Page 4 of Her Athlete's Wedding Secret

“That’s an issue. They aren’t giving you much time, aren’t they?”

“Nope.”

“What about Tessa?” Kane said, pointing to where she sat with Carrington.

“She’s a little uptight,” Benson said.

“Exactly. That’s precisely the kind of girl your coach would want you to marry.”

“I guess so.” Benson wasn’t in the mood to pick out a wife. He wished he could go back to New York and forget any of this ever happened. But if he wanted to play football, he would have to bring home a woman. And not just any woman. The stuffy kind who would impress his boss. Tessa was always talking about how she wanted to move to a big city. Maybe she’d consider the arrangement. But how would he go about asking her something like that? The idea was pure insanity.

Normally, he was the kind of guy who loved insanity. But this was different. Because of his past. Benson had a secret even the press hadn’t found out about. He’d almost been married before. He’d been deeply in love with Megan, but she abandoned him at the altar right as they were exchanging vows. She turned and fled down the aisle. It happened soon after he was recruited to the Giants. She hated the paparazzi and insisted that they keep the wedding under wraps. He’d done everything he could to accommodate her. Now he was glad that he had. Because very few people knew how she’d humiliated him. Other than the pastor, only a small handful of their closest friends and family were there, and they were all sworn to secrecy.

He’d been destroyed after Megan left him. He’d never gotten over it. Now he numbed the pain with reckless behavior and switching from woman to woman. He never dated one girl long enough to grow attached. Because he couldn’t let his heart get broken again. Not after what he’d been through. So he made sure to steer clear of nice girls like Tessa. She deserved better than him.

Normally, he would never even ask her on a date. But he was desperate. He’d been handed an opportunity of a lifetime playing for the NFL, and he didn’t want to squander it because he was too afraid to ask a girl out. But he was terrified. Benson Patrick, who was a master at getting any woman he wanted, was scared out of his wits of getting turned down. But he’d tasted rejection before, and he wasn’t sure he could handle it again.

He just had to make sure his heart didn’t get involved this time. That was the difference. If Tessa told him no, he’d just find someone else. Maybe Carrington, but she seemed too rooted in Maple Creek. She was running the art museum, and she was highly involved in her dad’s life. Sariah Tate was another option. She ran the jewelry store. As far as he knew, she wasn’t dating anyone. She was one of the bridesmaids in Alexis’s wedding. But she was tied up in the store she was running.

“You never dated Tessa in high school, did you?” Kane asked.

“Nope. She was one of the few I didn’t date.”

“Why not?” Chase asked.

“She seemed too absorbed in the school newspaper. She wasn’t interested. There were plenty of other girls who were,” Benson said with a shrug.

“I remember that. She’s still like that,” Kane said. “All wrapped up in her job.”

“And never dating anyone,” Chase pointed out.

“I have a feeling she’s going to say no,” Benson said.

“You’ll never know if you don’t try,” Chase said.

“That’s true,” Kane said. “Since when do you back down from a challenge?”

“You’re right. This isn’t like me.” What had gotten into him? “But, then again, I’ve never been about to lose my career.”

“Just go over there and explain the situation to her,” Kane said.

“Right now?” Benson looked at them like they were nuts.

“You only have a week to convince her. Time’s a-wasting,” Kane said.

“That’s a good point. No time to lose.”

“And you’re already dressed up,” Chase pointed out. “Now’s the perfect opportunity.”

“Here goes nothing,” Benson said. He crossed the room to where Tessa sat with Carrington, his two buddies whooping behind him.

“Hey, Tessa.”

She looked up at him, a smile crossing her beautiful face. “Oh, hey there, Benson. I was hoping to talk to you tonight. I wanted to ask you something.” Her dirty brown hair fell in soft waves around her face. She looked gorgeous in her blue bridesmaid dress.

“Do you want to take a walk outside with me?” he asked. “I’d like to speak with you about an opportunity in New York City.”

Tessa sat up straighter, like this information caught her attention. “Absolutely. I’ll be back in a bit, Carrington.”

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