Sinners Football 01- Goals for a Sinner Read Free Page B

Hell, he probably wouldn’t cross me again. I blacked his eye just before I threw him out.”
    “You and Dexter have…been together, Stephanie?”
    “Yes, I have no talent for finding honest men or keeping them. Okay? And about this Stephanie business: I have hated that name since the day I was born, and Steffie is even worse. Please call me Stevie. All the guys do.”
    “Okay, Stevie, then.” But Connor’s expression was one of sorrow, as if he had a hard time thinking of her by any other name than Stephanie after all these years.
    Joe Dean stirred with impatience like the hyperactive child he had once been. “Say Con, we ought to let Stevie get some rest and go and visit old Artie. He’s somewhere in this building, too. I need to see how he’s doing.”
    “I suspect your motives, Joe. How about we pass through the children’s ward and spread a little sunshine while we’re here,” the Rev suggested in his deep preacher’s voice.
    “Sure.” Connor Riley pushed reluctantly out of the room’s single chair. “I’ll come back to see you, Stephanie, ah…Stevie.”
    “Don’t worry about me. I’m as tough as these daisies.”
    “And just as sweet and pretty, too.” She laughed, shook her head “no” and instantly regretted the motion. “Go,” she said.
    On their way out, the three big men collided with a stocky fireplug of a woman bearing a large white teddy bear. She gave them a slight nod as they stepped aside and lit up with a big grin when she saw Stevie.
    “Stevie, baby doll, what have men done to you now?”
    “Jackie! How did you know?”
    Stevie watched the guys stop to listen in on their conversation. Joe Dean must’ve placed Stevie’s guest first because he said, “Jackie Haile, Ladies Professional Golf Tour, top money winner this year.” The Rev jabbed at Joe Dean with an elbow and Stevie almost laughed. “You follow women’s golf, do you? Kills the time while you warm the bench?”
    “Rev, I take an interest in women, even the ones not likely to be interested in me,” the second-string quarterback retorted.
    Jackie Haile, a blush pinking her cheeks, closed the door and sat in the chair. She snuggled the teddy bear under the covers next to Stevie. “Here’s someone to keep you company in bed since you won’t have none of me.”
    “Stop it, Jackie. You’re a great friend, but that’s all. Live with it. Now tell me how you got here.”
    “I was doing a charity tournament sponsored by one of the casinos down in Biloxi. Not a bad gig, great room, wonderful food, big-name entertainment as they say. I was having a cold one in the bar after my round, watching the Sinners’ game, and saw you get sacked. Knew it was you by the blonde ponytail flying up in the air even before they announced your name in the replays. Figured that must have hurt.
    So, I called around to a couple of New Orleans hospitals. When we got rained out, I rented a car, and here I am to cheer you up in your time of need.”
    “Thanks for coming, but what I really need is another painkiller for this head. See if you can get a nurse for me. I buzzed a while ago.” Jackie strode off into the hall to strong-arm a passing nurse into the room. None too happy about the abduction, the nurse read Stevie’s chart. “Sorry, Miss Dowd, you’ll have to wait another half hour for medication. I’ll be back then.” Stevie remembered not to shrug and instead, gritted her teeth.
    “Poor baby doll. Leave it to a pack of oversized boys to mess up the one photographer who ever took a pretty picture of me,” Jackie said sympathetically.
    “It wasn’t a pretty picture. It showed your powerful swing. It showed your power as a woman,” Stevie declared.
    “And the head shot showed my beautiful ears.
    No one but you ever noticed my ears. I think they are my best feature.” Jackie Haile smoothed back her close-cropped dark hair. Tiny gold hoops pierced the lobes of each of the small, nicely formed ears lying close to her head.