Quarterback Daddy (13 page)

That wasn’t going to happen. So, if she was to remain a friend of this family after she left Dan’s house, she needed an attitude adjustment.

She rose from her seat and joined the rest of the clan. The team was twenty yards from goal. Dan caught the snap, dropped back, tried to pass the ball and was tackled by five Steelers.

She clenched her fists. “Get your friggin’ hands off him,” she yelled, ready to pound the glass wall. “You overweight sacks of squalid slop!” Man, that felt good.

“Whoo-hoo,” cried Mary Ann. “Listen to the classy lady. Didn’t I tell you that mad was better than scared?”

“And you were damn right.”

D
AN FINISHED THE ARTICLE
, folded the paper and put it on the kitchen counter for Ally, who’d warned him last night not to throw it out as he usually did or she’d order a duplicate subscription. Her threat made an impression. Ally didn’t waste money. She clipped coupons for Maria; she explained her own purchases for the baby to Dan as though she was apologizing. So, two newspaper subscriptions? Very un-Ally-like.

The story about the game, in fact, was good for his ego and would have gone to his head if it weren’t for his aches and pains. Last night’s had been a tough
contest. No doubt about it. Afterward, he’d ridden home with Ally and Michelle and soaked in his own hot tub until he could almost move without groaning.

He’d been about to get out of the water when Ally showed up in his basement training area and removed her robe.

Long shapely legs topped with dark silky panties. Above that, a matching silk bra. He sank back onto the hot tub’s bench, perfectly happy to remain where he was.

“The baby’s down for the night, and I thought maybe you’d like some company,” she said, stepping into the tub.

“Maybe?” His voice cracked. “There’s no question about it, sweetheart, if the company is you.”

He watched her blush as she lowered herself slowly into the hot water. “A beautiful mermaid,” he whispered.

“A funny mermaid,” she said, dimpling up at him, “who doesn’t know how to swim.”

“Then I’ll teach you. After the season, we can take a vacation. Maybe Florida or the Bahamas.”

“Well, that would be nice, except for one tiny inconvenience. With some luck, I’ll be working. As in fully employed elsewhere and off your payroll.”

Not if life followed the path he hoped for. But he didn’t want to argue with her then. Instead, they soaked for a while, holding hands, stroking, touching. Then they showered off the chlorine and explored each other with healing massages. And made love in ways that didn’t require a condom.

But afterward, she wouldn’t sleep with him in his bed.

“You have to be comfortable, Dan. You need a purely restful night.”

What she said was true, but he couldn’t help feeling she was holding back. The intimacy they’d shared should have continued through the night, with legs intertwined now and then, a hand reaching out from time to time. The way loving couples slept. The real reason for separate bedrooms was something she wouldn’t share.

He thought about the sparkling ring he’d brought home last Wednesday night, after his appointment. A perfect diamond to be sure, but not glitzy or huge enough to make Ally uncomfortable. He thought she’d like a traditional round setting, but he’d change it in a heartbeat if she said the word. Maybe when she found it under the tree tomorrow, and he proposed to her, any remaining doubts she had would fade away.

He was prepared to handle the biggest argument she could present: Michelle. Ally might think his marriage proposal was because of the baby. Their arrangement was so convenient; they lived like a little family already. Ironically, however, his daughter had nothing to do with his feelings for Alexis.

He imagined a kaleidoscope of Ally’s everyday life—feeding the baby, greeting him at the door, talking on the phone, baking cookies with flour in her hair. Full of energy. A woman who loved hard, with courage, and whose personal sweetness always triumphed over her defenses. A woman who had tried to do the right thing from the time she was a child herself, regardless of the pain or expense she might incur. Was it any wonder he’d fallen in love with Ally?

Please, God, let her say yes.

T
HE SEVEN-FOOT-HIGH FIR
tree dominated the game room. Early on Christmas morning, Ally stood in the doorway, as she’d done every day during the last week, and felt a thrill just looking at the majestic tree and all the colorful decorations. Dan had helped in his spare time, tossing tinsel in what he called his “free-form” style, while she savored the symmetry of the ornaments she’d hung. Never before had she trimmed such a beauty, and never before had she looked forward to sharing the spirit of the day with people she loved as much as Michelle and Dan.

