Fair Catch (23 page)

Nick got as far as the front porch when Ellie came out of the Stewarts’ house. She looked gorgeous, especially when she smiled. “Wow, you look beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink as her heels clacked against the sidewalk.

He held out his hand and felt an avalanche of emotions as their palms connected. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.” She blew out a slow, cleansing breath. “At least I think I am.”

“It won’t be that bad.”

She arched one of her perfect eyebrows. “I don’t know about that. Did I tell you about all the friend requests I’ve gotten on Facebook?” She gave his hand a squeeze. “I don’t know half of them, and the other half I had to look up in my yearbook just to see who they were.”

“Maybe we should start a Facebook fan page for you?” Nick led her across the street to his SUV. “I know I’d like your page.”

She laughed, leaning into his arm. “You’re very good for my ego.”

After helping her into the car, he ran around and climbed in behind the wheel. “So, how was your day?”

Her face clouded for a second before she smiled. “Good. I talked to my parents and my brothers.”

Nick started the car. “Are any of them ready to string me up?”

“No. I think my brothers will string me up if I don’t mar—” She stopped and looked away.

“Hey, don’t stop there. I think I was going to like what you were going to say.”

She gave a short laugh and turned back to face him. “They like you, okay?”

He grinned. “Okay.”

The short drive to the restaurant went by fast, but Nick sensed Ellie’s apprehension increase with each passing mile. By the time they pulled into the parking lot, she had grown quiet. As he helped her out of the car, he took her hand. “You okay?”

She glanced up at him. “Just a little nervous.”

“Nothing to be nervous about. It’s just us.” Although he expected people to notice him, maybe even ask him for an autograph, he hoped tonight people would see he was on a date and respect his privacy.

They stepped inside the crowded restaurant and waited in line. It didn’t take long before he heard the whispers.
Hey, that guy looks like Nick Coulter. Is that really Nick Coulter? Isn’t that his new girlfriend?
Ellie went rigid, clasping his hand a little tighter when the voices mentioned her name and the pictures on the Internet.

He stroked his thumb across her hand and looked down at her. “They should be able to seat us right away.”

“Okay.”

When it was their turn to check in, the girl looked up and grinned. “Mr. Coulter,” she said loud enough to confirm his identity. “We have your table waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Nick said as a young man wearing wire-rimmed glasses stepped forward.

“I’m Greg. If you’ll follow me, I can seat you now.”

Holding Ellie’s hand, Nick led her to the back of the dining area. The lights were low, but he could still feel the stares of the other patrons as they wound their way through the dining room.

Greg stopped near the back corner where a small table for two sat hidden away, exactly what Nick had hoped for. He held out the chair for Ellie who looked a little pale. She gave him a wan smile as he sat across from her.

“I’ll be right back with your menus. May I get you a drink?” Greg asked politely.

Nick liked the kid. He didn’t seem to be star-struck. “Yes, please. I’d like a Coke.”

“And you, ma’am?” Greg questioned Ellie who sat stiffly with her hands tightly clasped.

“Uh, ice water, please.”

Greg left them alone, and Nick reached across the table to take Ellie’s hand. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Her lips barely lifted into a smile. “No. Not bad at all.” She was a terrible liar.

Before he could talk to her, a waitress brought them their menus. “I’m Courtney.” She flashed Nick a pearly-white smile and only gave Ellie a cursory glance as she placed a menu in front of her. Then she leaned forward, and her long coppery hair brushed against Nick’s arm as she placed the menu in front of him. “If there is
anything
I can do for you, just let me know.” Her tone was low, seductive, and obvious.

Nick backed away, hoping Ellie wouldn’t be bothered by the overture. “Thank you.” He picked up the menu and studied it. The woman didn’t move and Nick slid his gaze up to see her eyeing him like he was the only item on the dessert menu. Nick wanted Greg back. “We need a little time before ordering.”

Courtney blushed. “Oh. Sure.” She started to move away. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Ellie watched the girl walk away, then met Nick’s eyes briefly. “I’m starving.” She picked up the menu and opened it. Nick watched her face flush bright red as she snapped the menu closed and held it out for Nick to take. “I think Courtney gave me the wrong menu.” Her words were tight with emotion.

