Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

“Are we sure this is a good idea? I would think that something like this could wait. I mean…why make Jax dance like a damn puppet right now? He’s still healing.”

But no one was listening. There was too much excitement, apparently.

Lucy was currently standing beside Maddie in the middle of a freshly cleared section of the old Ramsay property. Today was the official groundbreaking and announcement of Jax’s camp. His newly formed board of advisors—and soon-to-be-named board of directors—all loved her idea of an actual PT clinic leasing the space full-time with the stipulation of additional staff and hours during camp season.

Not that she was the one to discuss it directly with Jax. Tyler had pitched it with all of her notes and then he and Maddie talked and hammered out details. Once a tentative agreement was in place, Maddie offered Lucy the management position and she accepted. Over the next year, she’d be working with Jax’s team to approve equipment and then look for a staff of her own.

So here she was standing in a field with Maddie and her husband Knox and their three-year-old son, Liam. Tyler was there, along with a group from his company. On top of that, Jax, Travis, and Declan were here with a few other teammates, along with his mother and his brothers, Noah and Simon.

Simon was the reason there were about a hundred screaming fans behind a wall of security.

How is this my life?

There were conversations going on all around her, but all she kept doing was sneaking glances at Jax. His arm was in a sling, but he was all…business casual and smiling at everyone and looked so damn good that she wanted to go over and beg him for another night.

So not gonna happen…

She didn’t realize she’d sighed until Maddie leaned closer. “You okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“The sigh. And you’re frowning. Is everything alright?”

As much as she wanted to say no, Lucy forced herself to smile. “I’m just wondering when they’re going to get started,” she lied. “We’re not so far in the south that it’s not chilly on a September morning.”

Fortunately, her boss agreed. “As for your earlier comment about Jax still healing, he seems to be handling it just fine. From everything I’ve heard, the injury wasn’t as severe as the doctors originally thought, and he’ll be back on the field in two weeks.”

“Would have been nice if anyone told me that,” she mumbled. It was at that moment that Jax looked at her and smiled. She smiled back and gave him a small wave, but as soon as she took a step forward, the mayor of South Creek stepped up to the podium and began his speech. The man waxed poetic for several long minutes about the hometown hero and how he was making such a huge contribution to their small town with this camp. Of course there was a roaring round of applause when he finished and then Jax stepped up to say a few words.

He gently cleared his throat and smiled at the crowd before he began. “I remember playing pee wee football over at the elementary school. Naturally, I dreamed of one day playing in the NFL, but I never truly believed I’d be where I am today.” He paused and glanced over at her brother before continuing. “As many of you may remember, several friends and I were involved in a car accident on graduation night. Three of us walked away with minor injuries, but my best friend since kindergarten suffered some catastrophic injuries—injuries that ended his dream of going to the NFL with me.”

Lucy let out a shaky breath because it didn’t matter how much time had passed, she still could remember so vividly the first time she saw Ty in the hospital after the accident. It was a miracle he was standing up on that stage today.

“There were several days right after the accident when we didn’t know what his recovery was going to look like. I remember being at the hospital with him and seeing not only my best friend, but so many other kids who were dealing with physical limitations. For years, I’ve known that I wanted to do something to give kids a chance to participate in sports no matter what their disability or limitation, and this camp is going to do just that.”

She stood in awe as he described not only what was planned for the camp but also the physical therapy practice that would be available. He called Maddie up to speak for a moment, and after she was done, he explained how he wasn’t doing this alone, but with the help of his friends. After introducing Ty, he then passed the mic to Travis and then Declan. The entire presentation took a little over an hour before Jax and his two teammates stood with ceremonial shovels and broke ground.

There was another round of applause before the construction team took over and everyone was getting ushered back to the makeshift parking lot. The plan was for a casual luncheon back at the pub—for those on the guest list—and she was mildly relieved to be on it. When no one stopped her, she joined the group and began walking away.

Someone wrapped an arm around her before she realized it was her brother. “Ty,” she said, a little breathless, “you scared me!”

They kept walking as he hugged her close. “Aren’t you glad you changed your mind about this whole project? It’s going to be amazing!”

