Fair Catch Read online

  The two men from the moving company came down the stairs. Larry grinned and stuck out his hand. “All done, Mr. Coulter.”

  “Thanks.” Nick gave him a firm handshake. “You guys were fast.”

  He pulled his check book out of his back pocket and had the men follow him into the kitchen where he wrote out the check. As he handed it to Larry, he reminded both men about the bonuses they’d receive if his move wasn’t leaked to the press.

  Offering the men the extra money was one way to ensure his privacy until his new location was revealed. His realtor valued word-of-mouth references and wouldn’t dare to jeopardize his reputation. The only other person who knew his identity was Pastor Stewart. He happened to live across the street and, like everyone else, vowed to keep Nick’s confidentiality.

  After thanking them again, he stood on the sidewalk and waved goodbye as the truck turned the corner, disappearing from his sight. With his hands on his hips, he glanced around and took in his surroundings. The neighborhood was beautiful and secluded. Just what he’d wanted.

  It appeared to be empty right now. Really empty. And quiet. Despite what he’d just told his manager, part of him had kind of hoped for a welcome-to-Colorado party.

  As the former quarterback for the Sacramento Defenders, he was used to the media and the fans. He hated to admit if he’d gone ahead with the press conference, he’d definitely have a welcoming committee. But that was not why he’d moved here. Instead, he wanted peace and quiet. Normal.

  He looked around again and felt…lonely? No. He was just a little tired. As he turned to go back inside his house, he heard a door slam. Looking across the street, he saw a woman coming toward him. She wore a big smile and carried a basket on her arm. As she drew closer, he could see she was probably about his mother’s age. He wondered if this was the pastor’s wife.

  “Hello!” She waved with enthusiasm, crossing the street.

  Nick raised his hand to wave at her. At least somebody was going to welcome him to the neighborhood.

  “Hello,” she said again as she drew closer.

  “Hi. I’m Nick, your new neighbor.”

  “Well, I’ll be.” The woman stopped dead in her tracks. “Owen is in so much trouble.”

  Chapter Two

  Obviously, Nick’s new neighbor knew who he was—he’d seen the star-struck look many times before. He offered his hand to her. “Please don’t be mad at Pastor Stewart.” He shrugged as she took his hand. “I asked him not to say anything because…well, I wanted to move in before the madness did.”

  During his years as quarterback for the Sacramento Defenders, his career had been everything he’d ever dreamed about. The Defenders made it to the playoffs several times and had been slated to win the championship more than once. When his team had finally made it to the Super Bowl, Nick had led them to a victory. When he had won the title of MVP, his fame skyrocketed. Coupled with being named by People magazine as one of the 100 Most Beautiful People, his popularity as America’s most-sought-after-bachelor had spread beyond California.

  Unfortunately, the notoriety associated with being a superstar athlete came with a price. At first he’d been flattered by all the attention, but after a few years, it bothered him that he couldn’t do anything without a camera flashing in his face. It wasn’t all bad and he was grateful to the Lord for blessing his life so richly, but the downsides were the tabloids and paparazzi that were determined to catch the reformed Christian football player in a compromising situation.

  Betsy still had a hold of his hand. “My goodness, you’re even more handsome in person.” Her eyes scanned up to the top of his six-three frame. “Why you’re even taller than I’d imagined.”

  Nick chuckled. “Excuse me, but are you Mrs. Stewart?”

  She released his hand and fanned her face. “Oh, yes. I’m sorry I didn’t properly introduce myself. I’m Betsy Stewart and Owen is my husband.” Her cheeks turned rosy. “Of course, you already knew that.”

  “Mrs. Stewart, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “Please, call me Betsy.”

  “If it’s any consolation, Betsy, it was killing your husband not to say anything to you. He told me you’ve been a Defenders fan for a long time.”

  “Well, I forgive him.” She giggled and offered him the large basket. “I almost forgot—welcome to the neighborhood.”

  He closed his eyes and inhaled the aroma of freshly-baked bread. “Wow, that smells incredible. Betsy, if you weren’t already married, I’d ask you on the spot.”

