Reagan

Brooke came home with me, our arms filled with newspapers. We sat at the table and immediately Brooke took one, and I opened another, starting to flick through.

“I think it’ll be in the sports section,” Brooke said. She picked up several pages and opened to the sports area. I saw her eyes widen.

“What?” I asked.

“Um….” She started laughing and pushed her paper in front of me. On the first page in the sports part was a big picture of Carter’s back standing before his family boxed seats with me, hands on the ledge smiling down at him. The title read, “Who is Carter Anthony’s mystery woman?”

Whoa.

I was a mystery woman?

But for all they knew, I could have been part of Carter’s family.

“I can’t read it.” I shook my head and stepped back from the table, then laughed nervously. “Wait until they find out we’re just friends. They’ll look like fools.”

Brooke hummed in the back of her throat. “How about you go and ring your parents to tell them you’re bringing your”—she used air quotes with her fingers for the next word out of her mouth— “friend for dinner.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Good thinking.” I nodded, and then turned to head to my bedroom.

Stupid reporters.

Involving me in Carter’s life like that.

Poor guy was probably embarrassed.

Though, it wasn’t a very good photo. I doubted anyone could really tell it was me. If no one said anything to me on Monday, I knew I was in the clear and then I’d breathe easy.

Picking up the phone from my bedside table, I dialed in my parents’ number.

“Ree-ree, what’s my girl up to?” Mom answered.

“Mom, can I come to dinner tonight?”

“Of course you can. Sunday night is roast night, and you know there’s always a lot.”

“Good because I have a friend who’d like to come as well.”

“Brooke is always welcome, you know that.”

Clearing my throat, I admitted, “It’s not Brooke. His name’s Carter—”

Silence for a beat and then, “Oh my God. Oh my God. My girl is bringing a boy?”

“A friend who happens to be a guy, yes.”

“Of course he can come. Is there anything he doesn’t like to eat? Oh, I’ll have to bring out the good china. This is so exciting. Would six be okay? Wait until I tell your father. He’s been worried about you. We both have.”

“Mom!” I shouted to get her attention before she rattled off more.

“Yes, dear?”

“Promise me that you and Dad will be on your best behavior? Do not mention in front of him about us dating or that you think we’d look good together. None of that. Let’s just have a nice, normal dinner.”

“Sure. Totally. Can’t wait. See you then,” she sang, then hung up.

I hit my forehead with the receiver and groaned. She agreed way too quickly for my liking.

Dinner was going to be hell.

Carter

I felt like a dick for inviting myself over to her folks’ home for dinner, but I didn’t see any other way to be able to spend some time with her. She was too skittish that morning after the game, and I blamed my family for not telling her who they were. Also, I couldn’t exactly say, “Hey, you mind if I come over to your place to get to know each other so eventually, we can move to the next level and become an item?”

Hell, I sounded like I was back in high school.

I wasn’t even sure if she’d be interested in me in that way. Yeah, she got flustered around me, but was it because she was attracted to me?

Then again, from what my brother Casper told me, she sure did like me in my uniform.

A smile tipped up my lips. Then I lost it at my next thought.

Or could it be she liked all my teammates in their uniform?

Do not go there, Carter, or you’ll kill the other players.

Why did Reagan Wild make me violent?

While I’d been possessive before, it was never to the extent of wanting to harm my friends to the point of bloodshed. Maybe it was just that the other women weren’t important enough to some part of my brain, the part where Reagan was. She had me by my balls, brain, and body.

It near gutted me when she’d told my family we were just friends, like that was all she saw us as, or perhaps she was worried that friendship was all I could ever want from her. I continued to overthink her reaction to me, her responses. Maybe she was scared in some way that, hell, maybe she thought I could hurt her. I hope it wasn’t that though. I’d never hurt her intentionally.

My overthinking was driving me insane.

What I did know was that I knew nothing. I was grasping at straws when it came to Reagan. A woman’s mind was like the Rubik’s cube for people like me. Something I couldn’t for the life of me figure out.

However, I was hoping I would get more of an insight into Reagan’s life by meeting her parents. Also, I wanted to make a good impression, and by what Reagan said, her dad was already a fan, which would be an advantage.

Pulling my car up to the curb in front of Reagan’s house, I took it all in. It seemed like a good neighborhood. At least there weren’t any drug dealings or hookers on any corner. I noticed as I climbed out of my Hummer, the street was quiet. Reagan’s house was a small brick one, with a cute flower garden out the front. I could totally see her in a tee and shorty shorts kneeling under the warm sun tending to her flower garden. Hell, do not go there or little Carter will perk up, and Reagan will open the door to me with a stiffy.

With a few deep breaths, I calmed myself and stepped up onto the front porch. A cute setting was arranged with two wicker chairs and a round wicker table in between.

It was pretty damn sweet. Like Reagan.

As I just raised my hand to knock on the door, it flew open.

Reagan stood there waving a shoe around. “I lost a shoe. Sorry, I should have been waiting out in front. I swear my mom’s dog, Fozzie, who I minded for a while, stole the thing and put it under my couch just to peeve me off. He was vindictive like that.” She stepped out after placing her shoe on and turned to lock the door.

“I’m kind of early anyway.” I’d been hoping to see inside Reagan’s domain.

“All good. We should get going. You’ll probably want the night over with as quickly as possible anyway.” She laughed, but it wasn’t her normal one. It seemed forced and nervous. She made her way past me, down the footpath and to my car before I’d even stepped off the porch. Shaking my head and smirking, I quickly jogged down to the car.

Pressing the button to unlock it, I stepped up to Reagan’s side and opened her door for her. I had to bite my bottom lip and look down so she didn’t see how amused I was at her wide eyes and gaping mouth. Too damn cute.

“Reagan,” I called before she got in.

“Y-yes?”

“Relax, okay?”

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I can’t. You don’t know them like I do.”

I smiled. “It’ll be fine.”

Her eyes became a little frantic. “We need a signal.” She grabbed the front of my tee and shook me a little. “Yes!” she cried. “It’s a good idea. If you’re feeling uncomfortable at any time you can… I don’t know… scratch your nose? No, wait. That’ll seem too obvious. Dad likes those 007 movies. He might look for a sign like that.” She pinched her bottom lip with her free hand while she thought of something. All I wanted to do was laugh my ass off and kiss her soundly.

Regret filled me. I wished I’d have known her in high school. I’d missed out on a lot. I was sure of it.

I swiped the thought away, refusing to live in the past. Instead, I’d concentrate on how we were back in each other’s lives. It was meant to happen. I was meant to have a chance with her.

Christ. I hoped I was.

She glanced up, grinning big. “I’ve got it. Lift your foot up to rest on your knee and then tap your foot three times. That will look normal enough.” She released my tee to smack my stomach and then froze. Slowly, she shifted her gaze down to her hand and quickly pulled it back as if it were on fire. “Sorry, ah, I didn’t mean that.” Another nervous laugh. “We’d better get going.” She slid into the seat and pulled her door from my grasp to shut it herself.

I walked around the back of the car so she wouldn’t see me laughing.