Romance: Seducing The Quarterback (36 page)

I looked at my hair in the rearview mirror and then rummaged
in my purse for my lip gloss.  The last date I had been on was with Joe several
years before. “I hope I’m doing the right thing.”  I ran my hands through my
hair a few times and then shook my head.  I felt foolish.  I was a pregnant
widow, and I was getting ready to meet a cowboy in a tavern for a date.  How
had my life changed so dramatically in a matter of months?

As I walked up the steps to Moose Creek Tavern, I felt a
wave of anticipation rise through my chest.  My watch read seven o’clock on the
dot, and I hoped that Christopher was already inside.  I didn’t want to feel
any more awkward than I already did by having to look around for him if I was
too early.  “Good evening, miss.”  A young man opened the door and let me in. 

“Thank you.”  I smiled and then looked around.  The tavern
was warm and dimly lit.  A few men sat at the bar sipping on brandy, and the
bartender looked nonchalantly in my direction when he saw me inching forward. 
He slid a drink menu in front of me, but before I could even open it I felt a
strong hand on top of my shoulder. 

“I’m glad to see that you made it.  Let’s sit down.” 
Christopher pulled out my chair and then helped me take off my parka.  His
chivalrous gesture was a welcome greeting, and I batted my lashes with
approval.  He smiled and took off his sheepskin coat, then loosened his blue,
wool scarf.

“I’m glad that I decided to come.”  I tilted my head and got
comfortable in my chair.  We had a view of the Bridger mountains to our left,
and a quaint alpaca farm to our right.  I craned my neck and watched the embers
shoot up from the fireplace at the other end of the tavern.  Christopher opened
up his drink menu and rubbed his chin in thought.

“Are you a beer drinker, Alyssa?”  He smiled and then
scanned the menu.  I shook my head.

“Not really.”  I scrunched my nose and then pretended to
study the menu, even though I already knew that I’d be ordering a lemonade.

“I’ll have a Jack and Coke.”  Christopher handed the
bartender his menu and then looked at me with a curious smile.  “Alyssa.”  He
leaned across the table and folded his hands together.  “I wouldn’t care if you
ordered a hot chocolate.  As long as you’re here, that’s all I need.”  He
winked and then sat back in his seat.  I caught a whiff of his pine scented
cologne and it filled me with a subtle intoxication.

“I used to be a drinker before I was married.”  I smiled and
thought back to some of my earlier days with Joe.  We used to spend weekends
snowshoeing and hiking out in the backcountry, and part of our adventures
always ended with a drink or two in the lodge or the cabin where we stayed. 

“Oh.”  Christopher looked intrigued.  “So you used to be
married?”  He raised his eyebrows and then frowned.  “I guess I should have
known better.  A beautiful woman like you probably had her pick from many
men.”  He took a sip of his drink and then walked his fingers across the
table.  “But why should I worry about that now?  You’re here with me.”  His
green eyes danced across my body, taking in as much of my appearance as
possible.  I smiled and he gently touched my hand.

“I lost my husband a few months ago.”  It was the first time
I had spoken about the accident without choking up.  Christopher looked on with
interest. 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”  He gazed at me with concern, then
took another sip of his drink.  I nodded my head solemnly and only looked up
when the bartender set my lemonade in front of me. 

“It’s okay.  I mean…”  I didn’t know what to say, and I
started to feel like I shouldn’t have left the house.  “It’s hard, but I know
that I have to move on with my life.”  As soon as I spoke I was hit with a
strong wave of nausea.  Christopher sipped on his drink, oblivious to my
internal churnings.  I sipped my lemonade and then took a deep breath. 

“You know.”  Christopher took a sip of his drink.  “I’ve
been intrigued by you ever since I saw you step foot inside Avalanche.”  He
smiled, his hand still on top of mine.  “I think you’re beautiful, and I’d like
you to come visit my ranch one day soon.”  His dark hair and green eyes still
had me captivated, even though I’d been looking at his face for the last hour.

“Thanks.  I’ll have to think about it.”  I took another sip
of my lemonade and then swung my feet back and forth under my bar stool.  So
far, it was a smooth date.  We definitely had chemistry between each other but
as soon as I thought about the possibility of a kiss, I immediately saw Joey’s
face in my mind, and it filled me with sadness.

