Page 55 of The Game Plan
Maybe it’s because, for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel so alone.
“Fuck!Fuck!Fuck!” I shout inside the cab of my truck as my fist meets my steering wheel, over and over. Dragging my hand down my face, I smack my head against the headrest.
What the fuck have I done?
My ragged breaths fill the quiet cab as I press the ignition button. I dig through my pocket, pull out my phone, and scroll until I find Q’s name. One tap, and the Bluetooth kicks in.
“Sup, G?” Quinton’s voice comes over the speaker.
“I fucked up.”
He chuckles. “Nah, man, I heard yougotfucked.”
“What do you mean?”
“Guess the girls had a FaceTime date. Brynn said your woman was looking all dick drunk.”
I chuckle. “Dick drunk, you say?”
“Yeah, man. Wilder texted me in all caps, spilling all the tea.”
“After all these years, and B still can’t keep her mouth shut.”
“That’s my wife, motherfucker.”
“Speaking of wives…”
“Grant,” he draws out my name. “What the fuck did you do?”
“I panicked,” I say, rubbing my hand down my face. “Fuck. Word got around that a student was living with a coach. It came up in our offense meeting when Martinez wanted to know if he had any misconduct issues to worry about.”
I pause, taking a breath. “They started questioning the ethics, throwing around policy violations, and the negative media coverage. I fucking panicked and blurted out, ‘she’s my wife.’”
Silence.
Then, “Wait, you two got hitched?”
“No,” I grit out. “It’s not real. I just… I don’t know, Q. I didn’t know what else to say. They were making her sound like a problem, and she’s not. She’s the furthest thing from it. Then someone twisted it into me being some creep taking advantage of a student. For fuck’s sake, she’s carrying a baby and working her ass off. No one is taking advantage of anyone. So, to keep the heat off our backs, I said the first thing that popped into my head.”
“That she’s your wife?” Q snorts before letting out a low whistle. “Damn, G. This isn’t good.”
I groan my frustration. “No shit, Sherlock.”
“And your dad?”
“Fucking walked in at the exact moment I blurted out I had a wife. Didn’t say a damn word to me the rest of the day.”
Q mutters a curse. “Shit, man, that’s rough. So what now?”
“I don’t fucking know.” A heavy breath pushes past my lips. “I didn’t think. I can never think when it comes to Savannah Holycross. She doesn’t want a serious relationship. Fine, we’ll be friends with benefits. She gets knocked up, but tells me it’s not my problem. Cool…I back off. A robbery happens in her building, so I offer her my guest room. And to avoid anyone getting in trouble, I say she’s my wife. Seriously, Q, what the fuck is wrong with me when it comes to her?”
He sighs. “You’re a protector, Grant. You put aside consequences to protect the people you love. It’s who you are. But if you’re claiming she’s your wife…” he pauses. “Well, you better be ready to back it up. Your old man doesn’t take betrayal lightly.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know,” I mumble.
“I’m pulling up to my sister’s,” I say, turning into an empty parking spot near her townhouse. I could park closer to my building, but fuck it. “I need to talk to someone who’s done the whole hide-a-secret-from-Mom-and-Dad thing.”
“She should have all the pointers,” Q deadpans. “Good luck, G. I’m here if you need me.”
