Forward Pass

by Ann Jacobs

  “So will you. How about us getting you two dressed, and we can stop by the Fifth Quarter for lunch on the way to the stadium. Several players will be there.”

  “That sounds good. But we’d better take some baby food for Jack.” Tina had heard Bobby and Marly talk about the spot where a lot of the Maulers hung out after games, and she imagined burgers and ribs were probably the usual fare customers washed down there with pitchers of draft beer.

  Keith grinned as he lifted Jack high in the air. “You’re right. Guess this one’s not quite ready for grown-up junk food.”

  “All right.” It would be nice getting out of Keith’s house, as gorgeous as it was. Tina picked up the black fleece shirt and a red-and-black Maulers jersey with Keith’s name and number eight on the back. His jersey, not just a generic Maulers team one. She smiled, enjoying the fantasy of being his girlfriend and wearing his jersey for a second or two before crashing back to reality. “Thanks for these. They’ll keep me nice and warm.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll go get Jack dressed while you change, and start gathering up his stuff so we can leave. I worked out hard this morning and right now I feel like I’m about to starve.”

  Those two smiles, Keith’s and Jack’s, could have lit up midnight. As Tina slipped off her top and tucked the soft undershirt into the waistband of her jeans, she let herself fantasize once more that her smokin’ hot boss might have some slight interest in her other than as the caretaker for his son. Just for a minute though. She slipped the oversize jersey over her head and smoothed it over her too-skinny curves. You’re Jack’s nanny and that’s all you’ll ever be, a voice inside her head whispered nastily.

  Maybe, but I’m not going to think about that today. Today Tina was going with her boss and his baby to a Maulers team event, and she intended to enjoy every minute of it. She filled Jack’s diaper bag and toted it downstairs while Keith took care of the stroller. It was almost as though they were taking off for a family outing, she thought as she turned her head and looked in the backseat of Keith’s Lexus to make sure Jack was securely fastened in the car seat. Then she quelled the thought. She’d been thinking way too much about things lately—things that would only bring her heartache, not to mention possible unemployment.

  Chapter Two

  In the years he’d been playing for the Maulers, this was only the third time Keith had been inside the Fifth Quarter. It felt right, bringing Jack here to show him off to fellow players who’d stopped in for lunch before the turkey giveaway. “Hey, Dan,” he said when he spotted running back Dan Morales sitting in a quiet corner booth with a small, dark-haired woman Keith assumed was his wife. “Mind if we join you?”

  “Sit down. Myra, this is Keith Connors.”

  Keith took the hand Myra offered. “I take it you’re Dan’s wife?”

  “Yes. For nearly five years now. This must be your little boy,” she said, shooting a big smile at Jack, who was holding onto a handful of Tina’s hair while she held him and a waitress set up a high chair.

  “Tina, meet Dan and Myra Morales. Tina’s Jack’s best girlfriend, and my lifesaver.” While Keith rescued Tina’s hair from his son’s determined clutches, he couldn’t help noticing her soft, smooth earlobes. He couldn’t blame Jack for wanting to hold onto the silky strands of light-brown hair either, even though the baby was being a little too enthusiastic about it. “Hey, kid, let go of Tina’s hair so we can put you in this high chair.”

  Tina laughed at something Myra said—something about Keith not having spent much time around teammates that had sounded like an accusation thinly veiled with humor. “Tina, slide on into the booth, I’ll take responsibility for Jack while we eat.” When she did, he took the spot beside her.

  Myra and Dan had looked a little surprised when they joined them, but Keith was gratified that they seemed cautiously welcoming. For years he’d felt something missing in his relationship with teammates and particularly their wives—but to keep peace at home he’d avoided socializing with his fellow players as much as possible. What the fuck was he supposed to say now? If he blamed Jackie they’d think he was a prick because she couldn’t defend herself from the grave, not that she ever would have bothered. If he didn’t… Well, most of the guys probably thought he was an asshole anyhow, at least off the field.

  As if she sensed his discomfort, Tina reached over and took his hand. It felt good, so good he wanted to lace his fingers through hers, prolong the moment. But he didn’t. Instead he froze. As though she realized her gesture was a bit familiar, she laid her hand back on the table, her expression worried.

