Agent of the Heart: A Small-Town Romance
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Synopsis
A successful sports agent searching for family. A woman at a crossroads in her career. Two people from very different worlds who meet—and find they need one another desperately ...
Jace Tanner, who owns a top sports management agency in Dallas, longs to reconnect with the brother he was separated from when they were small children. He hires an investigator to locate Eli after his adopted parents pass on. Upon learning that Eli serves as the medical director of a hospital in the small town of Hawthorne, Texas, Jace decides to reach out, meeting Eli on his wedding day.
Darby Montgomery is the bride's cousin, visiting her former hometown and ready to change careers after ten years. An opportunity to teach at her alma mater gives Darby the chance she's been looking for, but crossing paths with Jace leaves her utterly confused. She believes they are too different from one another to pursue a romantic relationship—but Jace is ready to try and convince Darby that she's wrong.
Drawn to Darby's positive outlook and outgoing, friendly nature, Jace thinks he's finally found a woman who can hold his interest—and his heart. As he sees his brother's happiness, Jace begins to want the same for himself.
As Jace and Darby's relationship blossoms, they must navigate the challenges of balancing their professional lives with their growing feelings for one another. Jace opens up about his past and tries to overcome his fears of setting down with one woman. Darby, on the other hand, thinks they ultimately want different things out of life, and she is reluctant to risk her heart, while desperate to ignore the chemistry between them.
Will Jace and Darby set aside their differences and take a leap of faith, finding the courage to choose each other?
Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston's Agent of the Heart, the third book in Hearts in Hawthorne.
Release date: August 12, 2025
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
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Agent of the Heart: A Small-Town Romance
Alexa Aston
PROLOGUE
Dallas—February
Jace Tanner studied the computer screen in front of him, reviewing the marketing plan Penny Hiller had put together for Tevin Wakeland, one of their biggest clients. Tevin was the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions and had recently signed with Touchdown Talent Management, the sports agency Jace had founded with Mark Walton five years ago. TTM had just helped Tevin land the highest-paying contract for an NFL quarterback, and they were now looking into various marketing opportunities for the twenty-five-year-old out of LSU.
He texted Penny to come see him, and she arrived at his office in less than two minutes, along with Steve Butler, TTM’s graphics guy and social media expert.
Rising, Jace motioned them to the table in the corner of his downtown Dallas office. The entire wall was made of glass, and the view was nothing less than spectacular. The three took seats.
“The shoe contract and athleisure wear endorsements are solid fits for Tevin,” he began. “But I like the new additions. The airline and the watch company have potential. What Tevin will really like is the opportunity to partner with the city of Detroit on municipal playgrounds and the natatorium. This is a guy who likes to give back to his community. Detroit has embraced him these last three years, and he wants to show them some love.”
He let Penny run through the details of the product endorsements and signed off on that. The contracts would go to Mark now since he was the lawyer. Jace was more the face of TTM, charming clients and pulling in new business, as well as overseeing all aspects other than contracts. Even those he read through and tweaked with Mark before they presented them to their clients. After interning, working for two other sports management companies, and then founding TTM, he had plenty of experience in reading contracts and contributing salient points to them.
Then the three of them brainstormed ideas regarding Tevin’s partnering with the city. Not only would the quarterback become the face of the community in Detroit, his charity would fund the bulk of the city’s playgrounds and pools. This was one athlete who put his money where his mouth was. Tevin would earn millions from his new deal, but he would also sink millions back into Detroit’s youth.
“When can we meet with Tevin?” asked Steve.
“I’ll get back to you on that,” Jace said. “But he’s very happy with what you’ve done with his Instagram, and he really likes the new website design for his charity.”
Steve looked pleased. “Good to know.”
“While I have you here, let’s chat briefly about DeMarcus Green.”
Penny grinned. “TTM landing DeMarcus as a client was a real coup, Jace. DeMarcus is bound to go number one in the April NFL draft.”
“It’s all about guiding champions from the field to the spotlight,” he said, parroting TTM’s tagline. “Good work. Get with Mark on the contracts, Penny. I want to go in with a solid idea of what DeMarcus will accept.”
