A Perfect Trade (Harlequin Superromance)

by Anna Sugden - A Perfect Trade (Harlequin Superromance)

  She’d been strong for so long, yet right now, she felt weak and lost. Jenny knew she should get up and get active. Pull herself together and force the miserable thoughts away with physical labor. She could clean the bathrooms or even iron. Tears pressed against her eyelids.

  No. She couldn’t. She’d be strong again. She had to be. But, right now, she just couldn’t.

  Wrapping herself in her parents’ wedding-ring quilt, Jenny curled into a ball and gave in to the tears.

  * * *

  “A GRANDBABY.”

  Tru exchanged knowing glances with his brothers at his mom’s dramatic sigh. The celebration for Jake and Maggie’s news was giving Karina Jelinek the perfect opportunity to pour on the emotional blackmail.

  “You’re a lucky woman, Tina,” she continued, her tone sorrowful. “Jake is a good son. He marries and gives you a grandbaby. My boys...not a serious girlfriend between them.”

  “But, Ma.” Tru’s youngest brother, Linc, slung an arm across her shoulders. “It’s hard to find a woman as wonderful as you.”

  Their mother smiled indulgently. “It’s true. Good women don’t grow on bushes.”

  “Trees, Ma,” Ike corrected gently. “They don’t grow on trees.”

  “Trees, bushes. It’s the same, no?” Karina shrugged.

  Everyone laughed, then Uncle Gio proposed a toast to the forthcoming baby.

  Tru hung back as the others made their way to the heavily laden dining table. What would it be like to be in Jake’s position—married to the woman he loved and announcing a new child? Even as envy tugged at his heart, he pulled himself up short.

  He was crazy to think there’d be anything like that in his future. Yet he couldn’t shift his brain away from the idea. The image of Jenny talking earlier about her dreams of motherhood skated into his head like a cruel joke. For a long time, he’d held out hope they’d somehow find a way back to each other. Finally, he’d had to accept it would never happen. No matter how much he might have wished it, they weren’t meant to be together.

  Ensuring she had another chance to achieve her dream was the best he could do. Not happily-ever-after, but better than the tense, bitter relationship they’d had.

  Linc’s laugh broke into Tru’s thoughts. “I’m off to summer skills camp in the morning, so I’ll leave the job of providing Mom with grandkids to you older guys.”

  “Not me.” Kenny looked horrified. “I’m way too young to settle down. Maybe once I’ve made it to The Show.” He nudged Ike. “You’re the oldest. Do your duty, man.”

  Ike’s eyes flicked across the room to where Maggie’s sister, Tracy, was laughing with the two moms. Tru wondered when his older brother was going to give in to his attraction and do something about catching Tracy.

  Ike jabbed at his potato salad. “When I hang up my skates, I’ll think about marriage and babies. Until then, my focus is on getting the Cats into the play-offs next season. So back off.”

  Both Kenny and Linc knew better than to argue with their older brother.

  “What about you, Tru? Will you sacrifice your freedom to save your brothers from eternal nagging?” Kenny asked. “With Bad Boy off the market, you have your pick of the babes. There must be one who’d be the perfect Mrs. Tru Jelinek.”

  Tru’s mind flipped back to Jenny, even though he knew there was only one way a marriage between them would go—divorce.

  “Does your silence mean you have a new girlfriend, Tru?” Linc teased, his green eyes bright with laughter.

  “You can tell us.” Kenny leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Do we know her?”

  “There isn’t anyone.”

  From their expressions, neither Kenny nor Linc believed his sharp denial.

  He forced a smile. “Why settle for one flavor of ice cream when there are so many to choose from?”

  “We have ice cream.” His mom shooed them toward the dining table. “And special for my Lincoln, who is leaving tomorrow—homemade baklava.”

  Linc whooped. “You’re the best, Ma.”

  “You skate well, make us proud. And you call your mama often, yes?”

  “For sure.” His baby brother planted a smacker on their mom’s cheek, before grabbing the largest slice of baklava.

