Josie brushed her hand over her mother’s hair. “I know you are. You’ll be able to get some rest here and start building yourself back up again.”
Her mother stared down at her lap. “I just feel so worthless.”
“You’re not worthless, Mom. You have so much talent. Remember how you used to love to paint?”
Josie caught the hint of a smile on her mother’s face. “I did like painting. I’d look at the sky or trees or an animal, and I could paint a canvas for hours.” Her smile disappeared. “But that was a long time ago.”
“That talent still lives in you, Mom. You just have to dig deep and find your passion again. I know you can do it. All you have to do is exorcise those demons first.”
Her mother sniffed, then nodded. “I will. This time I really want to, Jo Jo. I want it gone forever.”
She’d never heard her mother so determined before. Then again, she’d heard lots of promises before, so she kept her hope to a minimum. There’d been so many times when she’d thought, This one is it. This will be the last time.
And she’d always been wrong. She had to take a step back and guard her heart against the hurt.
“It’s time to go, Mom.”
“Okay. I’m ready.”
That was new, too, because usually rehab was something she met with reluctance. This time her mother seemed eager.
They walked inside the facility, and Josie helped her mother fill out the paperwork. When they turned it in and the aide came, her mother turned to Josie and hugged her. “Time for you to go, Jo Jo. I have to walk through those doors by myself.”
Josie’s eyes welled with tears. “Okay. I love you, Mom.”
Her mother’s eyes filled, too. “I love you, too, Jo Jo. Now, go. Next time I see you, I’ll be whole again.”
“All right.”
She walked out and got into her car. She turned and looked at the front door of the facility, and for the first time in her life, she felt a sprinkling of joyful hope for her mother. She couldn’t help it.
Maybe this time her mother could really do it.
God, she hoped so. She bent her head and sent a prayer up for her mother, because she was going to need all the strength she had to get through this.
She really wanted her mother back. Whole and healed and healthy and strong and drug free. She wanted that for her mom more than for herself.
Please, God. Give her the strength to get through this. Watch over her and help her.
She gripped the steering wheel and realized her hands were shaking.
Get a grip, Josie. It was time to let it go. She wasn’t in control of this, and she knew it.
She put the car in gear and drove off.
Chapter 24
* * *
JOSIE DOVE INTO work the following week, which helped to keep her mind busy. She hadn’t told anyone other than Jillian about her mom. Of course, there was Zach, but she needed to talk it out with one of her girls, and Jillian was her best friend, so she’d spilled everything one night at Jillian’s place. Jill had poured the wine and Josie had talked. And talked some more. And Jillian had listened and commiserated and cried with her while Josie had poured out everything all the way from her childhood until she had dropped her mom at rehab the other day.
Sometimes just talking it out helped. She hadn’t had that since …
Well, ever. Now she had Zach and Jillian to confide in, and it was making all the difference. But now she had to move on. Since this wasn’t her first go-round with her mother in rehab, she knew the best thing to do was to not think about it. It would be a long road for her mom, and there was nothing she could do to help her through it.
Fortunately, she had several things going on in her classes. Her AP English lit class had compositions due, she was giving end-of-quarter tests in her two freshman classes, and she was deep in discussion about some complex narrative elements in another class. All of that meant she was up to her eyeballs in work—just the way she liked it. Busy meant no time to think about anything else. And the week just flew. Before she knew it, it was Friday night and everyone was talking about game night. The Hope Eagles had lost only one game, and they were tied for first place in their division with the team they were playing tonight. Based on conversations she’d been hearing all week, it would appear the entire school was going to be attending the game. Which meant she’d have to go.
Not that she didn’t want to go—she did. She was as excited about the prospect of the Eagles taking first place as anyone else. She was also nervous for Zach and wasn’t sure she could sit still for four quarters. They’d talked this week, and though he’d played it off as just another game, she knew what this meant to him. If they beat the Round Rock Bears on their home turf, that would leave only one more team that stood between the Eagles and the play-offs. And according to Zach, beating that last team would be easy.
She wanted that for him. She hoped that for him.
She was also waiting for word from Jane, who had an OB appointment today to find out the sex of her baby.
Jane had told Chelsea and her at lunch yesterday that since she already had Ryan and Tabitha, it didn’t matter to her what the sex was, but she was kind of hoping it was a boy, so Will would have a son of his own. Then she’d fallen all over herself apologizing because she said Will loved Ryan as his own son and she didn’t know why she’d said that, so now she wanted the baby to be a girl.
Chelsea had rolled her eyes and told Jane she was a hormonal mess. And then she wished twins on Jane, who gave her a shocked look and told Chelsea they couldn’t be friends anymore.
Chelsea had laughed at Jane and told her she loved her. And then Jane had cried.
Josie had kept her mouth shut, not wanting to say anything to make Jane cry again, but she did hope Jane’s baby was healthy, no matter the sex.
She was just full of hope—for everyone lately, it seemed.
She gathered up her books and papers and stuffed the papers in her bag at the end of the day, her head filled with everyone’s hopes.
