Winning Streak (4 page)

“You and the lost Backstreet Boy? Yeah, pretty sure it was just me. You know if Shane picked up on it, he'd be here threatening to lock you in your room until you're forty.”

If that wasn't the truth. She shuddered and finished her glass. It was weird hearing someone call her brother anything but Reese, a rule he'd laid down in peewee hockey, but it was nice, too. “I just turned twenty-three, and he thinks I'm still five.”

“You will always be his baby sister. It doesn't help that you look like you're sixteen.”

“You're my new favorite. Don't tell Reese.”

Allie laughed and gave her a high five. “Okay. Now what's going on with Madden?”

Saralynn fell back against the couch and stared at the little chandelier dripping in neon pink crystals above them. “That reporter is his ex, and I guess there's a lot of bad blood there, so she took a low shot. But he swears to me he didn't gamble. Jacey thinks he did. She wants me to release a statement tomorrow downplaying it as a bachelor party thing.”

“That wouldn't be so bad for the team's image.”

“No … ”

“But you believe him. You don't think he did it, and you want to help.”

“Right.”

Allie cringed. “I know you, and your scheming scares me. What are you gonna do?”

“I'm going to get the casino security footage. You probably don't want to know how. What do you call it? Plausible deniability.”

“Oh God.”

Saralynn laughed. “I'm kidding. About the last part.” Mostly. So far her plan involved a bribe of free game tickets and a low-cut shirt.

“So if you've got it all figured out, I must be here for something else. Maybe you're not sure
why
you're doing all this.”

Saralynn blew out a hard breath and poured herself another glass.

Allie nodded in a knowing way that would be annoying if she weren't the answer-keeper. “I'll put it in layman's terms. You
like
him.”

“I have a lot of experience liking guys. This is so not that. In fact, he—”

“Drives you completely crazy because he reminds you of yourself? Before you ask, I know because I just did that dance with your brother. And look how that turned out.”

Saralynn swatted at her sister-in-law's knee. “He's like the
old
me. I used to be … self-centered. I used to look at people and think about what they could give me. But that's not me anymore. I meant my toast at the dinner. And Madden, by all accounts, is Peter Pan. He's a few years from thirty, but he's still a hopeless flirt with poor impulse control. And if Jacey's right, if he really did gamble … ”

“Then he fooled you, and you can't trust him.”

“If he fooled me,
nobody
can trust him. My lie detector's even better than yours. I just don't understand why it even
matters
to me.”

“He could represent the perfect challenge. You used to enjoy the game of getting a guy to fall for you, right? Well, here's one who's not such an easy mark. He's on your level, and that can be pretty irresistible. Believe me. Or you might be projecting. You want to believe the best about him because you want to believe the best about yourself. Or maybe you see some redeeming quality in him and think he could be a really good man.”

Saralynn's temples ached, and she rubbed her forehead. “I don't know which possibility is worse. I thought I was going to feel better after talking to you.”

Allie gave her a sympathetic half-smile. “Sorry. I don't come with that guarantee. I do come with an opinion. When you meet someone who gives you a feeling you can't define, you owe it to yourself to figure it out. Don't judge Madden before you really know him. Good and bad. Just … be careful given the circumstances. And keep me updated. How am I doing as a sister?”

“You could give Shi and Sophie lessons. Me, too.” They clinked glasses, and Saralynn took a long drink. She'd need it to brave the next morning.

Monday, February 24th

Madden walked into work with a smile. It lasted approximately three point five seconds before the door to his sister's office opened and she hooked a finger at him. Her face looked as stormy as she ever let it, and the latte curdled in his stomach.
But I didn't do anything
. That thought should have been comforting, but that mix of disappointment and anger in Jacey's eyes triggered reflex guilt from all the times he
had
done something.

He followed her inside and closed the door. “Jace … I don't know what's wrong, but I just want to thank you for believing me. That statement in the paper today—”

“Wasn't from me. It wasn't the one I issued.” There was a trace of regret in her tone, but disapproval still reigned.