“How soon do you want these done?”
“Yesterday,” he replied, his standard answer since sports management was all about timing.
The pair left, and Elena Arturo entered his office. He’d convinced her to leave the previous agency they both worked for and help him start up TTM. She was bright, attractive, and detail-oriented. She also kept him on track. All roads to Jace went through Elena, and she was the best watchdog he could have looking after him.
“You have someone here to see you. Erasmus Crawford. No appointment, but he said it’s urgent.”
An odd feeling washed over him. Jace had hired the private investigator over six months ago. He had no website. No internet presence at all. His referrals all came from discreet, word-of-mouth referrals. Crawford had worked for the biggest movers and shakers in Dallas, as well as the richest ones. He charged outrageous prices, ones which his clients were all too willing to pay, all in the name of maintaining privacy. A person came to a guy like Crawford because they wanted no trace of what they wanted done.
In Jace’s case, he’d asked Crawford to find his older brother. When a client had mentioned Crawford, Jace was all over it, meeting with the PI and giving him next to nothing to go on. Jace and Eli had been separated when he was three and Eli maybe a couple of years older. He hadn’t even known his original last name to give Crawford. All he had were brief flashes of his older brother trying to protect him. Sharing food with him. Sleeping inside a closet to hide from someone who would hit them. He’d guessed his brother’s name was Eli, simply because he could remember saying E-Wi.
That was all Crawford had to go on. Jace’s adopted parents were dead. They’d only told him he was adopted after he had graduated from high school. The Texas birth certificate they had was the one given to them after the adoption, reflecting they were Jace’s parents. He knew he was adopted in Texas and hoped the same had happened to Eli. Jace made a point of remaining in Texas to go to college and even after graduation, he passed up better work opportunities in New York and L.A. to remain in Texas, all because he wanted to stay in case he ever found Eli. He’d looked on his own for years, finding next to nothing, before calling in Erasmus Crawford, who hadn’t even sent him a single text in all these months.
“Have him come in,” he told Elena. “What do I have coming up?”
“Nothing until after lunch. A one o’clock call.” She named the client.
“Have all the paperwork ready to go.”
She gave him one of her patented Elena looks. “The folder is sitting on your desk, Jace. Everything’s summarized for you.”
“As always, thanks. No calls while Crawford is here. Thanks.”
Elena left. Jace wondered if he should stand. The sudden nerves racing through him were unlike anything he’d ever felt. His gut told him that Crawford had found Eli. Or whatever his name was now. Jace’s parents had changed his name to Jason. They’d had a son named Jason who’d drowned, and his adopted mom hadn’t been able to have any more children. Even as a small boy, he’d rejected being called Jason, preferring to shorten it to Jace. After he stumbled across old pictures and learned of the first Jason Tanner, it had creeped him out that he had been given the dead boy’s same name.
He had respected his parents’ wishes, though, and not looked for his brother until after their deaths in a plane crash after his junior year of college.
His assistant appeared again, ushering the investigator into Jace’s office, asking, “Anything to drink, Mr. Crawford?”
“Just Crawford. I go by it. Erasmus was my grandfather. I beat up a lot of kids on the playground for making fun of it. Then I simplified things and just went by my last name starting in third grade.”
“Even your teachers called you Crawford?” Elena asked.
“Especially my teachers. I’d have a little talk with them at the beginning of each school year, and they addressed me as Crawford.”
Elena rewarded the PI with a smile. “Good for you, Crawford. Drink?”
He waved her away. “Nah. I’m good.” He made his way toward Jace as Elena closed the door, a manila folder in his hand, piquing Jace’s curiosity.
Standing, he offered his hand. “Take a seat, Crawford. It’s nice to finally hear from you.”
Crawford shrugged. “I told you I’d be in contact when I had something. Well, I finally do.” He opened the manila folder and picked up a picture, passing it to Jace. “Eli Carson.”
Hearing the name Carson set off a bell inside him. There was a familiarity to it. He turned his attention to the photo, staring at it a long time, little tingles zipping through him. It was a formal portrait, probably one off some website for whatever company Eli worked at.