She was in the parking lot on the way to her car when her phone pinged. She shuffled her books to her other arm so she could fish her phone out of her bag. It was a text from Jane.
It’s a boy! I cried. Will cried. So happy! Talk soon.
Josie grinned, imagining their elation. She knew that Will didn’t care whether it was a boy or a girl. She also knew that he loved both Ryan and Tabitha, and no one could tell him those children weren’t his, even if he wasn’t their biological father. The new baby was just added joy to his and Jane’s lives.
She typed a quick Omg yay! Congrats! text to Jane, then went to tuck her phone back into her purse when the load of books in her arms shifted sideways. She tried to right them, but everything tumbled to the ground.
“Shit,” she whispered, since students milled about the parking lot.
She got down and started picking up her books.
“You look like an overwhelmed freshman on her first day of school.”
She looked up to see a very hot man grinning at her.
Zach. He crouched down and picked up all the books, and then he stood and held out his hand to haul her to her feet.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. You planning on a big weekend of grading papers?”
“Something like that. I’ve got those.”
“So do I. I’ll walk with you to your car.”
They stayed in step as she made her way over to where she was parked. She pushed the UNLOCK button, and Zach opened the door to the backseat of her car and slid the books onto the seat. He took the bag from her hand and placed that on the seat as well.
Josie dragged her fingers through her hair, tucking her bangs away from her face.
“Thanks, Zach.”
He shut the door and leaned against it. “You’re welcome. Rough day?”
She shrugged. “Busy day. But it was good. How about you?”
“Same.”
“You re
ady for tonight’s game?”
“Yeah. Kids are excited and ready to play. You coming to the game?”
She offered up a smile. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good.”
She thought he’d leave, knew he had a lot to do to prep for the game tonight. Instead, he continued to look at her. So there they stood, the two of them staring at each other, and all she could think about was how much she wanted to reach out and touch his hand, lay her head against his chest, feel the beat of his heart, and align her body close to his.
“I’d really like to kiss you right now,” he finally said, his words making her heart rate kick up several beats per minute.
“Ditto. Put a pin in it for later?”
“Yup. It’ll give me something to think about for after the game.”
She laughed and opened the driver’s side door. “Oh, right. I think you’ll be thinking about football.”
He leaned in and laid his hand on the headrest. “I can think about football and you simultaneously.”
After looking around to make sure no students were lurking, she tipped her finger across his jawline. “Focus on the game, Mr. Powers. Fun, later.”
“Yes, Ms. Barnes.” He winked at her, then straightened.
“Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks.”
He closed her car door and walked off, giving her a fantastic view of his very fine ass encased in his dark jeans. Oh, the man had a sexy walk. Unintentional, but predatory. With purpose, as if he knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing.
How could she be so turned on just watching him walk away from her?
With an appreciative sigh, she backed out of her parking spot. She needed to regather her wits—and her focus—before tonight.
Chapter 25
* * *
ZACH ENTERED BASH’S bar, and cheers went up. He waved, soaked in the adulation, then located his friends at their table.
Deacon and Loretta were there, along with Chelsea and Jillian and Jeff. Josie was there, too, talking to Jillian and Megan and Sam. Reid and Brady were up at the bar having a conversation with Bash.
He waved to the table first, then went to the bar.
“There’s the man of the night,” Bash said, grabbing a beer to slide it over to Zach. “Heard about tonight’s game. Sorry I couldn’t make it, but, you know, duty calls.”
“Yeah, I know how that is.” Zach took a long pull of the icy cold beer, letting it slide down his throat. “But you missed a killer game.”
“Don’t tell me that, man. Tell me it was never close. Tell me everyone was asleep in the bleachers.”
“It was intense,” Brady said. “Two well-matched teams facing off. You should have been there.”
Yeah,” Reid said. “Next time take the night off, Bash.”
“Dammit,” Bash said. “Not cool, guys.”
Zach laughed and took his beer over to the table.
Josie looked up at him. “Would you like to sit next to me?”
“You know I would.” He slid into the chair next to hers and leaned close. “You smell good.”
“Thank you. You smell victorious.”
He grinned at her. “Yeah? And what does that smell like?”
She leaned in and grasped hold of his shirt, inhaled, and offered up a sensual smile. “A little bit woodsy, masculine, and oh-so-hot.”
And they’d picked up right where they left off after school today.
He’d managed to push it away into a corner of his brain. He’d had to, so he could concentrate on football. Otherwise, all he would have been able to think about would have been how incredible Josie had looked in her tight black skirt and white silk blouse today, or how the earrings she’d worn had shown off the slender column of her neck. Or how that particular shade of red lipstick she’d worn today had made him think about her mouth. Kissing her mouth and all the other fun things to do with lips.
And before he got hard in front of all these people, he turned and engaged with the group about tonight’s game.
“When they kicked that field goal to tie the game with less than two minutes left, I was a little concerned,” Chelsea said. “But I knew the Eagles would pull it out.”
