Touchdowns and Temptations: A Football billionaire Romance

19

Last night was an absolute nightmare. After Noah and I had a fight in the street, I took a cab home. I definitely didn”t want to party anymore.

I didn”t want things to escalate. I kept trying to reach Noah, but he wasn”t answering his cell phone.

“Can you explain this to me?” my dad shouts.

His head glowing red, he slaps a Boston daily newspaper in front of my face. It takes me a moment to react and glance at the front page. My blood freezes in my veins and I swallow hard when I see the headline.

“This!” my father continues, tapping the front page with his index finger. “Explain it to me!”

I pick up the paper with shaking hands. It”s the Boston Sports Radar, the most important sports paper in the city. And on the front page is a picture of me, my parents and Noah!

I was expecting to see a picture of my parents and me. After all, my dad was being honored for his life”s work. It”s a photo from the red carpet, but where does Noah fit in? I quickly scan the headline: ‘Noah McCarter: Quarterback Ends Affair with Corse”s Daughter!’

I quickly open the paper and look at the article. The pictures are all from last night. One with my parents and the rest with Noah and Alex - and the press is accusing me of having an affair with both McCarter twins. They”re crazy!

“What is all this about?” my father asks, crossing his arms over his chest. “How can I read something like that about my daughter?”

My parents are not at all used to such lapses on my part, and I understand that they are angry. Mom comes up behind him, but unlike him, she doesn”t look angry, she looks worried.

“This is... this... this was and I...” I shake my head. “I can”t explain it. I”m sorry.”

“Cara Catherine Corse,” he says sternly. “It says he wants you, that you want him...”

My dad doesn”t want to talk about my sex life in the paper, and that”s a good thing. I don”t want that kind of stuff coming out of his mouth.

“Noah and I had an affair,” I try to explain. “And I ended it yesterday. That”s all.”

“And that”s what all the fuss is about?” he asks.

“He started it!” I shout like a petulant child. “He dragged me out of the building, paraded me in front of everyone, and started this fight in the street - not me.”

“Don”t blame Noah,” my father replies. “You did your part too. Everyone”s talking about the story. What are you doing, Cara?”

“Leave her alone, Michael,” my mom interjects, giving him a dirty look. “She made a mistake. So what?”

“A mistake?” He gasps for air. “There are videos circulating on the Internet of our daughter giving the Boston Foxes quarterback...”

“None of this would have happened if he wasn”t a quarterback!” I yell at my dad. “If you weren”t a quarterback, I wouldn”t be stuck in this shitty life!”

Suddenly my mood shifts from vindication to sadness and frustration. Tears stream down my cheeks, and I vehemently wipe them away. I don”t even know why I”m crying. Because of my dad, because of the job, because of Noah or because I”m just stupid? I don”t know.

“Honey!” My mom comes over and strokes my back. “What”s wrong with you and what does this have to do with your dad?”

“I”d like to know that too,” he barks at me. “Didn”t I make everything possible for you and your mother and ...”

“Did you go to one of my performances at school?” I ask. “No, because you were playing football! Did you go to my high school graduation? No. You were never there, Dad. That sport was always more important than me, than us, and I swore I didn”t want to live like that. Not like Mom.”

“Cara!” My mother exhales. “You think I was unhappy?”

“I know,” I reply, standing up. “I need to work this out with Noah.”

“I wasn”t unhappy,” my mother says. “Lonely sometimes, maybe, but never unhappy. I always had my greatest happiness with me.”

I open my mouth to speak when my mother sighs.

“Cara, you were all I needed. Your father and I, we never got bored in our relationship and always had something to talk about. I missed him, of course, I did, but I had you. I was never lonely. Before you were born, I often traveled with him. It was a great life, the best, and I have never regretted it.”

“Really?” I breathe and she shakes her head.

“No,” she says, “and it tears my heart apart that you think that and that”s why you”re throwing this wonderful man away.” Her eyebrows shoot up. “Is he that bad in bed?”

