Chapter 24 #2
He nods. “You see, there was this woman. Beautiful dark hair, big green eyes, looked a lot like Tessa back then. We met for a week when we were on spring break. We were inseparable that week, and I was going to ask her to try long-distance until we could work it out. She was amazing, vibrant, and full of life. In just six short days, I fell hard. I knew she was the love of my life. I wanted to fight to make it work. Our last night together was… one I relive every single day of my life. The morning after, she was gone. Nothing but a note thanking me for the amazing week and that she would never forget me. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized I didn’t know her last name.
I never gave her mine either. My father was the owner of the Los Angeles Cougars, and I was sick and tired of women coming onto me for what they thought they could get.
I just wanted to be Joseph. That’s who I was with her. Just me.”
“What does this have to do with Tessa? Other than the resemblance? Does Bridgett think you want to be with my girlfriend?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Seeing Tessa brought back all those feelings, but even more so. I mean it when I say not a single day has gone by that I didn’t think of her and our time together.
I was crushed. When I got home, Dad informed me he was ill and it was time for me to take over running the team.
He wanted me to be settled, a family man, and all I wanted was my beach girl.
Bridgett was a family friend. We grew up together.
Her parents and mine were best friends. One night, while getting piss-ass drunk, thinking about my life, Bridgett showed up.
We made a pact. A marriage of convenience.
She’d be my wife and, in turn, would get to live a life of luxury that being married to a Stamper brings.
As for me, I didn’t have to worry about falling in love again, something I knew would never happen.
I knew there wouldn’t be anyone else for me. ”
“So your marriage is one of convenience?”
“Yes. I care about Bridgett, but I don’t love her, not like a man should love his wife. Not like you love Tessa.”
“I still don’t understand,” Coach Neil speaks up. “How does this involve Landon and Tessa?”
“When I saw Tessa, everything came flooding back. I decided I wanted to try and find her. The love of my life. I hired a private investigator. I didn’t have much to go on, but I did have Tessa’s picture and one from a photo booth from all those years ago.
” He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a small strip that contains two images.
“She has the other two,” he says, handing them to me.
My mouth drops open. “Oh, my God. She looks just like her.” I study the image that’s worn from, my guess, years of carrying it in his wallet.
“I found her, Landon.” I look up to see him watching me closely. “I found my Caroline.”
It takes me a minute to register what he’s saying, and then it clicks. “Holy shit, Tessa’s mom?”
He nods. “Yes. Caroline Deaton.” He says her name with so much reverence that even I can feel what she means to him. “I can only assume Bridgett has found my file and put two and two together. I didn’t try to hide it. Our marriage is one of friendship. Why do you think we’ve never had any kids?”
“You’ve been married for what? Twenty years?”
“Twenty-five.”
“And you’ve been… celibate all that time?”
“No, but I had a vasectomy, which pissed her off.”
“Holy shit. So she wants Tessa gone, thinking that if she’s around, her mom will be, too, and that you’ll divorce her?”
“Yes. She signed a prenup, so she’ll be well taken care of. But I’m afraid there’s more.”
“What’s that?”
“Landon, I have reason to believe that Tessa… that she’s my daughter.”
I sit on the couch, my legs not able to hold me up any longer.
“The timeline fits.”
“Fuck. I get it. It all makes sense to me now.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Is it safe to say I’m not getting traded?”
“No. You’re not.”
Relief washes over me, but there is still one issue that I need to take care of. “She gave me until midnight tonight.”
He nods. I watch as he pulls out his phone and tries to call her. “Voice mail,” he mumbles before sending her a text.
“I have to warn Tessa.”
“Wait.” There’s panic in his voice. “I don’t want them finding out like this. I don’t know if I’m her father, but I want to be, and this isn’t how I want that to go down.”
“Fine. But I’m still warning her.” Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I call Tessa.
“Hey, Lucky, I was just thinking about you.”
“Yeah?” I ask, my heart slowing just from the sound of her voice.
“Yes. I bought some pillows for your living room today to liven this place up a little.” She laughs. “I hope you don’t mind. If you don’t like them, I can take them to my place.”
“No, baby. I don’t mind. Do whatever you want. As long as you’re there, that’s all that I care about.”
“Aw.” I hear Caroline in the background.
“I should have told you that I have you on speaker.”
“I don’t care who knows how much I love you, Tessa. Your mom included. I’m glad the two of you are enjoying your time together. Listen, there’s something going on. I don’t want you to worry, but a crazy fan is starting rumors of a trade and who knows what else. It’s not true.”
“O-kay,” she says slowly.
“I’ll explain everything when I get home.
I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case the media gets a hold of this.
Also, would it be possible for you and your mom to just stay at my place for the rest of the weekend?
I don’t know where this chick is, and I’d feel better knowing that you’re safe. ”
“Yeah, I mean, we were supposed to go to Autumn’s to watch the game with her and JJ.”
“Have them come to my place. In fact, you can all just stay there. The building has excellent security.”
“Landon, are we in danger?” I can hear the worry in her voice.
“No, you’re not in danger, but I would feel better knowing you’re at my place, safe away from the crazy fans.”
“Okay. You sure there’s nothing for us to worry about?”
“I’m positive. You think I’d let you be there on your own if there was?
I just wanted to give you a warning. Oh, and ask your mom if she can stay a few extra days.
I have some things I would like to talk to both of you about.
” I catch Joseph’s eye as I say this, and he looks like he’s holding his breath, afraid to breathe.
“I can do that,” Caroline chimes in. “I’ll call the office and let them know I’m taking a few days of vacation.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you girls late tomorrow night.”
“Love you, Landon.”
“Love you, too, baby.”
I end the call.
“She’s there? Caroline is in Los Angeles?” Joseph sounds half excited and half panicked.
“Yeah, I flew her in to spend the weekend with Tess. I hate leaving her for away games.”
“The team flies out Monday morning,” Coach Neil speaks up.
“Don’t care. I’m flying home to my girl. Fine me, bench me, I don’t care.”
“You have a family emergency,” Coach Neil says with authority.
“However you want to spin it, you can. I’m on the first flight back to Los Angeles as soon as the game’s over.”
“Tom, hi, Joseph Stamper,” Joseph says, his phone to his ear.
“I need you to contact my wife. Remind her of the terms of her prenup and let her know that I’ll be filing for divorce.
Oh, and while you’re at it, let her know that anything she says in regard to any of my players and their families will be prosecuted in court.
Thanks, Tom.” He hangs up and exhales loudly.
“If I know Bridgett, that will stop her, and if not”—he shrugs—“I’ll take care of it. ”
“You flying back with me?” I ask him.
“You’re damn right, I am.” He makes another call to charter a plane for the two of us.
I thought I would come to his suite and he was going to tell me that he made a pass at Tessa or that his wife was a lunatic and thought he wanted something—anything other than what he actually told me.
He could be Tessa’s dad? How crazy is that?
It’s such a small world. In a way, I want him to be.
I want Tessa to have her father, and I want her mom to stay in Los Angeles.
I know that would make my girl happy. Besides, she’s not going to miss what comes next.