Double Coverage (8 page)

She heard him clear his throat. Yikes, he caught her staring at his glorious backside. She knew he did because he had a huge grin plastered across his face. If she wasn’t so tired and delirious, she would have been mortified.

“Here.” He handed her the cup with a pink straw sticking out the top. He also filled his cup with what seemed like the same concoction, but his straw was lime green.

“Cheers.” He clinked their cups together and then they both took a sip. A cold burst of flavor hit her tongue and she thought she might pass out at the splendid perfection of iced sugar caressing her tongue. The man wasn’t lying, he really did know his Slurpees.

“Mmmm. You won me over.”

He looked shocked. “Wow, that was easy. I at least thought you were going to make me sweat it out while you hemmed and hawed. I know the drink is a winner, but I didn’t think you would cave so fast.”

She leaned in to his ear and said, “That goes to show you how little you know about me. When I like something, I let people know about it.”

Once again, he cleared his throat. It was so endearing that she was able to melt this attractive man that stood before her. It was always a good ego boost.

She held out her hand. “Piper.”

He took her hand in his much bigger hand and gave it a good squeeze. She noticed a bit of roughness to his palms, like he worked outside, but it wasn’t his everyday job.

“Jax. Nice to meet you.”

“Same. So…when’s dinner?”

He gave her another one of those gorgeous smiles. He handed her his phone. “Put your number in my phone. I’ll text you the details a little later. I might have to work tonight so, if I do, are you free tomorrow?”

“For a Slurpee genius? I think I’m free.”

“Perfect.” They both walked to the register. He, of course, paid for their drinks and they walked outside together. “I’ll call you a little later.”

She gave him her brightest smile. “Sounds good.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you, pretty Piper.” He gave her a wink and got into his truck.

As she watched him drive away, she sighed to herself. Did she just snag herself a handsome, southern gentleman? Wait until Hannah and Lexi heard about Jax. They were always on her about finding someone to spend her nights with, so they were going to be over the moon to hear that she would be going out with a man who knew his Slurpees.

***

Brooke sat in the hallway of the hotel where auditions for
Red, White and Blue Diva
were held. She had never been so humiliated in her life. What the hell was she thinking? Did she temporary lose her mind? She gave up a great life for something that was so out of reach, she didn’t even have a shot in hell. She knew now the only reason she had an audition for the show was because of her dad. The production manager made that quite clear. Now, she had to make sure her dad talked the production manager into not airing her audition. She would lose all credibility.

She shook her head in disgust as she got up off the poorly-upholstered bench and made her way to her VW Bug in the parking lot. She had a long drive back to San Diego from Los Angeles. She should have taken up her dad’s offer of flying her up here, but she wanted to make it on her own. Little good that did her. Now she had to make a two hour drive back to San Diego all by herself, contemplating what a mess she’d made of her life.

The one good thing she’d had going for her was Mason, but she pushed him away. He wouldn’t even look at her at Lexi and Jake’s wedding. It was the one reason why she never approached him at the wedding. He clearly wanted nothing to do with her and she didn’t want to piss him off even more than he was. Being so close to him and not being able to be with him was torture though, especially when she watched him look at other women like Piper. Brooke didn’t blame him, though. If she was a guy, she would be staring at Piper as well. Hell, she was a girl and she still stared at Piper. Thankfully, Piper wanted nothing to do with him.

Why would she give up a man like Mason? He was kind-hearted, loving and treated her like she was the world. She saw something different in him at the wedding. It was as if she turned him black. He wasn’t welcoming, or kind or joking around much. He didn’t seem like the old Mason and that killed her more than anything. Was it because of her? Maybe if she was back in his life, he would no longer be so angry.

She picked up her phone and dialed the only number she knew would give her good advice.

“Hey lady, how was the audition?”

Brooke blew out a frustrated breath. “Lex, why did you encourage me to go try out for that stupid show? I can’t sing worth a shit.”

Lexi laughed into the phone. “I’m sorry, Brooke, but I didn’t have the heart to tell you. So I take it the audition didn’t go so well?”

“No. It went terrible and now I have nothing good going on in my life.”

“Don’t say that. I think you should start that clothing line you always wanted. You have the sketches all done, why not make it happen?”

Lexi had a good point. She could have her own fashion line or boutique. Her dad could back her endeavor with the funds she needed. It was the least he could do after sending her off to embarrass herself. But would it be what she really wanted? Would she be satisfied?

“Yeah, I guess so, but what good is doing something like that when you don’t have someone to share it with?”

“You can share it with me,” sweet Lexi replied.

“I love you to death, girl, but I’m not about to snuggle you in bed and tell you all about my day.”

“Hey, we used to snuggle and you never had a problem with that. Lexi joked around about their college days.

“Yeah, but you’re not a man.”

“What are you saying, Brooke?”

Here goes nothing, Brooke thought. “I want Mason back.” There was silence on the other end of the phone, which made Brooke sweat. It was never good when you silenced Lexi, she always had an opinion or something to say. “Lexi, say something.”

Brooke heard her friend clear her throat. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect you to say that. You showed no urge to be around him at the wedding and I thought you broke up with him because you weren’t happy.”

It was true. Brooke wasn’t happy, but it was because she wasn’t living with Mason yet out in Denver and she saw him sporadically when he wasn’t playing football. Plus, she was always second to his career and she was a woman who deserved to be the center of a man’s attention. She knew it was childish, but she wanted Mason to know how it felt to be second to someone’s career. That was why she chose to pursue her not-so-successful singing career. She was such a joke.

“I wanted to talk to him, but he looked like he would cut off my head with a machete if I gave him a chance. I miss him, Lexi. I made an incredibly idiotic mistake and I want him back.”

