Traded

by Tess Thompson

  “And it’s on the edge of town, so it wouldn’t compromise the historical areas,” Jackson said.

  “I cannot believe you, of all people, would let this happen, Jackson Waller. We grew up here, unlike your friends. No offense, Brody, but you guys do not get it. This town is special. If we make it like everywhere else, it will be just that—everywhere else. We’ll never get rid of all the tourists. At least now they don’t have anywhere to stay, so they go home after using our beach all summer long.”

  “Violet, with all due respect,” Jackson said, “your business and Zane’s business thrive in the summer. Those tourists bring money. This town depends on it.”

  Violet jerked to her feet. The chair fell backward and slammed against the floor. “That’s exactly the reason we’re in the mess we’re in. Global climate change. Ravaged forests. Air people can’t even breathe. Money. It’s always about money. Our parents wanted to keep people out—to hide our treasure of a town from the masses. We’re on a slippery slope away from what made this town such a great place to grow up in.” Brody felt the entire place looking at them. He hoped no one took a photo. The press was sure to make up a story about him breaking a woman’s heart.

  Violet yanked her purse from the floor and stormed out the front door.

  “She’s always been temperamental,” Jackson said. “Passionate about her causes.”

  They all stood there stunned for a moment. Beside him, Kara leaned slightly against his shoulder.

  “You good?” Brody asked.

  She smiled. “Feeling no pain.”

  “Honor got her drunk,” Brody said.

  “I can’t keep up with Honor,” Kara said.

  “No one can. She drank Brody’s entire offensive line under the table one night,” Jackson said. “It was embarrassing for all mankind.”

  They said goodnight to Jackson and walked out to the sidewalk. Kara took his offered arm.

  “I feel like I ruined your night,” she said.

  “Not at all,” he said. “Why would you say that?”

  “It’s early. I’m sure you would’ve rather stayed with your friends.”

  He didn’t know what to say. He’d left the house so that he could talk to his friends about her. But the moment he saw her, he was glad she was there.

  “No worries. It’s fun to see you loosen up a bit.” Brody tucked her arm against him. “Steady now.” When they reached his car, he opened the door for her and she slipped inside. Her long legs in those pumps were unfair. No one should look this good.

  When he was settled in and had his seatbelt fastened, he searched the dark for her eyes.

  “I had fun tonight.” Kara’s hushed voice traveled across the car, a sweet melody in his ears. “Even though I’m going to pay for it tomorrow.”

  “I’ve got a bottle of water and some hangover stuff Kyle swears by in the glove box.”

  “Electrolytes, probably,” she said.

  He snapped on the overhead light and reached across her to the glove compartment. His fingertips searched for the cold plastic. Instead, he found the owner’s manual, a paperback book of California birds his mother had left behind, and a protein bar. “I thought I had one in here, but maybe not.”

  “Brody,” she whispered. He froze, his hand still in the glovebox. She smelled of springtime. Her breath tickled his cheek. He dropped his head. His face hovered inches above her thighs.

  Her chest rose and fell, grazing the arm of his leather jacket. “I don’t need water. We can go.”

  He looked up at her as he removed his hand from the glove box. His right arm wrapped around her right hip. His left arm trapped her against the seat. “What’re you doing to me?” he asked.

  “What’re you doing to me?” Her big brown eyes widened. Tequila and beer tinged her warm breath as she opened her mouth slightly. Ready to be kissed.

  God, he wanted to. But it wasn’t right. Not like this. They’d both regret it if he did.

  “I should get you home.”

  “Yes, please. Home.”

  He adjusted back into his own seat and pulled out onto the street. Homeward bound. If only the dangers would stay here in town and not follow them home.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Kara

  Several days later, Kara’s stomach fluttered as she watched Brody pour wine. He’d shoved his shirtsleeves up to his elbows. As he poured, the muscles of his forearm flexed. She yearned to fold her fingers around his wrist.

  He sat back at the table and patted his lean stomach. “Okay, confession time. That whole-wheat spaghetti wasn’t bad.”

  “I’m glad you approve.” Under the soft lights of the dining room, his eyes were dark green. In other lights they appeared to be the color of acorns. Whatever color they were, they drew her in until she forgot everything else. “After I graduated from college, I decided it was time to learn how to cook like my mother had.”

  “Tell me about her.”

  Kara hesitated, stumped. How was it possible to describe a woman who had been gone since Kara was a child? The familiar shame crept up her spine. She couldn’t remember enough about her. “I was so young when she died. I don’t have a lot of memories. She liked to cook. Her parents were from Italy. Our kitchen always smelled of garlic and onions and Italian spices. Sometimes, when I can’t sleep, I try to conjure up a memory that’s buried in my subconscious, but I never get much. There are days I have to look at her photograph to remember what she looked like.” She closed her eyes as a sudden image leapt to life. “When she laughed, she threw back her head. And she smelled of Gucci perfume.” Kara opened her eyes and took a sip of wine. “When I’m at a department store, I always stop at the counter to sniff it from a bottle.” She halted, afraid to unleash the tears that burned her eyelids.

