Always My Hero (6 page)

“Don’t go. I could use the company.”

She looked down to where their skin just barely made contact. Years fell away and she remembered the night he’d come to say goodbye before leaving for college on the West Coast. The night she’d finally been able to show him how much he meant to her. The night her life had changed forever.

Ryan grasped her more firmly by the hand, pulling her into the living room and not letting go until they were both seated on the couch. She wanted to bolt. Quickly, before she did something she’d regret ... again. She wanted to touch his face. He’d changed. There were lines around his eyes. Worry lines. She wanted to reach out, smooth them away with her fingertips.

“Can I get you a drink? I’m mostly a beer guy, but I think this occasion calls for some whiskey.”

An addled brain is exactly what she
didn’t
need.

“I’d rather not, thanks.”

“That’s my Bree. Always the good girl.” He teased her with his smile.

If he knew she was currently picturing him without his shirt—heck, without much of anything on—he wouldn’t be saying that. No beer, no whiskey, no coffee even. Just get in, get out and get on with her life. The sooner the better.

Her nose tickled as she picked up traces of a spicy scent that could have been his shampoo, his deodorant, or even some new male body spray. Breathing through her nose as shallowly as possible, Bree was ashamed to admit to herself that she was sniffing him. Good God! Yeah, she needed to wrap this up quickly. She set her jaw and scooted a safe distance away on the couch.

“So, clearly the theme of this particular fundraiser was not my idea.”

“Yet you were only too eager to be the one to execute it.” Again with the teasing tone.

“I didn’t know what I was signing up for! They tricked me.”

“It wouldn’t have been difficult. You always did go out of your way to help people. I see that hasn’t changed.” His smile turned reflective, his eyes darkening just the slightest bit. “Why pick me, though? Is it the abs? I was always able to drag your eyes out of a book whenever I took off my shirt.” Then he winked. Memories from another lifetime flooded her brain.

It was late, school having ended hours ago. She had stayed to watch football practice. Oh, who was she fooling? She’d stayed to watch Ryan. Grabbing her books out of her locker, she slammed it closed, only to find the object of her fascination leaning lazily against the one on her right. He was sweaty and grass-stained and in desperate need of a shower. Yet Bree found herself swaying breathlessly toward him.

“Saw you in the stands today.”

“I was here late. Figured I’d hang out for a bit.”

“Cool.” He placed a palm against the hard metal beside her head, leaning in almost imperceptibly.

“Anyway, I should go. My mom will be wondering where I am.” Pushing her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose, she swallowed hard. She studied the length of his arm, following it up to his face.

He seemed to be watching for her gaze to reach his eyes, because he chose that exact moment to wink. The breath she’d been about to exhale froze in her lungs. Her attention quickly snapped to his mouth. He licked his lips, the action practiced, unhurried. If he didn’t kiss her now, she would surely die!

And then he did. His lips were soft, the hint of a bristling mustache on his upper lip adding an exciting roughness. Only their mouths touched, and only for the briefest of moments. Before she could acknowledge that this was truly happening, he was already stepping back. He looked as stunned as she felt. Without a word, Ryan spun on his heel and jogged off, down the hall to the locker room. Bree brought a shaky hand to her lips as she watched him go.

A mixture of old hurts and sexual frustration had her snapping at him, “It wasn’t my idea. In fact, if it were up to me, you wouldn’t even have to do this stupid calendar.”
Was it hot in here?

She might as well have slapped him. Ryan looked ... wounded. Oh, for crying out loud! First he doesn’t want to have anything to do with the project, then he’s hurt when she agrees with him. There was no pleasing this man!

“It had already been decided, among the board members, that you would be the calendar cover. The piece de resistance.” He only glowered at her so she elaborated. “The whole ‘hometown hero’ thing.”

“And there it is.” Ryan faced forward, slapping his hand against his thigh and biting his lip as though he had a lot more to say.

“You don’t like being put into that position.” She reached out a hand, barely touching his bicep with her fingertips.

“Ya think?” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and tunneled his fingers through his hair.

“Ryan, talk to me. I want to understand.”

