Blindsided (Fair Catch Series, Book Three) Read online

  Did Mari watch the game?

  The thought took him by surprise, although maybe it wasn’t that surprising. He hadn’t gone a day without thinking about her since she’d left nearly three weeks earlier. He hoped she’d been able to find another nanny job. He was still angry with London for firing her, but at least London had promised to help Mari find another position. She’d also promised that she would let Mari see Harper from time to time. He knew that would mean everything to Mari.

  Of course, all of that had been predicated on Hank agreeing to not contact Mari. When London had laid out the condition, he’d been about to refuse when she’d told him it was Mari’s idea.

  The day before she’d left his house she’d said there was no point in telling London about their relationship because they weren’t going to be together anymore. At the time he’d been disappointed that she felt that way, but after learning that Mari preferred the options London offered over having contact with him, he knew he had to respect what she wanted. No matter how much it hurt.

  He toweled off and got dressed.

  The game was over. It had been more exciting to see a game live than she had expected, but the best part was seeing Hank. Even though he was far, far away from where she was sitting, she was closer to him than she had been in weeks.

  The Vipers had won the game, and she wished she could be there to congratulate him, to celebrate with him. But he didn’t want her. She’d heard it for herself. He saw her as a mistake. A mistake he would not repeat. His voice saying those awful, cruel words rang in her head, making her chest ache like it was being squeezed in a vice.

  Walking out of the stadium, she inhaled deeply. She was nervous about this next part. She needed to see him, and not from the stands. There was a blocked off area where players would sometimes greet fans and sign autographs.

  That’s where she would go.

  Thinking about Mari took away some of the high Hank felt over the Vipers’ win, but he knew of a sure way to rid himself of his melancholy. At least for a little while. He would stop by the fan area. It was always an ego boost to have fans clamoring for his autograph or for him to greet them. And the fans loved it. Especially after a win.

  “Hey, Josh,” he said to the Vipers’ star quarterback. “You going to greet the fans?”

  “Sure,” he said. “I can spare a few minutes, but then I have plans with Shay.”

  “I’ll go,” Jax Cordova, the Vipers’ top pass rusher, said.

  The three of them made their way out of the locker room and down the hall that led outside.

  “There’s Wisner,” Mari heard someone call out excitedly.

  She was standing behind the row of fans who were pressed up against the waist-high barriers that surrounded the area where the players would be appearing. That was the perfect place to be. She’d be able to see Hank without him seeing her. She knew how he felt about her, that he regretted getting involved with her. It was imperative that he not see her. If he did, it would only make things worse. Undoubtedly, he’d call security. Maybe he’d even have her arrested.

  The thought made her exceedingly sad.

  Forcing aside those thoughts, she peered around the man in front of her and managed to get a glimpse of Josh Wisner, the quarterback she’d watched play many times now. He stood on the far side of the space.

  “Hank Parson’s coming,” someone shouted.

  Mari’s heart stuttered before nearly pounding out of her chest. Standing on her tiptoes, she struggled to see over the shoulders of the people in front of her. At only five feet three inches, she was definitely shorter than most of the fans straining to see, but after bobbing her head one way and then another, she managed to get a look at him. He was less than ten feet away.

  He looked amazing—tall, ripped, confident, and so freaking hot. Mari could hardly stand it. He was so close, but he might as well be on the moon. Vividly recalling the way it had felt to be held by those strong arms and to be kissed by those perfect lips, and remembering the look in his eyes when he’d told her he was in love with her, Mari nearly swooned as an overpowering yearning practically swamped her.

  She couldn’t do this. This plan had been a terrible mistake. Seeing him only made her miss him more desperately than ever, made her heart shatter into a million more pieces.

  Holding back a sob, she couldn’t tear her gaze from him. He was looking in her general direction, a wide smile on his face, the smile she knew so well. She pretended he was smiling at her, but she knew he couldn’t see her, not with all the people in front of her.

  He took a step closer and the crowd around her moved toward him, calling his name, surging forward. Crushing her.

  All of a sudden she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, knew she could suffocate to death. Absolute panic flooded her. No one seemed to notice her as the crowd shoved forward on a mission to reach him. Someone slammed into her from behind, smashing her face into the back of the man in front of her, while at the same time the person behind her, a large man with a huge belly, mashed her from behind in his frenzied effort to get Hank’s attention.

  Lungs screaming for air, she struggled to breathe, but couldn’t draw a breath. Frantic to claw her way out, she tried to lift her arms, but her hands were pinned to her sides. Her ears began to buzz and dark spots formed in her vision. Then, mercifully, the crowd shifted slightly, allowing her to draw in a ragged breath.

  On instinct, she screamed, “Hank! Help! They’re crushing me!”

  Hank heard a woman cry out and thought he heard his name. Did someone need help or was someone just trying to get his attention? It was hard to be sure over the commotion. The crowd of fans was several people deep and he couldn’t see what was going on.

  He heard a cry for help again and the woman’s voice sounded hysterical. Something was definitely wrong.

