Part 3 (2/2)
”It's only seven-forty. I still got twenty more minutes.” At seven years old, Maddox had not only mastered telling time, but the argumentative skills of a top litigator. ”Hey, you're Brody Janik.”
Oh snap. Shay had hoped to get Brody out of there before anyone recognized him.
Brody gave Maddox a smile; not one of the bone-melting ones he used on women, but his patronizing ”aw shucks, I'm a celebrity” grin she'd seen him use on fans.
”That's me. And you are?”
”I'm Maddox.” The boy tilted his head, studying Brody. ”You look a lot tougher on Madden.”
”You're wearing Redskins pajamas and you're talking smack?”
Shay pulled Maddox against her body, throwing Brody a warning look over the boy's head. Brody shrugged his shoulders as if to say, He started it.
”Is your sister asleep?” she asked.
Maddox nodded, never taking his eyes off Brody. ”Mrs. Elder fell asleep watching Wheel again, so I gave Anya her bottle.”
”Good boy.” Shay gently rubbed his back. ”Now why don't you go brush your teeth?”
Without another word, Maddox slipped through the adjoining door to the apartment he shared with his mother and baby sister.
”So, do we add nanny to the list?”
Shay rolled her eyes. ”Just neighbors helping neighbors.”
”Does his mother often leave him alone to take care of his baby sister like that? Because I'm pretty sure that's against the law.”
Shay took exception to Brody's tone. ”You know, not everyone lives in the bubble of affluence like you do, Brody. Some of us have to do whatever we can to survive. Jackie is a labor and delivery nurse. It's part of her job to work nights. Her husband is in Afghanistan and childcare is expensive. We-Mrs. Elder and I-pull together to help out.”
In her exasperation, she'd unwittingly come to stand inches from him again. She could feel the censure and tension radiating off his body. Bafflement shone in his blue eyes, too. And something else. Something she couldn't quite define.
”You are a conundrum, Shannon Everett.” He spoke softly, but his tone sent s.h.i.+vers through her body. ”And I'm fascinated by conundrums.”
Shay sank her teeth into her bottom lip, and Brody's nostrils flared. Her breath caught as she realized he might kiss her again. Only this time, she wasn't sure she could keep her own response in check. He leaned toward her, but the slap of Maddox's bare feet against the parquet floor roused Shay out of her trance and she stepped back.
”I got a Baltimore Blaze poster, Mr. Janik. Will you sign it?” Maddox burst back into her apartment, the poster dragging on the floor behind him.
Obviously the moment hadn't affected Brody as much as it had her because he had no trouble slipping back into celebrity mode.
”That depends. Are you gonna keep wearing those Redskins PJs?” A teasing glint shone in Brody's eyes.
”My daddy grew up in Anacostia. That's in DC,” Maddox said, puffing out his chest with belligerent pride. ”We're Redskins fans first and Blaze fans second.”
Brody rubbed the top of the boy's head. ”Atta boy. Show your pride for your home team. Don't be that kid who says what he thinks people want to hear.” They both crouched down on the floor, spreading the poster out before them. Brody signed his name and then poised the marker over Shane Devlin's face. ”Should we put some devil horns on him?”
Maddox giggled and Shay found herself smiling with them both. Brody's effortless boyish charm always had that effect on her. She ached to live the life of carefree exuberance that he did. He lifted his gaze to her, his lazy smile causing her knees to nearly buckle.
”Shay, can I have one of those brownies in my lunchbox tomorrow?” Maddox asked. He looked at Brody, his face earnest. ”Shay makes the best brownies.”
Brody rose from his haunches, rolling up the poster, his grin a bit more predatory now. ”Does she now?”
The skin on her cheeks burned. ”Not tonight, Maddox. I have to finish up an outline for my thesis counselor. But maybe when I get back from campus tomorrow. You can help me after school.” She needed to get Brody out of her place. Not only was he taking up all the air, but he was sucking up her composure, too. ”Why don't you go pick out a book and we can read it together before you go to bed.”
Maddox hesitated, but his good manners finally won out. ”Thanks for signing my poster, Mr. Janik.”
”Sure thing.” Brody gave the boy's head another rub before Maddox slowly shuffled off to his bedroom.
”So what does a guy have to do to get one of those brownies?” Brody asked as he ambled toward her. Everything about his demeanor said he wanted more than just dessert. Shay wasn't accustomed to men looking at her the way Brody was right now. The desire in his eyes was doing strange things to her brain.
Like cutting off all rational thought.
”You can't have brownies, Brody. It'll mess up your blood sugar.” The words were out of her mouth before she could think. It was the story of Shay's life.
The desire faded from his eyes, replaced by astonishment-and a trace of fear before he quickly reined that in. His carefree smile disappeared, leaving behind a tight grimace. He closed the distance between them as Shay pressed her back up against the wall.
”What did you say?” His words were like a whip cracking through the air.
Shay stared at him, wide-eyed, her normally fast-acting brain unable to come up with a response.
Brody grabbed her upper arms, pulling her to within inches of his face. ”Who told you?” he demanded, giving her a little shake.
”No one,” she answered, the words barely a whisper. Her body should have been gripped in fear, but instinct told her Brody wouldn't physically harm her. The shame consuming her was another matter, though. ”I . . . I, um . . . I overheard you talking with your trainer about it.”
She watched Brody's face as his mind worked through the logic of her answer.
”The only place you could have overheard us was in the locker room.” His eyes went wide as he realized the implication. ”You're the snitch! The one who told that d.a.m.n blogger about DeShawn. You know, he's losing his endors.e.m.e.nt money because of you!” He gave her another shake.
”No,” she cried. ”I didn't tell the blogger anything. I couldn't go through with it!”
Brody released his grip, pus.h.i.+ng her away in disgust. ”Oh yeah? I'm supposed to believe a woman who'll do anything for a buck?” He went over to the table and picked up one of the articles she had sitting out. ”Reading up on the condition before you try to blackmail me?” he accused, waving the paper in her face.
”No! I'm studying nutrition. Working for the team is my interns.h.i.+p this fall. I was looking for ways to help you.” Her excuse sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
”Give me a break, Texas. I might not be a PhD candidate, but I did graduate from college. You're nothing but a gold digger like the rest of them. But you're not going to be able to use your hairnet to get any more information on my teammates. Not when I'm through with you.” Tossing the paper to the floor, he headed for the door.
Panic seized in Shay's chest. ”What are you going to do?”
”Rat you out to management, for starters.”
”You can't.” Once again, Shay's mouth was operating faster than her brain could keep pace. ”If you get me fired, I'll tell them about you. About your blood sugar.” Shay felt nauseous as she made the threat. It wasn't in her nature to bully other people, not after she'd spent her own life being bullied. But she needed the credits the interns.h.i.+p provided. Time was running out. She only had this semester to finish her work. Her mama was counting on her.
Brody paused with one hand on the doork.n.o.b; his normally carefree posture rigid with fury. Obviously, he hadn't considered the consequences of his plan. He turned slowly and leaned his back against the door, crossing his arms over his chest as he tucked his hands beneath his armpits. She felt the heat of his anger radiating clear across the room.
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