Time Out & Body Check. Jill ShalvisЧитать онлайн книгу.
when you were only five. Bad example.”
“I’ve never walked away from my beginnings, Dad. I just have a job that requires a lot of traveling. And Mom divorced you. You drove her batshit crazy.” His father was an incredibly hard worker, and incredibly old world in his sensibilities. He’d driven his ambitious, wannabe actress wife off years ago.
The living room was empty except for two beautiful potted plants. Same with the kitchen, though the cabinet doors were glass, revealing plates and cups on the shelves. “Where’s the furniture? I sent money, and you’ve been back in this house for what, a few weeks now?”
“I liked my old furniture.”
“I know, but it’s all gone. You got out with the clothes on your back.” Mark still shuddered to think how close he’d come to losing his dad.
“I’ll get furniture eventually, as I find what suits me. Let’s eat. You can tell me about your women.”
There was only one at the moment, the one with the flashing eyes, a smart-ass mouth, and heart of gold. The one who still showed her every thought as it came to her. That had terrified him once upon a time.
Now it intrigued him.
His father was at the refrigerator, pulling out ingredients. “We’ll have grilled quesadillas for dinner. It’s a warm night. We’ll sit on the patio.”
“I’ll take you out to dinner,” Mark said.
“No, I’m not spending any more of your money. What if you get fired over this fight mess? Then you’ll be broke. Save your money.”
“I won’t get fired, Dad. The players are working hard, making restitution.”
“So you won’t have to suspend them?”
“No, which is good since they’ve got more talent in their pinkie fingers than my entire line of offense, and I have a hot offense.”
Ramon nodded his agreement to this. “The press has been relentless on you.”
Rick nodded. “You were flashed on Entertainment Tonight with a woman from some reality show.”
“That was a promo event,” Mark said. “I told you, I don’t need someone else to take care of right now.”
“Love isn’t a burden, hijo. You really think it’ll soften you, make you that vulnerable?”
Mark sent his brother a feel-free-to-jump-in-here-and-redirect-the-conversation-at-any-time look, but Rick just smirked, enjoying himself. “What happened to cooking?” Mark asked desperately.
“Your brother has someone,” Ramon pointed out, not to be deterred.
Rick smiled smugly.
“You could at least have a home here in Santa Rey,” his dad said. “And then maybe a family.”
Mark sighed. “We’re not going to agree on this issue.”
“We would if you’d get over yourself. Chicken or carne quesadilla?”
No one in his world ever told Mark to get over himself. Instead they tripped over their feet to keep him happy. He supposed he should be thankful for the reminder to be humble. “Carne.”
* * *
THE NEXT MORNING, both James and Casey were ready to roll right on time. They were dressed for construction work and had a coffee for Mark.
Nice to know they could still suck up with the best of them. He wondered if either of them had talked the other out of bailing, but he didn’t really give a shit. As long as they were still here, willing to put in the time and maybe even learn something, he was good.
They worked until afternoon, showered, then attended the rec center’s staff meeting, per Rick’s request. This was held in a conference room, aka pre-school room, aka makeshift dance studio. Everyone sat at a large table, including Rainey, who didn’t look directly at Mark. He knew that because he was looking directly at her.
Rick ran a surprisingly tight ship considering how laid-back he was. Assignments were passed out, the budget dealt with, and the sports schedule handled. When it came to that schedule and what was expected of Mark’s players, Rick once again made it perfectly clear that Rainey was in charge.
Mark looked across the table and locked eyes with Rainey. He arched a brow and she flushed, but she definitely stared at his mouth before turning back to Rick attentively.
She was thinking about the kiss.
That made two of them. This was Mark’s third time seeing her, and she was still a jolt on his system.
He realized that Rick and Rainey were speaking. Then Rainey stood up to reveal a poster that would be placed around town. It advertised the upcoming youth sports calendar and other events such as their biweekly car wash and the formal dinner and auction that would hopefully raise the desperately needed funds for a new rec building. She was looking around the room as she spoke, her eyes sharp and bright. She had an easy smile, an easy-to-listen-to voice, and who could forget that tight, toned yet curvy body.
She was in charge of her world.
Watching her, Mark felt something odd come over him. If he had to guess, he’d say it was a mix of warmth and pride and affection. He wasn’t sentimental, and he sure as hell wasn’t the most sensitive man on the planet. Or so he’d been told a time or a million….
But he’d missed her.
“The Mammoth players will be assisting me in this,” she said, and he nodded, even though he wasn’t listening so he had no idea what exactly they’d be assisting her with. He’d help her with whatever she wanted. He liked the jeans she was wearing today, which sat snug and low on her hips. Her top was a simple knit and shouldn’t have been sexy at all, but somehow was. Maybe because it brought out her blue eyes. Maybe because it clung to her breasts enough to reveal she was feeling a little bit chilly—
“If it works into your schedule, that is,” she said, and he realized with a jolt that she was looking right at him.
Everyone was looking right at him.
“That’s fine,” he said smoothly.
Casey and James both lifted their brows, but he ignored them. “We’re here to serve.”
James choked on the soda he was drinking.
Casey just continued staring at Mark like he’d lost his marbles.
His brother out-and-out grinned, which was his first clue.
“You just agreed to coach a girls’ softball team,” James whispered in his ear. “Me and Casey get the boys, but she gave you the girls.”
Ah, hell.
Rainey was watching him, waiting for him to balk and possibly leave, which was clearly what she’d been aiming for. Instead he nodded. “Great.”
“Great?”
“Great,” he repeated, refusing to let her beat him.
“The kids are going to love it,” Rick said. “Tell him your plans, Rainey.”
She was still looking a little shell-shocked that she hadn’t gotten rid of him. Guess their kiss had shaken her up good.
That made two of them.
“Well, if you’re really doing this…?” She stared at him, giving him another chance at a way out. But hell no. Diegos didn’t take the out…ever.
“We’re doing this,” he said firmly. “All the way.”
Color rose to her cheeks but she stayed professional. “Okay, well, the Mammoths are taking advantage of our needs in order to gain good publicity, so I figure it’s only fair for us to take advantage of your celebrity status.”
“Absolutely,”