He used to thrive on the limelight. Back in high school he was proud of the attention. He couldn’t go anywhere in town without a slap on the back, a handshake, and a hearty wave. And it wasn’t just praise. Bree could remember the free sodas they’d offer Ryan at the mini mart. The two gas stations in town vying for his business with free gas and car washes. He’d loved it all.

“You know what a hometown hero is? It’s someone who has made a sacrifice for their town. Someone who has given their life or a limb or something in service to their country. Something important.

“But Scallop Shores is so damned tiny that they don’t have one of those. So they make do. They pick a high school kid who was pretty talented with a football. He gave them some good memories, something to be proud of all these years later. And they put him up on this pedestal. Where he doesn’t belong.” He spit the last words out on a snarl, his hands curled into fists in his lap.

“You said it yourself. You made them proud. If they want to honor that, what’s the harm?”

“I was supposed to make them proud. I was on my way. I tried.” His anguished expression focused on his worn denim-clad thighs.

Bree bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t used to grown men showing their emotions. Ryan was bitterly upset and it killed her to see him like this. If it were one of her little brothers, she would have taken him on her lap and held him close until he calmed down. But Ryan was an adult, way too big to put on her lap. Her cheeks grew hot.

“No ‘tried’ about it. You did make them proud, Ryan. We’re a simple town. You worked hard to get us to State and we won. You deserve the accolades.”

“Aw hell, that’s all I did. The recognition was for what I was supposed to do. I was on my way to a career in the NFL. I was supposed to be a pro football player. Then they could have called me a celebrity. But not now. Not when I failed them.”

“What are you talking about? Because you aren’t a football player now? You honestly think they care, Ryan? You don’t know for a fact that you would have gone pro. Sure, it would have been great. But it certainly wasn’t a given.”

“I got a full ride to UCLA on a football scholarship and I ended up a bean counter. And why? Because I got injured during a game? At practice? No! Because I slipped on the wet tile in the friggin’ dorm bathroom and messed up my knee bad enough to end my career before it even started. I’m not the town hero. I’m the town joke.”

Okay, this part she didn’t know. Word got back to Scallop Shores that Ryan had gotten hurt, that he’d torn his knee and needed surgery to correct it. It had just been assumed that he’d received the injury during a game. But it didn’t matter. The only person who cared about the specifics was Ryan.

The silence that followed told her he’d revealed more than he meant to. He was embarrassed. Again, she was torn between the desire to get up, give him the space to compose himself and the urge to take him in her arms and comfort him. She’d made the hard choice to let go of her own difficult past and it looked like Ryan needed to do the same thing.

“I’ll do it for you. The calendar.” He finally spoke, looking over at her, his warm brown eyes full of pain and regret. “Not for the town. Not for the notoriety. Just you. But I ask one thing in return.”

“Name it.” She didn’t need to ask first. She knew she could trust him.

“Help me connect with Wes.”

She blinked. “I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, you do. Don’t pretend you don’t see it. Bree, the kid is like a miniature version of you. He’d much rather be by himself, nose in a book. He has a hard time making friends. But he’s happy. I don’t want to change him. I just want to understand him and find some way to relate to him.”

“I’m not sure how to help with that.” She wrinkled her nose, her head tilted to the side.

“You two were discussing books. Series, right? Teach me about those books. Give me the Cliff’s Notes version so I can have the same talks with him. Help me keep up. Help me be able to recommend something I think he’d like.”

The man was a jock, through and through. He probably hadn’t read a book for pleasure since ... well, probably never. But in Bree’s eyes he’d just made Father of the Year. It would have been far easier to force his own interests on his son, teach the kid football, baseball, anything he felt comfortable with. But he chose to support Wesley’s interests. And how could she say no to that?

“So … how did your date with Foster go? Have I told you how proud I am that you took the initiative and asked him first?” Cady set a big mug of coffee in front of Bree and sat down across from her.

“It’s funny you should ask. See, I don’t remember telling you that I even asked him, let alone that we’d already gone out on a date.” Apparently the slice of banana bread she had ordered was considered community property, because Cady was already nibbling on a corner she’d pinched off.

