Fumble Recovery Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Blurb

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1—Practice What You Preach

  Chapter 2—A Hunch

  Chapter 3—Flying High

  Chapter 4—Good Bad Idea

  Chapter 5—Someone’s Here

  Chapter 6—Home Again

  Chapter 7—One More Chance

  Chapter 8—Trust Is Earned

  Chapter 9—Admissions

  Chapter 10—Tragic Results

  Chapter 11—Warm Shelters

  Complete Booklist

  About the Author

  Fumble Recovery

  Seattle Steelheads

  GAME ON IN SEATTLE

  By Jami Davenport

  Copyright © 2019 by Cedrona Enterprises

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Jami Davenport. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to others. If you would like to share this book with others, please purchase an additional copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

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  The Seattle Sockeyes®, Seattle Steelheads™, and Seattle Skookums™ are fictional sports teams and a series of romance novels. Game On in Seattle™ is a series of sports romance novels. The names and logos are created for the sole use of the owner and covered under protection of trademark.

  This book is a work of fiction. While references might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning

  This book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. This book is for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-age readers.

  Email: [email protected]

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  Blurb

  One day away from living on the streets, former pro football player Jake Hudgins has sunk to an all-time low. When he's offered a job in a fledgling program to transition athletes at the end of their playing careers, he jumps on it, even though the offer was made to the financially sound man he once was, not the broke one he is now. Taxed with being a good example for young athletes, Jake is a fraud, and his coworker is suspicious.

  Aggie Hermann has come to terms with never being a size six or even a size twelve. She's made peace with her body and avoids men who see women as objects instead of looking deeper. Her new coworker, Jake, appears to be the superficial variety, and he has a secret. Aggie's certain of that, even as she struggles with the irresistible attraction between them.

  Working closely together to get the job done ignites Jake and Aggie's passion until the resulting fire is sure to burn them both. Can their love survive the fallout when Jake's secret is revealed, or will it be reduced to ashes?

  Dedication

  To Carly Phillips, one of the nicest authors I’ve ever met. Thanks so much for inviting me to write in your World.

  Author’s Note

  This novella was originally published as part of Carly Phillips’ Dare to Love world. Carly has generously reverted the rights to me, and I have re-written the book to fit into my Seattle Steelheads series.

  The events in this book happen after Game Changer.

  Chapter 1—Practice What You Preach

  Life hadn’t just bitten Jake Hudgins in the butt, it had taken a huge chunk out of both ass cheeks.

  Jake’s fragile house of cards, stacked mostly with jokers, had collapsed around him until the weight crushed his resolve and obliterated his life into nothing but dust and a few bones picked clean by the vultures.

  At least, that’s how things were going right now.

  He’d gambled and lost, played fast and loose with what he’d assumed would be a never-ending flow of cash. Until the cash flow stopped, and he hit rock bottom.

  At the top of the heap one day and buried under a steaming pile of manure the next day.

  He hadn’t wanted to attend this gala tonight, but his former college teammate had been stubbornly persuasive. They’d survived a lot of shit together. Eventually Tanner wore him down. At least he’d get free drinks and a meal for his efforts, which included donning the one good tux he had left, having sold most of his designer clothes online a few months ago. Before that, he’d lost his house to the bank, his longtime girlfriend to a former teammate, and his car to the repo men, who eerily resembled the tattooed repo guys on reality television.

  All that made sense as his life had become the worst reality TV show ever, and he wasn’t even getting paid for the misery and drama.

  Where had it all gone so wrong?

  He used to be the guy who had it together and arrogantly gave his friends and teammates financial advice. Now he couldn’t give them advice on what toilet paper to buy.

  If he were being honest, he’d come to this gala for another reason—to see if Tanner had any job leads or connections to job leads. He’d have to swallow his pride and admit to his failures, but he didn’t have any choices left, other than homelessness, poverty, and a bleak future.

  If his situation affected only him, he’d man up and deal with it, but he needed money to pay for the special Alzheimer’s care facility his grandfather was in. His grandmother had no clue how far he’d sunk, or she’d never accept another penny from him. He’d grovel for the two people who meant the most to him.

  Jake sighed as the taxi rolled to a stop in front of the venue for tonight’s gala. He counted out dollar bills and paid the driver, ignoring his disgusted glare at the lack of a tip. Jake offered a shrug in response. He’d barely scraped enough cash together for the taxi ride here, let alone a tip. Unless money dropped out of the sky, he’d be hoofing it home afterward. Not that he had a home. He was house-sitting for a former teammate. Once that gig ended, he didn’t even have a car to live in.