All she could do was nod because…yeah, the way she had originally turned down the offer—and Jax—played on an almost continuous loop in her head lately.

“Ty! Lucy! Wait!” They turned and saw Travis jogging toward them. “The press wants a few more pictures, and Jax wants you both in them.” Grinning, he nodded back at the stage.

So they followed, and Ty held her hand as they walked up and joined everyone. The photographer was positioning them so everybody on this team could be seen and somehow, in all the shuffling, she ended up next to Jax. She looked up at him and smiled, but didn’t get to say anything because another photographer was barking orders at them to look at the camera.

“Closer!” he called out. “You all need to just scooch a little closer so we can get everyone in the frame!”

Lucy scooched and felt Jax’s arm go around her waist, pulling her just ever so closer. Now she could feel the warmth of his body, smell his cologne, while desperately trying not to lean into him. His hand rested almost possessively on her hip and she had to hold in a moan. They held that pose for the next five minutes.

“Thanks, everyone!” the photographer called out and everyone began to move.

But Jax’s hand lingered and when she looked up at him, he was staring down at her with that heated look that made her knees go weak.

“You guys ready to go eat?” Ty asked cheerily, his presence like a bucket of cold water being thrown right in her face.

Quickly, she stepped away from Jax with a nervous glance in his direction as she said, “Absolutely! I’m starving!”

It took almost an hour to get everyone from point A to point B where they were all seated for lunch, and somehow—yet again—Lucy ended up next to Jax. She had actually tried to sit further down on their table, but suddenly people were requesting to sit next to Travis or Declan or Simon and, after what felt like a game of musical chairs, she took her seat next to Jax.

With Simon on her other side.

There were definitely worse places to be.

It was so loud and it seemed like everyone was talking at once, but she had no idea which conversation to join. Fortunately, Simon made the decision for her. He playfully nudged her shoulder to get her attention and when she faced him, his smile was flat-out dazzling.

“I hear you are the best pediatric physical therapist in the region,” he said before adding, “Consider me seriously impressed. The last time I saw you, you were maybe…eight or ten years old, so…I’m still trying to process how the young girl I remember is now this powerhouse sitting beside me.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes even as she blushed at his praise. “Well, to be fair, the last time I saw you was…well, it was at one of your concerts, but before that, you were auditioning for that reality show.” Then she nudged him back. “And you totally should have won. That guy who did? No one even remembers his name!”

That seemed to please him. “Thank you for that, but…everything for a reason. If I had won, I don’t think my career would have taken the trajectory that it did and believe me, I’ve never been more thankful to lose.”

“That’s kind of crazy,” she mused. “But I love how you made time to come here and support the camp. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to get away. It seems like you’re recording and touring a lot.”

Taking a sip of water, he nodded. “That’s true, but when Juliette—my soon-to-be bride—decided to take advantage of Jax’s downtime and use it for some good PR, I told her I’d do whatever I could to help. Not that I wouldn’t have come even if there wasn’t a need for the good PR, it’s just…” He groaned. “That all sounded terrible, right? It wasn’t how I meant it. I’m incredibly proud of Jax and everything he’s doing, and I’m just here to support him.”

Reaching over, Lucy rested her hand on his. “I didn’t take it as anything but one brother supporting another. It’s incredibly sweet to see how close you guys all are.”

“Family is…” He sighed happily. “Family is the greatest gift. I can tell you’re close with yours too. I mean…I saw you with Ty and the way the two of you were smiling and laughing, it was easy to see the bond there. Is it the same with Wyatt and Charlie?”

She nodded. “It is. Sometimes it frustrates the hell out of me to have three older brothers, but most of the time, it’s awesome.” Glancing around, she spotted Noah and his wife sitting at the other end of the table next to Ty. “And I’m not gonna lie; I’m looking forward to all of my brothers getting married so there are more females to balance things out!”

That made him laugh. “My mother says the same thing all the time. When Noah and Lily got together, Mom was thrilled to have another woman in the family. Then I met Juliette and I don’t think my mom’s stopped smiling. All we need to do is get Jax married off and I’m sure the poor woman’s heart will explode with joy!”

Lucy felt more than saw Jax’s arm coming around her as he leaned in close to join their conversation. “Whose heart is going to explode with joy?” he asked with amusement.

