Play Me

Kendall: Okay. Hunter, we need to talk about us as well.

Me: That is the plan, sweetheart. I’ll pick you up in an hour. Dress casual.

I smiled as I pulled up another number on my phone. The last words Kendall had said to me before I left to go find McEvans replayed in my mind.

No matter what happens, I choose you.

I hit the number and waited.

“Hello, Hunter. I was expecting your phone call.”

“Mr. Wales, are you free to meet me quickly?”

30

Hunter

The knock on my office door had me standing up and calling out, “Come in.”

Kendall’s father, Damien Wales, stepped into my office. He smiled as he shook my hand and sat when I motioned toward the chair in front of my desk.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

“Of course.”

“From prior conversations, you know how I feel about Kendall.”

He nodded but said nothing. Damn, the man was intimidating.

“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her, but I need to know something.”

“Go on.”

“Once Kendall gets this team going and on steady ground, she’ll be going back to Atlanta, correct?”

“That was the plan.”

Sighing, I leaned back in my chair. “And I’ll be heading back to Tennessee. I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this, sir. I love Kendall, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.”

“Even move to Atlanta?” he asked, his brow arched.

“If it meant making her happy, then yes.”

“Would that make you happy, Hunter?”

I swallowed hard. “That was why I wanted to talk to you. If things keep going the way they are, I honestly can see spending the rest of my life with Kendall. I don’t want her to feel like she has to give up something to be with me, and I don’t want her to think I have to give up something to be with her.”

“Makes sense. I’m glad to see you’re thinking about the future like this.”

“If Kendall told me the only way we could make this work was to move to Atlanta, then I’d do it. I just need to know if there are other… options.”

Damien leaned back in his chair, lifted his foot across his knee, and stared at me. The silence was driving me insane. He was about to kick my ass. Shit, I was going to be late for dinner.

Finally, he spoke.

“Kendall and I already had this conversation earlier today.”

“Really?” I asked, surprise clear in my voice.

“I’ll tell you what I told her. When it comes to love, you are both going to have to learn to compromise. You’re going to have to find a middle ground that works for both of you. Whether that means living most of the time in Atlanta or in Tennessee. It will all depend on what the future holds for you both. I will tell you this, Hunter. Neither of you has to give up what you love simply because you’ve fallen in love. Take it day to day, talk to each other, and most of all, support one another. But, yes, there are always options.”

A sense of relief washed over me. The last few days, I had been thinking about Kendall’s and my future. How can we make this work with me living in a completely different state?

“I hope you know, sir, I would move to Atlanta if that was what she wanted, and I wouldn’t think twice about it.”

He leaned forward, a wide smile growing on his face. “I know you would, Hunter. And I hope you know how much it means to me to hear you say that. Although, I have a feeling the two of you will work something out.”

It was my turn to smile. “Yes, sir, we will.”

Damien sat back, adjusted his tie, and gave me a shit-eating grin. “Now, I want to talk to you about something else.”

“Something other than Kendall?”

He nodded. “Yes. I want to talk to you about football.”

I instantly relaxed. “That is a subject I’m always happy to talk about.”

When he laughed, I knew we were not going to be talking about our picks for the Super Bowl. What came out of his mouth next, though, took me by complete surprise.

31

Hunter

Before I even had a chance to knock on the door, Kendall threw it open. “Hunter!”

She looked beautiful, as always. Dressed in jeans and a light blue sweater, Kendall searched my face for the answers I knew she was waiting for.

I lifted the picnic basket Amber had helped me put together and smiled. “I’ve got us the perfect spot picked out for a late-night picnic.”

Kendall smiled. “A picnic? That sounds romantic. Am I dressed okay?”

I let my eyes roam freely over her body before nodding. “You’re perfect. We’ll be outside, so a sweater should be warm enough. Plus, I have a blanket.”

“Let me grab my keys to lock up.”

We walked to my truck in silence. I could practically feel her holding back the need to ask me what happened with McEvans. The second I got into the truck and shut the door, she started to fire off questions.

“What happened? You didn’t hurt him, did you? Did he say why he was doing this? What in the world was he thinking? I could fire him right now and not regret it for a moment. I—p…”

Leaning over, I pulled her to me and kissed her. She instantly opened to me.

“I missed you,” I whispered against her lips.

“I missed you, too.”

“Let’s get to where we’re going and then we can talk. Okay?”

She nodded and softly replied, “Okay.”

A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot at the stadium.

> “What are we doing here?” Kendall asked, hopping out of the truck.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?”

She gave me a sweet smile as she wrapped her arm around mine. “I’m sorry. My mind has just been racing since McEvans showed me those pictures.”

I stopped walking and looked into her eyes. “There is nothing to worry about. I promise. Now will you try to relax and let me do this picnic?”

With a giggle, she nodded.

As we walked through the gates and toward the field, I took in a few deep breaths. I wasn’t sure how she was going to handle what I was about to tell her, but I was tired of worrying about scaring her away. If she loved me the way I loved her, I knew we would be okay.

“We’re eating out on the field?” Kendall asked.

“Yep.”

She chewed on her lower lip as I spread the blanket out and started to take everything out of the basket.

“Hunter? I’m not really getting your choice in venue.”

I reached for her hand and gently tugged her down to sit next to me.

“Think about it—if it hadn’t been for this team, we would never have met.”

Kendall tilted her head and regarded me for a few moments before she gave me the most brilliant smile.

“That’s true.”

“Before we talk about us, let me tell you what happened with McEvans.”

Her lips flattened, and the anger flared in her eyes. “If he thinks for one—”

I shook my head, placing my finger against her lips. “Baby, let me talk.”

Kendall exhaled and relaxed while I dropped my hand and finished taking everything out of the basket.

“I think the problem with McEvans goes deeper than his excuse of not getting enough attention from his father.”