Off the Record

  Grabbing a bottle of beer from a nearby cooler, I walk over to him, keeping my head down so I don't get stopped. I need to relax for just a few minutes.

  "What's up?" Nix says as I plop down in a chair beside him.

  "Just want to chill for a few minutes. This is the first freakin' beer I've had all afternoon."

  "Well, Cheers!" Nix holds his beer up and I clang mine against it.

  "Where's Emily?"

  Nix glances at his watch. "She should be here soon. She's driving in from the city."

  "So, you two have been going pretty strong for a while now. When are you going to pop the big question?"

  I watch as Nix's eyes warm up and he gets a silly smile on his face. My brother...the tough, war hardened Marine has been brought to his knees by a woman. Who would have thought?

  "I don't know. When the time is right, I guess."

  I punch him lightly in the arm. "The time is right, dude. No sense in waiting."

  Nix takes a huge pull on his beer. "I want to ask her dad first. So it won't happen until I can talk to him."

  "So pick up the phone and call him."

  Nix shakes his head adamantly. "No way, man. That shit has to be done in person."

  "Really?" I ask with curiosity. I know nothing about how proposals work, and frankly, I really don't care. That's not on my agenda for years to come, if at all. Still, I can't help but ask, "Is there some etiquette rule that says it has to be in person?"

  Nix grins at me. "No, you moron. There's no rules whether I even have to ask him or not. It's just...I want his approval. For Emily's sake. That's all."

  "So, again, I ask...why don't you just call?"

  The devious smirk that tilts Nix's lips is hilarious to me, and I know he's getting ready to say something epic. "Because...I'm going to threaten him with bodily harm if he says no. That is much more effective in person."

  I guffaw loudly. Only my brother would threaten a U.S. Congressman and possible next President of the United States. Nix lives by his own rules. It's a quality I admire and actually try to replicate as much as I can. I look up to my big brother in more ways than I can even count.

  "Linc!"

  I look over to see who is calling me. One of my teammates is holding up a full bag of garbage in his hand.

  "What's up?"

  "I'm going to throw this in the dumpster for you but we are out of garbage bags. You got some more upstairs?"

  I stand up from my chair. "Yup. I'll go get 'em."

  Turning to Nix, I say, "I'll catch up with you later after Emily gets here."

  Heading into my building, I stop briefly at the mailbox and grab its contents. I shuffle through the stack as I head up in the elevator. Smiling, I open the letter from Teton Realty and quickly scan it. It's the confirmation of my reservation for a cabin in Jackson, Wyoming. I take my summer vacation there every year and I am stoked about heading there soon.

  I dump the mail on my kitchen counter and reach under the sink for some more garbage bags. When I straighten back up, I'm momentarily shocked when two female arms circle me from behind. My first instinct is to step away, because trust me, I've had my share of crazies that have made some pretty overt moves on me. But then I smell the familiar perfume and I know it's just Brenda. I relax slightly.

  Turning in her arms and dropping the bags to the floor, I rest my hands lightly at her waist. "It's about time you showed up."

  She laughs huskily. "So, you've been looking for me, huh?"

  I shrug my shoulders non-committally. I invited Brenda here as my "date" and I use that term loosely. Brenda and I were introduced a few months ago by a mutual friend. Our relationship, if you could call it that, consists solely of booty calls.

  When I took her on our first and only date, which was a blind setup by said mutual friend, I recognized an instant attraction to her. She is simply stunning, as well she should be. She's a model and her work varies from high end editorial work to hotter than hot swimsuit spreads.

  The attraction on her part was mutual and we barely made it to the bedroom when I brought her home at the end of that date. Since then, we hook up whenever she's in town, which isn't all that often. Still, I like her. I mean...I like her as a person. Not for any type of deep relationship or anything, because I am definitely not looking for that at this point in my life. Luckily, neither is she. Neither of us expects monogamy and about the only thing that we mutually insist on is using a condom every time we fuck.

  She leans in and sneaks a kiss. She's super tall, coming in just a few inches shorter than me, which makes for some amazingly convenient oral sex when we want to sixty-nine it.