“Mom’s,” Simon told him. “I was just telling Lucy how if we got you married off, Mom’s life would be complete!”

It was incredibly awkward to basically be sandwiched between the two brothers while talking about Jax getting married.

“Are you secretly dating anyone and don’t want Mom to know?” Simon teased, and maybe it was Lucy’s imagination, but she felt Jax caressing the back of her arm, well out of his brother’s view.

Squirming slightly in her seat, she held her breath waiting for Jax’s response.

“Like I’d tell you,” Jax said with a snort of laughter. “Besides, Noah and Lily just announced that they’re having a baby, so we’re all good for now.”

Letting her breath out slowly, Lucy had to fight a wave of disappointment. It wasn’t like she actually thought he was going to profess his love for her or anything, but even a small hint that he was thinking of her would have been nice.

Although that caress is still going on, so…that’s something.

“Babies are great,” Simon went on. “But you know Mom’s not gonna be happy until we’re all happily married.”

“Dude, come on. Like I don’t have enough to deal with right now? My shoulder’s busted, I just announced the camp, I’m still digging myself out of the PR shit…my dating life isn’t anyone’s concern.”

With a smirk, Simon leaned in, forcing Lucy to lean back a bit. “So you admit there’s a dating life? I don’t need specifics, but…maybe just a little something. You know, just in case mom asks.”

“Simon…”

Lucy gently cleared her throat and went to reach for her glass of water, but Jax’s words stopped her.

“Okay, fine. Yeah. There’s a dating life,” he began, his hand suddenly falling away from her arm and her heart sank. “I met someone and…it’s new. Things have been crazy because of our jobs and then my injury, but…I don’t know. It could be…something.”

Oh. Crap.

It would be way too obvious if she just got up and ran out, but what did she expect? They had one wild and incredibly satisfying weekend together and made no promises. Did she honestly believe he was never going to date or get involved with another woman?

No, but that’s what I hoped!

Maybe Simon said something, maybe he didn’t. All Lucy heard was a loud buzzing in her head, which was the only thing saving her. Luckily, their servers came over and began taking orders. And because she was miserable, she ordered the big burger.

And fries.

And onion rings.

Because…why not?

“Hey, Simon,” she began sweetly. “Would you mind swapping seats with me? I’d love to talk to Juliette about some ideas I have for PR for the clinic.”

“Of course!” he said with his signature smile. He stood and held out his chair for her, and she gladly took it without even glancing at Jax.

Did she stay there for the rest of the meal? Yes.

Did she talk to Juliette about things just off the top of her head? Yes.

And did she leave before dessert, claiming she had a client appointment? Yes.

Her heart was beating so hard as she made her way out of the pub and she prayed no one was going to stop her. Fortunately, no one questioned her, and she had specifically waited until Jax was deep in conversation with someone to do it.

She wasn’t proud of the fact that she was essentially running away—something that was becoming a horrible habit—but right now, it was about self-preservation.

Either way, it wasn’t something she wanted to examine too closely right now.

By the time everyone left the pub, Jax was mentally exhausted. This sort of public relations stuff really took it out of him. Simon and Juliette had to head to the airport for a flight back to California, and Noah and Lily were driving to Raleigh to spend the night before heading back to Charlotte in the morning.

Actually, that was partially his plan too, because he didn’t want to spend another night in his childhood bedroom. Not that he didn’t love spending the time with his mother, but they had done a big family dinner last night and everyone else got to spend the night at a hotel. He was the only one guilted into staying.

So when Noah mentioned that he and Lily were going to Raleigh, Jax jumped on that bandwagon and said he was doing the same—only…he was going there for some interview.

A lie.

Travis, Declan, and the rest of the members of the Warriors who had come in to support them were all on their way to the airport for a flight back to Wichita. When they’d planned the trip, Jax thought he’d stay in town for a few extra days, but…that was because he thought he’d get to spend some time with Lucy. She bolted earlier and it would have been obvious if he’d chased her down. He had no idea where she lived and he had a feeling if he texted her, she wouldn’t tell him.

So now what do I do?

He shook hands with the construction foreman and then turned and found Tyler waiting for him. Smiling, he said, “What a day, huh?”

