Reagan suddenly turned his attention from the ceiling to her.
Seeming to read her mind, he grinned as mischievously as the Cheshire cat. Her face warmed over being caught, and she quickly looked away. As she sprinted up the stairs, the heat of Reagan’s stare followed her like a missile.
She kept Aiden still long enough to get him changed into his superhero costume.
The second he was dressed, Aiden ran down the stairs. “Yippee! Let’s get this party started.”
Julie followed, and her heart stopped as she watched him jump off the last three stairs.
Not missing a beat, Aiden went straight over to his tall friend. “Look, Reagan, isn’t this costume the best?”
“You look super cool.” He ruffled the kid’s shaggy hair.
Reagan had such a loving heart hidden under his muscular chest. Her own heart squeezed in reaction to the way he cared for Aiden. A quiet knock sounded, and she went to answer the door .
A small witch stood on the front porch. “Hi, Mrs. Ellis. I’m here for Aiden’s party.”
“Come on in, Penny.” She waved to Penny’s dad, who’d walked her over from their house.
“Arrh, small Penny, don’t you look lovely,” Reagan greeted the girl with his imitation pirate voice. “Welcome aboard.”
“Hi, Mr. Reagan.” Penny shyly gave him a quick hug and then darted over to Aiden.
“Doesn’t anyone believe I’m a real pirate?” Reagan raised his arms and looked around.
Julie only giggled in response.
Before long, the house was full of children in various costumes and parents reluctant to leave with Reagan Harrison in attendance. Finally, after half an hour had passed and all the parents were still there, she started politely shooing them out the front door. The festivities finally began when the last parent exited, and Julie organized the children into small groups. Julie, Mary, and Reagan each took charge of a group and led them through all the activities. Her home was a scene of organized chaos.
The party lasted for two hours. Once the last child left, her living room looked like a bomb had gone off, but Julie was too tired to care. The grownups rested in the family room with their feet up and a drink in their hands. Aiden was still going strong, playing with the new building block set he had gotten as a birthday gift.
“That was the craziest thing I have ever experienced.” Reagan took another drink from his bottle of beer. “I thought football fans made a lot of noise, but they got nothin’ on a house full of second-graders at a birthday party.”
Pirate Reagan had been the hit of the party, and not a second passed when he didn’t have a child attached to him. He had a natural way with kids, and they responded by giving him constant attention. He’d make a great father—someday. “Thanks for your help. You being here meant a lot to Aiden. Plus, I sure appreciated having an extra pair of hands to keep things running smoothly.” Julie picked up her wine glass and took a sip, and then rested her head on the sofa. “I’m glad he doesn’t have a birthday again for another year.”
Mary finished her drink and set the empty wine glass on the coffee table. “I should get going. My head is pounding, and I could use a nice long bath.”
“Oh.” Julie exhaled. “Sounds wonderful…slipping into a warm bubble bath.” She noticed Reagan close his eyes and take a deep breath. Was he not feeling well? She rose to walk her mother to the door. “See you tomorrow.” Julie gave her mom a kiss on the cheek.
Mary said goodbye to Aiden and Reagan before exiting to make the short walk home.
Julie sat on the sofa next to Reagan, curled her legs under her, and smiled. Now or never. She took deep breaths, working up her nerve. The words were right there, stuck to the tip of her tongue.
“I should be going, too.” Reagan wiped his palms on the front of his pant legs and stood. Taking a step back, he crossed his thick arms over his body. “I have a defensive team meeting before the game. We need to report earlier than normal.”
“I forgot you have a game tomorrow.” Her heart sank at his rush to leave. “I’ll go get your coat.” She walked past him to the closet. When she opened the door, the aroma of peppermint and spicy cologne captured her attention, as always. The coat carried his unmistakable scent.
“Here you go.” She handed him the jacket. “Have a good game tomorrow.”
Reagan walked over to where Aiden was playing. “Bye, kid. You had a fun party. Thanks for inviting me.”
