The Best Bride. Susan Mallery

playing.” She motioned to the field. A short dark-haired boy ran tenaciously after the ball. “You know how Karl is about sports.”

      He did know. Karl was one of his deputies. A former college football hero, Karl had hoped for a career in the pros. He had the heart but lacked speed. Amber had married him before the 49ers released him from his contract. Rumor had it she wasn’t happy about being cheated out of her role as the professional football player’s wife. Travis couldn’t confirm the rumors, but the last two times he’d stopped Amber for speeding, she’d offered to pay her ticket with something other than cash. He’d refused. Even if Karl hadn’t been his subordinate and a friend, Travis didn’t dally with married women.

      “My husband’s working today,” she said, moving down closer to where he was sitting. “But then you know that, don’t you? Are you going to be at all the practices? They take a couple of hours, don’t they?” She moved closer and smiled. “Maybe we could get a cup of coffee, or something.”

      It was the “something” that had him worried. “Thanks, but I don’t think so, Amber. I’d rather stay with the kids.”

      Her perfect features twisted into a snarl. “I always knew your reputation was a lot of hype, Travis. Figures there’d be nothing hot in this crappy little town.” She jumped off the bleachers and stalked away.

      It was starting to make sense, he thought, remembering how distracted Karl had been lately. Amber must be making his life hell. He grimaced. Looks like the Haynes boys weren’t the only ones who couldn’t keep their marriages together.

      He returned his attention to the field. The coach was trying to set up drills for the kids. It wasn’t working. Travis thought about volunteering his services, but he was already committed to a pint-size football team. In a couple of weeks the practices would overlap.

      Mandy continued to run back and forth, laughing as she tried to kick the ball. Her smile made him think of her mother.

      Life wasn’t fair. Amber was ready to get involved in an affair. She would understand it for what it was and not expect more of him. He hadn’t had a woman in months, so he should have been tempted. But Amber didn’t do a thing for him. Not to mention the fact that she was married. He shrugged. He had a bad feeling that even if Amber had been single, he wouldn’t have been interested.

      Elizabeth, on the other hand, could turn him on in a heartbeat. She was single but not available, and certainly not the type a man played around with. If it wasn’t for that damned feeling he got when he was around her—the sense of belonging—he could put her out of his mind.

      But instead of trying to not think about her, he recalled their kiss. Hot and perfect. She’d gone all soft in his arms, holding on, kissing him back. His chest still burned where her breasts had pressed against him. She’d tasted sweet and ready. God knows he’d been ready. Even thinking about it made his jeans uncomfortable. He shifted on the bench and glanced at the kids still playing. Think about something else, Haynes, he told himself.

      I’m not who you think I am. Her words haunted him. What could they mean? She said she wasn’t married, and he didn’t think she was a liar. So what was it? Damn. He should have made her tell him. Barring that, he should have kissed her again, kissed her until neither of them cared about her mystery, or anything but the feelings they generated when they were together.

      A white sheriff’s car pulled up, distracting him. He stood and stretched, then walked over to the vehicle. Kyle stepped out and walked around the car.

      “What’s up?” Travis asked.

      Kyle shook his head. “Nothing’s up. I called the house and Elizabeth said you were here.” Kyle grinned. “Is she as pretty as she sounds?”

      “What happened to Lisa?”

      Kyle leaned against the car and folded his arms over his chest. “We broke up.”

      “You dumped her.”

      “Yeah. I guess.”

      Travis studied his twenty-eight-year-old brother. He’d been the one hardest hit by their mother’s leaving. He was six-two, lean, with the Haynes dark hair, eyes and good looks. Girls, women and old ladies loved him. He dumped them all before they could dump him.

      “What happened this time?” Travis asked.

      “You know, same old thing. She wasn’t right. So tell me about Elizabeth. I heard from Louise that she’s really pretty. And about my age.”

      “Don’t even think about it,” Travis growled.

      Kyle grinned. “Jealous, old man? That’s a first.”

      “I’m not jealous. Elizabeth is going through some things right now and she doesn’t need to get involved with a Romeo like you.”

      Kyle leaned forward and mockingly punched him in the stomach. Travis feinted right and shot back a jab of his own.

      “You’ve got it bad, big brother. The lady has you hogtied with luvvvv.”

      “It’s been less than two weeks. We’re just…friends.”

      Kyle dropped his arms to his side. “Sell it somewhere else. I recognize the signs. You’ll be parking your slippers under her bed by the end of the month.”

      Travis shoved his hands into his jeans front pockets. “It’s not what you think, Kyle. I like her.” How long had it been since he’d admitted that to himself or anyone else?

      Kyle’s good humor faded. His mouth pulled straight and his eyes darkened with sadness. “I guess that means you’re going to stay away from her, huh?”

      “I don’t have much choice.”

      “The Haynes curse.” Kyle turned and braced his forearms on the top of the marked sedan. “We’re all pretty bright. You’d think we’d have figured out a way to break the thing.”

      “You keep trying.”

      “Not anymore. I’m giving up on women.”

      “That’ll last about a minute.” He looked out at the field and watched Mandy play. She saw him and waved then went back to her game. “We make a sorry group, Kyle.”

      “That we do. And we’re contagious. Austin was probably normal before we got ahold of him.”

      Travis shook his head. “I don’t think so. Austin had trouble before he ever got to Glenwood. Maybe the five of us should start a twelve-step program. Hi, my name is Travis, and I don’t know how to make a relationship work.”

      Kyle pushed off the car and stepped into the street. “Let me know if it helps. Are we on for the game this Sunday?”

      Kyle, Austin and whichever of his other two brothers were around usually came over to watch football in the fall. He’d canceled last week because of Elizabeth.

      “Sure. She’s feeling better.”

      “So I will get to meet her.” Kyle’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.

      “Yeah, but watch yourself.”

      “I will.”

      Travis watched his brother open his car door. Before he stepped inside, Travis called, “Wait a minute.” He walked around the hood of the vehicle and hesitated. “Can you run a name for me?”

      “Sure. Who?”

      He shouldn’t do this. If Elizabeth found out, she would be furious. Worse, she would be hurt. She’d said she hadn’t done anything illegal, but what if she’d been lying? He didn’t want to think that of her, but there was obviously something she wasn’t telling him.

      He pulled a pad of paper out of his back pocket and borrowed Kyle’s pen. He vacillated another second, then wrote the name “Sam Proctor” down and handed Kyle the sheet.

      “Call me if you find anything.