Page 28 of The Wiener Across the Way

I played plenty of Schmadden in my day, and still liked to every once in a while. But Hayes was the real gamer. He’d even offered up a game night with him at a charity auction earlier this year that went for some big bucks.

I trotted down the street to his house, and he greeted me at the door. I hadn’t been here since Chris gave him the houseand we’d done a little housewarming and welcome-to-the-pros family party for him. This was big time for a twenty-year-old kid.

He had his living room set up like a mini arena, with four gaming rigs with cameras set up for streaming, headsets, and all, ready to dive into the virtual game. I had no idea how serious their streaming gig actually was. Hayes clapped me on the back, then rubbed hands together and put on his game face. “Get in losers, we’re going to the gridiron.”

He started up his live stream, did his intro, and cued each of us up. I had to school my face at how surprised I was at the production value these guys were giving. This was no joke.

I gave the screen a polite salute when he introduced me as their guest tonight. But then we started the game, and two minutes in, Hayes was already trash-talking, his focus locked on the screen, while Gryffen and Flynn, the twins, were laughing and giving it right back.

I’d forgotten how much fun it was playing games with my younger brothers. Especially when I got to smash their players into the ground.

We started off discussing the upcoming pro game, analyzing plays and strategies. The twins, despite being in college, had insights sharp as any seasoned player. But Hayes was particularly keen, pointing out weaknesses in the opposing team’s offense that I hadn’t considered.

As we played, the chat on our livestream was a constant flow of football talk... until it wasn’t.

“So, big bro,” Flynn said, his tone so sneaky and sly, I knew what was coming. “Everyone’s talking about that catch at the Kelsey Best concert. You planning to romance her or what?”

I tried to brush it off, focusing on the game. “That’s nacho, bro.”

Hayes, ever starving, perked up. “Nachos? Whose got snacks?”

Gryffen grinned and it wasn’t because his player on the screen just scored. “Kelsey Best is a snack.”

Dumbasses. “It’s nacho business.”

The chat on the side of the screen where their fans interacted exploded. It was like someone had opened the floodgates and every Kelsey Best fan in the universe found the livestream and decided to join in. Questions, comments, and speculations flooded the stream.

Hayes laughed. “Looks like you’ve got a whole new fanbase, Declan. Kelsey’s Besties are all over this.”

Flynn, ever the joker, chimed in. “Should we start calling you Mr. Best now?”

The site they streamed to struggled under the sudden influx. Comments scrolled faster than we could read, a blur of excitement and emoji. Then, with a stutter and a freeze, the stream crashed, and the screen went blank.

We sat there for a moment, stunned.

“Guess we broke the internet,” Hayes said, a hint of awe in his voice.

Flynn leaned back in his chair, whistling. “Man, Kelsey’s fans don’t play.”

I shook my head, trying to hide my own shock. I’d caught a few of the comments in that chat. This thing with Kelsey, it was no longer just about a showmance or fixing public perceptions. It was about her. About us. Whatever this was turning into, it felt bigger than the both of us.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss the whirlwind of attention around Kelsey and me. It was overwhelming, this sudden thrust into the spotlight for something so personal. But amidst the chaos, there was an undeniable thrill, a sense of something beginning, something real.

BESTIES’ FACESPACE GROUP POST

Hey Besties!

Okay, here’s the recon.

Our handsome hottie from the concert is the delicious six-foot-five Declan Kingman, who is a football player here in Denver. His team is... the blue horses?

Now, I know absolutely nothing about the sports ball, but as far as I can tell, his job is smash.

In fact, I may have spent a little too much time watching highlights of him cosplaying the Hulk during his sports ball games. He’s really good at smashing.

Just saying.

And... did I mention he does have a brother (for me). In fact, he appears to have several brothers. Too many to count.

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