Hello Quarterback (Hello #8)

24. Ford

24

FORD

For the next couple weeks, Mia was too busy with meetings and work travel to talk. I missed her, a feeling I usually didn’t have for people outside of close friends and family.

I convinced myself that had to be it—we’d developed more of a friendship in the time we’d spent together. So I let myself be excited to see her when she got back from her trip. The team dinner was tonight, and that meant she was coming with me. Trent would be there, watching our every move so he’d know it was real.

I waited eagerly in front of my house for Mia’s driver to collect me. It was one of those fresh fall days that breathed life into the world and made crispening leaves rustle in the trees. My heart beat quickly, knowing I’d be able to see her soon. I wanted to know all about her trip.

I watched leaves rustling until the long black limo cut through the tree-lined driveway toward my house. Dress for team dinners was business casual, so I was in a Diamonds polo and khakis. The breeze caught the athletic material of my shirt as I went down the steps to meet the car. The driver got out on his side, but I reminded him, “Zeke, you don’t need to bother for me. Mia, though?—”

“Precious cargo,” he said with a warm smile.

“Exactly.” I reached for the back door of the limo and got inside.

I’d expected to be alone, so I nearly jumped out of my skin seeing Tallie sitting there.

She examined me casually. “I should have warned you I’d be here.”

“You think?” I muttered, settling in across from her. I swear she never got rattled. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going to prep you during our drive to Mia’s. She mentioned this night was very important to you, so a refresher of the talking points is never a bad idea.”

“That’s... thoughtful,” I said. In fact, it was exactly Mia’s brand of thoughtfulness to bring in an expert when I needed it most. I was touched.

Until Tallie countered, “It’s not thoughtful. It’s smart . Mia didn’t get to where she is without looking ahead.” The respect she held for Mia was clear in her tone. But so was the death of any thought that Tallie’s presence had been special for me.

“Let’s get to it, lover boy,” Tallie said. She pulled out a manila folder with talking points and had me read over them by myself. The level of detail that went into this plan was like none other—she even included phrases for me to say to teammates, their plus ones, Trent, and Mia for when people could overhear us.

“Where did you learn to do this?” I asked Tallie, holding up the sheet. Even the team’s publicist wasn’t this thorough.

“No time to talk about that. Let’s practice the lines.”

“Sure.” I could respect her focus. We got to work, and I found it was easy to say the phrases meant for friends, but when I got to the part directed to Mia, I had a hard time. My hands were sweating on the page, making it flimsy.

Tallie said, “Practice the look. The one that says you think she’s beautiful and you aren’t noticing anyone else in the room.”

I attempted it on Tallie.

She frowned.

“What?” I asked defensively.

“You look like you just took too many laxatives.”

I buried my face in the folder, groaning.

“What’s going on?” Tallie said. “You were doing great before.”

“It’s weird doing this part with you instead of Mia,” I admitted.

Tallie let out a small sigh and looked at her watch. “Well, we should be at her place soon.” She leaned back against the leather, distractedly raking her fingers through her short hair.

Within a few minutes, we were in the parking garage. I hurried out of the limo to hold the door for Mia. My dad had taught me to always hold the door open for a woman.

The elevator doors opened, revealing Mia in a purple blouse with white linen trousers and dark brown loafers. Seeing her in Diamonds colors made me smile. “Gorgeous,” I told her.

Her long blond hair flared around her as she did a spin for me. I couldn’t help but grin as I took her in.

“Just like that,” Tallie said, poking her head out the door. “That’s how you look at her at the event.”

I turned to her. “What?”

“That look was on the sheet—you got it perfect.”

“Right.” I cleared my throat. “Uh, thanks.” I needed to get my head in the game and stepped aside so Mia could get in. As soon as we were in the car together, I wanted to ask her about the trip—about all she’d done while we were apart, but Mia got right to business.

“So Tallie prepped you?” Mia asked when Zeke had started driving away.

Before I could answer, Tallie said, “Everything except his lines for you. Ford, let’s try the first one on the list.” Tallie passed Mia a paper while I looked down at my own.

“I’m so lucky to have you.” Say it while squeezing her hand and looking into her eyes.

I looked up at Tallie desperately. Was I really supposed to do this? It felt so... intimate.

But she leveled her gaze at me like this was all business. Which embarrassed me, because my heart kept forgetting that was all this was meant to be.

“Okay.” I took a breath, scooting closer to Mia. I held out my hand, and she put hers in mine. I looked into her soft blue eyes and said, “I’m so lucky to have you.” But my eyes darted away. It felt too intimate, too vulnerable to say to her out loud. Especially with Tallie watching.

