Fair Catch Read Online Free PDF Page B

silent or excited and talkative.
    She must be the former. “Nice to meet you, Ellie.” He held out his hand for her to shake.
    She didn’t move.
    Betsy started to giggle. “I bet you get this all the time, don’t you?”
    Nick dropped his hand and pulled his eyes away from the blonde, giving Betsy a crooked grin. “Well, never with homemade bread.”
    “Ellie baked you this bread.” Betsy transferred the loaf to Nick.
    He raised an eyebrow. “Thanks, this smells really good.” He couldn’t help thinking how lucky her husband was.
    “You…You’re…” Ellie swallowed hard as her eyes flickered over to Betsy. When her gaze returned to Nick’s, she almost looked angry. “I…Cade, let’s go.” She abruptly grabbed her son’s hand, dragging him away.
    She was angry. At him?
    Betsy’s forehead furrowed as she watched Ellie leave. She looked as stunned as Nick felt. Watching her walk away, Nick shook his head. That had never happened to him. Ever.
    Betsy offered him a small smile. “I’m sorry, Nick. I didn’t think she’d react that way.”
    “I guess she isn’t a Defenders fan.” He tried to sound as if it didn’t bother him.
    “It’s not that…and it isn’t you.” Betsy blew out her breath. “Her ex-husband was a complete idiot.”
    Ex-husband? His chest expanded with relief as he fought back the urge to smile. She wasn’t married?
    Betsy looked once again at their neighbor’s house and sighed. “She really is a nice person.”
    Nick winced when Ellie slammed her door shut. “I’m sure she is. Really, don’t worry about it. I’m not offended.” He was just a little confused. Most people, especially women, liked him.
    As Betsy walked away, Nick stepped back inside his house and closed the door. Good news: He didn’t have to sell his house after all.
    * * *
    Racing home as fast as her little boy would allow, Ellie shook her head in disbelief. A laugh escaped, and she covered her mouth, hoping nobody heard.
    Nick Coulter? Her new neighbor was Nick Coulter? Mr. Most Beautiful Person and most eligible bachelor. Mr. Most Valuable Player—oh yeah, he was a player all right. It was more like most valuable playboy. How could Betsy even think she’d be remotely interested or impressed?
    Images of the incredibly handsome stranger flitted through her mind as she slammed the door shut. It was him. The man on the jogging trail was Nick Coulter.
    After getting Cade a snack, she went in the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She grabbed a soft towel and buried her face in it, wishing she could hide.
    The sound of the doorbell made her rush out of the bathroom before Cade decided to answer it. Ellie opened the door and found Betsy standing on her porch. She waited for the tongue-lashing she probably deserved.
    Hey, wait a minute. I’m the one who should be mad. Betsy had tricked her into baking the bread for the quarterback.
    “Do you mind telling me why you told that man I baked him the bread?” Her voice sounded high-pitched and abnormally irritated.
    Betsy looked at her with wary eyes. “Well, technically you did.”
    “Yeah, but not for him.”
    “Ellie,” Betsy sighed. “What is going on?”
    Ellie’s chin rose. She didn’t want to explain, mainly because she didn’t understand it herself. But what was going on? How could she have just treated someone she didn’t even know so rudely? She dropped her head and captured her bottom lip between her teeth. “I don’t know how to explain it.”
    Betsy guided her to the couch. “Why don’t you try?”
    Ellie twisted her hands together and let out a big breath. “Thomas idolized Nick Coulter. You don’t know how many times I heard him complain how unfair life was just because the guy could throw a football.” One of her shoulders lifted into a shrug. “Every time he saw the famous football icon with a beautiful woman hanging on his arm, he’d comment on how lucky he was.”
    The excuse sounded lame. But how could she