The Ex Project by Nia Arthurs

Chapter Thirty-Two

“It was a mistake!”Tank yelled from the phone.

Early morning sunshine blasted through Duane’s windows and made him wince. Which made him lose his grip on the phone. Which made the device fall face-down on the empty side of the bed.

Duane rolled over with a groan and adjusted the phone so it balanced on his shoulder. “Tank, what time is it?”

“My contact said Azueta was frantically trying to rectify your situation yesterday.”

“Mm.”

“Did you hear me, Marden?”

Tank’s words finally got through Duane’s sleep-addled brain. He shot up, his chest heaving and his hair wild around his face. “You’re saying the ban got lifted already?”

“Not only did they scrub the violation completely out of your files, you now have a signed contract with the government to host as many tournaments as your little heart desires.”

Duane’s head started spinning. “What time is it?”

“Why are you still asking about the damn time?” Tank yelled.

He checked his watch. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours. You’re saying Azueta went from being out for blood to suddenly making peace? That doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Something’s off, Tank. Maybe it’s a trick.”

“It’s legit.”

“Give me a reason I’ll believe.”

“According to my contact, Azueta is claiming someone went behind his back and targeted you.”

“Does he think I’m stupid? No one else would have that kind of authority.”

“I’m only telling you what my contact heard. The office is apologizing profusely.”

“And Azueta?”

“He’s distancing himself from this stink like a cat running from a bath.”

Duane swung his legs off the bed and pressed them into the cold, hardwood floor. He ran a hand through his messy hair, making the blond strands stand up in tufts.

“Duane, this is good news.”

“It just feels…”

“Unbelievable?”

“Contrived.” He scrunched his nose. “We didn’t even fight properly.”

“You’re sad because you won a battle with zero casualties? How bored are you?”

Tank had a point. The results were all that mattered, right? Still, something about how neatly it wrapped up egged at him. Why had Azueta ignored all his emails and calls to his office yesterday if there had truly been a mistake?

“Do I need to sign the contract?”

“Yes, but give me an hour or so to negotiate. I’ll make sure the contract’s worded in a way that no administration can tamper with.”

“I don’t want to strong-arm the next administration, Tank.”

“We’ll follow all the laws. It’s not going to be a shady deal. We just can’t have anyone stomping in and hauling the rug under your feet over a personal grievance. It’s better to close any loopholes now.”

“Alright. And thanks.”

“Man, don’t thank me. I’m just doing my part to make a difference.”

“Don’t make me cry,” Duane joked.

“Shut up.” Tank chuckled. “Unlike you, I wasn’t big enough to play in the pro leagues, but football was my dream too. I had to give up doing what I loved to feed my family, but if I had someone like you in my corner, maybe I would have been able to take care of my bills doing what I love.”

Duane lifted his chin. “We’ll make it happen.”

“I know we will.”

After hanging up with Tank, Duane automatically dialed Yolanda to share the good news. Just before pressing the call button, he stopped. News this big needed to be delivered face-to-face.

Tossing the phone, Duane got ready for the day, stopped for Tay-Tay’s favorite breakfast and headed over to Yolanda’s place.

Twenty minutes later, he parked his car outside the stately house. Made of both glass and cement, it was a startling ode to Belizean architecture. The large windows let in tons of light and the extensive front lawn boasted a football net.

Duane was impressed. Growing up, his childhood home had been small and cramped. Spending time with each other was a given since there was nowhere to run and be alone. Yolanda’s house seemed a bit much for two people, but he was happy as long as she was.

Duane leaned against his car and called his woman, staring up at her window.

Her voice carried a delicious husk. “Hello?”

“Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey,” she rasped.

Duane’s body zipped with heat as he imagined Yolanda in bed, her hair tousled and her fingers gripping the sheets. It would be even better if her fingers were tangled in his hair and her leg was thrown over his, but he could wait.

“It’s me.”

“Duane.” The soft, delectable way she whispered his name felt new. It made his heart patter.

“Say my name again,” he growled.

She sighed and a shot of adrenaline ran straight down to his pants.

“Duane,” she whispered.

He leaned his head back and groaned.

She laughed. “I dreamed about you.”

“From the way you’re purring at me, I can tell what kind of dream it was.”

Her laughter, this time, was lower and richer. It made him want to scale the side of the house like an idiot and serenade her from the balcony.

“I’m outside.”

“You are?” She sounded excited rather than unnerved. That was a good sign.

“Can you come out for a minute? I brought breakfast.”

“If you brought breakfast, you can come in.”

He went still.

“Duane?”

“Tay-Tay’s going to see us.”

“Tay-Tay’s going to love eating breakfast with his coach.”

Emotions clogged his throat. Duane didn’t believe men should cry, but it was getting hard to follow his own rule. Taking this huge step on the day his problems with Azueta magically disappeared was almost overwhelming.

“Are you for real?” He saw movement in the window and found Yolanda looking down at him. The sunshine caressed her dark face and made her seem like a fairy creature. She wore a silk bonnet and a soft, serene smile.

“Come up here and find out.”

He scrambled up the stairs.

She was there, dressed in a soft silk nightgown that draped her curves and made his body hard.

“Tay-Tay’s still sleeping,” she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck. “Can you be quiet?” Her lips skated over his chin and down to his throat. Deft fingers undid his belt. “And quick?”

