Impulsive (28 page)

The woman smiled. "Do you buy every pair of shoes you try on?"
she rebutted.

Jess slipped the ring over her knuckle and gazed down at the gems
winking on her finger. Holding it at arm's length, she twisted her wrist this
way and that, watching the diamonds sparkle. "It's gorgeous," she
said with a sigh.

"It looks fine to me. I guess you're a fair judge of what
suits you after all. Anything bigger wouldn't have looked right on your slim
fingers," Ty admitted.

"Absolutely," the woman concurred. "Except the band
is about a half size too large. You want it snug enough that the setting won't
slip off to the side."

Reluctantly, Jess removed the ring and handed it back. "It's
lovely, but as I said, I'm just browsing."

"It's nice to daydream once in a while, though," the lady
said, locking the ring away again. She spotted another customer. "If you
see anything else you'd like to examine more closely, let me know. I'll be
right over here."

As she walked away, the gentleman who had waited on Ty motioned
him to the other counter. Jess gave the ring a final covetous glance on her way
out of the store, then put it firmly out of her mind. She was not about to
torment herself with wanting something she couldn't have.

It was a pity she couldn't apply that same attitude toward her
relationship with Ty; but from the start her heart had overruled her head, and
any common sense she might have possessed had flown straight out of her head.
Fool or not, God help her, she was utterly, irrevocably in love with the man.

After breakfast the next morning, Ty rented a car and they went
for a drive in the country. The fall foliage, currently at its peak, was
magnificent. Autumn had donned her most brilliant colors for their viewing
pleasure. Reds, oranges, yellows, of every shade, intermingled in kaleidoscope
fashion.

Merely by chance, they happened upon the observatory. When Ty
suggested they go inside and get a bird's-eye look from the summit, Jess agreed
enthusiastically. Atop one of the highest vantage points in New England, they
were presented with a panorama of breathtaking beauty. Boston lay spread out
below them, with the multihued mountains of New Hampshire as a backdrop and
fields and forests blending into a wondrous burst of color. Even the harbor was
gowned in splendor this morning, glittering like sun-drenched crystal.

"Oh, it's absolutely spectacular!" Jess gushed.
"Can you imagine what it must be like up here at night, with all the stars
out, and a full moon shining down?"

"A harvest moon," Ty added. "That would be
something to behold. Unfortunately, while our timing is great for the daytime
viewing, it stinks when it comes to a moonlight vista. We're about two weeks
shy, or past, a full moon, whichever way you care to cut it. Furthermore, it's
supposed to cloud up this evening."

"Ah well," Jess sighed. "The best made plans of
mice and men, et cetera."

Plans, practice, preparation—all went for naught when applied to
the game that afternoon. The Patriots were on a hot streak and not about to be
denied another win, most especially from a fledgling band of misfits called the
Knights. With two of his main receivers missing, Ty was fighting an uphill
battle all the way. Moreover, his blockers were definitely out-classed and
out-muscled. As a result, Ty was sacked a total of five times, not to mention
the numerous other hard hits he took. Every time he turned around, it seemed he
was being tackled and tossed to the ground.

For her part, Jess made every point but one, a kick-after which
was blocked by a Patriot who would have dwarfed the Jolly Green Giant. The
final score, at the end of four long, grueling quarters, was twenty to
fifty-four, in favor of the Patriots. Not a total shutout, thankfully, but
still discouraging.

At the conclusion of the game, as the players and coaches gathered
on the field to shake hands, Jess found herself adrift in a sea of Patriot
uniforms. To her surprise and delight, she quickly spotted at least four
familiar faces, all former OSU football players. Within seconds, she and they
had converged and were soon chatting like old friends, though Jess had never
before met any of them personally. The simple fact that they were all Ohio
State alumni proved an instant bond.

It was several minutes before Jess became aware of Ty, standing
apart from her group and glaring daggers at her—and several more minutes before
she could politely extricate herself from the conversation. Timidity not being
her style, she approached him boldly. "Okay, sunshine, what crawled down
your craw and stuck?"

His scowl deepened. "What was that all about? Are you holding
court now?"

Jess's eyebrows shot up, her temper immediately on the rise.
"Pardon me?"

"You're getting awfully chummy with our rivals, aren't
you?"

"Oh, for heaven sake! They might play for the opposing team,
but they're hardly enemies. Those guys are all former OSU players. If you would
have come over, I could have introduced you."

"I've met a couple of them previously," he informed her
dryly.

"Well, they're terrific," Jess went on. "It was
great talking with them, if only for a couple of minutes. Like old home week on
campus."

"With you as the queen bee," he stated accusingly.
"I saw you smiling and batting your eyes at them, like some star-struck
teenie-bopper."

"What?" Jess shrieked. "You're crazy, James. I was
doing no such thing."

"The hell you weren't. You didn't budge an inch when that big
ape slung his arm across your shoulders. You just looked up at him with those
wide, innocent eyes and laughed."

Jess rolled her eyes in exasperation. "It wasn't as if he was
trying to put the make on me, you dumb jerk. It was just a friendly
gesture."

"Was your eyeing the punter's groin just a friendly little
gesture, too?" he inquired snidely.

Jess stood firm, her own eyes blazing now and her lips tight.
"I was not eyeing his groin, you jackass. He was demonstrating how to hold
a ball for a punt. In fact, he gave me several good pointers."

Ty snorted. "Yeah, I'll bet he did, sugar. Did he offer to
show you some of his better moves at a more opportune time and place?"