  “I love that,” Brody said. “Smells are such a conduit to memory. The smell of grass reminds me of my dad.”

  “Yes, and music. When she left my father, we moved in with my grandparents in Philly. My grandmother was always playing Frank Sinatra records. Every time I hear one, I’m transported back to their cozy living room. One time, right before she died, I think anyway, she and I danced around the room to “The Way You Look Tonight.” It’s the most romantic song in the world.”

  “It’s on the list, for sure,” he said.

  “When she died, I had to go back to live with my father, so it was a double loss because I was torn from my grandparents. Ironic, because he promptly sent me off to boarding school.”

  “If he didn’t want you, why didn’t you stay with your grandparents?”

  “It seems logical, doesn’t it? He was controlling. Enormously so. To him, letting my grandparents take me was admitting defeat. Truthfully, although it wasn’t for the right reasons, it was better for me to go to a girls’ boarding school. My grandparents were elderly and not up for taking on a ten-year-old girl, although they wanted to. But they came to visit me at school every semester until they died when I was in high school.”

  “You were there through high school? I thought you were a cheerleader?”

  She smiled. “We cheered for the boys’ school across the street. Nice Catholic boys, but they could play ball with the best of them. Those were happy times for me. I had good friends, and I adored my teachers. For the most part anyway.” She giggled, remembering stern Ms. Pike. “I went home for holidays and avoided my dad by spending most of my time with the horses. A tradition I continued up until last year.”

  “Wait a minute.” He stared at her with eyes of a predator about to entrap his prey. “I thought your dad died when you were in high school?” Brody asked.

  Sharp needles poked her scalp. Had she said that?

  “You said that during our interview. So, you couldn’t have spent the holidays with him recently.”

  Yes, she had said that. It was part of the new Kara script. She’d slipped into old Kara for a moment. This line between the truth and lies was a walk on a tightrope. One wrong move and she could fall from a
great height. She’d screwed up. Brody looked at her with suspicion in his eyes. A muscle in his left cheek pulsed. Come up with a way out. Think.

  She answered from the tightrope with another almost truth. “That’s right. I meant that I love horses still. I just misspoke, that’s all.”

  The muscles of his face relaxed. “I didn’t know you loved horses. There might be a stable around if you ever wanted to go riding.”

  “No, I don’t ride anymore,” It was impossible to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She would never ride again because it made her think of her father. His precious horses. His status symbols.

  “Why not?”

  She shrugged. “No reason. I just lost interest, that’s all.” Change the subject. “Tell me about your dad.”

  Brody twirled his wine. “He was my compass. Humility. Charity. Integrity. He lived by this code and expected Lance and me to do the same. Most of the time I fail, but at least I know the goal. He’s the reason I started going to the children’s hospital on Thursdays. It was his idea.”

  “It’s neat that you do that,” she said. “I remember seeing a piece on one of the sports channels about you.”

  He laughed and poked her shoulder. “But you thought I was a jerk anyway?”

  “Well, I figured you were doing it for publicity.”

  “Do you still think that?” he asked softly.

  She didn’t answer right away. How could she express how wrong she’d been about him without embarrassing him? How could she say how much she admired him now that she knew the real Brody Mullen? “It’ll sound trite when I say it, but no. I see you for what you are.”

  “What is that?” Again, his voice was so soft, she almost leaned closer to hear him better.

  “A man with a giant heart,” she said. “A man who puts his family first. A loyal friend. Someone who gave Honor a chance for an incredible life. I might love that the most about you.” She clamped her mouth shut. Why had she just said the word love? “What I admire about you, I should say.”

  “Honor? I don’t get credit for her. She’s built this life all on her own by being smart and hardworking.”

  “Yes, that’s true. But it’s also true that not many would’ve given a young woman just out of college so much respect and nurturing. She told me you changed her life and that she’ll never forget what you did for her.”

  “Huh. She told you that?”

  Kara laughed. “I know, it’s hard to imagine her soft side, but it’s in there. Anyway, you’re not just a disciplined, talented athlete, but a good man. That’s more important.”

  “My dad always used to say that no matter how good I was on the field, it didn’t mean squat if I wasn’t a person of compassion and humility.”

  “I wish I could’ve met him.”

  “Me too.” His eyes shone under the lights. “You know, you could come with me to the hospital. The kids would love you.”

  The children’s hospital? Could she? “But you have your photo taken when you’re there.” That had come out blunter than she’d meant it to. “I mean, social media type stuff?”

  “I usually do a selfie with the kids or have a nurse take a photo for me. The kids and their parents love it. Kind of embarrassing, to tell you the truth.”

  She examined her wine. Could she go with him? She would love to, even though it would probably make her itch to be back in the hospital. But what if she was in a photo? Was it too risky? Yes, it was way too risky. Every moment she spent with him in the outside world was too risky. They were safe here in the house, but the moment they stepped outside of this bubble, she risked having her photo taken with the most famous quarterback in the world.

  She looked up to see Brody watching her. “Why don’t you want to be in any photos?” he asked.

