The Last Honest Man: A Sports Romance (One Pass Away: A New Season Book 3)

by Mary J. Williams

  “How’s she doing?” Eve whispered as she closed the door to Daisy’s room.

  Mrs. Peach—a great name for a nanny, Eve thought—set down her book and stood.

  “Out like a light,” the older woman said.

  Glancing into the crib, Eve smiled at the sight of Daisy’s sweet face. She was a bundle of energy when awake. Asleep, an earthquake couldn’t disturb her.

  In the bathroom, Eve took her time. Washing her hands, she checked her makeup and hair. Rather than return to the party, she took a detour to the balcony for some fresh air.

  The sky was clear, stars sparkled. For the first time in her life, Eve didn’t feel the need to wonder what adventure waited for her down the road. For once, she had someplace where she belonged.

  When the sound of raised voices hit her ears, Eve frowned. Noticing the open window, she considered leaving—until she heard Dylan say her name. She moved closer.

  “I won’t tell Eve. She finally can say your name without gagging.”

  “You’ll have to tell her, Dylan. You don’t have a choice.”

  Tanner. Eve’s heart raced. When Dylan spoke again, ice dripped from every word.

  “I won’t you let take Daisy.”

  Eve swallowed a gasp.

  “She’s my daughter,” Tanner said. “I want her to live with me.”

  “I understand,” Dylan said. “She’s a wonderful little girl. You can’t help but love her. But—”

  “I have a job,” Tanner rushed on. “A friend from law school hired me at his firm. The pay is good, and the hours are reasonable. Mom agreed to let Daisy and me move in with her.”

  “You already talked to Mom?” Dylan scoffed. “You son of a bitch.”

  “I needed her on my side,’ Tanner said.

  “She always is.” Dylan sighed. “I can fight you.”

  “Eventually, I’ll win,” Tanner told him. “You honestly want to put Mom and Daisy through a long, ugly custody battle?”

  Eve’s fingers curled into fists. Tanner used the same argument Dylan used with her. She gave in. She prayed Dylan wouldn’t.

  “Daisy should be with her father,” Tanner said, his voice calm. “I don’t want her to grow up thinking I didn’t care. I want her to be proud of me. For Daisy, Dylan. Don’t fight me.”

  Eve didn’t know how much time passed. A minute? An hour? She waited, holding her breath for Dylan to answer.

  “Give me a few days,” Dylan said. “I’ll find a way to make Eve understand.”

  Eve stumbled to her room. She sank onto the floor. Dylan betrayed her. No. He betrayed Daisy. He caved to his brother without a fight.

  “You broke your promise.” Eve rubbed her chest, wincing at the pain. “You threw Daisy away.”

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  DYLAN SEARCHED FOR Eve. They were ready to bring in the cake, but no one could remember seeing her.

  “Did you check her room?” Piper asked. “Could be she needed to get away for a few minutes. Your friends can be a bit much.”

  Rushing up the stairs, Dylan tapped on Eve’s door.

  “Come in.”

  “Here you are.” Dylan’s smile faded when he saw Eve’s old backpack on the bed. Instead of the sparkly dress, she wore jeans and a sweatshirt. “What’s going on.”

  “The month we agreed upon is up tomorrow.” Eve slipped on a pair of sneakers. “I thought about leaving a note. But I wanted to say goodbye.”

  “What are you talking about?” Dylan felt a burst of panic. “You can’t leave. What about me? Us? What about Daisy.”

  “I heard your conversation with Tanner.” Eve shrugged. “I was on the balcony.”

  “Eve—”

  “I’m not angry.” She said. “I was. But the more I thought about what Tanner said, I realized he was right. Daisy should be raised by her father.”

  “I would have fought for her.” Dylan ran a hand through his hair. “But—”

  “Daisy is what matters. She needs her family. Tanner. Your mother. And you.”

  “She needs you, too.” Dylan insisted. “She’ll always need you.”

  “I’m better on my own.” Eve looked at Dylan and smiled. “The last month has been like a dream. Now, I need to wake up and get back to the real world.”

