by L. P. Dover
Intended for Bristol is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A Loveswept Ebook Original
Copyright © 2016 by L. P. Dover
Excerpt from Hard Stick by L. P. Dover copyright © 2016 by L. P. Dover
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Loveswept, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
LOVESWEPT is a registered trademark and the LOVESWEPT colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.
This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming book Hard Stick by L. P. Dover. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition.
Ebook ISBN 9781101967911
Cover design and photograph: Regina Wamba
randomhousebooks.com
v4.1
ep
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter 1: Jaxon
Chapter 2: Bristol
Chapter 3: Jaxon
Chapter 4: Bristol
Chapter 5: Jaxon
Chapter 6: Bristol
Chapter 7: Jaxon
Chapter 8: Bristol
Chapter 9: Jaxon
Chapter 10: Bristol
Chapter 11: Jaxon
Chapter 12: Bristol
Chapter 13: Jaxon
Chapter 14: Jaxon
Chapter 15: Bristol
Chapter 16: Jaxon
Chapter 17: Bristol
Chapter 18: Jaxon
Chapter 19: Bristol
Chapter 20: Bristol
Chapter 21: Jaxon
Chapter 22: Bristol
Chapter 23: Jaxon
Chapter 24: Bristol
Chapter 25: Jaxon
Chapter 26: Bristol
Chapter 27: Jaxon
Chapter 28: Bristol
Chapter 29: Jaxon
Chapter 30: Bristol
Chapter 31: Bristol
Epilogue: Bristol
Dedication
Acknowledgments
By L. P. Dover
About the Author
Excerpt from Hard Stick
Chapter 1
Jaxon
“This is fucked up,” Derek grumbled, his tone just as discouraged as we all felt.
“No shit,” I replied, adding my two cents.
We’d just gotten the news that our star quarterback, Cooper Davis, wasn’t going to be returning. During our game a couple of weeks ago, he was sacked by a Denver cocksucker who felt the need to go at him full force, resulting in a broken tibia when he rammed into Cooper’s legs. A fight ensued on the field and it turned into a huge clusterfuck. If I were out on the field, I would have beaten the shit out of that bastard.
Unfortunately, no amount of fighting was going to help him. After he fell to the ground, we all knew it was over for him. A hushed silence fell over the crowd, because not only did we lose one of our most valuable players, we knew our chance of getting to the Super Bowl again in a few months was now out of reach. Our season of undefeated wins had come to a close. Samson Allen, our backup quarterback, just wasn’t going to be good enough to get us there. It fucking sucked. I wished I could take on the task myself, but I wasn’t a quarterback…I was a kicker. The best goddamn one in the league.
Joel Harris, our coach and Cooper’s uncle, stood by the locker room door, his expression glum. He was a middle-aged man with more gray in his dark hair than ever before. I guess that was what dealing with us football players did to him. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily before lifting his gaze to ours. We all knew what he was about to say—especially after we’d just had our asses handed to us by New Orleans, a team we should have been able to beat with our eyes closed.
“Boys, I’m sure it’s come as no shock to you, but Cooper won’t be returning…ever.”
All heads lifted and the room fell into complete silence. I’d had a feeling he wasn’t coming back for the rest of the season, but I had no clue it was going to be permanent. Everyone stared at Joel as if he’d just spoken in a foreign language. No one wanted to believe this was it.
“So that’s it?” Blaine McCarthy hissed. He turned his platinum-blond head toward Samson and jabbed a finger in his direction. “We’re stuck with this fucktard who can’t even throw a ball straight.” All I could see was red.
“Why don’t you shut the hell up, McCarthy,” I spat. His fiery blue gaze turned to me, but Coach Joel stepped in his way, blocking him from view. I hated McCarthy. I used to be the most hated player on the team until that bastard joined us. Samson’s jaw clenched and he averted his gaze, clearly not wanting the fight. That was why he wasn’t going to get us the wins; he wasn’t a fighter.
Joel glared back and forth between me and McCarthy. “Enough of this bullshit. We don’t have time for that. I wanted to give you an update on the changes about to occur.”
Derek slid closer to me. “And we all know what that means,” he whispered low. I didn’t even want to listen to what Joel had to say. The thought of not having Cooper put a sour taste in my mouth. I didn’t want to be remembered as being on a losing team, and that was exactly what was going to happen if a new quarterback was brought in.
“I can’t believe this shit. I don’t want to imagine who they’re going to bring in as a replacement,” I replied.
Derek shrugged a shoulder and slid his worn-out Tennessee hat over his auburn hair. “Don’t know, but I hope it’s someone good.” His focus landed on Blaine and he snarled his lip. I wasn’t the only one who hated him. “Just do me a favor and stay the fuck away from McCarthy. The last thing you need is to be on everyone’s bad side again. I’ve worked my ass off trying to get you back in the team’s good graces.”
I slid a T-shirt over my head and huffed. “I know, but that guy just pisses me the fuck off.”
“Same here,” he agreed.
