Carson took a swig of beer, then set the frosty mug on the table. “Did you hear about Tampa Bay?” Carson asked Ty. “Eddie Gomez just signed a contract extension. If that’s the best Tampa can do for a quarterback…”
“Eddie still has some game left in him,” Ty said.
“He needs to save his brand of game for the green.”
“Eddie golfs?”
“Religiously.”
“Shit. The day I pick up a putter, shoot me,” Ty said.
“I’ll remember that twenty years from now when you retire and move to Florida.”
Ty smirked. “I’ll still be catching balls in twenty years. What about you?”
“Hopefully watching one of my kids graduate from high school.”
Ty nearly choked on his beer. “Excuse me?”
“I asked Sadie to marry me.”
“What? When?”
“Half asked,” Carson corrected. “Before we came here. I finally did it. I don’t want to lose her again.”
“And what did she say?”
“To ask her again tomorrow.”
Ty emptied his mug. And refilled it with beer from the pitcher on the table. “What kind of an answer is that?”
“I told her I didn’t want to pressure her at all but that I wanted her to wear the ring.”
“Sonofabitch…” Ty slapped him on the back. “Would it be too premature if I bought you a celebratory shot of tequila?”
“Of course not. But keep this between us for now. Just in case she says no.” Carson grinned, knowing Sadie wouldn’t.
Two minutes later a waitress delivered the drinks.
Ty raised his shot glass. “To you and Sadie getting hitched.”
Carson clinked his shot glass against Ty’s and swallowed down the tequila. “How about standing up as my best man?”
For the first time since they’d met four years ago, Tyrone Baxley was speechless. “I’d be honored. If she says yes.”
They both laughed.
Sadie and her friends came back to the table. The grin on Sadie’s face told Carson everything he needed to know. She’d told Barbi and Erika about the ring. It felt good seeing her laugh with her friends, especially at their old hangout. It never failed, after every home game in high school, half the school and the team would pack Chasers.
Ty nudged him. “You know these guys?”
Carson looked away from Sadie and turned around. His old teammates were standing together, waiting for him. “Harp! Georgie!” Carson high-fived them. “Jesus, Miguel—it’s been too long. And Jonathan.”
“Ty, Solomon, and Donovan, come over here,” Carson said.
They joined him.
“Meet my offensive line from high school.” Carson made the introductions.
Over the next half hour, everyone invited to the dinner showed up, including Leonard, which was a happy surprise for Sadie. They ordered enough hot wings and beers to feed a small army, then the pizzas started coming.
A few hours later, Sadie nuzzled up to Carson as he draped his arm across her shoulders, comfortably seated in an oversized booth. “Okay, sweetheart?” he asked.
“I’m sad Leonard had to leave early. Otherwise, I’m great. I can’t believe we’re all here. Harp is married with two kids. Jonathan owns a successful real estate company. Georgie is working on his doctorate, and Miguel travels all over the world…”
“If you think about it,” Carson started, “all of us ended up successful.”
“And happy,” she added.
“That, too.” Carson kissed her forehead.
“Get a room!” Ty said from across the table.
“Or maybe we should just hit Record on our cell phones and make a sexy video to post,” Sadie teased back.
“Been taking notes, girl?” Ty smiled.
“I would never do that.”
The same attractive cocktail waitress that had been serving the drinks all evening passed by and Ty grinned at her, the way he always did when interested in getting laid.
“Ty?” Carson said.
“What?”
“Leave her alone.”
“Just because you have a girlfriend doesn’t mean I’m willing to settle down.”
Sadie lips curved upward into a sexy smile. “Ouch.”
That’s when Carson noticed Jason standing across the bar staring at them.
“Fuck.” He shot up from the bench. “I can’t believe that asshole showed up here.”
“Who are you talking about?” Sadie asked.
“Jason.”
“Who’s Jason?” Ty asked, standing up, too.
“A jealous prick that doesn’t know when enough is enough.”
“Carson.” Sadie grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “Don’t make a scene. We’ll figure out how to deal with him.”
Carson looked at her. “This is about respect, too, Sadie. And as long as he goes unchecked, that asshole isn’t going to stop.”
“Please, Carson…We’re just starting to get used to the idea of me being here, starting new, living here again…” Sadie let go of his shirt and slipped out of the booth.
“What did he do?” Ty asked Sadie.
“Harassed me in high school for dating Carson…old news.”
“No,” Carson hissed. “We ran into him the other day and he posted insulting shit on Facebook about us. I sent him a clear message after, not to fuck with Sadie anymore.” He couldn’t hold back much longer; Jason needed to learn a lesson the hard way. Carson wouldn’t let anyone hurt Sadie ever again.
“What’s going on, bro?” Solomon approached the table.
Harp, Miguel, Jonathan, and Georgie came over, too. They’d been playing pool with Barbi and Erika.
Carson pointed at Jason.
“Oh, shit,” Harp said. “Not good…”
Sadie’s heart dropped into her stomach as Carson and the rest of the men headed for the other side of the bar. Every fear she ever had about returning to Fairhope came rushing back. She didn’t want any negative attention. Didn’t want to be the cause of Carson getting into trouble. Didn’t want the town fixated on Sadie’s father being the town drunk. Breaking up with Carson was the end result of all her fears, justified or not.
In a small place like Fairhope, the fruit didn’t fall far from the tree. And she’d be ruined if she stayed. Her career…the life that she’d built.
Her whole body started to shake. Thank God Barbi noticed. Her best friend slipped behind her. “Sadie?”
“I-I need to go.”
“No you don’t, sweetie.”
Sadie spun around. “I tried to talk Carson down. If he gets into a fight, if any of them do, Ty, Solomon, or Donovan, they might get cut from the team. And what about Jonathan, Miguel, Harp, and Georgie?”
“Let them take care of Jason.”
“But all the hard work we’ve done…”
“Jason needs to get his ass kicked. No one I know would get mad at Carson or any of those guys for defending you, Sadie. This town let you down before, it’s not going to happen again.”
Tears rolled down Sadie’s cheeks. “I don’t want Carson to get into a fight over me, Barbi. Please, go talk to him.”
“Stay here,” Barbi said, “I’ll be right back.”
Sadie nodded and watched as Barbi walked across the room to Carson and whispered something in his ear. She desperately hoped Barbi could talk some sense into the man she loved, because Sadie felt like she was going to have a panic attack, something that hadn’t happened in a long time.
She inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth several times.
“Barbi is right,” Erika said. “Everyone knows what Jason and his sister did to you. But no one said anything because it was easier to ignore it.”
“Not you, too,” Sadie said.
“Let me get you a drink.”
“A shot of whiskey might help settle my nerves. Thank you.” She made the mistake of taking a last look at Carson—just as he wrapped his big hand around Jason’s throat.