Winning Streak (15 page)

I should just go.
But then Blake set his hands low on Saralynn's back—too low—and impulse got the better of Madden. He scanned the place, not sure what he was looking for until he saw Allie sitting alone at her table. She was the one person Saralynn talked to. Reese was out for his obligatory dance with his date for the night. It was worth a shot. Before the idea even fully formulated, he was headed straight for the new Mrs. Reese. When he stopped beside her, Allie looked up, and her eyes widened.

He held out his arm. “Dance?”

She glanced at Saralynn and Blake, and her face suggested a million thoughts were running through her brain, but he couldn't guess any of them. Finally, she nodded and curled her hand around his elbow. He took the first spot he could find on the periphery of the dance floor and pulled Allie to him but kept his hands in as respectful and platonic places as he could find.

She remained stiff but followed his lead and avoided his eyes for the first minute. He managed to catch her gaze, and the pity there had him ready to leave again. But her hands tightened on his shoulders, and she mouthed “not real,” tilting her head toward Saralynn and Blake.

He leaned down so she could talk in his ear. “It's a show for Shane. He wanted to meet her boyfriend, so she found an actor. Talk to her. This isn't about you.”

“How do you know?”

She gave him a look that said,
How do you think?

Oh, right. Psychologist. Word was, you could spend five minutes with Allie and she'd be able to tell you why you always ate Lucky Charms for breakfast instead of eggs and toast, voodoo like that. “Okay, but—”

Blake's hands slid south and squeezed. Saralynn tried to push him away, but he held on and moved in for a kiss. She wrenched her head to the side and tried to wrestle out of his grip but was losing. Madden didn't think. He let Allie go, took three strides, and punched Blake across the jaw. Not hard enough to break anything, but hard enough to make him stumble back, stunned.

“Are you okay?” he asked Saralynn.

She stared at him, hands over her mouth, in horror, surprise, and if he wasn't mistaken, a bit of admiration. She glanced around at the people watching them, lowered her arms, and regained her cool. “Yeah. Thanks. It's okay. We're fine.” Those last two comments were for the gawkers, who gradually resumed dancing. Blake stomped past mumbling, “Fuck this, man. Not worth it.”

Reese appeared next, looking primed for violence himself. “What happened? What'd he do?”

“Nothing. It's fine.” Saralynn set a hand on her brother's arm, but it didn't appear to do the job.

“He took some liberties he shouldn't have,” Madden said. My reaction was a little strong. I don't like to see guys take advantage.”

Reese nodded his approval then studied his sister and frowned like he was trying to work something out. Allie stepped in and took her husband's arm. “Let's just be glad everyone's okay. You have a date to get back to, and a second cocktail is calling my name.” She smiled and kissed him, and after a second, he kissed her nose. The woman was good. Sometimes scary good. Did they all do that distraction thing?

Madden didn't have time to think too much about it because a small hand clamped on his wrist and tugged. He followed Saralynn to the back of the room, where she pulled him into a shadow against the wall. Before he could get a word out, she pointed at him. “Ask me if I brought you here to make out and I'll punch
you
.”

He blinked and held his hands up in defense. “Okay. Why
did
you bring me here?”

“What was that back there? I didn't need you to step in and save me. I had it handled.”

“You're kidding, right? Maybe I shouldn't have done what I did, but that guy way overstepped. And while we're on it, who the hell was he? Allie said you hired an actor. For Reese?”

That took away some of her steam.

“The truth, Saralynn. You owe me that much.”

“Reese came in right after you did on Monday. He wouldn't let up about meeting the only man I've ever dated for more than a month.”

“So instead of using that as an opportunity to be honest … ”

“I created a slimy Smurf hurdle.” She must have read his confusion because she waved away her previous statement and rushed on. “I know I should have handled it better, but I panicked. I found Blake to play my boyfriend for one night.”

“So you'd rather pretend to date that thing than admit to seeing me.”

