Hollington Homecoming, Volume Two
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Amused, she listened as he defended his reputation. It sounded as if he had years of frustration to get off his chest. Kyra heard the irritation in his voice and the underlying sadness he couldn’t conceal. He had several million-dollar homes, luxury cars and all the other trappings of success, but expected her to believe he wasn’t happy. Please. Did she have sucker written across her head in pink neon marker. That baby-life-is-hard speech might work with other women, but not with her.
“Being a professional athlete isn’t easy. You wouldn’t believe all the crap I go through just because I’ve got a little money.”
“Confessions of an NFL running back,” she quipped, trying to keep a straight face. “How sad. You have women throwing themselves at you, and everything you’ve ever dreamed of, but it still isn’t enough. I don’t get it. What more could you want?”
“You mean besides you?”
Her breath caught. A rush of pleasure flowed through her, immobilizing her and leaving her mute. If the school founders could see her now, they’d be hanging their heads in shame. Four years of university down the drain. Remembering that this was the same man who’d dumped her via email made Kyra’s interest wane. Terrence had had his chance, and she wasn’t interested in dating him again, no matter how persuasive he was.
“Kyra, I want what every man wants.” He leaned over until their arms were touching. “A woman who’ll love me for me and not for the things I have.”
Her lust level soared. Kyra swallowed the lump in her throat, her thoughts racing like a kid in a toy store. And when he moved closer still, shivers vibrated down her spine.
“And—” He paused for a moment. His gaze was strong, steady, invasive. For a second, one crazy terrifying second, she wanted him to kiss her. To create some space between them and usher in some fresh air, Kyra made three shifts to the right. “I want a woman who’s a lady in the street, a sex kitten in the bedroom and a Sara Lee chef in the kitchen!” He chuckled. “I’d like to have a bunch of rug rats and a couple of dogs, too.”
Unable to picture the scene he’d just described, she read his facial expression for clues. “You’re pulling my leg, right?”
“Nope. I’m going to be the Brad Pitt of the NFL!”
Laughter came.
“What about you? Are you ready to tie the knot?”
Studying her hands, she slid her silver bracelet up and down her wrist. When the silence became unbearable, she said, “I guess so.”
“You guess?”
Annoyed that he was poking fun at her, she rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk with your bimbo girlfriends and strip club birthday parties,” she shot back.
“All right, you’ve got me there. I’ve been a very, very bad boy,” he confessed, his words strung together like cans on a string. “I’m not trying to get on your bad side, Kyra. I just figured you’d be married by now.”
“I would have been if...”
“If I’d been man enough to step up to the plate?” Facing her, he offered a weak smile. “It’s okay, Kyra, you can say it. I was a sorry excuse for a man back then.”
Their eyes came together. It felt as if a bowling ball were sitting on her chest. Every breath was a struggle. Insects hummed in her ears, but all she could hear was the gentle timbre of his voice and the deep feeling behind his words.
“Everything was coming at me so fast. Training camp, opening season, the wedding. I’m not making excuses, Ky, I just wanted you to know that it wasn’t you. It was me. I was the one trippin’. I was the one who screwed up what we had.”
Kyra didn’t know if it was the quiver in his voice or the gut-wrenching look on his face, but something compelled her to say, “It was a long time ago, Terrence, and neither one of us were ready for marriage.”
“I promised myself that I wouldn’t bring up the past, but—”
“Terrence, I’m begging you. Please don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what? Apologize for breaking your heart and—”
“You’re giving yourself way too much credit,” she snapped, stunned by his nerve. Where did he get off? After signing with the Cowboys, he’d dropped her, and taken up with a stunning, Cameron Diaz look-alike, but that didn’t mean Kyra had gone off the deep end. Yeah, she’d set fire to his Letterman jacket and cut up his pictures, but that didn’t mean she was bitter. “I was upset, sure, but I moved on. In fact, I took a trip with my girlfriends that fall and had the time of my life.”
A challenge rose in his eyes.
Kyra averted her gaze. Okay, so she’d spent the entire trip in bed crying, but listening to every song ever recorded by Aretha Franklin was incredibly therapeutic.
“Just hear me out, okay? I have to do this or we’ll never be able to move on. We’ll always be stuck in the past.”