“It was definitely a high. It’s hard to believe things are coming together so smoothly.”

Jax had to agree. “Hopefully we’ll really break ground soon. I know today was just ceremonial, and I appreciate you being able to pull it all together so quickly. When Juliette called with the idea…”

“It’s not a problem,” Ty gently interrupted. “What are your plans? Are you flying out tonight too, or did I hear you say you were heading to Raleigh?”

Crap . It was on the tip of his tongue to come clean, but…he still had hopes of tracking Lucy down. “Yeah, Raleigh. I’ve got some interviews lined up and then I’ll fly home tomorrow night.” He paused and prayed he sounded casual. “So, uh…Lucy kind of took off without a word earlier. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, she had a patient or client or whatever the correct term is. Since this all was sort of last minute, I guess she couldn’t reschedule.”

That made sense, but it didn’t help him.

“Do you think she’s still there? I’d love to see what a pediatric physical therapy clinic looks like. You know, since I’ve never really seen one that’s fully geared that way.”

Ty looked at his watch and frowned. “Um…normally she’s there until five, so she should be. I wish I could take you, but I’ve got an appointment with the new property management company in town. Sorry.”

“No worries,” he said casually. “Do you have the address? I’ll probably pass it on my way out of town, so…”

His buddy rattled off the address before shaking his hand. “I’ll talk to you over the weekend. Safe travels!”

Jax stood where he was until Tyler was out of the pub before taking even one step. Was he really going to do this? Should he really do this? If she genuinely had appointments and that was the only reason she left, that was one thing. But if she left because she didn’t want to see him? He honestly had no idea what he’d do.

“And do I want to find out?” he murmured.

“We’re opening the place back up, Jax!” Craig Williams, the bartender and Jax’s old classmate, called out.

“That’s my cue to leave,” he said quietly. With a friendly wave, he said, “Thanks for everything, Craig! I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon!”

He stepped outside just as Tyler drove away and he walked right over to his rental car and climbed in. His luggage was in the back, and he couldn’t decide if it would be best to just head out of town or go and see the woman who was never far from his mind.

With a muttered curse, he punched the address into his phone and pulled away from the pub. If he didn’t at least try to see her, he knew he’d regret it. And as for the outcome, he’d never shied away from a challenge before, and he wasn’t about to start now. His arm in a sling was a bit of a hindrance to everything, but it couldn’t be helped. The doctors were a little more lenient about how long he needed to wear it each day, but he was playing it safe so he could get back to playing sooner.

The clinic was only a few minutes away and when he pulled into the parking lot, he had no idea if she was there because he didn’t have a clue about what kind of car she drove.

Great.

Parking, he let out a long breath and figured he needed to just go inside and see what would happen.

The clinic wasn’t overly large, but it was clean and bright—the perfect kind of inviting environment for kids. He approached the front desk and when the receptionist looked up, her eyes went wide.

“Oh my God! You’re Jax Wylder, the football player!”

Grinning, he nodded. “I am. And you are…?”

“I’m Trish. Trish Fanning! I can’t believe you’re here in our clinic!”

“Trish, I was wondering if Lucy Dawson was in. She’s a friend of mine and…”

“And she was at the groundbreaking with you this morning!” she gushed. “She took the whole day off.” Then she frowned. “Wait…she showed up for the groundbreaking, right?”

He nodded. “She did, but I didn’t get to say goodbye.” Casually leaning on the counter, he gave her a charming smile. “The last time I was in town and saw Lucy, she was just a kid living at home with her parents. I doubt that’s where she still lives, but…”

“But you don’t have her address,” she finished for him, but he could see she was conflicted.

Holding up a hand to her, he straightened. “I’m not asking you to betray a confidence or her privacy,” he assured her. “I just hated to leave without saying a proper goodbye.” Now that he was standing here, he realized how creepy it would be to ask for her address and then just show up at her house uninvited. It would be wrong and an invasion of her privacy.

“I really wish I could help you,” Trish was saying, “but it’s not my place. I can call her and ask if it’s okay…”

That might work. If she told Trish no, it would lead to a ton of questions that he was sure Lucy wouldn’t want to answer.

