He grasped her hands. “I want to test. That’s all. Just to see how I like it. For all I know, it’s not for me. Or maybe they’ll hate my performance.”
She laughed at that. “Not likely.”
“You never know,” he said with a shrug. “You’re really okay with it?”
She managed a smile he sensed was forced. “I do. I get why you need to do this.”
“You look like you’re trying your best to be enthusiastic, but I know you. What’s going on?”
She leaned back against the couch and sighed. “I think we’re building something important for players. It’ll be a loss there if you leave, but you can’t stay with one thing when you’d rather be doing something else.”
He narrowed his gaze. He believed their job was part of what was going on in that head of hers, but it wasn’t everything. He also sensed she wouldn’t be admitting anything to him now.
“Look, I still don’t know the details about this gig. It could be football season only. It could be weekends only. Maybe I could do what Strahan does and commute and keep this job too.” There were a ton of variables, none of which he knew. Although he’d put a call in to his agent to get them, right now everything hinged on the test.
He hoped that didn’t include his relationship with Madison as well.
* * *
The ringing of her cell phone jarred Madison out of a deep sleep. She rolled over, knocking the phone off the nightstand before finally picking it up to answer. “Hello?”
“Ms. Evans?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Darla from the Hudson Arms nursing home.”
Completely awake now, Madison sat upright in bed. “Is something wrong?”
Alex stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. “Who’s on the phone?”
She held up a hand.
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”
The woman at the nursing home spoke. “Her son, Eric, came by at an ungodly hour. Since Franny was awake, we let him come in. He upset her terribly. We weren’t able to calm her down and had to call the doctor in to give her a light sedative.”
Madison swallowed hard. “I’ll be right over.”
“Well, she’s sleeping now. We just felt we should notify you.”
“You did the right thing. Where is Eric now?”
“He left but promised he’d be back.”
“I’ll talk to my lawyer and see what I can do. Thanks for calling. And I will be by later.” She disconnected the call and met Alex’s gaze.
“Problem?” He ran a towel over his damp hair.
“I need to call Jon. I think I need a restraining order to keep Eric away from his mother. Can I get that on her behalf?”
“If the doctors are willing to testify he’s a danger to her health, I’m sure you can. Maybe you can get the hearing moved up. Do you want to head over to the nursing home now?”
She nodded, still in shock over the phone call. “I suppose I should check on her. I can’t call Jon till nine a.m. anyway.”
“Well, we could, but you’re right. Let’s wait till he gets to the office. Go jump in the shower. I’ll pour you some coffee, and we can get moving.”
“You don’t need to come with me.”
“I want to. You met my family. I’d like to meet yours.”
“Franny is not my family.” She bit her cheek. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”
He narrowed his gaze, but she went on before he could react to that telling statement.
“But the truth is, she probably won’t even know me, so what’s the point of trying to introduce you?”
“What’s the point of denying you care about her? Or that she’s the only family you have left and it hurts you to lose her?” He sat down beside her, his body warm from the shower, his scent clean and strong.
She met his gaze. “You don’t get it,” she said, frustrated. She attempted to rise to her feet, but he grasped her hand.
“You’re wrong. I do.” He pulled her back down beside him. “You’ve had way too much loss and pain in your life. And I contributed to that,” he said, his voice rough with regret. “But if you don’t start to ease up and trust in the people around you now, you’re going to end up—”
“Say it,” she said, folding her arms across her chest to ward off the sudden chill.
He shook his head and rose, walking back into the bathroom and closing the door. He didn’t have to use the words for her to know what he meant.
She was going to end up alone.
* * *
The nursing home was clean and the staff pleasant and accommodating, Alex thought, but he was still depressed just walking into the place. He glanced at Madison, who held herself tightly as they walked toward her foster mother’s room. She hadn’t said much to him since his outburst earlier, and as much as he wanted to regret what he’d almost said, he couldn’t. Not when she was driving him away as often as she pulled him close.
Maybe once this situation with her foster brother was resolved in court, she’d settle and trust Alex more, but for now, he was still busting his ass without knowing how much she really believed in them.
“Ms. Evans?” A nurse approached them before they reached the room.
“Hi, Katie. And I told you to please call me Madison.”
The younger woman smiled. “Madison. I’m sorry you had to get that phone call earlier.”
“Were you here when Eric came by?”
The other woman nodded. “He was badgering Mrs. Grayson about you,” she said, lowering her voice. “He wanted to know how she could put you in charge instead of her own flesh and blood, and then he began yelling.” She paused and glanced over her shoulder. “My supervisor doesn’t like when we gossip,” she explained.
Madison met Alex’s gaze before turning back to Katie. “Thank you. I appreciate you being honest. I’m going to talk to my lawyer and see what I can do to keep him from bothering her again. Although it’s sad. He’s her son.”
The younger nurse touched Madison’s shoulder in understanding.
She looked at Alex then, sudden recognition lighting her gaze. “You’re … Oh my God, you’re the old Tampa quarterback!” She snapped her fingers. “I’m so embarrassed I can’t think of your name, but my husband’s from Tampa, and I’m from Miami, and he’s such a huge fan!”