Chapter 31
BECCA
The house smelled of hairspray and perfume, and every surface in Nate’s living room was covered in makeup products and curling irons.
“Does anyone have a safety pin?” Callie called from the stairs. “The strap on my boot broke.”
“Why aren’t you wearing your new shoes?” I turned so she could read my lips, then went back to fixing my mascara.
“Because I changed my mind about what I was wearing.”
I looked over my shoulder again. “Aren’t you wearing Nate’s jersey?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but I’m wearing a different jacket, and it won’t look good with the shoes I just bought.”
“Jesus.” Ember laughed beside me while applying some hairspray to her bangs.
“Check the medicine cabinet in Nate’s bathroom,” I said and went back to touching up my makeup.
I took a deep breath and leaned closer to the mirror. My nerves were all over the place today. This was going to be a tough matchup, and with everything going on lately, Nate needed this win now more than ever.
I set my mascara down and stared at my reflection.
“Are you okay?” Ember asked, fixing a few strands of her hair.
I glanced over at her in Nate’s jersey that I gave her to wear. After I wore Jax’s, he had a dozen sent to my house so I wouldn’t have any more excuses.
“I think so. Just nervous.”
Her expression softened with understanding. “It will all be over soon.”
Callie came running down the stairs, holding her phone in her hand. “The front gate just texted. We have a visitor.”
I pushed off the couch. “Who?”
“Lydia.”
My eyes widened as Ember laughed next to me. “Oh, this is just fucking perfect.”
I turned to Callie, feeling a sense of unease settle over my features. “What do you think she wants?”
A million thoughts filled my head, and none of them were any good. His ex-girlfriend wouldn’t show up unannounced for no good reason.
The doorbell rang, and Callie rushed over to answer it. “I guess we are going to find out.”
The second she pulled the door open and I saw her, every single thought that raced through my head ended with the same question. What the hell was the universe thinking sending her to Nate’s house two hours before his game?
I’ve seen pictures on social media, and even I had to admit she was painfully pretty.
Long, blond, glossy hair that looked so natural; I bet she never had to use an ounce of bleach in her life.
Even her face was gorgeous. I didn’t usually compare myself to other women, but every ounce of insecurity I had clawed its way up into my thoughts.
Lydia stood in the doorway awkwardly in dark jeans and a black peacoat, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She seemed nervous, almost as if she didn’t want to be here.
Ember was at my side, looking equally confused as me.
“Hi, Callie.” She took a breath like she was trying to steady herself. “Can I come in?”
Callie looked at me for permission. Lydia’s eyes drifted over to me. A line of confusion worked its way in between her perfectly shaped eyebrows. “You must be Becca.”
I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
I was too stunned to trust myself to speak, so I kept my feet firmly in place and simply nodded.
She held her hands up, sensing our hesitation. “I promise I’m not here to cause any trouble.”
Callie opened the door wider for Lydia to come inside. As soon as she stepped into the room, she hesitated like she was unsure where she should stand.
I hope she wasn’t expecting me to offer a drink and a place to sit.
“I know this probably isn’t the best time, but I came to tell you that I know what my brother is doing,” she said quietly, while rubbing her hand along her very obvious baby bump.
“What exactly is it that you think you know?” I asked, wondering if this was real or some sick joke.
Her eyes lifted to mine. “Everything.” She shifted uncomfortably, tightening the straps of her purse. “I know you probably don’t trust me, and honestly, I don’t blame you.”
“I don’t know if trust is the right word,” Callie said. “We’re just trying to figure out what’s going on. I mean, Brian is your brother, so forgive us for being a little suspicious about your intentions here.”
She nodded, like she suspected that. “I promise you, I’m not here to make excuses for Brian. I’m here because I want to help you.”
My eyebrows shot up. The three of us glanced at each other. Neither one of us knew what to do with that.
“Why would you want to go against your own brother?” Callie asked, her fingers gripping the back of the chair.