“That would be great. Thanks, Trish!”

Five minutes later, he had hope.

And an address.

Jax drove while trying not to get his hopes up too high. He had no idea if Lucy agreed simply to avoid unnecessary questions from her receptionist or if she genuinely wanted to see him. Either way, again, he was about to find out.

Her house was a small craftsman bungalow near downtown. It was old, but the yard was immaculate. When he got out of the car, he saw her standing on the porch.

And she didn’t look even a little happy to see him.

Bracing himself, he walked up to her and gave her his usual smile. “Hey. This is a great house. Do you do the yard work yourself?”

Ugh…what the hell was that?

By the frown on Lucy’s face, she was thinking the same thing.

“You left without saying anything,” he blurted out, which was almost as awkward as the yard work comment. “I thought…I mean, I had hoped we could spend some time together.”

Those big green eyes went wide. “Are you serious right now?” she asked, heavy on the sarcasm. “Why would you want to do something like that after telling your brother that you’re dating someone? I was sitting right there, Jax! I get that no one knows about our little weekend thing, but it’s pretty crappy for you to do that to your girlfriend.” She snorted with disgust. “On top of that, cheating is a huge trigger for me, so if you think you can just show up here…”

Ah. It all made sense now. She was mid-rant, but that didn’t stop him from moving in close, cupping her cheek, and silencing her with a kiss. Lucy went completely still for a moment before pulling back.

“Jax, I…”

“There’s no girlfriend, Luce. At least…not yet.”

She took a step back with another snort.

“What I mean is…I said all of that to Simon while touching you. I thought you would realize I was talking about you. Us. Maybe I’m being presumptuous, but…”

“Wait…what?”

Closing the distance between them again, he nodded. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I lied to everyone about leaving today because I really wanted the chance to be alone with you. I get that you have to work and probably have other plans or commitments, but…I’m just asking to spend some time with you. Alone.” He paused and watched as her expression softened and felt the first rays of hope. “The text you sent me the night I got hurt was the only thing that made me feel better. Just knowing you were thinking of me…I…I can’t explain it, but…it mattered. A lot. Maybe more than it should.”

“Why don’t we go inside?” she asked quietly. “People recognize you everywhere you go and I’d rather not give my neighbors anything to gossip about. You know how small towns are.”

He did.

Following her into the house, Jax paused in the entryway. It was all very feminine. Lucy struck him as someone who was more laid back and casual and someone who wasn’t overly girly, but one look around and he realized just how wrong he was.

The living room was small but the overstuffed white sofa was draped with a soft pink blanket and there were three minimalist paintings of hydrangea flowers in soft blush pink hanging above it. Every piece of furniture, every pillow or piece of décor felt peaceful and welcoming and in complete contrast to Lucy’s larger than life, bold personality.

“I like this,” he said. “It’s not quite what I expected, but…it’s you.”

Lucy rolled her eyes as she sat down on the sofa. “Please, maybe you should tell your face that, because your expression was mildly horrified when you first looked around.”

Stepping farther into the room, he couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I wouldn’t say horrified; it just…wasn’t what I expected. But it took less than three seconds to realize that this…” He motioned to the room, “is the real you. The badass woman you present to the world is only a small piece of the puzzle.” Then he sat down. “And you know what?”

She looked a bit hesitant. “What?”

“I like puzzles,” he told her. “A lot.”

The eye roll was back, but she was smiling, so he took that as a good sign. “Why are you here, Jax?”

He shifted slightly to get comfortable and reached out to touch her hand. “I told you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I did everything I could to get you to sit by me and then you went and switched seats with Simon, who—by the way—never shut up! When I finally found a break in the conversation, other people were waiting to talk to me, and then you were gone.” He let out a long breath. “Seriously, Lucy, you were the only one I really wanted to talk to all day.”

She looked at their hands before slowly pulling hers away. “That probably wouldn’t have been a good thing. I mean, this was a big day for you and people would have thought it was weird if I were the only one you talked to.” She shrugged. “It was nice for more of your teammates to come and support you.”

“Yeah, well…. they all want to invest in the camp and volunteer. The Warriors PR team is freaking giddy that we’re all doing this, but I didn’t want it to turn into a team event. This is my dream and my narrative.”