“Wow. I mean, he’s really pissed at you Brooke. You have serious damage control to do. I’m pretty sure he punched a hole through a wall when you called off the engagement.”

Brooke cringed at hearing that news. Mason was never the violent type. He was the guy who would make you laugh when the room was filled with tension. He was the guy who would dish out valuable advice about love, not the guy who punched walls and looked like he carried around a gun in the back of his pants in case someone got in his way.

“I know I screwed up, believe me. I just want to know if you think I have a chance at getting him back.”

More silence. This was not looking good for her.

“All I can say, Brooke, is that you are going to have to be ready for a fight. Mason is…different these days. He’s changed. It can be difficult at times for Jake to even talk to him. He is bitter, angry and heartbroken. The one thing I can tell you is that, since he is so heartbroken, you might have a shot because it shows how much he loved you. He loved you so fucking much. If you hang onto that and remember what you had, you can use that to your advantage, then you might be able to get him back.”

Brooke felt herself brighten. She could do that. She could help Mason remember who he used to be and what they used to have.

“Fair enough. I’m moving to Denver and I’m getting my man back.”

Lexi cheered into the phone. “Go get him, Brooke. If anyone can do it, you can.”

“I can. I just need to make a couple of changes and I’ll make sure Mason never forgets me.”

On the drive back down to San Diego, Brooke thought about how she was going to cut her long locks, add more layers, exchange her preppy outfits for more provocative, yet tasteful, apparel, get waxed and pull out her high heels. She had a man to win over and she needed all the help she could get.

***

Mason ripped his chin strap off and removed his helmet from his head. Rage was searing through his body as he headed to the water coolers to hydrate. Hell week for pre-season was over a couple of weeks ago, so why was his coach hassling him as if it was hell week all over again? At the moment, all Mason wanted to do was shove his cleat down Coach Ryan’s throat. He was a young coach, trying to make a name for himself as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Stallions, but all Coach Ryan was proving was what a giant dick he was. Mason and he clashed in every way possible, not a very good relationship to have with the guy who basically decided if he was ever going to get the ball or not.

Mason grabbed a water bottle and squirted water all over his face. The heat was killer today and it didn’t help that his coach kept making him run for the long ball. Every inch of Mason’s body was sore, from his toes to his head. He wasn’t even going to mention the case of blue balls he had lately. Ever since the beach mishap he had at Jake and Lexi’s wedding, he hadn’t had the urge to fuck any other woman. It was rather devastating to his new bad-boy image. He just couldn’t get himself to go after any other girl. He needed to get Piper out of his system, but that was never going to happen. For one thing, she made it quite clear after her “revenge” that she wanted nothing to do with him and secondly, he had no clue where she was even located.

It’s not like he hadn’t had any action lately, he just hadn’t gone all the way with a woman since Piper cockteased him on the beach. What a bitch, he thought. He should have seen it coming from the get-go. She changed her mind so quickly about him; he was an idiot and he deserved to walk back to the wedding with a fallen palm leaf covering his crotch. Thankfully almost everyone at the wedding was drunk.

Mason looked out at the field and observed his team. The offense was taking a short break while the coaches figured out what kind of scrimmage plays they wanted to run, while the defense was going through drills.

Mason eyed Coach Ryan with distaste coursing through his body. The man was such a prick. Mason couldn’t stand the sight of Coach Ryan with his stupid clipboard and wireless headset wrapped around his head, as if he was God’s football gift to the world.

“Douchebag,” Mason muttered under his breath.

“You talking to yourself?” Ryker asked, as he sidled up next to Mason with a water bottle in hand.

Ryker was a great addition to the team. Even though they played the same position, it was great switching in and out and keeping the defense on their toes. Mason helped Ryker learn the plays and they would stay after practice together, watch game tapes and work out. Mason had a rough couple of weeks, but the one good thing that came out of the weekend of Jake’s and Lexi’s wedding was Ryker’s trade to the Stallions. Yeah, Jake was out a good receiver on his team, but Jake’s loss was Mason’s gain.

Mason turned to Ryker and whispered in a hushed voice, “What is with Coach Ryan? Is he trying to look like the biggest prick in the world?”

Ryker laughed. “I don’t know, but if he makes me run down the field one more time, I think my legs might fall off and I’ll only have my dick to propel me forward.”

Mason looked down at Ryker’s crotch and scoffed. “Dude, you wish you were a tripod.”

Ryker smiled and said, “I know I’m not hung like you, Donkey Dick, but I have a sizeable member. Russell the Love Muscle has done very well in his lifetime.”

Ever since Ryker took the picture of Mason in all his glory, which was posted on Instagram with his face blurred out, Ryker would not let the fact go that Mason was packing.

“Your obsession with my junk is a bit disconcerting.”

“It’s not an obsession; it’s just me paying homage to the granddaddy of all dicks.”

Mason laughed. “You need a life, you know that?”

Ryker pointed at himself. “I need a life? No, man, you’re the one that needs a life. When was the last time you took a woman home? Or went out? You’ve become a hermit lately.”

“Fuck off. I’m not a hermit.”

“Uh, I beg to differ. What are your plans for tonight?” Ryker held up his hand to silence Mason. “Let me guess, pizza and beer in front of the TV watching
SportsCenter
. Sound a little familiar?”

Mason couldn’t disagree with Ryker. He had the pizza company on speed dial and beer chilling in the fridge, ready to be consumed. His life was a bit lame at the moment and he could only blame it on one person: Piper.

Mason scrubbed his hands over his face. “I just can’t get her out of my head.”

Ryker gave Mason a questionable look. “Who? Brooke? Dude, I thought that was over.”