I grinned back at her. “Awww, Darcy, that’s so sweet of you to say. And I’m sure that you really mean it, and you’re not sweet-talking me into covering hours while you’re on your honeymoon.”
“Hey, I don’t have to sweet-talk anyone for that. I’m using my accrued time off for that, and I have zero regrets. How you all decide to work out the coverage is up to y’all.” She paused before adding, “Now, it’s entirely that it’s the pregnancy hormones getting me all soft and mushy about having you back, but I can’t be held responsible for that. This is what happens when you’re making up for lost time with a super sexy football player.” She patted her small bump and then pointed at me. “You’ve been warned. I assume you and Noah are, uh, getting re-acquainted after your trip. Be very careful, or you’ll end up with all these stupid feelings coursing throughyourbloodstream.”
A twinge of discomfort hit me square in the solar plexus. “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”
Darcy’s brow knit together. “Why not? What’s wrong?”
Picking up a pen, I twirled it between my fingers. Darcy and I were friends, and I enjoyed working with her. At the same time, we weren’t quite as close as Jenny and I were, probably because Darcy had always lived here in Harper Springs. Jenny and I had bonded over being newcomers.
Still, Darcy was someone I liked and trusted. The fact that she was about to get married to one of Noah’s teammates—the same guy who’d knocked her up—did make me just the slightest bit hesitant to spill my guts, though.
“I just don’t know if Noah and I are going to make it in the long run,” I finally admitted. “I haven’t actually seen him since I’ve been back.”
Darcy quirked an eyebrow. “Are you serious? God, if I’d been away from Jackson for two weeks, we wouldn’t have made it out of the airport parking lot without ripping off each other’s clothes.”
“Well, it hasn’t exactly been easy,” I defended myself. “They’re in the middle of training camp. Noah can’t just walk away because I happened to get home from vacation.” I didn’t mention that he’d offered to do just that when we’d talked a few days ago. “His focus needs to be on getting ready for the preseason games, and mine has to be on catching up on my work here. We’ll see each other soon enough.”
Darcy stared at me in silence for a few seconds, frowning. “Maybe you’re right, Emma. Maybe Noah isn’t the one for you. Because while I understand your point about you both having busy lives, you could’ve driven to Tampa after work and been at his house when he got home. That’s what I’ve been doing every day after work. And didn’t you get home two days before you came back to the hospital?”
That particular piece of information wasn’t something I’d shared with Noah, mostly because I knew that if he’d had an inkling that I was back in the state, he’d have shown up at my cabin on the double. I squirmed a little.
“Yes, okay, you’re right. And that’s exactly why I’m second-guessing everything when it comes to Noah and me.” I leaned back in my chair. “Let me ask you a question. Doesn’t the whole football wife thing bother you? The idea that you’re supposed to live for the team? And what about the press? I’ve seen your picture with Jackson online, so you know what I’m talking about. Doesn’t it make you crazy?”
Darcy lifted one shoulder. “The wholefootball wife thingas you call it—no. It doesn’t bother me, because at the end of the day, if I’m Jackson’s wife, I don’t care what he’s doing. He could be a television repairman, a door-to-door salesman, or an auto mechanic, and I’d be just as blissfully happy. But I know football is a huge part of who he is. He’s played the game as long as I’ve known him, and if getting on board with the other families is something that makes his life better, I don’t mind. They’re not a bad bunch of women. If you get to know them, you find out that they all have their own careers and interests, too.”
I felt a little guilty. “I’m sorry, Darcy. I wasn’t trying to run down women who are married to football players, but I guess that’s what it sounded like.”
She nodded. “As far as the press deal . . . do I love it? Do I enjoy being out at a restaurant and knowing people are whispering about how hot Jackson is and wondering why he picked me when he could have any woman? Do I love seeing some pretty damn awkward poses online or in the papers? No, I don’t. But at the end of the day, it’s part of our lives right now. It won’t always be this way. And I’m getting used to it. Jackson is worth that effort.” Her face pinked a little. “Plus, Jackson does everything he can to make things easier for me. He even told me that if I hated being part of the football world, he’d retire. Which is just crazy, because he’s at the pinnacle of his career, but he’d do that for me. So how can I do anything less than support him as much as I can?”
It struck me that at the core of Darcy’s words was one solid beam of fact: she loved Jackson so much that she’d do whatever it took to make their life together better, and he lovedherso much that he’d give up his love for football in order to be with her. Their relationship reminded me more of how Noah and Angela had been than of how Noah and I were.
And that probably gave me all the answer I needed when it came to what should happen between Noah and me.
I stood up and bent over to give Darcy a swift, tight hug. “You and Jackson are complete relationship goals, and I’m totally jealous.” Straightening, I added, “I know I don’t have to ask you not to say anything to anyone about our conversation—I mean, about Noah and me. I’d never put you in the position of keeping something from Jackson, but I also don’t want to make him uncomfortable around Noah.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. Jackson wouldn’t want to know. And to be honest, right now all those guys care about is the team, the season, and the first few preseason games.”
“Thanks, Darcy. I appreciate it.” I turned to leave, but when she spoke again, I paused.
“You’re going to talk to Noah, though, right? And soon?”
“Yes.” I heaved a long sigh. “I keep putting it off, telling myself he doesn’t need the distraction and I don’t have the time, but yeah, I need to clear the air.”
“Good.” She nodded emphatically. “And once you do—what about Deacon?”
A bubble of apprehension rose within me. “What do you mean?”
“C’mon, Emma. Everyone around here can feel the sexual energy between the two of you. When you’ve ended things with Noah, are you and Deacon going to give it another try?”
I shook my head. “One thing has nothing to do with the other. I’m not breaking up with Noah because I’m hot for Deacon. This isn’t some soap opera love triangle.”
One side of Darcy’s mouth curled. “Okay, honey. You keep telling yourself that.”
I wanted to stomp my foot and tell her that she was wrong, but I was a little afraid that she’d see it as a case of protesting too much. Instead, I cleared my throat.
“I’m going to see Mr. Brewer. See you later, Darcy.”
As I walked away, my chin high, I ignored her laughter behind me.