Tallie tsked at me. “That was not very convincing, Ford. You look like you were trying to swallow a lemon. Like a whole wedge.”

A hurt look flickered over Mia’s features, but she quickly schooled it. I realized she was far better trained at her poker face than I was. And I didn’t want to let her down. So I nodded, knowing I needed to do better. For her, but also for me.

This night could make or break my contract with the Diamonds.

I reached for Mia’s hand again, loving how soft her skin felt against mine. I had callouses from weightlifting and so many reps with a football, but her hands were silky smooth. And warm too. I looked up from her hand, meeting her gaze.

This time, I held it, let myself really see her. The starburst of all shades of blue in her eyes. The fullness of her pink lips. The dainty way her nose lifted at the tip. I thought of all she was doing for me, how easy it was to spend time with her instead of dating daddy’s little girl who only wanted me for my status, how much it would mean to be able to stay in town. And I said, “Mia, I’m so thankful I have you.”

The words came out earnest, heartfelt, because I meant them, not because I was putting on some kind of act.

She looked down shyly, then smiled back up at me. “Thank you, Ford. I think we both got lucky.”

I wondered if she’d practiced her lines. Her words were so much more convincing than my first try.

I almost forgot I was holding her hand until her fingertips slipped from mine. “How was that?” she asked Tallie.

“Good,” her employee replied. “Next.”

My jaw clenched as I looked down at the paper.

Kiss her softly when it seems like no one’s paying attention.

“Oh no,” I said. “Is this really necessary?”

Mia shifted in her seat. “Surely holding hands is enough. We can say Ford doesn’t like PDA.”

Tallie’s eyebrows drew together, silently scolding us both. “Look, couples in relationships kiss from time to time. You had to know that was part of the arrangement. And besides, you’re both acting . Actors kiss all the time with it meaning nothing at all. And you both have far more on the line than a paycheck.”

Mia nodded slowly. “You’re right...”

And maybe she was, but my heart was still racing like I’d just run a mile at full speed. Mia and I had to kiss. We had to make it look real while faking it inside.

Mia looked up at me. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I—I understand kissing me isn’t every man’s idea of a good time.”

My eyebrows drew together. “What does that mean?”

Tallie looked really busy examining her fingernails while Mia said, “Ford, look. Most men I’ve met since becoming CEO are interested in me for what I can do for them, not for who I am . I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and I’m okay with that. But I would really rather not kiss you when you’re having such a hard time forcing yourself to kiss me.”

“Mia...” I began.

She looked down, a hint of vulnerability in her features before she covered it up with a determined look.

And fuck if it didn’t make me feel like an asshole. How could I tell her that all I’d been doing is forcing my feelings down before they could grow out of control? This would just be one step closer to completely falling for her, and I knew nothing good waited for me at the bottom.

“It’s okay,” she repeated. “We’ll hold hands. It will have to be good enough.”

Tallie looked like she wanted to protest, but I held my finger up to her. I wanted Mia to hear me. “Mia, you’re beautiful. And you’re strong. There are men who want a weak woman—they feel like they can’t be strong unless it’s by comparison. Real men know better, because a strong woman can thrive without you but thinks her life is better with you in it.”

Her lips parted in surprise, letting me see all the emotions crossing her face. And before she could erase her feelings, I leaned in to kiss her. To show her there was nothing wrong with her. That I wanted her, no matter that I shouldn’t.

She was beautiful, strong, cunning, and incredibly successful, which made her irresistible.

I let myself give in to her pull, cupping her face in my hand and drawing her closer until our lips touched, hers pillowy soft against mine.

And instead of holding herself strong, distant, like I thought she might, she tilted her head—just slightly—to let me in.

Forgetting Tallie was watching, fuck, forgetting we were riding in the limo at all, I took every ounce of affection she was willing to give me.

That was the problem with gasoline. It only needed a spark to create a blaze that could destroy everything in its path, including my self-control.

Recklessly, I deepened our kiss, touching my tongue to hers, tasting her mouth, letting my racing heart beat for something good . Something purely for my enjoyment. Not to reach a goal.

I could have kissed her forever, but she pulled back, making me instantly grieve her touch.

Her eyes blinked open hazily as she looked at me, lips a darker pink than before. It took all I had not to kiss her again.

And then I heard clapping. Tallie grinned at us and said, “ Exactly like that.”

But I couldn’t be any less excited because I knew—I had lost control with Mia. There was no coming back from a kiss like that.