He’d known it was coming, the dread lodged in the back of his mind the entire day. Rennen had hoped he could tell Ariana who he was in person before she found out from someone else. He should’ve told her last night when he first learned she was Ace’s sister. Then again, if he had, she would’ve ended it then and there.

He’d received one line from her.

He tried to call her to explain why he’d held back, but she didn’t answer. After five more calls, leaving messages on her voicemail each time, it was apparent she wasn’t going to answer. So he sent her a text.

He waited on pins and needs for her response. His heart lurched when it came through.

He swallowed, his mind not wanting to admit that this relationship with Ariana was over before it even had a chance to begin. A quiet desperation seeped over him as the all-too-familiar feelings of rejection reared their ugly head. “The irony,” he muttered. The odds of running into Ace’s sister in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex with seven million people had to be slim to none. And yet, he had. Maybe he should just forget about her and channel his energy into his career. He balled his fist. Who was he kidding? He’d been able to think of little else other than Ariana ever since he met her.

It was insane to think that a woman he’d only met once—and kissed—could have such a strong effect on him. It probably wouldn’t take much to track down her gym. The worst that could happen was that she might throw him out … or lay him out like she did the football coach. A smile stole over his lips. He’d risk it, if it meant seeing her again. Tomorrow was Saturday. He wondered if she worked weekends. Probably not. But still, he could find the gym and scope things out. Dang it! No, he couldn’t do that. He had another commitment tomorrow. Okay, he’d go Monday after he got through with his training session, which would be over by lunchtime.

His phone buzzed. For one wild second, he thought it might be Ariana, but it was his agent. “Hey, Monroe,” he said, swallowing his disappointment.

“Hey. You are on fire, my man. Lighting up the channels. Everybody wants to know more about ‘the Ghost’ that busted up the Triple Threat and replaced Ace Sanchez.”

Rennen winced, the sting of Ariana’s text hitting him like a punch in the gut. “It wasn’t my fault that Ace got injured.”

“No, it was nobody’s fault. These things happen. But you’re the lucky man who happened to be waiting in the wings, ready to take over.” He let out a deviant chuckle. “And take over you did.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it. I’ve worked my tail off to get where I am,” he shot back.

Monroe let out an easy laugh. “I hear ya, man. You’re testier than a cornered goat. What’s crawled up your jockey shorts?”

He blew out a breath. “Sorry, it’s been a rough night.”

“What’s going on?”

Rennen raked a hand through his hair. “I’d rather not go into it, if you don’t mind.”

Long pause. “Just remember that I’m here for you, if you need to talk.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it,” he added, feeling guilty for taking out his frustration on Monroe. A black guy from Seattle Washington, Monroe was a rock star agent in the sports arena, and Rennen was lucky to have him in his corner. Monroe only represented top players, one of his most notable being the legendary Rigby “Rocket” Breeland. Rennen felt honored that Monroe considered him a high enough caliber player to represent him. And it was partly due to Monroe’s hard-nosed negotiating skills that the Titans were paying Rennen such a large amount.

Monroe became all business. “Anyway, the reason I’m calling on a Friday night is because I’ve got some great news.”

“I could use some good news.” He brightened a little at the prospect.

“Katie Moss from the CBS primetime show Up Close has agreed to an exclusive interview with you this coming Tuesday afternoon. The DaVinci Firm set everything up. Katie wants to do the interview in your home, so viewers can get an in-depth look at your life.”

“Uh, really?” Rennen’s stomach tensed. He glanced around his condo. He didn’t want Katie Moss coming into his personal space and broadcasting it to the world. “Maybe we should pick another location.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll only film in one small section of your living room.”

“I don’t know man. That feels too personal.”

“That’s the idea … and the only way Katie would agree to the interview.” When Rennen remained silent, Monroe rushed to speak. “It’s like we talked about. This interview will help you set the record straight about your past and dispel all these salacious stories that keep cropping up.” He chuckled. “You’re on the fast-track, dude. And with a background like yours, everyone’s dying to know the full story. The trick is to spin the story the way you want, use it to your advantage.”

