Foolish Games(41)

She turned on her heel and bolted up the stairs, a screaming Owen on her shoulder.





Thirteen





“Jesus! You made her cry. I ought to knock your teeth down your throat!” Will had never wanted to hit another man as badly as he wanted to flatten Brody at that moment.

His teammate took a lifesaving step back. “Well, you were the one yelling. The poor woman probably has postpartum depression or something, and here you are bullying her not to design a stupid wedding gown.”

Will counted to ten. It was a skill that had served him well all his life. “Why are you really here? It isn’t about some wedding gown. Spit it out, Brody.”

“My sister actually does want a dress.” Brody put his hands up as Will advanced on him. “But I’ll tell her it’s a no-go. I really came down to give you some stuff that’s been left for you at the training facility. You’ve had several anonymous packages dropped off since you left. Hank thought you might want to see them right away.”

Will rubbed the back of his neck. “So some woman’s mailing me her panties again. Just throw them in the trash.”

Brody shuffled his feet. “They’re not from a fan. Unless someone in the NFL is sending you panties. The packages have come from the players’ union  .”

That got Will’s attention. Whoever was sending him packages anonymously was somehow involved in the NFL. Which could only mean one thing.

“Have you opened them?” Will tried to keep his tone cool.

Brody crossed his arms defiantly. “Seriously, dude? I’m your friend. I brought the packages to you because I didn’t want them lying around for someone else to find. There’s a lot of shit going around right now, and you’re definitely six degrees of Kevin Bacon away from it. We’re still a team, and I know you play with integrity every game. Whatever happened in the past is best kept in the past. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way.”

Will blew out a breath. Brody was right; people wouldn’t be happy until someone was the scapegoat. His loyalties lay with the Blaze, but his former coach had given him so much. He was walking a tightrope and his balance was getting more precarious. Whatever was in those packages needed to be addressed. But first, he needed to make sure Julianne was all right.

“I’ll meet you back at the inn after I’ve showered.” Will turned up the stairs before Brody’s voice stopped him.

“Tell her I’m sorry,” Brody called after him. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”

“Get going,” Will said, climbing the rest of the stairs.

The door to the nursery was closed. He knocked softly before walking in. Julianne stood in the center of the room, the morning sunlight streaming in the windows. Her hair was pulled into a side braid hanging over the shoulder of her pink cardigan. Capri jeans and pink ballet slippers completed her outfit, somehow making her look more vulnerable. Owen sat in the bouncy seat, intently watching the shadows of the oak tree branches dance on the wall.

Will closed the door behind him, leaning up against it. “Sorry about that. He said he was going deep-sea fishing this morning, so I thought I had time to prepare you.”

She sank down to the floor in front of Owen and played with his bare toes. “It’s okay. I’m sorry that I couldn’t help him.”

“Brody’s lived a charmed life. He’s spoiled and not used to being told no. He’ll get over it. Don’t feel like you had to do this because he’s a teammate.”

“But I want to do it for him. For his sister,” she whispered.

This was why Will hated getting involved with women. He never understood what they were saying. Hadn’t she said she didn’t want to design Brody’s sister’s dress not two minutes ago? He crouched down on his haunches in front of her.

“Help me out here. You said downstairs that you wouldn’t make the gown.”

Julianne sprang to her feet, nearly knocking him over in the process. “No! I said I couldn’t make the gown.”

He counted to ten before realizing he wasn’t any further along understanding the minds of women. Maybe Brody was right and she did have postpartum depression. His teammate had older sisters, after all, so he might recognize the signs. Julianne had her back to him, sorting Owen’s socks into a pile. Will gently turned her to face him.

“I’m not following here, Princess. Can you maybe explain it to me?”

She bit her lip and looked wistfully out the window. “I haven’t been able to design since I got pregnant.”

He was even more confused now. What did one thing have to do with the other?