Chapter 27
Gage proved to be correct and nothing was shown between the two of them on the show from two weeks ago or any after. He’d talk to the producer, Charlie, reminding him about her situation and Charlie agreed to keep their relationship under wraps. Gage had then offered to have Carly appear in one of the upcoming specials he’d promised to do at the beginning of the season after Daniel was dealt with. Relieved, Carly was able to enjoy the subsequent games in which Oaktown High football team went on to win their first ever Texas state championship.
With football season over and having the support of Gage and her family, Carly was ready to put their plans into action. It was the middle of Sunday afternoon, with Jonathan and Gage just back from their last overnight trip, and the three of them were sitting out on the Gage’s back patio, watching Max explore the yard.
“I’m so proud of you both.” Carly beamed at Jonathan and then Gage. They both returned her smile with exhausted but happy grins of their own. Feeling brave, she looked at Gage. “How about we go out to eat somewhere to celebrate?”
Furrowing his brows, Gage sat up. “That sounds great, but are you sure? We don’t have to rush into anything.”
“I’m sure. No arguments. Both of you go take a shower and get changed,” Carly ordered, giving father and son stern teacher looks then breaking out in a giggle when they jumped up and gave her a “Yes, ma’am” and headed inside.
Once the guys were showered and changed, and she’d let Max inside and refilled his food and water dishes, they loaded up in Gage’s truck and headed to a steak restaurant. Although she was nervous at the prospect of having her face alongside Gage’s plastered all over social media, Carly was determined not to let her fears get the best of her. They would deal with her ex when the time came.
“You okay?” Gage asked, opening the passenger side door and helping her down from the truck.
Smoothing the front of the new burgundy sweater she’d paired with her favorite skinny jeans and brown ankle boots, Carly took a deep breath. “I’m good. Just ready for all this to be over.”
Looking at her intently, Gage took her hand and guided her to the door of the restaurant with Jonathan flanking her other side. She couldn’t help but feel a little calmer knowing these two would do anything they could to protect her, even if one of them was only fifteen years old. The more she got to know the tall, lanky boy at her side, the more she knew he was going to grow up to be just like his dad–fiercely loyal and protective. How much luckier could she get?
After a short wait for a table to open up the hostess led them to a round booth in the front corner of the busy restaurant. With Gage on one side and Jonathan on the other, Carly willed herself to relax even though a few cell phones were out and pointed in their direction. You can do this, she told herself, taking a deep breath and opening her menu.
Before she knew it and despite a couple of fans who approached their table, the small ordeal was over, and Carly was safely back in Gage’s truck.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Gage squeezed her hand.
“No, but I’m still anxious and a little afraid to see what Daniel will do if he sees any of the pictures people took.” Carly squeezed his hand back, giving him a small smile.
“We’ll deal with your ex if he makes a move. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he reassured her, sliding the key into the ignition.
“Yeah. Dad and I will protect you,” a voice piped up from the backseat.
Carly turned around, laughing at Jonathan as he beamed at her, flexing his biceps that, despite his age, were rapidly catching up to his dad’s.
“I know, but I can’t help being nervous. I just have a terrible feeling Daniel’s going to do something and it scares me.” Carly looked back at Gage, who squeezed her hand once again.
“Everything is going to be fine,” he growled from the driver’s seat. As he backed out of the parking spot, Carly hoped he was right.
***
A week later and despite quite a few pictures on social media, Carly breathed a sigh of relief that Daniel hadn’t made a move. He was continuing his daily routine of simply going back and forth to work with no sign that he was upset or angry according to Mr. Griffin. Had she been worrying about nothing all this time? She hoped it was true, but she couldn’t let go of the small doubt Daniel had completely let her go. Especially remembering his ominous threats and relentless stalking that had forced her to leave.
Resolved not to let it get to her, Carly took a deep breath and zipped up her two suitcases—one overstuffed with presents, the other full of clothes. It was finally time to leave for Dallas where they were going to spend the Christmas holiday with their families. Her dad and brother had been ecstatic when she’d told them about the game and the ceremony to retire Gage’s number on Christmas day although they were a little concerned about the plans to draw Daniel out. They immediately canceled their previous plans to head to Denver and made new ones. Her parents would be flying into DFW later this afternoon where she, Gage, and Jonathan would pick them up. Her brother and his family would fly in later in the evening and meet them at the huge six-bedroom house Gage had rented for all of them to stay in. Joyce and Bill would be driving in tomorrow for Christmas Eve.
Smiling as she heard a knock on the front door, Carly wheeled her two bags down the hall, turning off lights with Max following behind. Opening the front door, she smiled as Gage bent down to kiss her before taking the handles of her bags. Carly grabbed Max’s things and followed him to the truck. She greeted Jonathan while Max hopped in the back seat, and Gage put her luggage next to his and Jonathan’s duffel bags in the bed.
After the two-hour drive from Oaktown they pulled into the cellphone lot at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to wait for a text from her mom that they’d landed, Carly looked over to find Gage grinning from ear to ear.
“What?” she asked.
“So, your dad’s a Rattlers fan?” Gage asked, a grin lighting up his handsome face.
“Yes, and he’s probably going to be nervous and say something stupid,” Carly answered, hoping her dad wouldn’t make a fool of himself when he met Gage for the first time.
“Don’t worry; I’ll go easy on him,” Gage winked and patted her hand.
She jumped and jerked her gaze away from the huge hand covering her own when her phone pinged with a text.
“They just landed,” she breathed, not able to hide the excitement in her voice.
