by Lea Hart
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Thursday
Jack sat on the couch and waited for Ana to finish getting ready. She had kicked him out of the bedroom an hour ago and told him that she wanted to surprise him. Flipping through the channels, he searched for something to watch on TV. Sports Center was on, so he decided to watch it while he waited. They were recapping the rankings of the hockey teams and reviewing player performance. His phone buzzed, and he checked to see who was calling. It was his attorney, and he decided to take the call, hoping that it was good news.
Ana took one last look at her efforts and decided that there was nothing else she could do. What she saw was as good as it was going to get. At least the color was right. It was the same shade of green as Jack’s uniform. This was the team’s big fundraiser, and she hoped that he was going to like her dress. It was a departure from what she normally chose, and hoped that it made her appear a little less like a plain Jane. She grabbed her purse and walked down the hall. She heard Jack on the phone and wondered who he was mad at. She could tell by his tone that he was angry. He ended the call just as she walked into the room. This probably wasn’t a great start to their special evening out. Clearing her throat, she stood stock still and waited for him to look up. His scowl was quickly replaced by a huge smile. Maybe the dress was better than she thought.
His beautiful girlfriend was hot and sexy, and there wasn’t going to be a man in the room tonight who was going to be able to resist her. “Wow!” He stepped toward her and took her hand. “Can I kiss you or is that against the rules?”
Running her hand down her dress, she smiled and squeezed his hand. “You can give me a small sweet kiss, and that’s it. I don’t want to go to this event and look like I just rolled around in bed with you.”
Bending down, he gently pressed his mouth to hers. He felt her lean against him, and he smiled against her mouth. “Thanks for going to the party with me. I hope that I don’t have to beat anyone up for acting inappropriately with you.”
“Nobody is going to notice me, Jack, and I’m fine with that. Ella told me that she was going to be there tonight, so I’ll have someone to talk to.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight the whole evening, so you can talk to me.” He led her toward the front door and made sure the timer was set for the lawn ornaments that they had put up last week. Every time he came home, he got a smile out of what they had created on the front lawn.
Ana had chosen to honor Jack’s profession and arranged the reindeer at the line of scrimmage with Santa as the ref. She had added presents at each end of her pretend field. It all looked great lit up at night against the palm trees that lined the front drive into the house. She was slowly making the house into a home, and the more stuff she brought over, the better he felt. As they walked out to the truck, he remembered what his lawyer had told him, and he hoped like hell it wasn’t true. Because if it was, there was no way Ana was going to forgive him. He wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of it, no matter how much she loved him. Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he helped her in the truck and allowed himself to be distracted by her long, sexy legs.
********
Jack walked toward Ana with drinks in his hand and studied the man who was standing too close. He must be someone she knew from work, because she was happy, relaxed, and chatting away. He didn’t care for the way the guy was staring at her and would probably need to discuss it with him at some point during the evening. Pasting a big smile on his face, he approached them and inserted himself right next to Ana. “Hi, sweetie.”
She returned his smile. Not able to resist, he planted a sweet kiss on her lips. Might as well make it clear to the guy where things stood. He handed her the drink he’d gotten for her and then wrapped his arm around her waist. Assessing the man, he smiled and waited for Ana to introduce them.
“Jack, this is Dr. Nelson. He is one of the professors in Forensic Neuropsychology. I took one of his seminars and loved it.”
Jack put out his hand. “I’m Jack Ellis.” The man gave him a cool, superior smile as they shook hands. What a pompous ass. There was no way Ana would ever be interested in someone like him. He kept his mouth shut and decided to let the guy make the first move. It was always a good idea to wait and let someone show you what they were all about.
Ana took a sip of her drink, leaned into Jack, and gazed around the room. She knew there was some kind of pissing contest going on, and she decided to do nothing about it. Let them work it out. While she respected Dr. Nelson’s mind, she didn’t respect his attitude. He was the sort of man who gave doctors a bad reputation. He always behaved as if everyone was beneath him. She spotted Ella across the room and decided to escape. “I just saw Ella walk in. Jack, come and find me when you’re done talking with Chad.” She waved to them both as she made a beeline for Ella. Jack was a big boy, and he could fend for himself.
Jack stood facing the good doctor and tipped back on his heels as he listened to him pontificate about the emerging importance of his specialty. If he was to be believed, his research was single-handedly responsible for putting away half of the sickos in Miami. As the guy was winding down, Jack took the opportunity to make his escape. He clapped him hard on his back before offering his parting shot. “Chad, it’s been real interesting listening to your speech. I’m going to head over, check on Ana, and see if she needs anything.” He was about to walk away, and before he did, he offered a piece of advice to the good doctor. “By the way…if I ever catch you looking at my girlfriend that way again, I will treat you just like an offensive lineman standing between me and sacking the quarterback. If you don’t believe me, catch the game this Sunday and see what I mean.” He started whistling as he made his way over to Ana.