Refusing to participate in the discussion, she stared absently out onto the field, her mind chock-full of memories. The players were standing on the sidelines, guzzling water and slipping on numbered jerseys. Discussing the demise of their relationship wasn’t going to change anything, and Kyra suddenly wasn’t in the mood to hear another one of his well thought-out speeches.
“What I did was messed up and I’ve always felt guilty about the way things ended. I was stupid. A stupid, terrified kid who didn’t know if he was coming or going. I listened to the wrong people, and I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
Feigning boredom, but secretly touched by his confession, she inspected her manicure, pretending not to notice him eyeing her. Their breakup had nearly ruined her, and Kyra didn’t want to relive one of the lowest moments of her life.
“If I knew then what I know now, I never would have left you.”
“Terrence, we were kids. We knew nothing about love.”
“What are you saying?”
“We were two lonely teens experiencing love for the first time. Or what we thought was love.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “Lust is a powerful emotion and we mistook it for the real thing.”
“You’re wrong.” He was transparent, open, as vulnerable as she’d ever seen him. “I know a good woman when I see one, Ky. I loved you more than anything, more than anyone. Don’t ever forget that.”
A moment of silence passed between them.
“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” His smile was back.
“I think so. We’ve accomplished a lot in our respective careers and we both have a lot to be proud of.”
“I’d like if we could start over.” Wearing a grin as long and as broad as a four-lane highway, he offered his right hand. “Friends?”
Touching him was dangerous, deadly, riskier than selling Girl Guide cookies in Compton. Kyra was finally headed in the right direction and she didn’t need a great-looking athlete playing with her head. Or her heart. Having Terrence here—at Hollington, the place where they’d met and fallen in love—was confusing enough without him playing mind games with her. Kyra sensed his interest in her, and didn’t want to make a habit of seeing him on a personal level, but she liked the idea of calling a truce. Just to prove she was really over his betrayal. Steeling her nerves, she reached out and shook his hand. “Friends.”
His touch shot chills down to her toes. She saw the question in his eyes, felt the warmth of his remarkably soft skin and knew something special had just passed between them. Passion was synonymous with desire, but Kyra refused to believe that after all this time, the chemistry between them still remained. This wasn’t going to happen. She wasn’t going to fall for his smooth speech and muck up what she had going with...damn, what was the name of the guy who’d taken her to lunch last week?
“You know why I returned to Hollington, don’t you Kyra?” His gaze was so deep, so penetrating, she felt naked before him. Like that night they’d made love on that bearskin rug, in front of the fireplace, to the soothing sound of D’Angelo’s whispery vocals. “I came to see you.”
“Terrence, we could never be more than...” was as far as she got. Gripped by his megawatt smile, his invigorating scent and his touch, she gulped down the rush of emotion threatening to overtake her. Several deep breaths later, Kyra ordered herself to get a grip. Terrence had the bravado of the James Bond icon and more sex appeal than a Chippendales dancer, but she refused to be duped again by his suave moves.
“There you are,” a familiar voice said.
Kyra dropped Terrence’s hand as if it were a roasted stone. Smile frozen in place, she swiveled around on the bench and met her boss’s gaze. “Mr. Morrow, hi, um, what are you doing here?”
Chapter 7
Secretly pleased by the interruption, Kyra looked on as her boss led Terrence onto the field. Fifty feet away, she could still hear Mr. Morrow’s rich, booming laugh. Introductions were made, players were split into teams and, to her surprise, Terrence donned a red pinny and joined the smaller of the two squads.
Digging her cell phone out of her purse, she got up off the bench and walked over to the sidelines. Kyra smiled when she heard her best friend’s message. After striking up a conversation at the Georgia Conference for Women three years ago, Aimee Phillips had quickly become someone she could depend on. The Houston native had parlayed her love of down-home cooking into a culinary career, and Kyra was thrilled the personal chef was relocating to Atlanta.
Anxious to speak to Aimee, she pressed Redial and put the phone to her ear. On the third ring, her girlfriend’s light, breathy voice floated over the line. “What took you so long to call me back?” Aimee asked once they’d exchanged greetings. “I called you hours ago.”
