That Ring: A Second Chance Sports Romance (That Boy® Book 5)

I wake up at ten in the morning, feeling like I didn’t get any sleep. I tossed and turned all night. The thought of Lori staying in Danny’s house had me feeling all kinds of jealous, and I was plagued by dreams where I watched them make love through the window. And others where I was a guest at their vow renewal.

I know I shouldn’t feel that way. I know it’s my own insecurities coming out. And boy, did they do so last night.

I tried to be supportive and understanding. I know she put him in a difficult situation. But it killed me yesterday to watch the easy way in which she manipulated him. Maybe it’s because she’s done it for years, but it’s like Danny doesn’t even realize what she’s doing. It’s like he loses his balls around her.

Last night, Phillip said he texted Danny and told him that the second he got home, he needed to grow a set and kick her out. Of course, he argued with him that he couldn’t do that because of the children.

It’s a lose-lose situation for us and a win for Lori. I know I shouldn’t think of it as a competition, but I do.

Especially since tomorrow is the day I’ve been counting down to.

The day Danny’s divorce is supposed to be final.

I get dressed and notice that I have a text from Danny. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time I see his name.

I sit on the bed and sigh happily, looking forward to reading whatever cute thing he had to say.

Danny: Hey, Jennifer. Since I didn’t have your number, I thought I’d text you from Danny’s phone. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is his wife. I’ve been reading through all your text messages to each other, and I just want you to know that my heart goes out to you. I know you’ve recently been through a lot personally, but it’s time for you to pack your bags and go back to La-La Land because Danny is here, lying next to me, happily exhausted from our wonderful physical reunion. Yes, we made love. Many times. I know that he slept with you. And I know how easy it is to love Danny. He’s such a charismatic and wonderful man. And his body. Don’t even get me started. But you already know that.

But since I get the feeling that you’re a stubborn whore who won’t believe me and won’t want to go away, I’ll give you the details. When Danny got home from his game, I greeted him the way I always have, wearing something sinfully sexy. I told him that I missed him. He confessed that he still loved me. That you were just a distraction. Something to help take his mind off me.

But rest assured, all is right in the world now. I’m back with the love of my life. And I couldn’t be happier. I hope you understand that I don’t want you anywhere near my house, my children, or my husband ever again.

I set the phone down, tears dripping from my cheeks, and try to think about this logically. If she had messaged me from her own phone, I wouldn’t have believed it. But from his?

I check to see what time it was sent. Five in the morning.

I shake my head with finality, knowing it’s over.

I allow myself a good cry and then pull it together, stuffing all of my clothes into a suitcase. I’m going to go downstairs, thank Jadyn for her friendship and hospitality, and fly home.

At least I was smart and bought a house so that I have somewhere to go.

But the thought of going there makes me start crying again because I bought it with a family—Danny and his family—in mind.

Taking a deep breath, I wipe my tears, grab the suitcase and tote, and make my way downstairs.

I go in the kitchen, dropping my bag with a thud when I see Danny hunched over on a barstool, deep in conversation with Jadyn.

He looks a little broken. And I know what’s about to happen.

He’s here to tell me it’s over between us.

Something I was hoping to avoid.

“You’re not going to believe this,” Jadyn says. She pours me a steaming cup of coffee, puts a warm sticky pecan bun on a plate, and sets them on the bar next to Danny. “Here, you’re going to need this.”

“Did you sleep with her?” I blurt out. Because I have to know. Right now.

“What?” Danny asks, his head flying up at me. “No. God, no. But she wanted to.”

“You’re lying,” I say, shaking my phone at him. “She texted me from your phone and told me everything that happened between the two of you last night. I know you got back together.”

“Whoa,” Danny says, “What are you talking about?”

I hand Jadyn my phone, not planning on giving Danny Diamond one more second of my precious life.

“Why am I not surprised?” Jadyn says as I shove a big bite of the roll into my mouth to keep from saying anything further to him. He doesn’t deserve my words. “I think you’re going to have to start over, Danny,” Jadyn says, “so that Jennifer can hear it all.”

