Huddle Up Page 9
“I’m not crying about that. These are happy tears.”
“Happy tears?” Billy scratched his head. “I’m confused.”
“You defended me. Believed in me.”
“Always.” He brushed her tears away. “Can you try to believe in me too? Believe that I will never, never place another bet in my life. Believe that I would never hurt you or Gabby.” He got down on one knee and held both her hands. “Believe that I will always love you. Marry me, my Angel.”
Looking down into his sincere blue eyes, her fears washed away on a wave of intense love. “I do believe in you.” Fresh tears sprung in her eyes. “I love you, Billy. I never stopped.”
A stomp of a foot sounded from the hallway. “Mommy, you’re supposed to say yes!”
Billy and Angel broke into laughter. Releasing one of her hands, Billy held out an arm. “Come on, Gabby, huddle up.”
Gabby ran over throwing her arms around her Daddy’s neck. He stood and wrapped them both in a warm hug. “Mommy, huddle up means group hug in football.”
Bounding out of Gabby’s room even Lucy seemed to know. She weaved around Billy and Angel’s ankles then rubbed her face against Billy’s pant leg.
“Can I have a cookie?”
“No, honey, you had one earlier,” he said with surprising firmness.
Angel hid her smile when she saw how equally surprised their daughter was. Gabby’s bottom lip started to quiver. Oh boy, Billy was about to get a taste of a five-year-old’s wrath. Angel slipped away from the hug.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
The panic in his voice brooked no sympathy from Angel. “To take a bath,” she said. “With bubbles. And maybe a beer.”
“But…but.”
Gabby’s wail filled the air.
“Welcome to fatherhood, Billy,” she said as she sashayed down the hall. Smiling she whispered, “And welcome to your happily ever after, Angel.”
Epilogue
Hayden hated weddings. Okay, maybe hate was too strong of a word. But the word fit perfectly for how she felt about her father’s order to attend Billy Burner’s nuptials as the Middleton family representative. Her father lectured constantly about the importance of treating the football team like family. Too bad he didn’t extend the same courtesy to his own daughter.
Billy and Angel wasted no time after the engagement, planning a no-fuss wedding at the courthouse. That was until Hannah and Samantha took over, rescheduling the ceremony for the team’s bye week.
The bride twirled, showing off the beautiful wedding dress designed by Hannah. Only the supermodel could pull off such a masterpiece in a month. The classic ball gown skirt swirled with the perfection of a storybook princess while the woven white leather rock star inspired bodice suited Angel’s hard edge. Dressed in an eighteen century styled suit, the groom wore his mane of blond hair in a slick ponytail that his daughter was currently tugging on. Gabriela, who was the picture of cuteness, almost made Hayden feel maternal.
Almost. She looked away before the sickening sweet scene ruined her foul mood.
Hayden’s gaze landed on Liam McQueen, the reformed bad boy quarterback of the Cougars. The press was currently hailing him the Savior of the Cougars’ season. She was surprised Liam wasn’t home having milk and cookies instead of nursing what looked like a Scotch. Hating his holier than thou attitude, she itched to mess with him. Could the choirboy be tempted to sin again? Challenge accepted. Just the something she needed to distract her from her latest run in with the paparazzi.
Oh, shit. Liam had just caught her staring. Staring? More like ogling. With a smile created for endorsements, the quarterback strolled over without breaking eye contact. She toyed with her necklace, those clear brown eyes reminding her of the chocolate diamonds draped around her neck.
“Hey Hayden.” His six-foot-three frame now towered over her. The tux fit his wide shoulders to perfection.
The memory of the half-naked spread he did for Men’s Health lit up her brain. And other places too. She stalled unable to come up with anything. She told herself it would be far too easy to seduce him. Not worth her time. Falling back into bitch mode where she felt most at home, she said in a withering tone, “It’s hello, not hay. Where did you grow up, in a barn? Oh wait, you did.”
“Lighten up. It’s a wedding, not a funeral.”
He smacked her rump. With only the gold silk of her dress between her ass and his hand, she gasped with shock and yes, a tiny zing of pleasure. Where had that come from? Shock won out and she glared at him. With a little push, he urged her out onto the dance floor. Did the caveman think she’d dance with him?
