“Hi, Mom,” I said, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Hey, sweetheart. How are you?”
“Good,” I lied. “You?”
“Can’t complain, just trucking along. I heard about your quarterback getting hurt. Is he okay?”
“He has a broken leg and won’t be back. We got a new one in today, though,” I said, growling the words.
“Uh-oh, doesn’t sound like you’re happy about that.”
“I’m not, but we don’t have to talk about any of that. It’s not important.”
“Okay, just don’t get into any trouble. I know how you are with the people you don’t like,” she scolded.
“I take after the best.”
She burst out laughing. “Please, I’m the sweetest woman you’ll ever know.”
“I know,” I murmured. “So how are things with you? Been to the doctor lately?”
“Yep, everything’s fine. I’m aiming to make it to a hundred years old.” That thought would make me happier than anything. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t live to see sixty-five. Knowing I was about to lose her made me sick.
“You do that, Mama. I still need someone to bitch at me when I do something stupid.”
“That’s why you need a good woman.”
I snorted. “I don’t date. You know that.”
“I know,” she sighed, “but I can always hope.”
It killed me that she’d decided to lie to me rather than tell me the truth. Maybe if I were a parent, I’d understand, but I doubted it. “Take care of yourself, now. I’ll be out that way to visit next week during my Tampa game.”
“I look forward to it, sweetheart. I love you.”
“Love ya too.” We hung up and I sucked in a deep breath. Looking up at the sky, I sent up a silent prayer, begging God to keep her here so I could see her again. For the past year, I’d been so wrapped up in my own life that I hadn’t visited her as much as I should have. The regret would forever haunt me.
Reining in my emotions, I walked back into the restaurant. When I looked at the bar, Bristol wasn’t there, but Derek was.
“Hey, man, I was about to call you. I thought you’d left,” he said.
Shaking my head, I sat down beside him. “I had a phone call.”
He stared at me and took a sip of his beer. “You okay? You don’t look right.”
My gin and tonic was still on the counter, so I tossed it all back. “My mom’s not doing so well. Brent called and said the cancer has spread.”
Derek sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Fuck, man, I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what that’s like. How long does she have?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know. Brent says maybe a couple of months. I’m going to see her when we go to Tampa next week.”
“I’m so sorry, J. I wish there was something I could do.”
Closing my eyes, I ran a hand over my face. “Me too, but it’s something I knew would happen eventually. I guess I just wanted to believe she’d have more time. But in other news, I met one of the sexiest girls I’ve ever seen tonight.”
He cleared his throat and looked away. “You’re not talking about the tall, brown-haired one with the short black skirt, are you?”
“Yeah, why?”
Turning his head, I followed his line of sight and almost fell out of my chair. “No fucking way.” Her back was to me, but there was no mistaking the cocksucker sitting in front of her; it was Ryan Delaney. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Derek nodded regretfully. “They obviously know each other. I saw them hug.”
“Well, fuck me,” I growled, watching them at the table together.
“Dude, don’t you be thinking what I think you’re thinking,” Derek warned.
My jaw clenched. “And what is that exactly?”
“You already know, Reed. Don’t try to steal her away from him or do some stupid shit like that. You tried once with Evan and it backfired in your face.”
“That’s because Evan didn’t deserve it. This guy, however, is another story.” I didn’t know what I was going to do, but Delaney’s arrogant-ass self needed to be taken down a notch or twelve.
Derek groaned. “Whatever you do, leave me out of it. This is all on you.”
I finished the rest of my drink and slapped the money on the bar.
“I can live with that. I’m out, D. See you tomorrow.”
We shook hands, and I could see the concern in his eyes as he stared at me. “Promise you’ll be okay?” he asked.
My lips tilted up in a small grin. “You forget who you’re talking to. I can handle anything.” My father taught me never to show fear. I wasn’t going to start now. When I got outside to my car, I was able to breathe. There were people who pulled into the parking lot that recognized me, so I waved and smiled. Sometimes it was hard to be on all the time.
“Jaxon Reed?”
I turned around, and standing behind me was a good-looking blonde with a nice rack and long legs. She wasn’t anything like Bristol, but she was still easy on the eyes. “That’s me,” I said, putting on the charm. “What’s your name?”
She sauntered closer, biting her lip seductively. “I’m Sadie, one of your biggest fans.” She ran a finger down my chest and pressed her body against mine. “I’ve always wanted to meet you. I heard your tastes run on the insatiable side. I thought maybe I could help you out.” Her hand cupped over my dick and I groaned. Maybe that was what I needed, to let out some steam. What better way than to fuck the shit out of her.
“You think you can handle a guy like me?” I challenged.
Her brown eyes twinkled. “Oh, I know I can. Want to follow me to my house?”
“Lead the way.”
Chapter 4
Bristol
“I can’t begin to tell you how much I missed you,” I gushed, reaching my hand out to grab Ryan’s. He smiled wide and squeezed it. His dark hair was a little longer than the last time I saw him and he wore it in messy spikes, which I loved, but it was his green eyes that were so familiar to me.
“Missed you too, babe. I can’t believe we both ended up in North Carolina. Who would’ve thought it?”
“I know, right? Maybe it’s a sign this is the place we’re supposed to be. Texas wasn’t offering us anything.”