  There was a wistful look in his mother’s eyes as she watched Kenny and Linc fill their bowls with dessert.

  “What are you thinking about, Ma?” Tru asked.

  “Your papa.”

  His stomach tightened. She rarely mentioned his dad. Did she miss him?

  “What about him?” He kept his voice neutral, even as guilt filled him.

  “Radek made a big mistake leaving. He missed seeing his sons grow into fine young men. I know he’d be proud of you all.”

  “If he’d cared, he wouldn’t have left.” The bitterness slipped out before he could stop it.

  “He didn’t leave because of you boys.” His mother’s worried gaze met his. “He wanted a different woman, not different children.”

  “He wanted a different life, Ma.”

  “Your papa’s not a bad man. He was spoiled,” she admitted, sighing. “After his father died so young, his mama gave him whatever he wanted. Radek never understood why he should have to work hard for anything.”

  His mom had never criticized his dad, nor had she defended his actions. Tru couldn’t tell from her voice whether there was any residual emotion for her ex-husband. “Why didn’t you ever remarry, Ma?”

  She laughed. “Who wants a woman with four sons?”

  “But we’re grown up now.”

  “Now I’m an old woman.” She patted her ample hips. “Men my age see women as housekeepers. For the other thing...” Her cheeks turned pink. “They want a young woman.”

  He really, really did not want to think about his mother having sex. “Those men are crazy. You’re too good for all of them.”

  “It’s no problem. I’m happy without a husband.”

  “What about your new beau, Karina?” Jake’s mom grinned as she joined the conversation.

  Tru was surprised to hear his mom was dating. Why hadn’t she mentioned him before?

  “Rory Fitzpatrick isn’t my beau.” His mom’s blush deepened. “He’s a friend.”

  “He’s a smooth-tongued Irish devil,” Aunt Tina confided, a twinkle in her eyes. “And he worships the ground your mom walks on.”

  Karina Jelinek giggled like a schoolgirl.

  Tru’s heart lifted. She deserved to be happy. Maybe she was over Radek Jelinek, after all. Still, his father’s return might rake over coals better left cold.

  “Fitzpatrick had better be good to you, Ma, or he’ll answer to me,” he said with a growl, making both moms laugh delightedly.

  “Don’t worry. When you’re not around, he’ll answer to me,” Jake’s dad declared. “I’ve looked after your mama for too many years to let some Irishman use his blarney on her.”

  If Jake’s parents were happy about his mom’s boyfriend, the guy must be okay.

  Then Uncle Gio’s words struck him. “Why wouldn’t I be around?”

  “When you’re traded.” Jake’s dad shrugged.

  Tru didn’t need another reminder of how uncertain his future was. Friends, teammates and journalists had been texting him all day, wanting to know if he’d heard anything about Max’s replacement. His agent, meanwhile, had been silent.

  “My boy won’t be going anywhere.” His mom patted him on the cheek. “The Ice Cats will re-sign you fast.”

  “Thanks, Ma. From your lips to the general manager’s ears.”

  Uncle Gio nodded. “If anyone can convince them to give you a new contract, your mom can. Look what she did with the church and the town council.”

  Aunt Tina beamed. “Karina cut through all the politi
cal baloney and got them to agree to creating a joint committee to build a memorial park for Pastor Boult.”

  “Why?” Tru’s stomach rolled. He couldn’t believe a memorial was even being considered, let alone that his mother was leading the charge.

  “He was our pastor for nearly thirty years.” Karina Jelinek frowned. “He did so much good for our community. Remember the fund-raising drives to get hockey equipment and his campaign to keep the local ice rink open?”

  Unable to trust himself to speak without blurting out the truth, Tru nodded. Even though he longed to set the record straight, he wouldn’t break his promise to Jenny a second time.

  Jake’s mom added, “Pastor Boult’s commitment to building and maintaining the youth center helped keep our neighborhood clean and made sure the gangs didn’t get a foothold.”