  “I love you, Eve.” Dylan had to make her understand. “Please. Don’t leave me.”

  “Here.” Eve handed him an envelope. She slung her backpack over her shoulder. “Read it when I’m gone.”

  “You’re leaving now?” Dylan couldn’t believe his ears. “At least wait until morning. Don’t make a rash decision in the heat of the moment.”

  “Goodbye, Dylan.”

  “I’ll drive you.” Dylan wouldn’t budge. “Where are you headed?”

  “I have a cab waiting.”

  “Damn it.” Dylan grabbed Eve’s arm. “Do you want me to beg?”

  “No.” Eve shook her head. “I want you to say goodbye.”

  “I can’t.”

  Dylan followed Eve down the hall to the backstairs. She stopped but didn’t turn around.

  “Don’t walk me to the taxi.” Eve let out a long, shuddering breath. “If you do, I might cry.”

  “Cry. Scream. Hit me.” Dylan willed himself not to grab her. “Anything. Just don’t go.”

  For a second, a breath, Dylan thought Eve might change her mind. She sniffled, then ran down the stairs taking his heart with him.

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  “I DON’T CARE if you want to wallow. Hell, Eve broke your heart. Tanner took Daisy. You have the right to grieve.” Levi wrinkled his nose as he set a large carry-all on the ground. “But damn, son. Do us all a favor and take a shower. You reek.”

  Dylan, his feet propped on the deck’s railing, looked at Levi though a pair of bloodshot eyes.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Piper made me come,” Levi took a seat, upwind, and shrugged. “I said we should let you be. She said after three days, I should at least make certain you weren’t dead.”

  “Three days?” Dylan had lost track of time. “Tell her I’m thankful. Mission accomplished.”

  “I don’t know,” Levi said. “You seem to be breathing. But you smell dead.”

  “Fuck you.” Dylan slid on a pair of sunglasses. “First, go away. You can fuck yourself after you get off my property.”

  “Have you eaten?” Levi took a thermos from the bag. “Of course, you haven’t. Homemade vegetable beef soup. Yum.”

  Dylan considered moving into the house. After a moment, he deemed the effort more trouble than it was worth.

  “In another minute, your soup will be up your ass,” he said. “Homemade enema. Yum.”

  “You’ve always been an easy-going guy,” Levi told him. “Who knew getting dumped would turn you into such an asshole.”

  “Levi.”

  “I know,” his friend said. “Fuck off.”

  “Well?” Dylan asked when Levi didn’t move.

  “Give me a minute.” Levi’s expression turned serious. “I know you’re hurting. But I care too much to leave you alone. I will be here. Everyday.”

  “Can’t wait,” Dylan grumbled.

  “If you need someone to punch. Well, I won’t volunteer,” Levi said. “But I’ll grab Tanner.”

  “Can’t.” Dylan sighed. He was tempted. “Can’t make Daisy cry. Eve would—”

  “I can’t believe she left.”

  “She left something,” Dylan said.

  “Besides a trail of tears? Good for her.” Frowning, Levi picked up the envelope Dylan tossed into his lap. He looked inside. “What is it?”

  “A bankbook.”

  “Doesn’t everyone take care of their money online these days? I didn’t know bankbooks were a thing anymore.” Levi checked the name on the book then looked inside. He let out a slow whistle. “That’s quite a
chunk of change. Lucky Daisy.”

  The mystery of what happened to the ten-thousand dollars that Tanner sent to Eve had been solved. She put the money in Daisy’s name. But that wasn’t all. Over the past year, she added to the account. A little here, a little there.

  The salary Dylan paid Eve since they arrived in Seattle? Every dime went to Daisy.

  “What was Eve thinking?” Levi wanted to know. “She must have known that you would take care of Daisy’s financial needs.

  “Eve was sixteen when her mother threw her out of the house.” Dylan shrugged. “My guess is she didn’t want Daisy to ever be alone and without money to pay the bills.”

  “First. Eve’s mother?” Levi hissed. “What the fuck.”

  “I know.” Dylan didn’t see a time when he would think of Eve’s mother without wanting to punch his fist through a wall. “And you thought Piper had a cold bitch mom.”

