Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“No.” He shakes his head. “Seeing Tessa brought back all those feelings, but even more so. I mean it when I say not a single day has gone by that I didn’t think of her and our time together. I was crushed. When I got home, Dad informed me he was ill and it was time for me to take over running the team. He wanted me to be settled, a family man, and all I wanted was my beach girl. Bridgett was a family friend. We grew up together. Her parents and mine were best friends. One night, while getting piss-ass drunk, thinking about my life, Bridgett showed up. We made a pact. A marriage of convenience. She’d be my wife and, in turn, would get to live a life of luxury that being married to a Stamper brings. As for me, I didn’t have to worry about falling in love again, something I knew would never happen. I knew there wouldn’t be anyone else for me.”
“So your marriage is one of convenience?”
“Yes. I care about Bridgett, but I don’t love her, not like a man should love his wife. Not like you love Tessa.”
“I still don’t understand,” Coach Neil speaks up. “How does this involve Landon and Tessa?”
“When I saw Tessa, everything came flooding back. I decided I wanted to try and find her. The love of my life. I hired a private investigator. I didn’t have much to go on, but I did have Tessa’s picture and one from a photo booth from all those years ago.” He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a small strip that contains two images. “She has the other two,” he says, handing them to me.
My mouth drops open. “Oh, my God. She looks just like her.” I study the image that’s worn from, my guess, years of carrying it in his wallet.
“I found her, Landon.” I look up to see him watching me closely. “I found my Caroline.”
It takes me a minute to register what he’s saying, and then it clicks. “Holy shit, Tessa’s mom?”
He nods. “Yes. Caroline Deaton.” He says her name with so much reverence that even I can feel what she means to him. “I can only assume Bridgett has found my file and put two and two together. I didn’t try to hide it. Our marriage is one of friendship. Why do you think we’ve never had any kids?”
“You’ve been married for what? Twenty years?”
“Twenty-five.”
“And you’ve been… celibate all that time?”
“No, but I had a vasectomy, which pissed her off.”
“Holy shit. So she wants Tessa gone, thinking that if she’s around, her mom will be, too, and that you’ll divorce her?”
“Yes. She signed a prenup, so she’ll be well taken care of. But I’m afraid there’s more.”
“What’s that?”
“Landon, I have reason to believe that Tessa… that she’s my daughter.”
I sit on the couch, my legs not able to hold me up any longer.
“The timeline fits.”
“Fuck. I get it. It all makes sense to me now.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Is it safe to say I’m not getting traded?”
“No. You’re not.”
Relief washes over me, but there is still one issue that I need to take care of. “She gave me until midnight tonight.”
He nods. I watch as he pulls out his phone and tries to call her. “Voice mail,” he mumbles before sending her a text.
“I have to warn Tessa.”
“Wait.” There’s panic in his voice. “I don’t want them finding out like this. I don’t know if I’m her father, but I want to be, and this isn’t how I want that to go down.”
“Fine. But I’m still warning her.” Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I call Tessa.
“Hey, Lucky, I was just thinking about you.”
“Yeah?” I ask, my heart slowing just from the sound of her voice.
“Yes. I bought some pillows for your living room today to liven this place up a little.” She laughs. “I hope you don’t mind. If you don’t like them, I can take them to my place.”
“No, baby. I don’t mind. Do whatever you want. As long as you’re there, that’s all that I care about.”
“Aw.” I hear Caroline in the background.
“I should have told you that I have you on speaker.”
“I don’t care who knows how much I love you, Tessa. Your mom included. I’m glad the two of you are enjoying your time together. Listen, there’s something going on. I don’t want you to worry, but a crazy fan is starting rumors of a trade and who knows what else. It’s not true.”
“O-kay,” she says slowly.
“I’ll explain everything when I get home. I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case the media gets a hold of this. Also, would it be possible for you and your mom to just stay at my place for the rest of the weekend? I don’t know where this chick is, and I’d feel better knowing that you’re safe.”