“Because he’s gone too far, and regardless of what happens, I care about Nate. I know I probably don’t have the right to say that, given how things ended. I screwed up. I hurt him. He didn’t deserve what I did to him.”
Huh. I wasn’t expecting that.
Callie crossed her arms over her chest. “Why are you telling us now?”
“I want to make things right.” She looked down at the floor and inhaled a shaky breath. “Brian has always been about control, money, and power, because that’s what motivates him. I let him control too much of my life because it was easier than to fight him.”
“Control you how?” I asked. She seemed sincere, but I still had my doubts.
“He used to tell me who I should date, and every man he suggested was an opportunity for him. I was so used to it that, at some point, I stopped noticing how messed up it was. I think a part of me wanted to believe he was looking out for me, when really, he was all about enriching himself. I think he was threatened by Nate.” She wiped a tear under her eye.
I wanted to be more sympathetic toward her, but my brain was still processing.
She clasped her hands together, like she couldn’t keep them still.
“Nate didn’t need Brian. Nate was successful, had fame, and money.
I think Nate respected him because he was his agent, but he didn’t worship him as some of his other clients did, and Brian hated that.
When Nate ended our relationship, Brian didn’t handle that very well.
When he feels threatened, he destroys everything around him.
I don’t know if he knows any other way.”
“Because everyone let him get away with it,” Callie said bluntly, stepping around the chair to confront her. “Including you, so what caused you to change your mind? As you said, this has been going on for years.”
There was a time when Callie and Lydia were friends, but after everything Lydia and Brian put Nate through, I don’t think she cared about that anymore.
She looked down at the floor. “Because Brian is getting worse, and you’re right, I spent years excusing his behavior because he was family.
But now that I’m going to have my own family, I’m finally looking at things differently.
I’m not asking anyone to forgive me, and honestly, I wouldn’t if I were you, but I hate what Brian is doing to him.
Nate deserves peace.” Her gaze drifted over to me.
“I wasn’t able to give that to him, but I hope that you can. ”
She reached into her bag and pulled out a manila envelope. “Here.” She handed it to Callie.
“What is this?” she asked, staring at the envelope.
Lydia adjusted her strap on her shoulder again. “Receipts, copies of emails, text messages. Do what you want with it.”
The three of us stood there in disbelief. None of us knew what to say. Lydia was the last person I ever expected to be standing in front of us, offering to help. And the longer I stood there, the more my skepticism faded.
I still didn’t fully trust her, but I didn’t think this was all just an act either.
Callie opened the envelope. There were highlighted papers, screenshots of emails and text messages, receipts. Everything Lydia said was there.
“What is this?” She held up a copy of a deed to a property.
Lydia swallowed. I could tell how difficult this was for her. “Brian bought a house in Miami and put it in my name without my knowledge. There is a notarized statement in there saying that the signature was forged.”
Holy shit. My head snapped to Ember, who had the same expression on her face. Never in a million years did I think Nate’s ex-girlfriend would be the one to hand us the proof we needed to put an end to all this nonsense.
Callie glanced at Lydia, like she was trying to reconcile the girl she used to know with the one standing in Nate’s living room. There was anger there, but something else too.
“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel right now, but I know what this is going to cost you, so thank you.”
“I’m not sure either, but I couldn’t continue to stay quiet.
” She twisted her hands in front of her.
“Thanks for hearing me out.” Her gaze drifted over to me, wearing Nate’s jersey.
There was guilt and sadness in her eyes.
I almost felt sorry for her. Not enough to forgive her for the role she played in this, but enough to understand that she didn’t just come here to sell her brother out.
She came because she couldn’t live with herself anymore.
It was obvious that she cared for Nate, and weirdly, that didn’t bother me.
She walked into this house, knowing she wouldn’t be welcome here, handing over the evidence we needed about her brother, and was willing to accept whatever came of it.
That took courage, and whether anyone else in this room was ready to admit it yet or not, she just gave us what we needed to put a stop to all this.