  “She does,” Levi said. “But nothing compared to Eve. Yikes! How did she turn out to be such a sweetheart—aside from the whole breaking your heart thing.”

  Dylan wanted to hate Eve. The impulse lasted all of five minutes. He loved her. The worst part was not knowing if she was okay. Again, and again, one sentence ran through his head. Please, be safe.

  The front doorbell rang.

  “Are you going to answer that?” Levi asked.

  “Nope.” Dylan’s chin dropped to his chest. “If Eve came back, I wouldn’t say a word. I’d open my arms and pull her close. No questions asked.”

  “Now’s your chance,” Levi said.

  “What?” Dylan’s head shot up.

  “The doorbell.” Levi pointed to the security monitor. “Eve’s the one who pushed the button. Still plan to ignore your guest?”

  Dylan left his chair as though shot from a cannon. He skidded into the living room and tripped over the sofa. He banged against the wall before almost ripping the front door off its hinges.

  “Eve?” Dylan blinked. “You’re back.”

  “Dylan—”

  “I don’t care.”

  Dylan lifted Eve into his arms. He slammed the door and turned the lock.

  “I won’t let you go. Not again.”

  “Thank God.”

  With a watery laugh, Eve kissed him. Neither noticed when Levi tiptoed past. If the house crumbled around them, they wouldn’t have cared.

  “Thank you for coming back,” Dylan said a while later. He sat on the sofa, Eve on his lap. “I swore I wouldn’t ask, but where did you go. What made you return? You won’t leave again. Right?”

  “In order of importance,” Eve said. “No. I won’t leave. Even if you throw me out, I’m sticking. Get used to the idea.”

  “I spent three miserable days without you.” Dylan shuddered. “Neither of us gets to leave. Deal?”

  “Deal.” Eve sealed the agreement with a kiss.

  “Where did you go?” Now that the ground under his feet felt firm again, he was ready to ask more questions. And demand some answers.

  “The bus headed east. Otherwise, I have no idea where I ended up,” Eve told him. “I bought a bus ticket for Tallahassee.”

  “Florida?” Dylan frowned. “Why?”

  “The bus was about to leave, and the destination was far away.” Eve sighed. “I don’t know how far I traveled before a thought hit me.”

  “What thought?”

  “Why did I leave the only place I wanted to be?” Eve touched Dylan’s face. Tears filled her eyes. “Why did I leave the man I love?”

  “You love me?” Dylan whispered. Eve nodded. He felt the cracks in his heart begin to mend. “Why did you leave?”

  “I was angry. Hurt.” Eve wiped her cheeks. “I couldn’t stay with a man who lied.”

  “I didn’t lie.” Dylan needed Eve to understand. “Daisy is safe. She’s happy. I know you hate Tanner, but I plan to watch him like a hawk. I will always be here if she needs me.”

  “I know.”

  “You do?” Dylan searched Eve’s face. All he saw was the love shining from her eyes. “You don’t hate me?”

  “You have no idea how miserable I’ve been?”

  “I think I do,” Dylan said.

  “I’m sorry.” Eve sighed. “The bus pulled a stop in some town or other, I can’t say where. Finally, I pulled my head out of my backside. I grabbed my bag and got on the first bus back to Seattle.”

  “And here you are.” Dylan pinched Eve’s thigh.

  “Hey!” she exclaimed.

  “Just wanted to make certain I’m not dreaming.”

  “You’re supposed to pinch yourself, not me.”

  “Oh. Right.” Dylan gave Eve his best innocent smile. She wasn’t fooled for a minute.

  “Because I screwed up—big time—you get a pass. Once.”

  “Fair enough.” Dylan pressed his lips to her forehead. “Eve?”

  “Yes?” she asked with a happy sigh.

  “We stink.”

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  “PIZZA. FRIED CHICKEN. Egg rolls. A cheeseburger. Chocolate cake.”

  “I asked what you wanted to eat,” Dylan said.

  “And I told you.” Eve smiled. “You want me to choose?”