“It’s been one of those mornings. Crazy from the moment I rolled out of bed, and growing longer by the second!”
“It couldn’t be any worse than the day I’m having.”
“What’s up? You sound bummed. Is everything okay at the...”
Momentarily sidetracked by Terrence’s impressive moves on the football field, she lost the ability to think and talk at the same time. Glued to the spot, her eyes slipping and sliding all over his bulging forearms, she waited for her mind to clear. A minute passed. Then another. Kyra was having a mental lapse again, but ever since Terrence had arrived at her office, daydreaming had become a daily occurrence. And when their eyes met, desire washed over her like water from a brook. Blessed with the face and physique of a model, he had the height, the build and the kind of personality that women of all ages found hopelessly attractive. Biting the inside of her cheek, she turned away from his powerful, muscled body and regained the use of her tongue.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” she asked, remembering her girlfriend was on the line. “Are you visiting your parents this weekend?”
“No, they’re out of town.”
“Great. So you can join me and Shaunice at The Tavern for trivia night.”
“Kyra, you know you’re my girl and everything, but that sounds kind of corny.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it. Last month we won the grand prize.”
“What, a year’s supply of corn chips?”
“No, thirty-five hundred dollars.”
Aimee’s voice perked up. “What time did you say it started?”
Giving in to her laughter, she raised her head just in time to see Terrence yank off his pinny. Walter paused to speak to Coach Mayo before falling in step with the former NFL running back. The men strode off the field, wearing identical smiles.
A minute later, Kyra slapped her cell phone shut and slipped it into her purse. “The kids sure looked happy to see you,” she said when Terrence pulled up beside her.
“As they should be. Flash is the real deal!” The excess skin around Walter’s chin jiggled and his shoulders shook with merriment. “You should have seen the wide-eyed expression on their faces when Terrence asked if he could play. They looked like they were going to pass out!”
Terrence pointed his chin towards the field. “They’re a good bunch. If they study the play book and listen to the coaching staff, they might have a chance this year.”
“With you at the helm, they’ll have more than just a chance. But we can discuss your vision for the team over lunch.” Walter clapped him on the shoulder. “There’s a great restaurant up the street that has the biggest steak burgers you’ve ever seen.”
“Don’t say no more. I can eat any time of the day!”
“All right,” Kyra began, putting on her Prada designer sunglasses, “you guys go have lunch and I’ll catch up with you both this afternoon.”
Mr. Morrow frowned. “Nonsense, you’re coming with us. We’ll talk football, and then you can show Terrence around our fine city.”
“But Terrence went to school here,” she pointed out. “He knows the area better than I do. He doesn’t need me to show him around.”
“Oh, but I do,” he insisted, his eyes wide and innocent. He’d perfected the deer-in-headlights look, and unfortunately for Kyra, her boss was eating it up. “I want to check out the aquarium and the Atlanta Sports Museum.”
Walter nodded. “Great, it’s settled. Kyra will show you around after lunch.”
“It sounds wonderful.” Kyra forced the words out through clamped lips. “We should hurry, so we don’t get caught in the lunch rush.”
Terrence gave her an affectionate touch on the arm. “Ladies first.”
Hating the pompous smirk on his lips, she hurled a dirty look at him. Why was he doing this? Is he trying to get a rise out of me? Summoning a smile for her boss’s benefit, she licked the dryness from her lips. Terrence’s eyes were filled with laughter, and though she took a step forward, he didn’t remove his hand.
* * *
Brampton’s Bar, a high-end restaurant located downtown, served breakfast until closing and its extensive wine list and eclectic menu brought patrons in from neighboring counties. Prompt seating, efficient servers and a peaceful ambience made the establishment the talk of the town.
“We should order a bottle of wine,” Mr. Morrow announced, stopping a passing waiter. “Terrence, I know you haven’t accepted the coaching position yet, but I feel like celebrating! This could be the start of another Hollington dynasty!”
Terrence winked at Kyra.
A Southern girl from a family of big, strapping men, Kyra had always been taken by strong, silent types with impeccable manners. He greeted the manager as if they were old friends, chatted up the hostess as she led them out to the patio and entertained Walter with stories about his most harrowing days in the NFL.
A cell phone beeped, and Kyra reached into her purse.
