Page 75 of Lucky Baller
“Tess, I know we don’t talk about money, and that’s one of the things I love most about you. You’re not with me because of my bank account balance, but, babe, do you know how much my last contract was for?”
“No.”
“Google it.”
“Can’t you just tell me? I don’t like to Google you. I’d rather you tell me anything and everything that you want me to know.”
“I love you. I want you to know that.”
Her voice softens. “I love you, too.”
“I signed a five-year deal last year with the Cougars.”
“Okay.”
“For one hundred and sixty million.”
“Dollars?” she asks, choking on her words.
Her shock has a sense of pride washing over me. Not because of the bank balance or that I’ve managed to shock her, but because sheisshocked. I finally found a woman who’s interested in me, Landon Barker, not the quarterback, not the one-hundred-and-sixty-million-dollar contract. Just me.
“Dollars,” I confirm.
“Wow. Okay, then.”
“You’re amazing. Have I ever told you that?”
“A few times.”
“Well, I’m saying it again.”
“Thank you,” she says over a yawn.
“I’ll let you go. I know you have to work tomorrow.”
“What about you? What’s your day look like?”
“We’ll do a short practice, some walk-through drills, and some game tape.”
“Exciting.” She yawns again.
“It beats a nine-to-five.”
“Don’t downplay it. You love it, and you know it.”
“I do. Get some sleep.”
“Night, Lucky.”
I chuckle at her use of the nickname she and Autumn cooked up. “Night, Freckles.” I’ve barely ended the call when my phone lights up with a message. I grin when I see it’s one of my best friends and former roommates from college, Reid Montgomery.
Reid: Jumped any walls lately?
I can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of me.
Me: As a matter of fact, I have.
Reid: You getting all domesticated on me, Barker?