  Straightening his bow tie, Jake walked through the open double doors. He showed his invitation to the doorman and followed the tasteful music to the ballroom. Gathering his courage, he plastered a smile on his face and strutted in the door as if he owned the place. Anyone who knew him would expect nothing less from the man who was once destined for NFL greatness—at least in his own mind. At the most, he’d been a third-string tight end, played a few years, and suffered numerous nagging injuries. He’d been cut from three teams his third year alone, and after that no other organization showed interest. He’d dropped out his senior year so no degree, no job skills, and no future.

  Tanner spotted Jake immediately and headed straight for him. He held the hand of a pretty blonde who had to be his wife.

  Jake’s fake smile was so broad it hurt like hell, but he didn’t let it waver. The only thing he was good at anymore was keeping up the ruse of a rich former athlete without a care in the world, but exposure was only a matter of time, and not much time.

  “Hey, Tanner.” He slapped his college buddy on the back, and Tanner reciprocated, grinning at him. They both turned to the woman at his side.

  “Jake, this is my beautiful wife, Emma. Emma, one of the best damn wingmen a guy could ever have. He always had my back.”

  “Nice to meet you, Emma. And he was my wingman.” Actually, Tanner had a set of guys he’d hung with in college who he called his wingmen. Jake had been one of many.

  “That would’ve been my guess.” She shot a teasing look in Tanner’s direction and laughed, the type of laugh that made Jake actually smile. Tanner stared at her as if he wanted to put her on a plate and eat her for dessert.

  Jake cleared his throat, starting to feel like a third wheel. These two needed to get a room. Their gazes alone were X-rated.

  “Uh, yeah.” Tanner visibly shook himself back to the present, but one of his big hands stroked Emma’s back. Jake obviously didn’t have his full attention.

  A short woman stepped up beside them. She wore ankle-high boots and a funky multicolored dress that showed off her curves to her advantage. Luxurious long black hair with subtle blue highlights curled in waves around her face and down her back. Tattoos peeked out from under the mid-length sleeves on the dress. This woman not only danced to her own drumbeat, she wrote the music.

  Her gaze flickered between the couple and Jake. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Finally, the two disgusting lovebirds came off their romantic perch long enough to slum on the cage bottom with the normal people.

  Emma cleared her throat and stood up straighter. “Aggie, this is Jake Hudgins.”

  “Hello,” Aggie said frostily as she looked him up and down. He had the distinct feeling she found him lacking, which he didn’t like one damn bit, because to his way of thinking, he was lacking.

>   “Hey.” Jake shrugged. She had a nice face but was so not his type. He liked tall and willowy women with big boobs and blond hair. But what the hell, he doubted they were being introduced as a setup. At least, he hoped not. His type or not, he wouldn’t involve any woman in the mess known as his life right now.

  Tanner turned to another man flirting with the exact type of woman Jake usually went for, at least back in the days when he had money. “Brad Reynolds, this is Jake Hudgins, the man I’ve been telling you about. We haven’t had the opportunity to speak with him about our proposal.”

  Brad grinned at Jake. Of course, Jake knew who he was. He was the president of Steelhead football and his family had some percentage of ownership in the team, though he didn’t know how much.

  “Happy to meet you, Mr. Reynolds.”

  “Mr. Reynolds is my dad. I’m Brad.” Brad didn’t seem serious enough to be running a major pro sports franchise, but what did Jake know?

  “Okay, Brad.”

  “Jake, you’re probably aware the Sockeyes in concert with the Steelheads and Skookums are developing a groundbreaking program to ensure players are taken care of after leaving the game. A shocking number of former pro athletes go broke in a few short years after their playing career ends. They’re preyed upon by greedy friends and guilted into bad business deals with well-meaning family members.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard about the program.” Damn, Brad had just summarized the last four years of Jake’s life and his current financial status in a few sentences.

  Tanner stepped forward with a grin. “We’re starting phase two of our program, and I’ve recommended you as a possible addition.”

  “Me?” He glanced at Aggie, who looked as if she’d swallowed an entire lemon.

  “With Aggie, this person would be heading up our college program. You’d be pitching it to athletic directors and coaches. You’d also be running a few pilot programs starting with Tyee University, as we’re hoping they’ll be our guinea pig.”

  “Why me?” They didn’t have a fucking clue, or Jake would be the last person they’d be talking to right now unless they were looking for a guy who’d screwed up rather than one who’d been a success.

  “I’ve always admired how good you were with money. In college, you had every penny accounted for, and your budget was planned out a month or two in advance. You were the only guy on the team who wasn’t perpetually broke. You walked on and made a pro team but only played in the league a few years. Don’t take offense, but you were one of the guys in the trenches. You’re a better representation of most players than a star would be.”