“I don’t want to hear any more!” I shout as Jadyn gives Danny my phone.

“Oh shit,” he says. He rubs his palm across his face. “I can’t even—”

That sets me off. “You can’t even what, Danny? Can’t tell me you got back together with your cheater of a wife?”

“Calm down,” Jadyn says softly. “That’s not what happened. Danny came over here this morning to talk to you because he couldn’t find his phone. I guess, now, we know where it is.”

“So, what happened?”

“When I got home, she was waiting for me in my bed, wearing something sexy. I turned her down. She told me that she didn’t really want a divorce. That she never expected it to go this far. That she was just trying to make me fight for her.”

“She cheated on you for a year, moved in with him, and was engaged to him to get your attention?”

“That’s what she said, yes. Obviously, that didn’t resonate with me as even remotely reasonable. I told her again to leave. She asked me to make love to her.”

“And then what?”

“She told me that she wasn’t leaving my bed until she got her way. I said fine, walked out, went and slept up in the guest room with Phillip. I even locked the door. Woke up this morning. She was gone and left me a note, saying she was getting her nails done and we’d continue our discussion when she got back home.”

He pulls a note out of his pocket and hands it to me.

I read it, let out a sigh of relief, and start crying again. Danny pulls me into his arms, and I melt against him.

“I’m so sorry she said that to you,” he says. “It must have been horrible. But you must know, I never would have done that to you. I told you that I’m going to propose soon. That I love you.”

“Hey, wait. Pause. Rewind,” Jadyn says. “Propose soon?”

Danny nods at her and looks into my eyes. Then, he kisses me.

A lot.

I’m lost in a daze of Danny’s lips when I hear Jadyn mutter, “I know what to do.”

I pull my lips away from Danny and turn toward her. She picks up her phone and scrolls through the Contacts.

I have no idea what she’s got in mind, but I pray she’s not going to call Lori, so the three of us can work things out.

Danny keeps me held tightly in his arms as she sets the phone down, turns on the speaker, and holds her index finger to her mouth, letting us know to keep quiet.

“Richard,” she says pleasantly when a man’s voice answers, “this is Jadyn Mackenzie.”

“You live next door to the Diamonds, right?” Dickrash replies.

“That’s correct. And I wanted to talk to you about Lori.”

“Is she there?” he asks, sounding relieved. “I’ve been trying and trying to reach her, but she won’t answer my calls or texts. I’m starting to get worried. I never imagined she would go back there, or I would have tried to get ahold of one of the kids.”

“She showed up at his house—her house really until the divorce is final—on Sunday night.”

“That’s when she left me,” he says with a sigh. “It’s all my fault. I accidentally cheated on her.”

I stifle a giggle at the accidental cheating part.

“She didn’t mention what happened, Richard,” Jadyn responds, “just that the wedding was off and she needed a place to stay.”

“Are her and her husband …” he stutters, barely getting out the words.

“Are they what?”

“Um, together—you know, getting back together?”

“Is that what you want, Richard?”

“Absolutely not. I want to marry her. The cheating, it’s not new. And it’s not ongoing. It happened before she left her husband. When I couldn’t get her to commit to me. She kept telling me she was going to file for divorce, but it just never happened. And I thought we were over. I was upset.”

“That’s understandable,” Jadyn says with a grin. “The question, Richard, is do you still want to marry Lori on New Year’s Eve?”

“Yes, I would like to very much. She’s an amazing woman, and I would be honored to call her my wife.”

“I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but she’s supposed to be in court tomorrow to finalize their divorce. With you two broken up and her staying with Danny, there’s no saying what she will do if you don’t get over there and make up with her tonight. But, please, Richard, don’t tell her that I told you. Her children told me what happened in confidence, and I wouldn’t want to break that.”

“I understand. Um, Jadyn, you know Lori quite well, correct?”