“Sorry, it’s mine.” Putting down his fork, Terrence cleaned his mouth with his napkin and pushed away from the table. “Normally, I wouldn’t answer, but I’ve been waiting to hear back from my agent all day. Do either of you mind if I take this call?”
Mr. Morrow flicked a hand as if to dismiss his apology. “Go on, Terrence. I’ll see you at practice on Monday.” He gestured towards Kyra. “You’re in good hands. Kyra will take great care of you.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Confident to the point of appearing cocky, he winked at her and rose to his feet. They were sequestered behind soaring hedges of fiscus trees that shielded them from prying eyes, but as Terrence strode off through the patio, Kyra noticed that everyone, from the businesswomen downing wine to the teenager with the fashion sense of T-Pain, turned and stared admiringly at the former NFL running back.
Mr. Morrow ingested a mouthful of chicken. “Think we could convince Terrence to invite some of his celebrity friends to the Winter Wonderland Ball?”
Kyra thought about it for a moment, then said, “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I don’t have to tell you how important it is that we get Terrence here at Hollington,” he began, stroking his jaw reflectively. “We have a brand new stadium and have practically given tickets away, but the stands are still empty.”
“That’ll change once Terrence becomes head coach. Soon, every seat in the stadium will be filled. Mark my words, Walter. You’ll see.”
“I love your enthusiasm.” His head remained bent, but he was watching her intently. “You’re in the last year of your contract, right?”
Kyra nodded. She tried to look interested in what her boss was saying, but how could she focus when Terrence was staring right at her? His smile lacked its usual warmth. At ten feet away, he was too far to be heard, but the troubled expression on his face told her the conversation was not going well.
“You’ve given your heart and soul to this school and you’re one of the best PR directors Hollington’s ever had.” He was smiling, but the expression on his face was solemn. “I’m going to level with you, Kyra. What happens this season is going to have an enormous effect on your future. If Terrence signs on as head coach, I’ll see to it that you get a raise and a long-term contract.”
As if I don’t have enough pressure, she thought, annoyed.
“I have to run. I’m chairing this afternoon’s board meeting and I don’t want to be late.” Ending the conversation, he stood and slipped his beige suit jacket over his shoulders. “Take good care of our star coach. See to it that Terrence has everything he needs. Spoil him. Roll out the red carpet. Be extra nice.”
She slaked her thirst by sipping her ice water. “I’ll try my best.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” Walter took another swig from his wineglass, and then was gone. But before Kyra could enjoy a quiet moment with her thoughts, Terrence was back.
“That was fast,” she said.
“I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yup.”
“Liar.” Leaning forward in her chair, arms folded casually on the table, she studied him for a full minute. “The clenched jaw says it all, but if that’s not enough, you’re gripping your glass so tight your veins are popping.”
Slowly, his frown fell away and was replaced with a grin. “You still know me better than anyone else.”
Kyra swallowed. Her tongue felt like dead weight, and it didn’t matter how much she moved it, it wouldn’t oblige. Needing a diversion, she forked broccoli into her mouth and chewed. “So, what’s up? Why do you have a long face?”
“I’m in talks with a network to host my own show, but negotiations have stalled. They’re trying to lowball me, and my agent thinks we should bail.”
“Wow,” she breathed, her voice laced with awe, “you’ve got your hands in everything. Movies, television, endorsements.”
His hearty laugh drew the attention of the brunette at the next table. Winking, she formed her pouty lips into a coy smile. Terrence looked away. “I try to stay busy. I’d lose my mind if I had nothing to do.”
“I’d kill to have some more free time.”
“That’s what you think, but after a few weeks, you’d be itching to go back to work,” he argued. His eyes were sharp and wide and showed how much he was enjoying their banter. “There’s no substitute for getting out and being with people.”
“Maybe for a social butterfly like you, but I have plenty to do at home. I have so many projects on the go, I had to make a list!”
Squinting, he leaned forward. She saw the amused sparkle in his eyes and wondered if she’d revealed too much. His smile had always been her downfall, and that hadn’t changed in the time they’d been apart. Every time he flashed those pearly whites, she went soft. “Tell me what’s on your list.”
“It’s nothing. Just a few things I enjoy doing.”