“Mom!” I scream, my face turning crimson.

My father groans in frustration.

“Dana!” he grumbles. “I don”t want to know, and Cara, honey...”

He runs his fingers through his hair and I can clearly see that he is struggling to find the right words and composure.

“I”m sorry,” he says, and I look at him in surprise. After that performance, I didn”t expect him to react like that. “Why didn”t you say anything?”

“Football has always been the most important thing to you and it”s the most important thing to Noah and ...”

“Nothing is more important to me than you and your mom. You”re my daughter, my only child. And if you”re throwing away the man of your dreams because of that, then I”ve failed as a father in every way.”

“You didn”t fail, Dad.”

“But?”

“I can”t imagine a life like that,” I say honestly. “Not for me and not for my children.”

My mother smiles at me.

“Sometimes you have to take risks to be happy. When we got together, your dad was already a star and on the road all the time. And you know what life is like with a football player, honey.”

I look at my mother and sigh.

“But I... I messed up,” I whisper, wiping away my tears. I say nothing more and leave the kitchen and my parents. I don”t want to talk to them anymore.

When I try to reach Noah again, he doesn”t answer the phone, of course. He also ignores my messages. I can understand that he”s mad at me, but I have to talk to him. The whole thing is a disaster. My parents have threatened to sue anyone who spreads the video of our fight and the article. I think that intimidated them, but it doesn”t change the fact that I need to work this out with Noah. The conversation with my parents, while confusing, has given me food for thought.

It”s enough that I”m in love with him. Because that”s what has always kept my mom by my dad”s side. She loves him. That”s why she”s put up with all the hardships that life has thrown at her. It”s the same with me. When I imagine a life without Noah because I can”t get off my ass and panic about my childhood, I shudder. Noah and I have taken so many steps towards a relationship. We”ve been together all the time, getting to know each other”s families.

The elevator doors open and I step out. With each step I take closer to the front door, I get more nervous. My hands are sweating and I try to ignore the uncontrollable pounding of my heart. So far, Noah”s apartment has been a happy place for me. We”ve had some great times there. We laughed a lot and loved each other. It was always fun with Alex, too. Although I know that Noah isn”t always happy with how freely Alex talks to me. But he doesn”t have to worry about that. Because I would always choose Noah. Alex is funny and we have a lot of fun together, but I could never talk to him the way I talk to Noah. I think the right woman for the other McCarter twin is still out there somewhere. I just hope she”s not in Nashville and named after a flower. Wait a minute. Why am I worrying about Daisy and Alex when I can”t get anything together myself? Noah just dumped me last night.

I take another deep breath and press the doorbell. I regret it immediately and wonder what I”m doing here. Noah is going to kick me out, and for good reason. I”ve completely messed things up between us and caused a scandal like no other. Although... he”s not completely innocent, is he? He confronted me and dragged me out of the building.

The door swings open and Alex looks at me in surprise.

“Cara?” he asks, his eyes wide.

“Hi,” I whisper, feeling anything but comfortable in my own skin. “Is... I mean, is... can I... come in?”

“Sure,” he says, stepping aside. I pass Alex and enter the apartment. “Where”s Noah?”

“Not here,” he answers.

I narrow my eyes and decide to stay calm. Alex is my only chance to find out where Noah is. I shouldn”t be surprised that he”s angry with me. Noah is his twin brother, and I”ve hurt him badly.

“And where is he?” I ask in a trembling voice.

“Out for a run,” he says. “And I mean that seriously.” A small smile plays on his lips. “A lot going on this morning.”

“Uh, yeah,” I say. “My dad took care of it.”

Alex raises an eyebrow and I bite my lip. I probably shouldn”t have said that. I shiver slightly, even though it”s warm in the apartment, and I feel extremely uncomfortable in my skin. “So... how... how long has he been gone?”

“I don”t know,” Alex says. “Probably a while. Do you want something to drink?”