  “Make some room,” he shouted, waving his arms at the fans pressed against the barrier. “Please! Step aside!”

  The crowd parted like he was Moses himself.

  That’s when he saw her, but he had a hard time believing it was her.

  What was Mari doing here? She should be in Los Angeles.

  “Mari?”

  “Hank!”

  He’d saved her. The crowd had opened up on his command and now the only thing separating them was the barrier. But the look of unbelieving confusion on his face made her realize her mistake. He wasn’t happy to see her. And now she would be arrested.

  “Who’s that?” she heard someone near her ask, and she felt all eyes shift to her.

  She ignored them, her gaze focused solely on Hank—the man she was in love with, the man she couldn’t live without. But that didn’t matter. He never wanted to see her again.

  Frozen to the spot, her heart pounding with fear and sorrow, Mari gazed into Hank’s intense green eyes. This was her chance to tell him how she felt. Even if he hated her, she had to tell him what was in her heart.

  Her lips lifted in a tentative smile. “I love you.” She put all the feeling of her heart into the words—the love, the missing, the regret. Then, when tears flooded her eyes, she began walking backwards. He didn’t want her in his life. She had to accept that, no matter how painful.

  Shocked confusion at seeing her gave way to absolute joy, and when Hank heard Mari’s declaration of love, his heart nearly burst with happiness. Then her eyes filled with tears and she began backing away.

  Where was she going? Why was she leaving? Was this her way of saying a final good-bye?

  Not about to let her leave, he vaulted over the barrier and sprinted to her side. “Where are you going?”

  Her familiar floral scent, uniquely her, slipped into his nose and his instinct was to drag her into his arms and kiss her. But he needed to talk to her, find out what the heck was going on.

  He was right beside her, his handsome face inches away. Mari wanted to fall into his arms, but she knew that wasn’t why he was there. Without a doubt, he was going to keep her from leaving so security co
uld arrest her.

  Her tear-soaked eyes met his and she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Hank. I shouldn’t have come.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’ll leave you alone. I promise. You don’t need to have me arrested.” Sorrow drenched every word.

  His eyebrows slammed together. “What?” Then he shook his head. “You’re coming with me.”

  Before she could reply, he swept her into his powerful arms and strode to the barrier, setting her on the inside before leaping over himself, then he put his arm around her shoulder and led her toward a door.

  At least he would have her arrested in private. That was kind of him.

  Leaving the clamoring fans behind them, they stepped through the door, then he stopped and faced her, threading his fingers through hers.

  A kaleidoscope of emotions washed over her, top among them, confusion.

  “We need to talk,” he said, and when he kept his hand in hers as he led her down the hall, Mari felt a spark of hope.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Her hand in his felt so right. He’d missed the feel of her soft skin, the way her hand fit so perfectly in his. He glanced at her, still not quite believing she was there.

  Had she said something about being arrested? There had been a lot of noise, so he couldn’t be sure. In any case, she was with him now, and they were going to have a serious conversation.

  He led her out to the players’ parking lot.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, her sweet voice sounding uncertain.

  Thrilled beyond reason to have her beside him, he smiled. “Somewhere we can talk.”

  When they reached his car—a red Audi R8—he helped her into the passenger seat, then got behind the wheel. The two-seater sports car had a cozy interior, and right now, with Mari in the passenger seat, he appreciated that.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” he said with a smile that tugged up one side of his mouth.

  “You’re not mad I came?”

  Why would she ask that? He was ecstatic. “Absolutely not.” He had to make something clear from the jump. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

  Why was he saying that? She’d heard what he’d said about her. That she was a mistake. How could he look at her like he’d actually missed her when he’d said being with her was a mistake? Was it a trick?

  Confused, Mari didn’t know what to believe.

  “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk. Are you hungry?”

  She hadn’t eaten all day. She’d been too nervous. “Yes.”

  He chuckled. “Good. Cause I’m starving.” He started the car and they roared out of the parking lot. A few minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant that looked pretty fancy.

  “Am I underdressed?” Mari asked as she looked at her jeans and blouse, then realized that was the least important thing right now.

  Hank stopped next to the valet, then glanced at his own jeans and button-up shirt. “If you are, then I am too. But don’t worry. I’ve eaten here before. They’ll accommodate us.”

  She didn’t want to ask if he’d eaten there with Simone. It didn’t matter. The important thing was that she was with him and he had yet to send her away. “Okay.”

  One valet opened Hank’s door and another opened Mari’s, helping her out. A moment later Hank was at her side, and when his hand slid into hers, the spark of hope she’d felt earlier ignited into a flame.

  “Mr. Parson,” the maitre d’ said with a warm smile after they entered. “Welcome.”

  Seeing that Hank was known here made Mari feel special in his reflected light.

  The man smiled at Mari with a nod, then said, “Please. Follow me.”

