Game for Marriage (Game for It 1)

“Fine. I’ll call Walsh.” Sheridan’s curiosity won out. For her, it always had. That’s how she got into this mess in the first place. “But first, I’m eating some pizza. I’m starving.”

“Jared’s a wreck, Sheridan. He gets out on that field and somehow makes amazing plays but off the field, he’s a complete ass. Pardon,” Jim said to her, his tone weary.

“You don’t have to watch your language around me.” She paced Willow’s back patio, the cold night air wrapping around her, making her shiver. She’d had two glasses of wine and stuffed her face full of pizza because depression made her hungry. And thirsty. That had equaled more than enough liquid courage to get her to call Coach Walsh. “But I don’t know how I can help.”

“I do. He needs to see your face, damn it. He’s missing you. Not that he would ever admit it.” She started to protest but the coach cut her off. “He wants to do right by his team, feels like he needs to carry all of them and make them better and he’s been playing fine. Great, even. But his head’s not all the way in the game. And Foley may be full of raw talent, but our Golden Boy is young—he makes stupid mistakes. The team would rather have Jared in there leading them anyway.”

“So you want me to show up so I can help you win a football game,” she said sarcastically, wishing she hadn’t called him. The way the man rambled on about his team, he didn’t need her help.

Walsh blew out a harsh breath. “That’s not what I’m saying. Jared needs you. Your marriage might’ve started out fake but I think that boy fell for you. I might be wrong, but I doubt it. My instincts are rarely wrong.”

“Jared didn’t fall for me,” she automatically said. But then his words came back to her, that very morning before they found out their marriage contract had been exposed.

You need to know I’m falling for you, baby.

Her heart tripped over itself, remembering how he’d whispered those words in her ear. How sweet he’d been then, how close she’d felt to him. The reverent way he’d touched her, looked at her, kissed her. It rated right up there as one of the best sexual experiences she’d had with Jared, and there were plenty to choose from.

But that morning had been different. She’d fallen in love with him even more.

Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. “I want to help you, Coach. I swear. But I don’t know if I can see him right now.” She didn’t know if she could stand another rejection.

“Just…consider it. Please? This game is huge. A win will guarantee we make the playoffs, and I need him to stay positive. He’s been amazing this week at practice. More focused. Stronger. He knows his career is on the line and he’s trying his damnedest, but he needs your support.”

“What do you mean, his career is on the line?” Dread filled her.

“Monroe’s threatening to get rid of him when the season’s over.”

“Oh no,” she breathed.

“I’ll do everything I can not to let that happen. Jared’s number one in the league. Monroe would be a fool to let him go.”

“So why the threat?”

“I don’t know, because he can? Damn Monroe, trying to do my job,” Walsh muttered.

Resolve filled her. No way would she let this fiasco cause Jared to lose his confidence and, potentially, his job. To have that sort of pressure had to be almost debilitating. Monroe made him do it. And because of a mistake out of his control, Monroe was going to push him off the team? It wasn’t right. “I’ll do it. I’ll come and talk to him before the game.”

“You will?” The hope in his voice almost made her smile.

“Yes. I want to be there. For Jared.”

Chapter Eighteen

“Tell me you’re going to keep me on the field today.” Jared studied Walsh, his gaze never leaving the older man’s. The game that day was beyond important. They win this one, they were in the playoffs for sure. He needed that reassurance, didn’t want to chance it and watch them turn into a wildcard again.

At the moment, he was in peak physical condition. They all told him that. He’d been training like a madman, watching what he ate, he and Nick working out extra hard. But mentally?

Mentally, he was fucked up and they knew it.

“I’m telling you I’m going to keep you on the field today,” Walsh said, glancing at the open door of the locker room. They were suiting up, getting ready for the game, which was going to start in less than twenty minutes. “I don’t want to hear any bitching or complaining if I need to pull you, though. It’s only for your own good.” He strode off, muttering something under his breath.

Right. For his own good.

The ensuing drama that had exploded after the fake marriage was exposed had been a nightmare. The constant media attention had worn thin fast. The endless speculation as to their marital state and what would happen next drove him insane. That they mentioned the sex clause within the contract made him feel like a complete ass. Thank God his teammates respected him enough that they didn’t give him too much shit over it. Even Nick, who gave him shit over everything.

And then there was Sheridan.

He refused to contact her, wanting to wait her out and see if she came to him first. Which was stupid and egotistical and selfish, but he couldn’t help himself. At his very core, that’s who he was. And he was keeping true to himself by being too stubborn and not going to see her. Damn, that was painful.