Derek McLaughlin was our star outside linebacker and one of the best in the league. He was the only one on the team who actually didn’t loathe me after everything I’d done to his best friend, Evan Townsend, our best wide receiver. I hated Evan for being so damn good, and I admit I was a douche and tried to steal his girl by putting together a whole scheme. I had one of our cheerleaders, Lindsey Rink, try to slip into bed with Evan so Summer could catch them together. It was a dick move, and of course, it didn’t work. I went about it all the wrong way and landed myself in a shit ton of trouble. My dislike for the golden boy didn’t go unnoticed and I was questioned by the police when someone ran Evan and Derek off the road, killing Derek’s girlfriend, Brianna, in the process. No matter what I did, no one believed my innocence and I was shunned by the team, suspended until the investigation came to a close. Once I was cleared, the damage had been done; everyone hated me when I returned to the team. Over time, I’d been welcomed back…but not by Evan. He still hated me for trying to take Summer away. Now they were married with a family of their own. Before, I never cared much about the consequences of my actions, but I truly felt bad for hurting Summer. She was a good girl and didn’t deserve the shit I had put her through. Now Evan, on the other hand, was a different story. We had some bad blood before everything with Summer went down, but I was hoping to change all of that. Karma was certainly a bitch and it had bit me in the ass.
Everyone dispersed, and I’d just realized I hadn’t heard who Coach Joel said would be joining our team. Derek slapped me on the shoulder and squeezed. “Want to go to the tavern tonight? Townsend owes me dinner.”
I glanced over at Evan and his jaw tensed; he didn’t want me there. Summer owned the Carolina Tavern, and sometimes at night he had to help out while she stayed home with their baby girl. Shaking my head, I slung my bag over my shoulder.
“Maybe some other time, D.”
Evan blew out a frustrated sigh and jammed his clothes into his bag before facing me. His dark, gray gaze stared at me with such contempt. The guy fucking hated me. I had yet to apologize to him for what I’d done, but it wasn’t like it was going to help anyway. Evan had his mind set and there was nothing I could do to change that.
“You can come, Reed. As long as you don’t cause problems, I don’t mind you hanging around the restaurant. Just stay out of my way.”
I held up my hands. “Got it. No problems.”
He scoffed. “That’ll be a first.” Then he turned to Derek. “See ya later, D.” Without another glance my way, he took off out of the locker room.
Derek bumped me in the shoulder. “Give him some time. Maybe if you apologized to him he’d forgive you.”
I shook my head. “It’s too late for that.”
A small smile spread across his face. “You never know until you try. Now come on, we’ll have fun.”
“Where’s Hayden?” I asked, following him to the door. Hayden Hunter was his wife and a good friend of mine, the only female in the world I could actually say that about. She was a veterinarian and had been trying to get me to adopt a dog for months now. That girl was more stubborn than any woman I’d ever known.
“She’s working late at the clinic and told me to fend for myself tonight.”
“Nice. Well, then I guess I’ll join you. Hopefully Evan won’t poison my food,” I joked.
Derek rolled his eyes. “I’ll meet you at the restaurant in about forty-five minutes. I have to go home to let Bear out first.”
“And that’s why I don’t want any fucking animals. Your girl’s about to drive me insane with adopting one.”
He burst out laughing. “That’s my Hayden for you. She got me suckered into taking one of her animals and look at me now. It’s hard to tell that woman no.”
“I can see that,” I said, laughing. He and Hayden had the perfect relationship, something I’d never have. I didn’t do relationships; I fucked and I loved it. I was twenty-eight years old and nowhere near ready to settle down. There were too many women out there to choose just one.
Derek said his goodbyes to the team and I rushed over to catch Joel before he could leave. “Coach, hold up,” I called out. He turned around and lifted his brows, waiting on me to continue. “I’m sorry about Davis. I know he was a true asset to our team.”
He nodded sadly. “Yes, he was.”
“And forgive me, Coach, but I didn’t catch who you said was taking his place.”
There were so many great quarterbacks out there looking for a team and I could name a few off the top of my head. However, the second I heard a name escape his lips, I thought I’d stepped into a fucking nightmare.
“Excuse me, who did you say again?”
Joel stared at me with narrowed eyes. “Ryan Delaney. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
Holy fuck. Ryan Delaney was a couple of years younger than me and a complete wild card. He was good at throwing the ball, but very unpredictable. Not to mention, he was a fighter, a hothead on the field with a mouth the size of Texas. I knew without a doubt that he and I wouldn’t get along at all.
“Ryan Delaney’s an arrogant prick,” I stated bluntly.
Joel huffed and rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter what he is as long as he gets us the wins. The decision wasn’t only up to me, so we have to deal with it.”
I turned my head. “This fucking blows.”
“You listen to me, Reed,” he warned. I faced him, and his expression was serious. “The only reason you didn’t get traded is because I know what a great kicker you are. Please don’t make me regret my decision to keep you here. Stay out of Delaney’s way.” When I didn’t answer, he snapped a finger in front of my face. “You hear me?”