“Silly Bree. I see all. Okay, I am told all.”

“Amanda?” She’d forgotten that Cady was best friends with Foster’s sister.

“Nope. Heard it from the man himself. You shocked him. In a good way, mind you.”

Bree groaned. This wasn’t good. She still hadn’t talked to Foster since their date several nights ago. He’d called a couple of times but, like the coward she was, she had let it go to voicemail.

“I’m guessing that means it didn’t go so well.” Cady’s frown was sympathetic. She leaned across the table. “Was he a bad kisser? I’ve always pictured him as a good kisser, but I could be wrong.”

“What were you doing picturing Foster and kissing, anyway?” Bree slapped at Cady’s hand when the woman reached for another bite of her banana bread.

This was getting distracting. She’d come here to get some work done on the fundraiser, work out a contact list and a budget. Cady was not making that easy.

“And speaking of kissing, shouldn’t you be off on your honeymoon? Generally that follows a wedding, such as you had.”

“It’s the middle of winter, in case you haven’t noticed.” Cady grinned broadly. “Burke has promised to take me to Paris in the spring.”

Bree let out a long sigh. Paris. Such a romantic city. The setting for so many incredible literary classics.

“All right, already! You aren’t going to bring it up on your own and I am dying to hear all about it.” Cady bounced in her seat.

“The date with Foster?” Why was she still on about that?

“No, the calendar!”

“Shh!” Bree hissed across the table. “How on Earth did you hear about that one?” Cady was good, but she wasn’t that good.

Her friend beamed from ear to ear. Her gaze swept the counter, where all the coffee shop regulars were busy with their own conversations. Turning back to Bree, she didn’t bother to hide the mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Martha was in the other day,” she began.

“She told you!”

“You didn’t let me finish. She came in for some pastries for a board meeting. Said they were having trouble coming up with a fundraising idea for a new roof for the library.” Cady paused to let her words sink in.

“This was
your
idea? So I suppose you were the one to suggest I be put in charge, too?”

“Hey, you were the one who had the big New Year’s resolution to find your own happily ever after.”

“Do I dare ask what organizing a calendar shoot of half-naked men has to do with my finding true love?”

“If you have to ask, sweetheart, it has been far too long,” Cady winked.

“Oh, good lord ... ” Bree threw her hands up in surrender. “What if I told you that the date with Foster was amazing and we realized we’re soul mates and can’t believe it took us so long to figure it out?”

“Then I’d say you were lying.”

“Because Foster already told you about the date,” Bree finished for her.

“Back to the drawing board, right?” Cady gestured to the notebook on the table. “So who do you have on your list so far?”

“Your brother, for one. Do you think he’d do it?” Bree hunched down into the cowl neckline of her sweater, as if she could hide from the crazy fiasco that had become her life.

“Oh, please. In a heartbeat. Next?”

“Foster. Or is that too awkward? What if he won’t speak to me? I’ve kind of been avoiding him.”

“He’ll do it because you need him. And have you ever known Foster to be angry at anyone? I don’t think it’s physically possible. Talk to the guy. If you’re on the same page about the date, great. If not, he deserves to know the truth. Who else ya got?”

“Ryan Pettridge. I asked him last night. The board wants him on the cover.”

“Great idea! Love the hometown hero angle.”

Bree forked up a bite of banana bread and simply nodded.

“Okay, you’ve got the ones you’re comfortable with. Now it’s time to step outside your comfort zone and ask some men you aren’t as familiar with.”

“We’re still talking about the calendar, right?” Bree’s laughter betrayed her nerves.

“Who says you can’t pull double duty? You have been given an amazing opportunity here. Why waste it?”

“You mean, you arranged for this amazing opportunity. But finding someone to fall in love with is really something I need to do on my own.”

“I totally understand that. But tell me the truth, when were you planning to get up the nerve to ask someone new out? Things didn’t work out with Foster, but he’s not the only single guy in Scallop Shores. You need to put yourself out there. And if you happen to choose some men for the calendar that you’d like to get to know better ... Again, amazing opportunity.”