“Heads up,” he said. “Incoming pass.”
What was that supposed to mean? By the time she caught sight of the bridal bouquet it was already too late. The cluster of purple lilies sailed over a bevy of vying females and smacked Hayden on the head. Cameras flashed as the flowers landed at her feet and women scrambled for the prize.
Hayden kicked the bouquet. How many of the attendees caught that on video? Her father was going to kill her. She stalked over to Liam and poked him in the chest.
She ignored the drum of his heart beneath her finger, the way it pounded in sync with hers. Ignored the spark of electricity firing up her body as if her arm were some sort of lightening rod. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
Hayden stormed out the door, losing a shoe in the process, but she wasn’t going back for it, even if she had once stroked the pair like a long lost lover.
She hated weddings. And she hated Liam McQueen.
*
Look for Hayden and Liam’s story in The Quarterback Sneak. Coming soon.
About the Author
Liz Matis is a mild manner accountant by day and romance author by night. Married 28 years she believes in happily-ever-after!
Fun Fact: Liz read her first romance at the age of fifteen and soon after wrote her first romances starring her friends and their latest crushes!
Fun Fact 2: Liz kept an inspiration board for Huddle Up on Pinterest. Check it out here: http://www.pinterest.com/lizmatis/
Keep in touch with Liz
Blog:
http://www.taoofliz.blogspot.com
Email:
elizabethmatis@gmail.com
Twitter:
@LizMatis
Facebook:
Liz Matis Fan Page
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5289185.Liz_Matis
Read Samantha And Ryan’s story…
Playing For Keeps (“Fantasy” Football – Season 1) by Liz Matis
Buy here: http://amzn.com/B0063KJIGI
Winner of the NECRWA First Kiss Contest
Journalist Samantha Jameson always wanted to be one of the boys, but Ryan Terell won’t let her join the club.
Ryan Terell is a playmaker on and off the field, but when Samantha uncovers his moves, he throws out the playbook. Just as he claims his sweetest victory, Samantha’s investigation into a steroid scandal involving his team forces him to call a time-out to their off the record trysts. But then a life threatening injury on the field will force them both to decide just how far they’ll go to win the game.
Read Hannah and Jake’s story…
Going For It (“Fantasy” Football – Season 2) by Liz Matis
Buy Here: http://amzn.com/B008EP37B2
Pro football player Jake Miller’s game plan for winning back supermodel Hannah Hahn is play action in the bedroom. Once he sees beyond the swimsuits and lingerie, feelings of love blindside him, changing the rules of the game.
Hannah owns the runway, but that success came with a price and a secret that’s kept her from trusting a man until Jake crashes through her defenses.
The paparazzi love the beauty and the beast couple but the tabloid rumors turn ugly and test the fragile trust between them. Then Hannah loses an ad campaign to fashion’s new ‘it’ girl. Her desperate reaction will cause Jake to challenge everything she’s ever believe
d about herself.
Also:
Love By Design by Liz Matis
Buy here: http://amzn.com/B005U83XYW
Design Intervention starts the second season with its own surprise makeover. Interior designer Victoria Bryce must break in her temporary co-host, Aussie Russ Rowland.
Sparks fly on camera as they argue over paint colors and measurement mishaps leading to passions igniting behind the scenes. But when their pasts collide with the present will the foundation they built withstand the final reveal? An HGTV meets Sex and the City romp!
Real Men Don’t Drink Appletinis by Liz Matis
Buy here: http://amzn.com/B00C5QCBSG
Hollywood’s handsomest men surround celebrity agent Ava Gardner but none are as intriguing as larger-than-life Grady O’Flynn. The Navy SEAL is on an unsanctioned mission when they end up starring in their own romantic comedy.
Will they continue to sizzle when Grady has to report back to duty? In this sexy novelette by Liz Matis, two lovers have two weeks to find out.
Coming Soon:
The Quarterback Sneak (“Fantasy” Football – Season 4)
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Also by Liz Matis
Praise for Liz Matis
Title Page
Poem
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
About the Author
Keep in touch with Liz
Other Books by Liz