by Tessa Frank
“Hey.”
Brooklyn holds the newspaper behind her back. “Finders keepers.”
“That’s Mr. Gonzalez’s paper.”
“And I’m certain you weren’t taking it to him.” Brooklyn flips to the sports page. “Let’s see.” Her eyes scan the page. “Ah, yes. Here it is. Devon Parker is scheduled to start for the White-Tails. Hmmm, looks like the new coach isn’t as effusive as the last one.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Were you following the White-Tails last season?”
“No, she wasn’t. But I was.” I jerk around. The white-haired woman has the same chocolate-caramel eyes as her son. She holds out her hand. “Hello, Claire. It’s been a long time.”
“Mrs. Parker…” I edge closer to shake her fingers. Limply. “… you’re certainly healing fast.” This spot is a long way from her room. I’d know too. I’ve done a good job of avoiding her since…
Tears prick at my eyes. I order myself not to cry. Not to think about it. Not that I’ve done a good job of listening to myself lately.
A brow rises, giving Mrs. Parker a smug look. “Yes, I think so too.” Ok. Definitely smug. I’ll give her it though, recovering from hip replacement surgery is no easy task. “So, Claire, why are you avoiding my son?”
Brooklyn buries her nose in the paper, but I know she’s listening. That little snort of enjoyment a moment ago proves it.
“I’m not avoiding him.” Mrs. Parker’s brow arches high. “I don’t live anywhere near him.”
“Um-hm.” Mrs. Parker’s lips purse. “True.” She pushes the walker over my left foot. On purpose. I swear. Not that I will call her on it. “He’s asked about you.”
“He’s not happy with the new coach, is he?”
Her eyes slice to me. “You know that and you haven’t talked to him?”
I shrug. “He didn’t seem happy when he found out.” I do not want to go into what happened after that with his mother. That would be embarrassing. I’ve never been a “talk about my sex life” kind of person.
“He looked pretty happy the next morning.” Mrs. Parker smirks. “At least he did in the pictures.”
Oh. My. Word. Brooklyn cackles with laughter, doubling over and holding her stomach. “That’s just…”
“Mean,” I suggest.
“Accurate.” Mrs. Parker evidently has a snark level I didn’t know about.
“Freaking hilarious,” Brooklyn says. She leans against the wall to catch her breath.
Mrs. Parker eyes me. “Claire, my son’s loved you for a really long time. What happened in high school will only happen again if you make it.”
Slap. That’s what that feels like. Brooklyn sends me a pained look. Yeah.
Mrs. Parker turns her walker away, going slowly down the hall.
What the heck! This isn’t my fault.
But it kind of is.
An orderly rushes up to Mrs. Parker with a cell phone. I freeze, watching her take the call. Her knees give out.
“My baby’s hurt.”
I’m there, holding her up. Fear laced eyes latch on to me. “I’ll take you to him.”
The words are out before I even think the situation through. Mrs. Parker huddles into me. It takes all three of us to move her back to her room.
14
Devon
I stare out the window. Outside, sunshine and clouds drifts past. This place is morose. I snort at myself. I’m the only person around to hear it. No denying it. I’m the morose one.
I shove my good arm down to work my way into a straighter sitting position.
“The bed adjusts.” Mom slams her walker into the door frame. The forward motion and impact make it spin her back toward the wall.
“Mom!”
Even if I’d been able to get out of the bed, I couldn’t make it to her in time.
Claire grabs Mom’s walker, steadying her. “You ditched me.”
Mom snorts, pulling the walker back. She heads toward me. “You ditched my son. That’s what you get.”
I stare at Claire. “You drove her here?”
“Five hours of—“
“That’s because you, miss, drive ungodly slow,” Mom snaps.
Hands on hips, annoyance flashing, Claire says, “And who was it who needed to use the restroom every 45 minutes.”
“I’m old. Sue me.” Mom shrugs, reaching out to touch my good hand. Claire tosses her hands into the air behind Mom. “How’s my baby?”
