Power Play (Play Makers Book 4) (55 page)

“Sounds like fun.”

When Beth was a safe distance away, Jayce
told Darcie teasingly, “Now we can get acquainted. Assuming we can
get rid of Decker.”

Darcie laughed. “Tempting, but meanwhile,
your son’s wearing the seal’s head
as a hat.”

“Awesome! Let’s hope the photographer’s
getting it.” He flashed a killer smile. “Nice meeting you, Darce.
Don’t fill up your client list, okay?”

She stared in amazement as he ambled toward
his feral children. Then she told Sean, “I thought Bam and Rachel
were opposites, but those two?
Wow.”

“Yeah, completely different species, right?”
He seemed cheerier, as though the melodrama with Kerrie had receded
for a few moments, as he took Darcie’s arm and suggested, “Come on,
let’s see what the guys are up to.”

• • •

When Jake and Sophie stepped onto the
platform again, the crowd quieted down as though mesmerized by the
sight. Jake Dublin, such a jokester, staring at his bride with
adoring eyes. And Sophie—so gorgeous, so natural, so clearly in
love.

Then Jake stepped up to the microphone. “I
know you’re all expecting us to let you make toasts. But as some of
you know, Sophie’s cousin—my new bro-in-law Johnny Spurling—got
married a few months ago and it was a fiasco. And we learned a few
lessons. Number one: Don’t let the crazies talk.”

Darcie glanced at Erica to see if she was
upset, but she was laughing against her husband’s chest, and
assured Darcie, “It’s so true. Picture the
Titanic.”

Jake continued cheerfully. “Lesson number
two:
I’m
going to handle all the toasts. With my Elevator
Girl’s help. Starting with her Uncle Aaron. And yeah, he’s my boss,
but let’s face it: the guy can’t make it through half a sentence
without bawling like a baby.”

Bam howled, and to everyone’s relief, so did
Aaron Spurling.

“Is that Bannerman?” Jake drawled. “You’re
next, dude. We
still
can’t believe you talked about banging
women in your toast to John and Erica. And worse, about leaving
them
un
-banged. So trust me, you don’t get to talk.”
Grinning, he added, “You’re welcome, Rachel.”

Rachel waved to him happily, assuring Darcie
and Wyatt, “That actually happened.”

Bam grinned. “Someone had to step up,
right?”

Jake continued cheerfully. “Let’s not forget
Sean Decker, who took the opportunity to proclaim his love for the
bride.
That
wasn’t awkward, was it? So once again? Deck? No
toast for you.”

Relentless, Jake skewered everyone in sight,
including his best man and the maid of honor. He even took a shot
at Jayce Spurling and Beth. Then he turned his jokes toward Darcie
and Wyatt. “So you’ve all heard about Wyatt Bourne, right? We
thought he had ice water in his veins. But he met a beautiful babe
on a plane and the next thing he knew, he couldn’t think straight.
Actually switched horses from a Super Bowl contender to the
Rustlers, just to be near her. Luckily, she’s a babe so they both
get a pass.” He grinned. “If you need proof, I’ve got a picture on
my cell phone that settles the argument.”

Sophie, who had been hanging toward the edge
of the stage, now walked over to him and took the microphone.
“My
turn. Darcie? Keep your shirt on,
please?
And
Wyatt? Take yours off. Problem solved.”

As the crowd laughed, Wyatt pulled Darcie
closer and murmured, “What the hell?”

“I know,” she said with a nervous laugh.
“Let’s hope they get to the song soon.”

But Jake wasn’t done. “We can’t really blame
the guests, because let’s face it, John and Erica asked for it.
Begged
for it. First he wins the Super Bowl three weeks
before his wedding. That’s tacky, right? Then Erica vamps us into a
stupor. I love Sophie, but trust me, if Erica had tossed that long
hair at
me,
I’d be Mister Jake McCall by now.”

“Hey!” Sophie protested with a pouty smile.
“I’m standing right here.”

Jake wrapped his arm around her and said
proudly, “Ladies and Gentlemen? My Elevator Girl.”

As the crowd roared, he bent her backward
and kissed her amorously. Then he told them in a hoarse voice, “I
can’t sing worth beans, but I wrote her a song. With Bam
Bannerman’s help, so thanks, bro.” He gave Bam a nod, then
insisted, “I hope you’ll all sing along to celebrate my amazing
luck. This one’s for you, Mrs. Dublin.”

As Sophie melted in his arms, an
instrumental version of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” sounded
over thirty-inch speakers. Then as Jake began crooning, two huge
sheets unfurled, one on either side of the stage to display the
lyrics, courtesy of unseen projectors.

