Page 12 of Fumble Into the End Zone

You can do this. Give Addison a chance.Both men stood and grabbed our seats. I found my smile as Addison sat next to me.

“Is everything okay?” Rex asked.

“Yes,” Stacie said, as we sat down.

After an awkward silence, Addison said, “Mia, I saw you on USPN a few days ago and you’re a pro. Most podcasters prefer to be behind the scenes. You are magical to me,” he said.

I found my best smile and pulled my shoulder length, straightened hair behind my ear. “I was raised on the set of USPN,” I replied.

Taking a sip of water, I tried pushing the sensation to flee from this dinner.

“Will you keep this tradition going with your children?” he asked.

My eyes wandered over to Stacie and then back to Addison. “I have no desire for children,” I lied.

Stacie sucked her teeth. “Since when? You told the guidance counselor you wanted to be a mother. No one played house withthe handsome man more than you. Nathan…I swear, I’m going to kick his ass,” she challenged.

I placed my elbow on the table and dropped my head into my hand. At twenty-one, having children seemed simple: find the man, get married, and have the baby, but it became complicated. Growing older, things such as timing, parenting styles, and irregular periods, came into play. I was introduced to motherhood through cheating, and it damaged my fairytale. Life could be complex at times and adding children at the wrong time and with the wrong person could be devastating.

“Yes, Addison, her children will be at the studio,” Stacie finished.

Finding her eyes, she squinted in my direction with a tight lip.

“Stacie, a girl can change her mind. Motherhood isn’t always the be all and end all,” I stated.

“I love you, friend, but I hear excuses,” Stacie said.

“Anything but those,” Rex murmured under his breath before he sipped his water.

Stacie gave him the side-eye, and I chuckled.

“How about you let me control my reproductive system?” I said and darted my eyes without moving my head toward Addison.

She glanced at Addison and returned her attention back to me. “As long as you don’t allow an undiagnosed narcissist to control them. I will stay out of your sex life,” she said.

“Stacie, Nathan isn’t a . . . ”

Both Stacie and I gave Rex our undivided attention, forcing him to stop mid-sentence.

“Rex, you don’t want this battle,” Addison said and sipped his water.

A brief silence covered the space before Stacie and I giggled.

Chapter 4

Offensive Scheme

Marcus

Bryce and I met each other at the front door. We both planned on running this morning without having a conversation about it.

“Let’s hit it,” he said and opened the wooden front door.

I followed him outside and down the front steps. We both broke out into a sprint. Not being familiar with the area, I followed Bryce off the street onto a trail. We both hit the first hill without any issue, picking up speed as needed. Running gave me clarity as my mind fell back on my daughter. I could tell she missed me last night listening to her side of our bedtime story. She dozed off on me, but she was the reason I sacrificed.

Harley’s life will be better than mine. To give her the life I envisioned, I needed to take Clark’s spot as wide receiver two. Riding the bench wasn’t going to secure my daughter’s future. Considering I planned on adding a wife and more children, my expenses are bound to increase.

As the trail narrowed, Bryce spoke through his heated breath. “This next hill isn’t nothing to play with. You need to increase your speed to make the incline.”

---