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“Same old shit. Coach wants me with Gavin one-on-one so I can make sure he’s just as good as I am. He wants another record-breaking wide receiver in case something happens to me.”
“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” I added. “Do you have a backup plan in case you can’t play football anymore? What did you study in college?”
“Business, actually. I was one of the top students in my class. But to be honest, if something ever happened to me I could see myself coaching.”
“Or you could always help out at the restaurant, since you know so much,” I said, laughing.
In all seriousness, he nodded. “If you ever needed me, you know I would. I just hope me needing a new job doesn’t happen for a very long time.”
“Same here.” Drinking the last of my hot chocolate, I finally took a glance around the room and noticed all the stares. “Evan,” I whispered, “why is everyone looking at us?”
About that time, a little girl with golden braids and missing front teeth walked up to our table, carrying a newspaper and pen. A lady with the same blond hair and eyes watched curiously, with a big smile on her face. She waved at me and I waved back.
“Can I have your autograph, please?” she asked Evan sweetly.
He beamed and gently took the pen from her grasp. “Of course, sweetheart. What’s your name?”
“Abbey.”
Evan wrote an inscription to her and handed her the paper, smiling. “Well, Abbey, thank you for coming to visit me. Is your mom about to take you to school?”
She nodded excitedly. “Yes, and now I can tell all my friends that I met you.” Abbey then turned to me. “Do you mind signing this, too?”
“Me?” I asked incredulously. “Why on earth would you want my autograph?” When she set the paper down in front of me, I noticed it wasn’t just Evan on the front page of the sports section. It was a picture taken at the football game when he’d picked me up and swung me around in his arms. I stared at it, at the smile on both of our faces. It was perfect. The title of the article was COUGARS ON THEIR WAY TO SUPER BOWL? “Oh my God.”
“Please,” the little girl begged. “You’re Evan’s girlfriend. That makes you famous.”
With shaking hands, I took her pen and signed my name with a couple of hearts and a smiley face. I had no clue what to write. After I handed it back to her, she giggled and skipped over to her mother. “I wasn’t expecting to see us in the paper like that.”
Evan chuckled and reached for my hand. “I was waiting on you to mention it. I saw it this morning before coming here. It’s a good picture of us.”
“It is,” I agreed. “I actually look happy. But how did they find out my name? I don’t even know what the article says.”
He squeezed my hand. “It doesn’t say anything about your past, if that’s what you’re worried about. And it’s the media, Summer. It’s not that hard to figure out who you are.”
“I understand that, but what does it say? And why did they choose that picture to print?”
“Hell, I don’t know, maybe because it was a good picture. They did the same thing to Cooper and Kate. It’s just the price you pay for being with me.” His lips tilted up in a grin. “And besides, now that everyone knows who you are, they’ll be checking out the tavern. I think it’s a win-win.”
“I’m not here with you in hopes you’ll get the restaurant more business, Evan. I’ve handled that on my own.”
“Yes, you have. But I’m here to help you in any way I can. That’s what you do when you care about someone.” He quickly glanced down at his phone and groaned. “All right, sunshine, I have to go before I’m late.”
We both stood, and he grabbed my trash and threw it away while I carried the bag with Philip’s bagel. Once outside, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. “I’ll come by tonight after practice so I can see you.”
I kissed him again and nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you then.” He winked at me before taking off across the street and disappearing around the corner. I pulled out my phone, curious to see if anyone had texted about the article. It just so happened I had a gazillion from Lara, and a couple from Kate and Grayson. I could already imagine Lara’s with the overly dramatic exclamation points and shouts of happiness. Kate’s was probably the same way, since she and Lara were just alike. Grayson’s, however, had me worried. Instead of looking at them, I pocketed my phone and walked the block to Philip’s office.
Once at his building, I climbed the stairs to his suite and opened the door. His secretary, Anita Crabtree, welcomed me with a smile. Her brown hair was in the usual bun, and she had on the type of sweater vest you’d see older teachers wear. I think maybe she was one before she retired and started working for Philip.
“Summer, how are you this morning?” she greeted me warmly.
“Good and you?”
“Peachy, my dear. Dr. Parker’s expecting you, so you can go right on in.”
“Thank you, Anita.” His door was just across the hall, so I took a deep breath and entered. He had his back to me, holding the newspaper picture up in front of him. “I see you got the paper as well,” I said.
“Every morning,” he replied, swiveling in his chair to face me. His hair was shorter than it had been last week, and he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue-and-white-striped button-down shirt. More casual than I’d ever seen him. He even had more stubble on his face, a more rugged appearance.
I set the bag in front of him and took a seat. “I brought you breakfast.”
His smile brightened when he opened it up. “Ah, an Asiago cheese bagel. You know me so well.”
“I should hope so,” I said with a laugh. “I’ve been talking to you for almost two years. I consider you more a friend than my therapist now.”
“If I was your friend, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have forgotten to tell me about your new boyfriend. What’s going on with you and the football player?”