Aiden stopped what he was doing and encircled Reagan’s waist with his small arms, leaning into his side. “Thank you for the new football. Can I come over to your house sometime and play catch?”
“We’ll see,” was all Reagan answered then he walked with Julie over to the front door. “I had fun today. Wild, but fun. Take it easy tomorrow, you’ve earned it.” He opened the door then hesitated. Slowly, he turned to face her.
She noticed he’d lost his usually carefree expression, now replaced with a tense stare.
“You make a beautiful fairy.” His voice was low and uneven, the tips of his fingers reached out to stroke her soft cheek. “Goodbye, Julie.”
Julie stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Before she knew it, he was walking toward his car. “Don’t go,” she whispered, but the words came too late. As she watched him drive away, uncertainty and doubt crept into her once-confident thinking. How could she have been so wrong? Instead of the beginning of a relationship with Reagan, today might be the end.
****
Reagan and his brother-in-law, Tony, walked through the woods to the tree stand, set two miles away from Reagan’s house. The duo was clothed in thick camouflage and carried along their hunting supplies plus food and drinks for the day’s pursuit. The November wind whipped through the trees, stirring dead leaves and tossing around the occasional snowflake. Their hike so far had been quiet. Reagan was still half asleep, a result of waking before dawn. As they approached the tree stand, Reagan set down his gear to take a short break before he started climbing. “Hand me the thermos. I need some coffee before we get set up.” His voice sounded hoarse from the cold.
“Here you go.” Tony tossed him the red plaid container. “You think we’ll have better luck today?”
“I hope so, because your time’s running out. Maggie gave you one week for this hunting trip, and not a day more.”
“You don’t think she’d give me a pass and let me stay a few more days?” Tony’s breath was visible in the air. “We haven’t seen a deer all week.”
“No way. Maggie said she had an appointment at the spa on Monday, and I better have you back home in time to watch the kids. I value my life way too much. Tomorrow, you’re getting in the car and driving home, deer or no deer.” Reagan put the thermos on the ground and picked up his new compound bow, turning it over in his hands. The bow had been custom-made, with a high draw strength and length. They’d also promised it was fast. Not that he really needed the extra speed, but it might come in handy someday when he was faced with a jittery buck.
“Are you still coming home next weekend?” Tony scraped the sole of his boot on a rock, cleaning off several dirt clumps.
“Yeah, it’s the bye week, and we just have a few light practices. I’ll catch a flight to Indy on Thursday. Maybe we can head out to Dad’s hunting spot. I’ll bring my gear.”
Tony rested his back against the tree. “Sounds great. Is Julie coming? You haven’t talked much about her.”
Reagan removed an arrow from the case on the ground and examined the tip. His mind drifted to Julie and soon, he forgot about the hunting equipment in his hand. “I haven’t seen Julie in two weeks. The last time we were together… I don’t know.” He hesitated. “I’m having a hard time hanging with her and acting like I’m cool with just being friends. She’s been clear that her heart is still with her late husband. I need to start dating again.”
What he didn’t say was the last time he’d seen her at Aiden’s birthday party, he’d almost lost control. Jul
ie had looked unbelievably attractive in her short, green fairy costume. She’d unintentionally made herself the most desirable creature he’d ever seen. By the end of the party, she’d taken off her shoes, walking around in light green tights. Her sparkling dress and wings were slightly askew, and her red hair, which started in a tidy bun, stuck out wildly in all directions. Her face grew flushed with the activity of the party, causing the small freckles on her nose to turn a shade darker.
That night, after everyone left, he wanted to grab Julie and indulge in the taste of her lips. His hands itched to run through her messy hair and caress a path down her back. If it hadn’t been for Aiden playing nearby, he might have let himself give into the desire.
Tony smiled at his brother-in -law. “You’ve gone and fallen in love with her. Man, I thought you were immune to that bug.” He let loose a round of hearty laughter.
“If I tell her how I feel, she may never want to see me again. If I don’t, then I continue to drive myself crazy. The relationship’s a rollercoaster ride, and I need to get off.”
