The Rookie: Book 2 The Last Play Series (12 page)

T
hey stood there making
out for a long time. Charity didn’t want to think. Not about the fact Paul had called her, and he was moving to New York. Not about Legend moving to Dallas. Not about her moving to New York. Not about the weird witch lady. Definitely not about how much she liked kissing Legend.

Taking a gulp of air, Legend pushed her away and laughed. “Wow. Just…wow.”

She laughed, too, hating it all and loving it all at the same time.

Then Legend’s lips were on hers again, and she felt lost in him. His hands were stroking her head. “Gosh, I love the way you smell.” He nuzzled her hair and inhaled deeply.

A light laugh escaped her. “I’ll admit I had to work really hard to stop your fresh rain smell from burning a hole in my brain.”

He kissed her forehead. Then he trailed kisses down the side of her face. “Oh, so you like it, then.”

Gently rubbing her hand over his cheek, she sighed. “And now for the lamest reporter question ever, how do you keep your facial hair at this perfectly sexy level?”

Laying his head back, he laughed. “Oh my gosh.” He shook his head. “I’m glad you think about stupid little things as much as I do.”

She kissed him. “What do you think about?”

“Hmm, your eyes, your hair, your smell, the way you laugh, how you put your family first…how beautiful your toes are.”

She tugged back. “My toes?”

Putting both arms around her, he pulled her closer and kissed her lips. “I noticed.”

Charity suddenly hated herself. She was totally rebounding. “Legend, I can’t do this.”

He tried to tug her back to him. “Wait.”

“I don’t even know who I am or what I want right now.”

“I don’t care.”

“No, I didn’t tell you that Paul asked if I wanted to get back together.”

“Do you?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the issue?”

She thought of everything he’d been through with Katrina. She thought about the fact he was going to Dallas and she was going to New York. “This would be insane. We are going to be living in different parts of the country.”

Every part of him held onto her. “I don’t care.”

“Legend, I don’t want to do this to either of us.” Like it was real to think it would work out with a man that every girl in Texas would be clamoring for.

“Well, then I’ll just have to convince you it will work.”

“What? No.”

He squeezed her a little. “I get to fight for you if I want.”

She shook her head. “What does that even mean?”

“You can’t go back to Paul.”

“Legend, it’s not that. It’s…we’re an impossible match.”

“But I want you,” he said firmly, his desire and determination evident.

“Legend,” she said shaking her head. “This is ridiculous. Look…I thought I would marry him.”

“Are you?”

“No.”

He grinned. “Then what’s the problem? You get to choose, remember?”

She sighed and lightly reached out, touching his cheek. “It’s not a battle between you and Paul. It’s…I can’t believe I’m saying this to Legend James…”

“What?” He put his hand over hers as she started pulling it away from his face. He placed it over his heart. “What’s keeping you back from what we have?”

When she looked doubtful, he corrected. “What we
could
have?”

She shook her head. “Is this even real?”

He hesitated. “I think it is.”

A sad look washed over her face. “I’m not going to lie, I want it to be…I just don’t see how it would work out.”

“It would.”

“I’ll be in New York, you’ll be in Dallas. And I’m not going to lie…I still don’t trust myself, Legend.” She started up the stairs.

“Rook!” he yelled after her.

She stopped and spun back.

“You’re not going to be able to get those kisses out of your head. And it would work, we will figure it out!”

T
he next morning
, Charity walked into the hospital with an ache in her gut. She hadn’t slept well. Following Legend’s prediction, she hadn’t been able to get the stupid kisses out of her brain. Or the way his hands felt slicking their way up her back and into her hair. Or the way it felt so good to have someone so solid against her. The way it’d felt like such a relief to have him beside her the past few days. She hadn’t appreciated that relief until she was alone this morning, until it really hit her that she’d sent him away last night. Confusion coursed through her. Would he come today? What would she do without him? It was stupid. It had only been a few short days, but the loss of him was palpable.

But then, when she walked into grandpa’s room and he was awake, everything suddenly felt better. What had before been a gloomy place, with the blinds shut and the strange light glowing from medical machinery, was now bright and cheery with fresh sunlight coming in through the window and a welcoming smile on her grandpa’s face.