  A few moments later they entered a brick-lined courtyard with a huge tree in the middle, ivy climbing the walls, greenery everywhere, and beautifully set tables all around. When they were seated at a small table, Mari noticed that there were just a few other diners. Then again, it was barely five o’clock.

  “This place is stunning,” she said with a smile.

  His eyes never left her face. “It’s only what you deserve.”

  Mari thought about the recording London had played for her. The way he was looking at her was completely at odds with what he’d said.

  Confused, but not letting the flame of hope sputter, Mari was eager to discover the truth. But first, they ordered their meal—salmon for her, steak for him.

  The moment their server left, Hank took Mari’s hand in his. He had to touch her, had to make sure she was really there.

  “You said something about being arrested,” he said. He had no idea what she’d been talking about, but it seemed a good place to start. “What’s going on, Mari?”

  Mari seemed to shrink in on herself as she worried her lower lip with her teeth.

  What had happened?

  “London fired me,” Mari finally said.

  That wasn’t news, but he sensed there was more. A lot more. “But she helped you find another job, right?”

  Mari’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “No. She told me to leave town or she would make sure no one would hire me.”

  Clenching his jaw, he exhaled through his nose. “Have you seen Harper?”

  Sadness slid into Mari’s eyes. “Not since the day she fired me. She…she barely let me tell Harper good-bye.”

  This was getting better and better. Fury at London spiked in his head, but he kept his cool, if only for Mari’s sake. “She lied to me,” he said.

  Mari’s eyebrows puckered. “What?”

  “She told me you didn’t want to see me, that you made a deal with her. That if I didn’t contact you she would help you find another nanny job and let you stay in touch with Harper.”

  London had told him that? And then kicked her out with the promise that she wouldn’t find any work as a nanny in Los Angeles?

  Did that mean the things she’d told Mari that Hank had said about her were lies too?

  But she’d heard him.

  Right now Mari’s anger at London was secondary. She had to know why Hank had said she was a mistake.

  “I heard what you said,” she began.

  Hank’s eyebrows bunched. “What I said?”

  Mari nodded. “London played a recording of your conversation.” She swallowed over the knot in her throat. “You said I was…I was a mistake.”

  What on earth was she talking about? He’d never said she was a mistake. Combing through his memory, he tried to recall the conversation he’d had with London on the day Mari and Harper had left.

  Then it hit him and he smiled as he shook his head.

  Mari’s gaze was glued to him, and as he pictured the way London had manipulated her—had manipulated both of them—he thought his head might explode.

  “Did she play the entire phone call?”

  Mari shook her head.

  “I didn’t think so.” He gritted his teeth, then forced himself to relax. “She took my words out of context.” He sighed heavily, but kept Mari’s hand held in his. “We’d been talking about Harper’s custody arrangements. London said I’d agreed to the way things were and I said I realized now that it was a mistake. A mistake I wouldn’t repeat.” He watched Mari’s face. “Does that sound familiar?”

  What he said made sense, but she was still uncertain. “Right before you said being with me was a…a mistake, London said you should have known I was off-limits. Nothing was said about Harper.”

  A muscle moved in Hank’s jaw, and Mari could see he was upset about this.

  “It wouldn’t be hard for her to edit the recording, Mari.”

  “How long was your conversation with her?”

  One of his shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Five minutes? Maybe?”

  It had been well over an hour from the time London had left Mari to make her phone call until she had come for Mari. Plenty of time to edit a recording.

  To think Mari had fallen f
or it. Then again, London was an award-winning actress. That, coupled with the doctored audio…. Who wouldn’t have believed it?

  Mari’s initial emotion was outrage. But right on its heels was hope. Because right now she was sitting with Hank. London’s tricks hadn’t worked. At least not for long.

  “What else did she do?” Hank asked, his hand still holding hers.

  Mari no longer wanted to think about London and what she had done. It was all lies anyway. The important thing was that she was with Hank now.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said.

  “Of course it does.”

  She shook her head. “Please let it go. I don’t want to cause a wedge between you and London. For Harper’s sake.”

  She amazed him. This was her chance to get back at London, to expose her lies, her manipulation, yet she didn’t want to do that. She was more concerned about Harper’s parents having harmony than about exacting revenge.

  Love for her filled his heart to overflowing. She was the woman for him. She would always be the woman for him. He gazed at her, his heart full. “I love you, Mari.”

  Love for him cascaded over her, and all the despair that she’d lived with for the past few weeks evaporated. Just like that.

  “I love you, Hank. More than you’ll ever know.”

  His lips curved into a smile. “I plan to find out.”

  The server set their food in front of them, forcing them to release each other’s hands.

  “What have you been doing these past few weeks?” Hank asked as they ate.

  She filled him in on all that had happened.

  “You live in Sacramento now?” His face was alight with happiness.

  Mari nodded. “Yep. And I start my new job tomorrow.”

  “Well,” he said with a grin. “That calls for a celebration.”

  This already felt like a celebration and she told him so.

  He laughed. “Okay, but we can celebrate for more than one meal, can’t we?”