The Boom

by Glenna Maynard

  “You did? Was he drinking?”

  He nods. “Do you know a man by the name of Keith Digger?”

  My head hurts, but I get a flash of him from the club. I clear my throat and take a sip of water. “What does this have to do with Keith? I dated him in college.”

  “After reviewing footage from the club and the street, it appears he may have drugged your drink at the bar and he’s the one who ran you down. When we got a report about blood on his car and him trying to get it repaired this morning we investigated and went to his hotel room. The guy had all kinds of pictures of you and had been following you for some time. We don’t have all the information yet, but we even believe he followed your dance company overseas.”

  I feel sick. “Keith did this to me, on purpose?”

  **

  Ever since I woke up in the hospital realizing my dreams were over, never to dance again I’ve been battling depression. It’s not only that I lost my dream but the fact that Tate wouldn’t take my calls, and last week when I tried again his number was disconnected.

  I guess the love we shared wasn’t real. It feels like another lifetime ago that we were even a couple. I thought he loved me.

  Keith was arrested for hitting me with his car. Attempted murder is the charge; however, he has plead insanity and his parents have spared no expense getting him a great defense team. He’s currently in a mental ward.

  They say that he never got over me after our breakup and that he blamed me for his getting kicked off the football team. He never made it to playing pro and thought it was all my fault and had I only taken him back his life would have been perfect.

  I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around it. He had stayed away, at least I thought he had, but it turns out he had been burning through his trust fund to follow me around the world and he’s even responsible for my partner blowing his knee out.

  My dad was able to pull some strings and get me back into USC so I could get my doctoral degree in sports medicine. I only have to do two years of it, since I already have my masters. My mom has been smothering nonstop. I moved home for a while as much as I didn’t want to. I needed their help though. Taking care of myself wasn’t an option and I wasn’t going to impose on Courtney and Tex. They are starting a family. They didn’t need me in the way.

  I’m on spring break for Courtney’s baby shower right now. I’m not really in the mood for a celebration, but I want to do this for Courtney. My mom is trying to better about hovering, but I know she’s jealous that Tessa is becoming a grandma first and that she isn’t sharing in that experience. I guess she thought Courtney and me would have babies at the same time so they could be best friends like we are.

  I thought that someday maybe it would happen. I wanted that with Tate, but we will never have that.

  Courtney comes in, completely glowing. Even about to pop, her curves are still banging. I wipe away my self-pity and put on a big smile for her. I am so happy for her, she is so excited for this baby. I am excited to be an appointed aunt. None of Tex’s family is here. They still don’t speak. I don’t even know if they know about the baby. It’s none of my business though. Tex comes in behind Court and immediately wraps me up in a bear hug.

  “Thanks for putting this together for us. Court is on cloud nine.” He grins.

  Guys usually don’t come to these parties, but there was no keeping him from it. He’s so ecstatic about being a dad. He’s so good to Courtney and always makes sure she’s taken care of. He even ran out at three in the morning just to get her sour cream last week to dip her pickles in.

  “Of course,” I tell him and get the party started.

  We play all the silly stuff, guess the candy bar poo in the diaper, how many candies are in the baby bottle. I watch Tex often, he seems to be enjoying playing the games more than anyone else. I smile, shaking my head.

  Once everyone leaves Big Tex helps me clean up. “All this free stuff is so awesome. I didn’t know babies needed all this though. We’re gonna go broke before the baby turns one.”

  I laugh. “It’ll be fine, wait until they hit about eight, my mom couldn’t keep me in clothes for longer than a month, until I was twelve and stopped growing.”

  “Great,” he mutters.

  “Just buy cheap stuff during growth years, even second hand stuff, trust me, otherwise you will waste so much cash on that stuff.”

  “Good plan.” Tex ties up the garbage bag and lugs it outside. When he comes back in he says the name I wish I could forget exists. “Have you heard from Tate?” He asks gently.

  I shake my head. “I’ve tried, a few times, but he never answers, doesn’t text back, and last week when I tried calling, his number was changed.”

