Page 51 of Playing with Temptation

She’d been right. Like her father, Nate Johnston couldn’t be trusted.

CHAPTER 17

Nate checked his watch again. The last few days had been stressful. His relationship with Kendra was strained and formal, and Vi was still angry with him, so talking to her wasn’t an option.

He felt badly for keeping the truth from Kendra. Maybe he hadn’t slept with Stephanie that night, or done anything to overtly encourage the kiss, but he’d lapped up the adoration she’d been pouring on all night. And he hadn’t discouraged her flirting. Worst of all, he’d kept it from Kendra.

Nate had convinced himself that not telling Kendra was in her best interest. The truth was he should’ve handled the situation differently. Most important, he couldn’t bear for her to look at him and judge him as being no better than her father. By hiding it from her, he’d proven just that.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Bud Flynn placed a firm hand on his shoulder as he took his seat at the table. The older man adjusted his large glasses and smiled through a sigh. “So, how’ve you been, son?”

“Well, thanks.” Nate would’ve found it demeaning had anyone else referred to him that way. But Bud Flynn had been as good to him as his own father. He’d given him a shot in the league when no one else would. He mentored him through injuries, slumps and tough times—like his breakup with Kendra. “Look, Bud, I want to begin by saying again how sorry I am about this entire mess. I never intended any of this.”

“Yet here we are, dealing with it just the same.” Once a staple on the sidelines during games and practice, Bud hadn’t been as active with the team as he once had due to health issues. It was the first time Nate had ever looked at the old man and seen his eighty-plus years in his blue eyes and bearing down on his shoulders. “You’ve always been straightforward and outspoken, and I appreciate that. Reminds me a lot of myself.”

“Thank you, sir.” Nate squirmed in his seat, the shadow of the other shoe Bud was about to lower loomed over him.

“However, there comes a time when you have to learn to control those impulses. Know when to be open and when to season your words up a bit.”

“I just got so caught up in my anger with the guys, with myself. It was a mistake to talk about it outside our walls. I’m clear on that now.”

A server came, left glasses of water and then took their orders before taking off again.

“It’s good you understand that.” Bud took a sip from his water glass. “However, I’m gonna need you to apply that behind closed doors, too.”

“Sir?”

“When I was a boy, we didn’t have much. My mother made do with what we had. She often bought liver because she could get it cheap and it’s good for you. A super food. But if you don’t prepare it just right, it’s one of the most god-awful things you’ll ever eat.”

“Okay.” Nate assessed the old man, wondering if he was beginning to lose it.

Bud leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Consider your words the same way, son. What you’re saying is a hard truth your coaches and teammates need to hear. But if you don’t season those words up just right and make them palatable, they won’t do anybody a bit of good. They’ll block out every word and use your poor delivery as reason to discount your advice. They’ll be so focused on how you told them that they won’t pay attention to the wisdom you’re offering.”

“Point taken.” Nate nodded, tapping his thumb on the table. “Kendra told me pretty much the same thing.”

Bud smiled. “Caught a glimpse of her at the press conference. She was good for you. Glad to see you two have worked things out, for your sakes and the sake of your son.”

Nate lowered his gaze and drew circles in the condensation of his glass. “I’ve hired her as my media consultant. As for our personal relationship…we’re still working on that. She’s a little gun-shy.”

“Why?” The old man shoved his glasses up the bridge of his crooked nose.

Nate sighed. “She believes every man out there will disappoint her like her father did. He left them when Kendra was a baby.”

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