Austin grimaced.

It wasn't the McCoys fault, no matter how they were to Harper. It was his, plain and simple.

"If you want her back, you need to be prepared to do some groveling."

"Believe me, I'm more than willing to get on my knees for her, but she refuses to see me."

"Then you'll need to give her time."

One of the barbs went through the material of his glove. He cursed, yanking his hand away. "I don't have time. Since I'm all redeemed in Coach and Finley's eyes, I get to come home. Off-time is coming up in a couple of months and I'll be slammed with charity work and practices with rookies."

"That's not Harper's problem."

"Yeah, but it is mine," he grumbled.

Caleb turned to him. "You're not going like hearing this, but you're going to have make a decision about what's more important-your career or your personal life-and make that the priority."

"Why can't I have both?" Austin asked.

"One always suffers, no matter what you do."

"This was a swell talk."

Caleb's blue eyes narrowed. "It's the truth. You want to be treated like a man, instead of the boy who got lucky, then you'll take the truth like a man and do the right thing."

Austin stared at his brother, amazed at the pa.s.sion in his voice. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing."

"Not too sure about that," Austin remarked.

Caleb dusted his gloves off on his jeans. "Maybe I'm tired of doing the easy thing."

"Grieving over your wife isn't easy," Austin disagreed.

"It is when you use it as an excuse to hide away from the world." Caleb took off his hat and ran his arm across his forehead. "Don't use your career as an excuse to hide either."

Austin watched his brother walk away. Caleb was right, but he was also wrong. He never used his career to hide. Never used his career to- Except, he had used his career as to why he couldn't continue to date Bianca. She wanted more, wanted to settle down and have kids while he didn't want the responsibility. He wanted to go as far as he could without the drama a family seemed to bring.

So he had refused to let himself get attached, and while he treated Bianca with respect and affection, he never let the real him out. Never let down his guard.

Until he met Harper, with her sweet smile, adorable freckles, and sa.s.sy personality. She made him think of a future without football. One with kids and her-mostly her. All he saw was Harper. All he wanted was her kisses, her body, and late-night conversations.

For the first time in his life, football was a distant second. h.e.l.l, it wasn't even that high up.

s.h.i.t.

He'd royally f.u.c.ked up and broke the heart of the woman he just now realized he loved. "No matter how long it takes, Harper Bell, I will win you back," he vowed.

He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he'd never liked easy anyway.

Chapter Fourteen.

Harper hadn't heard from or seen Austin in three weeks. She should be glad, but she couldn't muster the energy. She just couldn't. Her traitorous body missed him. Her heart ached for him. Every time a truck drove by her house, her pulse sped up and Libby would get almost as excited.

But then the truck would keep on going.

Her heart would sink. Libby would go back to her bed and huff, staring up at Harper like she was to blame.

Checking her mailbox, Harper was shocked to find a large envelope bearing her name. She flipped it over, but there was no return address. As she walked inside, she tore it open and surveyed the contents.

"Tickets?"

Her eyes widened at the teams listed on them. Avengers versus Falcons for a scrimmage. Invitation only.

"What do you have there?" her mother asked as she walked inside.

"An invitation."

"Must not be to a very good event."

"It's to one where Austin will be playing."

"Oh. Well, then." Her mother took the ticket from her and threw it in the trash. "Ready to eat?"

Harper sat down at the table with her mother. It was the same table she'd had so many meals with Austin. Ones that he'd cooked for her instead of going out.

"Why would a man who wanted a boost for his image make dates with a woman in private?" She'd gone on social media, Googling the c.r.a.p out of his name. The only images of them together were only the ones that had been taken in public. None from school, none from inside her house, and none from inside his.

"Maybe his image was already fixed by then?"

"Then wouldn't he just stop dating the woman?"

Pepper placed her napkin on the table. "Harper, I know you want to make sense of what Austin did to you, but sometimes, people are just plain mean for no reason. Take Jellie for instance. I think she hit every branch of the mean tree before she was born. Twice."

Harper smiled. "Yes, but I know to expect that from her. Austin... what he did to me was out of left field. I mean, we stayed in a lot. When I got sick and he spent those nights taking care of me, he got Tristan to drop him off in case my contract had a morality clause. If he were using me, why would he even care?"

"Maybe it would make him look worse to get you fired?"