Jess squelched an irate scream. "Yeah," she retorted
scathingly. "We've got a date to have a fling under the OSU bleachers the
next time he's in town."

Ty grabbed her arms, hauling her up on her toes before him.
"Over my dead body," he growled.

"Hey! I was kidding," Jess exclaimed. "For the love
of Pete, Tyler. Why are you behaving like such an idiot? What has gotten into
you?"

"He didn't ask you out? You didn't accept?" he pressed.

"No, of course not. What kind of tramp do you take me for,
anyway?" Jess reached one hand far enough to give him a solid whack on the
side of his head. "Just because Barb had a roving eye, don't paint me with
the same brush, buster. I don't poach, and I don't wander. As long as you and I
are together, I won't go out with anyone else—and I expect you to abide by the
same rules."

He set her down and eased his grip, but didn't release her
completely. "Okay, but no more flirting with other guys, either. It drives
me nuts."

Jess wrinkled her nose at him. "A short drive, evidently. And
no matter what you say, I was not flirting. I was simply being friendly."

Despite losing the game, despite Ty's seemingly irrational temper
tantrum, Jess was absurdly happy. She'd figured it out. Ty was jealous, which
meant he really did care for her. He wasn't merely mouthing the words and
stringing her along.

Still, wanting another female to verify her opinion, Jess went to
visit Corey. But Corey had her own problem, one much more pressing than Jess's
love life. It was Gabe. He wasn't recovering from the flu—or what they had
thought was the flu. In fact, he was steadily getting worse.

"What does the team doctor say?" Jess inquired.

Corey shook her head. "He still claims it's some sort of
stomach virus, or maybe a touch of food poisoning, but I'm not so sure. In
fact, I'm starting to wonder if Johnson got his degree out of a box of Cracker
Jacks. He doesn't seem awfully knowledgeable to me."

"Have you consulted another doctor?"

"Gabe finally agreed, and we set up an appointment for
Friday. It's the soonest we could get in, and we're lucky to get that. Not many
doctors are taking new patients these days. Meanwhile, Gabe is determined that
he's going to play in the game next Sunday, so sick or not, he's out there
practicing as usual. I tell you, Jess, I'm worried. He's as weak as a kitten
and has absolutely no appetite, which I can understand with all the stomach
problems he's having. But, if this doesn't clear up soon, they're going to end
up carting him off that darned field on a stretcher."

"Maybe this new doctor will find out what's wrong," Jess
told her. "God knows, anyone would be better than Johnson."

By Friday even Jess could tell that Gabe's skin had taken on a
gray cast. His eyes were puffy and ringed with dark circles, and he was
dragging around with his energy level at rock bottom. In short, he looked like
warmed-over death.

That afternoon, Ty and Jess drove to Indianapolis to pick up Josh,
as it was his weekend to stay with his father. They arrived back at Ty's around
six o'clock and were trying to decide what to do about supper when Corey
phoned.

"They've admitted Gabe to the hospital," she declared
tensely. "The doctor wants to run a whole series of tests."

"Do you want me to come keep you company?" Jess offered.
With Josh in town, she wouldn't be staying the night with Ty anyway.

"No, most of my time will probably be tied up with Gabe and
the doctors. I've already called and cancelled my photo shoot for the first of
the week, which thoroughly pissed my company, but at this point I really
couldn't give a rat's butt. Gabe comes first, and to hell with everything else.
I've also notified Coach Danvers."

"Is there anyone else you'd like me to call for you? Or
anything at all Ty or I can do?"

"Not that I can think of," Corey said. "Not right
now, at any rate."

"Okay, but if you need anything, let us know. And keep us posted
on those tests. What is the doctor looking for, anyway?"

"At this point, he's not sure, but he mentioned toxins more
than once. Listen, I've got to go. Gabe is the world's worst patient, and I
have to run interference for the nurses. I'll call later, when we know
more."

They decided to pay Gabe a short visit that evening, in spite of
the fact that there was no further news as yet. Jess took Josh to the hospital
snack shop and treated him to an ice cream sundae while Ty ran a bouquet of
flowers up to Gabe. Then Ty sat with Josh while Jess dashed up with a get-well
card, a book of crossword puzzles, and two newly released paperback novels.

On the way home, Ty said, "I've never seen Gabe like this
before. It's as if someone has sucked all the energy out of him."

"I know," Jess agreed. "He's usually running
circles around everyone else."

"He's putting up a good front, but it doesn't wash, does
it?"

Jess shook her head. "No, and Corey is worried half out of
her mind, no matter what she says in front of Gabe."

"Is Uncle Gabe gonna be okay?" Josh piped up from the
back seat.

On Sunday, the Knights hosted the Eagles and by sheer dint of
determination pulled off a three-point win, thanks in large part to Jess's
unerring aim. More than ever, she was being touted as a phenomenon, not merely
for being the first female pro football kicker, but for possessing a kicking
ability that only came along once in a blue moon. The two together made her
quite a sensation, and the latest media darling. On the other hand, everyone
was watching and wondering how long her prevailing streak would last.

"That's the way it goes. When you're on top, it's not good
enough that you've earned the right to be there. Along with the
congratulations, everyone's waiting for you to take a fall," Ty explained.
"In fact, they're anticipating it, even while they're singing your
praises."

"I just wish they'd all shut up and pick on somebody else for
a while," Jess complained. "I don't want or need all the
attention."

"But, Jess, you kick so good," Josh told her with
childish admiration. "You might even get in the Hall of Frame."

Ty chuckled. "Yeah, not to mention the Hall of Fame."