Silver Fox Page 6

  Not so fast, my animal warned. She’s not like the cleat chasers who will do anything to be with you. You have to chase her.

  Right. And the cleat chasers didn’t make me happy. Sometimes I swore my animal held me back.

  I made your dreams come true.

  Fiona brightened. “My birthday is this weekend. I think it needs to be pretty epic. Some of the girls at our condo have offered to take me out, but I want to have a party.”

  “Then have a party,” I said. She was about to hit me up for something ridiculous. I’d played this game before. The trick was to give her what she wanted up to a point, and then let her down easy. Jenna and I had agreed on that. It was easy to spoil my daughter to make up for the guilt of missing so much of her life. But material things didn’t make up for all that wasted time.

  Be glad she wants you in her life, my fox said. Even if she’s using you for something.

  As a shapeshifter, I was up close and personal with my subconscious. It was a blessing and a curse. My animal saw things much more clearly than I did. He kept things real. Sometimes, too real.

  “Can we have it here?” She leaned forward, biting her lip and waggling her eyebrows.

  I wanted to laugh at her but she looked so grown up, it was a punch in the gut. My football career and my chance to be a part of my daughter’s life were both coming to a screeching halt. I didn’t know what happened next.

  “...I think some of the Werewives could use a little help getting with the guys on the team. Dad, are you listening to me?”

  “Yeah.” Hell, I couldn’t lie to her. Especially when I had no idea what she’d proposed. “Maybe. Tell me again.”

  She laughed. “Thought so. I want to invite the Bloodhounds, too. Make it a Werewife party, so I can get to know everyone in a relaxed setting. Being on the show kind of segregates everyone once production decides people should couple off.”

  “No. We play on Sunday.” Coach would have my ass if I kept the guys out late at a Fiona party before the game.

  “Then we can do it Sunday night.”

  My animal growled. “You’re asking for trouble.”

  “You’re just like Mom.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “Always assuming the worst. Why can’t you take this at face value?”

  She had to be kidding. Her sweater slipped off her shoulder, revealing her ink. Lucky for her, she’d conned a pretty decent artist. That was the problem. Fiona relied on luck, and luck didn’t last. “That the only tat you’ve got?”

  “Maybe.” She smirked, and the answer was definitely no. “But you’re probably better off not knowing. I’ve already put in my application to be on the show. Tessa said she can’t consider it until my birthday but—”

  “I meant what I said.” It came out as a growl and I didn’t give a fuck, even when she jumped back. “I don’t want you dating my teammates.”

  “Why not?” That pout wouldn’t make me go easy on her. “Don’t you want to see me with a man who shares your values? Your work ethic?”

  “That bullshit might work on your mother but it won’t work on me.” I’d ignore that glare too. “You shouldn’t focus on dating when you have your whole life ahead of you.”

  “Sure.” She scoffed. “And then I can wake up forty and alone.”

  “Fiona,” I snapped because that comment stung more than I wanted to admit. “There’s more to life than finding a mate.”

  She raised an eyebrow, visibly not liking my tone, but that was tough shit. “I know, a career, because that made everyone else in my life so happy.”

  I’d ignore that too. “What are you thinking of doing?”

  Fiona did have a soft spot. She gazed over my shoulder, frowning. “Not sure. The show seems like fun.”

  “You should talk to Tessa. She might know how you can start working in TV production.” As much as I respected Tessa, I didn’t know much about what happened on her side of the camera. And I’d do anything possible to dissuade Fiona from become a Werewife.

  Fiona wrinkled her nose. “Not the crew stuff. I don’t want to be lugging all that equipment around and sneaking out of the room when people start getting frisky. I like the matchmaking part of it. It’s fun to watch people fall in love.”

  Of course it was. The Werewives were landing a mate with a rock-hard body and a six-figure annual salary. Stop being so cynical, my animal chided me. You’re still drunk off memories of your night with Jenna.

