Playing for Hearts (81 page)

At the office door, he glanced at Angie. She'd stilled with her hands above Johnson. Guilt riddled her features.

Shit.

Cormac wouldn't have told anyone of their altercation on the field. Scuffles and words were thrown around all the time. Life stresses, game pressure, and exhaustion got the better of all of them. But the worry on Angie's face concerned him. They both knew anyone watching them could get there was more going on between them.

“Close the door and have a seat,” Coach said, tossing his clipboard on the desk.

Gary sat, tucking the end of the towel at his hip and leaning forward. “Problem, Coach?”

“You tell me.” Coach leaned forward and propped his elbows on the desk. “Is Angie Swanson living with you?”

“Yes, sir.” He nodded, looking him in the eye. The coach had no reason to be suspicious. Angie had put his address on her employee paperwork and let it drop that Gary was a family friend. They'd been careful.

Coach's lips tightened over his teeth and he broke his gaze and looked at the desk. “What kind of relationship would you say you have with Ms. Swanson?”

“A long term relationship, sir,” he said.

Coach whipped his gaze back to him. “Think carefully before you answer, son. You and I both know what having a relationship with Ms. Swanson means for you and her.”

“Yes, sir, and I know what it'll do to her career with the Seahawks if rumors go further than this room.” Gary remained calmed. “I've known her and her family since I was thirteen years old. Her family practically raised me. Her brother, Drew, is my best friend. As a matter of fact, I'm the one who recommended her for the job with the team. I know exactly what our relationship is. I picked her up at her brother's house in Deadhorse, Oregon, and brought her back to the city to fulfill her job. She's staying with me until she finds an apartment. Because I promised her brother I would look out for her, it's taking longer to find a place that is safe enough for her on short notice. We'll both be traveling when the games start, and be away from home for most of the time. We figured it would be best to keep on with what we've set up…in which her brother is thankful for, considering we're all family.”

Coach's eyes narrowed and he studied Gary. “Take this as a warning that if I hear of anything going on between you two, even a fucking kiss on the cheek, I'll have to report you.”

He stood and nodded. “Understood.”

Beating his escape, he walked out of the office and straight into the showers. He closed his eyes, letting the water roll down him. He hadn't lied.

He'd left certain parts out, but the coach wasn't asking for a full confession. Everything he said was true. They'd known each other forever and their history was ingrained in him as much as any family has a bond that doesn't break when one of the members need some extra help or a spare bedroom.

He opened his eyes, and looked straight out at Angie. She'd finished her massage and was bent over, putting her bag away. The price of the fine he'd pay for breaking the rules had no stigma attached. Players screwed up all the time. They paid their way out of trouble, and the penalty wouldn't put a dent in his bank account.

Besides, no one wanted to kick a valuable player off the team, especially in a year where the Seahawks were expected to go all the way to the Super Bowl. Angie's job, on the other hand, was expendable.

Maybe once Drew arrived, he'd talk some sense into both of them. If anyone knew how important Angie's job was, Drew did. He'd lived with her, and put up with the stress of her surviving on unemployment and the feeling of uselessness she battled. Not to mention the boredom. No, Angie needed this job.

He dried off, dressed in his street clothes, ignoring the other players' questioning looks about what he was called out for, and went about gathering his things. It wasn't anyone's business what went on in his life as long as he played his best.

Even after taking the time to meet with Coach, he beat the other players out of the locker room, which was becoming a habit. He was able to make it out to his car and leave before Angie left. To everyone else, it looked like they went their separate ways.

He cranked the radio and rolled down the window. The talk that would come when Angie arrived home was not something he looked forward to. She lived life from her heart, and her actions came from caring, showing, loving. This time, she'd have to use her head, and be smart, thinking of her career first. It was time to face reality, and stop pretending that they could continue living the way they were in secret.