“No … I … you had to have been in my head at the time. I warned you when we started. I'm bad at this. Catastrophically bad. I'm learning, but given my past, there's a hell of a curve. I don't want to date or pretend to date anyone but you. I just need you to be patient.”

I've been an asshole.
He did know, going in, that this was new ground for them both. Things had gone so well, it had been so effortless, he'd forgotten. “I can do that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you. But considering tonight, I still think—”

“I know. I want to tell them. Can I do it, though? Reese will definitely take it better from me, and I think Jacey would respect me more if I came forward instead of hiding behind you.”

The weight he'd carried for the last week disappeared. He pulled her close and kissed her for all he was worth. She squeaked, then he felt her smile before she kissed him back. One of her bare legs parted the slit in her dress and found its way between his legs, and he moaned. Everything in the background faded away until a deep, familiar voice broke through.

“Got over Blake pretty fast.

Saralynn jumped a foot away, her face painted with guilt and panic. Madden braced himself, squared his shoulders, and turned to Reese. He had nothing to apologize for.

“What the hell, Sare? I thought you were supposed to be past this kind of crap, but at least now things are making sense. I had my doubts about the aspiring magician, but you dated stranger in your teens, so I let it go. Except then the guy you'd supposedly been dating for a month and were crazy about makes a douche bag move, and Madman here sweeps in like your great protector. I'll talk to
you
later, by the way.”

“No you won't.” Saralynn faced off with her brother, chin angled up, but she kept her voice low. “I'm not a baby anymore. I can make my own decisions, and you don't get to decide who I date. Yes, I've been seeing Madden. And this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you.”

“Sare … ” Reese sighed. “Did it occur to you I might be upset
because
you didn't tell me? We've always been close. Closer since you moved here. Is it too much to want to be kept in the loop?”

“If your inclusion comes with judgment and lectures, then yes.”

Before Reese could respond, Allie tapped his shoulder. “Your date's looking for you. And I don't mean me. Sorry to interrupt, but this might be better to discuss at another time anyway.”

Reese dipped out of her touch and headed for their table. Allie slid a hand over her face. “It's only a matter of time until he realizes I knew about this all along, so tomorrow should be fun.”

“Allie, I'm sorry.”

“You want to make it up to me? Make it up to him.” She tilted her head in Reese's direction then followed after him.

Saralynn closed her eyes.

Madden caught her hand and squeezed it. “We'll fix this. It'll be okay.” Except they still had to tell his sister before it became common knowledge, and she'd been stressed lately, not quite her normal, understanding self. He wouldn't say it out loud, but maybe Saralynn had been right.

Sunday, March 23rd

This close to the playoffs, there was only one place to catch Shane Reese for sure. It also happened to be the worst possible venue for the discussion they needed to have, but Madden didn't have a choice. Reese was best friends with Carter, and from there, it was a short step to Jacey. Since Saralynn wanted the honor of telling his sister about their relationship, he couldn't duck out of this conversation.

I should have worn a cup.

He hung to the side of the locker room, in shadow, and went unnoticed as practice let out. Guys filed past him, lost in conversation, cell phones, or headphones. Good. Nealy, the head coach, walked out, staring at her clipboard, and he held his breath. She made it halfway down the hall and paused.
Jesus, please keep going.
She was a tiny woman, but she put the fear of God in everyone she met. Professionally, anyway. Most likely, she wouldn't care about two executives dating each other, but she was close with Jacey, like a guard dog who smelled fear and delighted in it. She turned a fraction, made a dismissive noise, and left through the underground garage. Madden nearly slid down the wall.

No one left except … the locker room door swung open, and Reese hustled out, car keys jingling in his hand.

“Hey.”

Reese's shoulders bunched before he turned around. “Hey, Vaughn. Stop by to give me a heart attack? Another one?”

“I wanted to say I'm sorry.”

“You're sorry. That could cover a whole lot of ground. What are you sorry for? Disregarding my request and dating my sister?” His request. That was almost funny. It had been a damn order. Reese's rigid posture said a physical confrontation was still a possibility, so Madden hung back.

