Making the Play

by T. J. Kline

“Only because we have to listen to you,” Diondre said with a chuckle. “Seriously though, if you’re unsure this is where you want to be, don’t sign the contract. Negotiate it down for weekly guest spots or something. Then you’re still in the limelight and good for our ratings. Besides, we’d love to hang with you.”

  “Guest spots.” Grant hadn’t even considered that option to be on the table. Hell, according to Bob, there hadn’t really been any other options at all. Guest appearances would only mean a flight to New York and back. A weekend at most. He could bring Bethany and James with him.

  “Now that’s something we could manage.” Dale grew excited, slapping his hand on his thigh. “Especially if you’d give us the first shot at talking with you after your retirement announcement.” His voice grew more excited as he waved a hand in the air. “We could have the exclusive interview and air it right after the press conference.”

  “I think that’s the kind of deal I’ve been looking for.” It might not be seven figures but it was a plan he could work with.

  “Good.” He thrust his hand out toward Grant. “Then let’s go get this contract rewritten and signed.”

  EXITING THE TERMINAL doors, Grant saw his sister standing alongside his Camaro. “I don’t recall telling you to pick me up, and I know I didn’t tell you to drive Betty.” She unlocked the trunk, lifting it for him before she slapped the keys into his hand.

  “Yeah? Well, I don’t remember telling you to break the heart of one of my favorite kids, but you did that anyway, so what the hell?”

  Grant frowned. He didn’t have to ask who she was talking about, but it couldn’t be anything that serious or deserving this kind of animosity from his baby sister. “Overdramatic much?”

  Maddie shook her head and climbed into the car. “You think so? Maybe you should have called while you were gone.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He twisted the key in the ignition, feeling himself relax as the rumbling purr of the engine soothed his aggravated nerves. The flight had been jam-­packed and, as his luck would have it, he was seated next to his “biggest fan” who talked nonstop and followed him through the terminal to their connecting flight. He’d caught a break when the man had received a phone call from his wife and Grant was able to sneak away. Now that he was back, he was looking forward to heading to Bethany’s after a shower and some food to tell her the news.

  “I’m talking about James and Bethany.”

  “I know that much.” He rolled his eyes and pulled out of the airport, easing onto the highway. “I mean the calling part. I texted you guys.”

  “Did you call her? Or send her a text?”

  “Before the press conference. I told her I had a surprise and I’d be home soon.”

  “Nice and vague.” Maddie glared at him. “Did you tell her when ‘soon’ would be or that you were coming home for good? Because Steven Carter is already trying to move in on her.”

  Grant felt the jealousy rise up in his gut, squeezing at his chest. He’d deliberately avoided telling Bethany anything, avoiding calling once he’d made the deal with the show, and had texted her instead so that he could surprise her when he returned. They had so much to talk about, to figure out together, including how they could make their relationship work because he was determined to make sure it did. He might not have a traditional full-­time career at this point, but he had a direction and a contract and he was excited about starting.

  Right after his press conference with the network, Grant received a phone call from the Hidden Falls high school principal and the sports director informing him that they were in dire need of a new varsity football coach. The pay was minimal but with his buyout, the guest spots on the show during football season and the two endorsement deals he’d signed, the salary didn’t even deter Grant. It was the first time since he’d left his doctor’s office that he felt excited about his future. He would be earning enough to support the ranch and still have plenty left to start a life with Bethany and James.

  Plus the coaching position offered him a measure of satisfaction he’d been lacking. He would not only have free rein to hire his own coaching staff, but he’d be shaping the entire Hidden Falls football program for years to come and motivating the players of tomorrow to find the same love of the game he still carried.

  And he could be near Bethany and James.

  Every decision he’d made this past week had been with her and James in the forefront of his mind, to find a way that they could stay together. Now his sister informed him that she was already going out with someone else. Someone she’d hadn’t even noticed until he’d opened his big mouth

  “You need to talk to her. Just drop me off at home and go to her place.”

  He rubbed a hand over his weary eyes. “I’ve hardly slept in a week, Maddie. I need a shower and something to eat.”

  “Holy crap, Grant.” She slapped his bicep. “Nut up and just go see her. I guarantee you’ll be sorry if you don’t.”

  “You kiss your mother with that mouth?” He arched a brow at her.

  “Fine.” She heaved an exasperated sigh. “If you want to make jokes, then fine. Lose the best thing that’s come your way since your scholarship, but I’m not going to ride along while you do it. Just drop me off at the coffee shop and I’ll get a ride from someone else.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “As a heart attack.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  Grant wasn’t in a mood to toy with her and play childish games. He pulled off the highway where it slowed through town and into the parking lot of the town’s newest coffee shop. “There you go.”

  She opened the door and got out of the car. “You’re an idiot, Grant.”

  “And you’re a busybody just like the rest of the ­people in this town. Maybe you should just mind your own—­”

  Grant didn’t want to believe it. Seated in the window on the coffee shop, he could see James bouncing happily on a stool beside his mother while Bethany laughed at something the person with her was saying. Seated across from her was Steven Carter. Maddie followed the direction of his gaze and planted her hands on her hips.

