To Win Her Heart (Players)

by Mackenzie Crowne

  Tuck chuckled and trailed Max into the condo. He headed straight for the fridge, tossed a water bottle at Tuck, and skirted the island to head for the shower. Spotting the filmy scrap of lace draped over the arm of the couch, Max cursed under his breath and changed direction midstride. He snatched up the panties he’d peeled from beneath Jessi’s skirt last night, and shooting Tuck a sidelong glance, flat-out refused to think about what had happened next.

  Jessi’s cousin wore a shit-eating grin. He lifted his gaze from the lacy prize in Max’s fist. “I’ll take my winnings in cash.”

  Max shut out his friend’s laughter and stalked into his bedroom, stripping as he went. He cranked the handle of the shower and stepped under the spray. He clenched his teeth against a string of curses. Tuck’s ribbing over Jessi aside, his assumption the Krandalls were the target of the anger Max had been pounding out in his workout couldn’t be more wrong. Sure, given the opportunity, he’d be happy to rearrange Elliot Sprig’s homely features, but the focus of Max’s fury stared back at him from the shaving mirror on the shower wall.

  Jessi wasn’t the only one who had it bad. Max knew it, and apparently, so did Tuck. Try as Max might to stay objective about their temporary arrangement, the promise of forever in her eyes whenever he reached for her tempted him until he found it difficult to breathe. The lines between what he knew to be true and what she insisted could be—if only he would reach out and take it—kept blurring.

  The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted her, but if the last few weeks had taught him anything, it was that the stench of his past wasn’t content to stick to him alone. Although her fierce defense of him stroked his ego as well as his libido, something had to give. It hadn’t taken long for the image Jessi had worked so hard to build to fall victim to sly innuendo and outright criticism, with industry insiders asking why country music’s sweetheart was shacked up with an obvious thug.

  Despite his careful planning, things had spiraled out of his control and, no matter which way he approached the problem, he kept ending up at the same place.

  The thought of giving up Haven Place burned like a festering wound, but it seemed fate had stepped in to limit his options. Even if the stalker was no longer a concern, walking away from Jessi now would do little good. Like circling sharks, the press had scented blood in the water, and they wouldn’t back off until someone was shredded. He couldn’t…wouldn’t let her take the heat for something that was his fault, but unless he was willing to tell all and produce the evidence to prove his claims, the Krandalls’ lies would stand and Jessi would pay the price.

  His mother’s home was most likely lost to him anyway. Although his lowered bid had been accepted initially, something had gone wrong. The bid was returned as denied the very next day. Instinct told him his cover had been blown.

  Decision made, he snapped off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. In his bedroom, he dressed before keying the false wall panel. His stomach muscles knotted as he opened the safe and removed the file. Striding into the living room, he dropped the folder on the coffee table in front of Tuck.

  “What’s this?” Tuck looked up, curiosity creasing his brow.

  “My past.” Max jammed his fingers through his damp hair. “It’s time to call a family meeting.”

  * * * *

  Max scanned the avid faces of his friends gathered in Ryan’s living room and nodded at the open folder on the coffee table. “What’s in that file isn’t pretty, but it demolishes my grandmother’s false timeline and disproves her claims about my parents.”

  “Max.”

  He turned at the softly whispered plea. Perched on the arm of the couch beside CC’s cousin, Kris, Jessi stared at him. The knowledge in her eyes of what he risked if he went forward with this plan was shadowed by confused disbelief.

  “It’s okay, Jess. You were right. I can’t let her get away with her lies. I can’t let her smear my parents and won’t let her drag you down in the process.”

  For several heartbeats, she held his gaze, then dropped her head to stare at her knees.

  A soft whistle blew through Tuck’s teeth. He looked up from one of the documents from the file with raised brows and eyes full of concern. “Are you sure you want to give them this kind of ammunition?”

  “Lots of kids get into trouble, Tuck.” Gracie’s eyes sparkled with a determined glint. “And not all of them go on to be an upstanding citizen the way Max has.”