  “Don’t forget he took care of his sister’s children after she died.” His mom sighed. “If not for him, those girls would have ended up in foster care, then who knows what would have happened to them.”

  Nothing worse than what Jenny had been through at that bastard’s hands.

  What would news of this memorial do to Jenny? As if she hadn’t suffered enough. Maybe his mom’s plans wouldn’t even come off.

  His mother’s next words stamped on that hope. “I want the plans approved, funds raised and work started before the end of the year.”

  “Your mama’s got appointments with all the major businesses in town,” Aunt Tina said proudly. “Even with the new general manager of the Ice Cats.”

  His mom nodded. “I want one of his players on the committee. Wouldn’t it be nice if he got you involved, Truman?”

  Tru felt sick. He needed an excuse. Might as well use those damn rumors. “Mr. Hardshaw won’t want that, Ma, in case the contract negotiations don’t work out. Besides, I have enough work with the charitable foundation Ike, Jake and I set up.”

  “That’s a shame.” The disappointment on his mom’s face stung. But there was no way he would join the committee, not even to make her happy.

  Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted when Linc began fighting with Kenny over the last piece of baklava. By the time his mom sorted them out, Pastor Boult’s memorial had been forgotten.

  If only Tru could forget so easily. The knowledge weighed heavily as he drove home after the party. He had to stop the project, but didn’t know how. Not without revealing the truth.

  On the other hand, if he did nothing, it would hurt Jenny more. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He should warn Jenny, but things between them were so delicate right now. The last thing he wanted was to upset the balance or place another burden on Jenny’s shoulders right now.

  But if she found out about the project from someone else and then discovered Tru had known about it, their tentative truce would be blown to hell. She’d hate him.

  No. He banged his fist on the steering wheel. He wouldn’t lose the ground he’d made. He had to tell her.

  But the timing had to be right; maybe when her job situation had improved. He’d already put out feelers for her. From the response, he was sure something would work out quickly. A week, two tops. Surely he could delay mentioning the memorial that long?

  In the meantime, he’d figure out a way to derail the damn project without hurting everyone he cared about. Though he suspected he had a better chance of playing for the Ice Cats next season.

  CHAPTER SIX

  TRU HAD LIVED up to his promise...so far.

  Jenny tapped her foot nervously on the faded carpet as she waited for her meeting with the editor of Jersey Sports Talk magazine.

  This was the first of several interviews Tru had arranged for her, since their conversation a week ago, with the local press and a number of hockey-friendly media sites. She’d been surprised by how quickly he’d pulled it all together. She suspected he’d called in a few favors. Time would tell if he’d pushed for more than interviews.

  “Ms. Martin?” The perky receptionist smiled at Jenny. “Randy’s delayed for, like, another fifteen minutes. Help yourself to coffee or whatever.” She pointed to a coffeemaker and a small, glass-fronted refrigerator containing sodas.

  “Thanks.” Jenny smiled, but the receptionist had already turned back to her screen.

  Pulling a folder from her purse, Jenny pretended to study the papers inside. She knew her résumé so well she could probably recite it backward, but she wanted to look busy. Not like someone desperate for a job. Although the letter from Irving’s lawyer hadn’t arrived yet, she knew it was only a matter of time. She wanted to repay Harry’s loan before she was actually threatened with court action—but she needed a job in order to do that.

  None of the feelers she’d put out for PA or office management jobs had panned out. As she’d suspected, her lack of references and qualifications had hampered her.

  Hockey was the only viable option left.

  Smoothing a wrinkle in her blue skirt, she wondered if she should have worn pants. The tailored suit was smart, but even pairing it with a plain white blouse and midheels hadn’t made it less feminine. Probably not the best choice for the male-dominated sports media world. Especially as the reception area felt like a throwback newspaper office, rather than a buzzing media center. She hoped the editor wasn’t also a throwback.

  A few moments later, her name was called and she was directed toward a large office.

