Wine and Hot SHoes (Citizen Soldier Series Book 6)

by Donna Michaels

  Damn. She really needed the Wynes to call and pull her from that roster or she might not be able to stop herself from going from tackling a certain player…even if he ended up on her team.

  ***

  “Stone!”

  “There’s the champion!”

  Ben and Mason spoke at once, jumping to their feet to congratulate him as Matt dropped his duffle bag on the floor by the couch and stepped into Ethan’s kitchen.

  After a minute of backslapping and murmured cheers, he removed his coat and sat down; a second later, he had a slice of pizza in front of him and a beer in his hand. It was good to be in the Poconos—to be home—to relax after the end of the season and shoot the shit with the Wyne brothers. But not everyone was here…not everyone could be here. The absence of Greg and Keiffer hit Matt harder than expected.

  Trying to breathe while fingers of pain stretched across his chest and squeezed tight had become a lesson in necessity and second nature. Over the last year and a half, he discovered shallow breaths worked best until the grip eased up on his chest. A method he practiced while Mason and Ben fought over the last slice of pizza, and Ethan regarded him quietly.

  Holding his buddy’s gaze, he lifted his beer in the air. “To Greg.”

  The Wynes immediately raised their bottles in a toast.

  Matt couldn’t do anything about Greg’s absence…now…but he could try to help the Wynes reconnect with their brother. Pushing his misery aside, he focused on them. “Has Keiffer called yet?”

  The men instantly stilled, and the air changed, charged with a tension that made the whole room feel like it inhaled and sucked the oxygen from the kitchen.

  Ethan shook his head. “No.”

  “Where the hell did he tell you he’s been, and why doesn’t he answer his damn phone?” Ben snapped.

  “Sorry,” Matt told Ethan, then went on to tackle the questions. “As of two weeks ago, he was working on a ranch in north Texas, but he never mentioned the name. He did, however, tell me he lost his phone in Nebraska and never bothered to buy a new one.”

  Ben cursed. “That’s convenient.”

  “I didn’t get the sense he was lying.” He shrugged. Keiffer’s body language and gaze had held no deceit. Just guilt. It was eating the guy up, and damn, could Matt relate. “I offered him mine, but he wouldn’t take it, so I told him he should at least use it to call one of you. I also told him about the wedding. He was happy about that, but said he’d call in his own time, and to just tell you he’s fine.” He’d relayed all that to Ethan the next day. “I’m sorry. I had hoped he would’ve called you by now. Had I known, I would’ve dialed you myself right then and there.”

  Ethan shook his head. “He more than likely would’ve walked out, so at least you had a chance to sit down and talk with him.”

  Mason leaned forward. “Is he okay?”

  Not really. But Matt couldn’t bring himself to be that blunt, so he fished out his phone. “My manager took a photo of us, but I have to warn you. He looks a lot different.”

  Chapter Three

  Ethan’s brows crashed together. “What do you mean Keiffer looks different?”

  Matt had considered texting the photo to the guys two weeks ago, but felt it was better to show them in person.

  “Full beard and long hair,” Ben answered before Matt even accessed his photos.

  He eyeballed the guy, having momentarily forgotten about the man’s sixth sense. Ben’s ability to see things before they happen had been eerily accurate when they were kids. Apparently, that hadn’t changed.

  “Wait.” The oldest Wyne’s gaze snapped to Ben. “You’ve seen him?”

  His brother shrugged. “I get flashes.”

  Mason cursed under his breath. “Jesus…you only get them when something’s wrong.”

  “Now you know why I asked about his damn phone.” Ben scowled. “I’ve called Keif every time, but never get a fuckin’ answer. I haven’t had an outright vision, but he sure as shit hits my dreams.”

  He turned to Ben. “Did you see his tattoo?”

  “Keif has a tattoo?” Mason’s head jerked back. “No way.”

  Ben shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Didn’t hit my radar.”

  “Can’t miss it.” Matt rolled up his left sleeve above his bicep to reveal an eagle clutching a dragon skull. “It’s like this, but his spans shoulder to elbow on his right arm. This is one of Greg’s designs.”

