Blindsided (35 page)

Emma looked away, feeling the tears threatening once again. “I don’t know if he loves me.” The truth she’d been protecting for months slipped out in a rush of words.

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

“How will you ever know if he loves you if you don’t go back and find out?” Cindy squeezed her arm and stood. “Any man with a brain would fall in love with you.” She bent down and kissed Emma on the cheek. “If I don’t see you tomorrow night, it was a pleasure working with you.”

Emma stared after Cindy as she sashayed off, pausing to flirt with one of the young men on the stage crew before she exited.

Emma sat there for a long time, but she’d made her decision.

She knew what she had to do.

Tanner was still reeling from Isaac’s phone call earlier that morning. In a weird twist of fate, their baby brother had been traded to the Skookums, Seattle’s Major League Baseball team, for the upcoming season. Imagine that—all three Wolfe brothers in the same city. God either had a twisted sense of humor, or Jenny was pulling some strings from heaven.

Damn
.

Tanner forced his attention back to the field and the upcoming game. Together Isaac and Tanner would deal with Zeke somewhere down the road.

Warming up his arm, Tanner hefted the football to Grady as Grady ran his route and easily caught the ball. He tossed it back to Tanner, and they repeated. Automatically Tanner glanced toward the stands, easily seeking out Emma’s seat, curious who occupied it for tonight’s Sunday Night Football game. He stared harder as he noticed it was empty. Izzy, Cooper, and Riley sat to one side, while Avery and Isaac sat to the other with this gap in between. Tanner understood gaps; it was the same gap Emma’s absence left in his heart.

He shook off the melancholy. He hadn’t let Emma’s absence affect his game lately, he’d be damned if he let it now. The Steelheads were seven-and-four, fighting for a playoff spot, and the coveted home-field advantage.

The first half of the game was hard-fought, both teams wrestled for their playoff lives. The Ravens played tough, smash-mouth football, and Tanner found himself flat on his back too many times, gazing up at the stadium lights. Despite his aching muscles and the screaming pain in his back, he jumped up every time and battled on.

The second half was as hard-fought as the first, turning into a defensive battle beyond defensive battles, neither side bending. The Ravens got a lucky break just before the two-minute warning with a short pass on third down that turned into a long gain. They kicked a forty-five yard field goal to take the lead ten to seven.

As special teams took the field, Meyer grabbed Tanner’s arm and got within six inches of his face. The coach’s eyes gleamed with determination, as if he thought he could inject his own emotions into Tanner using sheer force of will. The man did have a strong will, but so did Tanner. All the adversity he’d been through in his life, all the times he’d struggled from the pits of despair and triumphed boiled down to this one defining moment. Tanner would not go down in defeat.

“You want this,” Meyer shouted over the crowd.

“Fuck, yes, I want this,” Tanner shouted just as loudly.

“Then carry this fucking team on your fucking back and win this fucking game.” Meyer did have a particular fondness for the F word which was more pronounced when he was excited.

Tanner nodded in total agreement, strapped on his helmet, and went to work.

Demon, in an attempt to be the hero, ran the kickoff out of the end zone and got slammed on the four-yard-line, drawing a collective groan from the crowd. Tanner gritted his teeth, refusing to succumb to desperation and frustration; instead he focused on a winning mindset. They had two minutes to travel ninety-six yards, and they’d damn well do it if he had to run those ninety-six yards himself.

Tanner pulled his guys into the huddle, taking a moment to stare each one in the eyes as Meyer had done to him, making sure they absorbed his determination.

“No quit, men,” he shouted to be heard over the raucous home crowd, who’d once again become one of the loudest in the NFL.

“No quit,” they shouted back as they broke the huddle.

Redeeming himself, Demon got them out of danger by running the ball to the twenty-five for a first down. Tanner threw a few short passes for another first down on the thirty-six. The next two running plays netted only six yards, and they were taking too much time. The clock ticked below one minute, and the Steelheads had one timeout left.

Tanner kept himself in the zone, slowing the game down in his head. He stepped into the pocket and looked for the open receiver. There wasn’t one. Cam had fallen flat on his face up field, Grady was double-covered, and Hunter was busy blocking. Tanner scrambled around the right side, managing to get a first down before running out of bounds.