  “Like Mom,” she continued, smirking when I jumped at the sound of Jenna's moniker. “She’s been glowing ever since your date last night. She’s cooked a lot of dinners in her time, so it’s not that. It was you.”

  “We had a good time.” Like hell I’d share details of our night with my daughter. No matter how they burned in my mind. It’s because you’re protecting Jenna, my animal said. Because she’s yours.

  “Duh.” Fiona laughed. “Did you guys rehearse that line? Mom said the same exact thing. So I’ll just assume—”

  “Because some things are none of your business.” I bumped her arm, signaling the end of the conversation before I snapped at her again. We were supposed to be bonding or some shit like that. But this kid had my head spinning. “Want me to order pizza?”

  “Sure.” Her demeanor changed and once again she was my little girl. “No meat though. I’m not eating it right now.”

  “Good luck with that in Alaska.” It was ridiculous for a fox to be a vegetarian, but I’d keep that to myself. I grinned as I scrolled through the takeout options. Holiday Falls had a little bit of everything, but it was exactly that—a little bit. Fresh vegetables weren’t always plentiful because sunlight was a rarity. There were three places that delivered pizza and in season, it wasn’t something I usually ate. I had to be careful about my diet now more than ever to stay in top condition to play.

  “Be thankful I’m not off gluten and dairy right now.”

  I glanced up at her, my finger frozen in midair over the screen, and caught her grin. That was it. A hard no didn’t work with my daughter. If I wanted to be in her life, I had to accept she was an adult with opinions, even if I didn’t agree with them. And that she wanted to be heard. Treated with respect.

  “A large veggie dream sound good?” There was a sentence I never thought I’d say out loud. “It says seasonal vegetables, so it’s whatever’s fresh.”

  “It’s like Mom runs the place.” Fiona chuckled. “Sounds great. Can I have the party?”

  Damn, it was like this kid could read my mind. “Yeah, you can have the party. But if I catch you with one of the Bloodhounds—”

  “I’ll make sure you don’t catch me.” She bit her lip again. “Can I ask you about something serious, before you totally freak out over the Bloodhounds at my birthday party?”

  She was giving me whiplash. “Ask me whatever you want.” I meant that. If Jenna and I were going to keep her from falling into oblivion, we had to stay accessible. She had to be able to trust us. I didn’t have a lot of experience dealing with my daughter, but I’d mentored more rookies than I could count. They weren’t my kids, but they were new in a huge situation. In over their head. I knew what that felt like. And if the guys didn’t think I heard them, saw them, they didn’t trust me. We never melded on the field.

  If I had any luck at all, football was a lot like parenting.

  She looked down at the island, tracing her finger along a pattern in the marble. “Mom’s never been able to tell me anything about this, and I’ve found conflicting stuff online. I’ve been wondering—when will I shift? Or will I shift, because I’m only half fox?”

  “You’ve never shifted?” I was relieved when she shook her head. It was too dangerous if she was alone, without any other fox around the first time it happened. Jenna had promised to tell me if Fiona shifted, but we hadn’t always been on speaking terms. “That’s a good thing. Most of us only shift when there’s danger or when we’re ready to mate.”

  “Sounds like there are some exceptions to that rule.”

>   “Yeah. Everyone’s a little different. Because I play football, and my body processes danger from the field, I can shift at will. But you’re half shifter. You may never shift at all.”

  Fiona frowned, and my heart broke for her. I couldn’t imagine my life without my animal side.

  “Can you feel your animal inside you?” I asked.

  “What?” She giggled.

  “Even when I don’t shift, I’m aware of my animal. It’s got pretty definite opinions on just about everything.”

  “Oh.” Apparently that sounded ridiculous out loud. “I’m not sure, because I’m just me. How would I know?”

  It doesn’t mean she won’t shift, my animal assured me. It just means she’s been around humans and she doesn’t know the difference. It still pissed me off, because I should’ve nurtured that side of her. Maybe things would be different now. “I guess it’s different for all of us.”

