shops, and the cost was about the same.”

  She opened the door, tossed the tote and her purse onto the back seat, and released a deep sigh. “I was afraid of that. I just paid that car off a few months ago, and I don’t want to start up again.”

  “I checked into one of those pick-and-pull places, and you can get a couple thousand for the Maxima. Your mother and I can help you.”

  “I can’t ask you guys to do that.”

  “I don’t recall you asking at all. Now, when do you want to go looking?”

  Lauren smiled and shook her head. She loved her daddy. “Saturday, if you’re available.”

  “Got nothing to do but mow the yard.”

  Her father usually got up with the chickens and she figured he’d be done before ten. “If I came at eleven, would that give you enough time to finish?”

  “Plenty.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” They spoke a moment longer; she sent love to her mom and hung up. Lauren couldn’t ask for better parents.

  “Any news on your car?”

  She gasped and spun around. “Malcolm. You scared me half to death. What are you doing here?” He had come up behind her without making a sound. She searched and saw his car parked several spaces over. She hadn’t even heard him drive up.

  “Sorry. I’m here for a meeting.”

  “Oh. My dad is going car shopping with me on Saturday. It’s cheaper to buy a new one.”

  Malcolm nodded. “Are you done for today?”

  “No. Going grocery shopping with one of your teammates.”

  He unleashed that sexy smile. “So, if I needed you to help me with food selection, you’d be available to go shopping with me?”

  “If you needed help, yes. But you don’t, so the point is moot.” He moved close enough for her to feel the heat emanating from his muscular frame. She took a step, then remembered where they were and what she should not be doing. “I... I have to go.”

  He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he stepped back. “See you later.”

  Lauren quickly got into her car, started it and drove off. “You have a job to do,” she muttered under her breath. “And that does not include dating a player three weeks after you start your new job.” But he’s not just any player. He’s the first man you fell in love with, an annoying inner voice reminded her. Not that she needed any reminders. Her memory worked just fine. And that was the crux of her problem.

  * * *

  Malcolm stared after Lauren’s car. After kissing her again, he’d told himself he needed to slow down and not get caught up. No reason to travel the same road, especially when he suspected the end result would be the same. When he had asked her to stay and work things out, she’d told him the move would be better for her career. With her just starting with the Cobras, he could see her choosing the job over their relationship once more.

  “Hey, Malcolm.”

  He turned at the sound of Chris’s voice. “What’s up? You ready to work?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  They worked out for over two hours, repeating the previous drills and adding two additional ones that focused on agility and speed. If Chris kept the same work ethic and avoided injury, he would be more than ready to step into Malcolm’s shoes when the time came. Now that the coaches used a Mobile Virtual Player during practice, injuries had decreased. The robotic dummies could mimic many football cuts and moves, and were used for tackling, chase drills and even as stand-ins for defensive players.

  After showering, Malcolm planned to stop by the two transitional living facilities scheduled to open in two weeks. This would be the final piece of the project he, his siblings and Cameron started. The mobile grocery and shower had turned out to be so successful that they’d received donations to add two new buses equipped
with showers and one more for fresh groceries. The buses traveled through areas with a high population of the homeless on a rotating basis. The hope was this small token would restore some dignity to the homeless population until they could get back on their feet.

  His cell rang as soon as he got into the car. He smiled, started the engine and connected through the Bluetooth system. “Well, if it isn’t the laziest engineer in Sacramento. What’s up, cuzzo?”

  Lorenzo Hunter’s laughter came through the speaker. “Lazy, my ass. I’m not the one who only works six months out of the year.” Lorenzo worked as a civil engineer at his family’s construction company. “Since you’re still slumming, you available for dinner tonight?”

  “You’re in my neighborhood?”

  “Yep. Attending a conference. It should be over at four thirty.”

  “Cool. Come on over and I’ll throw something on the grill. I’ll text you the address.”

  “All right. Later.”