Forty-four seconds and fifty-four long yards to go.

Tanner’s offensive line hunkered down, knowing the defense expected a pass. Tanner called an audible, his gaze directed at Grady, who knew what was coming. Grady ran like the devil was on his heels. Tanner started to throw the ball and saw a defensive end blitzing toward him. He scrambled, watching for an open receiver the entire time. He didn’t see the guy coming from his blindside, and the next second he lay on his back.

Fuck.

At least he’d held onto the ball but for a big fat loss. Coach called a timeout, their last precious timeout. The clock stopped at twenty-four seconds.

Second and twenty-eight
.

Coach sent in a quick pass play up the middle. Tanner was tempted to call an audible, but he trusted coach so they ran the play. He should’ve called an audible. At least Demon managed to get out of bounds and gain about ten yards.

Fifteen seconds. Fourth and eighteen.

This was it. Tanner called the obvious. A long bomb. The defense spread out their defensive backs.

“Give me the ball,” Grady said in the huddle. “I can get free. I know I can.”

They’d been double-teaming Grady all night, but Tanner had played with him since their freshman year of college, and he had trust in Grady’s sure hands and blinding speed. “Get free, and the ball is yours.”

“Give me time, guys,” Tanner said to his line. Everyone nodded grimly, determination carved on each and every face.

Tanner called the snap count, stepped back, and scanned for an open man. His line fought like they were defending his life, not just his limbs. Grady streaked downfield, eluding one defender but unable to shake the second.

He wasn’t going to get free. Not in time. Out of the corner of his eye, Tanner caught a huge-assed defensive end bearing down on him, while Hunter fought valiantly to hold him off, buying Tanner a valuable second.

Tanner couldn’t wait any longer, he threw the ball down the field ahead of Grady, hoping like hell Grady beat the corner to the ball. Two sets of hands reached for the ball, fighting for it as they came down. Grady wrestled it from the corner’s hands as if he were a wild man. Tanner chanced a glance at the clock. No timeouts. Only a few seconds left on the clock. If Grady ran for the sidelines, they might have one more shot at it.

He didn’t. He turned on the after-burners and sprinted for the end zone. Tanner ran after him, as if he could help block, which he couldn’t. He was too far away. Grady eluded one tackler and leapt over another to fall across the line for a touchdown. Tanner and his teammates were shouting and running toward Grady, piling on him, while the crowd noise was deafening.

Extricating himself from the pile, Tanner’s next thought wasn’t of the playoffs, or how to win the next one, or even of the game they’d just won. Instead his thoughts turned to Emma and how ecstatic she’d be for him if she were still in his life. She’d trusted in him, believed he could do this, and her belief had fueled his own.

She was the one person in this world he wanted to share this moment, and she wasn’t here. Out of habit, Tanner looked to the stands where Emma always sat.

Sitting in her seat, bundled for the weather, and wearing his jersey, was the most beautiful blonde he’d ever seen. Even from a distance, their eyes met. Tanner’s heart expanded with hope, pounding in his chest as if trying to escape and go to Emma where it belonged.

Where Tanner belonged.

With a wide grin on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks, she blew him a kiss. Tanner caught it and pressed it to his heart, while swallowing back his own tears. It’d never do to let the guys see him acting like a pussy, even if he felt like one right now.

He wanted to go to her, but for the next several minutes, he found himself inundated with on-field TV interviews. When he finally disengaged himself from their hold and looked for Emma, she was gone. He almost wondered if she’d been a figment of his imagination, but he felt that kiss nestled against his heart like a real, living thing.

* * * *

Emma waited nervously outside the locker room for Tanner. Her sisters left with their men after she insisted she needed to do this alone.

Hunter walked out first, spotted her, and smiled. “I knew you’d be back.”

Emma smiled, too. “It took me awhile to figure it out. Singing wasn’t what I thought it would be.”

“I’m not surprised. I wonder if anything ever is.”

“I’m not sure,” Emma admitted. She glanced toward the locker room door. “Is he still in there?”

