Tucker held her gaze a moment longer and then nodded. “I believe you, but I’m not sure I know what to do.”
“I could pray for you,” Shelby said softly. “If you want.”
He took a deep breath, and Shelby forced herself to remain quiet while he thought. Then his hand covered hers, and the corners of his lips turned up. “I’d like that.”
Warmth flooded Shelby as she closed her eyes. She hadn’t been sure he would be open to it, but she was delighted that he was. “Lord, I want to thank You for being a good Father to us. I know it isn’t always easy for us to put our trust in things we cannot see, but I know that You can deliver peace. My friend Tucker needs that peace. Please take away his anger and help him find forgiveness. Also, help him to see You. Amen.”
Shelby opened her eyes, unsure of what she would see. Tucker’s face appeared softer, less rigid. “Thanks, Shelby. I am sure that I still have a lot to learn, but I do feel better. Now, what can I do to help tonight?”
“Well, I think Kenzi and Jennifer, our high school volunteer, could use some help with the kids. What do you say we go find them?”
“Sounds good.”
“Ah, there’s the star of the day,” Kenzi’s voice carried across the gym as Shelby and Tucker approached. “Who wants Tucker to play hide-and-seek with us?”
The kids cheered and the sound warmed Shelby’s heart. She sneaked a glance at Tucker and saw that he was smiling as well. He probably didn’t even know it, but being around these kids was helping him too. Changing him.
“I haven’t played hide-and-seek for years,” Tucker said, rubbing his hands together. “I bet I can find some good spots though. You coming, Shelby?”
Shelby shook her head. “You go ahead. At least one of us needs to stay out here and be the adult. Just in case.”
“Suit yourself,” Tucker called as he headed toward Kenzi and the kids.
For a moment, Shelby envied Kenzi. How was she able to be so carefree and not seem to care about responsibility? It had been this way as long as Shelby could remember. She’d been the focused one in high school, worrying about grades and studying every night. Kenzi had been the one attending parties and cramming the night before tests. In college, Shelby had only joined the studious sororities while Kenzi had joined the ones who partied. Kenzi represented the side that Shelby would never be, and she supposed that was why they worked. They were like yin and yang, like peanut butter and jelly, complete opposites who complemented each other and together made a force to be reckoned with.
Still, that didn’t mean Shelby didn’t want to have fun now and then. She wished she could let loose and play with the kids too like she used to, but if she didn’t stay in control — if she didn’t keep a tight eye on the center — she knew it would go up in flames. And that was something she couldn’t let happen. It was too important to the kids, especially the kids like herself who hadn’t been born into affluent households and couldn’t afford the latest gadgets and gimmicks.
With a sigh, Shelby returned to the reception area and pulled out the list of businesses she had canvassed earlier that afternoon. Thankfully, Jennifer had been truly under the weather yesterday, and, feeling better, she had come in this morning shortly after Tucker left. That had allowed Shelby to leave the center for a few hours to pass out flyers and beg for donations. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to secure any, but the interest for the clinic had been high.
She had saved the center for the day, maybe even through January if everyone showed up tomorrow night, but they still had a long way to go. Plus, there was the Christmas party; she still needed to find a donor to help out with that. Their regular guy had been strangely silent so far this year. Perhaps a reminder call would help.
She had just picked up the phone when the front door opened. Sylvie Sanders from the channel five news floated in looking just as perfect as she did on television. Her blonde hair flowed like golden silk around her shoulders as if some invisible wind kept it aloft, and her figure was the perfect hourglass in her smart, tailored suit. A man holding a large camera entered behind her.
“Can I help you?” Shelby had no idea why Sylvie and her cameraman might be at her center. Had they heard about the clinic? Or about Tucker? It was possible but highly unlikely. It made more sense that they were lost though how people got lost today with maps on their phones was beyond her.
“Yes, we heard that Tucker Jackson was working here and was holding a clinic tomorrow night, is that correct?”