  She waved her hand as the blush deepened. “Oh, I’m not the only one who makes good homemade bread.” She glanced back up into his eyes. “By the way, do you have any plans for dinner?”

  The Smashburger he’d had in mind didn’t sound nearly as good as eating this homemade bread. “Not unless you count Smashburger.” Nick hoped this was an invitation. To have a home cooked meal seemed almost too good to be true.

  Betsy scowled. “Certainly not! I love cooking and, since my boys are gone, I overcook almost every night.” She looked at her watch. “We’d love to have you over for dinner. Why, you could eat with us every night if you wanted.”

  Nick laughed, her offer was tempting. “I wouldn’t want to impose, but tonight would be wonderful.”

  “Good, we’ll eat around five-thirty. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. Thanks, Betsy.” He sniffed the basket again. “And thanks again for this.”

  * * *

  Ellie was ready to crawl in the back seat next to Cade who was fast asleep. He looked so cute with his ruffled hair and his face relaxed in sleep. Traffic was horrible and she berated herself for leaving right in the middle of rush hour. Cade had worn out a lot quicker than she’d planned and had cried to return home.

  It was times like these when Ellie longed to have a devoted partner and friend. In her head she couldn’t bring herself to think “husband.” The word definitely held a negative connotation for her right now. When her parents had been home, they’d willingly and graciously helped carry the burden of being a single mother.

  Single mother. She let out a deep sigh. That had a negative connotation as well, and she hated being a statistic.

  It was almost seven when she finally pulled into the driveway. The remote for the garage door opener didn’t seem to work and she tried one more time without any results. Parking in the driveway, she climbed out of the car, debating whether or not to carry Cade inside.

  Instinctively, she looked at the house across the street to see if there was any indication of activity. She noted the newer white Denali still sat in the driveway. It had California plates and looked like a family car.

  While lifting Cade out, he started to wake up. “Hey, baby, we’re home.” She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

  Cade squirmed to get down. “I’m not a baby, Mom.”

  She wanted to pull him close for a long hug. “I know, but you’ll always be my baby.” She patted him on the head. They’d had this conversation before and a small part of her mourned the fact that Cade would be her only child.

  “Can I see if Betsy has any cookies?”

  Her mouth tipped up into a smile. “I guess, but please remember to knock.”

  Cade took off for the Stewarts’ house and Ellie slowly followed him. Once again, she felt gratitude for her neighbors and the love they shared with her son. Cade was in the house before she made it to the front door.

  Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she stepped up on the porch just as Betsy came to the door. “Sorry Cade came in without knocking.”

  Betsy grinned. “We don’t mind.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “Do you wanna come in for dessert?”

  “That depends. Does it include chocolate?”

  Betsy pretended to be insulted. “Ellie, do you have to ask?”

  Ellie laughed, thankful Betsy loved chocolate just as much as she did. “I guess not.”

  Before they went inside, Betsy’s lips stretched into a smile. �
��Aren’t you even going to ask about our new neighbor?”

  “Oh yeah, what are they like?”

  Betsy leaned in close, raising her eyebrows. “You mean what is he like?”

  Dread formed in the pit of Ellie’s stomach. She recognized that mischievous look in her friend’s eyes. If their new neighbor was a single male…it might be time to move back to Boulder. “You know, Betsy, on second thought, I better pass on the dessert.” She patted her flat stomach. “I’ve already had my quota for the day and I probably need to burn it all off.”

  Ellie started to back away, ignoring Betsy’s narrowed eyes. “Could you and Owen watch Cade while I go for a little run? I really need some alone time.”

  Betsy placed her hands on her hips. “Ellie, you went running this morning.”

  “Thanks, Bets,” Ellie said, ignoring the protest. “I owe you.”

  She didn’t even wait to hear the answer as she took off for home. While she changed into a T-shirt and running shorts, she prayed Betsy wouldn’t push it. Things could get so uncomfortable if Betsy had made up her mind for Ellie and the new guy to get together.