Christopher ordered another Jack and Coke as I sipped slowly
on my lemonade.  I looked at my watch and decided to get home since I had to be
up early for a breakfast shift at Avalanche.  “Thanks for the nice date.”  I
got up and wrapped my scarf around my neck, then offered to pay for my
lemonade.  Christopher chuckled and then pulled out a wad of twenties from his
pocket.

“I’m more than happy to pay for your lemonade, Alyssa.”  He
grinned and then stood up from his seat.  We walked out of Moose Creek Tavern
together, gazing up at the moon that had just poked out from beyond the
horizon.  I was eager to get home, so I picked up the pace as we walked toward
my truck. 

“Let me know when we can get together again.”  Christopher
leaned forward, and placed his lips on mine.  He kissed me in what felt like a
whirlwind of a moment, and I backed away in surprise.  He grinned and then
turned to walk away as I climbed into the cab of the truck.  I started the
ignition and watched as he walked away.

I had no sooner pulled out of the lot when I heard a
rumbling noise underneath the truck.  I slowed down and the sound continued. 
Then the steering got difficult and a loud thud resounded from the passenger
side.  A flat tire? At night and with no spare?  I rolled my eyes and then did
my best to pull over next to a snow bank.  I threw down the lights and climbed
out to check.  Sure enough, the passenger side tire in the front was completely
flat.

I stood there for a few minutes trying to decide what to
do.  Walking to Avalanche was out of the question because it was at least
fifteen miles away.  I thought about calling Rebecca but remembered that she
had a class at nights, and my neighbor was probably out in the barn getting his
horses fed for the night.  I mulled over as many other options as I could, and
then folded my arms across my chest.  I had nobody to help me, and once again I
realized how much I missed Joe.

Just as I was about to fish around in my purse for
Christopher’s phone number, a pair of headlights landed on my face.  They got
bigger and brighter, then disappeared completely.  The engine from their
vehicle shut off, and a man climbed out from behind the wheel.  He was tall,
with broad shoulders and a deep voice.  He wore a checkered flannel coat a pair
of black wading boots.

“Got a flat, huh?”  He approached me slowly and looked at
the tire. 

“It sure looks like it.”  I placed my hands on my hips and
stared at the flattened rubber.

“You’re Alyssa, right?”  He looked at me, then looked back
at the tire.

“Yes.  Have we met?”  I studied his face for a second, trying
to decide if I knew him.

“No.  But I come into Avalanche a lot, and I’ve seen you a
lot waiting tables.  I was there one night when you were chatting with
Christopher.”  He nodded his head and continued to stare at the tire.

“I see.”  I smiled and then looked at him to see if he had
any suggestions for fixing the flat. 

“In fact, I was there the night he asked you out, because I
heard him talking to a few of our buddies afterward.”  He walked around to the
back of the truck and then frowned.  “No spare, huh?”  He pushed his glasses up
on the bridge of his nose and then ran his hands through his hair. 

“No.  I don’t have a spare.”  I shook my head.  “Are you
friends with Christopher?”  the conversation had piqued my interest. 

“Oh yeah. Me and him go way back.  Both of us are from
ranching families.”  He looked at me with curiosity and then thrust out his
hand.  “I’m Rick.”  He smiled and I placed my hand in his.  “Nice to finally
meet you.”  He stared at me for a few minutes and then looked away. 

“I don’t suppose you’ve got a free hand to help me with this
do you?”  I looked at Rick with hope.  “And possibly a free tire?”  I laughed
at myself for not being prepared to handle a flat.  What was I thinking driving
around in Montana with no spare tire?  Most of the roads were gravel, stone, or
a combination of the two.  Flats were common. 

“I actually have a spare in the back of my truck.  I can
help you out.  Don’t worry.”  Rick pushed his glasses back up the bride of his
nose and then left to get the tire and the tools.  I stared up at the moon,
wondering how I could have been such a fool to travel in such an unprepared
fashion.  Rick came back with a tire and a toolbox, then sat down on the
passenger side and got to work. 

“Thanks for your help.”  I wasn’t an overly religious
person, but I did find it peculiar that Rick had appeared out of thin air
during my time of need.

