Page 79 of Long Road Home

“That Destiny is back, your kid with her, and you still love the woman so much you’re blinded to everyone else with a pussy.”

He could have been more polite, but that wasn’t us. I tapped my pencil on the desk. “That about sums it up.”

“Damn. A kid, huh? How are you handling that, really?”

“Toby’s awesome. Seriously, man, I’ve never met such a cool kid. That makes it easier but yeah, I’m still pissed.”

“And in love?”

“It’s a hard line to walk, but I’m working on trying to get past it. It’s only been a couple weeks.”

Liam and I knew shit about each other no one else did. I’d stuck with him through piles of really dark, hard shit he had to sort through, and in return, he’d always been there for me. He might sing on a stage to thousands a night, millions a year, but he was the same damn good friend he’d been since third grade.

“You going to be able to get past it?”

My gaze drifted out my window to the golf course. Hot sun beat down on golfers carrying their bags to the practice green where they’d hang before their tee time. I barely noticed them. I thought of Destiny at the party. At my house. Last night telling me she loved me.

“Yeah. Might make me a fool but I still love her.”

“How’s she feel?”

I love you, Jordan Marx.“The same.”

“You’ll go the distance this time?”

“Trying to figure out how to get her to stay in town instead of back to Houston where they live, but yeah. That’s what I want.”

He must have sensed the tension in my voice, because in his next breath, he said, “Tell me how this shit all came about.”

I spilled everything. From the few nights before Tillie passed away, telling me to forgive her someday. To the funeral. Finding out Toby was mine. Damn. It’d been weeks and it felt like I’d aged years.

I told him more about Toby. His love of basketball. His ability to kick my ass in every video game we’d played. The fact he got all A’s in school. Had tons of friends he talked about frequently.

Liam listened to everything, and by the time I was done, all he said was, “I hope it works for you, man. No one deserves a good woman at his side more than you.”

Since I’d say the same about him, it was the highest compliment.

“Thanks, man.”

“I actually called for another reason, too. Business-related.”

That was new. My senses went on high alert. “What’s up?”

“You know the domestic abuse shelters Claudia and I donate to?”

They’d started donating millions every year after they were married. “Yeah, what about them? You hitting me up for another donation?”

“No, a golf course.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Claudia and I were talking. Tour comes to an end in a few months and I’m thinking I need some time off. Away from the noise. We want to live quiet for a while. Settle down without distraction.”

“You’re coming here? Home?”

“Looking for places with land now, actually. But really, I was thinking more about your course. I thought while I’m there, we could host a celebrity tournament. All proceeds given to some of the national organizations we support.”

“No shit?” Liam knew celebrities from various television, movie, and music industries. And with Cooper in town. My sports connections. “I could get some ball guys. And Cooper…”

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