  As if she could read my thoughts, Brenda slips her hand down and fondles me through my shorts. "We could slip into your room for a quickie right now."

  I grab her hand and tug it away. I'm not one for exhibitionism and anyone could walk through my condo at any time. "As tempting as that sounds, I have guests and a ton of things to take care of. But tonight...don't plan on getting any sleep. Can you stay the night?"

  She smiles at me, not in the least put off by my refusal to fuck her right now. "Of course, sugar. I'll hold you to it though."

  Brenda turns and walks out of the kitchen. I assume she's heading down to the party.

  I pick up the garbage bags and before I head back down, I decide to give my dad a call. He's been down with a bad cold, otherwise he'd be here at the party. I just need to check on him and head toward my bedroom for some privacy.

  As I turn down the hall, a gaggle of giggling women come out of the guest bathroom. They are young and I doubt they are much over twenty-one, if that. They must have been invited by some of my single teammates, but hell, for all I know they could be crashing. There are three of them and they are all wearing bikini tops that don't leave much to the imagination and shorts that are so short, I wonder why they bother.

  I nod politely at them and they all start giggling even louder. I make sure my back is turned on them before I roll my eyes. I don't know why, but I've never been one for women that are overt in their sexual appearance. Don't get me wrong. I love the naked female body. I could look at it for hours...days...even years. I could make a career out of running my hands and lips across a naked woman. But I like a little mystery. I like to wonder what lies beyond. I like to have to work for it.

  Shutting my bedroom door, I pull out my cell phone and dial my dad. He answers on the second ring.

  "How's it going, kiddo?"

  My dad punctuates the question by a deep, hacking cough and I wince. "It's going fine. You, however, are sounding horrible. Did you go to the doctor?"

  I listen as my dad coughs, then wheezes. Finally, he says, "No. I'm just taking some stuff I got at the drugstore. I'll be fine."

  "You don't sound fine, Dad. You sound terrible. Maybe I should come over and get you right now. We can go to an urgent care clinic."

  "You'll do no such thing. You are in the middle of a party and have guests. You stay your ass there."

  I smile. My dad is such a tough son-of-a-bitch when it comes to his own health, but he has a heart of gold when it comes to the happiness and well-being of his own kids. It's always been that way.

  "Fine. I'll call you later tonight to check in."

  "There's no need. Stop worrying."

  "Whatever, Dad. I'm hanging up on you now."

  My dad laughs but before we say goodbye he says, "You still coming out next weekend with Nix and Emily? Figured we could fire up the grill."

  "Absolutely! That is if I don't have to drag your sorry butt to the doctor's before then."

  My dad chuckles, which leads to another coughing fit. "You're not too old for me to take across my knee now, sonny!"

  "Yeah, right. You're too soft to even think about spanking me."

  And it's true. My dad never laid a hand on me and Nix growing up. He never had to. It's not that we were angels or anything, but for some reason, after our mom died, we really respected our dad. Whatever he told us
to do, we did. Whatever boundaries he placed, we abided. Oh, we had our little rebellious times, but our dad would always talk those things through with us rather than seek to physically punish us.

  He is, just simply, the best parent a man could hope for.

  "Alright, son. I'm hanging up and heading to bed. See you next weekend."

  "Okay, Dad. Love you."

  "I love you too, Linc."

  Hanging up, I smile. I hope I turn out to be at least half the man my father is.

  "So, have you heard from your ex-douchebag?" Emily asks as we drive into Hoboken.

  I laugh easily. "Language, Miss Burnham. Where did you learn such a word?"

  She takes her eyes off the road to grin at me mischievously. "It's what Nix calls my ex. It just seems appropriate."

  Emily is one of the very few people that knows I caught Marc cheating on me. She and I had become good friends since we met in a journalism class at Columbia over a year ago. She's down to earth and smart as a whip. She also had a sympathetic ear for me when my engagement came to a screeching halt.

  Turning my attention back to her original question, I tell her, "Well...as a matter of fact, he came by just a bit ago to pick up the engagement ring."

