it as a
sign of abject failure. So,” she finished teasingly, “don’t do that and you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah. It sounds like something I’d do if I
wasn’t careful. Something my pop did sometimes.” He seemed
preoccupied, then instructed her briskly, “Go ahead and start the
recorder.”
• • •
For the next twenty minutes, Johnny covered
everything. His parents. His two brothers—one older, one younger.
Cousin Sophie, who came to live with them as a teenager. The
nonstop inspiration of having a famous coach for a father. Then
tragedy struck when his mom and his older brother Aaron were killed
in a horrific automobile conflagration. Nothing was the same, but
Coach Aaron Spurling insisted on dragging his two remaining sons
out of mourning and back into football.
Johnny had been required to step up. The heir
apparent. And with the help of his “Pop” he succeeded, eventually
being named starting QB for Cal in his freshman year. During this
time, Coach Spurling was solicited to do a razor blade commercial
and made a scathing public announcement—Spurlings were all about
football. That was how they made their living. No amount of
money could turn them into salesmen or movie stars. If it wasn’t
coated in mud and glory, it wasn’t football, and the Spurlings
weren’t interested.
There had been glitches along the way,
especially when Pop’s heart faltered, but the old guy bounced back.
Baby brother Jason got married and gave Johnny four rambunctious
nephews while becoming a successful NFL cornerback. Last but not
least, Johnny made three unbelievable friends—Murf, Bannerman, and
Decker. And then?
Erica.
Or as he explained: He had been reborn.
Fallen off a cliff. Found the perfect mate. Not the domesticated
female he had imagined he’d end up with. And not the opposite
either. This woman challenged everything he thought he knew about
himself, then taught him what really mattered.
Complete with laughing eyes, a talent for
persuasion, and an artistic flair, which, again, he hadn’t even
known he wanted.
Totally gobsmacked.
If Tess needed any more proof of that, she
got it when the QB glanced at the recorder and asked, “You
interviewed her?”
Tess nodded.
“Mind if I listen?” His eyes twinkled. “I’d
like to hear how she tells it.”
“She tells it just like you do. Except you’re the star, not her.”
“Good.”
Tess sighed. “I’ll be out on the deck.
Re-living my ninety-second blind date with the kicker. Come and get
me when you’re ready.”
• • •
She wanted to daydream about Tantric sex but
was sidetracked by the beauty of the spot. Deep green wilderness,
rushing waters, a heady breeze. No wonder she had been seduced. Who
wouldn’t be?
And even though it seemed crazy, she wished
Sean Decker was there with her now. Not for anything sexual. Not
even a kiss. But to talk.
Really talk.
For one thing she was worried about him. He
had sounded so cavalier about the breakup, ignoring the odds that
he was probably missing his married girlfriend. Pining for her.
Ready to backslide.
And if he rushed into something else? That
could be even worse. He was so good-looking, so charismatic, he
could find another girl in a nano-second. Convince himself he was
over Kerrie. At some point, it would surely catch up with him. They
had been engaged. Unofficially, yes, but this wasn’t a
casual breakup even if Kerrie and her sister seemed unusually
fixated on sex. Seducing each other’s boyfriend? Having their
virginity restored? Definitely not normal.
Which said a lot about the guy who had slept
with both of them, didn’t it?
“Hey,” Johnny said as he stepped through the
doorway with two mugs of something steamy. “Are you warm enough out
here? Want some coffee?”
“Yum.” She took her serving with one hand
while gesturing with the other toward the wooded river bank. “It’s
paradise.”
“Yeah, we’re lucky.” He breathed in the fresh
air, then said
sign of abject failure. So,” she finished teasingly, “don’t do that and you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah. It sounds like something I’d do if I
wasn’t careful. Something my pop did sometimes.” He seemed
preoccupied, then instructed her briskly, “Go ahead and start the
recorder.”
• • •
For the next twenty minutes, Johnny covered
everything. His parents. His two brothers—one older, one younger.
Cousin Sophie, who came to live with them as a teenager. The
nonstop inspiration of having a famous coach for a father. Then
tragedy struck when his mom and his older brother Aaron were killed
in a horrific automobile conflagration. Nothing was the same, but
Coach Aaron Spurling insisted on dragging his two remaining sons
out of mourning and back into football.
Johnny had been required to step up. The heir
apparent. And with the help of his “Pop” he succeeded, eventually
being named starting QB for Cal in his freshman year. During this
time, Coach Spurling was solicited to do a razor blade commercial
and made a scathing public announcement—Spurlings were all about
football. That was how they made their living. No amount of
money could turn them into salesmen or movie stars. If it wasn’t
coated in mud and glory, it wasn’t football, and the Spurlings
weren’t interested.
There had been glitches along the way,
especially when Pop’s heart faltered, but the old guy bounced back.
Baby brother Jason got married and gave Johnny four rambunctious
nephews while becoming a successful NFL cornerback. Last but not
least, Johnny made three unbelievable friends—Murf, Bannerman, and
Decker. And then?
Erica.
Or as he explained: He had been reborn.
Fallen off a cliff. Found the perfect mate. Not the domesticated
female he had imagined he’d end up with. And not the opposite
either. This woman challenged everything he thought he knew about
himself, then taught him what really mattered.
Complete with laughing eyes, a talent for
persuasion, and an artistic flair, which, again, he hadn’t even
known he wanted.
Totally gobsmacked.
If Tess needed any more proof of that, she
got it when the QB glanced at the recorder and asked, “You
interviewed her?”
Tess nodded.
“Mind if I listen?” His eyes twinkled. “I’d
like to hear how she tells it.”
“She tells it just like you do. Except you’re the star, not her.”
“Good.”
Tess sighed. “I’ll be out on the deck.
Re-living my ninety-second blind date with the kicker. Come and get
me when you’re ready.”
• • •
She wanted to daydream about Tantric sex but
was sidetracked by the beauty of the spot. Deep green wilderness,
rushing waters, a heady breeze. No wonder she had been seduced. Who
wouldn’t be?
And even though it seemed crazy, she wished
Sean Decker was there with her now. Not for anything sexual. Not
even a kiss. But to talk.
Really talk.
For one thing she was worried about him. He
had sounded so cavalier about the breakup, ignoring the odds that
he was probably missing his married girlfriend. Pining for her.
Ready to backslide.
And if he rushed into something else? That
could be even worse. He was so good-looking, so charismatic, he
could find another girl in a nano-second. Convince himself he was
over Kerrie. At some point, it would surely catch up with him. They
had been engaged. Unofficially, yes, but this wasn’t a
casual breakup even if Kerrie and her sister seemed unusually
fixated on sex. Seducing each other’s boyfriend? Having their
virginity restored? Definitely not normal.
Which said a lot about the guy who had slept
with both of them, didn’t it?
“Hey,” Johnny said as he stepped through the
doorway with two mugs of something steamy. “Are you warm enough out
here? Want some coffee?”
“Yum.” She took her serving with one hand
while gesturing with the other toward the wooded river bank. “It’s
paradise.”
“Yeah, we’re lucky.” He breathed in the fresh
air, then said
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