her escort stepped onto the sidewalk. She kept her head low, suddenly afraid of being discovered. What a laugh the media would have if they found out a twenty-seven-year-old divorced mother had just sneaked into the famous quarterback’s house to deliver food, make an apology, and invite him to go to Disneyland with her.
“Let’s go in my front door.” Owen directed her toward his house. “Then we can go out the back to your house.”
With her mission accomplished, all the adrenalin drained out of her. “I can’t believe I just did that.” Her knees almost buckled.
Owen opened the door and mumbled, “Neither can I.” He eyed Ellie a little sternly after closing the door. “You don’t always have to go along with Betsy’s ideas, you know.”
Ellie grinned. “You’re married to her. You should know by now she’s hard to resist.”
A smile creased his face. “You have a point.” He laughed and shook his head. “The look on Nick Coulter’s face was priceless. He won’t know what hit him with Betsy playing matchmaker.”
Ellie put her hands on her hips. “What do you mean him ? I’m the one who just dressed up in this—” She swept a hand over the dress. “—and sneaked past reporters just to clarify a misunderstanding.”
Owen’s eyebrows arched up. “Okay, you both won’t know what hit you. Can I take you home now?”
“Yes.” She needed chocolate and a long, hot bath. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “I did promise your parents to look after you.”
Speaking of her parents… “You’re, um, not gonna say anything about this, are you?”
He barked out a laugh as they reached her back door. “No way. Your dad has his hands full with his graduate students and seeing the sights with your mother.”
Ellie frowned underneath her hat. She was a responsible adult. She caught a glimpse of her dress. Okay, an adult. But still, he made it sound like she was an unruly child who needed to be grounded.
Before she could protest, Betsy flung open the door and waved at them with excitement. “Hurry up. You two just barely got out of there in time.”
Chapter Nine
“What are you talking about?” Ellie peeled the large hat off her head.
Betsy grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front room. The news people were clamoring around a big black limo. All three adults watched the media part as the door opened. Out stepped a man in a nice, charcoal gray suit. His dark, wavy hair looked perfect. Ellie could tell the tanned face underneath the aviator sunglasses was handsome. He gave the media a dazzling smile and took off his sunglasses with a flourish.
“Who is that?” Ellie asked, standing in front of the large window in her living room. It provided a perfect view of Nick’s house.
The good-looking guy closed the car door and tucked his sunglasses inside his suit pocket. He gave the cameras another dazzling smile, clearly used to having an audience.
Betsy squinted. “Not anyone I recognize.” She moved next to Ellie.
The pastor whistled from behind the two women and they both turned around. “Now that’s what I call cutting it close. Just a few more minutes and Nick Coulter would’ve had some explaining to do.” He looked pointedly at his wife and then Ellie. “You girls could’ve caused him some real trouble tonight.”
Ellie gulped back the guilt. Owen was right. What if one of the reporters had stopped them on the way back and noticed Ellie wasn’t the same woman who had fed them earlier? What kind of story would be generated by her little stunt?
She closed her eyes, just imagining the headlines. Famous quarterback befriends poor, divorced woman. Could this be love? Her eyes flew open wide. How on earth could she really be seen in a public place like Disneyland with the celebrity athlete? No one in their right mind would believe they were only friends. No one in their right mind would believe he was really
“Let’s go in my front door.” Owen directed her toward his house. “Then we can go out the back to your house.”
With her mission accomplished, all the adrenalin drained out of her. “I can’t believe I just did that.” Her knees almost buckled.
Owen opened the door and mumbled, “Neither can I.” He eyed Ellie a little sternly after closing the door. “You don’t always have to go along with Betsy’s ideas, you know.”
Ellie grinned. “You’re married to her. You should know by now she’s hard to resist.”
A smile creased his face. “You have a point.” He laughed and shook his head. “The look on Nick Coulter’s face was priceless. He won’t know what hit him with Betsy playing matchmaker.”
Ellie put her hands on her hips. “What do you mean him ? I’m the one who just dressed up in this—” She swept a hand over the dress. “—and sneaked past reporters just to clarify a misunderstanding.”
Owen’s eyebrows arched up. “Okay, you both won’t know what hit you. Can I take you home now?”
“Yes.” She needed chocolate and a long, hot bath. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “I did promise your parents to look after you.”
Speaking of her parents… “You’re, um, not gonna say anything about this, are you?”
He barked out a laugh as they reached her back door. “No way. Your dad has his hands full with his graduate students and seeing the sights with your mother.”
Ellie frowned underneath her hat. She was a responsible adult. She caught a glimpse of her dress. Okay, an adult. But still, he made it sound like she was an unruly child who needed to be grounded.
Before she could protest, Betsy flung open the door and waved at them with excitement. “Hurry up. You two just barely got out of there in time.”
Chapter Nine
“What are you talking about?” Ellie peeled the large hat off her head.
Betsy grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front room. The news people were clamoring around a big black limo. All three adults watched the media part as the door opened. Out stepped a man in a nice, charcoal gray suit. His dark, wavy hair looked perfect. Ellie could tell the tanned face underneath the aviator sunglasses was handsome. He gave the media a dazzling smile and took off his sunglasses with a flourish.
“Who is that?” Ellie asked, standing in front of the large window in her living room. It provided a perfect view of Nick’s house.
The good-looking guy closed the car door and tucked his sunglasses inside his suit pocket. He gave the cameras another dazzling smile, clearly used to having an audience.
Betsy squinted. “Not anyone I recognize.” She moved next to Ellie.
The pastor whistled from behind the two women and they both turned around. “Now that’s what I call cutting it close. Just a few more minutes and Nick Coulter would’ve had some explaining to do.” He looked pointedly at his wife and then Ellie. “You girls could’ve caused him some real trouble tonight.”
Ellie gulped back the guilt. Owen was right. What if one of the reporters had stopped them on the way back and noticed Ellie wasn’t the same woman who had fed them earlier? What kind of story would be generated by her little stunt?
She closed her eyes, just imagining the headlines. Famous quarterback befriends poor, divorced woman. Could this be love? Her eyes flew open wide. How on earth could she really be seen in a public place like Disneyland with the celebrity athlete? No one in their right mind would believe they were only friends. No one in their right mind would believe he was really
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