Hard Break (Deadlines & Diamonds, #5) (25 page)

Epilogue

C
hase Black couldn’t be more annoyed. His mom had picked out his clothes, making him wear a sweater. Not just any sweater either. The stupid thing was red with white deer on it. He wondered if after this lame party he could burn it without his mom finding out.

Maybe Ian could run interference.

Man, he loved having Ian around. After the wedding next week, Ian was going to move in and his sister was going to move in next door. Chase liked Stephanie.

Ian pulled into a huge driveway, driving up to a gigantic house. Chase felt his mouth fall open. People who lived in houses like that didn’t like kids. He hadn’t wanted to come to the dang party to begin with, and now…

He slapped a hand over his face.

“Who lives here?” He hated that he sounded all in awe.

“I told you. My boss lives here.”

“Your boss must make a lot of money.” Chase tried not to squint at the blinding light coming from the gazillion and a half Christmas lights.

“I don’t think it’s her
money funding this house, bud.”

Whatever.

The car stopped, the engine turned off, and seatbelts unfastened. Before Chase knew it, they stood on the doorstep. Holy crap, the door was tall. He could probably hula-hoop with the ginormous wreath.

Ian rang the doorbell and they waited. Mom
ran her hand over Sadie’s hair. Penelope, sitting on Ian’s arm, choked him with a hug. Chase rolled his eyes. Maybe he could wait in the car.

Too late. The door swung open. Instead of a stuffy butler, which was what Chase expected, a little girl about Sadie’s age greeted them with a huge smile and a cheerful, “Welcome to our home.”

She waved her arm, motioning them to enter. Dude, this girl and Sadie were going to get along great. Chase wondered if there were more kids at this party. He stretched up on his tiptoes and searched the crowd in the other room. Not much to see, except a bunch of really big guys.

A blond lady, wearing a Christmas apron over her green dress, strolled in to greet them. “Ian, I’m so glad you could make it.” She hugged him and Chase wasn’t sure he liked that very much. She turned a smile on Chase and his sisters. Ah-ha, the little girl was this lady’s daughter. Had to be. Their smiles were the same. “Hi, guys.
Thanks for coming to our party.”

“Love to party.” Penelope clapped her hands.

Ian laughed and made the introductions. Jane Pierce, as Chase was told, was Ian’s new boss.

“Nice to meet you,
” Chase said in his most grown-up voice.

“Who’s here?” came the booming question.

Chase looked up and felt his eyeballs pop. “Y—y—you’re…”

“Grayson Pierce.”
The man smiled, walking up to shake hands.

Chase couldn’t have been more shocked if a lightning bolt had stuck him. He just stood and stared
at the
Rockets
coach. And then it got worse.

Holy crap!

No freakin’ way!

He blinked, rubbed at his eyes, and locked his knees to keep from fainting.

“Enrique Santiago?” he stuttered.

The guy just inside the doorway of the next room turned and grinned
, hugging a woman into his side. “My friends call me Ricky.”

Chase’s mouth worked
, but no sound came out. Here he stood in the house of a
Rockets
legend, twenty feet away from his hero and all he could do was gawk. What a loser. He’d be sure to leave that part out when he told the story at school on Monday.

If not for Ian’s hand on his shoulder, Chase might have stood in the living room all night. As a family they moved into the massive family room slash kitchen. Call him perfectly happy to sit and watch Ricky Santiago drink his beer and Grayson Pierce play host.

“Close your mouth,” Ian whispered, “you’re drooling.”

Chase snapped to attention, wiping at his chin. “I am not.”

“No, but you might’ve started soon. They’re just ordinary guys.”

“Huh-
uh, there’s nothin’ ordinary about them.”

Ian just shook his head, chuckled, mocking. Yeah, he didn’t get it. Chase wondered who
his
hero was and how composed he’d be if he came face to face with him. Not very, he’d bet.

The girls had disappeared not long after they’d come through
the door, but Chase hadn’t wanted to miss a single move his idols made.

“Hi
, kid, how are ya?”

“Good.” Chase looked up in the hazel eyes of a man.

“You like the
Rockets
?” he asked through a smile.

“Yeah.” Chase cringed when it came out all breathy.

“Me too.”

“Are you a fan?”
Chase asked.

“I’m Matthias Xavier.”

Chase frowned. “Who?”

The room erupted into laughter. Chase hadn’t meant to be funny, but kinda liked the rolling rumble in the room.

Ricky clamped a hand on Xavier’s shoulder. “Admit it, old man, you’re washed up.”

“I admit nothing.” Xavier laughed
, sulking off to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of beer.

A tall kid put his hand on Chase’s shoulder. “Hey. That’s my dad.”

“Which one?” Chase asked.

The
older kid jerked his head toward the crowd. Not clarifying a bit. “I’m Matt Santiago.”

“Ricky’s your
dad
?” Chase asked in awe.

“Yep. Come on, the video games are down here.”

Chase followed Matt down a wide hallway, glancing over his shoulder to see Ricky give them a thumbs-up. This was turning out to be the very best night of his entire life.

“There’s something you should know,” Matt said.