  “That dick. I’m sorry Amaya. I really am. He doesn’t deserve you.” He kisses my forehead and steps back. “Well, cleanup is done, how about we go hop in the car and sit outside of the grocery store until Courtney texts me in about twenty minutes for a craving snack?”

  Laughing, I agree, “Sure, sounds like a plan.”

  **

  “I thought she would text by now?” We’ve been wandering the aisles of the grocery store for the last forty-five minutes. Tex thought it would be a good idea to be here at the time her craving came on, so she wouldn’t rage a war for him taking too long.

  “Same, maybe she’s asleep?” He looks slightly worried. “It’s like clockwork, every night at this time, she craves something.”

  Seconds later, the phone rings with an incoming call. “Hello? Shit, okay, be right there!”

  “What?” I shout at him, as he drags me through the store and to his truck.

  “Her water broke! She already called an ambulance, we gotta meet her at the hospital.” He’s shaking as he tries to start the vehicle.

  “Tex, let me drive.”

  He nods and gets out. “Good idea. I might crash. Holy shit, I’m having a baby!”

  Part 3

  I want you back for good

  Chapter 37

  Tate

  Every time a commercial comes on for this local dance studio, my mind flashes to Amaya, and I get so fucking angry. I can’t believe she completely shut me out. I just hope wherever she is and whatever she is doing she’s truly happy. I’ve always wanted the best for her. Whenever I try to ask Courtney how she is she freezes me out and Tex shrugs it off. I wonder if it’s because she’s found someone who makes her happier than I was able to. The thought shreds me, but I couldn’t give her what she needed.

  Maybe she fell in love with a guy from her company. That would probably be the best since they would be on the road together, even the thought of any other man touching her makes me sick to my stomach.

  Courtney and Tex both have kept a distance from me the last few years. Every time I try to get together to hang out, or want to meet their kid, the response is always sorry, busy tonight or sorry, want some time with my girl, and the most common one, sorry man, Courtney hates you, not gonna happen. I’m not sure what the hell I did to make her so angry with me, and she’s not even giving me a chance to fix whatever it is she thinks I did.

  “Hey, King,” Valentina purrs from the kitchen. “You ready? I told Taylor and her new beau we’d meet them for drinks before the premier.”

  “Yeah,” I say with a sigh. The parties and shit aren’t really my scene, but V says it looks good for my image. I did a music video with Taylor for one of my endorsements and her boyfriend is a pretty chill guy and comes to the games.

  I finish buttoning my shirt and slip my shoes on. Amaya always loved to see me dressed up. I smile thinking back on our first date, when she took me to that improv show. Things seemed so easy then. If only they were now.

  I have contracts and appearances to uphold to. I feel like my time never belongs to me. I can’t remember the last time I watched Tex coach a game or sat down for a family dinner with my parents. Family has always been important to me and now it seems to be the last priority, I hate it, but I love playing, no
matter the costs.

  Valentina is standing at the door in her fancy dress, she does make for good arm candy, but I feel a bit smothered by her at times. I’ve thought about firing her, but not sure how well that will go over since I made the mistake of fucking her. She could ruin me and I know it. So, I continue to play her games and try to beat her at them.

  We head down to the car that is waiting for us and head to the party.

  **

  The party is in full swing, other players are here, some with their wives and girlfriends, others have arm candy next to them. Valentina took off moments after arriving and headed toward her boss. Probably to check in about stuff. Whatever.

  “Hey King,” Kent says. “This is my wife, Maia.” He gestures to her and she’s pretty, nothing like I thought she would be. Kent’s always had a type, big tits, big hair, and curvy. But his wife is slender, a pixie cut and at a guess, barely a B cup. Kent met her last year, but hid it from everyone, and last week he was in the tabloids for getting hitched in Vegas. It was a mess, especially with Coach, the team owners, and his manager, until it came out that they’ve been together for a year, and he didn’t want to wait to have her in the spotlight with him anymore.