Deep down, Rennen knew Monroe was right. Ever since the news broke a few weeks ago that the Titans had signed a two-year contract for 12.3 million with Rennen for the starting running back position, reporters came crawling out the woodwork, wanting interviews. It didn’t take long for them to drag up the details of his past, growing up in foster homes, never knowing who his real parents were. Phrases like foster care survivor and rags-to-riches were being thrown around. Rennen could handle just about anything the press threw at him, but what he couldn’t handle was the scores of people claiming to be his parents.

It disgusted him how so many people wanted to cling to his coattails now that he was somebody. Where were his parents when he was a defenseless kid? What kind of mother would desert her baby? These were the questions that had plagued him his entire life, still plagued him. When the press started hounding Rennen, Monroe suggested that Rennen hire a PR firm to be his voice and help field the reporters. Rennen hired The DaVinici Firm, a local group who represented other Titan players, including starting quarterback Kade Kincaid. The firm was known for helping clients spin a positive light on potentially damaging situations.

“All right,” Rennen finally said. “Let’s do it.”

“Awesome. Lainey Summerfield from the DaVinci Firm will contact you with all the details.”

“Sounds good.” Rennen met Lainey the week prior. She was his point of contact at DaVinci. In her mid-fifties, Lainey was approachable and seemed to know her stuff. It would be good to have her as a buffer between him and the press.

“And you’re doing the Tiny Titans Football Camp tomorrow, right?”

“Right.”

“Good, events like that can only help.”

Unlike Monroe, Rennen hadn’t viewed the camp as a PR opportunity but was more concerned about giving back to the community, spending time with at-risk kids. Now, he kind of wished he hadn’t committed to it because it would take up the bulk of his day, meaning that he had to put off trying to find Ariana’s gym. Monroe went through a long list of pointers, things Rennen should say to the press. Halfway listening, his thoughts went back to Ariana. If only she’d give him a chance to talk to her in person, he was sure they could work things out. She seemed like a reasonable person.

Ace had a great career, longer than most running backs in the NFL. But someone was bound to replace him eventually. The same would happen with Rennen, which is why Monroe fought so hard to get him a sizable contract for the next two years. If Rennen weren’t taking Ace’s place, someone else would.

He smiled, thinking about Ariana’s spunk. Her dark eyes were filled with enough vitality for ten lifetimes. She was tough, yet feminine with her subtle curves. He kept thinking about how her stilettos showcased her shapely legs and her wispy hair framed her exotic face. The excitement he felt around her was intoxicating.

When Rennen first started playing football in high school, it felt like he was restoring a part of himself. For the first time in his life, he was the best at something. Football seeped into his blood, and he knew he could never let it go. As crazy as it was, he was having some of those same feelings about Ariana. Now that he’d met her, he didn’t want to let her go. But that was ridiculous. They’d spent a couple meager hours together at a club. Yeah, the kiss had been spectacular, but it was one kiss. He couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Maybe all the stress from the press was starting to get to him. Then again, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was supposed to meet Ariana.

“Hey man,” Monroe said. “I’m getting another call. Can you hold a minute?”

“Sure,” Rennen said absently, his thoughts rambling. When Rennen was in high school, he’d channeled his energy into the one thing that had never failed him—football. His desire to be the best carried him through college on a full ride at Ohio State. He was drafted to play for the Sacramento Vipers in the seventh round and was later traded to the Titans, which Rennen was ecstatic about because it got him back to Texas and gave him the opportunity to play back-up to the great Ace Sanchez. As soon as Rennen achieved one goal, he’d push through to another. His ultimate goal was to secure a lucrative contract as a starter. He assumed when he reached that point, he’d finally feel complete. But a strange thing happened. Now that Rennen had gotten everything he thought he always wanted, he felt more lost than ever. For some time, he’d been praying for clarity to be able to understand what he was feeling.