  Malcolm disconnected. He hadn’t seen his cousin since Khalil’s wedding last year, and he looked forward to catching up. Good thing he had driven his car instead of the motorcycle, because he needed to make a grocery run on his way home.

  With some traffic, it took nearly an hour for him to get across town to the central Los Angeles neighborhood where the two side-by-side hotels that had been renovated as apartments stood waiting for their new occupants. They would house up to fifty men, women and families. It would have been more, but because the Grays had wanted to include families, some of the units needed to be larger.

  The foreman turned, waved and started in Malcolm’s direction. Malcolm met him halfway and extended his hand. “It’s looking good, Mr. McIntyre.” Though he knew the man to be in his fifties, he was in as good shape as Malcolm.

  A smile creased his dark brown face. “They turned out better than I thought. Would you like to see inside?”

  “I would.” They passed landscapers, painters and other construction workers putting on finishing touches and entered a one-bedroom ground-floor apartment. The smell of fresh paint greeted Malcolm as he crossed the navy-carpeted floor. All would be furnished with appliances, furniture and basic supplies like towels, bed linens and toiletries; once the person or family moved in, groceries would be added to give them a head start. Malcolm took a few pictures to show his siblings. The place could easily fit two to three people. Next, Mr. McIntyre led Malcolm into one of the three-bedroom family units, where he took more pictures. “Your company did a great job.”

  “All we did was bring your vision to life, son. And I have to tell you, Cameron’s suggestion of hiring some of the people who will be living here turned out to be a good one.”

  “I’m glad.” Cameron had explained that allowing the residents to invest time and work in their new place would go a long way in restoring some of their self-respect and give them a deeper sense of pride, all while providing a wage. “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to see the finished product.”

  “Will you be at the grand opening?” he asked, walking back out to Malcolm’s car.

  “Depends on the practice schedule.”

  The foreman’s eyes lit up. The first time Malcolm had met Mr. McIntyre, the other man had quickly let it be known that he was an avid football fan with season tickets to the Cobras. “Oh, yeah. Training camp starts next weekend. I’ll be waiting for that championship trophy again.”

  Malcolm grinned. “We’ll do our best.”

  Someone called out to the foreman. “Let me get on back. I’ll see you on the field.” He shook Malcolm’s hand once more and departed with a smile.

  Malcolm chuckled as he drove off, scanning the buildings one last time and wishing they could have funded a few more.

  He made it home twenty minutes before his doorbell rang. To his surprise, not only had Lorenzo come, but their cousin Cedric Hunter was with him. Their fathers, who were Malcolm’s mother’s twin brothers, owned Hunter Construction. “What’s up? Zo, you didn’t tell me this bum was tagging along.” All three men laughed. After a round of one-arm hugs, Malcolm waved them in. “You both came for the conference?”

  “Yeah,” Cedric answered, taking a seat on the sofa in the family room.

  Lorenzo sat on the opposite side of the sofa and leaned his head back. “Three days away from fourteen-hour days is heaven.”

  Malcolm dropped down in his favorite recliner. “You guys have a big project?” The company built everything from residential and commercial buildings to roads and bridges. Cedric, with his construction engineering degree, headed up the real estate division, while Lorenzo focused more on the larger-scale civil projects.

  “That and the fact that Dad and Uncle Reuben are talking about retiring.”

  Cedric shook his head. “Ever since Uncle Nolan turned over the company to Brandon, that’s all they’ve talked about.”

  Malcolm burst out laughing. “I thought you wanted to be in charge, Ced.”

  “I am in charge. I just don’t know if I’m ready to be stuck in an office for eight hours a day. Hell, we’re only thirty-three. Being co-CEOs will cut into my social life even more.” Both Cedric and Lorenzo were one year younger than Brandon.

  “Social life? You dating someone seriously?”

  Cedric slanted him an amused glance. “Of course not. I like to keep my dating life fluid.”

  “Don’t even look over here,” Lorenzo said. “I need a break from women right now. And before you ask, she was into stuff that could have cost me my freedom.”