“Can’t wait to meet them.” Gage smiled, and Carly relaxed, confident he would be able to handle her dad in his excitement.
As he pulled up to the curb, Carly spotted her mom and dad coming out of the sliding glass doors a few cars down. Before he could put the truck in park, she was out the door and flying down the walkway. Her dad set his bag down, and Carly leaped into his arms.
“Hey, baby girl. It’s so good to see you,” he rumbled in her ear as her tears started flowing. Carly grabbed her mom with one outstretched hand and pulled her closer. Her emotions almost overwhelmed her. After another tight squeeze, her dad put her down, and she was swept up in her mother’s arms.
“We’ve missed you so much,” Carly’s mom murmured into her hair, hugging her tightly. They rocked back and forth a few times before Carly finally got herself under control. Wiping the tears from her face, Carly looked over to see Gage and Jonathan quietly hanging back to give them room for their tearful reunion. Smiling, she reached out, motioning them over.
“Mom, Dad. I want you to meet Gage Wilson and his son, Jonathan.” Giggles threatened to bubble out when she saw her dad trying not to lose his shit and fawn all over Gage. Gage had been one of his favorite Rattlers players, and she knew it was difficult for him to act normal around him. Carly relaxed as the corners of Gage’s eyes crinkled in amusement as he extended his hand toward her dad.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Owens, and you, ma’am.” He shook both their hands before motioning Jonathan forward. “This is my son, Jonathan.”
After both of her parents managed to return polite greetings, Gage and Jonathan loaded their luggage into the back while Carly sandwiched herself between her parents in the backseat, holding their hands tight.
On the way back to the house, Gage kept up a pleasant conversation, putting her dad at ease. She smiled while listening to her dad as he bombarded Gage with questions about his playing days and what he thought of the Rattlers this year. Gage answered every question with no hesitation.
Finally making it back to the rental house, Gage pulled around to the garage and stopped next to a white van. When the large pink letters Sharon’s Catering appeared on the side, her mom sat up and cleared her throat.
“What’s this?” she asked, her brows scrunched together.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Gage hired a caterer for us,” Carly answered, hoping her mom wouldn’t make a big deal about it. Carly knew her mom loved to cook, especially at Christmas.
“Mrs. Owens, please don’t take offense. Carly tells me you’re a wonderful cook, and I can’t wait to find out for myself. But I want you to relax and enjoy your daughter for the next few days,” Gage said, turning around and giving her mom one of his famous swoon-worthy smiles.
“Well, when you put it that way…” Her mom fanned herself then leaned over and whispered in Carly’s ear, “He’s a keeper. Don’t you ever let him go, honey.”
Carly giggled at her mother’s dramatics and knew Gage heard it too by the grin he gave her.
While the guys carried in the luggage, Carly and her mom helped Sharon, the lovely woman Gage hired who catered for the Rattlers, carry in the several prepared meals that they’d only needed to heat up, one of which was a huge Christmas spread. She’d also brought along, much to her mom’s delight, some cookie dough and Christmas themed cutters for them to enjoy baking together.
After thanking Sharon, Carly followed her mom as she walked through the kitchen and dining room toward the large open den at the back of the spacious house. Her mom stopped short as she rounded the corner and put her hand over her open mouth as she stared into the room.
“He thought of everything, didn’t he?” she breathed and turned to Carly.
Carly stepped up beside her and admired the huge twelve-foot Christmas tree decked out in full holiday décor in front of a wall of windows, rising two stories tall at the back of the house. Her heart swelled, thinking of all the things he’d done to make everything perfect.
***
“Can I hold Emily?”
Carly reached out for her seven-month-old niece as she lay sleeping in her mother’s arms. She’d been dying to hold her since her brother and his wife had arrived earlier but had been too busy helping heat up the food for dinner.
“Sure,” Cindy said and handed her over.
Carly sat back down and cradled the little, sleeping beauty to her chest and breathed in her wonderful baby smell. She smiled down at Jeremy, who was plastered into her side on the large comfy sofa in front of a massive stone fireplace crackling merrily with the logs her dad had lit earlier. She’d missed the little guy and was so happy her brother and Cindy had agreed to make the trip. When she looked across at Gage, she was taken aback at the funny look on his face – a mixture of tenderness and what looked like concern – that she chose to ignore. Pulling the precious bundle up, Carly kissed her softly on the head then looked over to her brother.
“So, Mark, how’s the new company working out for you?” she asked.
“Great. I just signed on a couple of new high-profile clients, and so far, all the investments I’ve recommended have performed well for them.”
“That’s good. When…” she started to say, but little Emily decided to squirm, and her attention fell away as she soothed her back to sleep. Just as she turned back to finish her thought, Gage interrupted.
“You’re a broker? I’ve been thinking about moving some of my investments. Maybe we can find some time to talk about it before we leave?” Gage asked turning his attention away from her and little Emily. Carly smiled knowing he was trying to put Mark at ease.
“Yeah, we can probably find the time,” her brother half-heartedly replied, a slight frown on his face Carly was sure Gage missed, but she certainly hadn’t. Mark had always been her biggest protector when it came to the guys sniffing around and had hated Daniel immediately. He had advised her against marrying him. Advice she regretted ignoring.
Over the last couple of years, Mark had been her rock, encouraging her to move on and find someone who made her happy. She didn’t understand what his problem was with Gage. She’d thought he’d be thrilled once he met him, but it looked like she was going to have to find time to speak with him alone and have a heart-to-heart.
As the conversation moved on to the Christmas Day game and ceremony, Carly looked back down at her niece and sighed, wishful pictures of what children with Gage would look like flashing through her mind.