Jack’s elusive answer had her blowing out a frustrated breath. “Are you going to tell me why we’re here?”
“I’m training.”
Training?Was he playing footy again? “Isn’t your modeling career paying you enough?” A smirk played on her lips. If he wouldn’t explain why the hell they were there, she could at least have some fun at his expense.
Jack glowered.
Lauren laughed.
“I train a few local kids two nights a month. I remembered I said I’d meet you and when I saw you at the coffee shop I was coming over to tell you we needed to reschedule.” Meeting her gaze, he said, “I haven’t forgotten the condition I found you in. Youwilltell me what happened.” “You could have taken me home,” she said, still not ready to talk about her meeting with Belinda.
“And have you miss out on all the fun?” He grinned. “Friday night training is action packed. Where else would you want to be?”
After the meeting she should have had with Jack, her plans for the night had comprised of pajamas, popcorn, and aFriendsmarathon. Watching Jack train a bunch of kids sounded more exciting than her pathetic night home alone.
He opened the car door, slid out, and flung the bag over his shoulder. Lauren followed him. The carpark, despite the warm summer night, felt cool and damp. A closed-up, musty smell wafted in the air.
“Why do you train these kids? Is it part of some kind of contract you still have with the
Stars?”
He stopped in front of dark red double doors and frowned at her. “There’s no contract.” “So why do you do it?” Why would Jack give up his time to train kids?
“I do it because I want to. I do it because I love doing it. I don’t get paid.”
Was this a publicity thing? Was it a way to help clean up his tarnished reputation? “If you don’t get paid, whatdoyou get out of it?”
He stared at her like she’d grown another head. “What I get out of it is I’m able to encourage these kids to get out on a footy field and do what they love. Encourage them to follow their dreams no matter who tells them they have no chance. I get to watch the excitement on a kid’s face when he catches a ball for the first time after he’s missed every other one. I get to watch a kid score a try when he’s the slowest kid on the field.” He shrugged. “That’s why I do it.”
Dammit. Lauren wanted to shrink into a tiny ball and roll into a crack in the concrete floor. She felt like the biggest fool for thinking Jack was only in it for some personal gain. He wasn’t doing it for money or the exposure; he was training kids because he wanted them to have a chance at doing something they loved. Why did she keep getting things wrong with him? First she discovered he was loyal and committed, and now she added compassionate and kind to a long list of great qualities.
“Jack, I’m sorry…”
He shook his head. “Your opinion of me is low because of yourMr. Prettytheory. Maybe now you’ll start to realize not all men fall into the same category.” Where was that crack in the floor she needed to roll into?
Jack pointed over his shoulder at the double doors. “You wanna come in here and help me change into my training gear?” He lightened the mood with a sexy grin. And boy did it sounded tempting.
“I’ll wait out here.” She folded her arms across her chest and pretended she didn’t want to run in there with him.
Jack chuckled. He pointed behind her at a long, narrow tunnel. “Head down there and it will take you straight through to the grandstand. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
* * * *
Jack set his bag down in an empty cubicle, stripped off his clothes, and put on his training gear.
The smell of Deep Heat—a pain relieving rub—and sweaty men filled the room. He took a deep breath of the pungent air. Memories of mateship, hours of hard work, sore muscles, and achievement always came flooding back when he entered the change rooms. God, he missed the game. If he hadn’t busted his knee so bad he’d still be wearing the red and gold colors and leading the guys out onto the field.
But life throws curve balls now and then, and he couldn’t complain about his changed career path. Taking over Henderson’s, putting his own stamp on it, and growing it bigger than what it was had given him the same excitement as winning the NRL grand final.
His mind drifted back to Lauren. His stomach had dropped to the floor when she’d rushed out of the coffee shop like the hounds from hell were chasing her. The distressed look on her face and sad eyes made him wish he could make whatever her demons were all go away. She hadn’t been ready to talk about it in the car. He’d give her a little time, but he was determined to find out what had happened. It wasn’t good for her to lock up those feelings when they were causing such grief. A strong desire to help take that pain away hit hard.
What was it about Lauren that made him want to protect her from the world? He bent down to tie the laces up on his boots. He never wanted to be that kind of man for anyone before. But for Lauren he needed to be the man she could trust, rely on…deserve. Dammit, how could he prove it and make her believe he wasn’t a typical Mr. Pretty?
Being with Lauren made him believe there really could be more to life than one-night stands and booty calls. Jack wanted to kiss away the pain and sadness projecting from her eyes, and give her everything she longed for.
He flicked the light switch, sending the change room into darkness, and headed toward the field. He chuckled to himself. Who in their right mind would have thought Jack Henderson, womanizer and party boy, could be blindsided by a woman? Every part of him had been occupied by a sexy, sweet, loving, and caring woman, and he kinda liked it.
Chapter Twenty-One