“If you didn't … then who?” But he knew as soon as the words left his mouth. Saralynn went to bat for him. It hadn't been just talk. Warmth spread in his chest, and he felt a little lightheaded. Those things dimmed when Jacey's expression didn't change and her words sunk in.
She
still didn't believe him. What hurt more was knowing that if her husband had gotten to the party early enough to be at those tables, Carter's word would have been all it took to change her mind.

“Maddie, you know I want to believe you were just standing there while the other guys gambled. But … ”

“But that doesn't sound like me, does it?” There was no anger in his voice, and he tried to hold back the hurt but didn't do a good job judging by the glossy, just-held-in-check tears in his sister's eyes.

She looked away and cleared her throat. “I have to ask. Is there something going on with you and Saralynn? I saw you at the reception. And then she went ahead with the release denying Linden's accusation.”

“What? No. Maybe she just believed me.”

When Jacey met his eyes again, she flashed a brief, amused smile and shook her head. “You are really good at pulling people in. I'm not saying you used her, but maybe she got caught in the Madden tractor beam.”

“Are you kidding? My mojo doesn't work on her, Jace. Maybe hers cancels it out. I don't know. From what Reese said back when she started, she's the one used to wrapping men around her finger. She doesn't get wrapped. So to speak.”

“I just don't think it would be a good idea—”

The door whooshed open behind him, and Saralynn skidded in, out of breath. She held up a flash drive. “Sorry. Sorry I'm late. And before you fire me for releasing that statement, you need to see this.”

Jacey hesitated as if she couldn't pick which response to go with. Finally, she stepped back and made room in front of the computer on her desk. Saralynn scooted around and plugged in the device. A few clicks, and a silent video played. Madden leaned over to see. Casino footage. Reese, Scott, Cole, and a couple other guys stood around the craps table. And there he was, behind them, hands in his pockets. The whole time.

Jacey's shoulders slumped just slightly, and she closed her eyes.

“I know I'm way overstepping,” Saralynn said, standing straight. “I shouldn't have released anything without your okay, and I won't ever again if you don't fire me on the spot. But at least you know no one will come forward with anything contradictory.” Balls. The girl had steel balls. When Jacey didn't reply, Saralynn lowered her chin. Just a notch. “I'll be in my office.”

She slid by him, and he breathed in something light and sweet like cotton candy with an undertone of vanilla. When she left, Jacey hung her head, her hands curled over the back of her leather desk chair. “I'm sorry, Maddie.”

He nodded but couldn't think of anything to say. Yeah, now she knew, but it had taken video proof—his word wasn't enough. And maybe it never would be. That hurt almost as much as knowing it was his fault. “It's okay, sis. One time out of a hundred, right? I can't blame you for playing the odds.”

She looked even more fragile than he felt. It broke his heart. “Jace?”

Her face closed down, and that weakness was replaced by impenetrable resolve.

“Everything's okay now. Right?”

“I'm pregnant.”

He rocked back, numb with shock. Pregnant. He would have a niece or nephew. Happiness and excitement rocketed through him until tears welled in his sister's eyes then rolled down her cheeks, and she wouldn't look at him.

“How long have you known?”

She grabbed a tissue from her desk and wiped her face. “About a week.”

A week
. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“I didn't want it to overshadow the wedding.” That might've been true, but they'd gotten so close the past two years. She told him whenever she got her hair cut.

“That's not the only reason.”

Her lips quivered. She pressed them together and looked at her lap. “I've been doing a lot of thinking. I know this rumor about you wasn't true, but it's like my whole life changed when I took that test. I need to do what's right for my child. Make the right choices. I need to know you'll be a positive influence. You know how much I love you.” Her tears returned, and she balled the tissue hard in her hand. “I'm just not sure you're there yet.”

The room went blurry around the edges, and he tried to focus. “Are you saying you don't want me involved in the kid's life?”