  “Should I say ‘I told you so’ now or save it for later?”

  Grant didn’t think. He simply reacted, the way he’d done during every football game, letting instinct take over. Dropping the car into Park, he climbed out and stalked into the coffee shop, barely noticing that Maddie ran in behind him. Several sets of eyes turned in his direction, but the only person he saw was Bethany as he quickly closed the distance between them.

  “Grant!” James slid down from the stool and ran to him, wrapping his little arms around Grant’s legs. “Hi, Ms. Maddie. Are you going to have hot chocolate with us?” He waved excitedly.

  Grant scooped James up in one arm and carried him back to the table, but he had his sights set on only one person, and she looked so shocked by his presence that she couldn’t speak.

  “Hello, Bethany.” The icy tone in his voice matched the frigidness of his heart as he nodded slightly to the other man. “Carter.”

  “McQuaid.”

  “Grant, what are you doing here? I didn’t expect you to come back this soon.” She gave him a hesitant smile and rose from the stool.

  “I can see that.”

  “What does that mean?” Bethany took a step backward and Grant settled James on his stool again.

  Carter chuckled from across the table. “I think what Grant’s alluding to is that we are out together and he’s interrupted us.”

  Grant glanced at James, still smiling, but the excitement in his face had dulled slightly and Grant could see the concern in the boy’s eyes, as if he realized there was more to this situation than what he could understand. He didn’t want to upset him, especially if he’d already been as upset as Maddie claimed he’d been.

  “Something like tha
t.”

  “Can we talk for a second?” Bethany reached a hand to his forearm, her fingers barely grazing his skin. He instantly felt his body respond to her touch, to the memory of the last time they were together and he cursed his weakness, jerking back.

  “I don’t know that we have anything to talk about.”

  She looked hurt by his reaction and, in reality, this was his own fault. He should have talked to her about their relationship and where he wanted it to go already, should have done more than just text her, but after the roller-­coaster ride he’d been on the past week, he didn’t have it in him to argue about semantics. He certainly didn’t want to do it in front of an audience. Grant ran a hand through his hair.

  “You know what, Bethany? Why don’t you guys finish your . . . whatever this is,” he said, waving his hand at their table, “and give me a call when you’re done. We can talk then.”

  He turned and stormed past his sister through the coffee shop and headed for the door. He’d no more put his hand on it when Bethany’s voice stopped him.

  “I’ll call you the way you called me.”

  Grant hung his head. Maddie was right; he should have called, and now he may have just lost the only chance he had because he’d let himself get too wrapped up in planning a future he wanted that he hadn’t taken the time to stop and do the one thing that might have solidified it.

  Chapter Twenty-­Five

  GRANT’S MAD? JAMES signed, his brow furrowed and his lips twisted to one side.

  “No, sweetie. He’s just . . . tired. It’s been a long trip.”

  Bethany wasn’t sure how to explain the situation to James, how to make him understand that this was nothing more than a complicated relationship between two adults, something he wouldn’t understand until he was older.

  In truth, she wasn’t sure she understood why Grant was angry. He’d been the one to walk away, the one to not call and only text once, simply to tell her that he’d be in touch soon. She certainly hadn’t expected “soon” to mean arriving home the next day, especially when every reporter speculating that his guest spot on the sports talk show was a trial run for a permanent position. She could only assume he’d made his decision and she and James weren’t included in Grant’s future plans.

  “You want me to take you home?” Steven watched Maddie run after Grant, barely making it to the car in time to jump inside before he sped away, his tires spinning in the parking lot, kicking up gravel. “This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I suggested coffee.”

  Bethany glanced at James. “I should probably get him home.” She gave Steven an apologetic smile. “I’m sure there will be some questions.” She glanced back at the window where they’d watched Grant’s departure. “I’m sorry, Steven.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He waved her off. “You ready to head home, James?”

  “Can we go see Grant?”

  Bethany scowled at her son, willing him not to bring up Grant again. “Maybe in a few days, after he’s been able to get settled and rest up from his trip, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He sounded disappointed but he couldn’t feel any more disillusioned than she did. The past week had been a hard lesson in getting her hopes up only to have them crushed like the gravel under the tread of Grant’s spinning tires.

  BETHANY HEADED BACK downstairs after almost an hour of Where the Sidewalk Ends in an attempt to make James laugh. Even that hadn’t made him giggle the way it usually did, but they’d both been off this week. As much as she wanted to pretend that everything was fine, she didn’t feel fine. Seeing Grant today had sent her senses skyward then plummeting, like they were free-­falling. It was exactly what had happened when they’d been together. Their entire relationship was one exciting free fall, glorious in the highs and painful upon the crash-­landing lows.

