Page 75 of On the Line

“Why not?” Audrey asks. “We’re happy about this development.”

“This is something for him to talk to you about, not me,” I say.

But, man, do I want to go out for drinks with the three of them and spill all my secrets. It’s complicated by the fact that Jules and Audrey are related to him, though. I can’t tell them about the amazing sex, or how much I liked the domineering side of him I saw in the car after that interaction with Justin.

But I could tell them about how careful he’s been with me, how committed he is to the idea ofus, how he said that my girls and I have made him rethink marriage and kids. Knowing that he’d want to step into that role with my girls ... my heart is melting just thinking about it.

“Man, I wish I was privy to that conversation,” Jules laughs.

I glance toward the stairs, thinking she must mean the one Jameson is having on the phone, but we can’t hear a sound. “What conversation?”

“The one you’re having in your head.”

“Yeah—” The laugh that escapes borders on hysterical. “—there’s a lot going on in there right now.”

“Want to have a girls’ night and talk about it?” Jules asks. “As long as Jameson is around to watch Graham, Audrey and I could come to your place one night this week after your girls go to bed. Maybe we can see if Paige is around too?”

“Sure,” I say as Jameson comes down the stairs behind me. “We’ll plan something.”

“What was that about?” Audrey asks him when he takes his seat at the table.

“I have to go to California tomorrow.” His jaw is tight, and I can sense his frustration.

“And there goes girls’ night.” Jules sighs, leaning back in her chair.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, looking around the table at the four of us.

Next to me, Iris starts asking to get down. I take her out of her booster seat so she can toddle around, and without needing to be asked, Jameson does the same for Ivy. The two of them run into the living room, and Graham follows.

“It means we were going to see if you could watch Graham one night so Audrey and I could go have a girls’ night at Lauren’s place.”

“I only plan on being gone for a night, or two nights, max. I’ll definitely be home in time for the charity game on Wednesday night,” he says, looking at me. Thank goodness. The Rebels Charity game is a huge annual fundraiser for Boston’s largest homeless shelter, and Jameson is one of many former Rebels scheduled to play. “And,” he says, turning to Jules, “I’m sure you can still have your girls’ night on Thursday or Friday.”

Is it my imagination, or does he sound just a little jealous that I’ll be hanging out with his sisters one night this week instead of with him?

“How about I follow you home and help you get everything from this weekend unpacked from the car,” he says to me. I’m about to tell him he doesn’t need to do that, since all I have is a carry-on suitcase. And I’m more than capable of taking care of that and my kids. But then I realize this is his way of spending a little more time with me before he has to fly out tomorrow.

So after Jules and Audrey assure us they don’t need help cleaning up from dinner, I head out to my SUV with my girls, and Jameson follows us home.

CHAPTER22

JAMESON

“Do you want me to read them a story so you can get your suitcase unpacked?”

She looks at me like I’ve asked her if she wants a million dollars or a free vacation, rather than spending ten minutes reading to Iris and Ivy. “Ugh ...”

“Is that a yes?” I ask as the girls run back and forth from the bookcase in their room over to their beds, carrying a new book each time. The pile on the bed is getting bigger than what we’ll be able to get through tonight.

“Normally,” she says with a smile, “I’d welcome a break from doing this on my own, but ... I don’t know, I was gone last night ...”

She missed them—it’s clear in the way she looks back and forth between them.

“Want some time alone with them?”

I’m not ready to leave, because I’m hoping to get some more time with her after they go to bed. I hate the thought of not seeing her for the next two days, but I have to fly out to LA to meet with one of my newest players who just found out he got his coach’s daughter pregnant. I swear, I feel like I spend as much time babysitting these younger players as I do making deals on their behalf. I don’t need the money anymore, I have more than enough. Maybe I should stop taking on new players, or perhaps expand my agency by bringing in other agents to deal with these immature idiots.

Except Colt. I’ll keep that immature idiot because, even though he acts like he’s twenty half the time, he’s a former teammate and one of my oldest friends.

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