  Ethan frowned. “Keiffer hates needles.”

  “See for yourself.” Matt texted the photo to Ethan, then handed the phone to Mason, and he watched disbelief cloud each of the Wynes’ gazes as they took turns staring at the photo of their absent brother.

  After a few minutes, Ben pushed the phone across the table toward him and reached for his beer. “Was he drunk?”

  “No,” Matt replied. “In fact, when we went to a local bar, he ordered a root beer.”

  Ethan let out a breath and slumped in his chair. “Thank God for that. According to Kade’s buddy, Keiffer had hit the bottle pretty heavy again in Omaha.”

  Kade Dalton, their sister Brandi’s husband, co-owned and operated a horse ranch in south Texas. Matt knew the Wynes hoped Keiffer would make his way there someday.

  “Well, he was stone sober the night we met,” he stated.

  Mason removed the empty pizza box from the table and propped it up against the garbage can. “At least now we know why he hasn’t answered our calls.”

  Ethan lifted his phone and gave a quick nod. “He’ll call.”

  Matt hoped so. For the sake of the Wyne family. They used to be so tight, so strong, but now, he took in their taut jaws, the slight droop in their shoulders, trace of dark circles under their uncertain eyes, and what he saw was a family in pain. Hurting. Torn up.

  And dammit, he felt responsible. He should’ve retired two years ago. If he had, he would’ve been around for Greg. His cousin would’ve been busy helping him build a business, working on cars, restoring them to their former glory. Maybe his presence would’ve made a difference. Maybe he would’ve picked up on the…

  “Stop.” Ethan stared at him, gaze direct and hard. “I know that look. It was no one’s fault, but you and Keiffer seem to think you had control over Greg’s actions.”

  He released a breath and nodded. “I know, and I tried to tell that to Keiffer, but he shook his head and insisted it was his fault. That he should’ve been there.”

  “That’s pure bullshit,” Ben growled. The legs of his chair creaked as he straightened. “The coroner put TOD at six a.m.”

  Ethan pointed to the ceiling. “He was here, sleeping at his townhouse.”

  “Yeah.” Mason nodded. “He came down around seven a.m. to grab two breakfast sandwiches for him and Greg.”

  “I don’t think Keiffer meant he should’ve been there at that exact time,” Matt replied. “He meant in general…and I can relate.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Same here.”

  “We all do,” Ethan replied with his brothers, then wiped his chin on a napkin before he rolled it up in a ball and tossed it into garbage. “Keiffer will call. It’s too ingrained in him not to. And you’ve put the buzz in his ear about my wedding.”

  Mason nodded. “Just the fact he sought you out shows he’s still trying to keep the connection.”

  “True.” At least, Matt hoped to God that was true.

  Ben got up to pull another four bottles from the fridge and handed him one. “Stone, are you still planning to retire and open that car restoration shop?”

  Every single muscle in Matt’s body seized tight. Grabbing the beer, he blew out a breath and forced himself to relax. “I was supposed to retire last year and open it up with Greg.” His cousin’s love of cars and proficiency with a wrench rivalled his own.

  For years, the two of them had planned to one day open a shop. Last year was supposed to be his final year of racing, but only two weeks into race season his mother had called to tell him Greg had
taken his life—next to Matt’s beloved Cutlass his cousin had been restoring.

  He had yet to step foot in that garage. Couldn’t even look at the car.

  “No law that says you have to open a garage.” Ethan spoke up from across the table, his brown gaze steady and knowing.

  Ben nodded.

  “Yeah, Stone,” Mason agreed. “There’s plenty of businesses you could invest in or open up. We’d be happy to help you brainstorm.”

  He lifted his bottle in acknowledgment. “Thanks. My agent’s negotiating another deal, but I’m not sure if I’ll return to the circuit, or here.”

  The lifestyle, the travel, all lost their appeal. Over the past year racing had started to become more of a job than a passion. All signs it was time to hang it up.

  “Well, if you do retire, you’ll go out a winner,” Ben pointed out with a grin.