“What’s that?”

“My dad’s a normal guy.” Chase was about to protest, when Matt
added, “His farts stink just like everybody else’s.”

Turn the page for an excerpt from:

LUCKY 13

(Deadlines & Diamonds, #4)

Strike One

Tragedy made it possible for Enrique Santiago

to take over as Left Fielder for the
Las Vegas Rockets
.

Talent keeps him there,

giving him everything a guy could want.

Except a woman to share it with.

Strike Two

A painful past with one very prominent reminder

molded
Shayne Xavier into the woman she is.

She isn’t bitter or jaded, though. She’s a realist.

Men can’t be depended upon and only lead to

broken
promises and shattered hearts.

Strike Three

Unaware of the demons of her past,

Ricky tries to offer strength

as Shayne’s life spins out of control.

Sometimes Happily-Ever-After is too good to be true.

Will Shayne and Ricky ever be able to restore

the
luck of his
Lucky 13
?

1

“Can I be your plus one?”

“I didn’t think you’d need one.” Enrique “Ricky” Santiago glanced up into the face of one of his closest buddies and teammate, Mason James. Ricky waved a hand at the seat next to him. “Have a seat, my man. Where’s Chloe?”

Mason chuckled, but Ricky didn’t buy the nonchalant. “She had a meeting with the accountant.”

Ricky shook his head. “Seriously, man, either she needs to go back to high school or—”

“Or?”

“Or get a freakin’ calculator.” He couldn’t bear to voice his suspicions. By the sick look on Mason’s face, the guy already knew and wasn’t ready to go Sherlock Holmes on his wife’s fidelity. “You just get here?”

“Yeah.”
Mason sat and leaned back in the chair. “Why you here all by your lonesome?”

“I don’t bring dates to these kinds of things. You know that.” Ricky took a swig of his Bud. “Chicks get the wrong idea, gettin’ all twitterpated over my celebrity friends. The next thing I know they’re readin’
Brides
magazine.”

Mason barked out a laugh. “I’ve been married so damn long I guess I’d forgotten.”

Ricky didn’t bother saying he envied the shit out his married teammates. He let his gaze drift over the sea of dancers, searching out the happy couple. Damn, life really had a way of throwing a curve when you were expecting a fastball.

A feather could have knocked Ricky over when he found out the great Xavier had fallen for Frankie Holden. Okay, that wasn’t exactly right. Frankie was one hell of a woman. Half the team crushed on her, but that
she’d
fallen in love with
him
and actually married the sonofabitch? Nobody saw that shit comin’.

Hell, he’d never seen Xavier with a lovestruck, can’t-get-enough-of-her grin on his face. But as he swayed on the dance floor with Frankie in his arms, the look on his face hollered complete damned adoration.

Who’d’ve thunk it?

Mason knocked on the table with his knuckles.
“Surprised the shit outta me, too.”

“Huh?”

“I never woulda thought he was capable of it either. I guess you just never know.”

Ricky shook his head again. “No, I guess you don’t.”

“You hear his condo’s on the market?”

“Nah.”
Ricky watched as Xavier bent down to whisper into Frankie’s ear. She tossed her head back in a laugh Ricky couldn’t hear before snuggling closer into her husband’s chest. “Makes sense, though.”

“You should buy it.”

“I got a place of my own.”

Mason chuckled. “Yeah, but can you imagine the women showin’ up on that doorstep?”

“I don’t want X’s sloppy seconds.” He had a love/hate relationship with the former left fielder. Xavier hated him and Ricky was peachy-keen-okay not sendin’ any love back.

“At least you’d be gettin’ some.” Mason snickered when Ricky emphasized his disgust with a single finger. “I’m gonna get me a beer. You need one?”

Ricky raised his half-full bottle. “I’m good. Thanks.”

Mason crossed the room, giving a high-five to catcher, Dominic Kane. The guy had some girl wrapped around him so tightly it looked like he was covered in a hot pink second skin. Kane put his hands on her ass and the chippie just grinned. Ricky had to wonder whose date he’d pinched.

He let his eyes wander, surveying his teammates socializing with people he didn’t know and that’s when he noticed her. Off to the side, standing alone, her slender body, wrapped in red fabric, held his attention better than a ticker-tape parade. Auburn hair caressed her shoulders, draping down her back. Her tiny waist accentuated curves that made Ricky’s blood heat.

Beautiful.
No, that wasn’t enough. Breathtaking.

She crossed her arms around her middle. Her small smile seemed forced and Ricky wondered if she felt as out of place as he did. She swayed gently from side to side. What a shame she didn’t have someone to dance with.

Ricky’s brain caught up to his body about halfway across the dance floor. As he realized what he was about to do, his steps stuttered, his mojo warring with a jolt of insecurity. Damn, he hated this part of the dating process. He watched the other guys hit on women all the time, even resorted to studying their lines, but he couldn’t flat-out lie, promise things he’d never be able to give the woman when the sun turned the western skies salmon.

He released his breath about the time his feet came to a stop in front of her. “Hi.”

She smiled, and his heart dropped to his toes. “Hi, I’m Shayne.”