  “Nice to meet you.” I shake her tiny hand and she smiles at me.

  “You as well.”

  “I see you came with that bitch,” Kent says.

  Sighing, I nod. “I can’t shake her. I made a mistake years ago, and now I can’t seem to stop making stupid ass mistakes. She doesn’t take the hint. Every time I smile at another girl, she loses her mind.”

  “You can fire her you know. Your contract runs out next week with her. Or have you renewed?”

  Shit, I completely forgot about that. I smile. “Thanks, I completely forgot, now I can get out of it. She’ll still probably cause shit though.”

  “No doubt. Maia here, her father manages a few big names, and he’s recently transferred a few to other associates at his firm, you should give him a call. I hired him myself once my contract ran out last month. He’s been doing great work, and hell, he won’t run you around doing stupid shit like movie premiers, and shit like that. Sports focus only.”

  Damn, that sounds good. “Yeah, give me his number, I’ll give him a call once I ditch V, later tonight.”

  I saunter off, walking around the room, chatting with a few people.

  I spot V staring at me, sipping her drink and head over there. “I’m leaving, you want me to drop you off at home? Or can you find your own way home?”

  She frowns. “Why would I go home, I’m going home with you?”

  Shaking my head. “Valentina, we’re not a couple. Have I fucked you since that one night, all those years ago? No, I haven’t. We’re not dating, you are my agent, that’s it. This crazy girlfriend vibe is driving me up the damn wall, and frankly, it’s more than pissing me the fuck off.”

  “Fine,” she huffs, “Take me home.” I can tell she wants to say more, but surprisingly for the first time I’ve ever known her, she keeps her mouth shut. Maybe I finally got through to her.

  **

  I ended up calling Maia’s father, and he took me on as soon as I told him who I was, just have to wait for my contract to run out with V first. And of course, I have to break the news to her. Which I will do soon. Valentina tried calling me all weekend but I ignored every phone call. She’s either trying to call to renew our contract, or she’s trying to call to talk about us. Neither is a conversation I wanted to have until after the weekend.

  I head into the locker room and my breath catches in my throat. I can’t believe she’s here—Amaya. It’s been five years and she still takes my breath away. She’s wrapping Jimbo’s ankle. She hasn’t seen me yet. I smile watching her work. I’m so fucking happy to see her, but at the same time, I wonder why she isn’t dancing, did something happen? Why didn’t she call to tell me? I knew sports medicine was her fall back if dance didn’t work out, but she’s an amazing dancer I don’t understand why she went with her fall back choice. She glances up and when those caramel eyes meet mine she scowls and looks away. What the fuck was that? I get angry. She’s never looked at me with such repulsion before.

  “Amaya,” I call to her and she wipes at the corner of her eyes and rushes from the room. Jimbo looks at me and shrugs.

  “She was fine until you looked at her.”

  I bang my fist against the wall.

  After all this time and she can’t even look at me. Seriously? She walked away from me. She gave up on us. She stopped taking my calls. I don’t get it.

  “Easy on that throwing hand, man. Do you know her or something?”

  “Something like that,” I growl, before chasing her down.

  Chapter 38

  Amaya

  “Deep breaths Amaya,” I scold myself. I didn’t think seeing him would be so hard. Sure, I’ve seen him on TV and in the tabloids. But seeing him up close and personal is something else. I wasn’t prepared to still love him.

  Damn him.

  I hate him.

  I miss him.

  I wipe at my tears as they fall freely. With my palms braced on the sink, I try to regain my composure. The door opens and what little air I have left is sucked from my lungs. Tate. His arms are folded defensively across his chest. He’s so damn pretty to look at it physically hurts. His hair is still chunky and appearing silky. I want to run my fingers through the strands and feel for myself if it’s as soft as I remember. His arms are thicker than I remember. Hell, I think he’s taller too.

  Those deep blue eyes that I’ve missed looking at me for far too long narrow on me through the mirror.