Confused, he took it and opened it up.
Great
. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. This night was not going how he had hoped.

* * *

Ellie watched Nick’s face as he opened his eyes again. The 5x7 glossy of Courtney posing in a skimpy bikini had clearly been meant for him. The brazen redhead even drew a heart with a black sharpie and included her phone number.

Nick put the picture on the table face down and raised miserable eyes to Ellie. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t know why he was apologizing. “It’s not your fault.” Her voice sounded hollow. She took the other menu from the table and studied it intently. Her appetite had diminished greatly.

“Ellie, please look at me.”

Feeling her bottom lip start to quiver, she looked up, willing herself not to cry. Nick wore a pained expression, but she wasn’t sure what to say.

Greg bustled in with two menus. “I’m so sorry for the delay, Mr. Coulter—” He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed they already had menus. He actually looked surprised. “You already have menus?”

Nick cleared his throat. “Yeah, Courtney brought them by.”

Greg looked confused. “Oh. Well, are you ready to order?”

“I am,” Ellie said quickly. “I’ll have the chicken noodle soup.” She handed him the menu.

Nick looked incredulous. “That’s all?” He narrowed his eyes. “I thought you said you were starving.”

“Yes.” She gave him a tightlipped smile. “The soup sounds good.”

Greg didn’t seem to notice anything untoward and turned to Nick. “Mr. Coulter?”

Ellie lowered her eyes, avoiding Nick’s probing gaze. She heard him take another deep breath. “I’ll have the ten ounce steak cooked medium-rare.” Then he picked up the photograph and handed it back to Greg. “Could you please give this back to Courtney?”

The young man’s eyes bugged out. “She left you this?”

“Yeah.” Nick’s voice sounded tired and irritated all at the same time.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Mr. Coulter.” Greg looked at the photo again, blushing three different shades of red. “I promise to take care of this right away.” He scurried out of there, mumbling to himself.

Nick looked miserable and leaned into the table. “I’m sorry, Ellie.”

She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her napkin. “It’s not a big deal.” At least that’s what she kept telling herself. After all, he was a celebrity and this kind of thing probably happened to him all the time. Hadn’t he tried to warn her?

“Ellie, what’s wrong?”

She played with her napkin and only looked at him briefly. “Nothing. I…just miss Cade.” Thinking about Cade reminded her about the conversation with Thomas. His threat still hovered in the back of her mind like a looming summer storm. On some level, Thomas might have a point. Dating a celebrity would affect Cade as well as herself.

Nick scooted his chair close to her. He reached for one of her hands. Her cold fingers almost burned in his hot hand. “You’re not being honest with me, and your fingers are like ice.”

Her lower lip quivered again as she met his concerned gaze. He studied her for a few seconds and then stood up, laying several twenty-dollar bills on the table. Taking her hand again, he pulled her up. “I know something is bothering you, and it’s not just Courtney. We can eat something later, but right now we’re going to talk.”

Grateful to be leaving, Ellie didn’t protest as he led her through the crowded dining room. She heard the whispers again and sensed the stares. Feeling insecure, she kept her gaze straight ahead. Nick Coulter was a beautiful man. It was almost like she could hear the people asking,
what is he doing with her?

Just before leaving the restaurant, a girl whistled and hollered, “Coulter, you’re hot.” Peals of laughter followed as well as another wolf whistle.

Nick’s grip tightened as he plowed through the doors, out into the cool evening air. Neither one spoke as they quickly made their way to his SUV. Ellie kept her eyes lowered as she slid into the seat.

Even after Nick climbed in, Ellie couldn’t look at him. She focused on her restless hands, wondering what to say. She felt his gaze. Knew he wanted her to look at him. Wanted to talk.

Finally, she heard him let out a slow breath and start the car before backing out of the parking space. They rode in silence before he finally said, “Ellie, please talk to me.”

She couldn’t remain silent forever. “I don’t know what to say.” Everything seemed so complicated. The reality of Nick’s celebrity status wasn’t something she was prepared for. She thought about all the adoring fans and what lengths they would go to in order to get Nick’s attention. How did she and Cade fit into his life?

