The Running Back's Baby Read online

  I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I know. Well, since I’m here, let’s get on with it.”

  Ben would be mad about this, but I organized this session with the guys. The team was ready for the season, but for one problem. They didn’t have a running back, which was what I was here for. Even just for practice, they’d at least need a guy in place.

  They had enough players to form a team, but with no guy in the running back position, one guy from the bench had to fill in the position. The team was a few years old, so I figured they must have had a running back before, but I had no idea what happened to the guy. They needed someone fast for the position, too, so using guys from their reserve wouldn’t help the team in any official games.

  Zoe had tried so hard to get me to join up because they needed one but if they weren’t so desperate for a running back, I didn’t think she would have approached me knowing my reputation. Ben only accepted me initially because he didn’t know, but it wasn’t hard to find out, after asking the right people the right questions, even if it was never made public and my old team gave a fake reason as to why I quit.

  “What are you guys waiting for? Get back on the damn field!” The team captain shouted.

  They ran back, getting into their positions, and I followed behind them.

  “You sounded like the coach that time, captain!” The guys laughed.

  Someone already had the balls. The team captain arranged everyone into two teams. The numbers fell short, but this was just a practice session. Before, or during, the season, the coach could choose to set practice games with other teams, but we just needed this much for now.

  We weren’t planning on doing much, it might as well be considered a warm up, because I wouldn’t call it fooling around. We were all much too serious about the sport for that. Someone already had their phone set up.

  “Are we streaming?” I asked.

  “Yeah. We should be live now, so let’s start.”

  This was something new, but plenty of other people were doing it. With how much social media had grown over the years, a good way to grow fans was to go online. This practice session was going to be broadcasted on Instagram.

  As soon as we started, everyone stopped goofing off. I got serious, and the team captain started off the game. My blood started pumping as soon as I heard the call, and everyone moved. My muscles ached as I ran around the field, but it was almost comforting. Ever since I stopped playing, I kept up with some exercising to keep my form, but it was nothing like the real thing. My eyes focused on the ball, my senses getting me around the other players. It was just practice, but it felt like a real game.

  Then, Ben showed up.

  I wasn’t the first one to see him. We were in the middle of playing, and I was far out in the field when I saw him. The others stopped, one by one, and when I noticed, I did, too. I felt some dread seeing Ben. I’d hoped he wouldn’t make it today, but there he was. The captain had already gone up to him, and even from too far away to hear, I knew he was shouting. Feeling dread make my steps heavy, I walked over.

  Ben turned to me as soon as I was in sight.

  “You!” he pointed at me, glaring. “You planned this, didn’t you? I told you after I kicked you out, that you were no longer allowed here.”

  What the fuck???

  “But coach, we need him,” the captain complained. “Even if it’s just for practice, having a good running back–”

  Ben cut him off. “None of you had the right to do this behind my back. I was sitting at home making some last adjustments to your training schedules, when an alert showed up on my phone, and what do I see, huh? My team having a practice session I knew nothing about, and it was being broadcast on online. I was actually a little proud before I saw this guy was here, too. By the way, I hope you already shut it down? Hurry up and do it, if not.” He turned to the phone’s owner, who’d gone to pick it up.

  “It’s already down, coach...”

  “Good. Now, Howard. Get the hell out.”

  “Coach,” the captain cut in. “We really need him. Unless you can find someone else to take the position before our first game, we’re going to be screwed.”

  He scoffed. “We were just fine without him. The rest of you should be ashamed of yourselves. You shouldn’t be playing with a drug addict, and if any of you pick up that habit, I will kick you out in a heartbeat, too. No special treatment, not for this new guy.”

  I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t back it up. He had every right to be angry, every right to not want me on the team. My old team kicked me out, too. I was only twenty-eight, not that old, but not that young, either, and there was plenty of young talent looking to go pro. Maybe not in time for this season, but they could definitely get another guy, it didn’t have to be me. Zoe had been the only one to think that which was why she was on my back for so long until I just gave in, since the Southern Eagles were a weak team compared to my old one.

  My motivation now was different from back then. I told Zoe I’d give it a try, even though it had been months since I was out on the field, I just didn’t mean to get quite so deeply involved with her, to the point that I couldn’t think of pulling away. If I looked for a position on another team, even if I could get one, she’d look at me as an enemy. I didn’t doubt she’d dump me for the team she loved.

  Shit!

  There were times when I thought that if I could, I would go back and slap my idiot self. I got full of myself, I got arrogant, because I graduated college with several teams asking me to play for them. I had my pick of teams, and I let the easy fame as a star rookie go to my head. I also had the worst taste in friends, seeing how they all abandoned me the moment I got kicked off of my team. There wasn’t anything I could do about it now, no matter how much I wanted to.

  “Get moving, Howard,” Ben said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Or do I have to call for security to drag you out?”

  “I’m clean, though,” I said. “I know I made a mistake, but I really am clean, coach, I’ll take whatever drug test you want to prove it.”