“Yeah, he’ll be out soon. Want me to get him?” Hunter started toward the door, but her words stopped him.

“No, we’ll find each other.”

“You already have.” Hunter nodded, his knowing expression not unnerving her like it usually did.

Emma dabbed at the tear trickling down her face. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her and walked off without another word.

Emma tried not to fidget, but every time the door opened, she broke into a sweat and her heart hammered even harder. Tanner still didn’t appear. She’d almost given up when the door opened again.

Even before she saw Tanner, she knew it was him. He strode out the door and stopped, glancing around. When their eyes met, he froze, his expression unreadable. Emma waited, holding her breath. Despite his catching her kiss earlier, doubts seeped in, and she wondered if he’d had second thoughts. Maybe their two months apart had done irreparable damage to their relationship.

He closed the distance between them with strong, purposeful strides, fending off reporters anxious for interviews.

“Hey,” he said, a smile quirking a corner of his mouth, the same smile that made her knees weak, her heart flutter, and every part of her body want him, especially her heart.

“Hi,” she answered in a shaky voice that sounded shy and uncertain to her own ears.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He glanced at the reporters gathered around and blinked as camera flashes blinded them. Leaning forward, he whispered, “Not here. Wait for me in the truck. It’s parked in the usual place. I’m sorry. I’ll be as quick as I can.” He pushed his keys in her hand. Gave her one more wistful glance and reluctantly turned to the reporters.

Emma watched for a few minutes as he clicked into his public persona, all smiles and brimming with self-confidence. Pride swelled inside her. Tanner was made for this. She wasn’t. He ate it up. She didn’t. She was good with that. Finally.

Emma sat in the car for what seemed like hours and was really only about fifteen minutes. Tanner walked out the door, full of purpose and showing the same determination he’d shown on the field earlier. She hopped out of the truck and walked toward him. Suddenly she was running, and so was he. He caught her in a huge bear hug, spinning her around until he swayed like a drunk from the dizziness. She clung to him, holding him close, as he set her feet back on the ground. Lowering his head, he kissed the hell out of her, and she kissed him right back with every emotion she’d kept bottled inside.

Finally, breathing hard, he drew back, smiling down at her, his eyes shining with pure delight. “Thanks for coming to my game.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” A brief awkward silence ensued as each of them sought to find the right words.

“How long are you here?” Tanner asked, breaking the silence, his arms loosely around her waist. His green eyes turned serious.

Emma gazed up at him, deep into those beloved eyes, and took the plunge. “Oh, about eighty years, if I’m lucky.”

“What?” He stared at her, puzzled, as if she were speaking gibberish. As the words sank in, a slow grin spread so wide across his handsome face, revealing those elusive dimples, she knew she’d made the one choice she’d never regret.

“I’m back for good,” she added, punctuating the last word.

“But you had a dream.” Confusion furrowed his brow, but hope lit up his eyes.

“Sometimes one dream has to die to give life to another dream, and sometimes having isn’t nearly as good as wanting.”

He nodded. “Are you sure?”

“One hundred and fifty percent. As sure as I am that you’re stuck with me, mister.” She poked at his chest with her fingernail, and he winced, even as he laughed.

“Stuck, huh?” he said, playing it cool, even as his eyes danced and gave him away.

“Yes, stuck, because I love you, and I’m fighting for you. For us.”

Now he really did laugh, hard, loud, and joyous. “I fucking love you, too, Emma.” He ravaged her mouth again, and she did her fair share of ravaging back. When they finally disentangled themselves, breathing as if they’d run a marathon, Emma brushed a lock of his unruly hair from his forehead and placed her hands on his rough cheeks, taking in every precious inch of his gorgeous face.

“I’d ask you to marry me but,” Tanner shrugged, “been there, done that. How about you agree to love me forever?”

“Or at least the next eighty years?” She grinned, and he grinned right back. “But forever is good, too.”

Tanner pulled her into his arms. “Really, really good.”

Emma stood on stage, and the joy she’d been missing for the past few months flowed through her. She raised the mic to her mouth and began to sing a love song of changing priorities and losing love only to find it again.