  She nodded, the corners of her lips fighting a frown. “Can I mate with another shifter that’s not a fox?”

  My animal snarled. “You shouldn’t even be thinking about that right now.”

  “No, I shouldn’t. But someday I might want to. So I need to know—is it possible?”

  “It’s possible.” I wouldn’t lie to her. “But it’s a bad idea. You might not be able to bring another species to term. Or if it’s a hybrid, it might not be a favorable mix.”

  “Okay. So rhinoceros shifters for me.” She grinned.

  “No shifters for you right now. Period,” I snapped. Shit, I didn’t mean that, but I hadn’t had the gradual build up to Fiona’s chaos that Jenna had. “When you’re ready, I’ll show you how to shift.”

  “I’d like that.” She nudged me like I did when I wanted her to change the subject. “Now let’s talk about this party.”

  I was never going to make it through this season.

  “HEARD THERE’S A PARTY at your condo after the game this weekend.” Sebastian Connall was the only one with the balls to sidle up to my locker and ask about Fiona’s birthday bash. He pressed his lips together, stifling laughter. The Bloodhounds sent him to do their dirty work because they knew he had the best chance of surviving. “With a keg and strippers? That doesn’t sound like you, Landon.”

  “What the fuck,” I muttered, trying not to lose my cool. “It’s a birthday party. Cake, ice cream, pizza. No keg, and definitely no strippers.”

  I ignored the snickers and adjusted the empty pickle jar that had taken up residency in my locker.

  “Going soft on us, Fox?” Tyler Jones looked so fucking smug, like I was the only one not in on this joke.

  “I meant what I said the other night,” I growled. “And I trust you’ll pass on the message in the best interest of your teammates.”

  What the fuck. I stormed out of the locker room. I hadn’t even put my shirt on yet but I didn’t give a damn. These guys used to look up to me, and all it took was my daughter showing up to shit all over the team dynamic.

  “Fox.” Coach Phelan crooked his finger at me from the doorway of his office. “Let’s talk.”

  I settled into the chair in front of his desk with an exasperated sigh. The only thing worse than the guys thinking there was a frat party happening at my condo this weekend, starring Fiona, was them seeing me getting called into Coach’s office. I spent a lot of time here voluntarily, watching film and prepping play calls. I considered Stone Phelan a friend, much more than some of the guys I shared the field with. We were close to the same age. When I started playing, Coach was a veteran linebacker on my very first team. He used to be me. Our paths didn’t cross again until we came to the Bloodhounds. But if Coach expected anything, it was grace under pressure. More commonly known as having my shit together.

  “You want to tell me what’s going on? It’s been chaos in the locker room lately. We’ve got a big game with Seattle coming to town this weekend. I don’t have to remind you of the implications of a division rival. A loss on Sunday could come back and bite us in the ass when it comes to playoff standings.”

  I hadn’t been talked to like this since my rookie season. Hadn’t deserved it. “The guys are up in arms because my daughter applied to be a Real Werewife.”

  Coach spit out his coffee. It dotted his playbook tablet and narrowly missed me. “Daughter?”

  “Yup. I have a daughter. Fiona Fox. I suspect you’ll be hearing that name a lot around these parts.” It was probably scrawled on one of the bathroom stalls along with her phone number.

  “How did I not know you had a daughter? Old enough to be a Werewife? What the fuck, Fox? What else don’t I know about you?”

  “That’s everything.” I ran my hand through my hair. I didn’t want to look at Coach. “I’m a shitty dad who barely saw his little girl because I was too busy trying to be a football player. And now every decision I’ve ever made has come back to haunt me.”

  Coach was fucking grinning. That bastard. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. This is a tough game, and only the strong survive as long as you and I have. It takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice.” He cleared his throat, and the light faded. “I walked away from the love of my life because I got an offer to play in Oakland. She didn’t want to leave her family. I couldn’t give her what she needed. But I had to play.”

  I nodded. “Did she ever come around?”

