She’d tell him she loved him. Then the ball would be in his hands. Literally.
* * * * *
Reveling in their victory, Tyler wasn’t in a big hurry to leave after the game. He stood in the locker room and savored the moment. The place buzzed with excitement and the promise of a new season and a new beginning. Hell yeah, it’d be an uphill battle to win a third championship. The entire league gunned for them, but Tyler believed in his guys. He hoped they believed in him.
As the locker room started to clear out, he made his way over to Murphy’s locker. The guy shoved his wallet in his pants then met Tyler’s direct gaze.
Tyler held out his hand in a peace offering. “Good game.”
“Don’t expect me to say the same of you.” Murphy snubbed him, ignoring his outstretched hand and concentrating on the contents of his locker. “Your receivers caught some uncatchable passes.”
So that’s how it’d be played out with Murphy. “You’re an asshole,” Tyler growled at the jerk. Hey, he’d offered a truce. The guy threw it in his face. “Your attitude, not mine, is going damage this team. If we lose the championship, it’ll be on you.” He moved closer, getting into Murphy’s space. “You know what? I think you’re disappointed I had a good game.”
Murphy studied him long and hard. “For the average pro quarterback, that performance would’ve been good. For you, it was mediocre.”
Tyler’s eyes widened in false shock. “Murphy, you’re getting soft, man. That sounded suspiciously like a compliment.”
Murphy narrowed his gaze, irritated most likely with himself. “You’re a prick.” He grabbed his jacket and stalked out the door.
Shaking his head and chuckling, Tyler yanked on his navy Steelheads sweatshirt and grabbed his car keys. He paused to look around the empty locker room. This season would be his biggest challenge, but he felt up to it. Rejuvenated. Ready to face the world. Either Murphy would come around or he wouldn’t. People used to say Tyler had a chip on his shoulder. Murphy sported a boulder. Tyler didn’t give a shit. They’d win with the jerk or without him.
He was getting his game back. Today he’d bask in the win, enjoy the journey, just like Lavender suggested. At the thought of her, the now-familiar ache built in the pit of his stomach and radiated outward. He’d started to dial her number multiple times in the past month and chickened out. He sighed and pressed his forehead against the wall for a moment.
His cell phone chirped, indicating a text message. Tyler pulled it out of his sweatshirt pocket and tapped the screen. His blood stopped circulating, his lungs quit pumping air, his finger froze as he saw Lavender’s name on the message. He tapped the image and opened it. A picture of him on the field. He tapped the next image. Lavender in the stadium.
She’s here. In Seattle.
His soul sang for joy, and his body hummed in response. Licking his dry lips, he tapped the screen to dial her number. And waited. It seemed like a lifetime, but the phone only rang a few times with an eternity in between each ring.
Her soft voice, sounding a little uncertain, a little apologetic, answered. “Tyler?”
“Uh, yeah.” His glib tongue deserted him and tied itself in knots.
“Where the hell are you? I’ve been waiting for over an hour.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Where the fu—fudge are you?” Please, God, don’t let her be heading for the ferry.
“At the ale house across from the stadium.”
“On my way.”
Tyler sprinted out of the locker room, out of the stadium, and across the street. He shoved open the door and paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting in the room. The door slammed against the wall. People glanced up, realized who he was, and cheered. He sketched a salute, as he skimmed the room for a diminutive redhead.
He spotted her at a corner booth. Weaving through the rowdy after-game crowd, he high-fived guys on the way to her table.
“Hey.” He slid into the seat across from her. She looked great in a Steelheads jersey—his number, he noted—and her red hair in a sassy ponytail. Her face was flushed, and her eyes danced. She was happy to see him. His heart raced with joy. His head tamped it down, warned him not to get too excited.
“Hey to you, too.” She offered him a tentative smile. “Great game. You looked better than ever out there.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I felt good. You came to my game.” He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants.
“With my brother and my father.”
“No shit?”
“No shit.” He heard the smile in her voice, as well as saw it on her face.
“How did that happen?” He glanced around the room. “Where’re your dad and brother?”
“I sent them back to the hotel. Said I had some important business to take care of.” She started twisting her ring.
Some things never changed. “Lavender, I—” He stopped when she held up a hand.
“Just hear me out. You were right, you know.”
He shot her his trademark cocky grin. “I’m always right.”
She rolled her eyes at his regression into his asshole role. “About my mother. I read the paperwork Dad left me. I see things more clearly now. I always thought it was 100 percent my father’s fault, now I see it’s more fifty-fifty. My mother and Larry made it really hard for him. She told a lot of lies. I’ve talked to Larry. He’s attempting to get help for her. Right now she’s not speaking to me.”
“I’m sorry, El. She’ll come around. Despite her faults, her kids mean a lot to her. I don’t believe she’ll chance losing both of you.”
“It’ll take time. Right now she accuses me of betraying her.”