“I should say Dr. Eli Carson,” Crawford continued. “Six feet even. Medium brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Runs daily.” He passed a second picture to Jace, one which was full body length. “You can tell he’s got a runner’s body. Lean. Hungry.”
He looked at it and then back at the first photo, trying to recall the small boy his brother had been, wondering if he could see any of that boy in this grown man.
“Tell me everything you’ve learned, including why you think this is my brother.”
“I guarantee he is. I snagged a coffee cup he drank from. Ran the DNA. He’s a definite match for you, Mr. Tanner.”
“Jace,” he corrected absent-mindedly, still gazing intently at the photo. “You said Carson. That pulls at a memory. I think that was my name. Before the adoption.” He paused. “That means Eli was never adopted.”
“Right,” the PI confirmed. “Eli Carter went into the system at age five. Wanted to stay with his three-year-old brother, but that request was not honored. Your mother was an addict. Lost her parental rights. No father ever in the picture.”
“Alcohol or drugs?”
“Both.”
Jace barely touched alcohol and had never tried drugs. Something in the back of his mind had told him he was given up because one or both parents were addicts. He was too driven to let some addiction get in his way.
“What else?”
“He skipped a couple of grades in elementary school and then skipped another one. Graduated high school at fourteen. Rice at seventeen. Med school at twenty. Board certified in family medicine. He’s worked in the ER of a large Houston hospital for seven years. Promoted to head of ER several years ago.”
“Have you talked to anyone at that hospital?” he asked eagerly.
“I did. Dr. Carson is well liked by staff and patients alike. He’s dedicated. Knowledgeable. A little on the quiet side but can take command of a situation when necessary.”
“Any family?”
“None.”
They had that in common. Jace worked long hours, rarely taking any time off. Vacation wasn’t in his vocabulary. Sure, he dated. It was important at times to have a beautiful woman on his arm at different events he attended, but he had never been seriously involved with any woman. Something had started to nag at him recently, and he knew he wanted more than the business life he led. It was what had urged him to seek out Eli.
And a little voice kept whispering in his ear how much he’d like a wife and family.
“You haven’t spoken to Eli, though, have you?”
“No. Your instructions were clear on that, Jace. Find your brother. Find out all I could about him.” He passed the manila folder to Jace. “Everything I’ve learned is in here. I followed him around for a few days to see what his habits are like. From all appearances, he’s a good guy. I think you’ll hit it off if you contact him.”
Jace flipped through the file, looking at Crawford’s notes. Checking the DNA test. Skimming interviews with several people.
“I know you asked those you spoke with to keep things confidential, but someone is bound to say something to him.”
“True. Which is why you should talk to him. I’ve listed his cell phone number so you can do that.”
He couldn’t call. Already, he knew he was going to be tongue-tied around his big brother. And to have to tell Eli that he got adopted when Eli had spent years in foster care would be a hard pill for his brother to swallow. He might not want anything to do with Jace.
But he could go see him. Talk face-to-face.
Standing, he offered his hand. “Thank you, Crawford. You’ve done a really thorough job. You had very little to go on, and yet you found Eli.”
“I told you I would do it. It just took time.” The investigator stood and took Jace’s hand, shaking it. “You’ll be receiving my bill. If you have a heart attack when you see the number owed, tell that pretty admin to pay it before you kick the bucket.”
He laughed. “I’ll do that.”
After Crawford left, Jace got on his computer. He looked up the Houston hospital where Eli worked. He was right. The staff picture was the one Crawford had first showed him. A restless feeling passed over him, causing him to make an instant decision.
Buzzing Elena, she came in. “What’s up?”
“Book me on the next available flight to Houston.”
Without asking what he was up to, she asked, “And your return?”
“Open. I’ll probably fly back tonight.”
She looked at her watch. “I’ll have your car service pick you up downstairs. Head to Love Field. I’ll text you your details.”
He left the office before he lost his courage. By the time he got downstairs, his car and driver were waiting for him.
“No luggage, Mr. Tanner?”
“Not this trip.”