  Randy Packer was a balding, middle-aged man with a craggy face and a craggier voice. His Spinal Tap T-shirt stretched across a paunch, while his cargo pants slid perilously low, despite the belt with a huge, silver Super Bowl XLVI Champions buckle.

  “I need a smoke.” He stalked past her to the elevator. “Come with me.”

  The editor’s blunt words calmed her nerves. As Harry’s PA, she’d dealt with all kinds of temperamental people. “All right.” She stuffed her folder into her bag and followed him.

  The cramped car smelled of stale smoke, sweat and coffee. Every few floors, it stopped and more people squeezed in. Jenny held herself stiffly and tried to appear nonchalant, though she was pressed against the rear wall, next to Randy.

  “Tru Jelinek said you know hockey,” he barked.

  “I’ve followed the sport closely for a long time,” she said carefully.

  “Uh-huh. Who’ll win the Cup?”

  Jenny explained her pick as she followed him outside the building toward the designated smoking area.

  Another grunt. “What’s your take on why the Ice Cats failed to make the play-offs this year?” Randy’s eyes fixed on her through a haze of cigarette smoke.

  “Lack of depth in both offense and defense meant injuries killed them. Phillip Hannah, the previous GM, should have done more at the trade deadline to boost scoring and protect the blue line.”

  “A neat summary. Now tell me something I can’t get from anyone else.”

  “Do you want fact, opinion or gossip?”

  “Whatever you think will excite me.”

  Jenny ignored the double entendre and racked her brain for a story. Jersey Sports Talk liked salacious headlines. The problem wasn’t that she didn’t know any gossip, but that she knew too much and didn’t want to expose players gratuitously. On the other hand, she couldn’t blow her chance to impress. Who knew if another editor would show interest?

  Perhaps her love of the European celebrity magazines could give her a story that hadn’t made it over here yet. A few moments later, she had one. “Juergen Ingemar’s poor second half wasn’t due to a recurring groin strain. His fiancé was caught with her costar.”

  Randy licked his lips. “You’re kidding. That hot Norwegian model-come-TV-star made a show of coming over here to support him.”

  “She attended games for the media coverage, hoping to catch interest from the networks. A part in a show over here wou
ld hit a wider audience than her local daytime soap. No one bit, so she returned home. A week later, ‘leaked’ pictures were all over the internet.” Poor Juergen had been devastated. “A week after that, she had a part in a new Scandinavian crime thriller.”

  Randy nodded approvingly. Then the questions came thick and fast. When he asked about player trades, she hesitated, wondering if he was looking for gossip about her relationship to Tru.

  She gave her opinion. “The Cats should re-sign Jelinek. He’s good value and brings veteran experience that the team sorely needs to help the young defensemen they’ve brought up.”

  Randy stubbed out his cigarette. “Other teams could offer him a nice payday. Would he take a hometown discount?”

  “To finish his career in New Jersey? Possibly.”

  The editor indicated they should go in. “Let’s continue this in my office.”

  Jenny wasn’t sure she’d enjoy writing the kind of pieces Randy seemed to like, but was pleased he sounded interested. Hopefully, enough to give her a job.

  On the elevator, they were again pushed to the back of the car as people crowded in. Randy stood too close, but Jenny was jammed in a corner and couldn’t avoid the contact. She angled her body away in a move she’d learned long ago, to avoid anyone becoming too grabby with her ass. Experience had taught her to be wary.

  Once in his office, Randy closed the door, indicating the chair in front of his desk.

  Jenny sat. Warning bells rang when Randy leaned against the desk, instead of sitting behind it. She crossed her legs at the ankles and angled them away from him.

  Her ploy to avoid contact didn’t work. Randy’s leg pressed against her knee.

  She shifted, breaking the contact. He moved his leg back against hers.

  Mentally, she rolled her eyes at his pathetic game. She uncrossed her ankles, then crossed her legs the opposite way, deliberately scraping her heel hard down his shin.

  Randy flinched, then moved.

  “Did I catch you?” She dared him to meet her gaze.

  He didn’t. “Not a problem.”