They got on the freeway, heading north. He reached across and took her hand. “Please try.”

The strain in the car began to mount. Nick took the next exit and stopped in a large parking area of a Walmart. “Ellie, talk to me.” He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Please.”

“Well…” She raised her eyes, knowing she owed him some kind of explanation. Although the photo of Courtney in a bikini had bothered her, he needed to know that the picture wasn’t the crux of the problem. “Thomas has been calling, and I haven’t answered his calls. But today, Cade answered my phone. It was Thomas…I had to talk to him.”

“What did he say?” Nick didn’t hide his irritation.

She looked out the window. “Thomas is concerned about Cade. That maybe someone will hurt him because of all the media.” She turned back to face him. “He also accused me of immoral behavior and said he was going to talk to his lawyer and then get back with me.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I can’t lose Cade. I can’t.”

Nick ran a hand through his hair. “Ellie, he seems like the type who throws around threats but doesn’t follow through, and even if he does, he can’t take Cade away. After abandoning both of you, no judge is going to ever side with him.”

Nick made a good point. Still, Thomas liked to stir things up. She wiped away a stray tear. “But he’ll always be there to cause problems, Nick.” She looked down at her lap. “He won’t leave me alone—he won’t leave
us
alone.”

Nick slanted close, the scent of his cologne floating around her. He hooked his finger under her chin and brought her gaze up to his. “Ellie, if we’re together, he can’t hurt you. I won’t let him.” His thumb brushed away another tear. “He’ll always be a part of our life. He’s Cade’s father, but that doesn’t mean he has a say over what you do with the rest of your life.”

“But why would you set yourself up for that? If you married someone else without all of my baggage, your life could be a lot easier.”

A corner of his mouth went up. “You want to marry me?”

“Well…” She couldn’t stop herself from giving him a soft smile. “The thought had occurred to me.”

His smile broadened. “Funny thing, I’ve had the same thoughts, except I felt bad that you had to deal with all of my baggage. You know, the whispers, unwanted photographs and basically no privacy.”

“I don’t see that as a problem. I mean, yeah, it’s annoying when women throw themselves at you. But I could deal with that as long as I knew you loved me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t view Thomas as a problem. Especially if you love me.”

Overwhelmed by his love, Ellie leaned into him. “I do love you.” Then she boldly kissed him on the mouth.

Nick’s hand cupped the back of her head as he returned the kiss. After a minute, he pulled away, gazing into her eyes. “Next time, talk to me, Ellie. If something’s bothering you, I need to know.”

She sighed. “Okay. I guess I’m used to doing everything on my own.”

He toyed with one of her curls. “But you’re not alone anymore.”

“No—I’m not.” She gave him a tiny smile. “You know how you want to know if something’s bothering me?”

He looked a little concerned. “Yeah?”

“Well, I’m starving. Can you feed me?”

He laughed at her and winked. “What are you in the mood for?”

Besides kissing him?
She spotted a Sonic and pointed her finger. “A hamburger and fries sounds good.”

Eating in the car wasn’t as romantic as the restaurant, but Ellie liked the fact that not one person noticed them. Plus, Nick didn’t receive anymore unsolicited photographs.

* * *

Ellie carried the basket of clean clothes upstairs, missing Nick. He had been away for the entire week attending the openings of the summer camps he sponsored in California. Talking on the phone with him several times a day helped, but it wasn’t the same as having him in person. The last text message he sent her said he would be home sometime tomorrow evening.

Pushing Cade’s door open with her hip, she stubbed her bare toe on Buzz Lightyear. Setting the basket of folded clothes on his bed, she bent over to retrieve the offending culprit. Seeing the toy Thomas had purchased for Cade made her think about her ex-husband. At least she hadn’t heard back from Thomas, leading her to believe his threats had been idle. Hopefully, Thomas would get back into his selfish routine of not calling for months at a time.

After placing Cade’s clothes in his dresser, she carried the basket to her own room. The alarm clock on her nightstand read two-thirty. She didn’t need to pick Cade up from the birthday party until four. It would give her enough time to go grocery shopping, something she rarely did alone.