“Yes, we’ve known each other since college.”

“How should I make it up to her? What do I say?”

And I’m thinking, Poor Richard. He really does love her. He’d have to in order to put up with her.

“Well, Richard, that’s the easy part,” Jadyn says cheerfully. “She’s mad, but I think she misses you. I bet if you showed up, apologized, and offered an expensive gift in return, maybe she would go home with you.”

“I don’t like that she went back to their house,” he says.

“Her children are there.”

“Yes, and so is Danny Diamond. I watched his game on TV last night. He has started doing something new when he scores—forms a heart with his hands. I thought maybe it was a sign that he was still in love with her and trying to win her back. It made me feel a little sick, to be honest. Does Danny want to get back together with her?”

Jadyn rubs her hand across her face, and I know what she’s thinking. It’s the same thing I’m thinking. Hell no.

“I don’t know what’s happening between the two of them.”

“Do you think she would, you know, sleep with him?”

“Hmm. She was awfully upset. And, technically, they are still married …” Jadyn says, letting her comment hang in the air.

“I’m headed to the store now. She wanted a set of Louis Vuitton luggage for our honeymoon trip, and I sort of balked at the price. I shouldn’t have. Could you do me a big favor, Jadyn? I’d owe you forever. In fact, anything you want, cosmetic surgery–wise, I’ll do for you on the house. Can you make sure she’s there around six?”

“I’ll do my best, Richard,” Jadyn says noncommittally and then hangs up.

“Oh, you’re good,” I say to her.

“And, now, we wait,” Jadyn says.

“If it’s okay with you,” Danny says to Jadyn, “I’d like to wait with Jennifer up in her bedroom.”

That causes us both to smile.

Danny

“Richard! What are you doing here?” Lori says as she flings open the door.

I grab Angel and run into the formal dining room so that I can hear everything said and peek out the window. Sitting on the front stoop is a huge set of luggage.

“I came to apologize,” Richard says sincerely. “You rushed out of the house and didn’t let me explain the situation.”

Lori crosses her arms in front of her. “What’s there to explain? You cheated on me.”

“Technically, yes, but I was upset because you wouldn’t file for a divorce. I thought you were just stringing me along. And that’s hard for a man’s heart. I love you. I want to marry you.” He moves out of the way and gestures toward the pile of luggage. “I was saving these for our honeymoon,” he lies. “I bought them ages ago and had the store hold them. A full set of your favorite luggage seemed like the perfect wedding gift. Symbolic of how I hope to travel through the rest of my life in luxury with you.”

I gotta give old Dickrash credit. He’s pretty smooth.

And, knowing Lori, those are the exact words she wanted to hear.

“Oh, Richard!” she cries out dramatically, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you so.”

“Will you please forgive me and come home with me? I’ve missed you terribly.”

What follows after is a gross display of personal affection. Dickrash is a messy kisser. Jennifer told me that, on set, she learned how the perfect kiss should look. Let’s just say, if I were a director, I’d be yelling, Cut, right about now.

But maybe that’s what Richard represents to Lori. The ability to not be perfect. To make a little mess of her life. And I suppose if you thought you always had to be on the way she does, that you always felt you had to impress, that could be attractive.

They suddenly stop kissing, and Lori tells him, “I’ll go grab my things.”

Shit!

I run through the dining room and into the kitchen, pretending I didn’t see or hear anything. But it doesn’t matter. Lori doesn’t have a clue as to my whereabouts as she heads up the stairs to Devaney’s room, gathers her belongings, and quickly makes her way out. She doesn’t stop to tell me or the kids, who are downstairs, that she’s leaving.

I give Angel a kiss, tell her what a good girl she is, and then set her down to run free. She rushes straight to her water bowl.

She takes a few laps then, and before I know it, she has both her front paws in the bowl and is digging in the water.

“While that looks like so much fun,” I say, picking her soaking little self up, “that’s a no. No, Angel. Come on; let’s go tell Jennifer the good news.”