  “Upstanding citizen might be a stretch.” At Tuck’s teasing grin, Gracie narrowed her eyes, and he held up a hand. “Calm down, Tiger.” He looked at Max. “All I’m saying is, you know how the press works. They’ll salivate over some of this.”

  Probably, but it was a chance Max would have to take. “Holding back my juvenile records will only make them question the rest of what I have to say.”

  “He’s right.” All eyes turned to V. With her years of expertise in dealing with the press, Jake’s powerful publicist had insisted on being included in tonight’s gathering of the family. She straightened from reading the paper Tuck held. “Besides, when going public with this kind of story, it’s best to put any potentially damaging information out there from the beginning. If you don’t, sure as hell it’ll come back and bite you on the ass later.” She sent Gracie a wink.

  Gracie huffed and rolled her eyes at the reminder of her and Jake’s contentious brush with the press. Jake snorted a laugh, and Max stifled a smile.

  “Are you sure want to do this, son? You’ll be giving up more than your privacy.”

  Max turned. If he’d been unsure of how much Ryan’s investigation had turned up on his stealthy ploy to get his hands on Haven Place, the older man’s question and the quiet sympathy in his eyes left no doubt. Oddly, the knowledge didn’t anger Max as it should. Instead, it validated his belief that exposing the Krandalls’ lies was not only the right move, it was the smart one.

  If Ryan could discover Max’s connection with the bogus real estate company, Elizabeth Krandall could as well. Considering the constant run-around he’d faced at every turn, odds were, she already had. For months, he’d met with one roadblock after another in his attempt to attain the deed to Haven Place. Rather than dance at the end of the devious strings his grandmother had no doubt been using to jerk him around, without any intention of delivering the prize, he preferred to face her head-on.

  “Yes, sir, I am.”

  Ryan dipped his chin in a nod. Max shifted his feet, uncomfortable witnessing the approval and pride shining in the older man’s eyes.

  “Of course he’s sure.” Gracie glanced around the room. “And I say it’s about damn time someone stood up to that bit—woman.”

  Jake chuckled and wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

  Max slid his gaze back to Jessi. Head still bowed, she remained silent. Of everyone, her opinion mattered most, but before he could ask what she was thinking, Tuck spoke.

  “So, what’s the plan?” With his wife balanced on his lap, he looked around at everyone gathered. “I say we run a full-out blitz. We back Max up as a group. All of us against the Krandalls.”

  A lump formed in Max’s throat as, one by one, the others nodded.

  “With Gracie and me right up front.” CC patted her baby bump.

  “Exactly.” Gracie’s teeth flashed in a keen smile. “No one can a resist a pregnant woman, and what mother-to-be would champion a thug?” Fury darkened the eyes she turned on Max. “I can’t believe the worm had the nerve to call you that. If I ever meet Elliot Sprig in person,” she shook her head, “well, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  Jake’s lips twisted in a grimace. “Thank God I’m on the broadcasting side of the sport these days and can no longer be fined. Still, the network might have an issue with my wife knocking a team owner on his ass.” He dodged her jabbing elbow and grinned.

  “I like the idea of a united front.” Tim looked up from the papers in his hand and drew
Max’s attention. “Max, we’ll keep your comments concise as you take apart each of their points, one by one.” He tapped a fingertip to the slightly yellowed paper at the top of the file. “Elizabeth Krandall painted your mother as a simpleton and your father a con man. We’ll include your mother’s college transcripts and your father’s decorated service record in the press handout.”

  Kris crossed her legs. “It’s not enough to give them cold, hard facts.” She shrugged a shoulder at Tim’s frown. “The Krandalls named Max the villain in this situation, and from the tone of the articles over the past week, the press bought the charge.” She turned to Max. “To change that perception, they need to see the little boy you were.”

  His skin crawled at the idea of bearing his soul to the public. “I’m not sure I could pull off a poor-innocent-me sob story. Nor do I want to.”

  V laughed, cocked her head, and eyed the curled tips of the tattoo peeking above the ribbed collar of his sweater. “No one would think innocent, looking at you, big guy.”

  “Exactly. So why make the attempt?” Tim wore a scowl as he locked his gaze with Kris’s.

