Page 41 of Forgotten Dreams
“Not really much to tell. I was captain of the football team.”
I gasp. “You played football?”
He nods. “I did. I got a scholarship and everything.” He tries to make it seem like it’s not a big deal but something in his voice pulls at my heartstrings.
“No way?” I shake my head and smile.
“Yeah.”
“Were you good?”
He laughs. “I was until I wasn’t and it’s just the way things go.” His voice gets soft. “Went back home and I guess you can say that I settled.” He looks at me. “Or at least that is what Amber kept constantly telling me.”
“And do you think you did?” I ask him, turning to look down at my plate, moving around the food. Not really sure I want to know.
“I don’t really. I had just gotten letdown from not playing football, not that it was my dream, but I thought I could have at least made it into the pros. Then I was home and I had a business degree and my dad told me to help him. Try and take over for him. Maybe this is where I would have always ended up. I guess we will never know. But when she finally resolved to the fact that this is what I was going to do, then she started harping on getting married. She probably didn’t even want to actually get married; she was just following the lead of all of her sorority sisters. I”—he shrugs—“I just couldn’t see forever with her and I knew that I would only be getting married once. So.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat as I try not to make it sound that I feel sorry for him. “Hey, at least you had a backup plan.”
“Not sure it was my backup plan,” he admits, leaning back, “but I went with it.”
“So how did you end up here?”
“Ms. Maddie’s called in. I took the call, came here, and I don’t know. I got a sense of my own person.” He looks over at me. “It’s not the best feeling in the world when you’re taking over for your father and people are constantly comparing you to him. He’s the best. But.”
“I get it.” I take a sip of wine.
“So,” he says, “what about you? No boyfriend waiting for you at home?”
I snort. “Nope. The only thing waiting for me at home is two loving parents.” I trail my voice, not sure what to say. “I feel really guilty.”
“For what?” he asks me, and for the first time I admit it to him, to anyone besides me.
“I have these two amazing parents who love me and would die for me.” I swallow the lump, not thinking this is where the conversation would have taken. “And here I am searching for two people who just dumped me in a box.” I try and smile at him to make it as a joke and his hand comes up and holds my face.
“Looks like we both came here looking for something.” He leans over and kisses my lips softly.
“What does your week look like?” He reaches for his glass of water, taking a sip and changing the subject.
“I have one client I have to finish for sure. I’ve already pushed her off once when I was moving.” I cut my own piece of chicken. “Then I want to go to the sheriff's station.” He looks over at me.
“For?”
“I want to know if they will share their files with me.”
“Baby,” he says softly, “it’s a twenty-five-year-old cold case. I don’t even think they have the file.”
“Well, I’ll find out.” I look over at him.
“Okay, fine, I’ll go with you.”
“What?” I ask him. “Why?”
“Because I want to,” he states, finishing his chicken. “Just tell me when you are going.”
“I don’t think that is a good idea.”
“And I don’t think it’s a good idea that you go to the sheriff, who from what I’ve heard?—”
