Marrying the quarterback

Chapter Nine

“What does AJ stand for?” Maxwell asked, stepping out of the car with a slight winch. “Abigail?”

I always found it amusing whenever my name bothered people—from a young age, people wanted to know if AJ was an acronym for a bunch of names.

I shook my head. “It’s just AJ, I don’t have more than two names bunched together from my parents who couldn’t decide.”

“You are quite the compelling person,” He said with a spark in his eyes.

“You’ll be happy to know that I am just an average person,” I enlightened him.

“Every person has a story,” He pointed out.

“Mine isn’t that interesting,” I assured him.

He didn’t seem to be convinced when we headed towards the house. “I am finding that hard to believe,”

My spidey senses were jumping all over the place when I lifted the keys to unlock the front door and found it open. I pulled out my gun when I heard movement coming from inside and raised my hand signalling for Maxwell to stay quiet and not follow me.

I pushed the door open with vigilance and move quietly over the floor in the darkness trying to spot anyone who didn’t belong there.

The lights flashed on and a combination of voices yelled altogether making me almost let off a gunshot. “Surprise!”

I stared at Maxwell’s teammates finding Kurt between them, clapping his hands at my reaction.

“What the hell, Dawson?” I grumbled, putting the safety clip back on my gun and slipping it into my pants.

“They want to surprise, Maxwell,” Kurt answered. “Don’t worry, I cleared it with the lieutenant,” He said bringing up his hands.

“You could have at least informed me so I didn’t blow off anyone’s heads,” I grumbled.

I went out to welcome Maxwell inside. “Your friends are throwing you a party,” I told him, gesturing to his teammates filling up the lounging room with their muscular forms and sizes.

Maxwell’s gaze was filled with glee when he found his teammates welcoming him inside with handshakes and bro-hugs.

Kurt held a sealed drink out to me.

“Did our CI from the media get in front of the story?” I asked, accepting the drink.

“Yes, and the agency isn’t very thrilled that our CI somehow got first dips of the pictures of you two honeymooning,” Kurt explained, showing me the so-called pictures.

“Whoever photoshopped those pictures did a great job,” I noted, scrolling through the pictures we modelled for.

“Yeah, they made you glamorous,” Kurt noted with an edge of amusement.

I punched his shoulder. “Are you trying to say I am not attractive without the hands of someone who edits photos?” I bantered.

He chuckled. “Nah, there is nothing wrong with you, Burgess. You know I look at you like you are my own daughter.”

I nodded. “How is Wendy?” Wendy was Kurt’s teenager and she was giving him the toughest battles of his life.

“She’s starting to apply for college and let’s say, her mom and I are having a tough time accepting her applications of colleges far from Ohio,” Kurt replied with a displeasing shake of his head.

I never had a parent to fight with me about my future decisions. My mom passed away right before I graduated from high school and I had to take care of my sister, Chris. We had no interest in living with our father since he estranged himself from us after the divorce.

I didn’t go to college right after school. The closest I have been to attending college was the police academy.

Chris at least got the chance. She was handed a bursary and went to medical school.

“She’s wondering when you are coming over for dinner,” Kurt acknowledged.

“Did you tell her it’s going to be a while?” My undercover is putting my normal life on hold until I solve this case.

“She knows about your undercover and going to know more about it since you and Maxwell is going to be on the front cover tomorrow,” Kurt expressed.

“Peachy,” I muttered.

“I am just going to see if I can place an order for food which Maxwell’s account will be held accountable for of course,” Kurt chuckled and let me go to see what Maxwell was craving for dinner.

“So, this is the famous Detective AJ Burgess,” Daniel Olsen, Maxwell’s left tackle, noted.

A few of his teammates turned to look at me and introduce themselves but I already knew every name and face—not because I studied their profiles for the case.

I was a fan of Maxwell’s team, have been watching their matches for years since I was raised by a football dad before he bailed on me.

I was a stupid kid wanting their father to love me but my dad loved his squad more than he loved me and Chris.

“AJ,” I lifted my gaze, finding my dad stepping over to me.

“I thought coaches don’t come to parties,” I acknowledged, trying to keep the hitch in my throat under control.

“Since they want to have a talk with their injure player,” My dad replied.

I shifted my eyes away from him to see Maxwell looking at me with curiosity.

“It’s been a while,” My dad noted.

He wasn’t even at the funeral when my mother passed away. “It’s been longer than a while,” I remarked, having a hard time controlling my emotions.

“Last I heard, you joined the military,” My dad acknowledged.

I nodded. “Marine Corp,” I corrected him.

“Now a detective,” He remarked.

I shrugged. “You can stay in contact with whoever is sharing the details of my life but you can’t stay in contact with your daughter,” I observed, acting calmly while I was spitting fire.

“AJ,”

“No, not here. Have your talk with your team, I am just going to order some food before they start eating each other,” I walked away meeting Kurt’s gaze who ended up comforting me.

I haven’t had a drink in a while and since I don’t have to be on the job for the next few months, I decided to throw a few shots down my throat to help me sustain the hatred oozing out from my chest.

I was aware we’ll be seeing each other since my father is Maxwell’s head coach and he has been alerted of my undercover. Kurt was the one who took my father’s testimony—Kurt is the only one who knows everything about my past and I was hoping to keep it that way but the determined look on Maxwell’s face gave me a good indication that he wasn’t going to leave it until he knows what is going on.