Except for Sherri.
She should be here, too, celebrating and loving Michelle.
Your daughter is happy, darling. I promise.

Alexis tried to regain control. It wasn’t easy. Finally she focused on the gifts and saw a few additions to yesterday’s pile. Dan must have been busy at the last minute. Not her. Although most people complained about it, shopping had proven as much fun as decorating the tree. In the last two weeks, she’d wrapped all her presents with delight. She was anticipating a lovely day, and was especially eager to see Dan’s reaction to the gifts she’d created for him.

“Can’t wait, can you? Just like a kid.”

The man in her thoughts appeared behind her wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and holding Michelle, who wriggled against her daddy like a tiny, battery-operated baby doll.

“I can’t wait to watch Michelle play with—or eat, or smack, or destroy—her presents,” she replied. “But it will have to wait for later, when she’s not fussing. Come to the kitchen. She’s hungry.”

Alexis started for the stairs. “Oh, did you change her?”

“Of course! That’s the first thing we did. Right, petunia?” He kissed his daughter on her belly. “Can’t have you a soggy mess and getting a rash, can we?”

Michelle gurgled and vocalized as though having a real conversation with her daddy. Alexis’s heart warmed at their continually growing relationship.

“I’m so proud of you, Dan. You’re not a rookie anymore. You’re handling Michelle like a pro, as if you’ve done it with a dozen other children.”

“Aw, shucks, ma’am,” he said with a wink. “She’s just like a little ol’ football—that can’t be thrown or dropped.”

Her compliment had gotten to him. His ruddy face, his attempt at humor. He was embarrassed. She patted his arm. “You’ll be fine when you’re on your own. I know she’s in good hands now.”

His complexion paled, and she said quickly, “But I’m ten minutes away if you need me. Anytime at all.”

He nodded in silence. After they entered the kitchen, Dan continued to hold the baby while Ally prepared the rice cereal.

“Bib’s on her high chair. Do you want to feed her since you’re available today, or shall I?” she asked.

“I love making a mess,” he said. “Let me at it.”

Such everyday conversation, she thought. So lovely, so intimate.

He propped Michelle in her chair, and a moment later, Ally gave him the cereal but placed the bottle out of the baby’s sight. “Don’t let her see it until she eats a few spoonfuls.”

“Gotcha.”

Ally had just crossed the kitchen to start the daily pot of coffee when she heard Dan say, “Hang on a sec, Ally. Come here and look at this.”

She raced back to them.

“Look and listen,” Dan said. He put a bit of cereal on Michelle’s spoon, fed it to her and then tapped her bottom gum. Click, click, click. “She’s got a tooth!”

A huge grin split his face. His eyes gleamed. His whole being exuded joy. The man looked as though no other baby in the entire world had ever gotten a first tooth.

Her heart melted yet again, drop by drop, as Dan revealed once more the essence of who he was—a devoted dad to a child he’d known for less than three months.

Ally would never love another man the way she loved Dan Delito.

“F
ORGET ABOUT ALL THE PRICEY
stuff,” Dan said to Ally an hour later in the game room, “just give her lots of tissue paper.”

Michelle was having a ball exploring colorful ribbons and bows, slapping at paper and ignoring all the gifts inside the boxes. The picture she made was totally adorable and cameraworthy. Ally took one shot after another.

“I hope some of them are even half as fabulous as the subject matter,” she said.

Dan lay flat on the floor now, faceup, the baby prone on his stomach. Drool landed on his shirt, one little hand slapped his chest, and then Michelle’s bottom
rose as she used her toes to push herself forward toward his chin.

“Go, baby, go,” Ally encouraged, snapping away. “She’ll be crawling soon. I’m going to babyproof this house before I leave. Outlets, stairs, fireplaces—goodness, there’s a lot of potential hot spots for a baby.”

“But not today,” said Dan, sitting up. “Today is for celebrating—and I see some more presents waiting to be opened before we head out to my folks’.”

That was the plan. A private morning and a family afternoon. He watched Ally scurry to the base of the tree. “I’ve got something for you, Dan. I hope you like it.”

