Nothing made sense. Not Sadie’s emotional flip-flopping, or the way he was feeling after making love to her. What should have been a special moment had turned into Sadie explaining why she couldn’t get involved in a relationship with him. Had she used him for sex? Not that he’d normally complain, but Sadie meant something—everything, really.
Carson let the hot water cascade down his shoulders, breathing in the steam from the shower. He’d walked Sadie into the hotel lobby, kissed her cheek, then walked out, not giving her the satisfaction of a backward glance. He drove home with classic metal blasting from his speakers, frustrated and confused by her denial, tortured by the lingering scent of their sex on his body.
Even Tamera eyed him speculatively when he walked inside, letting the screen door slam behind him. He’d stomped upstairs to his master suite and locked the door.
Once he rinsed the soap off his body, he leaned his forehead against the marble wall, unable to get the naked image of Sadie out of his mind. How many nights had he stayed awake fantasizing about her, dreaming of a second chance? That summer after high school, he’d tortured himself, trying to understand why she’d run away. All through college, no matter how hard he pushed himself to play ball, how many nameless girls he took home, or how much he partied, nothing could erase the three years he’d spent with Sadie.
When the Warriors and Cowboys competed for him right up until the draft, Jack Menzies making a backroom deal at the last minute to get him as the first-round draft pick, all Carson could think about was staying close to home just in case Sadie returned. Everything about his past with her had influenced the decisions he made about his future.
He didn’t hide his feelings from his family—his mother was completely aware of why he hadn’t settled down yet. She never judged him, never discouraged him from dreaming big when it came to Sadie. She simply told him if it was meant to be, Sadie would find her way back, no explanation needed.
Well, it’d finally happened.
Smacking his hand against the wall, Carson raked his fingers through his wet hair. He hit the wall again, finding it did nothing to ease his frustration. What’s going on in that beautiful head of hers?
Turning the multiple sprayers off, he reached for a towel from the heated rack, wrapping it around his hips. As he stepped out of the glass enclosure, he caught his reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror across from the shower. He frowned. It didn’t matter what he looked like, how successful he was, how many women he seduced, or how many properties he owned. Money couldn’t buy happiness. Oh, it could make being miserable bearable, but it couldn’t change anything—it wouldn’t bring back Sadie for good.
Tamera rapped on the door, and Carson walked through his bedroom and opened it.
She considered him before she spoke. “Your mama is on the phone.”
“Everything okay?”
“Just a friendly call, I think.”
“Thanks, Tamera, I’ll take it in here.”
“Okay. What about dinner?”
“Already ate.”
“Need anything else, sweetie?”
“A lobotomy,” he said before he closed the door again.
Carson padded to the nightstand on the left side of his oversized bed. He picked up the phone, wondering why his mother hadn’t called his cell instead. “Mama.”
“Carson,” she greeted him with much needed warmth in her voice. “The girls are spending the night at Auntie Beth’s house tonight. Thought it would be a great time to catch up with you.”
“Thanks, Mama,” he said, trying to sound pleasant.
“Rough day at camp?”
Carson laughed. Whenever she asked him that question, it made it sound like he was a kid at summer camp. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Carson,” she said, “I carried you in my body for nine months. Spent a lifetime making sure you were a happy little boy.”
“I know.”
“Your short answers indicate something is wrong. You know you can tell me anything, right?”
Blessed to grow up with parents that encouraged their children to communicate openly, Carson knew he should share the fact that Sadie Reynolds was back in town. Not to mention, if Tamera and his mama had a chance to chat, Tamera would definitely share the news.
“The commissioner and Jack Menzies are cracking down on anyone who violates moral clauses in our contracts, especially players who misuse social media.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“We’re not teenage boys, Mama. We’re grown men, capable of making our own decisions—even if they’re bad ones.”
“Really?” she asked. “I might live in a small town, Carson. But the minute anything makes the news about the team or you specifically, my phone rings.”
Carson regretted that part of his very public life—the effect it had on his mother and sisters. That was another reason he walked a straight path, staying out of trouble as much as he could. “I’m very careful…”
“Except for the occasional slip, right? Like the ass shot Genevieve’s girlfriends were giggling over the other night on the internet?”
Carson’s heart dropped into his stomach. “Jesus Christ.”
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, Carson.”
“Sorry, Mama.”
“Were you taking selfies in a mirror?”
“No.”
“Then who’s responsible for that indiscreet picture?”
“One of the rookies.”
“Shame on that man. Maybe I should give the coach a friendly call and get the rookie’s phone number. And once I contact that player, I’ll remind him how fortunate he is to have such God-given talent. Maybe he needs to think about all the disadvantaged kids out there and how his time would be better spent…”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Coach and everyone else in the front office already knows.”
“Oh.”
“We’ve been put on notice.”
She took a deep breath. “What do you mean?”
“If we don’t clean up our public images, we might get fired.”
“Not you, though.”
“Mama…”
“Jack knows you’re a good kid, Carson.”
“I’m also responsible for the actions of my teammates and helping steer them in the right direction.”
“All right,” she said in her dissatisfied tone. “What’s management doing about it?”
“Hired a social media expert to rehabilitate our profiles, to help change the public’s perception of the team.”
“Isn’t that your agent’s job?”
“Not everything is black and white, Mama.”
“Is this expert reliable?”
“She’s incredible,” Carson slipped.
“What did you say?”
“She’s credible.”
“Carson,” his mother started. “I distinctly heard you say incredible.”
“Did I?”
“Are you fraternizing with a professional woman hired to work with your team?”
In every way. Now would be the perfect time to slip in Sadie’s name. “Mama, it’s Sadie Reynolds.”
The gasp that followed indicated his mother’s surprise. “The Sadie Reynolds?”
“In the flesh.”
“Jesus.”
Carson wanted to remind his mother not to take the Lord’s name in vain, but he bit his tongue.
“How is she?”
“Fine, Mama. Successful, beautiful, and just as confused as she’s always been.”
“Poor girl.”
“I know she didn’t grow up the way I did. Her father is still struggling with addiction, and her mother is forced to stay home and take care of him. Though she’s making a great living, she’s so emotionally isolated.”
“That’s terrible, baby. The best thing you can do is offer support and be there if she needs you.”
Carson rubbed the back of his neck and started pacing. In his mother’s ideal world, that’s what a man like him would do. But Carson flatly refused to let the opportunity to reconnect with Sadie slip through his fingers. A man of decisive action, he’d come up with a game plan, just like he did on the field.
“I need to go, Mama. I have an early morning. Say hello to the girls. I’ll drive down on my next day off.”
“Or I could come spend a few days with you? Auntie Beth can take care of the girls, and I have a few personal days saved up at work.”
Though he appreciated the offer, Carson knew his mother too well. She’d get too involved with him and Sadie. “Let me think about it, okay? My schedule is all screwed up right now. There’s limited time before preseason.” His mother knew the routine as well as he did.
“I love you, Carson. And I’m so proud of you.”
“I love you, too, Mama.”
“Give Tamera a hug for me. And please, tell Sadie I’d love to see her.”
Carson hung up, unsure of what he was going to do about Sadie.