When he was a kid, he kept a running prayer in his heart that he’d find his mom. But as time went on, and the prayer remained unanswered, he became angry at God. During junior high and his freshman year of high school, he was headed down a dark path that might’ve destroyed him had the Boyd family not entered his life. At the time, Rennen was living with a foster family, the Youngs, an elderly couple with no children of their own. For the Youngs, foster care was a business. While Howard and Denise Young kept Rennen at a distance emotionally, his physical needs were met, which was a drastic improvement over previous situations Rennen had been in. Rennen had mastered putting up a good front to the Youngs, while getting into drugs and alcohol.

It was during this time that Rennen met Warren Boyd when they had a science class together. Warren was a popular kid whose dad Gary was the high school track coach. For some reason, Warren took an interest in Rennen. They eventually became friends, mostly because Warren wouldn’t have it any other way. Rennen joined the track team and Gary recognized his potential. Rennen became a track star and then transitioned into football.

Things took a downward turn, however, when Rennen’s foster father, Howard, died of cancer. His wife Denise had a mental breakdown and could no longer care for herself, much less Rennen. Rennen would’ve been moved to another town with a different set of foster parents had the Boyds not stepped in. They worked it out through the state so Rennen could live with them the remainder of his high school career.

The three years Rennen spent with the Boyds were the happiest in his life. For the first time, Rennen got a taste of what it was like to be part of a real family. Rennen had coped with his turbulent past the best way he knew how. He thought he’d put the worst of it behind him until news of his contract with the Titans went public, and people started coming forward claiming to be his parents. Anger surged through him as he clenched his fist. He just wanted his past to stay in the past where it belonged.

The night before, Rennen had been pretty low when Doug and Matt, fellow Titan players, stopped by and invited him to a karaoke club. Rennen told them no at first, but they kept after him, saying he was too keyed up and needed to release a little steam. He was digging his heels in to refuse, but then had a strong feeling that he needed to go. When he got to the club and started dancing, it felt good to let loose and simply enjoy the moment. Then he met Ariana and assumed that was why he needed to go. Seeing how things had fallen apart with her, Rennen didn’t know what to make of his feelings. He rubbed a hand across his forehead. Maybe he was making too much of this. A good night’s sleep would help him view things more clearly. Ariana was one girl, after all. Rennen had tons of girls lining up to date him. It wasn’t smart to get hung up on the one who got away. Thoughts of her flooded him again. He could almost smell her fruity shampoo, feel her in his arms.

“You there, man?” Monroe asked.

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“Sorry that call took so long.”

“No problem.”

They spoke a few more minutes about the upcoming interview and camp the following day. They ended the call and Rennen rubbed his hand over his face. He needed a good night’s sleep to help recharge his battery. Tomorrow, he’d forget about Ariana and focus on his career. As much as he wanted to, he wouldn’t go searching for her gym.

Relationships were complicated enough without adding the extra layer of her being Ace’s sister. He went to the fridge to grab a water. He lifted the bottle to his lips and drained it in a few swigs, then crushed it in one hand and tossed it in the nearby garbage bin.

He couldn’t resist the temptation to look at his texts to see if Ariana had responded while he was talking to Monroe. Disappointment stabbed through him. She hadn’t. He grunted. Of course not. She’d told him to never contact her again. It didn’t get any clearer than that.

“Forget her,” he muttered. “Don’t be stupid. You don’t need any more drama in your life.”

He needed sleep. Heck, he might even call up a few girls to arrange dates for the next few weeks. That would help take his mind off Ariana. He straightened his shoulders, feeling a little better now that he’d worked out a plan. Plans were good, giving him something concrete to work towards. He’d do as he’d always done, put one foot in front of the other and move forward until his feelings got in line with his head. Yes, that was the sensible thing to do. In a couple of weeks, Ariana would be a distant memory.

Onto bigger and better things.