  One long shower, a marathon lovemaking session, and two short hours after Eve came home, they lay in his bed, in each other’s arms. Since neither could remember the last time they ate, food suddenly became essential.

  “Choose? What was I thinking?” Dylan rolled from the bed and to his feet. “Shit. My phone is downstairs.”

  “Don’t bother with putting on a robe.” Eve smiled. “Naked Dylan is the best.”

  “What if the housekeeper arrives while I’m ordering dinner?”

  “She’ll be so thrilled, she’ll off to work for free for a year,” Eve said with a wink.

  “Okay.” Dylan laughed. Stopping at the door, he turned and frowned. “Eve?”

  “Hm?”

  “You’ll be here when I get back. Right?”

  “I promise.”

  With a nod, Dylan closed the door behind him.

  Eve sighed. She understood why he asked. She hurt him when she left. She hurt herself. Never again. Dylan would never have reason to doubt her love. From today on, they were a team. Whatever came along, they would face the highs and the lows. Together. Forever.

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  EPILOGUE

  ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

  DYLAN WATCHED AS Eve rushed around the bedroom. A new red backpack on hung on a chair near the door, zipped and ready to go. For the tenth time—at least—she stopped what she was doing and checked the contents.

  “If you forgot anything, call and I’ll drop off whatever you need,” Dylan told her.

  “Training camp starts today.” Eve stopped and frowned. “You’ll be too busy playing with your friends to come running after me.”

  “Playing?” Dylan scoffed. “You don’t have a very high opinion of what I do.”

  “Wrong,” Eve assured him. “You make way too much money for me to poo-poo your job.”

  “Come here.” Dylan pushed Eve’s hair to the side before he fastened the button at the back of her shirt. He placed a kiss on her neck. “Calm down or you’ll blow a gasket.”

  “I need to change my shoes. Heels? What was I thinking?” Eve exclaimed before she ran into the closet.

  Dylan laughed, knowing Eve was as excited as she was nervous. Today was her first day of college. The day her dream came true. If she needed to check everything a hundred times, fine. If she was happy, he didn’t care.

  They were young. In love. And figuring things out. Perfect? No. Dylan would be worried if things ran too smoothly. Bumps he could handle. Live without Eve. No. God no. He lived without her for three sleepless, worry-filled days. Never again.

  “We have Daisy for a sleepover. I’ll pick her up after school.” Eve did a little happy dance. “After school. I love how that sounds.”

>   “My beautiful co-ed.” Dylan pulled her into the circle of his arms. “If any upperclassmen try to pick you up be sure and let them know you’re already taken.”

  “You don’t mind if I flirt a little?” Eve asked.

  “What do you think?”

  “No flirting. Under any circumstance.” Eve nodded, a twinkle glinting in her eyes. “Same goes for you.”

  “My days of coming on to the offensive line ended when I met you.” Dylan rubbed Eve’s back. “Are you sure you’re okay if Tanner comes to dinner tomorrow night?”

  “I can see how much he loves Daisy. And she loves him.” Eve sighed. “You want the truth.”

  “Always,” Dylan said.

  “Now and then, I still think about Ellie.” Eve sighed. “However, I know she would want Daisy to be with her father. End of story.”

  “Our story has just begun.” Dylan held Eve close, breathing in the fragrance of her hair. “Happy ever after?”

  “Sounds nice.” Eve rubbed her cheek against his. “No guarantees.”

  “Nope,” Dylan agreed. “Neither of us is afraid of hard work. I think we’ll be fine.”

  “I expect better than fine,” Eve said.

  “Wait here.” Dylan grabbed something from the hallway. “Happy first day of school.”

  “A bouquet of roses,” Eve gasped. “Orange. How pretty.”

  “The color represents passion and energy. Seemed appropriate for the love of my life.”

  Eve smiled.

  As always, Dylan’s pulse raced at the sight. Once, he hoped for the day when he lost track of the many times she sent a smile his way. The wish, like so many others where she was concerned, had come true.

  IF YOU LOVE DYLAN AND EVE, YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THE OTHER ONE PASS AWAY: A NEW SEASON BOOKS.

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