She studied him for a long moment before saying anything. “Everyone who hears you talk about it knows how much this project means to you. You need to look at it like your teammates are supporting you and your dream. It didn’t look like anyone was trying to steal the spotlight. The entire presentation at the site was all about you and the town, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

Swallowing hard, he appreciated her words. “So, uh…”

“How’s your shoulder?” she quickly asked, as if sensing he was about to bring the conversation back around to something more personal.

“It’s healing well. The sling is really more for my own protection, but I’m doing everything I can to make sure I don’t overdo anything because I want to be back on the field in two weeks. We’re playing Seattle at home and they’re a team we just can’t seem to beat.” Shaking his head, he laughed. “So it’s now my life’s ambition to win a game against them.”

“It’s good to have goals,” she teased, and then they both grew silent. She averted her gaze again. “You really shouldn’t be here. If anyone saw your car…”

“Do you want me to go?”

Now she did look up and he saw the indecision in her eyes. “I thought we…we said it was just that weekend. No one was there to catch us, Jax. We knew we were on borrowed time. My entire family lives in this town. If any of them saw you…”

“Do they usually stop by unannounced?”

Her hesitation was minute. “No.”

“Did you invite any of them over for dinner or anything tonight?”

She shook her head.

“So my question still stands. Do you want me to go?” And then he held his breath because he desperately wanted her to ask him to stay—more than he wanted his next breath.

Her eyes met his and that’s when he saw it and knew.

And breathed.

“I shouldn’t want this,” she whispered. “Ty would kill us both if he ever found out.”

Jax knew that was true, but this wasn’t about her brother. This was about him and Lucy and this…pull, this wonderful magnetic pull that they had for each other.

Earlier, when he said what he said to his brother, he meant it. Things had been crazy. Her job took her back here to South Creek while his kept him in Wichita. And his injury complicated everything. But deep down, there was a part of him that truly believed this could be something.

Moving in closer, he caressed her cheek. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take to be with you. And we both know all his anger would be directed at me and not you.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” she mumbled.

“Lucy?”

“Hmm?”

“If this whole thing freaks you out this much, I’ll go. I don’t want to, but I will. It’s your call.”

And he was back to holding his damn breath.

“Don’t go,” she said quietly. “This is completely crazy, but…I can’t stop thinking about you either. When you told Simon you were dating someone, I…”

Closing the distance between them, he silenced her with a kiss and cursed the sling he was wearing. One hand wasn’t enough to touch her with. The kiss was hot and deep and so damn good that he felt like a teenager again. She turned him on faster than he thought possible with just the touch of her lips on his.

Lifting her head, she gave him a sexy grin and a very gentle shove so she could climb over and straddle his lap. “I don’t want to hurt your shoulder,” she told him. “So this position would probably be best so there’s no risk of you moving or stretching in a way you shouldn’t.”

It was adorable how she went into physical therapist mode, but that wasn’t where he wanted her to stay.

Although…

“How about we play doctor inside?” he said gruffly. “I’ll let you put me in any position you’d like and I promise to be a good boy and listen.”

Groaning, she rubbed against him in that provocative way he loved so much. “Maybe I don’t want you to be a good boy, Jax. Maybe I want you to be bad. Very, very bad.”

His good arm banded around her waist as he got to his feet. “Which way to the bedroom?”

Her giggle was both sweet and sexy as she pointed. “Down the hall to the left.” Then she was kissing his neck and gently biting it. “You can put me down…”

“Not a chance, princess. Not a chance.” When he walked into her bedroom, he fought the urge to grin. If anything, it was even more feminine in here—lots of soft pink and cream, a chandelier over the bed, and more flowery art. He’d comment on it later.

Like in the morning.

For now, he carefully placed her on the bed and covered her body with his. It took barely a second to realize that position wasn’t going to work for him and he rolled them over so she was back on top. Her smile was victorious as she pulled her sweater up over her head. White lace looked perfect against her creamy skin and he wanted to taste and touch every inch of her.

Lucy leaned in close until her lips were a breath away from his. “Lie back and relax. I’m going to take excellent care of you.”

And she did.