“I was scared, and I thought that it would scare you away,” she answered, trying to hold back tears. “I never thought that you could love me.”
“And all this time I did. Baby, why would you think that?”
“I just thought I’d never be enough for you.” She lifted her shoulders and pulled in a breath.
I shook my head at her. “Kansas,” I chuckled. I hadn’t called her that in a while. She laughed and I relished the sound of her sweet laughter.
“Yes, your majesty?”
“Hey, I was never aware of you calling me that, but it does have a good ring to it. Amy.” I held her gaze. “You’re everything. My life doesn’t get much better than this. My life doesn’t get much better than you.”
As she smiled, I leaned forward to kiss her and immerse myself in the euphoric elation of having her back.
But…there was one last thing I had to do and I was feeling a lot better about doing it.
* * *
Amy
* * *
My skin tingled with happiness.
Finally, I’d faced my fears and could put aside everything I’d ever worried about. I knew now I’d never have to worry about suffering the same fate as my mother, because unlike my father, Josh loved me. And, like him, I’d tell him I loved him every day.
I melted into his kiss, and when he pulled away I saw the love that filled his eyes and melted even more. I remembered the day of the game, when I’d thought I’d never have what Gage and Evie had. But I didn’t realize then that I did. I was just too scared to see it.
He took my hand, held it up, and shook it.
“I guess now we know what this is. This thing between us that’s kept us going.” He smiled widely.
“Yes, we do.” It was love.
“So, we should do something about that, right?”
“Yes, I agree. What do you have in mind?” I giggled. “We should write it down on paper and sign it, for references.”
“Exactly. But I have a better idea.” His blue-green eyes sparkled with delight as he stretched out his hand.
I stared at him waiting to hear his idea, and could have just about fainted from shock when I watched him lower to one knee and produced a small, pink, velvet box from the back pocket of his jeans.
I brought up my hands to my cheeks and drew in a sharp gasp.
My heart pounded within my chest as I watched him open the box and reveal a tiny, ever so delicate ring with an oval-cut diamond centered in the middle, reflecting the light with brilliance and flashing a spectrum of colors as it sparkled.
“My Amy. You are my world. Please make me the happiest man alive by being my wife.”
I felt lightheaded, like I might faint, and my skin tingled as I continued to watch him.
As I gazed down at my dream man before me I felt like the luckiest woman alive. He was my angel and my world too.
“Yes… Absolutely yes.” I’d never agreed to anything so quickly in my life, and I’d never been happier. Not ever. The happiness I felt swelled within me. It burst into spasms of joy as he slipped the ring onto my finger and picked me up to kiss me . I ran my hands through his thick, spiky hair and over him, appreciating that he was mine.
“Right, we have to go now to make sure we have enough time,” he suddenly declared, flicking me around effortlessly so that he could carry me.
I giggled against his lips and slipped my arms around his neck. “Enough time for what, Josh?”
“I plan to make love to you all night, and a few more times before Hilda gets here. We don’t want the poor thing to get the shock of her life if she walks in on us.”
I just looked at him, shook my head, and said, “Okay.”
I laughed as he carried me up to our room and into our new life, where we would love each other forever.
Epilogue
Josh
* * *
3 years later….
It turned out I was right.
My life didn’t get much better than her.
Amy.
My Amy who I fell in love with every day.
I’d always told people that my parents were madly in love with each other, and theirs was a love I saw grow every day.
I couldn’t believe I had that in my life too.
True love. True happiness. Everything.
And, the same way that my parents were great examples to their children, I knew we would be that for my daughter too.
God, the only thing better than marrying the woman of my dreams six months after proposing to her was the birth of our daughter, Clarissa, a year later.
We called her Clarissa, after my sister, and boy was the name fitting. My little girl was only eighteen months old but the only thing that could soothe her was my sister’s classical music collections. The same collection she took her first steps to, and spun around like she was dancing. Just like my sister did. I sensed a little ballerina in the making.
It was left to be seen.
Everything was left to be seen, but it was all beautiful.
Tonight, Amy were at a charity fundraiser Dior was hosting at the Renaissance hotel. Hilda was babysitting.
Hilda was a model for Chanel now. The woman had a super busy schedule, but insisted on babysitting whenever we needed her.
Amy was talking it up with Evie over by the chocolate fountain. Corey danced close by with Becca, his fiancée.
Dancing to the left of them was Amy’s mom and Dr. Carson.
They shocked the hell out of all of us last year when they got together. Shocked, though we may have been, we were ecstatic for them.
I stared on looking at my wife, the same way I always did and got lost in her beauty.
I was pretty certain it was time to go home because my body longed for her.
“Josh.” Gage punched me in my side.
I forgot he was talking to me. We had remained at the dining table while the girls went to get chocolate.
“What?” I smirked at him.
“You never heard a word?”
“I don’t know.” My eyes went back to Amy.