  True. He raised his beer to take another a swig. Something he’d been thinking about since Sunday.

  “Well, Matt, if you decide to retire,” Ethan added. “It’ll be great to have you around.”

  “Matt?” Ben’s head jerked back. “Wow. I haven’t heard you referred to him by that name in a while.”

  “Stone is his racing persona, you know…because once he’s in front of a driver in that final lap, he’s immovable…like a stone,” Ethan reiterated one of many articles tossed out about Matt over the years. “And Matthew is his loverboy persona with Audrey.”

  “Oh?” Mason raised a brow.

  A teasing glint entered Ben’s eyes. “You hooking back up with her?”

  “No.” Although… “No. I’m here for Thanksgiving…and…to figure out some shit.” He wasn’t sure if the guy’s knew about the wedding yet, so he omitted that part.

  “But you did leave Saturday open, for my wedding, right?” Ethan asked, big grin spreading across his face.

  Since his brothers were grinning too, he assumed the news was out. “Yes, of course. I just wasn’t sure if it was still a secret.” He was out of his chair and shaking hands with his buddy. “Congratulations, man. I’m so happy for you and Tyler. He must be over the moon.”

  “He is. Been ninja Jedi jumping all day.” Ethan chuckled. “We’re trying to keep the paparazzi out, so Phoebe and I waited until today to tell him and the rest of the family, with the exception of Brandi and Gwen down in Texas. Like you, we had to give them a chance to make plans to come up for the holiday weekend.”

  Matt nodded as they retook their seats. It would be great to see their sister Brandi again, but he didn’t quite understand the reason for the arrival of Ben’s former girlfriend turned sister-in-law Gwen.

  His buddy must’ve noted his confusion because he chuckled. “Gwen was Phoebe’s neighbor in the city for years. She’s coming up with her fiancé, Tanner, which is going to throw off our teams on Thanksgiving. I hope you’re up for some football.”

  “Yeah, unless all that sitting around driving has gotten you soft.” Ben snickered, and his brothers joined in.

  The Wynes knew the amount of time and effort Matt put in to staying fit and honing his body as a necessity for racing. A lot of endurance and muscle power was needed to control a high performance car traveling 200 miles per hour for several hours, not through mass or bulk, but through strength. He worked out several days a week, concentrating on different muscle groups.

  Even if he retired, he didn’t foresee stopping all workouts, just scaling them down. Depended on what the hell he decided to do with his life.

  “Maybe he’s forgotten how to play football,” Mason joked, smile tugging his mouth.

  Matt snorted.

  “You wish.” Ethan snickered. “He could’ve gotten a full ride to Penn State.”

  Sometimes, Matt wondered how different his life would’ve been if he hadn’t turned down that offer his senior year. Maybe Audrey never would’ve left, and they’d be married with several children Tyler’s age by now.

  As always happened when his mind played the “what if” game where Audrey was concerned, Matt’s stomach knotted and his chest felt as if something heavy settled on top of him. Rubbing his chest where it knotted, he acknowledged he’d made his choice and she made hers. No sense in second guessing now. Besides, he would’ve just changed one sport for another, so chances were she would’ve left him then, too.

  “Well, what do you say, then, Matt?” Ben leveled him with an amused look. “You up to joining us for a game of touch football Thursday afternoon? Ethan’s team can use the help.”

  He laughed. “Sure. I think I’m up to the challenge.”

  “Good.” Ben snickered and sat back in his chair. “Should be interesting, especially since Audrey is on my team.”

  Matt stilled, his heart shifting in his chest. “Audrey’s playing?”

  “Yep. Been playing for years.” Mason nodded. “Everyone played overseas. Great stress reliever.”

  Ben’s grin grew bigger. “And she’s damn, good, too.”

  “Then you’re right.” Matt blew out a breath, not bothering to hide his own smile. “Should be interesting.”

  Chapter Four

  Thanksgiving afternoon, Audrey walked out of her mother’s house and up the sidewalk toward Mr. Wyne’s, enjoying the brisk breeze and smell of fall in the air. Growing up on the same street as her boyfriend and his best friend had been great, and convenient for secret rendezvous. Many a night she’d slipped out the window and met Matthew in the woods behind her house.

