The Gate to Everything (Once Upon a Dare Book 1) (37 page)

The fact that Coach had called him ‘son’ three times in the last half hour while arguing with him didn’t unsettle Jordan so much as the stories he and Chaz had told him about marquee players never being able to return to a normal life. He wondered if that would be the case in Deadwood.

“I hear what you’re saying,” Jordan said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just don’t see another way to protect my family.” So far, he hadn’t shared Grace’s plan to leave Atlanta, not wanting to air their private personal business.

“Let me get Coach Garretty on the line,” Coach said. “Or you can take a couple of days off this week to visit him in Ohio. You trust his opinion, right?”

Coach Garretty was one of the most influential people in Jordan’s life, but he didn’t need to talk to his mentor to know what was right. “Coach Garretty might agree with you and he might not. I respect Coach and both of you guys, but in the end, I have to follow my heart. That’s what Coach Garretty taught me, and in this situation, my heart is with my family.”

Chaz narrowed his eyes. “If this is about more money…”

“I’ve told you it’s not,” Jordan said, fighting his impatience. “You said you wanted to hear my thoughts about what to say to the press, and this is it.”

Coach shook his head in frustration, his eyes locked with Chaz’s. A knock sounded on the door, and Coach went to open it. One of the assistant coaches leaned in, and the two conferred briefly before Coach straightened.

“Chaz,” he said, jerking his head to the hall to get the man to follow him out of the room.

Jordan sat back in his chair and took some deep breaths when they closed the door. Right now, he felt like he was fighting with everyone he cared about: Grace, his team, and himself.

The door opened again, and he looked over, bracing himself for another round of arguments. But his mouth fell open when Grace closed the door behind her. He shot out of his seat.

“Has something happened to Ella?” he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders, fear washing over him.

“No, nothing’s happened to her,” she said, her brow wrinkling. “She’s okay, Jordan.”

He blew out a long breath, adrenaline skyrocketing through his system. “Are you okay then? Why are you here, Grace? You never come here.”

She hadn’t in ages. The last time was years ago—she’d come to watch him practice because he’d just joined the team and needed some moral support.

Her right hand rose, and he realized it was clenched into a fist. “I want to fight for our family. I don’t want you to leave football. I don’t want to leave Atlanta. And I don’t want to break up with you again.”

He stared at her, his heart rapping hard against his chest. “We’ve gone through this before, Grace,” he said, his walls anchored firmly in place. “Are you sure this time? I…I can’t go through that again.”

“Since you know how much I hate foul language, maybe this will convince you.” She took a deep breath. “I plan to tell those bullies from the grocery store and any other ones who bother us to go…fuck themselves.”

He was sure his mouth had dropped to the floor, but somehow he managed to choke out, “What did you say?”

Her chest rose with another deep inhalation. “I said they should ‘go fuck themselves.’”

His hands cupped her face, and he looked into her vibrant green eyes. “You just said fuck. You
never
say fuck. You never cuss. Holy shit! Are you sure you’re okay?”

Maybe she’d cracked under the pressure. He knew how bone-crushing it could be.

Her laugh sounded a little crazy, which concerned him, but then she lifted a shoulder. “I’m fine, I think. Oh, I forgot the other part. I need to raise my fist in the air and say it. Here. Let me try it again. I’ve been practicing.
Go fuck yourselves.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” he said, running his eyes over her face. She still looked a little pale to him, and her body was trembling. “Are you sure—”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said emphatically. “Whew! All this cussing makes my head swim, but honestly, it feels kind of good. It’s like this huge relief every time I say a bad word.”

And to prove her point, she let out a whole slew of other words she’d never used before, pretty much blowing his mind.

“Tony had me practice on the way over after we talked,” she told him.

Things were starting to make more sense. “You’re a fast learner,” he said with complete admiration, forced to put her in one of the chairs in front of Coach’s desk when she started weaving in place.

“Head between your legs,” he said, sinking to the floor in front of her and rubbing her back.

She took deep breaths, and he angled closer to her, worried as hell. Cussing and close to passing out? She was not okay. When she raised her head, there were tears in her eyes, and they pretty much slayed him.

“Grace.”

“I
love
you,” she said, putting her hand to his cheek. “Jordan, I don’t want to give in to these horrible people. I want to find a better way to handle them. Heck…hell, I want to shame them for what they’ve done to our daughter. Together. I hate that we have to deal with this, but I won’t lose you. Not again. I can’t believe I almost let that happen.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “Oh, Grace. I want to find a better way too, but I just don’t see it. Shaming the media and bad fans isn’t going to work for everyone. Leaving the NFL might be the only way to make sure it never happens again. That you and Ella are safe. I need you to be safe.”

She pulled away. “I might be a little late to the party, but I was wrong to want to cut and run. Tony is right. We don’t give in to bullies. We raise our fists and say—”

He put his hand over her mouth. “I don’t think I can handle hearing you drop the f bomb one more time today.
I
might pass out.”

Her laughter sounded like it had been wrenched from her heart. “Then maybe let me say something else.” She grabbed his hands in hers and looked him straight in the eye. “Jordan Dean. Will you marry me?”

He toppled backwards and landed on his backside. “What?”

“I’m proposing to you,” she said, trying to smile over the vulnerability clouding her eyes. “I know you told me you finally wanted to ask me, but I want
you
to know how much I want us to be together. That I want to marry you for you—and that means you the football player too. I’m sorry I hurt you last night. Please forgive me.”

That she would propose to him after waiting all these years humbled him fiercely. “Oh, Grace,” he said, picking himself up off the floor and putting his hand on her knee. “You were scared, and I went…crazy. You and Ella both just mean so much to me. The thought of losing you…”

A tear rolled down her cheek. “I know,” she said, digging into her jeans pocket and producing a large masculine-looking ring. “That’s why I’m asking you to marry me. Ella is already yours.”