“You’re welcome.”  Rick positioned his wrench so that he
could get the tire in, then paused.  “You know, I hate to say this, Alyssa, but…” 
His voice trailed off and I frowned.  What was he about to tell me?  “A flat
tire is the least of your worries.”  He pushed his glasses up his nose again. 
I stared at him with suspicion.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  I put my hands on my hips
and inched a little closer.

“It means…”  He tightened the lug nuts and then leaned
forward to make eye contact.  “…that you’re asking for trouble with Christopher
Marlow.”  He raised his eyebrows, tightened the nut, then slapped his hands on
his pants.  “You’re all set here.”  He got up from his crouching position and
then started to walk away.

“Hey, wait.”  I looked at him with confusion.  “What are you
telling me this for?  Why is Christopher trouble?”  I couldn’t let Rick leave
without filling me in on whatever he knew.  It was as if he had just dropped
off a treasure chest, but not the key to unlock its bounty. 

“Let’s just say that he’s got a reputation.”  Rick nodded
his head and thoughtfully ran his hands through his beard.  I bit my lower lip,
not happy with the sounds of this.

“What kind of reputation?  Please tell me what you know,
Rick.”  I could hear the subtle desperation in my voice.

“Alyssa.  I don’t want to get you upset, and I know that we
just met, but…”  He looked away, and I could tell that he was uncomfortable
telling me much more than what he already had.  “Christopher is not such a nice
guy, that’s all.  You should just be careful.”  He pursed his lips and then
turned around to walk away.  I grabbed him by the shoulder and he stopped.

“Look.  I only went on one date with him.  Tell me what you
know about him so I can decide if he’s worth it.  Please.  What do you have to
lose?”  I shrugged and then adjusted my scarf to keep the chill away from my
neck.

“Meet me for a coffee tomorrow and I’ll tell you whatever
you want.”  He cocked his head to the side and I paused.  Coffee?  Was this
another date?  I didn’t know what Rick’s intentions were, but I did know that I
wanted more information about Christopher.

“When and where?”  I placed my hands on my hips and tossed
my hair over my shoulder.  The air had gotten so bitterly cold that I could see
my breath when I spoke. 

“Three o’clock at Bozeman Café down on Glacier Avenue.” 
Rick spoke matter-of-factly and I nodded my head. 

“You got it.”  I smiled and then sighed.  “This better be
good.”  I gave him a playful wink and then fished around for my keys.  Rick
turned to leave and I opened the door to my truck.  “Hey, Rick.”  I called out
and he stopped.  “Thanks for fixing my tire.  I appreciate it.”  I smiled and
then hopped into the cab and started the ignition.  Rick just smiled and walked
away.

I worked my usual shift at Avalanche then walked home to
change.  I still hated my job as much as I did when I first started, but now
that I was making some money, it didn’t seem to be so difficult to drag myself
in.  I got home with just enough time to get changed and motor down to Bozeman
Café.  When I stepped inside, Rick was already seated at a booth.

“Hi there.”  I sat down and then unwrapped my scarf from
around my neck.  Rick smiled and passed me a menu. 

“I know I invited you for coffee, but this place has amazing
blueberry crepes, in case you’re interested.”  He winked and then folded his
hands on the table, looking me square in the eye as he did.

“Well, I’m glad that I came here to meet you.  I guess we
should cut to the chase while we’re deciding on food.”  I raised my eyebrows,
intent on finding out as much as I could in as little time as needed.

“Yes.  Of course.”  Rick nodded his head and then looked up
as the waiter came to our table.  “Hello.  I’d like an espresso and a short
stack of blueberry pancakes.”  He handed the waiter his menu and then looked at
me to order.  I had been having a rather nausea-free day, so I opted for a plate
of French toast and an orange juice.

“You know, a few of the waitresses over at Avalanche told me
to watch out for Christopher.  They seemed to insinuate that he was a player.” 
I figured I might as well tell him what I already knew. 

“They were telling you the truth.”  Rick confirmed the
accusations, then added more.  “He’s also been known to rough up his women.” 
He took a sip of his water and then studied my face to see how I reacted.  “He
beat up his last girlfriend because she wouldn’t go to some bonfire at Glen
Lake Park.”  Rick shook his head and then got quiet.