  “A grinder,” Aggie said through gritted teeth.

  “She means that in a good way,” Emma added with a sweet smile. He doubted Aggie did. For whatever reason, she didn’t like him.

  “Understood.” Jake didn’t need a rundown of his not-so-illustrious pro football career. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Aggie’s gaze narrowed, and he suspected she might be dangerously astute.

  “Unlike most players who are broke within a few years after retirement, you’ve always been careful with money. Your accounting degree is also a plus.” Tanner was singing praises Jake didn’t deserve.

  Jake choked on the whiskey he’d been sipping. “I, uh—” But his protest was buried in Brad’s enthusiastic explanation as he expounded on the program. He tried to listen, but his brain was churning with options. Tell them the truth and lose the best opportunity to come his way in ages? Keep quiet and take on the job for a project he truly believed in where he could do a lot of good? Say thanks but no thanks because he wasn’t who they thought he was?

  As a man one day from living on the streets, he didn’t see any viable option but to accept the job, assuming it was offered, and keep his mouth shut about his current situation. Was a lie of omission as bad as an outright lie?

  His gaze swung to Aggie. She watched him closely, as if she saw him for the imposter he was and wasn’t impressed. He smiled at her, and she glared back.

  This woman was going to be all sorts of trouble.

  * * * *

  Agnes Hermann pushed her glasses up on her nose and studied the fourth guy in as many months to be slated to work on this project with her. None of them stuck around once they figured out they were expected to do a portion of the work. They assumed they could get the big girl to do it because she’d be so thrilled to have any grain of attention from them. They expected her to fall at their feet, just as they’d been doing since high school with the nerdy girls who did their homework.

  Not that she didn’t fall in insta-lust with Jake Hudgins, but then, Aggie always fell in insta-lust with guys she didn’t like. It meant nothing, at least to the guys, and for Aggie, her dislike of a hot guy made it much easier to protect herself for later when Hot Guy said or did something potentially hurtful. She’d been down that road before.

  She might come across as brash and adventurous on the outside, but on the inside she was averse to risk taking, and safe was her middle name.

  Unorthodox nerd that she was, guys never came on to her, especially not smoking-hot guys like Jake. So Aggie had her fantasies, and her crushes had… Well, they had their size-six arm candy and never gave her another thought. Aggie liked it that way. No harm, no foul.

  Regardless, she wasn’t bitter. She understood how things worked in this appearance-based world. She was relatively secure in her weight, even though she’d tried everything to shed more than a few pounds over the years. She’d come to accept herself as she was and love the person inside rather than obsess about the person on the outside. If guys were shallow enough to dismiss her over a few excess pounds, she didn’t need them in her life for more than a plaything.

  She needed this job, and she was eternally grateful she’d been given this chance when her two-year associate’s degree in marketing didn’t quite equal their requirements. She’d worked her ass off for the past six months, earned their trust, and created a program for college-level athletes that even impressed the unimpressible Ethan Parker, the billionaire owner of the Sockeyes hockey team and the brainchild of the program.

  Aggie was organized to a fault, great at seeing the big picture and the small details. No college degree guaranteed those skills. And no college degree could have prepared her for Jake Hudgins, the finest man she’d ever seen in her twenty-seven years, not that she’d traveled in circles with fine men before she’d come here.

  Now Tanner and Brad wanted her to welcome Jake to the college program. Yet something about his darting eyes and shifting of weight from one foot to another indicated he wasn’t comfortable. In other words, something didn’t quite sit right with her. The man was hiding something.

  “So,” Brad said, “will you take the job?”

  “I really appreciate the opportunity, but…” Jake hedged, looking almost distressed. Perhaps he was worried about disappointing his old friend. Guys like Jake probably had a ton of things on their plate, and this job wasn’t one of them.

  “Let’s talk money before you make a decision,” Brad said.

  Tanner put a comradely arm across Jake’s shoulders. “Excuse us, ladies.”

  Both women nodded as the men wandered to a more private area.

  “Did you pick up on something…odd?” Aggie asked and immediately regretted her bluntness. She shouldn’t have spoken her thoughts out loud. She did that way too much. Her inner filter never filtered.

  Emma didn’t seem the least bit annoyed. “No, not at all. He seems like a nice guy. Why?”

  Aggie shrugged. “It’s nothing. Just my suspicious nature.”

  “I’m sure he’s everything Tanner says he is, and he’s perfect to lead our college program.”

  The only thing Aggie was truly certain of was that Jake Hudgins, former NFL tight end and unknown quantity, was hiding something. She had decent instincts, and she suspected that something was big. She hoped like hell his secret didn’t jeopardize the program she’d put her heart and soul into.