Before they reached the airport, Elena sent him his flight number and time. He checked in and went through security and to his gate. While he waited for his plane to arrive and its passengers to disembark, he spent his time on his phone, answering emails. Elena had sent one, outlining the meetings she’d rescheduled for the rest of the day. She’d also cancelled all his meetings for tomorrow on the off-chance he wouldn’t make it back tonight. His admin was worth every penny he paid her—and then some.
After he boarded, he turned off his cell and closed his eyes. Jace had the uncanny ability to fall asleep anywhere. He napped for the forty-five minutes they were in the air and awoke refreshed. When he reached the front entrance, Jace spied his name on a card a driver was holding.
“I’m Jace Tanner.”
“Right this way, Mr. Tanner.”
Once in the car, he gave the driver the name of the hospital.
“We should be there in about forty minutes, Mr. Tanner, barring any traffic accidents.”
“It’s Houston,” he said. “There’ll be accidents. I’ve never been here when there weren’t any.”
He worked his phone again, wondering how sports agents in the previous generation had been able to do their jobs without a cell phone.
Lost in thought, it startled him when the driver announced, “This is it, Mr. Tanner.”
Looking up, he saw they were pulling up to the front of the hospital. “Take me around to the ER.”
The driver did as he requested, and they weaved their way through construction in the parking lot to get there.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Ms. Arturo told me to wait for you, wherever I took you, whether it was ten minutes or ten hours.”
Nodding, Jace said, “Thank you. I’m not sure how long I’ll be inside.”
“I’ll be here when you’re done.”
When he entered the emergency room, he could feel the electric buzz. Everyone was in hurry-up mode, something he understood. He headed to the desk. Ahead of him was a crying boy, about three, holding his arm. His mother held the boy, and she was crying, too. Other patients were waiting in chairs, some looking worse for the wear.
The doors opened, and two paramedics rushed in, wheeling a stretcher. A doctor in a white coat met them as one EMT quickly gave a status report on the incoming patient. Within seconds, the patient was wheeled away.
Others in scrubs and white coats were moving from place to place, taking care of the injured. He could feel the rush of excitement and wondered if that was what Eli might be addicted to. Then again, he could simply be an excellent physician who preferred practicing emergency medicine.
The mother and son in front of him were led away, and the receptionist turned to him.
“How may I help you?” she asked.
“Nothing is wrong with me,” he assured her. “I just need to see Dr. Eli Carson if he’s available.”
She looked at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry. Dr. Carson is no longer with us.”
“What?”
He had just gotten Crawford’s report. How could his brother’s job status have changed in a few hours’ time?
“Dr. Carson left for another job opportunity,” she informed him. “His final shift was last night. Frankly, I think it’ll be good for him. Dr. Carson was universally loved, but he also burned the candle at both ends, if you know what I mean. I think he was headed for burnout. A lot of ER physicians experience it.”
“Can you tell me where he’s gone?”
She frowned. “I’m not really sure I should—”
“He’s my brother,” Jace blurted out. “I haven’t seen him since we were kids. Our mom had to give us up, and we were separated. I just now tracked him down. To here.”
Jace had never given out as much personal information about himself as he did in those few seconds. Apparently, what he shared worked.
“Dr. Carson has taken a job as the medical director of a new regional hospital in Montague County. I don’t know the name, but it’s supposed to open in the next few months. I’m sure you can find it online.”
“Thank you.”
He wandered back outside, stunned by what he’d just learned. To have come this far and be so close to reuniting with Eli.
His car pulled up, and the driver got out, opening the rear door for Jace. “Where to, Mr. Tanner?”
“The airport.”
First, he texted Elena and asked her to book him a return flight ASAP. Next, he began searching for the new hospital. He found a Hogan Health medical facility in Montague County was scheduled to open in early June, and the town was called Hawthorne. Pulling up a map of cities in North Texas, he found Hawthorne was located between Gainesville and Decatur, right on the southeastern edge of Montague County. Probably eighty miles or so from his office in downtown Dallas. With traffic—and no direct interstate—it could be anywhere from ninety minutes to two hours away.