“Do you remember when I started seeing Maggie?” Tony pointed a gloved finger.
Reagan grinned at the memory.
“Your sister only went out with me for the first time because she’d lost a bet. Then I had to practically beg to get a second date. She made playing hard to get an Olympic sport, but I was crazy about her and wasn’t giving up without a fight.”
The snow fell harder, and Reagan and Tony took hold of their gear, preparing to climb to their stand.
Tony put his free hand on Reagan’s shoulder. “I know how scary it can be, when you care about someone so much, you don’t want to lose what you have. You become too paralyzed to take the next step. Julie seems like a really nice girl, but she’s been through a lot. She may take more time to come to terms with her feelings, but don’t let that stop you from being honest. I’ve never known you to walk away from a challenge.”
“Thanks, man.” Reagan hunched his shoulders. “I’d call, but after two weeks of ignoring her, I’ll probably get hung up on.” He’d really dug himself into a deep hole with Julie. But right now, during the middle of the season, his focus needed to stay on football. Not a wounded heart. A few young guns were nipping at his heels. One big mistake and the coaches would have no qualms about substituting in a new, fresh linebacker. “I can’t become distracted. I’ve waited too long for a Super Bowl ring.”
Tony climbed the metal pegs placed in the trunk of the tree. “Live with no regrets.” Getting to the top, he moved off to the side to allow space for Reagan on the metal stand.
“I’m feeling lucky.” Reagan set his equipment on the stand, and then prepared his bow. His gaze scanned the ground below, looking for any sign of fresh deer tracks. “I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.”
****
Reagan ended the week without seeing a deer. Guess he could chalk up hunting to another hobby he loved but sucked at. Even without a deer to take home as a trophy, he was grateful for the sage advice of his sister’s husband. Tony had been married for eight years, with three kids to show for his dedication. If Reagan trusted anyone for relationship advice, it was Tony.
Now, Tony was on his way home.
And Reagan left early for Warriors Stadium. Today, they played against the Houston Wildcats. He parked his car, and then entered the stadium. After stopping by the locker room to drop off his duffel bag, he walked through the tunnel and onto the field. This was his game day routine. A way to focus on the contest to come. When he stepped onto the field, everything inside him synced. All the hard work and all the sacrifice became laser-focused on winning today’s game.
Once done with his meditation, he made his way to the auditorium for the team meeting. The room was a good-sized space filled with large comfortable chairs. Reagan stopped to talk to a few teammates before taking a seat toward the back of the room. An oversized projection screen came down, and the head coach stood behind the podium, ready to run through his expectations for the day’s game.
The Warriors were having an excellent season, and the coach stressed the importance of not letting down their guard, especially with a winning record. The season was over halfway done, and they looked forward to a playoff run in less than two months. With a bye next week, the team would be getting some well deserved rest. But all the coaches were clear they wanted another win before the team left on break.
After a forty-five minute lecture with film, the team was released to change into their uniforms and to start warming up. Men filed out of the meeting room and headed straight to the locker room.
“Reagan,” DeMarcus called out, jogging to catch up. “These guys will fight us the whole way. The Wildcats have the number-one-rated offense in the league. They’ll be hard to contain.”
“I know. Their right tackle, Paulsen, will be tough. He’s a mind reader. It’ll be a good contest.”
They continued to the locker room before stepping into a large circular room. On the center of the floor was a large red-and-silver letter W. Rows of benches stood in front of open wooden lockers, which curved around the wall. Uniforms and gear hung, cleaned and organized. A red helmet, polished to a shine, lay on the top shelf of each locker.
DeMarcus sat in front of his locker and removed his dress shoes. “A bunch of us are going to The Garage after the game to play some pool. You want in?”
“Sure, sounds like fun.” Wonder what Julie would be doing today? Since he’d had no contact with her in the past two weeks, he wasn’t even sure she’d watch the game today.
“Cool. Been awhile since you’ve joined us. Still remember how to play?”
“Hell, yeah.” He reached in his locker for his uniform and pads. “I’ll even bring the cash to prove it.”