  A quiet knock at the door had her pausing at the foot of the stairs. Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she moved closer to the door. Bethany knew exactly who it was without looking through the peephole. No one else would feel entitled enough to show up this late. She opened the door to find Grant leaning with both arms outstretched overhead, against the top of the door frame.

  “What do you want, Grant? I don’t have the energy to fight with you tonight.” She turned away from the door. He could follow or not but she wasn’t about to play games.

  “I’m sorry.” His voice was tight, hoarse, as if even uttering the words was painful.

  She turned back toward him and crossed her arms over her chest to keep herself from reaching out to brush back the hair that had fallen over his forehead. He needed it cut and she desperately wanted to run her fingers through it, but the look on his face made it clear he wasn’t hers to do that to any longer.

  “Please, stop saying things you don’t mean.”

  She left him standing in the entry and walked into the kitchen, wishing she’d bought the bottle of wine she’d been contemplating purchasing after she’d left the coffee shop, wanting something that might dull the ache in her chest that had taken up residence for the past week.

  “Like how you’re going to call or how much you care. I don’t need any more false promises. I’d much prefer your honesty to your flattery.”

  Grant’s hands landed lightly on her hips, drawing her back toward him, against the hard wall of muscle, causing desire to ripple through her, making her shiver with want.

  “Bethany,” he whispered as he brushed her long hair to one side and pressed a kiss behind her ear.

  She willed her body to remain rigid against him, to not give in to the yearning coursing through her veins, telling her to turn toward him and wrap her arms around his neck. That would only lead her back down the road she’d fought hard to move away from this past week, every day a battle to try to forget her feelings for Grant. Every ring of her phone agonizing when she realized it wasn’t him.

  “Don’t,” she pleaded. “I can’t do this.”

  “I should have called you. I wanted to, but I barely found time to get the text to you as it was. And this is something we needed to discuss in person.” His voice was raw, gritty and anguished. “I need you, Bethany.”

  She shook her head, letting it drop forward, away from the magic of his lips. “Needing, wanting . . . I have to think about what James needs, as well as what he wants. He needs a stable man in his life. You said so yourself.”

  “Someone like Steven Carter?” Bitter jealousy tinged his voice, making her wonder about the man in front of her, a man she suddenly didn’t recognize.

  “Steven and I are friends, nothing more.” She turned to face him, pressing her palm against his chest to keep him at a distance. “But even if we were, you were the one who pushed that. You were the one who suggested I go out with him.”

  Grant backed up a step but she wasn’t about to stop now that she’d begun letting the vulnerability of her emotions spill out. “You were the one who left, who walked away with vague promises. I was the one who had to face James’ tears all week, to be the one to help heal his heartbreak at losing his hero.”

  “I went to find out what my future was going to hold, what I could manage to do if I couldn’t go back to football.”

  “And now you know. Congratulations, you’ll make a great commentator.”

  “I’m only doing that once a week, even less after football season.”

  Grant circled his fingers around her wrist and slid her hand off his chest, pulling her closer. Her heart leapt into her throat and she couldn’t take a breath. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, even to herself, Bethany wanted him to kiss her.

  “Every decision I had to make, I made for you and James, with our future in mind.”

  “Why?” It was barely a whisper of sound. She couldn’t manage anything more.

  “Because I can’t stand to not have you with me, to have you both with me.”


  She bit her lower lip, looking into his eyes earnestly, searching for honesty. She had no idea what his intentions were, she never had because he’d never opened up and shared that part of his life with her. He claimed to want them to be together, that she and James were important, but he was making decisions without even consulting her.

  “I don’t know if I can believe you.” She backed out of his arms, away from his touch, and wrapped her arms around her waist. He blinked, as if her calling his integrity into question hadn’t even been a consideration.

  “I’ve never given you a reason to doubt my word.” She arched a brow in disbelief and Grant threw his hands in the air. “Is this really because I was too busy to call?”

  “Too busy to call, too closed off to explain.” She shook her head. “You can say that you made decisions with us in mind, Grant, but the reality is that you made decisions alone without even including me in any discussion.”

  “What?” He ran a hand through his hair. “What was I supposed to say, Bethany? That I might be going back to Memphis or to another team. Or that I might have a job in New York City, but I also might not have any job and that either way I still want you and James to go with me wherever I end up?”

  She opened her mouth to speak but he didn’t give her the opportunity.

  “Because that would make perfect sense, right? You want me to open up? How about if I admit that I can’t stop thinking about you or that I can’t sleep because I’m dreaming about you? What about the fact that I was torn between a career I’ve spent my entire life cultivating and being willing to give it all up just to stay here where I might have a shot with you, even if it meant working the ranch with my parents?”

  He closed the distance between them, his hand moving to the curve of her jaw. “Don’t you get it, Bethany? You and James mean more to me than anything else, anything.”

  She searched his eyes, and this time she could see his heart there, open and vulnerable. “Grant.”

  “Bethany, I’m falling in love with you, with both of you. I didn’t expect it and, damn it, I certainly didn’t plan it this way, but I also can’t help it. I wouldn’t if I could.”