12. A Perfect Evening
12
Foster
Ihaven’t seen Hadley since I got home from practice. Riggs let me know Tessa invited her to dinner tonight, so I can only assume she’s in her room getting ready. I check the time on my watch, but before I can even register where the hands are on the dial, I hear her bedroom door open and close.
I’m waiting at the bottom of the stairs when she appears, a vision in black and denim that damn near takes my breath away. I watch silently as she descends the staircase, her eyes on me as color blooms in her cheeks.
“Hey,” she says when she reaches the bottom.
“Hey,” I reply, then clear my throat. “You look beautiful.”
Her blush deepens as she gives me a nod of thanks.
“I can drive,” I say, holding out an arm for her to precede me toward the door.
“Sounds good,” she says, heading that way.
After we walk out onto the porch and she locks the door behind us, we walk side-by-side to my car. My hand presses against the small of her back, and I feel her tense for a quick moment before she relaxes.
I help her into the car and close the door behind her before jogging around to the driver’s side and climbing in behind the wheel. I look over at her as I start the engine, the setting sun bathing her perfect features in a warm, golden glow.
“How was practice?” she asks once we’re on the road.
“Good,” I reply. “We got some great work in today, and Riggs invited me over to talk about the game plan for this weekend.”
“Yeah, that’s what Tessa told me,” she says. “She asked me to come keep her company while you guys talk shop.”
I nod, but there’s a disingenuous note to her voice that tells me that isn’t the whole story. Plus, Tessa is football-obsessed, and I can’t imagine her not wanting to be a part of the discussion, offering her own opinions on how the Bandits should handle our upcoming opponent.
Or…maybe I’m reading too much into it. Tessa could just want to see her best friend, nothing more.
Maybe my mind is twisting it into a narrative to fit some deep, subconscious desire––that Tessa is playing matchmaker.
Okay, the desire isn’t really that deep or subconscious. Every day that passes, every moment I spend with Hadley makes me want her more despite my decision to keep things platonic. I cannot forget the reason I decided to ignore my attraction to her in the first place.
She deserves more than I can give her. A solid, stable domestic life. Marriage. Kids.
I can’t offer her any of those things. I’m never getting married. Never having kids. And even if Hadley doesn’t want those things, my future with the Bandits isn’t a foregone conclusion. My position with the team is solid right now, but who knows what might happen next year when my contract is up?
I’m building a life here. A home. But if Branston decides to trade me to another team, I’ll have to sell my house and move, leaving this life I’ve been carving out for myself behind.
It wouldn’t be fair to any woman to start something serious. And Hadley? Who has a home and business she loves? I could never ask her to follow me to another team. Another town.
“You okay?” she asks, snapping me out of my deep ponderings.
“What? Yes. Sorry, I zoned out for a minute.”
“You looked angry,” she says, twisting in her seat to face me fully.
I shake my head and force out a chuckle. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about losing to the Wardens last year. We need to beat them this weekend.”
She nods as if she accepts my explanation, but continues to eye me critically. Like a puzzle she’s having trouble solving. I need to distract her.
“How was your day?” I ask, flinching internally at the basic, boring question.
“Good,” she says. “I got two bookings for late November.”
“That’s great,” I say, forcing my voice to remain light.
I’m kind of worried about her business’ sustainability. If I wasn’t staying with her, she wouldn’t have any new income for the next several weeks.
“Do you advertise the B&B?” I ask casually.
“I have pages on social media, and I try to update them regularly with pictures of the house and pretty views around town.”
“But you don’t do any paid advertising? Listings on travel websites or anything like that?”
“I used to,” she says quietly. Then stronger, “And I will again when things pick up, and I can spare some of my budget for it.”
We fall quiet as we pull into Tessa and Riggs’ neighborhood. I park in their driveway and look over at Miles and Roxy’s place, which is right next door. Miles’ Jeep is in the driveway, but the house looks quiet and deserted.
“Roxy and Miles have a date night tonight,” Hadley says when she sees where I’m looking. “They’re going to the county fair in Branston.”
I guess that explains why Riggs didn’t invite the couple to join us.
She moves to grip the door handle, and I tell her to wait before hopping out and rushing around to her side. Pulling open the door, I hold out a hand to assist her. She stares at it for a beat before her lips part in a wide smile. Taking my hand, she climbs out, and I close the door behind her.
My fingers tighten around her hand, loathe to release her, but I force myself to let her go. I’m sending mixed signals to even myself, and I can’t do that to Hadley. Her pink blushes and secret smiles tell me she’d welcome the attention, but I refuse to be the man who takes her innocence and breaks her heart.
The thought of some other man––some stranger from her future––taking that innocence has my mouth twisting down into another frown. My body goes rigid as we walk side-by-side toward the front porch stairs. I force myself to relax as we climb the steps.
I lift a hand to knock, but Hadley beats me to the punch, twisting the doorknob and pushing open the door. She calls out to Tessa, but it’s Riggs who appears, offering us a welcoming smile.
“Hey, guys. Come on in. Tessa’s in the kitchen.”
Hadley greets him with a quick hug before slipping past him to go find her friend. I take Rigg’s outstretched hand in a firm handshake, and he jerks me forward, clapping me on the back with his other hand. I return the gesture, and he releases me before we follow in Hadley’s wake.
“Something smells delicious,” I say.
“I grilled some steaks and asparagus,” he replies as we enter the kitchen area, “and Tessa made baked potatoes with all the fixings to load them up.”
“Sounds delicious,” I say, but my attention is already focused on Hadley as she bends over to help Tessa pull the potatoes from the oven.
I don’t realize my voice deepened on the words or that I’m staring until Riggs nudges me in the ribs with a pointed elbow. I look over at him, and he rolls his eyes before offering me a drink. I agree to a glass of iced tea, and he confers with the ladies before pouring four tall glasses and motioning for me to help him carry them to the table.
We fill our plates from platters and bowls on the kitchen counter, then carry them to our seats. Tessa and Hadley slide into chairs on one side of the table, so I take the seat next to Riggs on the opposite side. My position gives me a full, unhindered view of Hadley as she laughs at something Tessa says. Her head tilts backward, and my gaze drinks in the sight of her bare neck, so long and graceful.
And kissable.
Snapping out of the trance I’d fallen into, I clear my throat and focus on my food. The conversation flows easily around me, and soon I relax into the comfort. Hadley is more serene and at ease than I’ve ever seen her. I can barely take my eyes off her.
Riggs and I never do get around to talking football, but that’s okay. It’s a perfect evening, just as it is.