Ana and Ella stood close with their heads together. They were discussing how the Thanksgiving holiday had gone for both of them. Just as the Ella was about to give her the details of Clark’s visit with her family, Ana felt a big arm slide around her waist. Turning, she smiled into Jack’s happy eyes. “That didn’t take long to make your escape. It always takes me forever to get away.”
Jack squeezed her waist and studied the crowd. “I appreciate you leaving me with the good doctor. That’s fifteen minutes of my life that I’m never going to get back. That man speaks without breathing.”
“You were an excellent boyfriend by letting me break free. I owe you one.”
Leaning down, he whispered in her ear that he would be collecting later that evening. The thrill of his words left goose bumps on her skin. “Now that you’re here, you have to leave. Ella was just about to give me the details of Clark’s visit with her family.”
Jack smiled at Ella and then winked. “My friend Clark told me all about it. Apparently, your brothers are going to the game in Dallas, and then we’re all getting together afterwards. They have all become good friends.” He watched her shoulders drop as she looked sadly at both of them. That wasn’t the reaction he was expecting.
“Thanks for reminding me, Jack. Clark has wormed his way into the heart of my family. They like him a lot more than they like me. My tactic of taking him home for Thanksgiving completely backfired on me. I think my mama would trade me in for Clark without batting an eye. The woman has no loyalty; it’s embarrassing.”
Ana patted her arm and tried to think of something to say. “Remember that my mom wants you, and she would probably trade one of my brothers for you. So let your family have Clark, and you can be my true sister.” She watched Clark saunter over to them with a big smile on his face. He looked damned happy about something.
“Hi, guys. Did Ella tell you about Thanksgiving? We had a good time, and I think her family likes me.” He noticed that no one was returning his smile and that Jack was giving him a signal to stop talking. “What did I say?”
Ella elbowed him. “Don’t be such a show-off. Everyone doesn’t need to know that my family likes you better than me.”
Clark took her hand and made her look at him. “Yo
ur family is very proud of you, and they love you to pieces. They just don’t know how to show it in a way that makes sense to you. Both of your brothers threatened my life if I didn’t treat you properly. They also gave me the third degree about my intentions. Your parents did the same thing. So don’t ever say that again.”
Folding her arms, Ella looked over the crowd and thought about what he’d said. It might be possible, but she doubted it. “They didn’t have to like you so much.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’m a hard man to resist. You’ve tried really hard, and so far, you haven’t been successful.” He felt her elbow in his side and smiled. That was her way of telling him he was right. “Let’s go find a good table, I think they are about to serve dinner.” They walked to a table, and Ella made sure that she sat next to Ana, because she still had a lot to discuss with her friend.
As dessert was being served, Jack leaned over to speak into Ana’s ear. “Do you want to give the speech, or should I?”
She leaned into him and put her hand on his leg. She noticed that he smiled, looked down at her hand, and covered it with his. “I think you should make the speech. You are the one who donated the money and created the foundation.”
“All right, sweetie.” He leaned back as the waiter put his desert plate in front of him and felt Ana’s hand squeeze his leg. His body reacted instantly, and he shoved his napkin over his lap. “Quit being naughty, Ana. I can’t go up there if you keep doing that. So unless you want to make the speech, you better move your hand.” He felt her laughter as she slid her hand back to her lap. “I promise you can get at me as soon as we get home, and I will make it worth the wait.”
“As long as you promise.” She took a big bite of cake and moaned as the dark chocolate hit her tongue. Opening her eyes, she, noticed Jack’s face was flushed and he was staring at her. “Why are you looking at me that way?”
“You just behave until we get in the car. Then all bets are off.” He liked that Ana was showing how she felt about him in a room crowded with colleagues and people from the Sharks organization. It meant that she couldn’t help her feelings, which was going to be important if what his attorney told him was true. He didn’t want to think about the possibility, so he focused on Ana’s smile. Looking at her face, feeling her skin against his and smelling her fragrance made his world right.
The head of the hospital walked up to the podium and started making his annual speech. If they were lucky, it wouldn’t last as long as it did last year.
********
Jack stood at the podium, caught Ana’s gaze and her encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, he tried to remember the speech that he’d practiced. “I’m up here today because I met a woman who turned my world upside down. I met her in San Diego two months ago, and I haven’t been the same since. Maybe you were expecting me to tell you about my love of science or my need to do good, but none of that would be true. I’ve met the love of my life, and the woman that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with…happens to be a doctor. She just started her fellowship, and she has some pretty good ideas about some research that she would like to pursue. So like any man who is trying to win a woman’s heart, I stripped down to my skivvies so I could give her a million dollars for research. I believe in Dr. Ana James and the work that she’s doing, so I had a foundation set up and deposited my fee. I’ve named it the Ana James Ellis Foundation. After we get married, the name will make sense. I knew she was the woman for me because her last name is my first name. I couldn’t think of a better sign. Anyway….the research that she pursues, we hope ultimately can change people’s lives. Ana told me that I couldn’t strip down anymore, so we’ll have to figure something else out for the next round of funding. But as I look out over the room, I see a lot of men who might be great candidates for the next ad. Who knows? Maybe we can start a movement. So if you feel like taking your clothes off and donating your fee, come find me later, and I can tell you how I did it. If we get ten guys to do it, just think about the change we could make. Thank you, Ana, for making me a better man and giving me the opportunity to make a difference.” He noticed that she had tears running down her face.
