Free Slope of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons) by Melissa Foster

he vowed to leave the rebellious, lost child behind and find his grown-up self. He’d made a plan to tell Jayla how he felt, even at the risk of losing their friendship, because Jack had been right. Rush hadn’t had any notion of what love was. Rush hadn’t known that love could not only embrace a person, but consume him. Once he opened himself up to it and realized his true feelings for Jayla, he understood exactly what his brother meant because that love for her seeped into his every thought.
    Rush confided in Jayla about most things in his life, but he’d never told her what Jack had said, or that he had been trying to change. Once he accepted the truth of his behavior and really saw it for what it was—which wasn’t a joke, or harmless, or even acceptable—he’d been too ashamed of who he was. For the first time in forever, he’d been touched by fear, and that drove him to keep his efforts toward self-improvement to himself. What if he’d told Jayla he was trying to change, and he couldn’t? Then not only would he have still been the person he was ashamed of being, but he’d have also been a failure. No way would he have wanted to see that disappointment in her eyes. He’d even let his family believe he was the same player he’d always been, and since he feigned the part so well during Skype calls or when they met for dinners, they’d never questioned it.
    Jayla knew all about Rush’s philandering ways, and she accepted him, faults and all. They’d joked about it for years, but she’d never called him on it the way Jack had. In fact, now that he thought about it, she’d never made him feel bad about anything he did. But then again, that’s who Jayla was. She’d always stood by him. Now it was his turn to help her through whatever she wasn’t telling him.
    He crouched by the fire to warm his hands.
    “Hey there, handsome.”
    Rush turned toward Danica’s voice. “What are you guys doing here?”
    “We come to the bonfires a lot,” Danica explained. “My sister’s kids love them.” Rush had met Kaylie and her family once when he went skiing with Blake. He turned to look for them.
    “Oh, they’re not here tonight. She’s singing in town this week,” Blake said. “Tonight’s all about romance.” He nuzzled against Danica’s neck.
    Romance. That’s what this week was supposed to be about for me, too . Rush rubbed the back of his neck, trying to push away thoughts of Jayla.
    Blake and Danica making out wasn’t helping any.
    “So, everything good with the baby?” He hoped changing the subject might get his mind off of Jayla.
    Danica pulled free from Blake’s grasp. “Yeah.” She settled her hand on her lower abdomen. “It was exciting to hear the baby’s heartbeat, which doesn’t sound like a heartbeat at all, but more like a swishing sound.”
    “I still can’t believe we’re going to have a baby. But I guess it’s time, before I get old and gray.” Blake ran his hand through his shock of black hair. “You here alone?”
    Rush nodded. “Yup. Some of my teammates were supposed to be here, but I guess they turned in early, and the others went into town. Fingers, I think.”
    Blake and Danica exchanged a look.
    “What?” He hoped Jayla hadn’t gone someplace dangerous.
    “Nothing. It’s a bit of a meat market,” Blake answered.
    A meat market. Great. And Jayla was there with that sexy camisole, tight jeans, and probably those fuck-me leather boots she had in the closet.
    “There must be a dozen beautiful women here.” Blake nodded toward a group of young women. “Why are you alone?”
    “Maybe he wants to be alone.” Danica leaned against him.
    “It is by choice,” Rush said, even though it was the farthest thing from the truth. If he had his way, Jayla would be in his arms right now. “I need to focus for the competition.”
    “But you’re teaching, not competing.” Danica pulled her coat tighter around her.
    He shrugged. “I have one last race, the NFC this