Jace closed his eyes. Maybe doing a face-to-face with Eli wasn’t the way to go. He couldn’t be rash about this and blow his one chance to get to know his brother after so many years apart. Maybe he could go to Hawthorne and observe Eli. Meet him in some casual way.
He decided to put Erasmus Crawford back on the job and texted him to call him right away.
Seconds later, his phone rang.
“He wasn’t there,” Jace said. “He just left for a new job. Yesterday was his last day at the ER.”
“Where is he? What do you need?”
He shared the name of the new hospital and its location. “Find out everything you can about him. What he’s doing. Where he’s living. I mean everything. And then come to my office.”
“I assume this is a rush job.”
“You assume correctly.”
Jace ended the connection. He would be more circumspect this second time. Find out as much as he could about Eli and his new place of employment.
But now that he knew his brother was alive and in Texas, nothing was going to stop him from reuniting with all he had left of his family.
CHAPTER 1
Kansas City—September
Darby Montgomery disembarked from the plane and bypassed the luggage carousels. Having her luggage lost twice over her many years of traveling had convinced her to be a carryon-only passenger. She rolled her suitcase beside her now, backpack slung over one shoulder. As she walked, she opened her rideshare app and scheduled a pickup. Thankfully, a driver was near and retrieved her within three minutes.
During the ride to her office, she scrolled through her emails, answering a few of them. She also texted Mitch Gary, whom she’d been seeing casually for several months now, letting him know she was back in town and asking if he’d like to get together tonight for drinks or dinner.
Dating had been difficult ever since she’d graduated from college a decade ago. For nine of those years, Darby had traveled extensively, often gone on weekends. A guy would ask her out. They would go and have a great time. And then she’d be tied up, teaching cheer clinics across the country for the next three weekends. By the time she was free to see him again, he had already moved on. Because of that, she hadn’t been really serious with anyone.
Mitch had potential, though. He was an assistant district attorney in Kansas City. Because he was dedicated and also worked long hours, he understood her commitment to work. Thankfully, she’d received a promotion a few months ago, which meant not as much travel. She did have to be in Dallas early next week for some meetings, however. Because of that, she would take tomorrow and Friday off and head to her hometown of Hawthorne, Texas, which was only about ninety minutes from Dallas. Her aunt and uncle lived there, along with her brother Sawyer and two of her three cousins. She was ready to get in some family time and see them over the long Labor Day weekend before attending her business meetings. Mitch was in the middle of a murder trial, working insane hours, so she didn’t feel bad about being gone this weekend.
Drinks only. Maybe some apps? Swamped with this trial. Luciano’s? 7?
He’d named an Italian restaurant in downtown, close to both his office and the courthouse. Darby texted a thumbs up, knowing that’s all she needed to do to confirm. As intense as he was in the courtroom, Mitch was easygoing outside it. That’s one of the reasons she liked spending time with him.
Her driver pulled up at the Cheer USA national offices, and she brought her luggage into the lobby. Avoiding the elevators, she took a flight of stairs down to the parking garage and left her things inside her trunk. Going upstairs, she went to her office, where her assistant greeted her.
“Messages are on your desk. I prioritized them, so start at the top. I’ve got a dental appointment and need to leave now.”
“Are you getting your permanent crown in?”
“Yes. Finally. See you tomorrow, Darby.”
She settled behind her desk, going through all her messages first. Then her cell rang. She saw it was her cousin.
Answering, she said, “Hey, Autumn. How are things in Hawthorne? Better yet, how are you and Eli doing? I can’t wait to see you and meet him.”
“We’re getting married!”
“Whoa! That’s terrific news. Congratulations. When is the wedding? I’ll put it on my calendar now so I can work around it.”
“This weekend,” Autumn said surprising Darby. “It’s crazy last minute, but we only want close family there anyway. With Summer coming in from New York and you arriving too, Eli and I thought it would be the perfect time to say our I do’s.”
A small wave of envy rippled through her. Darby wished she could find someone to share her life with. She quickly tamped it down, truly excited for her cousin.
“I’m really happy for you, Autumn. I can’t wait to meet Eli in person.”
