Thunderous applause greeted Hattie’s announcement. Xavier’s gaze went straight to where True stood in the crowd. He couldn’t help himself—the woman attracted him like a magnet. True held up a champagne glass and nodded in his direction. Caleb must have noticed the interaction, since he jabbed him in the side and smirked. “So you’ve forgiven her for the ghost wings?” Caleb asked with a raised eyebrow.
“She’s pretty incredible,” Xavier murmured. “It would take more than ghost wings to scare me away.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say that again,” Caleb said,surprise registering in his voice. “Not too long ago, you swore off all women, so it’s nice that you’ve had a change of heart.”
“I’m not looking for anything serious.” He didn’t want Caleb to get the wrong impression. This would just be a little flirtation to get him back in the groove again. For so long now, he’d been acting like a wounded bird, afraid to make any connections out of fear of getting burned again. His attraction to True was making him reconsider his stance. Connecting with her was already making Moose Falls a more interesting place.
As soon as Hattie finished up, Xavier made a beeline right back to True. He didn’t get the impression she was with anyone tonight, but he also wasn’t sure if she was single. Yeah, she wasn’t giving out any vibes that she was taken, although perhaps that was just wishful thinking on his part. A woman like True would have a lot of options.
“It’s great seeing Hattie so full of joy,” True said as soon as he reached her side. “She’s glowing. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen her so happy.”
“That’s good to know, especially since she’s so sick.” Ever since they had landed in Moose Falls, he’d almost forgotten that Hattie was suffering from a terminal illness. So far all they had seen was her strong will and might.
True shot him a look filled with meaning. “I think having her family back in Moose Falls gives her strength.”
He remembered a strong woman from his childhood, a matriarch. Hattie’s presence had loomed large in their lives. Even though some of the details were fuzzy, there were memories that still stuck with him. Her vibrant clothing. The big parties she used to host. Her over-the-top laugh. The no-nonsense attitude that kept everyone in line. A true boss.
“I wasn’t expecting to be front and center up there. Mygrandmother is full of surprises.” He reached for a glass of champagne as one of the servers walked past him.
“No? Aren’t you used to it, though? Being a big football star and all.” True’s voice was light and teasing. For a moment he wondered if she was making fun of his current status, but one look at her face dispelled that notion. She was simply being playful while he was being paranoid. For so long he had felt like a joke in the media and the ranks of the NFL. It was hard for him not to automatically go there.
“I’m not sure I ever got used to that aspect of being an NFL player. I loved playing football, not the glare of the spotlight.” He shrugged. Most people didn’t understand what it was like to be hounded by the press until it felt like you couldn’t breathe. With his on-the-field injury, losing his career, and being dumped by Heather, he had been fodder for the tabloids.
“Well, it must have had its advantages, such as being adored by millions of people. My little brother is your biggest fan.”
“Don’t you meanwas?” he asked. It was hard to believe people still looked up to him. Fans tended to move on when you were sidelined. There was always a bigger and better player ready to take your place.
She frowned at him. “Is,” she repeated. “I’m supposed to be getting your autograph for him. He’s going to torture me if I don’t deliver the goods.”
Xavier felt a smile tugging at his lips. “That can be arranged.” Giving out autographs was one of the most rewarding parts of being in the NFL. He was good with kids. They were genuine and had no filters. He’d always known where he stood with them. Almost 100 percent of the time they didn’t hesitate to speak their minds.
True tapped the side of her champagne flute. “I’m stillstuck on the fact that you don’t enjoy being famous.” True was eyeing him with skepticism.
“The limelight wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Trust me, it comes with a downside. My brother Caleb eats that stuff up even though he got burned by the media,” he said with a shake of his head. Even now Caleb was posing for photos and glad-handing the townsfolk.
“I noticed,” she said. “Wasn’t he on that reality show with the twins?”
Xavier winced. “Yeah, although we’re not allowed to talk about that. Not sure if you followed the show, but things didn’t end well for Caleb.”
True made a tutting sound. “I didn’t watch, but I heard what happened. What a mess.”
And that was putting it mildly. Caleb’s image had been completely and utterly trashed. He’d been dragged online by thousands of women who’d called him everything in the book. Cheat. Liar. Scam artist. He’d earned the nickname Love Rat. As a result, no casting people would take him seriously. The only offers he received now were from male revue shows in Vegas. And there was no way Caleb was going to strut around onstage showing off his goodies. He wasn’t that desperate.
“Incoming,” True said, her eyes wide as she focused on a spot in the distance.
Xavier followed her gaze. Red was walking straight toward him. Xavier opened his mouth to say something to True, but the words were stuck in his throat. His chest tightened. All of a sudden, his breathing felt shallow. The walls started closing in on him.
“I’ve got to get out of here,” he said. Before he knew it, his legs were taking him away from True and out of the ballroom.
CHAPTER SIX
The rush of cold air greeted Xavier as he pushed past the ornate front doors and into the biting chill of an Alaskan night. He took a deep breath and sucked in the pristine air. Snowflakes fell gracefully from the inky sky, and he lifted his face upward, enjoying the feather-light sensation. He couldn’t think of the last time he’d seen this much snow falling. It had probably been around four years ago when the Cardinals had played the Broncos in Denver. A random snowstorm had taken everyone by surprise. The game had been a career high for him. He’d completed twenty of twenty-seven passes. If he closed his eyes, Xavier could picture the actual moment they’d won the game in overtime. He’d never experienced such a rush, not before or since.
Right now all he could feel was a dull ache in the center of his chest.
“Xavier. Are you all right?” True’s honeyed voice dragged him from his thoughts. She was standing next to him on the steps, shivering despite her thick parka. He was glad she’d had the sense to grab a coat. He, on the other hand,had beaten a fast path out of the mansion before considering the elements. Fight or flight.
Red-hot embarrassment washed over him. He’d made himself look like an idiot, and there was no telling what True thought of him. For so long now he’d obsessed about the opinions of others. Ever since his life had imploded, he’d felt like a massive failure. Being a grown man who had run away from the sight of his father was pitiful.
