Home is Where the Heart is (30 page)

J
ordan walked through the terminal of the airport, making his way to baggage claim to retrieve his luggage wearing aviator sunglasses and a huge smile on his face. Four whole weeks had passed following the late night phone call he received from Cassie telling him how she wanted to give their relationship another go. It had made him so relieved to hear her say those words, like he had almost given up believing they could be together again. Training camp was done and dusted, and with two weeks until the 2014 NFL season officially began, Jordan was free to fly home to visit the two most important people in his life, and he couldn’t wait to surprise them and see the look on both Cassie and Jake’s faces. The moment would be priceless, much like the surprise he got earlier that morning when Nick unexpectedly showed up on his doorstep in Miami asking to stay awhile. Nick hadn’t gone into detail about why he was there, and Jordan didn’t want to press the matter any further until Nick brought it up in conversation. In the twenty years they had been friends, neither Jordan nor Nick ever really discussed their true feelings with each other unless they really wanted to. Jordan just figured if Nick wanted to talk about whatever the hell made him bail on Yellow Valley in favor of a mini getaway in Miami, then he’d be there to listen, just as Nick had done the same for Jordan on countless occasions, including recently during his journey back to his hometown.

Jordan found his bags, and soon enough, he made his way out of the airport, renting a nice little convertible from the rental place to make his trip home.

He loaded his bags into the trunk of the car and got into the driver’s side of the car as he started the hour long journey home to his childhood home, and in particular, to his family.

Jordan made it back to Yellow Valley by two o’clock that afternoon. The drive there had been refreshing and smooth, unlike the last time he made the same trip, in which it had seemed to go too quickly and was nerve wracking. This time, he felt like he had been driving forever, even though he had barely driven an hour before he reached his destination.

He pulled into the drive of Cassie’s one-story house, thankful her car was there. She was home. He didn’t think he would have liked waiting for her if she weren’t home. The urge to wrap her in his arms and never let go was too strong to force himself to wait.

He got out of the car, striding up the path leading to the house and stepped onto the porch, slipping off his expensive sunglasses and tucking them into the unbuttoned opening of his tailor-made white shirt, which revealed his muscly biceps and looked nice against his caramel-colored skin.

He tapped on the hardwood door and waited, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. Now that he and Cassie were giving it another go and was her boyfriend again, despite not seeing each other in four weeks, was he supposed to just walk inside as opposed to knocking on the door?

Before his thoughts consumed him, a face appeared in the side window and the door opened, revealing a smaller version of Jordan—his son. God, it still sounded weird to Jordan knowing he was a father. He knew he always wanted to become a dad, but to be thrust so suddenly into that life was still so bizarre for him to think about.

“Daddy!” Jake shrieked out his name in delight as he leaped into his open arms. Jake was definitely a carbon copy of him. It may have still sounded weird to know he was a father, but boy it sounded good when his son called him daddy. And the hugs weren’t bad either.

Then Cassie appeared in the doorway looking as beautiful as always, even wearing track pants and an old, stained t-shirt. He liked that she didn’t always feel the need to dress up in order to impress him.

Jordan set Jake on the ground, and he went running back into the house.

He took a step forward, meeting Cassie in the middle.

He pulled her toward him in one swift move, wrapping one arm tightly around her waist as she casually looped her arms around his neck, falling into old patterns together.

“You’re here,” she whispered, burying her face into his chest and breathing in his magnificent scent like she wanted to bottle the smell for times when he wasn’t with her.

Jordan leaned in, nudging his nose against hers. “I am. I had some free time before the season kicks off and decided to surprise you and Jake. I couldn’t wait any longer to see you.”

Cassie’s face was inches from Jordan’s, their head tilting to different sides until their lips met and they shared a long, passionate kiss together as their tongues instantly danced together.

She brushed her fingers against the side of his face, feeling the tiny hint of stubble along his jawbone as she stood on her tip toes just enough to give him a longing stare into the dark brown eyes she couldn’t seem to forget.

“I’m glad you did,” she whispered, her breath hot against his skin.

She kissed his mouth once more, and then placed a trail of kisses along his stubble, showing him just how much she was glad to see him. “We’re so glad that you’re here. Welcome home, baby.”

She couldn’t wait to welcome him home properly tonight.

Her words pulled on his heartstrings, suddenly making everything so real and right, like he was where he was supposed to be all along.

And as Cassie closed the door behind him, blocking out the world around them, he knew despite the home he had built for his new life in Miami, he learned he could still lead a sporting career while slipping quietly into a family-man lifestyle with his high school sweetheart. He could have the best of both worlds, and now that he had it, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Never in a million years did he think coming home to Yellow Valley to see his ill father would rekindle the spark he once felt for Cassie nor would he have assumed he was a father. But as Jordan sat here surrounded by his adorable son and girlfriend, he realized that life really did come in the most unexpected ways, and that home is where the heart is, because his family was his most favorite team he could ever belong to.

All I Ever Wanted – Chuck Wicks

Always You – Ashliegh Lisset

Beautiful – Ben Rector

Best I Ever Had – Gavin DeGraw

Bring You Back – Brett Eldredge

Bruises – Train featuring Ashley Monroe

Carolina – Parmalee

Crash My Party – Luke Bryan

Crazy – TJ Hamilton

Dance Hall – Danielle Bradbery

Do You Think About Me – Carrie Underwood

Duet – Wes Mack featuring Carly McKillip

Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me – Hunter Hayes

The First Time – Boys like Girls

Get Me Some of That – Thomas Rhett

Golden – Lady Antebellum

Have a Little Faith in Me – Mandy Moore

Holdin’ On – We The Ghosts

Home is Where The Heart is – Lady Antebellum

Home to Me – Sarah Darling

Hundred Million Dollar Soul – Kate Voegele

I Just Can’t Live a Lie – Carrie Underwood

If You Ever Get Lonely – Love and Theft

Just a Show – Rachel Potter

Just like That – Brandon Ray

Leave Love Alone – Carrie Underwood

Man I Thought You Were – Katie Armiger

Maybe – One More Girl

Music Feels Better – Selena Gomez

Never Should Have Let You Go – Simple Plan

Nothin’ Like the First Time – Lady Antebellum

One Song Away – Cassadee Pope

Our Great Unknown – The Archers

Perfect – Simple Plan

Red – Taylor Swift

Red Cup Hands Up Long Brown Hair – Boys like Girls

Right Here for You – July

Save Me – Daisy Mallory

Shake Em’ Off – Brandon Ray

Someday (I Will Understand) – Britney Spears

Somethin’ like Somethin’ – Dakota Bradley

A Song About Love – Lee DeWyze

Standing in the Dark – Lawson

Summer Girl – Leighton Meester

This Kind of Town – Justin Moore

Turn My World Around – Gloriana

Wanted is Love – Phillip Phillips

When I’m With You – Simple Plan

When You’re Lonely – Jana Kramer

Who I am with You – Chris Young

Without You – Joe Moore

You Don’t Know Her Like I Do – Brantley Gilbert