  A smile tugged her lips at the memories of those carefree, innocent days of stolen kisses, heavy petting, and hickies. She’d had a whole drawer full of turtlenecks to cover the evidence of Matthew’s love-bites.

  As she passed his old house, now occupied by a young family of four she spied sitting down to dinner, she recalled her family sharing meals with his in that very room. The memories warmed her heart and lightened her steps. She missed those times.

  Joany Bennett moved to a cute cottage on the other side of town a few years after Matthew’s father passed away. The woman had been an amazing help to her own mother when her dad had died the following year.

  Even now, the two women got together every Tuesday to teach crafting at the local community center, and once a month for a girls night out. Audrey was thrilled the women continued their friendship even though she and Matthew had never worked out. And equally thrilled they never brought him up when she was in their orbit. Although, today, all through their quiet Thanksgiving dinner for two, she felt her mother’s gaze on her and couldn’t help but wonder if Matthew had mentioned their “run in” to his mom, who might have mentioned it to hers.

  Thankfully, the subject never came up. She was having enough trouble processing her reaction to him, and now that it was rumored he might be moving back, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  Dammit.

  Maybe he wouldn’t show up today. Maybe he turned Ethan down.

  She heard a car slow down.

  “Hey, Audrey, wait up.”

  So much for him not showing up.

  Ordering her heart to slow its crazy-ass beat down, she waited for him to park behind Mason’s truck.

  “How was your dinner?”

  His smile set her heart fluttering while the faded jeans hugging his lean hips and creasing in all the good spots sparked something deep inside.

  The man was so damn handsome breath caught in her throat, turning her mute. She nodded, taking in his black knit hat with an embroidered checkered flag centered on his forehead, and the way his blue eyes sparked with interest as they swept over her.

  Seemed only fair to return the favor.

  A black Henley stretched across his broad chest with a row of four buttons she wanted to pop with her teeth.

  Dammit. No. She was not going there. Was not going to even think about how nice and warm it would be to snuggle into his neck and deliver a little “love-bite” of her own…for old time sake.

  Nope. Audrey wasn’t going think about that at all. Not one bite—bit—n
ot one bit.

  Shoot.

  She cleared her throat. “And how was your dinner?”

  “Good. Thanks,” he replied. “I hear you’re playing today.”

  “Yeah, the guys asked me to fill in to make the teams even.” She glanced sideways at him as they walked up the sidewalk. “Is that a problem?”

  He smiled. “No, not at all. I just remember, back in school, you used to drink hot chocolate with the girls while the guys played.”

  “I got tired of sitting on the sidelines.” She lifted her chin. “I don’t do that anymore.” And because that was way too close to dredging up past hurts, she turned her attention to the people already there, hanging out by a small bon fire in the large field of the Wyne front yard. “She’s here.” Audrey left Matthew to rush up the driveway to where everyone stood talking, laughing, and drinking the aforementioned hot chocolates. “Brandi.”

  The youngest Wyne turned to her and smiled. “Audrey! So good to see you, again.”

  She was pulled in for a hug and squeezed tight. “You, too.” She returned the embrace then drew back and marveled at how the woman smiled with her whole face—mouth curved, eyes bright, cheeks glowing—she looked happier than Audrey had ever seen. Brandi had once been involved with a verbal and mentally abusive jerk, until she kicked him to the curb and moved south where she met and married a wonderful man. Marriage to Kade agreed with her friend, big time. “You look amazing. How’ve you been?”

  “Aside from the nausea, I’m perfect.”

  Nausea? She sucked in a breath as the meaning sunk in. “You’re pregnant?”

  “Yep. Three months.” Brandi grinned. “We waited until Thanksgiving so I could tell everyone in person.”

  Audrey pulled her in for another hug. “I can’t believe the little girl I used to babysit is having a baby.”

  Brandi laughed and drew back, her brown eyes full of warmth and joy. “I know. It’s crazy, right?”