You could hear the roar of the stadium through the glass of the luxury box.
Normally, game days would give me a rush of excitement, even more so now that I was emotionally attached to the man playing his heart out on the field.
Music blared as the fans filled the stadium in royal blue and white colors. Yet, all I could focus on was the knot of anxiety in my stomach.
I pulled my phone out when the coach called a timeout.
I scrolled through my emails and paused when I saw the subject line from Daphene.
Nate Sandler Feature Approved.
I sat up straighter and opened it.
Becca,
The editorial staff loved the feature. It turned out excellent. You did an outstanding job. I think this is your best work yet.
We are sending it to his team for final approval tomorrow morning.
Given the circumstances of your developing story regarding his ex-agent, we are going to postpone the publication date and prioritize the breaking piece first.
Let us know as soon as you have it ready.
I am proud of you!
Daphene
I exhaled slowly, feeling relief spread through me. I thought back to the long hours, the conversations, all the research. How hard it was to write about him while falling in love at the same time.
This was by far the hardest assignment I’d ever done and the one I was most proud of.
When Daphene first approached me about the article, I thought it was a step back. I was so focused on being taken seriously that I almost missed out on an opportunity that not only filled me with pride but brought me the best thing that ever happened to me.
I took a sip of my water and stared down at the email one last time.
“What are you looking at?” Ember asked, trying to read what was on my screen.
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “The one-on-one feature I wrote on Nate is done. They are sending it to his team for clearance.”
Her face brightened. “Becca, that’s great.”
For weeks, it felt like my life was one dumpster fire after another. At least I had this. It was a reminder that I was still good at my job.
“Thanks.” I closed my phone and slipped it back inside my bag. “They are delaying the publication date to accommodate the article’s release this week.”
She nodded. “Makes sense.”
I looked down toward the field just in time to see the center snap the ball. Nate dropped back, scanned the field, looking for his receiver. Jax broke coverage from his defender and ran toward the end zone. Nate launched the ball, but the pass landed ten yards short. Fuck!
Everyone looked up at the screens, rewatching the play. I could tell by his body language that he was getting frustrated. Texas had a better record, but they also had a few starters out with injuries.
This was the type of game where you could feel the pressure from the field all the way up here in the luxury box.
The Hawks huddled in the middle as the crowd rose to its feet. Nate opened his wrist strap and started shouting out the next play.
“Are you going to be okay?” Callie asked, sliding into her seat while holding a plate of nachos.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, chewing on my fingernails. Nate needed this win for more reasons than one.
He adjusted his helmet as the guys lined up and took their positions.
Ember snorted. “Yeah, okay, sure. You look totally fine.”
The suite settled into restless energy as Nate dropped back, looking for an open man. He looked in complete control.
It was impressive that he could still focus and lead his team with all the distractions in his life lately. I loved football. I loved watching him play, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t counting down the years to his retirement.
The pressure was too much.
The crowd grew louder, but I could still feel my heart pounding in my chest.
Nate faked a pass and ran through the center. Everything happened so fast as I jumped to my feet and he ran through the open space straight into the end zone.
The stadium erupted in cheers.
“Holy shit!” Callie yelled. “He did it.”
Everyone in the suite started giving out high-fives.
Nate ripped his helmet off while his teammates surrounded him in the end zone.
Ember grabbed my arm when Nate pointed up at the suite. He tapped his chest three times and pointed at me.
“Oh, my fucking God. You two are ridiculously adorable.” Ember rolled her eyes next to me.
I giggled next to her while leaning against the glass. I wasn’t sure if he could see me or not, but I blew him a kiss and tapped my heart.
“He needed this,” Callie said quietly.
She was right. Not just the touchdown or the win. He needed a moment to block out all the noise and chaos that had been flooding his life and focus on football.
Because after tomorrow, reality would set in. But for now, he was under those stadium lights, with the crowd chanting his name and reminding him why everyone believed in him in the first place.