Page 97 of Need You To Choose Me

BLAKE

Putting the box with the crib on the floor inside the room Savannah left open for me, I dust my hands just when my phone rings inside my pocket. I pull it out, the corner of my mouth lifting when I notice the name on the screen.

“Andrew Hill, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

The low rumble of my agent’s chuckle—myex-agent, I suppose—greets me from the other side of the line. “Hello to you too, old man. What? Can’t a guy check in on his friend?”

“I would assume you have your hands full with your much younger clients.Workingclients.”

Andrew groans. “Don’t remind me. Between some of those little fuckers and my own kids at home, I do have my hands full. That’s why I’m calling. I need somebody normal and grounded to remind me why I’m doing this in the first place because I’ll tell you some of the shit I deal with… It definitely tests my sanity.”

I burst out into laughter. “Wait until they reach their teenage years, and then you get to talk. The idea that I have to go through the teenage years two more times after Daniel…” A legit shudder goes through me. “At least I don’t have to do it at the same time.”

Andrew and his wife, Jeanette, had twins. Not just that, twingirls. How he was staying sane, I had no idea.

“Don’t even remind me. I love those girls, but damn, they’ll take me to an early grave.” There is a short pause. “Wait, scroll back, did you saytwomore times?”

“Shit,” I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“What the hell, Walker?” The chair screeches in the background. “I thought we were better than that.”

“We are, it’s…” I let out a long sigh. “There has just been a lot going on.”

“Clearly. Spill.”

I tell him about Savannah and everything else that has happened since we moved here, including the whole mess with Daniel.

“Holy shit, man. I don’t envy you one bit. And you’ve just made me feel way better about my situation; at least I don’t have to worry about how I’ll spin this to the press. Give me blurry images of drunk players any day of the week.”

“You’re welcome,” I mutter dryly.

“It’s a tough situation to be in, that’s for sure.” There is a short pause, and I can hear a clicking of a pen. It was Andrew’s tick, a sign that he was mulling things over. “You need legal advice?”

Legal advice? Why would I?—

“God, no. Blondie and I… Well, I’m not gonna lie and say we’re perfect, but we’re working things out. No need to involve lawyers.”

“Okay. I figured I’d put it out there. If you need help, you let me know.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it, man.”

I doubted I’d need it, but it was good to know I had my long-time friend guarding my back.

“Good. Now, there was actually a reason why I called you. I talked to one of your sponsors, and they want you to come up for a photoshoot. I’ll forward you the e-mail with the details.”

I groan loudly. “I knew you didn’t call just for kicks and giggles.”

“Yeah, well, we can’t all be retired by thirty-five. Some of us have to work.”

“Oh, please, what would you do otherwise? You’d get bored within the first twenty-four hours.”

I was pretty sure that if Andrew wanted, he could easily retire. But the jackass liked bossing people around too much to do that. That being said, he did expand the business, taking in a few other agents in the last few years to help lighten his case load so he could spend more time with his family. These days, he was extremely picky when it came to selecting his new clients.

“Probably, and then my wife would kick me out of the house, and I love my wife, so… Anyway, there is also another thing. I’ve been getting calls about your plans now that you’re retired.”

“Okay, so? You know my plans.”

Andrew grunts. “Stay in your perfect little town and be a rancher? Those plans?”

---