  Sneaking out the back way, she took off at a rather fast pace—like she could outrun her problems and Betsy’s potential dating service. A: She wasn’t interested in dating. B: She wasn’t interested in dating a wealthy bachelor.

  While running, she asked herself why a single man would buy such a big house. Hugh Hefner went through her mind along with some other players and she shuddered at the thought. For one thing, Ellie didn’t like silk bathrobes, and for another, she wouldn’t be caught dead in a bikini wearing bunny ears.

  Her conscience pricked at her, though. It wasn’t fair to judge someone just because they had money. Not every man with a healthy stock portfolio would automatically resemble her ex-husband.

  Still, just to be on the safe side, if she were to ever consider dating again, it would be with someone who didn’t have the potential to run off with another woman. How she would actually figure that out beforehand remained to be seen. There had to be a questionnaire out there somewhere where you could screen men for possible issues with commitment. Maybe that’s what dating services were all about. Would she ever do that?

  Not in this lifetime.

  * * *

  Nick was stuffed from the homemade chicken pot pie. Seeing the dessert, he wished he’d left a little room. The chocolate silk pie looked unbelievable. Pastor Stewart had it good. The doorbell rang and before anyone answered, a little blond haired boy walked in the kitchen.

  “Betsy, Mom said I could have a cookie.”

  Betsy shot out of her chair and craned her neck. “Where is your mom?”

  “Outside.”

  “Owen, can you get Cade a cookie?” Betsy rushed out of the kitchen. “I need to talk to Ellie.”

  Nick watched the little boy launch himself into the man’s leg. “Hi, Pastor Owen.”

  Chuckling, Owen patted the child affectionately. “Hey, Cade, how was the museum?”

  “Hard.” Cade shrugged his shoulders and reached into the cookie jar. “How many can I have?”

  Owen laughed. “How about three.”

  Nick watched as the boy brought out the allotted amount. Cade was really cute and it made Nick miss his own niece and nephews. He tried not to think about how much he’d love to have his own kids. Who said women were the only ones with a biological clock?

  Owen introduced Nick to his new neighbor. Cade grinned and said hi around a mouthful of Oreos.

  Betsy came back in a few minutes later and gave her husband a narrowed look. “Ellie decided to go jogging.” Then she looked at the table. “She actually passed up my chocolate silk pie.”

  “Do I get to stay?” Cade asked around a mouthful of cookie.

  “Yep. Your mom will be back soon.” She glanced at Nick. “Are you ready for dessert?”

  Rubbing his stomach, Nick decided he should pass and maybe go for a run himself. He’d been in the car all day and hadn’t had much of a chance for any exercise. When he declined, Betsy insisted on wrapping up a couple of slices for him.

  “Thank you so much for dinner.” He held up the dessert plate. “And for this.”

  “You’re welcome.” Betsy wiped her hands on her apron. “Are you sure two pieces are enough? I can get another slice of pie if you want.”

  Nick grinned, tempted to take her up on the offer. “I better not. In fact, I think I need to go for a run myself.”

  Betsy’s eyebrow rose and she smiled. “There’s a great jogging trail behind our house.”

  “That’s right.” The realtor had said something about that. “Thanks for the reminder.” He reached out and shook the preacher’s hand. “Thank you for letting me come to dinner, Pastor Owen. You’re a lucky man.”

  “Just call me Owen.” The man patted his slightly rounded middle and grinned. “You’re right, I am very lucky.”

  Nick waved goodbye and crossed the street to his house. After changing into long shorts and a Defenders T-shirt, he made his way toward the jogging path. The weather was beautiful and warm for May, the sun low in the sky. He wished he had a few more hours before the sun set. Just thinking about going back to an empty house in the dark increased his loneliness. Would getting a dog help?

  Now was not the time to be in between girlfriends. In reality, he hadn’t had a steady girlfriend for a long time. Not since Roxanne. Besides, right now he was actually looking for a wife—something that proved difficult, especially with his reputation of being a player.