So, they were here because of Tucker. Had the newspaper called them? Or maybe Tucker’s PR guy had — she had forgotten to even ask him about that today. Either way, Shelby supposed she shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth — the center could definitely use the publicity — but it would be nice to have somebody do a story on the center just because it helped out the local kids and not because a pro athlete was around for the week. “He’s volunteering here, yes.” Shelby hoped the smile on her face didn’t look as fake as it felt.
“Wonderful. Could we talk with him? This has feel-good story written all over it.” Sylvie’s words were as smooth and polished as her appearance, but they were hollow and empty. Shelby wondered if the woman even knew what a feel-good story was.
“Sure. Let me see if I can find him. He’s playing hide-and-seek with the kids, so it may take me a moment.” Why was she trying to discourage this? This was just the kind of publicity the event needed. But deep down, Shelby knew why. It was because Sylvie was the epitome of perfection. She was blonde, beautiful, and the type of trophy woman that a professional athlete would want to show off on his arm. She even made Kenzi seem average which made Shelby feel even more invisible. So, while she appreciated the news station running the story, she just wished someone other than Sylvie Sanders was covering it.
Sylvie’s perfect eyebrows arched on her wrinkle-free forehead, and her lips twisted into a condescending smile. “Hide-and-seek? In this place?” Her nose turned up at the last two words as if she couldn’t believe she had to stand in this building. “Why don’t you just call him on his cell? Surely that would be faster.”
It would be faster, and Shelby had his number; but there was a part of her that wanted to make Sylvie wait. The woman looked as if she never had to wait, as if everything she wanted in life was delivered to her on a silver platter at the snap of her finger. No, not a silver platter, she probably had a golden one. The perfect fourteen carat gold to match the tiny hoops in her ears and the delicate bracelet on her slender wrist. So, yeah, she could wait.
“It might be faster, but we discourage cell phone use at the center. We want the adults to be engaged with the children, and we’ve found that devices are distracting, so we don’t allow cell phones except for emergencies.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but it wasn’t a flat-out lie either. It was the policy Shelby herself followed, and she had asked Kenzi and Tucker not to have their phones out when the kids were around; but there was no strict policy. She felt a little guilty fibbing to Sylvie, but she pushed it aside.
“I’m sure it won’t take me very long to find him.” Shelby mirrored Sylvie’s condescending smile before exiting the room to begin her search. As she crossed the big gym, she felt very conspicuous in her bargain store pants and blouse. She normally considered herself a smart dresser; she always looked professional even if her clothes were purchased second hand, but next to Sylvie, she could have been the poster child for dowdy.
Tucker wasn’t in the kitchen or in the hallway. Where could he be hiding? She felt like time was speeding by and dragging at the same time. If it took too long, would Sylvie leave? Would she do a story about how terrible the manager was? Shelby quickened her pace, determined not to find out.
She pulled open the door to the supply closet and sighed in relief when she saw Tucker inside.
“Shut the door,” he said. “You’re going to give me away.”
“Sylvie Sanders from channel five is here. She wants to interview you.”
His eyes lit up. “Sylvie Sanders? The blonde?”
Shelby shrugged. Was Tucker’s excitement over the interview or the woman conducting it? She shouldn’t care; he hadn’t expressed an interest in her. At least not in words. But there’d been moments. Moments where she thought he felt something for her, and imagining him with Sylvie felt wrong. Yes, on the surface, they worked with their good looks and perfect jobs; but there was more to Tucker than the stereotypical athlete who always dated the modelesque women. At least, she had thought there was, but maybe she’d been wrong. “That’s the one.”
“Lead the way then.”
Shelby led Tucker back to Sylvie and tried not to grimace when the blonde batted her eyes at him.
“Tucker Jackson. A little birdie told us you were working here. Do you mind telling us what you’re doing in a place like this?”
Shelby bristled at Sylvie’s insinuation. Yes, the place needed sprucing up, but it wasn’t like it was a landfill or a deathtrap the way Sylvie was making it sound.
