Fair Catch Read Online Free PDF Page A

him—she was a married woman. To think he’d actually fantasized about running into her again, hoping to get to know her.
    He couldn’t remember the last time he had experienced such a powerful instant attraction. Sure, he noticed women and appreciated them, but he felt drawn to this woman in a way he couldn’t explain. Why would he feel that way and why now? She was married!
    Grumbling to himself, Nick grabbed a towel so he could take a long, hot shower. As the water cascaded over him, he tried to erase the pixie face with blue eyes or had they been green? Shoot . He needed to stop thinking about her. Period. Coveting someone else’s wife or committing adultery weren’t on his list of top ten things to do in Colorado.
    When the water started to run cold, he shut it off and climbed out into the steamy bathroom. Instead of making him tired, the shower had revived him. Still, he didn’t feel like going downstairs and unpacking. After he quickly made up his bed, he grabbed his laptop and climbed up on the bed.
    With his back against the headboard, he checked his email. Both of his sisters had sent him a message, wishing him well in his new home. They both promised to come and see him as soon as they could. With their families and busy lives, he knew it would be a while before he entertained them. His mom also sent him a message, giving him the name of her friend who was an interior designer and lived in Denver. At least that was one less thing to worry about.
    His eyes skimmed over the attachment from Alec that had his schedule for the next month, including meetings with local businesses. Now that he was retired, he could put all of his energy into his charity: Kids Come First .
    During his career as a professional football player, Nick had invested his money wisely. His financial position would allow him to support a family, along with continuing the humanitarian work he loved so much. His MBA—something that had taken four off-seasons to complete—helped to manage his growing charity.
    Nick read and answered his email until he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Closing the laptop, he put it on the dresser and turned off the lamp. Laying his head on the pillow, he drifted off to sleep and hoped when the morning came, his fascination with his neighbor would be gone.
    * * *
    Early the next morning, Ellie got up before Cade so she could take a long shower without the fear of him escaping. She’d had a restless night’s sleep. It was stupid, but she kept dreaming about the good-looking guy from the jogging trail. At least dreaming about him was a good replacement of the nightmares her ex-husband usually accompanied—anything would be.
    After applying makeup, she worked on her hair. It was probably time for a trim, but she liked having long hair, and thanks to DevaCurl , a product she’d discovered a few months ago, her curls were soft and beautiful. Just last week, a couple of girls from church said her hair looked like Taylor Swift’s. Reaching for the bottle, she applied the cream to her hair until she got the desired result.
    She walked into the kitchen and opened the blinds, the bright sunshine flooding the room. Reaching up, she pulled the pancake mix from the cupboard and paused when her eyes caught the wall calendar. Seeing the date of Thomas’s arrival circled in red made her stomach tumble. She still hadn’t told Cade.
    Letting out a long breath, Ellie realized she would probably have to take Cade to California. Thomas said he was sending her the passes, but she wouldn’t believe it until she saw it. Even if he did, she couldn’t afford to fly and would have to drive all by herself. But what choice did she have?
    As she prepared breakfast, Ellie heard her doorbell. She guessed it was Betsy coming over to coerce her into being neighborly. Sure enough, Betsy stood on her porch, holding a pan of unbaked bread.
    “Ellie, do you mind baking this for me?”
    She eyed Betsy suspiciously. That was not the question