She went to his side, taking his hand.

Grandpa’s wrinkled, pale face with his thick grey stubble smiled at her. “Hey punkin.” His voice was raspy.

She leaned down and gave him as much of a hug as she could. “I’m so glad you’re awake, Grandpa.” Tears emerged even though she had thought all her tears had been cried over the past few days.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed. “They tell me you didn’t hardly leave my side.”

Nodding, she smiled. “I didn’t want you to be alone.”

He glanced at the record player. “You didn’t have to buy me a new record.”

A nervous twinge went through her. “Actually, I didn’t. I had a friend…”

The sound of someone clearing their throat pulled her attention to the door.

Legend stood there and warmth instantly crept up her neck.She thought of the hard muscles that lay beneath the black body armor shirt he wore.

He cleared his throat and looked at her grandfather. “Sir,” he said, coming in and going straight to the bottom of the bed. “I want you to know I’m glad to see you awake.”

She stood, her heart rate going up a notch. “Grandpa, this is—”

Grandpa’s eyes never moved from Legend, simply nodding. “Legend James.” He didn’t say it with wonder or reverence. He said it like he knew him. “That was a nice throw that last game. I’ve been following your games since your freshman year. I’ve seen you work hard and grow as a player.” He gave him a nod. “You did good this year, son.”

Legend grinned. “Thank you, sir. I hear you played for the U.”

“Yes, I did.” He gave a questioning look at Charity.

Charity felt like she had to explain. “Legend gave me a ride up here the day you had the stroke.”

Grandpa gave her a doubting look. “The thing you didn’t do well was calling my granddaughter a liar.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t realized he knew. “Well,” she said suddenly feeling defensive of Legend. “We’ve worked things out.”

Narrowing his eyes, Grandpa re-evaluated Legend. “You’re the one that’s been here?”

Nervous flutters entered her gut. “Grandpa?”

He closed his eyes for a second, and she felt his hand shake. “I could hear my favorite
Beatles
songs, and I remember laughing.” He opened his eyes, and tears filled them. “Charity, I wanted to wake up to you so badly, but I remember thinking that I was glad you were happy and that you’d found someone who could make you laugh even when I knew you were hurting.”

Charity’s mouth went dry. “What else did you hear?”

At the question, he looked at Legend. “All I knew was that you weren’t Paul, and that made me happy.”

Legend let out a soft, machine gun kind of laugh. “Well, I already like you, Grandpa.”

Charity shook her head. Of course Grandpa would use this time to get in a shot at Paul. “Grandpa,” she chastised.

Grandpa lifted a hand. “Oh you can’t get mad at a sick old man, now can you? Plus, you still haven’t kissed my cheek.”

The fact he was alive and teasing her made her so happy that she couldn’t stay mad at him. Bending forward, she kissed his cheek. “I missed you.”

The sides of his eyes creased, and he nodded to the record player. “Legend, turn on that old record player, will ya?”

“Absolutely.” He went over to the record player and turned on the first song.

Grandpa leaned back and closed his eyes.

Charity nodded to the hall. “Can I talk to you for a second, Legend?”

Legend followed her out. “What’s up?”

“Why are you here? I mean…after last night…I thought you would go.” That feeling of relief was back, like a heavy load had lifted the minute he’d walked through that door.

With a grin on his face, he leaned forward then stealthily placed a kiss on her cheek. “Because I told you I want you, and I need a complication in my life. Just ask Jason.”

“What?” She frowned, pulling away from him as he kissed her.

Then he got her other cheek.

Unwillingly, she giggled. “Stop.” But he did smell wonderful, and his facial hair was delightfully soft.

He pointed at her. “Charity Agnes Saint, you’re not getting rid of me so easily.”

“Legend…” she said, her heart fluttering madly. “You broke your vow never to repeat my middle name.”

There was a slight smile on his face. “What can I say? I see a hole in the defense, and I’m going in for a pass.”

She felt her face reddening, but it was undeniable that she admired the way he turned her own reasoning on her. “Seriously?”

Swiftly, he pecked her lips and then gave her a wide grin. “Do you know why we won the Michigan game last year?”

Admittedly, she wasn’t a die-hard football fan. “No.”