“No.”

Reese cocked his head to the side.

“I'm not sorry for dating Saralynn.”

“I love my sister, but you're the first ex-boyfriend who's ever said that.”

“Not ex. Cut her a break. She's not the same person.”

“No? She dated a guy in secret, lied about it, and went to extreme measures to cover it up. Sounds like the same Sare to me.” He glanced at the locker room. “Sure you want to talk about this here? You know, Cole's still in there.”

“Yeah … ” It took everything in him to hold back a wince. “It's okay. He knows.”

“
He
knows.”

“That's what I'm sorry for. We're friends, and I should have been upfront with you. Dude, I like you and I respect you. I was in your wedding. I didn't want to go behind your back. But considering the speech you gave everyone when Saralynn started, I knew your stance on it. I had every intention of keeping my word, but then … ”

Something changed in Reese's expression. He looked almost sympathetic. “Yeah. I've seen that look. Followed not too long after by utter devastation. I know how she can be. I didn't warn you guys away from her for
her
benefit.” He placed a flat hand over his heart. “Again. Baby sister, and she means the world to me. She can do anything. Except relationships.”

“Can't say I've had the best luck myself. But I'm trying this time. So is she.”

Reese went quiet for a minute like he was thinking it over. Or sizing him up for a coffin, hard to tell. Finally, he nodded. “You've made it longer than any of the others; I'll say that. So you came here why? For my blessing?”

“Not exactly. I mean, I want you to be cool with this. That would mean a lot. But I'm gonna keep seeing her either way.”

“Ballsy. I'm torn between respecting that and wanting to kick your ass.”

“I get it. Believe me. I'm here because Jacey doesn't know yet, and Saralynn wants to tell her.”

Reese looked at him like he'd sprouted another head. “Okay. First, you have bigger problems than me if Jacey doesn't know. She's been a little unpredictable lately. I'm glad I wasn't the only one in the dark on this, but shit, man. Good luck. Second, and I can't believe I heard this right, Saralynn wants to tell her?”

“She thinks Jace'll respect her more. I offered, but she said she doesn't want to hide behind me.”

“Saralynn said that? Saralynn Reese? 'Bout yea high, big, Bambi eyes, with a way of making you agree to something before you realize you're doing it?”

Madden grinned. “That's her.”

“That's … ” He shook his head. “That's amazing. You're right. She has changed. Allie kept telling me, and I should have listened. There's no better judge of personality than my wife, but I thought Sare had bewitched her like everyone else. I'm the idiot here. My sister still went overboard with the cover-up, but I understand a little better now.”

“So you won't—”

“No. I won't say anything. Not to Jacey. But I need to apologize to my sister.”

“Thanks, man.”

Reese hesitated then held out his hand. “I'm glad we talked.”

“Me too.”

“If we
have
fallen into this parallel universe you describe where Saralynn doesn't break up with you first, you should know I'll break you in half if you hurt her.”

It wasn't an idle threat. He could do it. And hell, Madden had made the same threat to Carter two years ago when he and Jace were still pretending not to love each other. It was a brother thing. “Understood.”

The goalie nodded and disappeared down the hall. Madden released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. That went surprisingly well. If Reese could be okay with it, maybe Jacey would too. Sure. And maybe Vegas would lose the casinos in favor of a family fun park, and trade showgirls for cuddly, G-rated character mascots. Suddenly he was grateful Saralynn wanted to dive in front of this particular bullet.

Monday, March 24th

When delivering bad news, it always helped to cushion it with good news. The tricky part was making sure the good news trumped the bad. At least, that's how Saralynn planned on coming clean with Jacey and keeping her job. She stood from behind her desk and pulled out her earbuds, sufficiently pumped on high-octane pop music, and knocked on Jacey's door, still humming “One Girl Revolution.”

“It's open.”

She walked in, head high and heart beating like a jackhammer. “Hi. Do you have a minute?”