Sighing, I leaned back in the chair. “I had no clue they were going to put that picture in the paper.”
Philip took a bite of his bagel and shrugged. “Well, you look happy in it. I have to give you that. I’m assuming everyone will know who you are once the story circulates.”
“Including Austin’s family,” I added sadly.
He sat back with furrowed brows. “Do you think they’ll get angry with you?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope not. This is all so new to me.”
“Are you two serious?”
“Not in the way you’re thinking. We haven’t even gone on a date yet. I do like him, though. He’s the first man I’ve felt anything for in a long time.”
“I see. And does he feel the same way about you?”
Looking out the window, I could see the football stadium. “Yes. It scares me because I don’t know the first thing about being with someone. Austin is all I’ve ever known.”
“Just take your time,” he suggested. “I know guys like that are used to getting what they want. I’d hate to see you pressured into doing something you don’t want to do.”
“He’s not like that, I assure you. Evan’s different. I’ve known him for a long time now.”
Philip got up and sat down beside me, studying me. “Good. Although, I have to say, you seem different today. This past week has changed you. Do we owe that to your newfound love?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Not exactly. Maybe half of it, but it’s also that the tavern is going to be featured in Southern Trends. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am. For the first time in my life, everything feels right.”
Turning toward me, he grabbed my hand and covered it with his other one. “That’s amazing, Summer. I’m so proud of you and how far you’ve come. From what I’m hearing, it sounds like you might be ready to be on your own. Don’t you think?”
Nodding, I agreed. “I believe so. It’ll hurt to stop coming to you because it feels like we’ve grown close. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Summer. I’m still going to come to the restaurant, and instead of analyzing you as a doctor, I’ll talk to you as a friend. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He helped me to my feet. “Although I think I’m going to miss you. Your smile always brightened up this stuffy office.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “I’ll miss you, too. If something happens and I need to call…”
He held me tight around the waist. “Then you call me, okay? I’m always here for you if you need me.”
“Thanks, Philip. That means a lot to me.”
Letting me go, he stepped back and leaned against his desk. “So is there anything else you want to talk about before you go? It is your last session.”
Smiling, I shook my head. “I actually think I’m good. Maybe now when you come to the restaurant I can ask you questions instead of our conversations being all about me.”
“I look forward to that,” he murmured.
“Take care, Philip.” Opening the door, I breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at him one more time before walking out of his office and out of the building. It felt good to be on my own.
—
By the time I got to the restaurant, Lara was champing at the bit. She greeted me by the door and pulled me into the office. “Why haven’t you answered any of my texts?”
“Uh, maybe because I’ve been busy. What’s going on?”
“You and Evan are what’s going on. I saw the picture of you two. You both look so freaking adorable. They’re all calling you his girlfriend. They even mentioned the restaurant. How cool is that?”
“Has Grayson seen it? Have you talked to him?”
Her smile faded. “He’s not here yet. Do you think he’ll have something to say about it?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I keep wondering what Austin’s family is going to say. I don’t want them to think I’m going to forget him.”
Lara put her hands on my shoulders and squeezed. “No one’s going to think that, Summer. We all know you love and miss Austin. You’re twenty-eight years old. Surely they wouldn’t expect you to be alone for the rest of your life. And if they do, they can suck a big fat cock and get over it.”
We both burst out laughing and I hugged her. “Oh, sis, what would I do without you?”
“Go insane. I’m glad I can make you laugh.”
“You do more than that, and I love you so much for it.”
She squeezed me hard. “And I love you.”
Chapter 14
Summer
Grayson showed up right before the lunch crowd arrived, and we were slammed. It was busier than it had ever been. I was thankful we’d hired more staff because there was no way I could’ve handled it on my own with only Grayson behind the bar. Our chefs were amazing and the food tasted like heaven. Their love for cooking definitely showed up in the flavors; they cooked all of Grayson and Austin’s recipes.
Luckily, a break came around three o’clock and it usually stayed slow until around five. Grayson was wiping down the bar when I approached, and he greeted me with a smile. At least it wasn’t a look of disdain. “I’ve noticed you staring at me a lot today,” he teased. “I was starting to get a complex.”
I sat down, and he passed me a glass of water. “Thank you. I guess I’ve just been a little worried.”
“About what?” he said, focusing on me. “Evan?”
I nodded. “I was afraid of what you and your family would think.”
“Are you kidding me?” he laughed. “We’re happy for you. Mom called me today, crying. She said you looked amazing in that picture. They’re all excited about it. They like Evan.”
“Do you?”
“I do, but I think the question you really want to ask is what Austin would think about this.” Sighing, I closed my eyes and nodded. “Austin would want you to be happy, Sum. And if that happiness comes from being with Evan, then so be it. You can’t live your life in guilt if you fall in love with another guy. Have you been holding back because of that?”
“Kind of,” I admitted truthfully.
“Then stop and tell him how you really feel. Once you’re completely honest with him, you’ll be able to move on. Why don’t you go and talk to him?”