“No. I don't know. Please understand—”

“I don't understand. All these years, you never gave up on me, not even when I deserved it. I'm finally turning my life around, finally
earning
that faith, and now you're pushing me away?”

“Madden, how many times have you turned your life around?” The soft, careful tone of her voice drove the words home instead of making him defensive. How many times
had
he said that? Too many.

“But it's true this time. You've seen it. You know.”

Her pained smile wavered. “Maybe. I hope it's true. But this isn't the first time, and I was wrong before.”

You can trust me. I'm different.
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but she was right. He'd said them so often they'd lost meaning. “What can I do to prove it to you?”

“I don't know. I think proof only comes with time.”

“Then at least give me the chance to show you. Please?”

She stared at him, expressionless, for a minute but finally nodded. “Okay. But I'm serious. I have to do what's best for the baby.”

“I know. I won't let you down. Either of you.”

• • •

Saralynn sat behind her desk with her head in her hands. What had she done? She didn't jump first and ask questions on the way down. Not anymore. But she'd just thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to her, and why? What did Allie say? Madden was the perfect challenge. Except challenges were about winning, and she'd potentially lost everything.

Next on the list of motivations?

She wanted to believe the best about him because she wanted to believe the best about herself. Nah. Her best self wouldn't dive under a bus for a guy she barely knew.

Moving on.

Madden had some redeeming quality and deep down was a good man. Well, he hadn't lied. This time. And …

The door swung open, and her heart fell into her Jimmy Choos. Not the boss. Just the devil. With a smile like a toothpaste ad. He closed the door and leaned against the knob for a second like he was afraid someone else would come in. “Uh … I can't believe you—”

“I know. Neither can I. Out-of-body experience is the best I got. I should probably start boxing my things.”

“No. It's okay. I mean, it's not. You can't go behind Jace's back like that in the future, but you're not fired.”

“I'm
not
?” Before she could formulate another question, the answer danced in front of her with a baton. “You asked her not to.”

“Least I could do after everything you did for me. What
did
you do anyway? How'd you get that footage?”

Heat flooded her cheeks followed by shock socking her in the gut. When had she ever been embarrassed about using her wiles to get what she wanted? What did it matter if he knew? “I explained the importance the video had to the team.”

“And when that wasn't enough?”

“I might have thrown in some front row tickets.”

He arched his brows.

“And left a few buttons undone. Happy?”

His gaze dropped to the cleavage exposed by those buttons, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. She was two seconds from smacking him when he met her eyes. The vulnerability there, the openness, froze her to the spot. “Thank you. Seriously. You don't know how much it means. You defended me before you even knew for yourself I was innocent.”

Her guard wavered, lowered, and she dipped her head. That gaze was too intense. “I knew. You don't have to thank me.”

“Yes, I do.” The intent was right there in his voice, but somehow she was still surprised when he stepped around the desk, lifted her chin with one finger, and kissed her softly, sweetly. When he leaned back, he looked as surprised as she was, but he covered it with a grin.

She licked her lips and tried to regain control of her pulse. “You have a pretty high opinion of yourself if you think that covers it.” But dear God, it just about did.

He laughed, and seeing the weight leave his broad shoulders cleared his tab. Not that she'd ever tell him that. He backed up a step. “You're right. I owe you dinner at least.”

“Oh, no. You don't have to—”

“Want to. Wednesday night, you name the place.”

A million reasons to say no tumbled through her mind. What came out was “Lotus of Siam—meet you at eight.”

Wednesday, February 26th

A strip mall. Of all the high-end, over-the-top places to eat in Vegas, Saralynn Reese had chosen a strip mall. The same Saralynn who came to work in so many labels the designers should've paid her an advertising fee. Madden sat in his Escalade and slid a hand over his jaw. It had to be a joke. She wouldn't show. Indecision held him in place a few more seconds. His stomach growled. Date or no date, he needed dinner. He hauled himself out and locked the car with a beep, feeling self-conscious in a lot full of late-model sedans.