  “I saw her just before I came to Alaska.” He smiled at the memory. She still had his heart. “Beautiful as ever. Works as a nurse in her hometown. I tried to convince her to come to Alaska, just for a visit.”

  “I hope she takes you up on the offer.” I took a mental inventory of the guys who had hung around the league along as Coach and I had, how many of them were single, divorced, or like me, had a family that grew up without them. “She’d be real proud of what you’ve accomplished here.”

  “There’s a lot of football left.” He leaned forward, his expression stern. “So make sure these guys get back in line. We need to take this team to the playoffs if anyone is going to consider us a legitimate threat. I’m depending on you, Fox.”

  Chapter Nine

  JENNA

  “You’re all dressed up, Mom.” Fiona looked up from her phone, but squinted at it again. “It’s early for a date. Isn’t Dad at practice?”

  She was on her best behavior, which meant she was up to something. It was T-minus two days until her birthday. In typical Fiona fashion, she was throwing herself a party, which was shaping up to be the social event of the year in Holiday Falls. I hoped the police department brought in extra staff that night. They were going to need it. The rest of the Werewives had been bickering over dresses and Bloodhounds ever since Fiona announced her plan. There were rumors of strippers—I hadn’t had the heart to ask if it was the Werewives or the Bloodhounds who planned to take their clothes off, as long as my daughter kept hers on.

  Oh, I was going to that party.

  “Dad’s at practice.” I’d enjoy the butterflies that congregated in my belly every time I mentioned his name as long as they lasted. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt like this. Possibly not even the first time we were together. “I’m headed out to check out a restaurant for rent. Want to come?”

  “Sure.” She wrinkled her nose, which meant she was either trying to pull one over on me or she disagreed with something. “But do you think that’s a good idea? To dive right back into work so soon?”

  To repeat your past mistakes, that’s what she meant to say. Like I hadn’t learned my lesson the first time. “You’re taking your potential job on the 'Ask a Werewife' column pretty seriously.”

  “Yeah, I am.” She laughed. “I’m making it my mission to fill the world with love. And if I can’t do it, I’ll settle for Holiday Falls, Alaska. This place needs all the help it can get, with its two hours of daylight and subzero temperatures. How are you going to do your farm to table thing in a place that can’t grow real vegetables? Let me tell you about the pizza we had the other night. It was called a veggie dream. The dream
was that there were actual veggies on the pizza.”

  “I thought you were off gluten and dairy?”

  She shook her head. “Meat.”

  There was no use telling her that wasn’t good for her fox side. “Good luck with that in Alaska.”

  “That’s exactly what Dad said.” Smart man. “Do you two rehearse this stuff? I don’t understand why you were at each other’s throats for so long. It’s like the two of you share a brain.”

  “We’ve been sharing a lot more than that lately.” Nothing was more satisfying than giving Fiona a taste of her own medicine. I let her finish gagging before I continued. “You know my philosophy. Food is love. So you spread love through the advice column, and I’ll make sure everyone’s well fed.”

  “They need you, there’s no denying that.” She crossed her arms, wrinkling her nose again. Maybe it was part of the gag reflex. “But that’s not my point. What I’m saying is, don’t you think you should enjoy some time to yourself, and get to know Dad again? You look so happy and you didn’t when you were working at the restaurant all the time.”

  “It wasn’t the restaurant that was making me unhappy.” My ex, Charlie, wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type. I certainly knew how to pick them. Men who loved their careers more than me. Ambition attracted me to them, because they’d understand my drive. But Charlie left me hungry. I hated to admit that Fiona had a damn good point. “Cooking is my passion. I’m getting antsy that I can’t take over the catering for the show and cook for everyone.”

  Molly, the Werewife who’d asked me for advice before, looked up from her phone. We were never alone at the Werewife compound. I’d already managed to block out the cameras. They didn’t bother me as much as I thought they would. The only advantage to Fiona potentially becoming a Real Werewife was the video evidence when they followed her every move.

  “You should really teach classes, Jenna,” Molly said.