Tucker glanced at Shelby before pasting a smile on his face and turning his charm on. “I wanted to give back to the community.”
Oh, brother. Shelby rolled her eyes as she made her way back to the reception area. It wasn’t like she had expected him to admit he was only here to serve community service hours, but she hadn’t thought he would lay it on so thick. Shelby hoped this interview brought some good publicity to the center and didn’t backfire on her. The last thing she needed was anything else to go wrong.
12
“So, how did we do?” Kenzi asked as Shelby closed out the register.
“Not bad. Thankfully, the landlord will cover the pipes when he returns, and I think we made enough today to pay January’s rent. At least we will if the clinic tomorrow night is a success as well.”
“Well, that’s good. Thank goodness Tucker Jackson came along when he did, right?” Kenzi had that annoying lilt in her voice — the one she used when she was trying to persuade someone to do what she wanted — but Shelby was immune. She’d become Kenzi’s friend because she enjoyed hanging out with her, not because she’d been sucked in by the charms that seemed to make everyone else fall under her spell.
Shelby shrugged. “I guess. I mean he’s certainly been helpful, but we’ll have to see how tomorrow goes.” She placed the money in the deposit bag and zipped it closed.
Kenzi rolled her eyes. “He’s been amazing, and you know it. This is about that reporter, isn’t it?”
Heat flamed across Shelby’s cheeks, and she turned away as if looking for something. She hated that Kenzi knew her so well, hated that she was envious of the reporter. Or maybe not the reporter per se, but the way Tucker had interacted with her. He’d been charming and smiley, almost flirtatious. Maybe it had just been to get a good interview, but she was no longer sure. She’d thought Tucker had connected with her when he’d opened up about his anger and let her pray for him, but apparently she’d been wrong. “It’s not about the reporter, though did you see the way he acted? Those two deserve each other. Probably both hung up on their money and good looks.”
“Oh. My. Gosh. You like him.”
“What?” Shelby turned back to Kenzi to see her wide eyes sparkling.
“You like him. Tucker Jackson. You think he’s cute.”
“I don’t... He’s not…” Shelby blew out a frustrated breath. “Okay, fine, I think he’s cute, who wouldn’t? But it’s not like it matters. I am not the type of girl that a guy like Tucker notices. He notices girls like you and Sylvie Sanders.”
“I think you’re being entirely too hard on yourself. You have a lot to offer a man like Tucker.”
Shelby cocked her head at her friend. “Wait, I thought you liked Tucker. Why does it sound like you are trying to convince me to give him a shot?”
Kenzi shrugged. “I like the idea of Tucker, and yes, he is easy on the eyes. But, I think he’s looking for something more than I can offer him. I was telling him last night that I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a job, and he got this funny expression on his face. And then he looked toward the office. Where you were.”
A weird feeling that straddled the fence somewhere between embarrassment and denial erupted in Shelby. “I doubt he was looking at me.” Except they’d had that moment yesterday. That moment where he’d lifted her chin, and she’d thought some spark had passed between them. And then more moments earlier today. But then there was Sylvie and the way he had acted with her. Shelby didn’t didn’t know what to think.
Kenzi’s lips twisted into a teasing smile. “I’ll take that bet. I think you’re wrong about him, and if you’d let me do a little makeover on you, I could get him to notice you the same way he did Sylvie. You’re beautiful, Shelby. You just hide it.”
Shelby lifted her chin and clutched the money bag tighter. “I don’t need a makeover. If a man doesn’t like me for who I am, then he isn’t the man for me.”
“Famous last words of a spinster,” Kenzi said with a smile.
Shelby marched over to the door and flicked off the lights. “I will not be a spinster.”
“Who’s a spinster?”
Shelby jumped at the sound of Tucker’s voice behind her and nearly dropped her keys. She hadn’t known he was still in the center. “No one. What are you still doing here? I thought you left.”
