Page 110 of Fake Shot

Colt

For the first time in my life, my priorities are just right. I’d retire early before I’d risk losing her.

Colt

Your choice.

AJ

Just make sure you’re back in time for tomorrownight’s game.

Colt

I’ll do my best.

Jameson’s asleep on the couch when I come in the front door, but the sound of me shutting and locking it wakes him. His voice is groggy when he says, “I have half a mind to kill you.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Yeah, you mentioned that earlier.”

“I warned you not to hurt her.”

“This isn’t somethingIdid to Jules. This is a self-absorbed, pick-me girl stirring up drama becauseyouwent to AJ and Frank and got her dad’s sponsorship of the team revoked.”

“None of this would have happened if you hadn’t slept with her in the past.”

“Yeah.” There’s truth in that statement, but this didn’t happenbecauseI’d slept with her. This is a pissy woman with a half-baked revenge plan, fucking with the wrong people. Just like her dad did. “It also wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t gotten involved.”

“Yeah.”

We stare at each other across the dimly lit space. I assume he’s considering his role in these events, just like I am. It felt damn good to deliver that refund check to Jerome and tell him his sponsorship had been revoked, but if I had realized what would happen as a result, I wouldn’t have gone through with it.

“When I went up and tried to talk to her last night,” he says, “she told me she was going to sleep and I should go home.”

“Dude, you can’t come in hot like that with Jules or she’s just going to shut down.”

He looks at me like he’s assessing the fact that I know this about her and he somehow doesn’t. There’s a whole lot I know about her that he doesn’t, but I’m not going to rub that in. He’s basically been the father figure in her life for over a decade, and I don’t want him to feel like I’m stepping between them in any way. Unless he tries to stop us from being together...then the gloves will come off.

When he glances at his watch, his face tells me he’s just realizing it’s three in the morning. “How the hell did you get a flight here this late?”

“I chartered a jet.”

“What the hell? How much did that cost?”

“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing I wouldn’t spend to be here for her. I’m going upstairs now. Can you lock the door on the way out?”

“Hey,” he says as I head toward the stairs. I stop and turn back to face him. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For becoming the person she deserves.”

There’s so much to unpack in that statement. He’s right that I haven’t always been worthy of her, but at least he sees that I’m working to be that person now.

I give him a nod. “Let’s talk once we’ve all had some sleep. There’s a lot we’ll need to figure out before I fly back to North Carolina this afternoon.”

“Alright,” he says. “How about I come back around ten?”

“Sure.”

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