I’m trying not to chuckle at their behavior. “I’ll survive.”
“Will you be able to play again?”
I see Claire shift, her head turning to hear my answer. “Probably. Not this season though.”
I thought Claire might smile or in some way relax at that news. Football has come between us twice now. Instead, I see her flinch. She straightens behind Mom. There are tears in her eyes. “Why aren’t you happy?”
Claire’s mouth drops open. Mom looks back and snorts. “Because she knows you love it.”
Mom pushes forward, and I lean to keep Claire in sight.
“I should give you two a few minutes.” Claire edges toward the door.
“Yes, you should,” Mom snaps. I say the exact opposite. Mom rolls her eyes. “You’re acting needy.”
I stare. Did that come out of my mother’s mouth?
She pats my hand. “Good.”
Turning, she pushes the walker ahead of her. “Claire, my son needs a moment of your time.” She shoves Claire at me. Or maybe it only looked that way because I could swear Mom whispered, “Don’t blow it,” to her.
In what has to be the slowest walk possible, Mom heads for the door to my room. Claire twists her fingers.
“You came.” Yep, folks. I’m lame around this girl. I would seriously hit myself in the face, but I’m not sure it would help.
“I had to.” She takes a step toward me.
My eyes flick to the door. “Because of my mom?”
“Well,” Claire glances over her shoulder, “she gave me a better reason to miss work. I doubt my boss would have let me come otherwise.”
I process that as Claire moves closer. “I was prepared to quit, if it came down to it.” She’s right beside my bed and I’m afraid to move. “I’m really sorry, Devon. I shouldn’t have shut you out like that.”
“Why did you?”
“I figured you’d get back here,” one hand rotates to encompass the room and everything outside it, “and you’d find someone better for you. More with this world than me.”
“You thought I’d make the same mistake twice.”
Claire’s eyes are sad and something else. “I didn’t believe that you considered breaking up with me to be a mistake.”
“That was the biggest mistake of my life.” I hold out my hand. Claire climbs onto the hospital bed beside me. I finally take a deep breath when she lays against my chest. “Getting you back is what I dreamed of.”
Claire tilts her face up to mine. “A second chance?”
“Most definitely.” I lean down. Our lips meet and cling in a kiss full of promise. I wrap my good arm around her, anchoring her to me. Claire’s arms go about my neck. This is as perfect as perfect gets.
Except for my mom watching at the door. At least she’s smiling too.
15
Claire
“So, what exactly are you going to do now that you’re a free agent?” I ask Devon. With his compound fracture to his throwing arm, he’s looking at another surgery and months of therapy. His doctors gave him a choice of where. He opted for home. The White-Tails agreed to a mutual parting of ways. One Devon requested and orchestrated. The new coach was thrilled, the owners less so, but the ink was dry anyway.
Devon bumps his hip against mine. “I think I’m going to a book signing this weekend.”
I raise a brow. “A book signing?” We still need to talk about my side hustle.
“Yeah.” His hand slides down my arm until my fingers link with his. “That author you’re so fond of…”
>
I suck in a gasp. “Karen Heart?”
“Yep, Karen Heart. She’s signing at a store in Chicago. Since we’re taking a little weekend trip…”
I swallow. “I, ah, heard about that.”
Devon grins down at me. “I bet you did, Karen Heart.”
I stumble to a stop, glad my hand is wrapped in his. “When did you know?”
Laughing, Devon pulls me close against him, sending my heart right into overdrive. “When I started reading her books.”
I lean back to see his face. “You read Karen Heart’s books?”
A nod.
“How many?” I frown.
“All of them.”
I bang my head against his chest. What? It is the hardest surface present. “I can’t believe you did that.”
Devon hugs me even closer. “Well, I had a lot of time after my injury.”
“How’d you figure it out?”
His lips quirk up as I look at him. “You mean how did I figure out your carefully guarded secret?”