  Malcolm lifted a brow. “Illegal?”

  “Yeah, man.”

  It sounded similar to what Khalil had recently shared had happened to him during his modeling days, except it had cost Khalil thirty-six hours in a Mexican prison.

  “What about you, Malcolm? The women still trying to follow you when you’re on the road?”

  “No, thank goodness.” His first year in the pros, Malcolm had been flattered by all the attention. But after seeing all the trouble some of his teammates had gotten into, he’d distanced himself from the madness and just focused on his game. Any woman he dated knew up front that if they shared any photos or personal information not already public knowledge, they would have trouble on their hands. He pushed to his feet. “I’m going to put the steaks on the grill. There’s beer in the fridge if you want.” In the kitchen, he preheated his stove-top grill.

  Cedric followed Malcolm to the kitchen. “You know, you still didn’t answer the question.”

  “What question?”

  “The one about dating.”

  “I...no.” He didn’t know how to describe what was going on between him and Lauren. He couldn’t call it dating.

  Cedric burst out laughing. “Yo, Zo. Malcolm’s going to be taking that marriage plunge with the rest of his siblings.”

  Lorenzo appeared in the kitchen. He and Cedric sat at the bar. “Really? Congrats.”

  Malcolm shot Cedric a glare. “Shut up, Cedric. I’m not dating anybody or getting married.”

  “I don’t know. You should’ve seen the look on his face when he tried to answer, and then there was all the stuttering going on.”

  “Keep talking and you’re going to find yourself starving tonight.”

  Still chuckling, Cedric held up his hands in mock surrender. “The only reason I’m backing off is because I’m hungry enough to eat two cows.”

  Lorenzo smiled. “So what’s the deal, Malcolm?”

  He paused in seasoning the steaks. “Lauren is back.”

  “From college?” they asked in unison.

  “Yeah, from college.” Malcolm shared the details surrounding her return, her work with the team and their first encounter—minus the kiss.

  “Have you kissed her yet?”

  He glanced at Lorenzo. “Why?”

  “Never mind. You did. And you still want
her, right?”

  He didn’t know what he wanted, so he remained silent. Instead, he placed the steaks on the grill. When he turned back, Lorenzo and Cedric were staring at him with wide grins. “Since you both think this is so funny, you can work for your supper.” Malcolm pointed to the three potatoes and salad fixings resting on the other side of the counter.

  Lorenzo shifted to face Cedric. “See, I told you we should’ve just gone to the restaurant in the hotel.”

  “I know, right? We could be chillin’ instead of cooking.”

  “Whatever,” Malcolm said, grabbing a bowl for the salad and shoving it at Cedric, who had come around the bar. They worked together until the meal was done, then carried their filled plates to the kitchen table. While his cousins drank beer, Malcolm opted for water. For the first few minutes, the only sounds were from forks scraping against plates.

  Cedric lifted his beer in salute. “This is the best steak I’ve had in a while.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So, what are you going to do about Lauren?”

  Malcolm paused in cutting his steak. “I have no idea.”

  “You’d better figure out pretty quick. The last thing you need is a woman crowding your head space like that, especially with the new season starting up.”

  He knew Cedric was right. He had to decide one way or another how to handle the rekindled attraction between him and Lauren. Common sense said to just let it go, but he wasn’t sure if he could. Not wanting to dwell on it, he steered the conversation toward his cousins’ families. They spent the remainder of the meal catching up on one another’s families and talking sports. When it came time for them to leave, Malcolm offered to let them stay overnight, but they declined. With a promise to return for at least one of Malcolm’s home games, the two men said goodbye.

  As he cleaned up the remainder of the food and loaded the dishwasher, his thoughts went back to Cedric’s comment about Lauren. No time like the present. He checked the time—only seven thirty. He added detergent, started the machine and grabbed his keys.

  Less than half an hour later, he knocked on Lauren’s door.