Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Damon won’t throw you into the deep end if you’re not ready, and if you ask me, you’re ready now to take over.” Dad has way too much faith in me.
“I agree,” Peyton says. “Plus, I’m your golden ticket. You don’t really need to do anything.”
The fact he thinks that makes me realize Peyton has no idea how much Uncle Damon actually does for him. It’s not just contracts. It’s finding endorsement deals, squashing scandals and rumors, making sure players are at the top of their game, and, if they’re not, finding what we can do to fix it for them. Uncle Damon goes above and beyond for his clients when not a lot of other agents will. Personal issues, health issues … we’re basically a therapist, a parent, and a babysitter all in one, and it’s important that we stay behind the scenes so our precious athletes’ minds aren’t wrapped up in anything other than the game.
With Peyton being as high-profile as he is, I need to make sure I have enough experience before I take over. Kelley would be better experience than Torey to prepare me to take over Peyton, even if they’re separate sports, but bottom line is, I’m still green, and Peyton’s future isn’t something I want to gamble with.
Pop brings me a coffee in one of my purple Franklin U mugs from college. It’s perfect for my mood with the big golden yellow F U on the front. I make sure that’s pointing outward as I drink.
I can’t believe I could have two dicks inside me, and instead, I’m here with a family I love. Apparently. At the moment, I’m struggling to find that love, but I do love them.
Four arrives home, coming through the front door with his eyes closed. “You better be clothed, Brady, or I’m telling your dads that—”
“Four!” Levi yells.
Four’s eyes fly open, but everyone is focused on Levi’s little outburst.
That’s not suspicious at all.
Levi, usually a quiet, broody artist type, tries to play it off by smiling and hugging Four. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
“You’ve met me, like, once.”
“And it was so long ago.” The enthusiasm in Levi’s voice is unsettling.
I sigh into my coffee.
Today is going to be a long day.
All throughout family lunch, at some fancy restaurant Uncle Damon got us a private room at, I can feel Uncle Damon watching me from the other end of the table.
Nearly the whole extended “found family” is here. My uncles Damon, Maddox, Matt, Noah, Ollie, and Lennon, plus my dads, my brother and Levi, and Four, but Damon’s focus is all on me, and I know it’s because I lied to my dads and said I had to work today.
Getting away to go see Kit and Prescott is going to be impossible, but I’m still going to try. Sometime. Somehow. Even if I have to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night like I’m back in high school.
“I can’t believe you called me out for that fumble on national TV,” Peyton says to Uncle Lennon. “I was supposed to be your favorite nephew.”
Those two have been talking football nonstop. Uncle Lennon and Uncle Ollie have their own cable sports show, and they don’t hold back. Though Uncle Ollie is a retired NHL player, so a lot of the football talk goes right over his head. It makes for entertaining television when he has no idea what’s going on or mixes up hockey terms with football terms. Like that one time he called a touchdown a goal, and Uncle Lennon facepalmed. I’m sure Uncle Ollie acts dumb on purpose—it’s part of the show’s charm.
While they talk about Peyton’s embarrassment, I stab my food with my fork. I’m not all that hungry because I’m too stressed.
I excused myself to go to the bathroom earlier so I could text the guys with some privacy, but Peyton interrupted me before they could reply, and I haven’t been able to check my phone since.
Levi’s next to me at the head of the table, and while the others are distracted, he leans closer. “That thing from college still happening, huh? Your deal was only when they were on leave, right?”
I glance around at my family. Everyone’s focus is everywhere else, except Uncle Damon’s, who still glances at me every five seconds. He won’t be able to hear me up this end, so I match Levi and move in closer to talk low. “Technically it’s still happening, but I’ve only seen them a handful of times since graduating, so it’s not like it’s a thing. It’s just a …”
What is it?
An amazing handful of times. Moments that both filled my heart and broke it at the same time.
“A temporary thing?” Levi asks, and my chest twinges.
It feels like it’s more than that, but if I look at it from a black-and-white perspective, I can’t deny it. “They surprised me for the weekend, and now I can’t even have that with them.”