He was going to die.

Gripping her wrist, he pushed her hands away and devoured her mouth. They skidded back. He shoved her into the stairs, his body throbbing so hard he felt like he’d faint.

“I can be quiet, but I can’t promise I’ll be quick.”

Her eyes flashed and he could tell that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

“When does he usually wake up?” Duane teased the tie holding her robe.

“He’d sleep all morning if I don’t wake him.”

“I don’t need all morning,” he growled, hefting her up.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, smiling and kissing him as he swept her into her bedroom and locked the door.

* * *

Duane whistledat football practice and couldn’t stop grinning, even when his kids fouled the ball and made rookie mistakes. He couldn’t concentrate on their form or the sloppy way they followed the game plan.

Hell, he barely registered when practice was over, and parents started picking up their kids.

Tay-Tay was the one who broke him out of his trance. “Coach.”

He felt the little boy’s gaze and glanced down with a smile that was a little wider and a little warmer than the one he gave his other players. “Need something?”

“Mom is making tacos tonight. She says we should invite you since you brought breakfast.”

“That sounds awesome.” Duane knelt to get at Tay-Tay’s level.

“She said you might be coming around more in the next few months.”

“Are you okay with that?” Duane asked hesitantly. That morning, he snuck into Yolanda’s room to enjoy some adult time and then snuck back down to knock on the door and pretend he was just arriving.

Sneaking around was not in his blood and Duane felt odd about the pretense. Especially when Tay-Tay hadn’t appeared to buy their explanation. It didn’t surprise him. Even a blind man would have seen the shy smiles he and Yolanda kept exchanging.

“Of course I’m okay with that.” Tay-Tay looked at him askew as if there was nothing strange with them sitting down for meals together. “You’re going to help me learn that trick I saw online after dinner, right?”

Duane’s heart melted straight to his toes. “You bet.”

“Yes!” Tay-Tay pumped his fist.

Duane placed his palm on the boy’s head in an affectionate manner.

“Tay-Tay!” A gruff shout made Duane whip his head around and caused the little boy to jolt. Duane saw Devon stomping toward them, his eyes full of fire and his lips twisted in a sneer. “Let’s go!”

Tay-Tay winced. “Bye, coach.”

Duane straightened and glared at Yolanda’s ex. His first instinct was to call Devon out on his tone. Tay-Tay wasn’t a dog to be commanded around. But he sucked in a breath and told himself that he’d have to see Devon for the rest of his life now that he and Yolanda were official. It didn’t make sense to pick fights with him.

“Can we talk?” Duane asked.

“About what?”

He glanced at Tay-Tay. “In private.”

Though he didn’t look that enthused, Devon followed him to another part of the field and folded his arms over his chest.

Duane ignored his hostility and kept his tone pleasant. “I wanted to apologize for the football game.”

“You and your apology can go screw yourselves.”

Duane’s temper spiked, but he tamped it down and remained civil. “We might not like each other, but we share one thing in common.” Duane nodded at the bleachers where Tay-Tay was watching them closely. “We both love that little boy and want what’s best for him.”

“You really think you’re some white savior, don’t you?”

Duane was ethnically Hispanic, but he didn’t think Devon would care.

“We have nothing in common because Tay-Tay is not and will never be your son. So enjoy your little fling with Yolanda, but she will never be your woman.”

The irritation was getting a little harder to pin down now, but Duane continued to make a valiant effort. “Devon—”

“Look, I don’t want to hear it. I told Yolanda during our date last night. She can have her little fun with you. When you move on and realize raising someone else’s kid ain’t for you, I’ll be right here to have my family’s back.” Devon slapped his chest. “Because that’s what I do.”

Duane’s eyes whipped up to Devon’s. “What date last night?”

“Didn’t she tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Wow,” Devon covered his mouth and stepped back as if the joke was too great for him to handle alone, “that’s rough. Yollie, how could you do the man like that.” He spoke to the air. “Terrible.”

Duane’s stomach tightened with unease. He refused to beg for an explanation, but he didn’t need to.

Devon was eager to share.

“Yolanda and I went out to eat last night. Just the two of us. I took her to this fancy place that serves mean pasta.”

Duane smiled painfully. “A co-parenting meeting is not a date.”

“It was a date. You can ask her.”

Pain flashed in his chest and Duane blinked rapidly.

Devon couldn’t be right. Not a chance in hell.

He thought of the way Yolanda had moaned when he was working her body this morning. Thought of the way her fingers dug into his shoulders. The way her hips moved in tandem with his.

He’d looked into her eyes as he moved with her because he wanted her to see that he was there. That he was with her. That she was the only woman he would ever want.

And she’d looked back. Whispered his name.

She’d made him feel like he was the only man for her too.

“You’re mistaken.” Duane’s jaw clenched.

“Ask her yourself,” Devon taunted. “And let’s see if you’ll be back on your high horse.”

Battling a helplessness that he couldn’t name, Duane stormed past Devon.

“Coach,” Tay-Tay called to him.

Duane’s smile trembled. “I’ll see you later tonight, alright?”

Tay-Tay brightened and nodded.

Duane let his smile drop as he strode past the child. He’d go to Yolanda tonight and he’d make sure he got his answers.