“That’s what I want to hear.” DeMarcus whistled, and then raised his hands to bracket his mouth. “Gentleman, watch your wallets, my man Reagan’s back in the game.”
An hour later, the Warriors team took the field to a sellout crowd. The air was electric and, at times, the crowd’s energy made all the difference to the home team. Reagan stood on the sidelines and absorbed the atmosphere. All around him, fans cheered and music played from the sound system. He was a bull trapped in a holding corral, locked in and ready to go.
The game began with the usual kickoff. Each team fought hard, minute-by-minute and yard-by-yard. The lead alternated during the first half. Reagan had his hands full defending his side of the field. The Wildcats’ star quarterback possessed an outstanding ability to elude defenders.
The third quarter came to an end, with the Warriors ahead by three points. At the whistle, Reagan ran to the sideline. He removed his helmet before shaking the sweat off his hair. Needing to rehydrate, he squirted a stream of water into his dry mouth. “You see how Paulsen gets the jump on us?” he asked a large defensive lineman.
“Sorry, Reagan. I can’t hold him off long enough to make a clear running lane for you,” the man huffed. “If I could get some help containing him, then you’ll have a straight shot at the quarterback. He needs that cocky smile wiped off his face, preferably by you shoving it into the ground.”
Reagan couldn’t agree more. He pulled over the Assistant Defensive Coordinator to update their strategy for the fourth quarter.
The referee blew the whistle, signaling the resume of play. Eleven Warriors players ran onto the field and got in position on their side of the line of scrimmage.
For Reagan, everything went still before the snap of the ball. His senses heightened, he blocked out all sounds but the voice of the quarterback yelling the play call. His vision lasered in on the football in the opposing team’s center’s grasp. Once the ball was released into the quarterback’s waiting hands, he sprung into action, running like an unstoppable train.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed their two defensive tackles blocking the other team’s right tackle. That gave Reagan an opportunity to slip past the protective offensive line. He was on a blitz ru
n, moving full force straight at the quarterback, who still held the ball, desperately looking for an open receiver. He reached out to grab the quarterback, and a solid force hit his body and threw it to the ground. A searing pain burst from his left shoulder, followed by a blissful void.
Chapter Eleven
On Sunday, Julie’s house was as quiet as a theme park on a rainy day. Aiden was staying with his Grandpa and Grandma Ellis for the weekend and wouldn’t be home until after dinner. The Warriors game was being broadcast, but she didn’t have the heart to watch the game alone. So she’d moped around the house for most of the morning.
After getting comfy on the sofa, she opened a book that she’d wanted to read for a while. Minutes later, she realized she’d been staring at the same page and didn’t remember anything about the book. She couldn’t focus her mind on anything other than Reagan. Julie set her book on the coffee table and closed her eyes in an attempt to nap.
The antique clock on the wall ticked, ticked, ticked. Bass boomed from a passing car, rattling the windows in her house.
Nope. Sleep was as evasive as her concentration.
On the night of Aiden’s party, Reagan had walked out of her house and apparently out of her life. She’d waited two weeks for him to call or text, afraid to make the first move—but nothing. For all she knew, the man had been abducted by aliens. What had she done wrong?
Had he started dating someone new? Maybe a sexy supermodel or another movie star. The image riled every nerve in her body. He might have gotten back together with Brynn, no longer interested in spending time with a widow and her son. She tried to understand. Really, she had, but the pain in her heart wouldn’t listen to the logic in her head.
Julie finally gave up the fight to find relaxation and went out to run a few errands. She was now shopping at an almost-deserted grocery store. The whole town of Timber Lake shut down for the Warriors game, she wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. At this moment, most residents, with the exception of her, must be at home, sitting in front of the TV, cheering on their team. Guilt stabbed at her heart. Aiden would be disappointed in her when he found out. Maybe she should have stayed home and turned on the game. She opened her mouth to give the woman standing behind the deli counter her order, when her cell phone rang. “Hi, Chrissy.” She stepped away from the counter.
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