“I needed to see you first. Do you think I could skip coming in the morning tomorrow? The coach moved practice up, and I’d like to spend the few hours before it hammering out what I want to show the kids. I can make up the missed time next week.”
“Sure, that would be fine. How did the interview go?” Shelby wasn’t sure she wanted to hear his answer, but the question came out anyway.
He cocked his head at her and smiled. “It was fine. Sylvie seems very nice. A little high maintenance but nice. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you for earlier. I’m going to take your advice.”
Shelby watched him walk out of the center and then turned when she heard Kenzi cough behind her.
“See? I told you he likes you.”
“No,” Shelby shook her head, “that was nothing. He was just thanking me.”
Kenzi’s brow lifted. She was not convinced. “Uh huh, well he held your hand while he thanked you which wasn’t necessary. I would say that there’s something there. If he asks, would you go out with him?”
“I — I don’t know. I mean we’re so different. What if we went out and it didn’t work out?”
“What if it did?”
Shelby had no answer to that. She’d only had a few steady boyfriends, and they had all seemed to become bored with her long before they even thought of proposing to her. Could Tucker be different? Was there something to the old saying that opposites attract?
* * *
Tucker woke with a start to the light coming in his window. What time was it? He opened his eyes and groaned. Eleven? Shelby had allowed him to take the morning off to prepare for the clinic tonight, and he had planned to work on the plays he wanted to show the kids. However, somehow he had slept through his alarm. He was supposed to be suiting up for practice right now. Why hadn’t anyone on the team called him? Frustrated, he punched the home button to wake his phone only to see that Blaine had called him. Twice. He must have been so exhausted from yesterday that he’d slept through the alarm and through the calls.
He punched the number to return the call as he jumped out of bed and began grabbing clothes for a shower. “Blaine? It’s Tucker,” he said when the quarterback answered.
“Tucker, how nice of you to return my call. You do realize you’re supposed to be here getting ready for practice, right?” The tone of his voice rubbed at Tucker’s irritation, but he forced himself to remain calm.
“I do. I’m sorry, man, but I am on my way. Just give me half an hour to take a shower and grab some food, and I’ll be there.”
“I know this work at the center is throwing off your hours, but missing
practice could get you benched for the next game.”
Tucker pinched his lips together as the frustration bubbled within him. Blaine was infuriating. Yes, it was his fault for being late, but if Blaine only knew how hard he’d worked last night. He’d had no idea that playing with kids would require so much energy, so much mental effort. Blaine probably didn’t either. The man most likely didn’t even have a family; he was probably some amazing AI unit as perfect as he was. Tucker was about to issue a snide retort when Shelby’s words from yesterday flashed in his mind. Though he wasn’t sure he was ready to come back to God fully, he was prepared to try. He issued a silent prayer, hoping that God would understand his hesitation, and then took a deep breath. “I understand Blaine. I’ll be right there.”
He jumped into the shower, wishing he had more time to enjoy the warm pelts of water. For as long as he could remember, he’d enjoyed showers. The heat, the steam, the feel of the water washing away the old. His favorite part was watching the cloud of steam roll out and fog the mirrors when he was done. It made him feel a little like a rockstar. His mother had often teased him that he would be the death of her with his hot water bill.
His mother. Was Shelby right? Was his mother’s death still affecting him a decade later? Would he ever stop feeling sadness and anger over her unjust and untimely death? Tucker washed the last of the soap out of his hair and turned off the water. The hot water hadn’t even been on long enough to create steam.
He regarded his reflection in the mirror and wondered how different he might be if his mother hadn’t died, if his father hadn’t thrown himself into his work, if Tucker hadn’t had to become the parent for both him and his sister. Would he even be in this situation? Somehow he doubted it. He doubted he would have been as angry, and, therefore, he probably wouldn’t have been in the bar. Maybe he wouldn’t have even been traded.
Run With My Heart (Texas Tornadoes Sports Romance Book 1) Page 9