  She tossed her head, setting fiery auburn curls bouncing, and ignored Tim to smile at Max. “I’m not suggesting a sob story. Just an anecdotal story or two of the three of you as a family to personalize your parents by sharing some details of who they were from your perspective.”

  “You don’t have anything to say, Jessi?”

  Every set of eyes turned Jessi’s way at Ryan’s softly spoken question.

  “Nope, it sounds like you all have everything worked out.”

  She pushed to her feet. Max frowned at the glistening sheen of tears in her eyes. He stepped forward, but she turned toward the hallway.

  “Jessi?” Kris arched her neck to look at her.

  Jessi continued out of the room. “I’ve gotta pee.”

  Max shuffled to a stop, staring at Jessi’s back as she walked away. Kris scrambled to her feet and followed.

  Tuck was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. “Women.” He shook his head and smirked.

  CC twisted her head around with a scowl for her husband.

  “What?” His smirk disappeared beneath a bland face full of innocence.

  “I’ve gotta pee, too.” Gracie scooted forward to the edge of the couch. Jake braced a hand on her ass as she attempted to stand and pushed her to her feet. She smiled at Max, squeezed his arm as she passed, and followed Jessi and Kris from the room.

  Chapter 21

  Kris shut the bathroom door behind them, and Jessi slashed her index fingers beneath both eyes. Guilt and anger tangled like a hot mess in her chest and her breath came in short pants.

  “God. What is Max thinking, Kris? How can he even consider giving up his chance a....” She curled her hands into fists and bit down on her lip.

  Kris leaned a hip against the vanity at Jessi’s side. “His chance at what?”

  She shook her head and avoided her friend’s gaze. “A dream. Because, although the family doesn’t understand, that’s what his announcement tonight amounts to. And for what? To placate a handful of snarky reporters?”

  “Snarky reporters can make a person’s life miserable.” Kris tugged a tissue from the box on the counter and held it out. “And Max isn’t the kind of guy who backs down from a fight, especially when the fight is based on lies.”

  No, he wasn’t, but God. She took the tissue and squeezed her eyes shut. If it were up to her, she’d be front and center, exposing Elizabeth Krandall for the evil bitch she was. Given the chance, Jessi would scratch the woman’s eyes out for hurting Max with her cruel lies, as well as for the way she’d mistreated him when he was a boy. But the yearning in his voice as he’d spoken about Haven Place and his parents had nearly broken her heart. How could she look at herself in the mirror, knowing he’d given up such a dream over concern for her career?

  A tapping knock made her groan, and she met Kris’s gaze in the mirror.

  “Blow your nose,” Kris instructed softly before calling over her shoulder. “We’ll be out in a sec.”

  “Do you mind if I come in?” Gracie’s muted voice came through the closed bathroom door. “One of the babies is playing kick ball with my bladder.”

  Kris cocked her head as if in question. Jessi wiped her nose and cheeks, but the blotchy evidence of her tears was impossible to disguise. She flipped on the water and bent her head to hide her face. “Come on in.”

  Gracie immediately stepped inside, stopping behind Jessi to rub a soothing hand over her back. “You all right?”

  She bobbed her chin in answer and peeked through her lashes at the blonde’s reflection in the mirror.

  Gracie slung an arm across her shoulders in a brief squeeze. “Stay for a minute, okay? I’ve wanted to talk to you and haven’t had the chance.”

  Kris pushed off the counter. “I’ll wait outside.”

  “Oh, don’t bother. We all know you’re going to press your ear to the door.” Gracie and Kris shared a grin before Gracie quick-stepped to the toilet.

  Jessi smiled wanly. A heart-to-heart girlfriend-therapy session with Kris and Max’s best friend—while she peed—wasn’t high on Jessi’s list of fun new things to experience, but she flipped off the water and used the hand towel nearby to dab her face.

  “I swear to God. I spend half my time in bathrooms these days.” Gracie danced from foot to foot, reached beneath her dress to tug away her panties, and lowered to the seat.

  A tinkling stream sounded followed by a relieved sigh, and Jessi met Kris’s gaze. Her friend’s teeth flashed in a grin.