"Maybe."

Her mother sighed. "I think Austin owes you."

"Money?" Harper gave her mother a look. "I don't want his money."

"Not his money. He owes you closure. You haven't gotten that."

Her mother was right. That was why her heart couldn't heal. She'd never gotten the closure she needed, only requests for a second chance. If he weren't using her, why would he want a second chance?

Austin's private life wasn't even newsworthy anymore, not since their second date. Instead, a s.e.x tape between one of his teammates and a woman named Serena was all over the Internet.

"Can't get closure if I can't see him," Harper grumbled.

"Seems to me that you have a surefire way to see him." Pepper glanced at the small trash can. The ticket to the game stuck out of the top, calling to her.

Hurrying to it, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper up and read the date "This is for tomorrow! Oh c.r.a.p. I have to pack and get a hotel."

"You pack. I'll take care of the hotel."

Harper rushed to her mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Don't waste this opportunity, Harper. Something good can always come from something bad."

She shouldn't have come. She knew that now. It had been pure stupidity to drive five hours and book a hotel room for the weekend just to get closure from Austin. The place was crowded with thousands of people and no matter how many VIP pa.s.ses she had, there was no way she would have time to talk to Austin. He hadn't even seen her yet.

But she'd seen him.

Austin was in his element, surrounded by sports figures that everyone around her knew and cheered for. There were photographers, reporters, women dressed so perfectly in their tiny jerseys, and more than one famous face. Real celebrities were here. Ones that were currently talking to number fifteen, including a former president.

It was too surreal for her. Too foreign.

Her heart slammed against her chest and her breath accelerated as she looked for an exit.

"Harper Bell," a woman called out, striding her way. She had long, dark hair and even darker eyes with pale skin, and she wore a form-fitting suit that showed off her curves to perfection.

"I'm her, but I'm leaving."

A hand clamped down on her arm. "I'm Finley, and you're staying."

"The same Finley who is Austin's PR person?" She felt sick to her stomach.

"Oh G.o.d. Don't puke. Austin will kill me."

Harper gave the younger woman a look. "Actually, he's afraid of you."

"Yeah, but I gave him super-bad advice and he took it, then you got hurt... so it's all my fault."

"He told me the truth," Harper flatly said. "I happened to be the perfect woman for the job, is all, but any woman would do."

Finley winced a little. "Okay, so that was his idea, but I was the one who uploaded everything to his social media accounts and had the two of you followed-in public only. He was ready to cut you out of his life like five seconds after your first date."

"Gee thanks."

"Not like that. Meaning, he didn't want you to get hurt."

Two guys tackled one another, going to the ground. A half a dozen more jumped on top, leaving the player on the bottom flailing. She knew exactly how he felt.

"Too late."

Finley's grip tightened. "Please don't go. You're here. Stay and watch the joint scrimmage."

"I'm not a fan of football." It was all Harper could do to not laugh at Finley's look of abject horror.

"I'd heard people like you existed, but I never thought I'd meet one," she whispered, shaking her head. "Stay. It's my b.u.t.t on the line if you don't."

"Why is that-you're the one who invited me?"

"Yes..." A guilty flush turned Finley's pale cheeks pink. "He doesn't actually know you're here yet."

Harper's eyes rounded. "Are you kidding me?"

"Afraid not."

"I thought he would at least be aware of who's on the guest list. The invitation made it sound small. Obviously, I was wrong." So wrong. So very, very wrong.

Suddenly, Finley's eyes widened, and then she let go of Harper's arm. "You have company. I have to go." She practically ran away, leaving Harper to face her company.

Please don't let it be another reporter, she prayed silently.

"Austin," she croaked, taking in the sheer overwhelming nearness of him in uniform.

"Harper. I can't believe you're actually here." He reached out to touch her, but he drew his hand back at the last second. "How are you?"

"Fine."

"Libby?"

"She's fine, too. My parents are watching her for me."

"Good to know." He nodded, pulling his helmet close to his body. "You look good."

So did he-if she could use a descriptor like good to describe a man whose body rivaled a Greek G.o.d's.

Geez Louise. Get it together, Harper.

"Thanks. Well, I have to go."

He caught her by the wrist, the touch of his skin reminding her body of all the ways he could make her feel. "Go where? I want to see you after the scrimmage with the Falcons."