Matched to Her Rival
Dax would much rather spend the day asleep, but that wasn’t an option. He hadn’t slept well since that last night with Elise. Spending the day alone held even less appeal. So he went.
The stadium teemed with blue and silver and stars aplenty. The world’s fourth-largest high-definition video screen hung from the roof, from the twenty-yard line to the opposing twenty-yard line, and only someone in the media business could fully appreciate the glory of it.
The retractable roof was closed today in deference to the late season weather, which boosted the crowd noise to a new level of loud. Once he and Leo arrived in the luxurious box suite, blessed silence cloaked them both as they ordered beer from the efficient waitstaff and then slid into the high-backed suede stools overlooking the field.
Leo held out his longneck bottle and waited for Dax to clink his to it. They both took a long pull of beer.
After swallowing, Leo said, “Thanks for doing this. I thought we should hang out, just us.”
“Sure.” Dax shrugged, a little misty himself at the catch in Leo’s voice. “No one was using the suite today and the Cowboys are playing the Redskins. It’ll be worth it if the ’Skins trounce the homeboys.”
The spectacle of the teams taking the field began, and they settled in to watch the game. They sat companionably until halftime, when Leo cleared his throat.
“We’ve been friends a long time. But some major changes have happened in my life. I’ve changed. I hope you can respect who I am now and it won’t affect our friendship going forward.” Leo stared out over the field. “On that note, I have to tell you something. It’s huge.”
Dax’s gut clenched. Leo was about to announce he had two months to live. Or Daniella did.
Fate couldn’t be so unkind to such genuine people. And Dax had wasted so much time, time Leo may not have, being stupid and prideful.
“I’ve been hard on Daniella and on you about her. I’m over it.” Over his pettiness, over his inability to be happy for his friend. But not over the slight jealousy that Leo had figured out how to navigate relationship waters with such stellar success. “It’s great that you found her. She’s amazing and obviously good for you.”
“She is. And that’s good to hear, because—” Leo grinned and punched Dax on the arm “—I’m going to be a father.”
“That’s what this bro-date was about?” Dax grinned back as his nerves relaxed. “Congrats. I’m glad if you’re glad.”
Leo was going to have a family.
Jealousy flared again, brighter, hotter. Shock of all shocks. Dax had never once thought about having a family. Never thought he’d want one. Never dreamed he’d instantly imagine a tiny, beautiful face with dark hair and a sharp wit. A little girl who took after her mother.
“Of course I’m glad! It’s the second-best thing that’s happened to me after marrying Dannie.” Leo swallowed the last of his beer and set it down with a flourish. “And no. That’s not why I insisted we come to the game. That is.”
Leo pointed at the jumbo screen in the middle of the stadium. A woman’s face filled it. A familiar, dark-haired woman. Elise.
Dax’s pulse pounded in his throat. “What’s going on?”
Audio piped into the suite quite clearly.
“Thanks for giving me thirty seconds, Ed,” she said, her voice ringing in Dax’s ears, filling the stadium as the crowd murmured and craned their necks to watch. “My name is Elise Arundel and I’m a matchmaker.”
What was this all about—advertising? Or much more? He glared at Leo. “You had something to do with this?”
“All her,” Leo replied mildly. “I’m just the delivery boy.”
Dax’s gaze flew back to the screen where Elise was addressing the entire stadium full of Sunday afternoon football fanatics. Elise was addressing 80,000 people voluntarily. If he weren’t so raw, he might be proud of her. It must have been difficult for her, given that she didn’t like to be the center of attention.
“Some of you saw me on the Morning Show a few weeks ago, being interviewed by Dax Wakefield. We struck a deal. If I matched Dax to the love of his life, he’d agree to sing my praises at the Super Bowl. Which is in February and unfortunately, I lost the wager.”
Lost? She’d been quite gleeful over the fact that she’d won the last time he’d seen her. His mind kicked into high gear. She was up to something.
“So,” she continued. “Congratulations, Dax. You win. You get to put me out of the business of happily ever after. I’m such a good loser, I’m going to let you do it at a football game. All you have to do is join me on camera. Tell these people I didn’t change your mind about true love and that you still don’t believe soul mates exist.”