Something tells me he’s leading me into a setup. I can’t quite figure out how though. “Yes, how did you figure out my secret?”
“I bribed Julia to confirm my suspension.”
I thump him on the chest. “I knew it.”
But I can’t stay mad at Julia. Devon’s way too charming when he wants to be. Instead, I give in fully when his lips meet mine.
“Maybe we can try out some of those naughty scenes together,” he suggests between kisses.
I step away, keeping ahold of his hand to drag him back to my house. No way am I passing up that offer.
Epilogue
I walk the perimeter of the farmhouse with Claire, our hands entwined. “So, Henry will take over full-time management.”
Claire wraps her other hand around my arm. My cast is smaller, but I don’t let it keep me from holding my girl. My parents’ farm though, well, whether or not I return to professional football, I will definitely need help running the place.
“Henry was your best friend in high school.”
“Still is. He’s had my back on quite a few occasions.”
“What’s he been up to since then?”
“Marines.”
Claire looks up at me. I know I will never grow tired of seeing her eyes smiling up at me like they are right now. “Did he ever marry Becca? That girl he was so gaga over back then.”
I laugh.
“What?” Claire demands.
“Funny story there.”
“Funny haha?”
I shake my head, leaning down to plant a kiss on her nose. “Not exactly.”
Claire’s nose wrinkles in that cute way she does when figuring out what I’m not telling her. Her eyes go wide. “Are they getting their own second chance?”
I let go of her hand to wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Let’s just say we aren’t the only couple our high school reunion was good for.”
And I, for one, am extremely grateful I got a chance to make things right with Claire. I can’t fathom how I went so long without her. But, now that I have her, “You know, honey, I’ve been thinking of a special scene for your next book.”
Her eyes narrow, but those lips I adore are smiling. “A scene, huh?”
I pull her against me, loving it when her arms automatically wrap around me. “We might need to try it out a few times. You know, to get it right.”
“Of course we will.”
Dang. I’m so darn lucky.
Tessa’s Gossip Column
This reporter has it on good authority that Claire Reynolds caught Devon Parker.
That’s right, dear readers, Brentwood’s star quarterback is no longer “playing the field.”
Rumor has it that Devon’s former running back is chasing the love of his life.
Again.
This reporter heard the two were seen canoodling in a park. Never fear, dear readers, this reporter will not rest until she has the entire story.
Keep up to date on all the Brentwood gossip by subscribing.
Tessa’s Gossip Column
Thank you from Tessa
Thank you for reading Devon and Claire’s story. This is the first book centered around Brentwood High’s 10th Reunion. All of these romances are stand-alone with some character cameo appearances. Since I do not always appreciate books that require I read them in order, I work hard to make sure these stories can be read in any order.
As you’ve probably noticed, since you’re reading this section, the stories in this series are shorter romances. I’m an extremely busy mother who rarely gets to read without interruption. I need my lovey-dovey romance stories to be quick. Little kids do not comprehend reading time, like toilet or shower time, should be uninterrupted (and mostly private).
All of the 10th Reunion stories are in Kindle Unlimited. I hope that you enjoyed Devon and Claire’s story. Click the link below to signup and receive all the gossipy news related to Brentwood and the reunion.
Tessa’s Gossip Column
Of course, information on the next book will also be in there.
Also by Tessa Frank
THE 10th REUNION SERIES:
Devon: Second Chance for the Quarterback
Henry: Second Chance for the Marine
Brian: Second Chance for the Cop
SMITH & GUY UNIVERSITY SERIES:
This series is my first and does not follow tropes. I was learning during this time — it shows. The series also does not have any Tessa Gossip Column news.
College & Chemistry
Never Waste Chemistry
Finding Chemistry
More Than Chemistry
Unexpected Chemistry
All That Chemistry — Box Set — Direct from Tessa
Copyright © 2020 by Tamara Ruth writing as Tessa Frank
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