  The air seemed unnecessarily charged. He saw a knowing, speculative look on Myra’s face and didn’t want her to assume anything bad about Tina, so he quickly threw in an explanation he hoped would clear the air. “Tina and I go way back, since we were kids.”

  That comment seemed to relax her some. He wondered how she’d react if he put a familiar hand on her thigh, enjoyed the lean feel of her beneath the denim, something casually intimate people would do. “Don’t we?” he asked instead, caressing her with his voice.

  “Yes. Since I was in first or second grade and he was a high-school football hero.” Tina smiled, seemingly more at ease now. “Keith wanted to show his little guy off to his teammates, so he brought me along to be an extra pair of hands. Not that I mind. I love football, and I’m thrilled to meet some other Maulers stars.” Her smile at Dan brought out a hint of a blush on the swarthy tailback’s face. “And you too, Myra. Do you have any children?”

  “Not for another month or so. I don’t imagine you told Keith we’re expecting.” Myra gave Keith a careful, quick look that made him wonder how hard his teammates had tried to keep their mouths shut about kids, wives and pregnancies when he was around, things they’d known had been stress triggers in his personal life. Damn, they’d been a hell of a lot more sensitive to him than he’d been to them.

  “Now, Myra…” Dan shot a “shut-up” look at his wife. “I’m sorry, buddy.”

  “No problem. I appreciate everybody’s concern, but I’m okay. Nobody needs to tiptoe around me. Tell the truth, I wish you’d all talk about your kids occasionally so I’d have an excuse to talk about Jack.” Tina’s smile hinted that he’d handled the awkward moment okay, and that made him feel better.

  Tina made him feel better. What the fuck? He wanted that casual physical contact she’d offered. Looking into her eyes, he grabbed her hand, laid it on his thigh and covered it with his own. Yeah. I liked you touching me, and I hope you don’t mind me touching you back.

  A light flush touched her cheeks. She swallowed but didn’t lose the eye contact that felt comfortable, reassuring…just the least bit arousing if he were to be completely honest with himself. Suddenly the feelings inside him were getting too intense. Almost frightening.

  He turned to Myra and Dan. “What say we order something to eat? I threw the ball with a couple of receivers on the practice squad this morning, and the outdoor workout got me ravenous. Tina, what would you like?”

  For a minute Keith watched her read the handwritten menu above the bar, imagined her declining to get anything, as Jackie would have done if he’d brought her to the family-run sports bar and grill. Then she saw something and grinned. “It’s been too long since I got to eat some good old-fashioned barbecue. I’ll have a sliced beef sandwich with coleslaw and fries. And a Coke.”

  “Myra?”

  “We ordered before you got here,” Dan said, his tone apologetic.

  Keith motioned for the waitress and ordered for himself and Tina. “Go ahead and bring theirs first if it’s ready. You might as well make it a pitcher of Coke.” Glancing at the bar, he saw the team’s two bad boys ordering shots and beer. Although he didn’t actually have the authority to stop them, he didn’t want the day spoiled for everybody so he lowered his voice and spoke to the waitress.”You see those two guys at the bar?”

  “Yeah. The two with big mouths and no manners?”

  “That�
�s them. Do me a favor and tell the bartender that Keith Connors suggested he not serve alcohol to them.”

  The waitress nodded then stopped by the bar on the way to putting in their orders. Keith sat back, enjoyed the light pressure of Tina’s hand above his knee. It felt comfortable. Warm and reassuring, as much so as Jack’s grip on the little finger of his free hand. Not exactly arousing, just…right.

  He was enjoying himself and imagining, unbidden, having some of the guys and their wives over, or meeting them like this more often, the way he’d always thought relationships with his coworkers ought to have been. The picture looked pretty damn good, with Tina a big part of it.

  “Why’d you tell the waitress no beer?” Myra asked. “I can’t drink because of the baby, but that’s no reason everybody else can’t enjoy one or two.”

  Keith tensed. “I overheard Willis and Mort ordering shots and a pitcher. I wanted to make sure they don’t get any. I’m sure you heard about what they did the night the team got to LA.”