She sounded nervous about it. Silly woman. “Of course I’m going to like it,” he said as he walked toward her, holding the baby, and then sat down on the floor. “I’m going to love it no matter what it is, so relax.”

“Actually, it’s from Michelle and me.” She gave him the gaily wrapped square package, then gripped her hands together while he began to tear the paper away with Michelle’s help.

“Then I’m going to doubly like it,” he said, his curiosity rising as more of the present was exposed.

Awesome. He wouldn’t have to fake a reaction at all, but for some reason, his voice wouldn’t work. In his hands was a colorful homemade scrapbook with the title: Michelle’s Playbook for Daddy. It was a work of art and creativity.

He slowly turned the pages, trying to take it all in. Ally had used a potpourri of color, design and materials, and best of all, she’d interspersed photos of the baby with the text. Each topic started a new page and was presented as though it were written by Michelle.

He gazed at the woman who’d created this special gift for him, this labor of love. “I’m speechless. I can’t even imagine how many hours must have gone into this. It’s beautiful, Ally, and something I’ll keep forever.”

Her cheeks were on fire. “I guess Michelle had a lot to say.”

He opened to the first page, which was entitled: Waking Up. He read:

“This is fantastic,” he said. “You’ve even listed the baby products on the bottom of the page.”

Her eyes shone like green marble, her smile wide. “I’m so glad you like it. After all, I want to be sure you know what you’re doing with my niece!”

After I leave.

He understood all too well the words she didn’t say, and his mouth became dry. His time had come. She had no idea that, however nervous she had been about giving her gift to him, he was ten times more anxious about what he was going to do next. But he tried to act cool.

“Ally? See that box with the big red bow?”

She nodded.

“For you. From me.”

While she retrieved it, he put Michelle into her swing and set it in motion before sitting down again. He patted the floor next to him when Ally returned.

She sat down and began unwrapping. A smaller second box was inside the first. Then a third was inside the second, each one wrapped and tied.

“Oh, Dan. You’re making me work for my gift. It’s like those Russian nesting dolls.”

“Sure.” As if he knew what those were.

She was really into it, having fun like a kid. This Christmas was surely the best holiday she’d ever had. So maybe he’d made a mistake with the ring. Maybe he should have waited and given her lots of regular presents to open instead of muddying the waters.

Too late now. She’d reached the smallest package and was eagerly untying the petite bow. She ripped the wrapping paper and stared at the blue velvet box for a moment, then glanced toward him, a crease growing across her forehead. In the pit of his stomach, he knew he’d blown it.

“Dan?” she whispered.

He covered her hands with his own. “I love you, Ally. It’s as simple as that. I think about you all the time, daytime, nighttime, at home, at a game, you’re always with me. And—and I was hoping we—we could make a life together. Because, I just love you. And if my hands are sweating, I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Dan.”

Horrified at the tears that rolled down her cheeks—
not tears of joy, he was pretty sure—he scooped her onto his lap.

“Don’t cry, please don’t cry.”

She’d buried her head against his shoulder, her weight against him, arms around him. Full of trust. Love. He thought he understood that much, but was otherwise confused as hell. He’d figure it out later. Now, he held her, cuddled her. Kissed her. The next move, however, had to be Ally’s.

She handed him the unopened box. “I can’t accept this, Danny, no matter how much I’m tempted.”

That sounded promising, but there was no script in his playbook for this. He’d have to punt.

“Do you love me, Ally?”

“I—I do,” she whispered. “Of course I do.”

His heart soared. Confidence returned. He could do this—he was good at improvising. As long as she loved him, anything was possible.

“Talk to me, Ally,” he said softly while brushing kisses on her temple.

He saw her chest heave, heard her huge sigh. “Remember the weekend you were away, and I saw Kim’s picture in your bedroom?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, I also saw another picture, a small one of you and her together, when she was very sick. You had shaved your head.”

His lids snapped shut. He remembered when that photo was taken—during the worst of times. “And?” he pursued.

“I could see how much you loved her. I knew it the first time I met you, when you were stinking drunk. You
and Kim were so tight—a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.”