Hey who’s that cute girl

Standing in the elevator?

Smilin’ an a-laughin’

Making my heart sing

As he sang, more and more lyrics were
displayed. The crowd followed along, but knew enough to let Jake
end it alone with his romantic punch line:

You’re my-yi

Elevator Girl

My Elevator Girl

Snuggled against Wyatt’s chest, Darcie
surveyed the scene. Erica? Sobbing. Rachel? Weeping like her heart
had been crushed in a romantic vise.

And Sean? Darcie could barely look at his
tortured expression. He wanted this kind of love so much. Or at
least wanted Kerrie to be standing here—by his side—so they could
give it their best shot. The Triple Threat and his harem loved him,
but true love? No one could take the place of the girl of his
dreams.

And Sophie? The poor bride wept in her new
husband’s arms, clinging to him like she’d never let go.

“You must think we’re all crazy,” Darcie
murmured to Wyatt.

“Why?” he demanded. Then to her shock, he
sang softly into her ear, “You’re my-yi green-eyed girl.”

“Oh, God,” she whispered.

“I love you, babe. And I always will.”

“Wyatt . . .” She pulled his
head down for a subtle kiss, but he did what he did best and power
kissed her right in front of everyone. Luckily, all eyes were on
Sophie and Jake, so no one saw Wyatt and Darcie make good on their
contractual promise—to fall in love a little more every day.

Forever.

The Play Makers
Series

Be sure to read all the books

in the Play Makers series

by Kate Donovan!

Play by
Play

Former college football star Jake Dublin’s
wildly popular sports blog also details his personal life. And
lately it’s all about Sophie, the pretty young woman who just moved
into his apartment building. His readers know her only as “Elevator
Girl,” and they’re all rooting for Jake to score.

The blog posts and banter with his followers
are all in good fun, and he fully intends to come clean with the
woman he’s wooing and wowing. That is, until she confides that she
grew up in a house full of jocks and even dated a few. Her verdict?
Never again!

Jake knows he needs to confess. But
somewhere along the line he fell in love with Sophie and can’t
stand the thought of losing her. So he procrastinates, and blogs,
and digs himself deeper into a hole, until it all leads to a
showdown that’s so nail-biting, not even the best play-by-play guy
could ever have seen it coming.

Playing for
Keeps

When Erica McCall finally gets her big
break in advertising, she knows just which spokesperson to pitch:
gorgeous football superstar Johnny Spurling. She has followed his
career since college and knows he’s perfect for the spot, even
though it’s common knowledge his famous family doesn’t do product
endorsements,
 
ever
. But
Erica knows Johnny’s weak spot, and she’s confident she can use it
to gain his trust and seal the deal.

Quarterback Johnny Spurling is running out
of time. His father’s health is failing, and there’s one last thing
he’s asked Johnny to do—settle down and produce a son, before it’s
too late. Which means Johnny needs a new kind of girlfriend. No
more casual hookups or high-maintenance divas. When his
sister-in-law claims to have the perfect candidate, he urges her to
set up a postseason blind date.

Then Johnny meets long-haired,
long-legged Erica and can’t resist her outrageous proposal—or her.
So he decides he’ll do the commercial and have one final,
hot-as-hell fling before settling down. They set the ground rules,
then proceed to break every one of them as fun turns to the kind of
true romance that just
doesn’t end with the
final touchdown
—
and with luck,
never ends at all.

Play
Date

BAM!

When quarterback Johnny Spurling cancels his
blind date with Rachel Gillette on account of matrimony, she
cheerfully agrees to a substitution—Sean Decker, another hunk in
pro football’s feared Triple Threat. But love doesn’t spark between
the adorable kicker and the kindergarten teacher, and she wonders
if she’s destined to sit on the bench forever.

No one is crazy enough to match Rachel with
the third member of the Triple Threat. Bam Bannerman is Thor-like
of body, potty of mouth, and hot as hell. And when he spots the
classy blonde at Johnny’s wedding, he’s determined to have some
fun. Sure, she’s prim and proper, but he’s Bam, isn’t he? So no
problem.

To Rachel, who’s tired of being ignored and
rejected, the rowdy halfback is a hilarious change of pace. They
sneak away, he rocks her world, then she fondly bids him
farewell.

But Bam isn’t done scoring, and before
Rachel knows what’s hit her she’s enjoying weekly hookups with the
irrepressible stud. When a heartsick Sean signals he might want to
get back into the game, she suddenly finds herself with her hands
full—and discovers her arms, and maybe even her heart, are full
too.