  “Yes. I heard. The only way I could not have found out about that was if I’d been buried in some underground cave with no TV or radio.” Myra shook her head. “Those guys…”

  “Then you probably understand why I don’t want them getting in trouble again, especially when they have to show up at the turkey giveaway.” Willis and Mort might pitch a fit, but it wouldn’t be as bad as listening to Coach Lyle read the entire team the riot act if anybody showed up at the media event anywhere close to being tanked. “Are you expecting a boy or girl?”

  Myra smiled, the first genuine look of pleasure Keith had gotten from her since they arrived. “A boy. He’s due the last game of the season, so we hope he comes a few days early or late.”

  “That would be nice of him.” Jack had arrived early, but still after the Maulers had been eliminated from last season’s playoffs. It stung, the memory of losing Jackie, of not knowing how he’d manage to care for his tiny, helpless baby. But when Keith concentrated on the warm weight of Tina’s hand on his leg, the mental anguish started to go away and he made a conscious effort to smile. “We can’t afford to have Dan missing any games if it can be helped.”

  “Uh-oh. Here comes Willis.” Dan put an arm around Myra, as though that might protect her from any nastiness that might be coming.

  Willis stopped in front of the booth and shot Keith a dirty look. “Look, Mr. Perfect. I ain’t drunk. Haven’t even had a drink yet. Who the fuck do you think you are, telling the bartender not to serve us?”

  “Watch your mouth. There are women and children here.” Keith struggled to hold on to his temper, while his fingers were itching for a chance to rearrange Willis’ smart-ass face. “I was doing you and your pal a favor. You’re already in Coach’s doghouse, and if you show up drunk at the stadium this afternoon you might as well clean out your lockers.”

  “Hear you’re chewin’ doghouse bones too, golden boy. Coach didn’t like them picks you threw last Sunday.”

  Keith felt Tina getting tense, saw her eyes darting to Jack who was less than a foot from Willis. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his baby or to her, but he understood how living with an abusive stepdad might have made her jumpy around nasty-mouthed men, and Willis definitely was that. He put pressure on her hand, reached over and touched Jack. It’s okay. Everything’s under control. I won’t let anybody hurt you or Jack.

  He scowled at Willis, even more furious because he was frightening Tina. “If I were you I’d watch what I do and say. If I had my way, both you and your pal Mort would be long gone. I kept hoping the judge out in LA would decide you should stay around until your trials. By the way, you weren’t playing any too well yourself last weekend.”

  “Stuff it. If I want a beer I’ll find me one. Enjoy your lunch.” With that Willis stomped off. Keith didn’t see him leave but assumed he had taken his business elsewhere, since he didn’t make any more appearances at their table.

  Slowly, he felt Tina’s tension lessen until her fingers finally relaxed against his thigh just as the waitress brought their food. Keith dug in, surprised at just how comfortable he felt, surrounded by teammates, Tina and his baby boy. He found himself almost looking forward to signing autographs…and showing off his family.

  * * * * *

  He hadn’t intended to show Jack and Tina off quite so visibly, Keith decided that evening after taking back-to-back phone calls from his mom, Jackie’s mother and Bobby. When he grabbed the remote and replayed an NFL network piece about the Maulers’ annual community service project, Keith understood what had everybody taking notice.

  He, Tina and Jack really did look like a happy family in the short segment that made its way to network TV. He rewound the TiVo, replayed it again.

  His mom mentioned how happy he’d looked in a shot where he had his free arm around Tina while she held Jack and he signed an autograph for a young fan. Jackie’s mother apparently had seen him having fun with his baby and a strange woman when she felt strongly that he ought to have been teary-eyed and grieving, and anywhere but at the nationally telecast event. Bobby had seemed almost as protective as a father or big brother might be toward Tina, apparently having sensed a man-woman connection that Keith himself hadn’t consciously felt at the time the video was being shot. Of course he realized after the fact that him having his hand on Tina’s jeans-clad thigh while they knelt and played with Jack hadn’t exactly looked like a nanny-employer kind of move.