“Yeah,” I grumbled. “I got it.”
Once he left, I sat down on the bench and watched everyone leave. Ryan fucking Delaney was joining our team. He was going to try to take over as if it were his own. Little did he know it was mine, and I wasn’t giving it up.
—
After practice, I followed Derek to Cooper’s house. Cooper and I were never friends, but we had a respectful understanding. He was one hell of a quarterback and I supported him. I would have given anything to be on that field to protect him, but that wasn’t my job on the team. The way he fell back after being tackled would always stay ingrained in my mind. His leg had twisted underneath him, and even though the noise of the crowd was deafening, it was like I could hear the sound of his bones snapping in half. It was one of every football player’s nightmares.
We arrived at Cooper’s house and I parked behind Derek’s truck. Cooper and his wife, Kate—who also happened to be one of our team’s physicians—lived in a lake house not far from mine. In fact, there was a group of us who all lived close together. When I bought my house on Lake Wylie, I thought I was going to be one of the only ones on the team to venture outside the city limits of Charlotte, but I was wrong. Cooper’s house was a little smaller than mine, but he wasn’t as pretentious or as flashy as I was. In all honesty, I didn’t need all the shit I had, but it was nice to be able to show it off.
I rolled down my windows and Derek walked up to my car. “You have a badass car, but it’s got to be hell getting in and out of that thing.”
Chuckling, I got out and slammed the door. The afternoon was breezy with a little chill to the air, which was a break considering we’d had one of the hottest summers in history. It was now October and I hoped to hell the weather stayed mild.
“It’s pretty easy for me,” I said, breathing in the cool, crisp air. “I’m not a six-foot-four, two-hundred-thirty-pound bastard like you.”
He laughed. “True, but I can’t help it if I’m sexy. Hayden loves me and my big truck.”
“Keep telling yourself that, dumbass.”
Derek was a fucking beast and fast as shit. He was built to tackle but also quick enough to catch the ball if need be. I was four inches shorter than him and at least thirty pounds lighter. Getting in and out of my Toyota Supra was a piece of cake.
I glanced toward Cooper’s house and sighed. It was going to suck ass seeing him down for the count. If anything was to ever happen to my legs, I’d be done in the NFL. I wanted to play for as long as I could.
“Have you talked to him?” I asked Derek.
His smile faded. “Only briefly on the phone. He didn’t sound upset or anything, but you know how Cooper is. He always liked to stay strong for the team.”
That was what made Cooper a great leader. No matter what happened, he always had that positive energy, just like Derek and Evan. They were the team trio; I’d always hated them for that. It just took a while to realize that it was me holding myself back from joining them.
We walked up to the door and I pressed the bell. “You don’t think he’ll mind us stopping by, do you?”
Derek shook his head. “Nah, he’ll want to see us.”
A few seconds later, Kate opened the door, her blond hair pulled high, dressed in a T-shirt and yoga pants with her baby boy on her hip. It was the first time I’d ever seen her and Cooper’s son; he looked just like her.
“Hi guys, how are you? Come on in.” She stepped out of the way and Derek walked in first. “Did you just get done with practice?”
He hugged her and pinched the little boy’s cheeks. “Yep. We wanted to come by and check on that husband of yours.”
She pointed to the living room. “He’s in there watching TV. It’s all he can do at the moment.” Derek walked off and I hung back with her. “You doing okay, Jax? I was happy to hear you didn’t get traded.”
I snorted. “You’re probably the only one.”
Sh
e rolled her eyes. “Don’t give me that. The others are happy too, even if they don’t admit it. You’re the best kicker in the league. Any team would be salivating to have you.”
“Thanks, Kate.” Before we stepped into the living room, I lowered my voice. “How is he doing, really? It can’t be easy knowing his career is over.”
She shrugged. “It’s not, but he’ll get through it. The first thing he said was that he’d get to spend more time with me and the baby now that he wouldn’t be traveling as much.” I followed her into the living room, and surprisingly enough, Cooper had a grin on his face.
“What’s up, Reed?” he called out.
I walked over and shook his hand. “Nothing much, man. Just tagging along with D to check up on you. How’s the leg?” His right leg was covered in a cast from his knee on over his foot.
Cooper sat up in the chair and cringed. “It’s not too bad. Hurts like a bitch at times, though.”
“How long will you be in the cast?” Derek asked.
“Six weeks, and then three in a brace.”
“Damn,” I said. “What are you going to do after you’re healed?” I sat down on the couch and Kate sat beside me, bouncing her little boy on her lap.
Cooper smiled at his son. “I think I’m going to stay home for a while. Then, once I can move around, I’ll start looking for a job. I’m one hell of an architect.”
“You have an architecture degree?” I asked incredulously. I had no idea he was artistically gifted. Most of the guys on the team had no talent in anything besides football. “I didn’t even know you could draw,” I added.
Cooper nodded. “All the time.”
Kate nudged me in the side. “He’s actually really good. When we retire, I want him to design our home in the mountains.”