  In the early years, his reputation hadn’t bothered him. If he were to be completely honest, he’d liked it. What guy wouldn’t have? He had never lacked for female companionship and most of his dates were upcoming actresses or models. Nick had been young and stupid, his fame and money having gone straight to his head. Most of the time, the stories stretched the truth, but Nick knew he hadn’t been living the way his parents had taught him.

  It had taken the death of his best friend for Nick to recommit to his faith. That tragic event, coupled with age and maturity, had Nick questioning his life. He found he’d grown tired of the whole celebrity scene. He wanted to settle down and get married, but it was hard to find a nice Christian girl in his dating pool. His player reputation wasn’t helping.

  Then he’d met Roxanne and everything had changed. He thought they had been in love and really believed her desire to learn more about his faith had been sincere. He couldn’t have been more wrong and it had almost cost him everything.

  Forcing the memory out, he finally reached the trail. It wound around a large open green space and Nick noted only a few people enjoying the last of the daylight. A woman running on the path caught his attention. He admired her slender body being carried by beautiful long legs. Her golden hair was curly and reached the middle of her back. She was running at a steady pace—away from him.

  Making a split second decision, he moved toward her, hoping their paths would cross. It was probably a stupid move, especially if she recognized him. But for some reason he wanted to meet the golden-haired woman.

  * * *

  Ellie started to slow down, wanting to cool down before retrieving Cade. She grinned wickedly, knowing Betsy wouldn’t want to introduce her to the new guy if she was sweaty. Her long, curly hair hung down her back, making her wish she’d at least pulled it into a ponytail. She wore it longer than she’d ever had it before, mainly because Thomas had liked her hair short. He didn’t like the natural curl and insisted on her straightening her hair out. The short bob she had worn made that easier.

  The sky turned a brilliant salmon color and she couldn’t resist stopping to gaze at the beautiful sunset. Walking slowly, she thought about her aversion to men—it wasn’t healthy—especially since she was raising one. Sooner or later her cynical attitude would affect her son as he grew into manhood.

  Her brow furrowed. Introspection rarely proved to be fun. It meant you needed to change.

  Hearing heavy footsteps, she
raised her eyes to see a tall, dark and handso…she made her brain screech to a halt. Appreciating a nice looking male must be a knee-jerk reaction. Suddenly, she felt vulnerable and looked around to see if anyone would hear her scream if the approaching man turned out to be dangerous.

  As he neared, she looked up again and their eyes met. He smiled and Ellie felt the impact all the way to her toes. It irritated her that she even found him remotely handsome. He was tall with medium brown hair and his eyes were dark blue, framed by thick dark lashes. Trying to ignore her brain, which once again was taking in the square jaw and broad shoulders, she berated herself. Good grief what is wrong with me?

  The man slowed down. Panicked, she wished she had her cell phone so she could pretend she had a phone call. Racking her brain for something to do, she looked at her watch and studied it intently.

  The stranger stopped in front of her. “Hi, do you have the time?”

  Wow, he had a nice voice. Automatically, she looked up and stared into unbelievable dark blue eyes. “Um, yeah it’s…” When she’d been studying her watch, it would have been nice to actually note the time. She glanced at it again and then relayed the time.

  The attractive man smiled. “Thanks. I just—”

  Her heart picked up the pace again and all he had done was smile. Retreat was her only option. “Oh wow! I didn’t realize it was so late.” She took off for home, waving over her shoulder. “Have a nice night.”

  Disturbed by her awareness of the unidentified man, Ellie approached the Stewarts’ house, eager to see her little boy. How could Thomas stand to stay away from Cade for so long? She could barely go an hour without feeling bereft.

  Involuntarily, the blue eyed stranger’s face lingered in her mind. For some reason the man had looked vaguely familiar and she racked her brain trying to figure out where she’d seen him before. With a face like his, you’d think she could remember. Hearing her son’s laughter coming from the backyard, she made her way around the house.

  “Mommy!” Cade cried when he saw her. She loved it when he called her mommy.