“You”re offering me something?” I ask, surprised, and he nods. Alex puts two glasses on the kitchen counter and grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

“Why not?” he asks. “I like you, Cara.”

“Oh!”

Alex laughs and closes the bottle while I greedily reach for the glass to wet my mouth.

“Are you so surprised that I like you?” he asks. “I have to admit it hurts me.”

“No,” I say. “It”s not that.”

I set the glass down in front of me and bite my bottom lip nervously.

“Noah is your brother and I... I messed up...”

“You broke his heart,” Alex says what I don”t want to hear. I bow my head in shame. “And yes, that hurts me too. He”s my brother, Cara. You can”t treat him like your horny little toy because you want to get fucked.”

“I never did,” I hiss and look at him. “Don”t ever say that again.”

“You didn”t, but that”s how he feels,” Alex adds. “Listen... I shouldn”t be having this conversation with you, but Noah is unbearable. Really obnoxious, and I can”t put up with that for weeks and months. So, I suggest that you ask him to forgive you.”

“That easy?” I ask skeptically and he laughs.

“Of course not,” Alex says. “He won”t forgive you.”

My shoulders slump sadly. My little glimmer of hope that it might not be so hard after all is extinguished.

“Then why are we talking?” I ask. “What do I do if he doesn”t forgive me?”

“You have to apologize and ask him to forgive you,” he advises me. “And it”s hard to believe I”m saying this, but you”re probably the best thing that”s happened to us two idiots in the last few months.”

I can”t help but laugh.

“I heard what you said to Noah - about Daisy.”

I bite my lips and lower my eyes. I did mean it, but it wasn”t meant for his ears. Alex is a grown man and he knows what he”s doing.

“And it”s true. Daisy is taking advantage of me.”

“Do you still love her?”

“Daisy?” Alex laughs. “No. I like her and I have fond memories of my time with her, but I don”t love her anymore. We”re friends with benefits.”

“Friends with benefits?” I raise my eyebrows. “I don’t know. I should go.”

“Why?” he asks.

“I don”t want to wait hours for him.” Alex nods and I push my glass across the bar to him. “Thanks for the water and the conversation.” I smile at him.

“Gladly,” he says and nods. I slide off the barstool and turn to go to the front door as it opens. Noah walks in, kicking off his running shoes.

“I”m back,” he says tiredly. You can see the strain of the last few hours on his face. “The run was really good, thanks, and...”

When he sees me, he stops immediately. His previously tired but gentle gaze hardens and makes my blood run cold.

“Get out!” I am completely unable to follow his words. “Go on, get out!”

“Noah, I...” I stammer, searching for the right words, but unfortunately, I can”t find them. “Let”s talk?”

“No,” he says, grabbing me roughly by the arm. “I”m done with you.”

“You”re hurting me,” I try to stall, but he rolls his eyes and drags me to the door behind him.

“Noah!” Alex interrupts. “Listen to her?”

I smile gratefully at him, but unfortunately it only seems to make Noah angrier.

“No need,” he grumbles at his brother. “It would be nice if you stay out of my hookups in the future, like I”ve been doing with you and Daisy for years.”

HOOKUPS?

He didn”t say that did he? Angrily, I tear myself away from him.

“What did you just call me?” I hiss. “a hookup?”

“Yeah,” he replies matter-of-factly. “That”s all it ever was. Now get out of here.”

I hear Alex say something else, but Noah doesn”t answer his brother. Instead, he drags me to the front door, opens it, and pushes me into the hallway. I look at him with my eyes wide open.

“Noah,” I whisper. “Please. Let”s talk.”

There is no trace of his usually gentle nature on his face. On the contrary, his expression becomes more and more rigid and angry.

“Fuck you, Cara!” he spits out. “I”m done with you, your games, and our relationship.” Then he slams the door in my face with a bang and yells at his brother.

I stand there for a few more minutes, my lower lip trembling, and finally I burst into tears because I have lost the man I love.