  "He wanted it back?" Emily asks with shock.

  I shrug my shoulders. "I didn't mind. It's not like I'd ever wear it again."

  Emily snorts. "I would have hocked the damned thing then bought a lifetime supply of condoms so I could screw my way through every hot guy I came across."

  I'm the one that snorts now, which turns into the type of laughter that makes my ribs hurt. "Now that is a thought. Too bad I already gave him back the ring. Still...now that I'm a full time, working woman, I can afford my own condoms!"

  "Yes," Emily shrieks in laughter. "I'm a firm believer in using a good orgasm to put a smile on your face. It's a plan!"

  Our hilarity dies down into chuckles and then Emily glances at me again. Her face is full of kindness. "Seriously...how are you doing?"

  "I'm fine," I say. And I mean it. "Haven't even shed a tear over him."

  Emily is silent for just a moment then she says, "That's not good, Ever. You need to grieve."

  "I can't," I admit frankly. My heart lurches just a tiny bit, then settles back down in its casing of ice.

  "Can't or won't?" Emily has a sage wisdom that no twenty-one year old should have.

  "I can't. I think I may be broken or something." My words come out matter-of-factly, and there is no bitterness or pity. I really do think I'm broken, but there's no sense in lamenting about it.

  I look at Emily and she looks back at me with worry. Taking one hand off the wheel, she reaches over and grabs mine. "You're not broken. You just need some time to come to grips with what happened."

  Oh, if only she knew. I had come to grips with it already. This was not my first rodeo as Marc was not the first man to betray me. My heart had been crushed once before, and the pain of it nearly killed me. Now, that man caused me to grieve...hard.

  So hard, I thought about ending it all. Luckily, I had the fortitude to push past it.

  After going through that much pain and misery, it was a miracle I had even opened myself up to Marc. I had been so closed off, so remote, that I didn't think it was even possible for me to exhibit love. But Marc had managed to break through those walls I had so carefully built after my first heartbreak, and I had basked in what I thought was true love.

  Silly me.

  The moment I saw Marc in bed with Kelli, I felt those walls take shape again. It was like cinder blocks and mortar stacking up around me, hardening fast and making the way to my heart impenetrable. And while it kept all of the external hurt away from me, it also kept all of my emotion inside. There wasn't a single crack or crevice through which my tears could escape.

  I was definitely a broken woman holed up in a prison of her own making.

  Emily and I thankfully move on to small chit-chat. She tells me more about Lincoln and some of the other players that will be there. I'm pretty nervous, truth be told. I'm a huge Rangers fan and I actually have a Lincoln Caldwell jersey. I had even thought about bringing it and asking him to sign it but that screamed too much dork for my comfort level. Besides, it wouldn't be professional of me.

  We arrive at Lincoln's condo complex, which is pretty impressive. It's gated and sits on the Hudson. Emily leads me through a courtyard to a grassy area on the backside. I'm immediately hit with the sound of music pumping and the scent of grilling hamburgers. We turn the corner and I'm overwhelmed by the amount of people. There has to be close to three hundred people milling about. A sand, volleyball court has been set up and there is a game in progress. Children are running everywhere with balloon animals in their hands. I then shudder when I see the clown that's making them.

  I hate clowns. They creep me out.

  Two large tents have been erected, each holding numerous tables where people sit eating food. I start really looking at the people and I recognize several of the Rangers. Most of them have their wives or girlfriends with them. Some are holding babies or playing soccer with the kids. It's an idyllic setting and one I had not envisioned when I was invited.

  My attention is diverted by a man I can only assume is Emily's boyfriend, Nix, as he stalks toward her and then picks her up in a bone crushing hug. He then kisses her so passionately, my face turns red. After he finally sets her down, he looks at me and says, "Hey, I'm Nix. You must be Ever. It's good to meet you."

  "Likewise. Glad you could pull your tongue out of Emily's throat so you could introduce yourself," I tease.

  He chuckles but doesn't look the slightest bit embarrassed. "Well, come on and let's get you ladies some food. Linc is upstairs getting some more trash bags and I'll introduce you when he gets back down."