“One of the questions on the prep list for the ESPN show is when do you plan to retire?” Gage laughed, probably because he knew what my answer would be.
I looked back at him and frowned. Damn ESPN. I had to give them credit though for the way they fished for answers.
“Gage, do you plan to retire anytime soon?” I asked.
Gage shook his head. “No old man. You?”
“Not yet.” I thought maybe in another two or ten years. Then I’d coach. “Well we can tell ESPN to go fu –”
“Language Josh.” Amy chided coming up behind me. I didn’t know how but she always caught me mid swear.
I smiled when I saw her. “Princess, I was going to say fill. They can go fill themselves with something.” I chuckled.
“You are so silly.” She giggled.
“Ready to go?” I beamed up at her.
“We haven’t had dinner yet.” She laughed. Evie did too and took her place next to Gage. They were all used to me by now.
“Baby, it’s roast chicken. We already know what that taste like.” I wanted her all to myself. The same way I wanted her every day.
“How about we dance? I love this song.” She nodded.
It was a smooth jazz melody that reminded me of something from the forties.
I nodded and stood up. At least I would get to hold her.
She took my hand and we moved to the floor, joining the other couples.
She rested her head on my chest and I immediately I got absorbed in her essence.
Amy looked up at me and smiled, slipping her hands around my neck.
“Thank you.” She beamed.
“What could you be thanking me for?” I lowered and pressed my head to hers.
“Everything.” She wore heels but still stood on the tips of her toes to brush her lips over mine. “Everything, Josh. Look at us. We have so much. All our dreams rolled into one. We ha
ve each other, and we have our Clarissa.”
Her voice echoed the emotions that flowed through my soul.
“That really is everything.”
They were all what made me, me. They all saved me, completed me, made me whole.
Amy, Clarissa, our family, our friends, our dreams.
They were all pieces of me.
Pieces that formed the shape of my heart.
They were my forever.
The Road Trip
Chapter 1
Abi
* * *
Look at him posing with his entourage of women.
Look at all the admiring fans and football groupies.
Standing by the grand marble steps that led to the hotel’s entrance, he straightened with pride and displayed his admirable athletic physique. He was an exhibition chiseled to perfection, all sleek with the kind of hard muscle you’d expect to see on only the most serious of athletes. With the inherent strength in his ruggedly handsome face and the bright morning sunlight bouncing off his spiky black hair, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a fantasy, powerful and godlike.
I rolled my eyes at the sight and pressed my hands against the cool metal rail that ran along the balcony. It overlooked the main entrance to the hotel, allowing me to see all the guests arriving.
I shouldn’t watch him. It wasn’t healthy, but I told myself I was just doing it out of mere curiosity. Curiosity to see how I’d feel when I saw him again. Curiosity to see if anything had changed for the renowned and cherished LA Gladiators wide receiver, Scott Emmerson.
From where I stood, I couldn’t see any changes for the better. He seemed to love attention just as much as ever, and the host of women worshipping him only fueled that. Irritated by his cool and self-absorbed manner, I frowned.
How on earth did they know he would be in San Francisco?
He was here for Margo’s wedding. Margo was his little sister and my very best friend. Margo was like a sister to me, too, and I knew that Margo wanted her wedding to be a private affair and not some publicity opportunity.
Scott’s PR company must have purposely announced his presence. With the new football season only months away, this was the time when the main players did all their media and magazine appearances. Part of it was to build up the hype for the onset of the season, but it was also done to attract more fans, women fans, specifically. Why else would a guy have to pose shirtless or in his boxers on the beach for Calvin Klein?
It made women want them, and it made men want to be just like them. And this guy below was one of the most self-centered attention grabbers I had ever known; he loved any opportunity to be in the public’s eye.
How did I know all this? Well, I had the unfortunate privilege of dating him for seven years. Unfortunate privilege. Those words didn’t make sense together, and probably wouldn’t make sense to anyone if I said them aloud, but they did make sense to me. I was unfortunate because my relationship with him drained me.
Scott was my first love. I had met him in my freshman year of college, just after I had become friends with Margo. I was nineteen, and everything had changed for me in a dramatic way.
My grandmother had died a few months before I started college, leaving me completely alone in the world.
So, not wanting me to be by myself for the holidays, Margo invited me to her family’s Thanksgiving feast. I had been completely charmed by her parents and the kindness they showed, but when I met Scott – Margo’s completely gorgeous, hot older brother – I could have sworn the world had literally stopped.
It was what I called the heart-stopping, mind-numbing syndrome that stayed with me for years. He was five years older than me, and having a guy like that show interest in you at that age was one of those memorable moments a girl always remembers. I thought it was a dream when we got together, and I had loved him fiercely.
Scott was one of those guys who oozed confidence – and quite rightly so because he had the personality and the looks to go with it. He was one of those guys who could hook you – hook me. I was sure that most of the women he’d been with could relate. Scott had captured me with one look that controlled me like I was a mindless puppet.