He felt tears burn his eyes.

“I was hoping I could be yours too,” she said, crying now. “Forever. In the beautiful yellow house you built for us.”

She was pretty much squeezing his heart inside his chest. “You’re already mine,” he said, pulling her out of the chair and into his arms. “And I’m yours, but yes. I want to marry you and live in that house and raise Ella and our family. More than anything.”

She smiled through the tears raining down her face as she reached for his hand. “This is Tony’s signet ring. It was the best I could do at the last minute.” She tried every one of his fingers before laughing harshly. “It doesn’t fit any of them.”

He brought her to his chest. “That’s okay,” he told her, thinking about the ring he was going to buy her. “It’s probably someone’s way of saving my manhood a little—what with you proposing and all.”

“I couldn’t think of a better way to make you understand why I decided to fight all of a sudden when all I wanted to do yesterday was run.”

“I’ll need to thank Tony somehow,” he said, kissing her on the cheek and then moving to her lips.

She sank into him, and he gave them both what they wanted: the hot, deep, wet, connected kiss that told them disaster had been averted between them and everything was going to be okay again.

“You and Ella are my everything,” he whispered against her soft lips, kissing her again.

Her body curled into his, and he luxuriated in running his hands along the sides of her waist and up her back. She moaned into his mouth, and he groaned when her tongue darted out to dance with his.

“As much as I want to make love to you,” he said, giving them both a little space, “we’re in Coach’s office.”

Her breath shuddered out. “Right. Cussing and having sex in Coach’s office. I don’t know if I could take both in the same day.”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. “And proposing to me. Don’t forget that.”

Those green eyes of hers turned luminous. “I couldn’t forget that.”

“Neither will I,” he said softly. “Ever.” He eyed the door, wondering how much longer they had before someone interrupted them. Neither Chaz nor Coach were the kind of men to be kept waiting—even if they hoped Grace would help talk their marquee quarterback out of retiring.

“I’m talking to the media this afternoon,” he said, holding her gaze. “Do you want me to tell the bullies to ‘fuck off’ on your behalf and say they should be ashamed of themselves?”

She smiled. “I was hoping to say something along those lines myself while holding your hand, if you’re okay with that. I…need to speak for Ella too.”

Of course she did. Their beautiful daughter had come into their lives unaware of all the changes she’d make inside them, just by being herself. “I’d be honored to have you by my side, Grace.”

And so a few hours later when they faced the press together, they both stood for everything that was important to them: their daughter, their relationship, but most of all love and family.

Epilogue

Jordan and Grace’s wedding took place a couple of weeks later on a mild December day right before the holidays in a heated tent filled with family and close friends. Grace had agreed to let Jordan move heaven and earth to make their wedding come together so they could spend Christmas as husband and wife.
 

Grace’s mom held Ella throughout the ceremony and then handed her to Jordan so that he and Grace could walk down the aisle as a family.

This time, Jordan had a wedding ring that fit his finger. Grace’s engagement ring was a simple but elegant yellow diamond—according to him, he’d picked it to match her sunny demeanor.

Grace wandered through the crowd with her hand on Jordan’s back as he held Ella. She was so happy that her father and brothers were making the effort to embrace Jordan again. Moments ago, her dad had finally said to Jordan, “You did a pretty good job with that house of yours.” Since her dad had been the one to build the original, it was high praise indeed. Her mom might have given her a quick wink, and Grace had pretty much smiled unabashedly when they’d left her family to make the rounds with their guests.

When she and Jordan reached the corner reserved for his Once Upon a Dare brothers, she took the baby from him and watched him man-hug every single one of the guys. Her eyes met Natalie’s, and she smiled at Blake’s wife, who seemed so at home in the midst of all this testosterone.
 

“I lost a hundred bucks to Brody,” Hunter was telling Jordan. “Everyone thought Sam was going to get hitched next.”

“If I’d known about the bet,” Sam said, giving them all a pointed look, “I could have assured you I haven’t met anyone good enough to become Mrs. Garretty yet.”

“She’ll have to be the sweetest girl alive,” Zack said, kicking back his heels and simpering. “Sam won’t go just for smart and pretty.”

“I thought Natalie was the sweetest girl alive,” Blake said, totally deadpan.

All of the guys burst out laughing, and soon Natalie was throwing a few of the party favors on the table at the football players. Ella screeched out at the game, drawing everyone’s attention.

“She likes what’s going on,” Grace explained to some of the more kid-shy football players.

Now that the regular season was over, everyone had flown in for Jordan’s bachelor party a few days ago and gotten a chance to meet Ella. Shocking everyone, Ella had taken a fancy to the biggest man in their group—Grant—topping out at six-foot-five and three hundred pounds. Grant had to remind all of them he was the oldest of five kids and had pretty much raised his brothers and sisters after his dad had cut out on them.

Grant approached Ella with a beaming grin. “How’s my little girl today? Are you happy your mommy and daddy finally tied the knot?”

Ella lurched forward, gurgling, and he caught her easily, making faces at her.

“Who knew your ugly mutt would make her laugh like that?” Jordan teased. Despite being a giant, Grant was pretty handsome if you asked Grace.

“All the women like me,” Grant said, making all the guys start the trash talk. “Hey! Watch your mouths. Little ears.”

“No one was cussing, you moron,” Brody said, rolling his eyes. “Jordan said he’d punch us if we so much as said ‘d-a-r-n’ in front of Ella here.”

Of course, Grace also had to watch her mouth now that she’d learned the incredible release of energy it provided. Jordan delighted in hearing her use swear words when it was just the two of them. Grace liked to think it was part of her toughening up to handle all the attention that came with Jordan’s profession.