He stuck out his hand. “Enrique Santiago.”

Her hand slipped into his. The softness of her palm against his did funny things to his intestines. Her chin moved up and down in a slow, barely noticeable nod. “You’re the
Rockets
Left Fielder?”

“Yeah.”
She’d heard of him?
Sweet!
“My friends call me Ricky.”

She raised one brow and quirked the corner of her lip. “And am I to assume we’re friends?”

“I’d like to be.”

Danger!
He had a habit of losing his heart to women he shouldn’t. Truth was, he didn’t bring women around his friends because
he
started hearing wedding bells when the guys offered a stamp of approval. As he stared into the liquid chocolate of Shayne’s eyes, warning bells blared, whistled, hollered, and warned him to take it slow.
Danger, Enrique Santiago!

He motioned to the open bar. “Can I buy you a drink?”

She giggled, which had been his goal. “No, I’m fi—”

“Here, Mom, I brought you some punch.”

Mom?
The kid had brought Ricky a punch, too. A sucker-punch to the gut. He had to be about twelve or so and had an inch on his mom. Brown hair, hazel eyes, square jaw…

Holy shit!

A sickening sense of déjà-vu made Ricky’s stomach roll. He shot a glance over his shoulder just in time to see the happy couple turn. Man, it took a lot of balls to invite your baby-mama to your wedding reception.

Except as Ricky looked back at the kid, he noticed something else, the almond shape of his eyes also seemed familiar. They were a more masculine form of his mom’s.

“So, Shayne, you’re Xavier’s sister?”

She nodded.

The kid’s frown reeked of contempt. “And you’re the guy who stole his position.” 

“Matt!” Shayne grabbed him by the tie, bringing his nose down until it touched hers. “You apologize. That’s not the way it was and you know it.”

Matt jerked out of her hold, muttering, “Whatever,” as he stomped off, a punch glass in each hand.

Her cheeks darkened with a blush. “I’m sorry. Since X came back into my life, Matt’s been a little…protective of his uncle.”

“
Back
into your life?”

Shayne dropped her chin a bit, like the topic made her uncomfortable. “Long story short, we spent a lot of years apart. We’re back together now.” She held a hand out to him. “You feel like dancing?”

Did he ever!

He shrugged. “I gotta be honest, I’m not very good.”  

She took his hand and tugged him toward the dance floor. “That’s okay. I’m really good at it. Just follow my lead.”

Oh, hell yeah, he’d follow her all right. The way her hips moved with each step, he’d follow her to the ends of the earth and enjoy every step of the journey.

She abruptly stopped and turned, holding one hand at the level of his hip, the other about even with his shoulder. He stepped into her hold, seizing the chance to pull her close. She didn’t fight the subtle intimacy.

Sappy love songs played and the world around them disappeared. As each song transitioned into the next, the woman in his arms softened just a little more. He held her close. Her hair tickled his cheek, getting caught in the whiskers he kept trimmed close to his face. She turned her head and pressed her lips to his cheek. With his heart pounding out of his chest, he turned his head and their lips met in a sweet quick kiss.

“I’m sorry.” She put her fingers to her mouth and some distance between their bodies. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. It’s been a very long time since I’ve…um, well…it’s been a very long time.”

He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I’d like to kiss you again, if that’s okay.”

“I’d like that, too, believe me.” She shook her head, her smile sad. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea. I can’t start something I can’t finish.”

Ricky’s stomach hit his
Ferragamos. “Who said anything about finishing?”

She smirked, her brows jogging.

He groaned. “Oh, don’t take me there,
mujer bonita
.”

“I’m not from around here, and I…” The hesitancy in her eyes broke his heart. “I’m not good at relationships. Ask X. The only one I haven’t screwed up is with my son, but he has to love me. I’m his mother.”

“No, he loves you because you deserve to be loved.”

“How do you know? You don’t even know me. I could be an axe murderer.”

“I know.”

She cocked her head to the side.

“It’s in the way he looks at you. Even with his ‘whatever’, he respects you, and I’m guessing he knows he’s gonna catch hell for it when you guys get home.”

Ah, man, she had a gorgeous smile.

“Yep, he will.” She jerked her head over to the corner where Matt moped. “And yeah, he knows it.”

“And
that
, my fair Shayne, is why he loves you.”

She placed a flat palm against his chest. Heat seeped through the starched cotton of his shirt to scald him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her lightly, keeping it quick, chaste. “Can I call you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Her rebuff hurt. Using his hand on the small of her back, he guided her to the side of the dance floor. He slipped his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a business card. “It’s not like you don’t know how to track me down, but if you change your mind, my personal cell phone number is on that card.”

He saw the war going on in her head. Clear as day. She didn’t
want
to want
to call him. As she listened to her angel and devil, he wasn’t sure which way she’d go and hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until she smiled and looked down at the card.

“I can’t promise—”

He kissed her to keep her rebuttal from spilling out. He half expected her to slap him when he eased back. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and Ricky barely held back a groan.

“Just hold on to it, okay? Just in case. Call anytime, day or night.”