Things were amazing initially, and everything had moved so fast. I’d liked his charm, and he charmed me into believing that he loved me too. Maybe he did at one point; I’d never know. What I did know was that things were wonderful until he got signed to the Gladiators and got a taste of fame. We had several beautiful years together before he joined.
With his talents and skills, he progressed very quickly. Everyone loved him, and things changed between us. With fame came a host of admiring women, and Scott soon he grew bored of me.
After that, when he was with me, he was with me in body, but not in mind –like an empty shell. And, what was worse was I could tell he wanted to be with other women and most likely stayed with me only because I was Margo’s best friend.
My love for him controlled me, made me think with my heart and never my brain. It made me give my all, but, in the end, I came to the devastating realization that it was just me who was making all the efforts in our relationship.
Leaving him broke the spell and released my mind from the thrall he had over me. It was difficult at first to get my head around it, but I did, and I pushed him out of my mind. It was all made easier by my move from LA to New York. I made an effort to see Margo when I could and spoke to her practically every night.
I missed Margo, but being so far away from Scott had been good.
It set my life back on track. I was thirty-two now and hadn’t seen him for almost six years.
The privilege of being with Scott was that it taught me to never give my heart away to anyone like him, someone who took advantage and couldn’t commit.
I blamed it on my youth. I was young when I first got with Scott. I was inexperienced in life and in dealing with men. My grandmother was very prudish and never spoke about relationships, and my mother and father had died in an accident when I was five. There was really no one to guide me. But when I left Scott, I found my way, and, now, before I even considered going on a date, the lucky guy would have to prove he was worth my time. I was single at the moment and had been for a while, but that worked for me. It did get lonely sometimes, but only sometimes. I was busy enough at work and certainly had no time for the dramas of having a relationship.
Seeing him now was weird.
Over the last few weeks, as the time grew closer to today, I’d started thinking about him and wondering how it would be when we saw each other. Knowing him, he probably wouldn’t have thought much of it. But I had, and I’d probably spent more time thinking about him than I should have.
We didn’t exactly have an amicable split, but we didn’t have what most people deemed to be a disastrous blow up, either. Whichever way anyone chose to describe it, the whole thing left me heartbroken, and it took me a while before I could feel like myself again. I didn’t feel the hatred that most people express when they break up, but I wouldn’t exactly roll out the welcome carpet for Scott either.
Looking down at him now, I didn’t feel anything one way or the other, except for the mild irritation at him for posing as if everyone should kneel down and worship him. I thought the next few days may be difficult, but I was hopeful that I could avoid having too much contact with him.
I sighed and rolled my eyes again as I watched Scott turn to his good side so that the paparazzi who’d now gathered could take their best pictures.
“Jesus.” I muttered under my breath and narrowed my eyes at him.
He really was standing there like he owned the world. Now there were six Barbie-doll-like women trying to get a photo with him. The ones closest to him really took advantage of the moment and snuggled into his chest. They all laughed as the photographer said something funny.
Then, Scott went back to posing by himself. He took off his biker jacket, revealing a white T-shirt that highlighted some serious muscle across his wide shoulders,
powerful chest, and rigid abs. He flexed an arm to show off the mass of his huge biceps.
An image of one of those Levi’s ads came to my mind as I looked down and focused on his jeans. Just like in the ads, the jeans did a good job of showing off the athletic definition in his legs.
Okay, so I wasn’t entirely immune to a great body. The man was definitely of the Greek god variety. Shame about the personality though. Men this good-looking should come with some kind of warning label.
Maybe it was that sixth sense that people spoke of, or maybe it was the piercing stare I gave him that made him turn and look up to where I stood.
Our eyes locked and a familiar tingle fluttered through my stomach, resonating from deep within. It was an eccentric blend of anxiety and anticipation that scattered my nerves.
I didn’t expect to feel it, or anything, for that matter, and I immediately felt the off-balance daze I remembered feeling when I first met him and the world had stopped.
We stared at each other across the distance that separated us. Even from where I was, I could see the rich turquoise color of his eyes. They sparkled as he took me in and continued to stare.
The tingle turned into something more, something that heated me right up. My body’s reaction to him both surprised and annoyed me.
His eyes roamed over me even though he was being called and even though two of the Barbies were trying to get more pictures with him. Scott didn’t move or respond; he just continued to stare until the moment felt almost awkward. The women looked to where he was looking, to me.
Politely, he lifted his hand and waved. The me of the past would have waved back excitedly with a smile, but I wanted to show him the changed woman I was now and mask the effect he’d just had on me. So, I tipped my head and gave him a curt nod of acknowledgment. I then turned away, not wanting to prolong the moment or the contact, and walked back through the lobby. There was no point encouraging contact even though he was three floors down and several feet away. There was a dinner later where I’d see him, but wouldn’t engage then either.
Play of Love: The Gladiator Players Box Set Page 24