“Come on,” he prodded. “Don’t be shy. I’d love to know what you do for kicks.”
Was it the sweltering heat that made it impossible for her to think, or his intrusive gaze? Convinced she was reading too much into his questions, she told him about the extensive renovations that had been done to her house last month. “I still have to clean out the garage, unpack boxes and find a company to landscape before winter. Then, there’s my scrapbooking projects, and all the orders I have for my holiday candles.”
“You still make aromatherapy candles?”
Nodding, she bit back a smile. “I’m surprised you remember.”
“How could I forget? I had the best-smelling dorm room in Rupert Hall. You always accused me of flirting with the other co-eds, but it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with your products!”
“It didn’t help that you liked strutting around without your shirt on.”
“I was trying to impress you.”
Kyra gulped down some water.
“Scrapbooking, huh? I should get you to help me organize all the pictures, and mementos I’ve collected during my career.”
Not wanting to offend the superstar athlete, she said, “Not a problem, I’d love to help out. Just say when—”
“How does tonight sound?”
“Sorry, I’m busy.” Unsettled by his steely gaze, Kyra lowered her eyes and pushed out a breath. She needed to steady her nerves before she embarrassed herself. “Back to your deal with Fox. How are you going to find time to host a Sunday morning sports show, with all the other things you’ve got on the go?”
“I’ll find the time. Sleep’s overrated. As long as I get five hours, I’m good to go.”
“You should take it easy,” she advised. “After ten years and countless hits, fractures and broken bones, you need sufficient rest.”
“Kyra, no one retires at thirty-two. I might not be healthy enough to play football, but I have a few good years left in me.”
“You never were one to heed advice.”
“That’s true.” They were two, meaningless words, but his voice was thick with feeling. His expression sobered. “My mom told me to marry you, but I wouldn’t listen. That was the worst decision I ever made and I’ve regretted...”
Pressing her back flat against the chair, she uncrossed her legs and wrung her hands fretfully in her lap. Kyra wanted to tell Terrence to stop, wanted to tell him to quit living in the past, but the words stuck in her throat. They were lodged so deep she could hardly breathe. Sucking in some fresh air, she decided to deal with his erroneous statements head on. Laughing, joking and reminiscing about the good old days took Kyra back to one of the happiest times in her life, but she had to draw the line. Right here, right now. She wasn’t about to take up with an arrogant skirt-chaser who’d betrayed her once before.
“I’m glad Walter contacted me about the coaching position.” He gazed at her, his eyes bright, his big, handsome smile more endearing than a fluffy, white kitten clawing at the back door. “I have a lot to be thankful for. Job offers are starting to roll in, I’m feeling stronger than I have in years and then there’s...you.”
Kyra wanted to laugh, but didn’t. Terrence Franklin had some nerve. He’d broken her heart when he’d dumped her, but arrogantly thought she could be placated with smooth lines and wide smiles. Waiting impatiently for him to wrap up his speech, she tried not to stare at his thick, juicy lips. An unscrupulous charmer, he lived for the intrusive glare of the spotlight and seemed to derive extreme pleasure from seeing her sweat. Kyra didn’t care if he had a perfect smile, bulging biceps and a tight butt. She wouldn’t date him if he were the last man on Earth. But if all that was true, why was she sitting in the stifling heat, shooting the breeze with Terrence when she had tons of paperwork waiting for her back at the office?
“I’m grateful for this opportunity.” His hand grazed hers. “If it wasn’t for the job offer, I would have missed the chance to see you again.”
It took Kyra a moment to organize her thoughts, but when she opened her mouth, a lie rolled off her lips. “Terrence, you’re a nice guy, and I’m sure you’ll make some woman very happy some day, but with our history we could never be more than friends.”
“You’re getting a head of yourself, aren’t you? We haven’t even had our first kiss yet.” He changed the subject so fast Kyra was convinced she’d misheard him. “What are your plans for the weekend? Got anything special going on?”
“Nothing much. Visiting my parents, cleaning the house, maybe a little baking. What about you?”
“My cousins are huge trivia buffs and they need a third man for their team, so I’ll be at The Tavern tonight kicking some butt.”
Her eyes ballooned. “You play trivia?”