“Of course,” Jenna said, laying her hand on top of Tara’s. “Would you? I mean, I know you don’t live here, so maybe you only do local stuff out there in California.”
“I can do anything, anywhere. I’d be happy to plan the event. Eventually I want to expand my business nationally.” She turned to Mick. “Not that I want to butt in. I’m sure I could help you find someone local, which would probably be easier for you.”
“Are you kidding? I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have organize this party. You’re serious about this? You’d coordinate everything?”
Her eyes shone with warmth. “I’d love to, Mick. Your entire family has been wonderful to me this weekend. I can’t think of any event I’d love to plan more than your parents’ anniversary party. So when is it?”
Jenna showed her the dates.
“Okay, that’s Nathan’s birthday weekend, but I’ll work around it.”
“No,” Mick said. “You don’t put your kid second.”
She laid her hand over his and offered up a warm smile. “I never put Nathan second. But I imagine for game tickets, he’d love to spend his birthday out here. And he loves your family. Unless you see that as a problem.”
He kissed her forehead. “Spending time with you and Nathan isn’t a problem.”
He caught the look Jenna gave him, but he didn’t care what she thought. He was having a hard enough time wrapping his head around his feelings for Tara and what it all meant. He sure as hell wasn’t going to try to explain them to Jenna.
Tara turned to Jenna. “Jenna can help me on this end, and it’ll be a breeze.”
Jenna nodded and picked up her coffee. “Done deal, then. We’re on for the twelfth. I’ll shoot a text message to Gavin and let him know.”
Little by little, his life was becoming more and more entwined with Tara’s. And the knot in his throat was growing.
ELEVEN
MICK DRIPPED WITH SWEAT BUT STOOD UNDER CENTER, took the snap, dropped back a few steps, ignoring the rush, fixated on his targeted receiver. Three, two, one ... now. He threw the pass, and Rodney had the ball in his hands and sprinted away.
Not that he expected a tackle. His offensive linemen were the best and would protect him while he stayed in the pocket.
Coach Lewis blew the whistle and came off the sidelines toward him.
“Still as cold-blooded as ever, Mick.”
Mick took the bottle of water handed to him and swallowed down a couple sips, then handed it off. “Thanks.”
“Your off-season workouts have added some muscle. Your timing is good. Arm feel okay?”
Mick nodded, ignoring the pinch in his shoulder and the aches in just about every damn joint in his body. “Just fine.”
Coach patted him on the back. “I’ve never seen you work drills this hard.”
“Just trying to keep those hungry young quarterbacks off my back.”
Coach laughed. “You know we have to recruit young talent. They’re no threat to you. Not for a while anyway.”
It didn’t matter. Mick was always aware that he was one injury away from being replaced in the game. He was thirty years old, and his time was limited. He took a glance to the sidelines where Brad Samuelson and Coy Bowman stood with clipboards in their hands. They knew every play; they practiced every day. They stood at the ready to step in and take his place. Young kids, eager to be the next big thing in professional quarterbacks. They were good, too. A little green, but good. Which meant Mick had to stay on his game if he wanted to continue to live his dream for a few more years.
Not just yet, boys. I still have several more years to play.
As long as he stayed healthy.
They worked drills for a couple more hours, then hit the showers. When he stepped out of the locker room, Liz was there in a killer gray suit and high heels that looked like they could do some serious damage to a man’s private parts. She pushed off the wall and came toward him.
“Hoping to ogle some naked man flesh?” he teased.
She rolled her eyes. “If I wanted to see all of you naked, I’d have walked in there.”
True enough. Wouldn’t be the first time she’d strolled into the locker room and had conversations with one of her clients while they were showering. Most of the guys had gotten used to seeing her, though the younger guys usually dropped their tongues on the floor when she came walking in. She was definitely noticeable, and she knew it and used it to her advantage. Liz didn’t have a shy bone in her body.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Samuelson and Bowman looked good today in drills.”
“Uh-huh.” He turned and headed out the side door toward his car. Liz followed. “Your point?”
“You’re thirty now, Mick. Time to focus more on the game and less on some woman and her kid.”
He stopped, turned, leveled his gaze on her. “My relationship with Tara is none of your business.”
“It’s my business if she affects your game play.”
“Did you watch me practice today?”
“Yes.”
“How did I look?”