“Now?” I asked incredulously.
He rolled his eyes. “No, tomorrow. Yes, now. I want you to be stress-free for the night shift. Also, I want us to have a private party for our friends next Wednesday in celebration of our article. Invite the team and anyone you want.”
“But not Luke,” Lara said in passing.
Grayson growled low. “Now that, I agree with,” he said to me. “Don’t invite that scumbag.”
“Why, so you can have her all to yourself?” I teased.
Shaking his head, he circled around the bar and pushed me toward the door. “Get out of here, Summer. If you come back and the door is locked, just wait outside.”
“Oh my God, don’t you dare have sex in my restaurant.”
“Correction, it’s our restaurant. And how do you know we haven’t already?” he said with a sly smile.
Lara snorted and smacked him on the head. “I heard that. Summer doesn’t need to know everything, dumbass.”
I stood there with my mouth gaping as they both smiled smugly at me. “Ugh, you two are going to drive me insane. I’ll be back in a little bit.” My purse was in the office, so I scurried off to fetch it and opened the back door.
“Take your time,” Grayson called.
“All right, if you don’t see me until eight o’clock don’t get mad.” I wouldn’t do that to him, but it was obvious he didn’t care because I didn’t get a response. I wasn’t about to go back into the restaurant for fear of what I would see.
—
On the way to the practice facility, I called Kate and told her I was making a surprise visit. She met me at the door and let me in so I could sneak onto the field unnoticed. The team was split, all of them doing various exercises. Evan was on the far end with Gavin, just like he said he would be. It was hot outside, and I could feel the sweat beading down my back and soaking the white sundress I wore. I didn’t care. I could go inside and watch through the window, but it was completely different being able to see Evan up close, the way he handled the ball and helped Gavin. Gavin was an exceptional player, but he wasn’t as fast as Evan. If coaching was what Evan wanted to do after he retired, he’d be amazing at it.
“You do realize you haven’t moved from that spot in two hours,” Kate said sometime later. The other players started to disperse, but Evan remained on the field.
Without turning to look at her, I smiled. “What can I say? I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.”
“He should be done soon. Cooper and I are going to go home. I’ve been having some of those Braxton-Hicks contractions and it’s driving me crazy.”
This time I faced her, excitement bubbling inside of me. “It means your baby will be here soon. Just hold out until after next Wednesday. Grayson and I are having a private party at the restaurant. I want you to be there.”
She rubbed her stomach. “If this little tyke holds out, we’ll definitely be there. Lara told me about the magazine contacting you. What an honor!”
“Thanks. We’re excited about it.”
About that time, Cooper ran up and gave her a sweaty kiss before racing off toward the back, laughing the entire way. With her nose scrunched, she wiped off her face. “Do you see what you have to look forward to?”
“Yes,” I said, laughing.
“All right, well, I guess I better go. See you tomorrow?”
I nodded. “I’ll be here.” She smiled and made her way inside. Evan was still out on the field, but Gavin had packed up his things and was headed my way. He took off his helmet and smiled, his face streaked with dirt.
“Summer, right?”
“That’s me. How long is he going to be out there?”
He glanced over his shoulder at Evan. “He should be coming right along. He asked me to meet him tonight at the tavern for drinks.”
“Ah, that’s nice. I guess I’ll see you there then.”
“Yep. See ya.”
As soon as he turned to leave, I ventured out onto the field, my heart pounding the entire way. “I have to say, you’re a dedicated player,” I called out.
With a surprised grin on his face, he turned around. “What are you doing here? Didn’t I already see you this morning?”
I was almost to him. “You did, but I couldn’t wait any longer to see you.” Once the distance was closed, I wrapped my arms around his neck and he captured me. His arms were dirty and covered in sweat, but I didn’t care.
“I’m going to ruin your dress, sunshine.”
“I don’t care. I just wanted you to know that I’m ready. For whatever it is we’re doing with each other. I’m ready to see where it goes, to take the next step.”
He kissed me hard and held me tight in his arms. “Are you sure? If we do this, there’s no turning back.”
I looked into his soft gray eyes, and every doubt, every fear, just vanished. “I know,” I murmured against his lips. “I don’t plan on ever looking back.”
Chapter 15
Summer
The first step to opening up was joining Evan and the team at their away game. I hadn’t flown in a plane since returning from Vegas after I was released from the hospital. That was one place I’d vowed never to go back to. Now we were headed to Arizona. “Have you ever flown first-class before?” Evan asked as we took our seats on the plane. They were much wider than the ones I was used to and definitely more comfortable.
“No, Austin and I always flew coach. I didn’t mind it. But now I’m starting to think we should have upgraded. Though we didn’t need the space like you and the others do.” Evan was a tall guy, very muscular with long legs. He needed the extra room.
“How tall was Austin?” he asked, perfectly interested. We’d been getting to know each other the past couple of days and it was nice to be able to talk to him without holding back. He was comfortable with hearing stories about my life with Austin. It actually helped me feel better to be able to talk to him about my past.