  Unsure what to say or where to look, Jessi picked up a can of air freshener and studied the nozzle as if she’d never seen one before.

  “So, have you told Max you love him yet?”

  Jessi’s head jerked up, her horrified gaze slamming into the intent, violet-blue eyes locked on her. Heart in her throat, she looked at Kris. Her friend was no help. Expectant eyes watched her beneath arched brows.

  “Um. I—”

  “You should, you know.” Gracie ripped several squares off the roll. “If there was ever a man who needs to hear those three little words, it’s Max.”

  Oh, man. Jessi’s throat closed, and the tears she’d only partially gotten under control welled with renewed life. Rolling her eyes, Kris snatched another tissue from the box and shoved it at her. The toilet flushed, and Gracie waddled to the sink, calmly washing and drying her hands before turning to prop her hips against the vanity top.

  “He takes the breath away, doesn’t he?”

  Jessi frowned at the very married woman weeks from giving birth.

  Gracie’s sparkling eyes reflected her tinkling laughter. “Relax, sweetie, I’m not talking romantically. Well, not in my case, anyway.” She bumped her elbow to Kris’s, and they shared a sly laugh.

  Jessi shook her head, but their humor was impossible to resist.

  “Did you know I was fourteen the day I met Max?” Gracie’s grin softened into a smile. “He was eighteen and even then, he was larger than life.”

  Jessi had no problem believing that. He’d raised himself from the time he was twelve. That type of existence forced a person to grow up fast. “CC said you moved into the same building.”

  Gracie nodded. “God, I was so naïve. I had no concept of the dangers lurking in the corners of the world my sister and I entered when our mom died.” The smile slid from her lips and she dipped her chin. “But Max did. He didn’t know me from Eve, Jessi, but that didn’t stop him from facing down the group of boys who’d cornered me in a dark hallway of the apartment building we’d moved into the day before.”

  “Oh, geez, Gracie.” The tight line of Kris’s mouth reflected her horror.

  The breath backed up in Jessi’s throat. “What happened?”

  “He kicked their asses,” Gracie’s teeth flashed in a wicked grin, “and I fell in love with an unlikely knight in shinin
g armor.” She twisted to toss the hand towel onto the counter. “The projects were a scary place, but after that, nobody dared bother me. Not with Max as my champion. A few days later, he gave me my first lesson in the art of street fighting. He said if a kitten was going to live amongst the jackals, she needed to grow some claws.”

  A helpless smile tugged at Jessi’s lips. “He taught me a few self-defense moves while we were at your house in Alton Bay. Thanks, by the way. It’s a beautiful place.”

  Gracie waved off the acknowledgement. “Self-defense lessons, huh?” She rubbed a hand over her belly. “That’s Max. He can’t resist a damsel in distress.”

  Jessi sobered at the reminder. “But at what cost?” She had no idea what, or even if, Gracie knew about Haven Place but, either way, Jessi wouldn’t betray Max’s trust. She chose her words carefully and stuck to the concern they all shared. “Because of me, he’s being forced to expose the painful pieces of his childhood to the public.”

  Kris shook her head.

  Gracie was more vocal. “Nobody forces Max to do anything. Believe me, I’ve tried. His concern for you is part of it, but if he didn’t believe this was the right way to go, he wouldn’t do it.”

  “That’s what I tried to tell her.”

  Jessi shot Kris a scowl. Okay, they had a point. Max was too deliberate a man to make a decision this important without analyzing it from every angle, but still….

  Gracie crossed her arms over her extended belly. “And you never answered my question.”

  Jessi winced as Kris snickered. Geez. A declaration of love should be a private thing between the parties involved, not fodder for a bathroom discussion.

  Tossing her soiled tissue in the trashcan, she played dumb. “What question is that?”

  A knowing smirk twisted Gracie’s lips, and the heat blooming on Jessi’s cheeks must have been answer enough. Gracie pushed off the vanity to pull her into a quick hug.

  “Good for you.” She stepped back with a wide grin. “How did he react?”

  The memory of how she’d climbed onto Max’s bed, and all but attacked him, flamed her blush to scorching. A sly laugh gurgled in Kris’s throat.