Page 20 of Something New

Ethan glanced at Matthew’s list and arched an eyebrow at his friend. "Do you really want to lose?"

"If it means giving one of you that damn butt-ugly lamp, hell, yes." But Matthew's words were belied by the competitive set of his jaw. He didn't become a lawyer to get along with the world.

"Fine. We'll meet back here at ten with our booty."

* * *

Anna headed right for the front door, but Wyatt pulled her into the living room. He snatched the list from her hand and read through the items.

“Hey! I haven’t even looked at them yet.”

“Which is why I’m looking at them now. We need a plan if we want to win, not just go off half-cocked.” Wyatt frowned as he studied it. Then he glanced at her. “You really haven’t looked at the items?”

She shook her head, the concern in his eyes worrying her. She took the list from him and scanned it, her heart sinking. “I can’t do this, Wyatt. Absolutely not.”

He took a deep breath. “Well, you’re already dressed incognito, so to speak, so maybe no one will recognize you. Besides, stars go to regular places all the time. What’s the big deal?”

She turned from him and sank down on the sofa. “I’m supposed to keep a low profile, making sure nothing else is posted while we’re waiting for this latest bullshit to blow over. If I go to a carnival and do some of these activities, someone will get a picture and post it, and the feeding frenzy will start up all over again. Then I’m truly sunk.”

Wyatt heaved a long sigh and sat down next to her. “Why didn’t you tell me it was that bad?”

She barked a laugh. “Yeah, like I want anyone to know my career is a disaster right now. No, thank you. I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

He took her hand and got to his feet, tugging her with him. “Anna Maria Costado. You are one of the bravest women I have ever met. You went out to Hollywood on your own, not knowing anyone or having a job, and you created a career for yourself. Are you really going to let a carnival scare you into hiding in your room like Delaney Winters?”

She glared at him. “I thought you protected Delaney!”

He shrugged. “She needed it. You can handle it. Now march yourself out to the truck, and let’s go.”

She took two steps and halted. “Wait, Caroline said no cars.”

He shrugged. “No cars, but as any good Texan knows. A truck is not a car.”

She laughed and followed him out the door. “A man after my own heart.”

Chapter Nine

Wyatt parked the truck in the carnival parking lot. Oh, a lawyer would probably argue with him over his use of the loophole, but he’d stand by his definition and be damned the consequences. He wouldn’t let Anna down. He had never seen her so vulnerable. She had always gotten stage fright before auditions and performances, and he had been there to support her and get her through it, holding her hair when she vomited, and bringing her ginger soda and crackers instead of roses and champagne. But this was different, more personal.

He asked, “Ready, Costado? Because I sure as hell am not displaying that piece of shit in my house.”

She quirked her brow at him. “Where do you live now?”

He grinned. “Not getting out of this so easily.” He hopped out of the truck and walked around to open her door. “Come on. Walk and talk. I still had my signing bonus and the money owed from my contract, so I was set for a little while. I hadn’t played the high life long enough to screw myself like so many others. Besides, my parents would have killed me.”

She laughed. “Your parents would have put you to work on the ranch faster than you could say branding.”

“True enough. Except, with my knee, I couldn’t do ranch work for a while. So, I continued volunteering at the community centers that I had started with when I got into the league. Those kids gave me a reason to get out of bed and out of the house. Hell, it wasn’t what I had planned, but life is not about a plan, I suppose.”

She followed alongside him, casting glances around her, as if looking for reporters or camera crews, so he kept talking to keep her attention. “A couple of kids had potential as quarterbacks, so their parents paid me to coach them on the side.”

Her head shot up in surprise. “You mean like a private coach?”

He nodded. “Pretty soon, I got a call from my old coach at UT. He was retiring and recommended me for the job. I still do some private coaching with the caveat that I can’t guarantee any position at UT.”

“Wow, Wyatt. You’ve really made a whole new life for yourself. Do you like it?” Her voice was soft and hesitant.

He paused as he paid for the entrance tickets to the carnival. He pocketed the money and handed Anna her ticket. The kid behind the counter stared at Anna a bit too long, and Wyatt glared at him, resisting the urge to smack the Plexiglas and tell the kid to stuff it.

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