Chapter 22
Vee
“Fin, I’ve had a day. There’s security at Maker’s Mark. Uncle Darin arranged for extra security in Las Vegas. I have you here. I think I’m good.” I brushed my lips over his. “The reason I’m late isn’t about security or the lack thereof.”
He took a step back and walked to the other counter.
I scanned the definition of his biceps from beneath the sleeves of his shirt as he pulled two clean wine glasses from the rack, uncorked last night’s bottle, and filled each globe with the semi-sweet red liquid.
As he turned, his blue eyes were focused on me.
“Here.” His smile grew as he handed me a glass.
“You’re now in the let-yourself-relax-and-leave-everything-to-Fin world. ”
A long hum left my lips. “I like the sound of that.”
“Do you want to talk about your day?”
I took a hearty sip of my wine. “I don’t know.
” Kicking off my shoes, I walked barefoot into the living room to the tall windows.
The bubbling lava lamp at the horizon was gone.
The sky above was a black dome, the stars masked by the city lights.
Closing my eyes, I pictured Bre, the pictures, and the notes.
Opening my eyes, I saw Fin’s reflection in the windowpane as he came up behind me and wrapped an arm around me. Exhaling, I leaned my head back against his solid chest. “I learned something today.”
“About…?”
“Something I wish I didn’t know.”
He tugged me closer and kissed the top of my head. “Would this something be about the Coopers, your accident, or Reid?”
It was the first time I’d heard Fin refer to my dad by his first name. While I didn’t mind, it also made me sad that these two men would never have the chance to truly know one another. Blinking, I fought a new round of tears. “He was the best father.”
“You didn’t learn that today.”
I took another sip of the wine and spun in Fin’s embrace. Looking up, I swallowed my emotion. “If I tell you something, something I never imagined, I can trust you, right? You won’t say anything about it to anyone.”
“Vee, you can trust me with your gorgeous body, your deepest secrets, your greatest ambitions, your utmost fears. I want every part of you.”
Sighing, I tipped my forehead against his chest. It was easier to say the words if I wasn’t looking into Fin’s sapphire-blue orbs.
In the car, I’d decided to keep Dad’s secret forever.
Each mile, the burden grew. I didn’t want the world to know, but I wanted to share the heavy weight with someone I could trust. Just like the way I planned to tell Dad about Fin and me, I chose to blurt it out. “Dad was having an affair.”
“Shit. What?” Fin asked as he pulled my chin upward.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I went to his office after work. I don’t know what drew me there.
He was the one who encouraged me to learn more about football operations.
I wasn’t sure I’d return to the sideline.
” I shook my head. “I’m so overwhelmed with the idea of CEO.
But Drew came to find me after the morning practice and said I was still welcome. ”
“As if he could stop you.”
“No, I don’t think he meant it like that. He said you’d talked to the coaches.”
Fin nodded and released my chin. “Come over to the couch. Let’s sit.”
I set my glass on the oval glass table and settled close to Fin. His arm again wrapped around me, and I inhaled his sandalwood scent. “I think Drew came to me to let me know that the players and coaches knew about the two of us and it didn’t matter.”
“Good.”
“I had a million things to do, but I spent the afternoon on the sidelines. The play calling is getting easier to understand.” That reminded me. “Oh, that practice defensive end is fast.”
“Pickett. He’s fast, smart, observant, and painful.”
My lower lip pushed forward. “The reason for the bath salts?”
“Yeah. Keep talking. You went to your dad’s office…”
“As I was leaving work,” I went on, “I was thinking about him. I guess I thought I’d feel closer to him in his office.
Anyway, when I got there, the central office was dark.
There was a light coming from underneath Dad’s office doors and when I tried to enter, they were locked.
I started to walk away, and then I heard crying.
It was a woman, so I assumed it was my aunt.
You know, maybe she was feeling the same way I was. I knocked and called out to her.”
“It wasn’t your aunt,” Fin said.
“No. It was Dad’s assistant.” I hesitated to say her name. “The office was a wreck. Things pulled from drawers…She tried to stop me from seeing anything, but I saw a picture—a physical picture. Of the two of them, smiling. She was on Dad’s lap.”
