Perfectly Ms. Matched(41)
Jo stopped her search for the news clip on TV and quietly said, “Ryan. Can you please go watch TV in the den? Chad and I need to talk.”
“‘Kay.” Ryan stood and started to leave but then stopped. “If you make Jo leave too, I’ll hate you, Chad!”
Chad ran a hand down his face and dug deep for calm. Just when he’d been making progress with Ryan, he’d taken two steps back. When he opened his eyes, Jo stood toe to toe with him with her arms crossed.
She growled, “How could you think that I’d ever do something like this to you?”
The anger and hurt in her eyes reminded him of the last time he’d accused her of something. Falsely. Suddenly his stomach hurt. “You’d be the logical choice.”
“The logical choice? Strike one for being an ass!” Jo stood on her tip toes and got in his face right back. “Shelby was right. You haven’t changed a bit, Chad!”
Jo was as angry as he’d ever seen her. Her hands were both fisted at her sides, like she was refraining from punching him in the face.
Luckily the video of him in the gym came on the screen again, so she whipped her attention from him and toward the television. “I don’t recognize that band’s T-shirt. When was that shot?”
He tried to calm down enough to study the screen. He had a habit of listening to and wearing his favorite band’s T-shirt when he worked out. “That’s because that shirt is new. I wore it yesterday.” And Jo had been on her date when that was shot. Crap.
Jo turned her head toward him again. “You worked out yesterday? I told you we were going to take a break for two days. That’s strike two!”
“Technically, that’s strike one. We were at negative one.”
“Whatever!” Jo threw her hands up in the air. “That you could think for one moment that I’d do that to you makes me want to walk out the door and never see you again, Chad.”
Panic slammed through his gut. He needed her. “Please don’t.” The hurt tears in her eyes instantly cooled his remaining fury. What had he been thinking? Jo would never do that to him. It was why he’d wanted her to be the only one to rehab him.
“I’m sorry. I literally just heard the news seconds before you walked in the door. I overreacted. Bad news at the doctor’s office. Then bad news on TV. I know you didn’t do it. Please. Stay and help me figure out what happened. And what to tell my coaches.” He sank down onto the couch, utterly defeated.
Could he salvage his career? And what about Jo? He hoped to God he hadn’t blown it with her again—he wasn’t sure is heart could take it twice.
Jo was hurt and angry, but something about the way Chad’s shoulders drooped, and the defeat in his voice, made her stay. “Do you think Linda could’ve done this to you?”
His head snapped up. “She was really pissed last night. And she’d hinted at wanting back child support. She might be desperate enough to do it. But how?”
Jo drew in a deep, calming breath and sat beside Chad. “Have you had that same code that a four-year-old can figure out on your phone since you were married?”
“Yes.” Chad flopped his head on the back of the couch, closed his eyes, and groaned. “And I always leave it in the kitchen to charge while I work out. Dammit!”
“Well, the first thing you need to do is change that password.”
“Done. But what am I going to tell my coaches, Jo? My doc said today he still didn’t hold out much hope for me.”
Jo laid her hand on his thigh and gave it a pat. “Well, he doesn’t know you the way I do. If your knee keeps improving each day, I still think you can overcome this. It’s not going to be easy, but you’re not a quitter. So call your coaches. Right now.”
Chad’s head lolled her way. “And say what?”
“Tell them the truth. That the limp they saw was due to an accident at the ranch on Saturday. You have tapes from before the accident that show marked progress. That your trainer has faith we’re going to have you back before the end of the season, and that you’ll be more careful with your phone from now on.”
A slow grin lit his face. “You really think I can play again?”
“If you continue to improve, then yes. Why would I still be here putting up with all your crap otherwise?” She was hopeful, but realistic enough to know he might not. But that wasn’t what he needed to hear at the moment.
“Thank you, Jo. If I asked for a hug right now, would that earn me another strike?”
“Yes.” She wanted to hug him too, tell him it’d be all right, but what he needed was a kick in the pants right now. Not sympathy. “Now let’s call your coaches so the PR team can save your precious reputation. And so whoever did this sees they didn’t win this round.”