Tyler took her hand and squeezed it, stopping her ring twisting. Her hand felt small and delicate. “And your dad and brother? How’s that going?”
“It’s going well so far.”
Swallowing around the lump of emotion in his throat, he looked up and took the plunge. “And me. Where do I fit in?”
“Where do you want to fit in?” She met his gaze, her eyes full of hope and more.
He held her hand to his heart. “Right here.” His voice gave out, making him sound like a croaking frog.
She choked back a sob of joy, lifted her gaze to his, tears streaking down her face.
“I miss you.” He grabbed her other hand and squeezed. She squeezed back.
“I miss you, too, you lovable asshole.”
“Reformed asshole.”
Lavender laughed and leaned forward, and Tyler met her halfway across the table. His mouth captured hers, and he lost himself in one hell of a reunion kiss until someone shouted, “Get a room.”
Tyler pulled back a few inches. “So…you think you could grow to love an asshole like me?”
“No, I don’t think I could.”
His heart cracked. His brash armor crumbled. He stood to go, his pride not allowing him to stay. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed his arm, surprising him with her strength, and pulled him to her.
“You didn’t let me finish. I can’t grow to love you because I already do—love you.” Lavender wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Are you sure?” His breath stalled in his throat.
“Yes, I’m absolutely sure. I’m stuck with you, and you’re stuck with me.” Love lit up her eyes.
“What about the islands? You don’t like cities.”
“I’m not leaving the islands, but I’ll live here during the season until you retire. After that, we’re going to be permanent residents at Twin Cedars.”
“My dad and Uncle Artie would like that.”
“Yes, they would.”
“I’m making part of the mansion into a B and B for veterans and kids with terminal illnesses. Did you know that?”
“No, but I’m not surprised. I knew I could count on you to do the right thing.”
Tyler pulled her against him and hugged her tight. The crowd in the pub hooted and clapped. Lavender wrapped her arms around hi
s neck and kissed him soundly.
When she drew back, he grinned like a damn fool. A happy, contented damn fool who’d finally found his missing pieces, along with the love of his life.
~ THE END ~
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Author’s Note
I often get plot ideas from a news story that intrigues me. Such is the case with Lavender’s plot line in Snap Decision. A few years ago a story made national news that caught my attention. A woman returned to South America, taking her young son with her. A short while later she died. Her father (the child’s grandfather) refused to return the child to his American father. A legal battle ensued for several months, ending in the child eventually being returned to his father, even as he claimed he’d rather stay with his grandfather. As I recall, the grandfather, a psychologist, stated he could turn any child against his/her parents using the principles of parental alienation. I never heard how that story ended up, but I never forgot it.
I’m always looking for a good subplot for my next book and decided to research the concept of parental alienation. I met several people in the process who had varying degrees of horror stories. The worst extreme involved the mother killing the father in order to keep him away from his children. I learned that parental alienation is more common than I’d ever imagined, often brought about by loving parents in the heat of a divorce or the aftermath. Some parents and children get over it and move on, others never do. The different behaviors exhibited by Lavender’s mother are based on a list of the common things an alienator does to alienate his/her children from the other parent.
Complete Booklist
The following Jami Davenport titles are available in digital and many are available as trade paperbacks. These books can be read as standalones.
Gone Missing
New Romantic Suspense Series debuting early 2019
Evergreen Nights Series
Save the Last Dance
Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?
The Gift Horse
Seattle Sockeyes Hockey
Skating on Thin Ice
Crashing the Net
Love at First Snow
Melting Ice
Hearts on Ice
Bodychecking
Goaltending
Penalty Play
Shutdown Player
Shot on Goal
Seattle Skookums Baseball
Bottom of the Ninth
Men of Tyee
Sacked in Seattle
Tackled in Seattle (Mid 2019)
Seattle Steelheads
Kickoff (June 2019--A Steelheads Classic)
Snap Decision (A Steelheads Classic)
Pass Rush (April 2019--A Steelheads Classic)
Blindsided
Game Changer
Standalone Books
Christmas Break
Madrona Sunset
About the Author
Subscribe to my newsletter to receive free digital books and be notified of new releases, special sales, and contests: https://eepurl.com/LpfaL
USA Today bestselling author Jami Davenport writes sexy contemporary, new adult, and sports romances, including her two indie endeavors: the Game On in Seattle Series and the Men of Tyee Series. In the near future, keep an eye out for her Romantic Suspense series, Gone Missing.
Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber husband, a Newfoundland drool monster, and a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat.
Jami worked IT for years and is a former high school business teacher but recently achieved a life-long dream and is now a full-time author. A horse lover since birth, Jami showed dressage horses for over thirty years. Now she gardens and goes RVing, along with other adventures. She's a lifetime Seahawks and Mariners fan, is waiting for the day professional hockey comes to Seattle, and still misses her SuperSonics. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion, it's the most beautiful place on earth.
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