“That flea flicker on the ten-yard line, though.” Josie grabbed for a nacho and let it dangle in her hand. “That was a stroke of genius. Even though my heart was in my throat the entire time.”
“It was a game winner, for sure,” Deacon said. “You used tried-and-true plays, and then confused the hell out of them with trick plays. Stroke of genius, man.”
Zach felt the weight of their praise, but he didn’t deserve all the credit. His team did. “I don’t know about genius, but I knew we were going up against a seriously good team, so I was going to have to come up with some original offensive plays that were going to confuse a strong defense. And I might have developed the plans, but my guys executed them.”
“You sure as hell did that, and so did they,” Reid said, coming over to sit down next to his wife, Sam.
“It was a nail-biter of a game,” Loretta said. “Hazel enjoyed every second of it.”
“Yeah, she enjoyed it so much, she wants to play football now,” Deacon said with a wry smile.
“Awesome.” Zach cracked a smile. “I hope she does.”
“Everyone enjoyed it,” Josie said. “The crowd noise was crazy. And we’re not even in the play-offs yet.”
“But we will be, won’t we, Zach?” Josie asked.
“Yeah, we will be.” He reached for some of the nachos.
After a few beers and even more food, everyone started to head out.
Zach walked with Josie to her car. She turned to face him.
“So, I’m following you home, right?” she asked.
He hadn’t expected her to invite herself over to his place, but he had to admit he was damn happy about it. They’d been leading up to this all day long, and he was more than ready to be alone with her. “Yes, you are.”
“Good. I’ll see you there.”
He had her in his rearview mirror the entire way home. When he pulled into the garage, she was right behind him in the driveway, so he left the garage door open and waited for her, then got to appreciate the way she walked toward him in her low-slung jeans and body-hugging black shirt.
He wasn’t sure how a woman wearing bright red tennis shoes could be so sexy, but she was. He was pretty sure she could be wearing bunny slippers right now and he’d still be turned on.
Definitely the woman, not the clothes.
She leaned into him and pressed her body against his. “I’ve been waiting all night for this.”
Then she kissed him, and everything in his world felt right. Her body against his, her mouth touching his mouth, and when he breathed her in, it was as if every tension in his body melted away. Because she belonged here, in his arms—where she was meant to be.
Something major hit him about that kiss, something that felt so perfect in the moment. He shrugged it aside as just a really damn good kiss, because all he wanted right now was to focus on touching and kissing Josie. The other stuff could wait.
But then Wilson barked, and Josie backed away, licking her lips and heaving out a ragged breath. “He probably wants to go out.”
Zach nodded, needing to catch his own breath. “Yeah. Let’s go inside.”
Wilson was by the door, tail wagging furiously.
“I know, buddy. You’re ready to go out.”
First, of course, Wilson waited to get love from Josie, who crouched down and doled it out with furious rubs and vivacious words.
“Who’s a good boy?” she asked. “Who’s the pretty boy?”
“You’re spoiling him,” Zach said as he led a dancing Wilson toward the back door.
“And doesn’t he deserve to be spoiled?” Josie slanted a questioning glance toward Zach.
Zach opened the door, and Wilson darted outside. “Okay, he does.”
“All right, then.” She was lean
ing against the kitchen island, then turned and saw the batch of muffins. She arched her brow. “You baked?”
“Hardly. That’s from the booster club.”
“Ah. So you can be had for a dozen”—she lifted the lid off the container—“I’m going to guess banana nut muffins?”
“You would be right on both the muffins and the fact I can be had for baked goods.”
She shook her head. “Men are so easy.”
“Yup.”
She teased her fingertips up and down the front of his shirt. “Making a mental note of that.”
“Oh, so you like to bake, huh?”
“I like to do a lot of things.” She leaned up against him, casting a quick glance at the oversized island before lifting her gaze to his. “You know what I’d like to do in this kitchen?”
“What?”
She did a slow visual inventory of his body, starting at his feet, lingering at his zipper, then made her way back up, landing on his face before answering with, “Bake a batch of pumpkin spice cupcakes.”
He stared at her for a few long seconds, then blinked. “Wow. That is not where I thought you were going with this.”
She laughed. “I know.”
“You wanna know what I’d like to do in this kitchen?”
“Of course I do. I also know you’d like for me to bake the pumpkin spice cupcakes.”
“Hell yeah. But first, this.”
He moved the muffins to the counter on the other side, then lifted Josie onto the kitchen island.
She wrapped her legs around him and drew him in for a kiss.
He tasted the hungry passion in that kiss, the desperate need. He’d wanted to play, to tease her a little, but he could tell Josie needed something more. He cupped her butt with his hands and lifted her off the island, walking her upstairs to his bedroom. She had a tight hold on him, laying her head on his shoulder as they made their way upstairs.
When he set her down in front of his bed, she toed off her tennis shoes, shimmied out of her tight jeans, and discarded her shirt, leaving her in some amazingly sexy black underwear.
“Don’t just stand there,” she said, motioning toward him with her head. “Get those clothes off.”