Page 34 of Playing For Keeps

“You still care about Stacey, right?” she asked.

“Of course, I care about Stacey, I wanted to marry her but she wouldn’t let me in,” he said.

“Well, we need your help to keep them away from her if I can’t convince Jake to keep her out of the building until they’re done with the construction of the stage.”

“What…why?” Walker asked, his brows knitting together tightly.

“She’s got restraining orders against all of them.”

“Jesus, so you want me to what?” he question, his jaw tightening showing he truly was concerned about Stacey.

“We’re going to get them to overhear you moping about Stacey dumping you and then you’re going to make sure they continue to talk about it until the cops get here and hopefully, we can let them hang themselves enough to get them out of here,” Gary offered. “I’m going to up the ante with a faceoff for the TV with Jake.”

“Alright,” he agreed then looked at Emma. “You gonna tell me why she has the restraining orders?”

“Probably better you don’t know and as far as you and Stacey, I’m sorry. She’s amazing and has the biggest heart in the world she’s just…”

“Not in love with me,” he stated sadly.

“Yeah, but you’re not the only one,” Emma said giving him a sad smile.

“I know, but is there something going on with her and Jake? Because she’s been different lately, there’s this spark in her that was never there when we were together.”

“I doubt that one,” Beau said with a laugh. “Jake’s not the type to go for a relationship and I doubt the girl is the type for a one or two night stand.”

“Can we talk about this later?” Emma asked.

“Yup you guys head that way and I’ll go find Jake and Stacey,” Gary said heading out. He sent a tweet out and laughed when Jake responded calling him out. He reached the parking lot of Stacey’s office building and made his way over to Jake and the TV crew. He drew him aside slightly as the crew prepared to record them.

“What’s going on Gary?” Jake asked.

“Has Stacey mentioned anything about three guys and restraining orders?”

“No, why?” he questioned as his gut tightened.

“Because Emma freaked out not five minutes after you two had left when the crew came in to set up the stage. Three of the guys she has orders against and Emma’s worried that they’re planning something.”

“So, you wanted to up the profile of our wager in order to keep Stacey away?”

“Figured she’s got enough going on right now she doesn’t need to mess with the guy who according to her best friend held a knife to her throat.”

“What?” he hissed as his eyes flashed with murder.

“Guess that answers the question of whether or not something’s going on between the two of you,” Gary laughed.

“Stacey isn’t some girl that I’m messing around with.”

“According to your teammates, you don’t do a whole lot of messing around.”

“Do I sleep with anything with a pulse no. I’m not about to risk my career for a bit of fun between the sheets.”

“So, you’re not sleeping with the delectable woman heading our way? Because if you’re not, then I’m not going to give up.”

“Cee’s my girl, she’s always been my girl. She was mine from the moment I worked up the courage to ask the stunning girl who’d been constantly on my mind to the championship game after we won state inhigh school.”

“What,” he said lifting an eyebrow. “You two…no way.”

“As soon as this stupid charity event is over I plan on letting the entire world know that she’s mine, that I was the biggest idiot in the world when I didn’t show up at the church and marry her the way I wanted to.”

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