What kind of man would he be if he let her ruin her life? The position with the Seahawks would set her up for life. If she wanted to quit after her two years were up, she'd have instant success if she wanted to go out on her own and start her own spa or run a business with private clientele. Hell, half the players had experienced her hands, and would love to continue her treatment long after she moved on in her career.

Maybe he'd made the wrong decision, encouraging her by admitting they could make this work. He'd agreed to keep everything secret. That was what he wanted and dreamed about. He didn't want to change a damn thing, but there was more going on than just their personal life. He'd put her in the position of worrying about her job, and that sat wrong with him.

He pulled up to the gate, pushed a few buttons, and waited for the iron fence to open. He drove home.

In his driveway sat a Dodge Charger. He shut off the radio and looked in his rearview mirror for Angie's car. What the hell was Drew doing here already?

He wasn't due until closer to dinnertime. Gary parked out on the street, leaving the extra space in the driveway for Angie when she arrived.

Drew held up his hand and pushed off the fender of his car, walking to meet Gary halfway in the driveway. Without a word, he grabbed Drew into a hug and thumped his back.

“Shit, Satchel, ease up, big guy.” Drew punched him on the shoulder, stumbling backward.

“You're early.” He motioned with his head. “Come on in. Angie should be pulling in at any time. Practice only ended an hour ago. I wasn't expecting you this early.”

“I left earlier than I planned. I hope you have a beer. It was a hell of a long drive.” Drew threw him a grin.

He unlocked the door. “Go ahead and grab one. I'll be right back.”

Gary searched the living room for anything that would hint at his and Ang's relationship. A pair of panties, the scarf he'd used to keep her hands off him, a box of condoms. Seeing nothing incriminating, he hurried to the bedrooms and shut both doors. Angie never made the bed, and if Drew looked, he'd see the bed in the spare room was made and un-slept in. His room looked like a bomb exploded. Angie had more clothes than ten women put together, and believed in spreading each piece over every surface in the room for easy pickings in the mornings.

Shutting the door, he quickly headed back to the living room. Angie was due any time, and he wanted to talk to Drew by himself. He owed him that much.

“Hey.” Gary pulled up a chair at the dinette off the kitchen. “I need to talk to you, and it can't wait.”

“Dammit. I knew something was wrong with Angie. Between her phone calls and you going off the deep end about following rules…” Drew rubbed his hands over his face. “Just tell me. Did she lose the job?”

Gary sighed and looked up at the ceiling for understanding before meeting Drew's eyes. “We're sleeping together.”

Drew stood without saying anything or giving him a hint of what he was thinking. Gary watched him walk a few paces away before turning around, and then Drew said, “I did not need to know that.”

“I know, man.” Gary laid his hand flat to the table. “It wasn't something that happened out of the blue for me. I've wanted her for years, but never made the moves on her because she was your sister.”

Drew held up his hand. “Stop. Really.”

“Drew, you have to understand—”

“No, really, I don't. It's none of my business what you two—” Drew shuddered. “Jesus, bro, my sister?”

The revulsion was apparent on Drew's face, the way he avoided Gary's gaze. His chest tightened. The last thing he wanted was Drew mad at him or Angie.

Gary nodded. “I know, but I swear I'm not trying to hurt her.”

Drew sat back down and blew out his breath. Gary flexed his fingers, wishing he had an easy answer for Drew.

“This is all new for her. She had no idea I felt more than friendship for her, and surprised me by putting the moves on me,” he said, lifting his hands.

Drew pinned him with a look. “Okay, that's going too far.”

“Sorry. That's not what I meant. This is my fault, not hers.” Gary rubbed his hand over his lower face. “That's why we had you come over. We wanted you to know, but there's more going on that you need to find out. I need your help.”

“For what? It looks like you've created your own problem, you can find your way out…and if you hurt my sister, I'll hurt you.” Drew's breath came fast and he shook his head.

Gary wished he could explain better to put Drew at ease. But he understood Drew's frustration, and that's why he'd kept his hands off Angie for years.