  Nix leads us over to a buffet table loaded with hamburgers, hot dogs, Brats, and a slew of salads and desserts. I fill my plate up, suddenly realizing I haven't eaten since breakfast this morning. I had been so busy at work that I had skipped lunch, which wasn't uncommon for me.

  We sit at a table and enjoy our food. Emily and Nix introduce me to a few of the players. I ask where her brother Ryan is but she says that his wife Danny isn't feeling too great so they are skipping the party. She is eight and a half months pregnant, and the way Emily tells it, she could be popping that baby out any day now.

  Emily sees something to our left and her lips turn upward in a smirk. I turn my head to see what she's looking at and it's none other than Lincoln Caldwell...surrounded by three women. They are all long legged and busty. They are taking the beach party theme seriously, wearing miniscule scraps of material over their asses and bikini tops that are overflowing with boobs. Each of them stands there, obviously flirting and fawning. One woman has her hand on his chest while another twirls her hair around her finger while she cocks her bony hip out. I sneer quietly in disgust at how painfully obvious the women are being.

  Lincoln certainly doesn't seem to mind the attention, I observe. He's laughing at something one of the women says, and actually picks up her hand to bestow a kiss on her knuckles. Geez, that's corny.

  As soon as he releases her hand, he turns away from the women and pins me with a direct stare that weirdly, causes all of my nerve endings to fire. It's like he knew right where I was sitting, because his gaze didn't wander around first before landing on me. I'm actually shocked to the point I lower my eyes, fiddling with the napkin I'm still holding. I glance back up and he's still looking at me as he walks our way, never breaking his gaze.

  His intent is clear. He is coming for me, and the thought makes my stomach tighten in anticipation.

  The closer he gets, the more amazing he looks. He's wearing a pair of khaki, cargo shorts, a plain white t-shirt which is stretched fairly tightly over his massive chest. Flip flops complete his beachy look. His hair is artfully windblown and he hasn't shaved today, which gives him a just-out-of-bed look. He wears it well and I'm surprised my panties don't just fall down to
my ankles on their own accord.

  Emily and I stand up just as he reaches our table. She walks up to him and he hugs her tight. "Hey, kiddo," he says with obvious affection while he still looks directly at me.

  Releasing Emily, he sticks his hand out to me. "I'm Linc Caldwell."

  Emily finishes the introduction as I take his hand. It's huge and completely engulfs mine. His touch is as electric as his gaze. "Linc...this is Ever Montgomery. She's the reporter that's going to interview you for The Post."

  I'm looking upward into his eyes as he towers over me. I think I remember his stats saying he is six-two, which is a foot taller than my tiny frame. Those eyes of his are glowing greenish-gold from the late afternoon sun that is reflected in them. Recognition dawns on his handsome face. "That's right. I forgot all about that."

  Now, that's interesting.

  I thought he was walking over to us because he saw me sitting with Emily and knew I was a reporter here to interview him. He puts that assumption to rest when he says, "I was hoping I'd get to meet Emily's gorgeous friend I saw sitting over here, and now I find I'm lucky enough that I will get some personal time with you while you interview me."

  His voice is low and direct, made by a man that is used to flirting shamelessly. It causes a flood of sexual awareness to run through my body and I mentally chastise myself.

  "Then it is your lucky day, because I have lots of questions for you," I quip.

  He looks around, and I notice that he hasn't released my hand. It's strong yet it's holding me delicately, as if he is conscious of how small it is. I have a fleeting thought as to what it would be like to have him run those hands over my body.

  Get a grip, Ever. You're here for a job, not to have sex fantasies about your subject.

  "Tell you what," Linc breaks into my thoughts. "Let's go sit down by the water away from the music and we can talk."

  "Sounds good." I pull my hand from his and grab my bag. Turning to Emily, I give her a quick wink. "Catch you later."

  I stop at an aluminum tub filled with ice and drinks, grabbing two beers. I pop the top off one and hand it to Ever. She takes it with a soft word of thanks.