“This is all very surprising.”  I wasn’t even sure of how to
react.  I couldn’t picture Christopher being violent, and it hurt to hear that
he wasn’t possibly the man that I’d been led on to believe that he was.

“You know, Alyssa.”  Rick looked me in the eyes and then got
quiet when the waiter reappeared with our pancakes and French toast.  “Wow. 
This looks amazing.”  He smiled and then nodded his head at the waiter.  My
eyes widened when I saw how large the portions were.  Since I was eating for
two, this posed no problem at all.

“What were you starting to say?”  I felt like I was being
impatient with how quickly I wanted Rick to disclose his information, but I
sensed that he knew quite a bit about Christopher, and I wanted to find out all
that I could.

“What I was going to tell you was that I think you could do
much better than Christopher.”  He took a sip of his espresso and I could tell
by his lingering gaze that he wanted me to consider him one of the better men
he referred to.  I lifted a forkful of French toast to my lips and then chewed
the sweet, cinnamon flavored bread while Rick watched me in silence.

“I get the feeling that you’ve got your own intentions,
Rick.”  I couldn’t help but give him a flirtatious smile when I made my
statement, and he gave me a playful smile right back.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’m interested.  I
mean, come on.  Who wouldn’t be interested in you?  You’re pretty, you’re
unique and you’re patient.  I watched you trying to assess that tire for a good
ten minutes.”  Rick chuckled and then took another bite of his pancakes.

“Thanks for the compliments.”  I sipped my orange juice and
then looked out the window.  I felt a little overwhelmed with everything Rick
had just told me.  I had the feeling that he wasn’t just playing around,
either.  “I should probably get going soon.”  I looked at him with an
apologetic smile.  “I’ve got a lot of housework to do.”  I know it sounded like
a pathetic excuse, but it was true.  Rick nodded his head, took some cash out
of his pocket to pay the bill, then reached for my hand.

“Come by my place before you go home.  I’ve got an extra
tool-kit and another spare tire that you can keep.”  He smiled and then
finished off his pancakes and reached for his coat.  I gave him a playful
smile.  It was a good ploy.  I had to give him that.  Without even thinking, I
followed him out, got in my truck, and drove behind him until we reached
Arapahoe Drive.  His house sat alone, at the top of a hill, surrounded by pine
trees.

“I must be crazy to come here after just meeting you once.” 
I cocked my head and then watched as he opened the door and motioned for me to
enter.

“It’s not crazy at all.  You’re a woman, and you’ve got
intuition.  I think we both know that there’s a little…”  He paused and then
chuckled.  “There’s a little chemistry between us, right?”  He pushed his
glasses up his nose and then waited for me to walk inside.  I grinned and then
stepped into his living room which was decked out in a variety of unique art
pieces, wood carvings and black and white photographs.

“Nice place.  It feels very cozy.”  I looked around and then
breathed in the faint scent of amber that seemed to emanate from the air.  Rick
smiled and then gestured for me to sit on the couch. 

“Get comfortable.  I’m going to grab that tool-kit and tire
from the shed.  I have tea in the kitchen if you’d like to help yourself, and I
have a stack of National Geographic magazines if those are of interest to you.” 
He motioned to a large wicker basket and then disappeared through the door.  I
leaned forward and picked one out of the basket. 

“I must be losing my mind.  Seriously.”  I flipped through
the magazine and then landed on a page that featured a picture of the Grand
Canyon.  I studied the landscape for a few minutes and then fought back a
tear.  Joe and I had gone to the Grand Canyon for one of our anniversaries.  I
still couldn’t believe that he was gone.  Equally troubling was the fact that I
had just dated two different men in the span of three days, and was now sitting
inside one of their homes. 

I closed the magazine and stared blankly out the window. 
Rick had a view of the mountains and the meandering creek below.  I took a deep
breath and then closed my eyes.  What was I doing?  When was I going to tell
anyone else that I was pregnant?  Did I even have any business dating when I
knew that I’d never love the way I did with Joe? 

I sat with my questions for what felt like an eternity. 
When I opened my eyes, Rick was standing before me with a glass of water and a
handful of wildflowers.  He smiled and handed them to me, just as the sun set
behind the mountains.  I stared at him for a few seconds, then leaned forward
and kissed him square on the lips.