“I'd expect you to. I'm not trying to hurt her, but if she and I keep going at it during the season, she could end up losing her job. She's under contract. So am I. We can't have a personal relationship beyond working together,” he said. “I've told her we have to wait, but she wants to keep it secret, and I'm finding it harder than anything I've ever done to stay away from her.”

The door swung open. Gary turned and hated that he'd broken his word and told Drew first. Maybe now Angie would realize how serious he was.

“Drew.” Angie dropped her bag and ran across the room, throwing herself into Drew's arms. “You're early.”

“Yeah.” Drew kissed her cheek. “Been catching up with Gary. So, you're sleeping with my best friend.”

Angled bugged her eyes out at Gary. “Um, surprise.”

Gary stood. “Angie, listen to—”

A knock came at the door. Gary cussed. “I'll get it.”

The last thing he needed was company coming during what he knew would be a heated discussion. Drew was only staying through the evening, and then heading back to Deadhorse. That gave them all little time to straighten out two lives.

He opened the door and clenched his teeth.

An older version of Drew stood in front of him. Except, Angie and Drew's father had less hair on his head, wore glasses, and his middle protruded more since the last time Gary had seen him.

“Gary.” Teak held out his hand, ushering two small kids into the room.

He shook Teak's hand and sidestepped the little girl. He hadn't seen Angie's half siblings before, or the leggy red-haired woman who trailed in smiling at him.

“This is my wife, Jojo.” Teak walked past him. “Hell, I didn't know we were having a family reunion.”

Teak threw his arms around Drew, moved to Angie and spoke low, kissing her cheek, and then stepped over to hang his arm around his wife. Gary approached the group, thinking he'd stepped into hell.

Never a fan of Teak Swanson, he wondered how the man knew where to find his family and why he was here. From what he'd collected from Angie, Teak only showed up if he needed something.

The last thing they needed were more problems to solve.

Angie held her sister, Tabby, on her lap, while her brother, Tyler, sat beside her playing with her phone. She mouthed
sorry
across the room to Gary. It was true she had told her dad she'd watch the kids if he figured out where she could take them during the day while she was working. It was only for two nights, and she'd promised him she'd babysit before she'd decided not to move out of Gary's condo.

With all the chaos with their relationship, practice, and worrying about Drew's reaction, she'd forgotten to tell Gary about her agreeing to keep the kids if her dad couldn't find an ulterior plan.

Like usual, her dad half worked out a new plan. Somehow he'd found a woman who lived two condos down from Gary to babysit while Angie worked, but she still had to take care of the kids when she was home at Gary's.

“Can we go swimming?” Tyler brushed his long bangs out of his eyes.

At six years old, he took his duty as advisor and older brother seriously—often times being rude and bossy, and not taking no for an answer. Angie patted his thin leg. “We'll see.”

“I don't wanna swim,” whined Tabby. At four years old, she rarely wanted to do anything that might hurt, scare, or excite her.

“Let's finish talking to your parents and then we'll decide,” Angie said.

Drew shook his head at Angie and frowned at Gary. “It's my sister's career,” he said, picking up their conversation where they'd left off. “I'll stay in town and help her find an apartment.”

For the next ten minutes, her relationship with Gary led to a debate with all her family members on how to run her life. She ignored the lot of them, because at the end of the day, it didn't matter what they thought was best for her. She wanted to stay here, and keep her relationship with Gary secret. It was a gamble she was willing to take to stay close to Gary.

“You're not helping me find a place to live.” Angie smiled at Tabby and ticked her belly. “Grownups are so funny, aren't they?”

“She can stay at our house.” Teak rocked back on his heels. “We'll put the kids together and she can have Tyler's room.”

“I'm not moving in with you, Dad.” Angie rolled her eyes. “What none of you are doing is listening to me. I hate when you do that.”

“I think she's doing the right thing.” Jojo wrapped her arms around Teak, and smiled at Angie.

“Thanks.” Angie grinned back.