He ran his hand through his hair and moved away from her. “We were down seventeen nothing coming out for the second half, but…we came out focused.”

“Okay.”

He took her by the shoulders. “We made a comeback and won the game thirty-two to seventeen. It was exhilarating.”

“Sounds like it.”

“That’s what I am now.”

“Focused?”

“Absolutely.”

“On what?”

Smiling ruefully, he shook his head. “On you, Rook.”

A strange energy went through her at the intensity in his gaze. “I…”

Putting a finger to her lips, he grinned. “Shh…. just let fate take its course for a bit.”

Warmth rushed through her. “Whatever.”

Moving back to the room, he held up a finger. “One.”

T
hey spent
most of the day with Grandpa, talking and listening to
Beatles'
songs. Of course Charity had to endure a bunch of football talk. Grandpa was reliving the highlight games with Legend over the four last years, and Legend wanted to hear all about Grandpa’s four years of play back in the day.

Charity reported in to her mother, and they both decided that her mother should finish out the trip in Australia. Legend had rushed off to the gift shop, and when he came back, Charity saw Grandpa’s favorite Hershey’s candy bar.

She tried intercepting it while still on the phone, but Legend argued for Grandpa. “It’s fine. Let him have what he wants.”

Grandpa sat back, proudly eating the chocolate with a gleam of joy in his eye. “I like this boy.”

Legend fell into an easy joking with her and Grandpa. She couldn’t help thinking how much easier it was between him and Legend than it’d ever been between him and Paul. In fact, she’d quit bringing Paul with her to check in on Grandpa over the years because Paul always complained that the ‘old man’ hated him. Now, watching these two joke and talk about games, it felt almost too good to be true.

When Charity left at noon to go grab lunch, they hardly noticed. They were too deep in discussion about the next year’s strategy to make up for the guys that were leaving this year. She’d simply waved and said, “I’ll bring back your favorite sandwich, Grandpa.”

He’d waved her out, not looking at her. “Love you, punkin.”

At about five o’clock, the staff came with dinner for Grandpa, and Grandpa told them both to leave.

“But I don’t want to leave,” Charity protested.

Grandpa shook his head. “I need to rest, and you need to get home and take over the Bed and Breakfast, Your mother told me stuff keeps breaking.”

Resignedly, Charity agreed Shelia probably could use a break. “More of the doors are coming off or they’re sticking.” Charity shrugged. “You know how things like to break at the same time.”

Grandpa let out a low growl and sat straighter in his bed to eat. “I’ll have to come around next week and fix those. They just need to be pounded a bit.”

“No you won’t!” Charity exclaimed. “You’re resting next week. The doctor wants you here for a few days, and then I’ll be coming up to check on you.”

“I could fix a couple things,” Legend offered. “I’m good with that stuff.”

Surprised by his request, Charity turned to him. “No, it’s okay.”

“Let him,” Grandpa insisted. “They have to get done.”

It bugged her that Legend had offered. It was one thing to come and spend the day with Grandpa. He’d been a part of the whole ordeal, and she didn’t blame him for wanting to know what had happened. But it put her on edge how much she really liked him. How much she was looking forward to going to draft day with him in Chicago. A nervous stir went through her. Could this really be happening with him? “He’s leaving Saturday, Grandpa. He’s probably busy.”

Legend turned to her. “It’s Thursday. I can take you home tonight and come over and fix some things tomorrow. Plus,” he said, standing and walking over to her, blatantly taking her hand in his, as if to claim her. “Charity has agreed to meet me at draft day in Chicago in a week, sir.” His eyes flipped back to Grandpa. “If you’re in good enough health.”

The way Grandpa puffed up like a proud rooster made a small smile form on Charity’s lips. “You bet she’ll be there.”

Legend let out a light laugh.

Grandpa laughed and actually put up his hand for a high five.

Legend softly hit his hand and then put a hand on his shoulder. Both of them exchanged a fond look.

Charity’s heart rate went up a notch. This was crazy. Grandpa had hardly even liked Victor. He’d only liked him as much as he did because he was a local and Rosie’s son. It didn’t matter because she’d never cared for Victor that way. But he’d also never liked Paul, even after years and years of trying to make them be together and find common ground.