  What reasonable answer could she give that didn’t make her sound unstable or suspicious? Again, the almost truth seemed the best choice. “I don’t want to be in any photos with you that could go viral. I don’t want anyone to know where I am.”

  “I wish you’d tell me why.”

  His gaze pierced through her resolve. Her hands shook as she set her glass on the table. “I want to be free of my past. I don’t want anyone to know where I am.”

  “But why?”

  “I’ve told you it’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I know you’re lying.” His voice had softened, but not his scrutiny.

  Her stomach dropped to the floor. “What?”

  “You have secrets. Big ones. You didn’t misspeak just now about your father and the horses. You’re lying to me.”

  She met his gaze. “You’re right.”

  “Could you ever trust me enough to tell me what they are?”

  “It’s not about trusting you.” Her words caught in her throat. “I just can’t talk about my past.”

  “Are you in danger?”

  “It’s complicated. But, I promise, your family isn’t in any jeopardy.” Were they, though? If they found her, would they hurt the people she’d grown so fond of in her time here? Had she made a mistake to come work for a family in their home, where boundaries were likely to become blurred? Boundaries were becoming blurrier by the minute.

  “What brought you to us? What changed?” he asked.

  “Everything.”

  “I want you to tell me.”

  She looked down at the red wine in her glass. “If I could, you’d be the first person I’d tell. But I can’t.”

  “Are you in trouble? Like with the law? Or is there someone after you? You can tell me anything. I won’t judge you.”

  She shook her head. “It’s nothing like that. Something happened in my life that made starting over my only choice. There are certain things I can never talk about—my old life being one of them.”

  “It doesn’t make any sense. If you’re not in danger, then why can’t you talk about it?”

  “Please, Brody. Just let it go.”

  “Fine. Fine.”

  “I promise it’s nothing that can hurt you or your family.”

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Brody

  Days later, Brody’s stomach churned as Flora completed the pre-surgery assessment at the hospital in San Francisco. After everything was completed and she was approved for surgery for the following morning, Brody took her back to the hotel for an early dinner. They’d ordered room service and were just finished eating when Flora set aside her napkin and looked over at him with a determined gleam in her eye. He knew that look. They were about to have a serious talk. They’d had a lot of those over the years, but he was not prepared for what came next.

  “I had a baby when I was sixteen,” she said.

  He listened without comment as she shared her story of Dax Rice and her parents and the tiny baby she’d been forced to give away. She finished with her desire to find both Dax and her son. “Kara hired a private investigator. He’s been gathering information during the past few weeks. I’m hoping he’ll have something soon.”

  The fact that she’d set in motion an investigation without consulting him stung. He knew it wasn’t all about him, but still. This was Flora. His Flora. He should have made the call, not Kara.

  “How come you never told us?” Brody asked.

  “I was ashamed,” Flora said.

  “But we’re family,” Brody said.

  “It was so long ago and had nothing to do with the life I built with your family. But with this diagnosis, it has me thinking about my life, about my own mortality. The investigator’s going to call Kara if he finds anything. Maybe he’ll know something by the time we return home,” she said.

  “Maybe. I don’t know how long these things take.”

  “Brody, if I don’t make it for some reason, there are a few things I need you to know.”

  “Stop. Of course, you’re going to make it.”

  She ignored him. “Lance knows the details of my financial situation and the attorney I used for my will, so you don’t need to worry about any of t
hat. If they find my son and Dax, please tell them about me. Leave out the bad stuff.”

  “There’s no bad stuff,” he said. “But I won’t need to because you’re going to be around to tell them yourself.”

  “Make sure my son knows I didn’t want to give him up. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yes. But you’re going to be fine,” he said. “Your surgeons are the best in the world.” He’d made sure of that, using his clout to pull strings to get the best for Flora. When it came to Flora or anyone he loved, he pulled them as hard as he could without apology.

  Flora’s searching blue eyes seared his heart. “I’m scared, Brody.”

  He struggled to get a breath deep enough to fill his lungs. “Don’t be. What happened to Dad is not going to happen to you.”

  “I’m not ready to go,” she said.

  “You’re not going anywhere but home with me in five days. Do you understand?”

  She smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

  “We can deal with whatever happens when you’re feeling better, okay? There’s no rush. I want you to recover before you add any stress to your life.”

  She folded her hands in her lap. “This Kara Eaton is a good person. Have you noticed that?”

  “I have.”

  “She’s pretty too.”

  “I’ve noticed that too,” he said. “Unfortunately.”

  “And extremely clever.”

  “What’s your point?” he asked.

  “This abstinence vow is ridiculous.”

  How did she know about it too? Damn Lance. He had a big mouth.

  “Don’t deny it. Lance told me,” she said.

  “I play better when there are no women in my life. I mean, other than you, Mom, and Honor. Which, by the way, is enough for any man.”

  She chuckled. “You do have a lot of women in your life.”

  “A lot of obstinate, opinionated women.”

  “The point is, a woman like Kara Eaton would improve your life, your game, your everything. And I’m not going to be around forever. You need to think about making a life with a good woman. Don’t be like me and choose the safe route instead of opening your heart.”