Overtime(132)

“’Cause you’re hurting for money.”

He smiled. “Hey, we are having a baby, gotta start saving. We play the most expensive sport, which means the baby will, plus college. And then if it’s a girl, a wedding... Ugh, yeah, I need to start playing really good so I can get a raise.”

“You’re insane,” she said, rolling her eyes, but then she looked over at him in the mirror as she removed the black streak. “It may help, y’know? Tell her that you don’t want her in your life any longer and not to call, nicely of course. Unlike me who wants to kick her in the vag and cuss her out.” He laughed as she continued, “And maybe it will soothe some of your pain because you’ll never have to see or talk to her again.”

He shook his head. “It won’t be that easy.”

“Sure it will,” she decided. “Because she can’t manipulate both of us.”

He smiled. “This is true.”

“So, no worries,” she said happily. “But if shit gets shady, I’m gonna Spartan kick her.”

Jordie shook his head, his chest bubbling with laughter as she shrugged in an innocent way, but Kacey was far from innocent. She was a whole lot of things, but innocent was not one of them. She was insanely protective though, and he believed every word that left her sweet lips. The great thing though—even though he sort of felt like he was drowning in the abyss of the unknown—was that Kacey was his.

And she’d stand by him no matter what.

He was going to need her when he faced down his mother.

He just hoped he came back in one piece.



The second Kacey locked eyes with Stacey Thomas, she hated her.

It wasn’t as if she had liked her before, because she didn’t. But still, pure hatred burned deep in her soul as she watched Jordie’s mother wave her hands up in the air before hugging him tightly, kissing his cheek as if she was a good mother instead of the poor excuse for a human being she actually was. Jordie went through the motions but they were stiff, and she could tell from a mile away that he didn’t want her touching him. That it almost pained him because they both knew she didn’t want to hug or kiss him. She didn’t even love him, or maybe she did, somewhere deep in that black heart of hers. But if she did, she had a poor way of showing it.

And that made Kacey hate her even more. If that were possible.

Her dumbass fiancé stood behind her, his mouth gaping, his eyes big as he took in the wide girth of Jordie. That was one thing about him that made Kacey’s heart skip a beat; wherever Jordie stood, he took up the whole room. He was such a big presence, and it left her dumbfounded that his mother didn’t care more for him. He was such a beautiful person, a good man, but it was fine. Her loss, and Kacey’s gain.

“This is Phil Quest, Jordie, my fiancé. He’s a huge fan,” she gushed, bringing Phil forward, and Jordie shook his hand, hard.

In that instant, Kacey knew why they were there. Phil was a fan, and for Stacey to look good in front of him and suck all his money out of his account, she had to act like the doting mother. Too bad everyone saw through her—well, maybe not Phil, but he was obviously a dumbass.

So sad, she thought as she slowly shook her head, just as Jordie turned to her.

“This is Kacey,” he said, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. She smiled as he turned back to his mother, a hopeful look on his face as he said, “My girlfriend.”

Stacey looked Kacey up and down, a stuck-up look on her face, her eyes narrowing as she shook her hand. She didn’t look like Jordie, she was light to his dark, so Kacey figured he must take after the father he didn’t know. “How nice. Are you ready to sit down? I have to get back to the hotel soon, I’m worn out. Phil had me all over Nashville. He used to live here a long time back, says he wants to move back. Wouldn’t that be nice if we lived close by?”

Jordie looked back at Kacey, and she could see the utter horror on his face. Smiling, she squeezed his hand as she shook her head, hoping he realized that his mother’s rejection of her didn’t hurt her feelings. That woman was nothing to her, and she needed to be nothing to Jordie. But Kacey understood his need for his mother. She couldn’t imagine her mother not loving her or even caring about her everyday life. She called every day just to check in.

But Jordie’s mom couldn’t even do that once a month.

“It’s nice to meet you, by the way, Kacey,” Phil said then, stealing her attention as he reached out to shake her hand. “You’ve got yourself a lovely lady, Jordie.”

Jordie smiled as Kacey shook Phil’s hand, but before she could thank him, Stacey said, “For how long though? Jordie doesn’t stay with ladies long, no matter how lovely they are.”

Jordie bit the inside of his cheek as Kacey glared. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Stacey looked back at her, a condescending look on her face. “Bet you aren’t the first or the last to say that.”

“No, I am,” she said very confidently. “Jordie doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, and anyone who had been with him in the past knew the score. As do I. He’s in this for the long haul.”

Stacey’s eyes narrowed more, her mouth setting in a line. “Sure.”

Kacey went to say more, but Jordie shook his head, his eyes pleading with hers. Dropping his lips to her ear, he whispered, “It won’t change what she thinks.”