Fin lifted his eyebrows. “Oh shit.”
“She proceeded to tell me that the affair had been going on for years. She showed me an engagement ring and told me as soon as Dad and Daphne divorced, he planned to elope with Bre to Europe—actually, she just said overseas.”
“Do you believe her?”
“She had the receipts. There were little notes and letters from Dad to her and vice versa. I read more than I should have.”
“I’m sorry, Vee. That shouldn’t take away from the fact he was a great father.”
“I know. It’s just...” We intertwined our fingers. “Oh, she also said that she’s the reason Dad hadn’t signed the new will. He didn’t plan to leave anything to Daphne but to Bre instead.”
“Bre Stanton?”
I craned my neck to see his face. “You know her?”
Fin shook his head. “Not really. She was part of the communication chain during my first interactions with the Coopers.”
“That’s why I’m upset. Aunt Rachel had her at a meeting the other day. If anyone knows Dad’s job, it’s Bre. Now I want her gone.”
“Because you’re loyal to Daphne?”
“No,” I answered too fast. “It feels…wrong.”
“You know, if you decide to appoint yourself as CEO, you have the support of the players.” His grin reappeared. “After I confessed to the others on the team about us, they told me to treat you right or they’d kick my ass.”
I snickered. “Is that why Pickett kept knocking you down?”
“Have I not treated you right?”
Reaching up, I palmed his cheek, and stretching my neck, I brought my lips to his. “We should both be on probation for a while, but so far, I’d give you a passing grade.”
“Oh, that sounds like a glowing assessment.”
I shook my head. “If anything, you’ve treated me too well. When I’m here with you, I can almost forget the rest of the world, no matter how horrible it is.”
“That’s all part of the Fin’s-in-control bubble we’re creating. I’ll look up the Vine’s menu and we can order dinner.” Again, he kissed the top of my head. “Getting beat up today made me hungry.” Releasing my hand and easing his arm out from behind me, Fin stood.
“Wait.” I reached for his hand. “What about my dad and Bre?”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m against cheating. It’s not something I would do.”
I narrowed my gaze, remembering the pictures of him at Tennessee.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said with a sexy grin. “To quote a nostalgic TV show, ‘we were on a break.’”
I raised my eyebrows in question. “Fourteen years?”
“I can apologize to you for the rest of our lives, but in my mind, we were broken up.”
Pressing my lips together, I nodded. “I’m sorry too. If I had told you who my dad was, the two of you would have had a chance to know one another.”
Fin squeezed my hand. “You know on Wednesdays—today—there’s no talk about the last game.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a win or a loss. It’s over.
In the past. Our focus is on the next game and the next opponent.
You and I both made mistakes. That was the discussion for Monday. Now, we’ve moved on to our future.”
Grinning, I nodded.
We released each other’s hand.
Fin started to walk toward the kitchen and stopped. His forehead furrowed. “Do you think Daphne knew?”
I let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. If she did, I actually feel sorry for her. I think it’s a secret better left buried.”
“If you would fire Bre, could the secret come out?”
Reaching for my temples, I leaned back against the sofa. “I’m not sure screwing my late father is a justified reason for dismissal.” My eyes opened wide. “However, Kentucky is an ‘at-will’ state, meaning I could fire her or anyone else for no reason.”
“She could still fight it, and then your dad’s secret would become public.”
“One thing doesn’t add up. Mr. Eads, Dad’s attorney, specifically mentioned that Dad wanted Daphne to have more.
And Bre said Mr. Eads knew of Dad’s plans to divorce.
” I shook my head. “Right now, it’s too much to think about.
” I reached for my wine. “I’m not sure I can work side by side with her day after day.
” I took another drink. “You don’t need to look up the menu.
I have it taped inside a cupboard in the kitchen.
” I shrugged. “It’s convenient, and I’m not always in the mood to cook, especially for one.
” My forehead furrowed. “If Dad had this secret, are there more?”
Fin shook his head to my question. Honestly, neither one of us had the answer.
“Let’s check out the menu,” he said. “You’ve thought too much about the world outside our bubble. It’s time for me to distract you.”
“I really like the way that sounds.”