  For once in my life, I wasn’t messing around and as usual. But, peeps just think once a druggie, always a druggie

  “Don’t call me coach, and I don’t care what you say. So, what if you’re clean now? Drugs are bad habits, you’ll just go back to it the moment I let you in and you relax. Now, out. Oh, and also, this is the only time I’m going to warn you, Howard. Stay away from Zoe. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how close the two of you have been getting. I don’t want my daughter to end up with a loser.”

  I scowled. “That has nothing to do with this. What Zoe and I decide to do is none of your business.”

  “My daughter has everything to do with me, Howard. I mean it. You will stay away from her, or I’ll tell your mother to tell you to stay away from her.”

  I grit my teeth, irritated. I couldn’t punch him out, I knew that. He was the team’s coach, and he was Zoe’s dad. It would be a major fuck up if I tried to start a fight, but Ben definitely had no reservations getting up close and personal, looking as if he wanted to throw a fist of his own.

  “Whoa, coach! Calm down.”

  The captain got in between us while the other guy went to hold Ben back.

  “I’ll calm the fuck down when this bastard leaves my daughter alone.”

  That wasn’t going to happen. No matter how badly I wanted to play for this team, I knew I couldn’t promise to stay away from Zoe and then keep it. When Mom told me she was dating Zoe’s dad, I did try to end it. I took a trip and stayed away from her for nearly a whole month, but I somehow found myself coming back. Of course, then I had to make it up to Zoe before she’d forgive me for disappearing on her.

  It was around that time that I tried out for the team and subsequently got kicked out before I was even officially part of it. I was lucky, Zoe wasn’t giving up on me, but her dad wasn’t nearly so forgiving.

  Ignoring Ben, I turned and stormed off. He was looking for a fight, and I did
n’t think I could back down and do nothing if he actually did throw the first punch.

  Chapter Five

  Howard

  I stepped outside of the building and headed for the parking lot. I’d thought about waiting for Zoe to come to me, but after that confrontation with Ben, I wanted to see her. I didn’t know if, in the end, she would listen to what her Dad told her if he told her to stay away from me.

  Just the idea scared me.

  Before I could even get to my car, though, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I stopped beside my car, opening the back door to dump the gym bag I’d brought along with me. Then I sat in the driver’s seat and pulled out my phone. It was a message from my agent.

  “Fuck!”

  I texted back quickly that I’d meet him for our dinner appointment on time. This was something important, so as much as I would like to ignore it and head to her anyway, if this was about what I thought, then I’d get what I wanted, anyway.

  The restaurant he asked me to meet him at was a bit of a drive away, but I stopped by the house and killed some time before I had to go and meet him. I thought about sending Zoe a text, then wondered if she’d read it. She didn’t tell me how lunch with her dad went and she hadn’t talked to me since then. When she was in a bad mood, she’d ignore my texts and messages until I had to go see her in person.

  Zoe just seemed to be going with the flow. I need to talk to her. Today, after this meeting.

  She might have been under the misconception that I thought of us as a casual, occasional hookup, but I didn’t think that way at all. Well, in the beginning, I did, and I couldn’t quite pinpoint when that changed, but it had.

  I arrived at the restaurant and parked my car. My agent had made a reservation, so after I checked in with the host, I was led to our table. He was already there. He stood as I approached the table and we shook hands.

  “A waiter will be with you soon,” the host said, then walked away.

  We sat down.

  “So, Jackson, what do you have for me?”

  “I have good news,” he said with a tiny smile. “It took a bit of working through, but I finally managed it. I know how much you want this team.”

  “Wait,” I said, surprised. “Are you serious?”

  He couldn’t mean what I thought he meant. The only team I’d told him I was interested in was the Southern Eagles. And Zoe’s dad had made it perfectly clear I wouldn’t be playing for them.

  Jackson grinned. “Yeah. The Southern Eagles are willing to give you another chance if you can show that you’re clean. I actually just got the phone call just a little while after that little stunt you pulled earlier today. I was excited to tell you, I figured it would make you happy. You’ve been off the game for nearly a year now.”

  “Right...”

  This was good news, but I had to wonder when Ben had made the decision. He wasn’t just the coach of the team. He wasn’t the owner, either, but it wasn’t due to lack of funds. He’d started the team himself, but once he turned it into a franchise, he’d sold most of his rights to it, and stayed on as coach. Zoe had told me he’d sold it around the time her mom got sick so he could focus more on her. Still, it was his dedication to the team that helped it grow to the length it had, so he had a lot of weight in the team, to the point that he could block me from joining if he didn’t like me.

  So, why now?

  I didn’t think he’d give me another chance, especially not after our confrontation earlier today. It was less than an hour ago, so when did he get time to call my agent...?

  “Isn’t this a bit sudden?” I asked.

  Jackson shrugged. “It actually is, yes, but does it matter? At least it’s not a rejection.”

  Before I could come up with something to say, a waiter appeared at our table.

  “What can I get for you gentlemen?”

  We picked up the menus and I quickly skimmed it and picked the first thing that looked good with a glass of juice. Jackson made his order, and the waiter walked away.

  “Do you want to take a look at the contract?” Jackson asked. “It’s a little different from what we’d agreed to initially, but I didn’t think you’d mind the changes. The salary is the same, there are just some extra clauses.”