She stood, blew him kisses, and then began to clap.
Soon everyone joined her, and the room was filled with the sound.
Maybe his speech would give a couple of guys the idea of doing something like he did. They were fortunate to pursue their dreams and play the game they loved while being paid an obscene amount of money. He walked down from the stage and into the waiting arms of the woman he loved. So far, this day had been freaking amazing.
********
Jack and Ana stood in a large group of Shark players around the bar in the lobby of the hotel. They had decided to convene there after the charity event wound down. Though he enjoyed hanging out with his friends, he was ready to go home and celebrate with Ana. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Sweetie, are you ready to go home?”
“Yes, let me just go to ladies before we leave.” She watched Jack stand and hold out his hand, so he could help her up. “I can go on my own; nothing is going to happen.”
“All right, do you want me to come and wait?”
“No, I’m a big girl, and I can do this.” She smiled and turned in the direction of the meeting rooms. Why was the bathroom always so far away? She walked down the long hall and noticed a group of women that she’d seen earlier in the bar. They were loud, giggly, and probably drunk. She followed them into the restroom and made her way down to one of the stalls. After she was done, she was washing her hands and caught a stare that one of the women was giving her. She smiled and then got a paper towel. As she was digging in her purse for her lip gloss, she noticed that the woman was studying her. She smiled again and then looked in the mirror as she put applied the gloss to her lips.
“I’ve read about you. You are some kind of super-smart, fancy doctor.”
Ana had a very bad feeling about what was about to happen. She decided to face it head on and deal with whatever this woman had to say. She put her hand out and introduced herself. “I’m Ana.”
The woman looked her up and down and then gave her a small smirk. “I’m Kiky, and I just watched your boyfriend’s sex tape. I have to say that you are a lucky woman, and I hope he treats you right.”
Ana felt the blood leave her head and thought she might faint. A loud buzzing sound filled her head, and she knew that she was going to lose her cookies. “Did you say sex tape?”
“I sure did, honey. The skank who put it up has been threatening all day to do it, unless she was paid. Apparently, your boyfriend didn’t feel like she deserved the money, so she put it up on YouTube. It’s gotten a lot of hits already. That man of yours has a very fine ass, and it’s not hard to watch.”
Ana doubled over and felt like she had been stabbed. She couldn’t decide if she was going to faint or throw up first. As she studied the tile floor in the bathroom, she decided that throwing up was going to be her only option. She twirled, flew into the closest stall, and gave up everything she’d eaten that day. It seemed fitting, because everything Jack had ever told her seemed to be a lie. Maybe this was her body’s way of getting rid of it all. She slowly stood, took a piece of toilet paper, and wiped her mouth. She leaned against the stall and pressed her face into the cold tile. “Get it together, Ana, and think. Use that big brain of yours and figure a way out of here.” After several minutes, she unlatched the door and walked back toward the sinks.
Unfortunately, Kiky was still there, and she looked a little worried.
“I wasn’t expecting to hear that,” Ana mumbled.
“Honey, none of us ever are. That’s why I quit dating basketball players. The pain was never worth it.”
Ana rinsed her mouth and then got a damp towel to wipe her face. She studied Kiky and made a decision. “I guess I better see it.”
Kiky handed her some breath mints and then shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
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Ana chewed the breath mints and gave her a hard stare. “I want to face the truth, and the only way that I’m going to be able to do that is to see for myself.” She put out her hand as Kiky tapped her phone. Ana took it and watched the video of her boyfriend having relations with another woman. It was definitely him because the tattoo on his back showed during one scene. It was very low quality and looked really choppy. But there was enough there to see what was going on. Ana felt her stomach come up, and she willed it back down. She needed to see the whole thing, and then she could decide how she was going to kill him. It was probably no more than three minutes long, but it felt like a lifetime. Once it was finished, she handed Kiky her phone back and nodded her head. “Thanks for showing it to me.”
“Maybe I should’ve kept it to myself, but I feel like women need to look out for one another more. If we did, then men wouldn’t get away with as much as they do.”
Ana patted her arm. “I couldn’t agree more.” She walked out of the bathroom, and down the long hall. It gave her enough time to figure out what she was going to do. She walked through the lobby, went out the front doors, and hailed a cab. She was going to Ronnie’s house and hide out. No one would get past her security gates and Gerald. Ana needed to hunker down before she decided her next move.
Once she was in the cab, she texted Ella, told her she was going home, and not to worry. She next texted Jack and told him how much she enjoyed watching his sex tape. The last words she typed told him to never contact her again. Why did she think that dating a football player was ever a good idea? She turned off her phone and leaned her head back as the cab made its way through the streets of downtown Miami.