Vegas Aces: The Wide Receiver Complete Series

CHAPTER 20 TESSA

“I know about the baby,” Savannah says behind me.

I stop walking and glance down at my stomach. I mean…it’s pretty obvious at this point. “I’m sorry?” I say, turning around to face her as I try to figure out what she’s talking about.

“The baby,” she repeats. “I know about it.”

“Can we chat a little later?” I ask, glancing down at my clipboard. Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly, but I need to move some volunteers around and check in to be sure nobody needs anything.

And water. I could really use some water. And a bathroom. Baby girl decided today’s a good day to use my bladder as her personal trampoline.

“Right. I’m pregnant.” I run a hand along my belly and leave it there a few beats.

“Yeah, no shit. I mean, I know about this baby, and who the father really is, too…but that’s not the baby I’m talking about.”

“Is there something I can help you with?” I ask, tilting my head as I brush off her words like she didn’t just incite terror in my chest that’s starting to seep into my veins.

She nods. “I think we need to talk.”

“Now’s not exactly a good time.” I look around at the festival. Nobody knows what we’re talking about even though plenty of people are walking past us, but I have a lot to do today.

“Then when?” she demands.

I don’t exactly want this on my mind, and especially not today when I need to focus on helping raise money for a needy family in the community. I don’t want to worry about what the hell this incredibly volatile woman is up to.

I sigh as I buckle. “Fine. Talk.”

“I dug into your history and learned the real reason why you left Fallon Ridge your senior year. If you want to keep secrets, you should really cover your tracks a little better.” She rolls her eyes.

“I left because my dad made me. I left because there was a good program at the school near my aunt to prepare me for my nursing degree.” I repeat the same lie I’ve always told even though I know it won’t be enough for her.

“You left because you were pregnant,” she hisses. “Was it Tristan’s? That’s the only piece of the puzzle I can’t confirm, although I’m willing to put money on the fact that the seventeen-year-old daughter of the town pastor wasn’t sleeping around on her future NFL star boyfriend.”

“I don’t know what you think you found, but you’re wrong,” I say. I don’t look at her when I lie. She seems too intent on ruining my life, and the tiniest slip-up will give her everything she needs to destroy me.

She cackles. “I’m not wrong about this.”

I blow out a breath. “Yes, you are. You have no idea what you’re talking about. What exactly do you want?”

“I want Tristan.” Her words are simple and direct.

“Why? He doesn’t love you.”

“He did once,” she said. “There’s a reason two people get married, you know. It’s not like I forced him into it.”

“No, but you forced him to stay married to you. Would that have made your parents proud?” I don’t know why I issue the jab—why I poke at an already angry woman—but it’s out of my mouth before I can stop it.

She looks momentarily taken aback, like I knocked the wind out of her a little, but she simply purses her lips. “I will get him back.”

“Why?” I whisper. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love him, too. You had your chance, and you blew it.”

Rage swims in my blood. She has no idea what the hell she’s talking about, and there’s no way in hell she feels the same way about him that I do. She doesn’t even know what love is. She’s obsessed with him, obsessed with a certain lifestyle, obsessed with money and football and fame.

But she does not love him.

“So did you!” I practically yell at her, my clipboard rising above my head as I toss my hands into the air still clutching onto it.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, ladies,” a voice from below says, and I gasp as Luke Dalton comes to break up what’s about to turn into a fist fight between a thirty-something divorcee and a pregnant twenty-five-year-old over the same man. Did he hear what she said? Will he tell Tristan? Will she tell Tristan? “As much as I’d love to watch Tessa kick your ass,” he says to Savannah, “let’s save the fight for after the fest, okay?”

I give him a grateful look, and the way he nods paired with his words tells me he’s on my side.

“I’m sure you have things to take care of,” he says to me. “As much as it pains me, I’ll keep an eye on my ex-wife.” He emphasizes the word ex .

“Thanks, Luke,” I say as I walk by him on my way toward the volunteer tent.

I try to shake off that encounter as I walk through the festival. People are laughing and having a great time all around me. Fallon Ridge is getting a ton of business, the crafters are selling their goods, and we’re raising all sorts of money for Landon’s family.

This is it. The thing we’ve worked so hard for. I look around and see all the time and effort we’ve given to this over the few weeks.

It’s incredible. It’s overwhelming. And I wish I could enjoy it.

Instead, I’m wondering whether I should admit the truth to Tristan before she gets to him. He said he didn’t want to know what happened back then, that he wants to focus forward on the future, and he’s already told Savannah he doesn’t want to hear what she has on me and my history.

Still, though, I can’t help but fear how long it’ll be before Savannah causes my entire world to come crashing down around me.