The accountant we hired gives me the final number as the tournament draws to a close. Luke beat his brother, which made my heart absolutely sing (and his, too, I’m sure), but the final big winner of the tournament who will take home the trophy is Jaxon Bryant, star running back of the Vegas Aces.
I give the number to Luke, who takes the microphone the announcers had been using all day during the tournament. “Thank you to everyone who came today, to all the players who paid to be part of this tournament, to everyone who donated their time and money. I’m amazed at what a successful event this has been, but maybe I shouldn’t be. After all, my new wife is the one who planned the entire thing while also planning a wedding. I’m proud to have her by my side,” he says, nodding toward me and waving his hand in a come up here motion. He waits for me to join him on the stage before he continues. “Give it up for Ellie Dalton,” he says, and I hear hoots and hollers at the mention of my name. I smile shyly as my cheeks color and I wave to the crowd assembled as they listen to Luke.
He turns back to the crowd. “Thanks to you and your generosity, we’ve managed to raise over one hundred thousand dollars. We’ll continue taking donations today, so that number may still change. Thank you again. We hope you had a great time. I know I did, and if Ellie is up for it, we’ll have another one of these tournaments next year. But maybe in, say, February.”
That garners a laugh from the sweating crowd.
“Go Aces!” he yells, and his teammates all echo his sentiment with one loud baritone Go Aces!
And then it’s all over. People say their goodbyes and start making their way back to their cars.
For all the planning that went into this event, as quickly as it began...here we are at the end. We’re married. Our charity event is over. Training camp starts next week.
Now what?
I’ve been running around settling tabs with vendors, and Luke has been a gracious host as he talks to groups of people before they take off. Nicki and Josh are still around helping out, too. So I’m surprised when I see Jack and Michelle still sitting in the hospitality tent as everyone else except Luke, me, Nicki, and Josh has cleared out.
Michelle is talking and Jack looks bored beside her. People move all around them taking down tables and chairs, but they seem oblivious.
And then I watch Jack as his eyes zero in on his brother, who sits alone in the registration tent as he glances through the notebook where the volunteers kept track of donations. Minus the expenses from today, we made a huge chunk of money that will go directly back to the community.
I don’t like that they’re still here, but at least they didn’t cause any problems during the actual event. I head toward Luke to see if he needs any help.
“You know your brother is still here?” I ask him when I get to the tent.
He glances up at the sound of my voice. “Ellie, this is incredible. It far exceeded any of my expectations.” He stands and presses a kiss to my cheek. “You are incredible. Thank you for the idea, for the event, for being here for me.”
One of the papers on the table is swept up in a random gust of wind and flies just outside the tent. “I’ll grab it,” I say.
It flutters away from me to the backside of the tent, and as I bend to pick it up, I hear another voice join Luke’s.
“What do you want?” Luke asks.
“Just hear me out,” Jack says. There’s a pause, and then Jack says, “I’ll triple my donation if you divorce her.”
Why would he want us divorced? Why does he care so much about making sure I’m not in Luke’s life?
There’s another brief pause, and I can’t see either of them from where I’m frozen on the other side of the tent, but I still so as not to make a sound. I imagine in that brief pause, Luke does something to indicate they aren’t alone. “Forget it. I love Ellie, and I don’t need your damn donation. And by the way, you can stop blackmailing me now. I have as much on you as you have on me.”
Jack blows out a frustrated breath. “You can’t tell her. This stays between you, me, and Savannah. You know it could ruin both our careers if it gets out. Her brother is on the Aces, man.” His words clearly show that he didn’t get it if Luke was trying to warn him that I’m standing right here overhearing this entire conversation.
“And, may I remind you, you’re showing up everywhere lately with my team owner’s daughter,” Luke says.
“Yeah, we’re so in love.” The sarcasm isn’t lost on me, and I get the sudden feeling the only reason Jack has been hanging around her is so he has something he can hold over Luke...but Luke doesn’t really care who Michelle hangs out with as long as it isn’t us.
“Look, we both have a lot to lose if anyone finds out,” Luke says, his voice low like he’s trying to be quiet enough for me not to overhear since he knows I’m standing right here. “Ellie is my wife now. I trust her with my life. Look at what she did for me today.”
My heart balloons in my chest. I hate Jack a little more now, but I also get that he’s trying to protect whatever secret they all have.
It seems like it’s a secret they’re holding pretty tightly onto...but secrets always have a way of coming out.
I slowly walk across the field toward Nicki, who watches me as I walk. “Were you just spying on the brothers Dalton?”
I shake my head. “No. I was grabbing this piece of paper when Jack walked up and they started talking. I just don’t want Jack to ruin what has been such a great day for Luke.”
“Why’d you invite him, then?”
I make a face. “His fat checkbook.”
She laughs, but I’m not laughing. I want to tell someone what I just overheard...but clearly this is a secret they want to keep. If I mention it to Nicki, then I’ll just have added pressure to find it out.
No...I better not say anything. But I might just have to ask Luke later.
Especially if this could affect the careers of these brothers. I’m his publicist now. If making him look indispensable to the team is part of my job, I need to know what skeletons are hiding in his closets so I’m equipped to handle them when they jump out.
CHAPTER 12
I glance at the picture on the wall above Michelle’s head.
Four little tiny baby fingers wrapped around a single adult finger, and the thumb coming around the other side. Precious.
I knew my “husband” had gotten another woman pregnant, but I didn’t really think about what that meant until this very moment. I know nothing about kids, but once Michelle has this baby, I’m going to have to learn. I’ll be a stepmother of sorts to this child.
Part of me even wonders if Luke is going to ask Michelle to move in so he can be close to the baby. He’s just the kind of guy who would do exactly that even if it’s the last thing he—or his wife—personally wants.
It’s weird sitting here, Luke’s hand in mine and Michelle sitting across from us and next to Jack. I shouldn’t even be here, really, and neither should Jack.
I’ve always wanted kids, but I assumed they’d be a little further into my future. And, if I’m being honest, I assumed they’d be mine, too. I assumed I’d be the mother, not the woman married to the father-to-be.