  He lay back against the pillows and flipped off the TV. Morning and a full-pads practice would roll around too soon. Keith tried to ignore the tightness in his shoulder and closed his eyes. Remembering the day, and the joy he’d felt while mingling with fans, he realized what a huge part Tina had played in turning the chore he’d dreaded into a pleasurable experience.

  When they’d come home, he hadn’t been able to resist brushing his lips across her soft, sun-kissed cheek when he bent to kiss a sleepy Jack good night.

  His bed felt cold in spite of the down comforter he’d pulled up to his chin. Empty. Keith drew an extra pillow to his chest, seeking…a woman’s warmth he hadn’t consciously missed since Jackie died. At least until now. Sex wasn’t what he missed, at least not as much as he yearned for the company of a warm, female friend.

  Or maybe it was. A lazy twinge of arousal made its way through his veins. Keith squeezed his eyelids shut, tried hard to visualize Jackie. But the picture in his mind was Tina, laughing at Jack’s baby antics. Soft, sweet Tina, whose comfortable presence beside him had evoked emotions he hadn’t felt for years, since long before Jackie died.

  It had to have been the day, the excitement of the fans and the reassuring sense of grounding Tina and Jack provided in the atmosphere that could easily have bubbled out of control. If not for them, Keith might have bought into the quarterback myth and taken up offers from a few brazen groupies—or worse, he could have shrunk inside himself and made a mental escape from the festivities. Smiling at the memory of having Tina at his side, holding Jack and chatting easily with some of his fans, Keith hugged the pillow and tried to clear his mind.

  You look like you’re in love. Keith’s mom was a romantic, her main concern his emotional well-being. She made no secret of her fondest wish—for him to find a new lover who’d make him happier than Jackie ever had. But Mom was wrong. Keith wasn’t in love with Tina, just relaxed and happy with a newly found friend.

  Wasn’t he?

  It looks as though you’ve found yourself a new lover. What Georgia Bern said first wasn’t all that different from his own mom’s words, but her tone had been terse, as though she thought he’d done something very wrong. She also had made some snide remark about him getting awfully chummy with Jack’s nanny at home—something she hadn’t learned from the video or from him. After a few minutes’ consideration, Keith figured Georgia probably milked Mrs. Gardner for information.

  He made a mental note to have a chat with the housekeeper. For a long time he’d been cutting Georgia slack because she’d lost h
er only child, but it pissed him off that she seemed to think he should have buried not only himself but also her grandson along with Jackie. And it made him goddamn furious to think Mrs. Gardner was spying on him and giving his mother-in-law reports about what went on inside his house.

  But Georgia had made him admit, at least to himself, that he had some need for Tina that went beyond her taking care of Jack. Fortunately Bobby’s obvious concern for Tina’s well-being tempered the sudden arousal that had slammed into Keith’s belly when he took second and third looks at the picture of the three of them looking so happy and carefree. He promised himself he’d ignore the sexual attraction, that he’d be Tina’s friend but not let his hormones push them into a relationship that might end up with her getting hurt.

  After all, as Bobby had mentioned earlier tonight, Tina had gone through a lot in her short life, and it wouldn’t be fair for her to fall hard for him unless he saw possibilities for something more together than a brief affair. Keith wondered briefly what difficulties Bobby had been talking about then decided he didn’t need to know. He wasn’t ready for another lifetime commitment yet. He might not ever be.

  * * * * *

  Every once in a while when they played with Jack or watched game tapes over pizza and beer, Tina got the feeling Keith was starting to see her as a woman, not just a friend who happened to be female. Occasional yearning looks, fleeting touches that seemed almost accidental, brief hot glances that disappeared almost as soon as she noticed, added up to make her wonder.

  Of course she knew she was only dreaming. Keith Connors was miles out of her reach. He’d moved past Hedgecock, Texas, years ago, become a household name with football fans worldwide. He’d married a debutante, learned to move easily in social circles where Tina knew without trying that she’d stand out like a sore thumb. In case she hadn’t been smart enough to know for herself that she’d never fit into Keith’s life, Bobby and Marly both warned her every time they spoke on the phone, since that day Keith had taken her and Jack to the Maulers’ public service event last month.