“It’ll be Saturday afternoon in Mom and Dad’s backyard. You should see the flowers this year, Darby. A kaleidoscope of color. The perfect backdrop.”
“What should I wear?”
“It’s casual. Not shorts and T-shirt casual, but maybe a sundress. It’s still hot as blazes in Texas.” Autumn laughed. “We might even invite everyone over to swim after the ceremony.”
“Okay. I know what to pack. I land at DFW tomorrow afternoon. No need to get me. I plan to rent a car. I’ll stay with your parents or Sawyer this weekend and then drive back to Dallas for a couple of days of meetings.”
“Sounds good. Just wanted to let you know before you got here.”
“I’m glad you did. And I can hear how happy you are, Autumn.”
“Eli makes me giddy, Darby. I’ve never felt this way before. We’re madly in love. See you soon. Bye!”
The connection ended. She was thrilled Autumn had found someone who made her feel loved and treasured. Her first husband certainly hadn’t. The entire family had disliked Dr. Flint Ferris, but everyone had kept their opinions to themselves, wanting to stand by Autumn and her decision. Flint had been self-centered and cheated on his wife. Autumn had the guts to stand up to him and demand a divorce. She’d left her nursing job in Houston and returned home to Hawthorne, where she’d landed a job as Director of Nursing for a hospital which had been recently built in town. Eli was the medical director for the facility. Sawyer really liked Eli, and her brother was an excellent judge of character.
Darby finished up some correspondence and then wandered down the hall to Peggy Mortimer’s office. The CEO’s door was open, and Peggy’s assistant waved Darby in.
Peggy was on the phone, but she motioned for Darby to have a seat. She finished her call and hung up.
“How was your trip to Chicago?”
“Promising.”
She’d been sent to talk to the CEO of another national cheer organization. Peggy had high hopes of merging the two groups.
“I’ll write up my report tonight and email it to you, but I think we have a solid chance of uniting our organizations.”
“Not tonight,” Peggy said. “Take a break. You work long hours, Darby. I don’t want you to burn out.”
Actually, she was already at that point. After ten years of working for Cheer USA—not counting the summers she and her best friend Kelby had gone around the country teaching cheer camps—she was getting itchy feet. The travel had gotten old. She didn’t feel challenged anymore. Now with Kelby recently returning to Hawthorne and marrying and now Autumn doing the same, Darby felt the pull to return to Hawthorne and put roots down, as well. She wanted to find a good man. Even start a family. And possibly put her teaching degree to use.
“All right. I’ll work on it tomorrow first thing. No detail will be left out.”
Peggy laughed. “You’re a perfectionist, Darby. That’s what I love about you.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She returned to her office, seeing it was time to leave to meet Mitch. She stopped by the restroom and freshened her makeup, spritzing some perfume on her wrists and rubbing them together. Though she was tired, she felt she owed it to Mitch to see him before she left town again. He was a nice guy. Funny. Sweet. But the spark she had hoped would develop hadn’t so far. Maybe it was time to cut bait—and think about shaking things up in her life.
It was quicker to walk the three blocks to Luciano’s than drive, plus it saved her from having to find a parking spot. She entered the dark restaurant and checked in with the hostess. Mitch wasn’t there yet, so she went to the bar and took a seat in a booth for two. As she did, she got a text from Mitch saying he was on his way.
Darby ordered a glass of Chardonnay for herself and a beer for Mitch. She also asked for the sampler appetizer to be brought. It had a variety of items, such as fried mozzarella sticks, calamari, and toasted ravioli.
“I’ll bring you some bread and olive oil, too,” the server told her.
Mitch arrived just as their drinks and the bread did, looking a little rumpled. He sat, immediately reaching for his beer and downing half of it.
“Are you just thirsty, or do you really need that?” Darby asked, sipping her white wine.
“Both,” he replied.
“How is the case going?”
“We rested the state’s case today. Just before noon. The judge had some appointment this afternoon, so she said court would resume tomorrow with the defense needing to be ready to put on their portion of the trial.”
“Have you got a good read on the jury?”