  “Sure. Let me see.”

  He picked up the briefcase he’d had beside him on the floor. Setting it on his lap, he opened it and pulled out some papers, that he handed over to me, then put the briefcase back down. I looked through the papers quickly, focusing on the more important bits. There really wasn’t much difference. I just had to consent to taking regular tests. All the team members did it, anyway, and I did understand his caution so I wouldn’t relapse in the middle of the season and get the team in trouble. Also, if I was in violation of any of the stipulations in the contract, it would be terminated immediately.

  I didn’t mind it. It wasn’t as if I was too attached to the women, the booze, and the drugs. I had Zoe now, I couldn’t remember the last time I had any alcohol, and I quit the drugs as soon as I could. Maybe I was just lucky, or I hadn’t been taking them for too long, because after some moths of cravings I’d completely gotten over them without needing to check myself into a rehab facility. I’d seen the messed up things drugs could do to people, and I was disappointed in myself that I’d once stooped so low.

  Something feels wrong here, though. Would Ben really go through with this after what just happened? He kicked me out in the middle of practice!

  It just didn’t add up.

  “There is one more thing, though,” Jackson said.

  I looked up, not surprised there was a condition. “What is it?”

  “You really want to get this contract, don’t you? Even if you sign, it’s not official until Ben signs it, you know that, right?”

  “Of course I know. I’ll do anything.”

  Jackson gave me a careful look. “If you want it that badly, then stay away from Zoe, or try and hide your relationship better. Ben’s condition was you keep away from his daughter.”

  Ah. I knew it was too good to be true.

  The food came, so I didn’t get a chance to answer Jackson immediately, but it wasn’t like there was even a question of what I would do. If this had come up earlier, I would have, reluctantly, told Zoe to put things between us on hold and take the contract. There was no way I could now, though.

  Zoe interacted with the team naturally, so even if I could make myself stay away, she’d be in contact with the team, and I wouldn’t be able to help myself. It wasn’t a promise I wasn’t sure I could make, because I knew I might break it. As for hiding things better... I thought we hid it just fine and somehow, he still noticed. But maybe...

  It was possible. If she agreed to play along that is.

  “Howard?” Jackson said after the waiter left. “Do I have to guess?”

  I shook my head and handed the contract back. “I’ll sign it.”

  I’d talk to Zoe later, and find out what she thought. It wasn’t a legal contract until Ben signed it too, so I had time to rescind if she pulled the plug. I would do anything to play again, for her team, I’d even hide my relationship with her, but I would not give it up totally.

  Chapter Six

  Zoe

  I trudged along the sidewalk. I was close to home, and that was the only thing that made me happy right then.

  This isn’t going to be easy, is it?

  I growled. “If Dad had something to do with this...”

  Who was I kidding, though, he had to have something to do with it? Just when I made up my mind and wanted to move on, all avenues were closed in front of me, and I didn’t think it was happening naturally, not this way.

  Finally, I made it to the house. It was the very same house where I grew up with my parents, even though now there was only the two of us. Sometimes, it didn’t feel like two people lived in that house, though. It was moderately big, with two floors, four bedrooms even though we’d only ever used two, and three of them had en suite bathro
oms. The outside of the house was painted in white and blue shades, because blue used to be Mom’s favorite color.

  I groaned in relief, walking up the sidewalk to the house. At the short steps that led up to the porch, I looked up and froze.

  “What are you doing here?” I blurted out.

  Howard looked up and smiled, then rose from his crouch just outside the door.

  “Hey. I missed you so I came to see you. Or do you not want me here?”

  I arched an eyebrow. Usually, when he wanted to see me, he’d just text, then go ahead with the call if it turned out I wasn’t busy. I hadn’t seen him for a few days, and he hadn’t tried to get in contact with me, either, which gave me time to focus on other things.

  “It’s not that I don’t want you here, I was just surprised. You’re lucky it’s still early. Dad shouldn’t come in for a while, so you’re safe for now, but you can’t stay long.”

  “Aw, let me stay a little longer. I can always sneak out of your bedroom window like last time.”

  “You almost broke something last time,” I snapped. “You’re not staying.”

  Howard just chuckled.

  That was an adventure neither of us wanted to try again. It was one of the few times Howard had come to my home. Dad came home unexpectedly while we were getting hot and heavy in my room. It was lucky that he hadn’t left anything in the house, or Dad would have been suspicious.

  I pulled my keys from my purse and went to open the door. He stood aside but stuck close to my side. Usually, having him this close got me hot, but feeling his warmth beside me just made me feel a little better after the day I’d had. As wonderful as it was, sex was the last thing on my mind.

  “Come on in,” I said, stepping aside to let him through, then closed the door behind him.

  Letting out a sigh, I eased my heels off and dropped my purse on the seat. The interior of the house was painted cream, with black and brown furniture scattered in the room. There used to be family pictures hung up on the wall, but Dad had long since replaced them with plain pictures. Stairs to one side of the room led to the upper floor, and a door in the back led to the kitchen. In the living room, there was a TV and a small coffee table surrounded by chairs. I gestured for Howard to go and sit as I headed for the kitchen.