  “Why are you crying? You broke things off. You stopped returning my calls.”

  Is he seriously trying to lay this all on me? I spin around to face him, my breath catching in my throat. He does stupid things to my brain. “I needed you and you weren’t there for me. You promised, Tate!”

  “What are you talking about?” He throws his hands out.

  “Really? Tate, come on now, that’s rich coming from you. We’re both adults. We don’t need to do this. I’ll be fine. Just leave me alone. You’re good at that.”

  He takes a deep breath studying me, chewing over his next words.

  I try to step to pass him and reach for the door handle. He clutches my shoulder and spins me around, pinning me to the back of the door. “This isn’t finished.” His mouth crashes into mine. I bite his lip and go to smack him but he catches my wrist. “You’re mine Amaya, you’ve always been mine. Even when you didn’t know me…you were just waiting to be mine.”

  “You’re an asshole!” I shove him away and walk away with my heart racing and my panties wet. Why does he have to be so damn sexy? All this time and one simple touch from him and I am crumbling.

  I want to turn around and march right back to him and smack him and kiss him. Then smack him again.

  I don’t do either of those things though. I keep on walking. I don’t even know where I’m going. I’m super pissed and turned on. What’s wrong with me? Tate King destroyed me, and I go and sign myself up to be a physical therapist for his team.

  I walk through the facility and out into the parking lot until I run straight into a chest.

  “Hey, you okay babe?” Sam says, pulling me into a hug. We’ve been dating for a month now but it feels like longer. He was the reason I got this position on the team, considering he’s part of their PR stuff.

  Sam is sweet and the first guy I’ve really dated since Tate tore my world apart. He’s cute in a geeky way. He is real clean cut and so not a jock. That was one reason I went out with him. He looked nothing like Tate. He’s the anti-Tate.

  “What the fuck?” I hear hissed from behind me. “What are you doing?”

  I turn out of Sam’s arms and look at Tate. “I’m hugging my boyfriend,” I sass him.

  “Boyfriend?” He asks with disbelief.

  “Yes, you know, someone you date, someone who is there, someone you kiss, fuck,
and fall asleep next to at night.”

  Sam, assessing the situation, decides to get us going. “Babe, let’s get you home. You can tell me what’s wrong when we get there.” Sam puts his arm around my waist and moves me to his car.

  “We’re not finished Twinkle Toes!” Tate shouts. Hearing my nickname leave his raspy throat tears me apart inside. I shouldn’t have taken this job.

  The ride home is quiet, Sam seems stiff. He won’t even look at me. Every time I start to speak he turns the radio up louder. We go through a drive-thru and he orders me a chicken basket and a milkshake without even asking. He’s being sweet even though he is clearly upset about something.

  I nibble on the food even though I’m not really hungry. I just want to go home and curl up in a ball and pretend Tate King doesn’t exist in my world. However, that isn’t possible. I can’t get his stupid dumb sexy face and sad eyes out of my head. I can still feel the burn of his kiss as he ravaged my mouth thirty minutes ago.

  We get to my apartment and I unlock the door. I can’t sit down. I pace the room after putting my food on the counter.

  “You wanna tell me what that was back there?” Sam finally asks.

  “Tate and I used to be together. He promised even when we broke up due to distance and our careers that we would remain friends and be there for each other when we needed. But one day he just stopped. Today is the first day I’ve seen him in five years,” I tell Sam honestly.

  “You still love him,” he states.

  “I don’t want to,” I whisper as tears fall. I’ve not gotten over Tate, how could I? He was my everything. I would have given up dance for him. All he had to do was ask, I would’ve dropped my life in a heartbeat to be at his side. All I wanted was him to say the words, but instead he said our breakup was for the best and then he moved on so easily, as if I never touched his heart or his soul. All the women in the tabloids replaced me at his side and in his life.

  Courtney said he made her sick the way he just brushed our breakup off like it was nothing. It finally got to the point where I couldn’t stand for her to mention him so she finally stopped bringing him up all together.