“Yes and no,” he said, taking another swig of beer and then reaching for a roll, breaking off a piece and dipping it into the olive oil. “Eight of them I’ve got a handle on. The other four? Not so much. Usually by this time, I do know which way most are leaning, by watching their body language and facial expressions. These four baffle me.”
As Mitch went into detail, explaining why, their appetizer platter arrived.
“Thanks for ordering this. If I’m inhaling things too fast, slap my hand.”
She laughed. “Will do.”
They talked about the jury some more and the points the prosecution had driven home. By now, the platter was empty. Mitch had eaten without thinking, something she knew he did when he was heavily involved in a case or when he had something on his mind.
“Darby?” He looked her square in the eyes. “We need to talk.”
Instinct told her to prepare herself because a breakup was coming. “What’s up, Mitch?”
“You know I’ve enjoyed spending time with you. You’re so easy to talk to. You get my jokes. You’re committed to work, and you get that I work long hours. You’ve never been demanding.”
“But?”
He shrugged. “We went into this saying we wanted to keep it casual. I almost thought I might push things to see if you wanted to be a little more serious, but ...” His voice trailed off. “Something happened. With Jessica.”
She knew Jessica was his former girlfriend. They’d gone to college together and dated for three years. When Mitch had opted to attend law school, Jessica had enrolled in med school. From that point on, they had been off and on over the next five years, trying to make things work while living in different cities, both deeply immersed in their studies. They’d finally decided to call things off between them. Mitch hadn’t dated anyone seriously since he’d ended his relationship with Jessica.
“Are you back together?” she asked. “I get it if you are. She’s been a big part of your life.”
Mitch nodded. “You’re the last obstacle to that. Jess has finished up her residency and some kind of post-training. She knows I’m wedded to staying in Kansas City. I’ve worked too hard to walk away now.” He hesitated. “She’s willing to come here. To try again.”
Darby placed her hand over Mitch’s. “I think that’s a great idea, Mitch. You’ve never really gotten over her. Do you still love her?”
“I think so.” He paused, shaking his head. “No, I know so. And it’s not fair to you.”
“The heart wants what the heart wants,” she said, squeezing his fingers and then removing her hand. “You both had some busy years, training in your separate professions and then diving into demanding jobs. I think you owe it to each other to give your relationship another chance.”
“You aren’t mad?” he asked.
She smiled. “I could never be mad at you, Mitch. We’ve had some good times. Enjoyed one another’s company. Whether it could have developed into something more serious is beside the point. Jessica’s free and willing to come to Kansas City. I think that speaks volumes. Besides, I’ve been contemplating a career change myself. It would most likely mean a move back to Texas for me. So let’s part friends, okay?”
Mitch smiled. “You are the best, Darby.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I hope you find whatever—and whoever—you’re looking for.”
“I do, too,” she said softly, glad that they were ending things on a positive note.
The server appeared. “Can I get you another drink? Dessert?”
“No, just the check,” Mitch said, looking at Darby. “I’ve got to get back to the office. The first witness the defense will call is full of technical testimony. I want to be on my toes for whatever unfolds.”
“And I’ve got a report to write,” she told him. “It looks as if the chance for Cheer USA to merge with another national organization is a strong possibility.”
He paid the bill and walked outside with her. Taking her hand, Mitch said, “I’m sorry this didn’t work between us.”
She had always been like one of the guys. Comfortable with men. Able to talk sports with them. No one guy had ever grabbed her attention and made her sit up, thinking he’s the one. Darby knew she could have married Mitch and even been happy with him. But it wouldn’t have been a grand, passionate love.
Leaning up on tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his cheek. “I hope you and Jessica make it, Mitch. I’ll be rooting for you.”
She walked away, feeling a little sad. A little lonely. But she knew it was for the best. At thirty-two, it was time to turn her eyes to her future. To seriously consider if it were time to walk away from Cheer USA and put her teaching certificate to good use. She would talk with both Kelby and Sawyer about it this weekend. Attend her meetings in Dallas.
And maybe by then, she would have a clear idea of exactly what she wanted out of her future.
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