Page 40 of For the Boys
Mitch let out a low whistle. “Damn,” he said. “It’s a good thing we’re rich.”
Rat and Grey had both gone concerningly pale. “Speak for yourself,” Rat said. “These contracts Grey and I have aren’t worth shit.”
“We’ll let you two split it,” Jordan said, slinging his arms over their shoulders.
The bus driver, who had been standing off to the side spectating for the better part of the game, turned and walked to the bus. Brent and his teammates followed.
Once they were all settled in their seats and headed toward the hotel, Jordan turned to face Brent. “For real, Jean, thanks for this. I had a blast.”
The rest of his teammates agreed, and they spent the drive discussing and dissecting the game, the bus filling with the sounds of good-natured ribbing and general whining about having to pay Chase and Jordan.
Brent sank down into his seat, reclining his head on the headrest and closing his eyes. Monopoly in the Park was everything he had imagined it would be, and he was happy to finally cross it off his bucket list. His mind drifted over the events of the day, snagging on one: Jordan’s announcement that he and his wife were expecting another child.
Brent wanted that kind of excitement in his life. He wanted the wife and kids and house in the suburbs with a giant yard and a dog running around. He wanted to plan family vacations and take dorky Christmas card photos and wear coordinating outfits for the Fourth of July and themed costumes on Halloween.
He wanted it all.
After an early weight-lifting session the following weekend, Brent drove his truck through the city on autopilot, arriving at his apartment complex without really remembering the drive. He grabbed his stuff and proceeded to the elevator that would take him to his top-floor condo.
When he arrived on his floor, he moved into the hallway and ambled toward his door, punching in the code to unlock it. He had one of those fancy keypads where the numbers constantly shifted on the screen, making it impossible to enter the condo without the code. Walking in, he tossed his keys into the little gold tray on the side table by the door, shaking his head at how frequently he actually used the thing.
He’d had zero to do with decorating his condo. It had all been his mother’s doing. She’d flown in from New York the day after he bought it, armed with paint chips and interior decorating magazines. A few days later, he’d left for a road trip, and when he’d returned, his sterile condo had been transformed into a surprisingly cozy yet masculine home. It was full of greys and blues and black metal, balanced with enough soft, neutral tones and wood textures to warm it up. He hated to admit it, but it suited him well.
It was the perfect crash pad for a man who spent a lot of time away from home. The hallway from the entryway to the open-concept living room and kitchen was lined with canvases of landscapes taken by a local photographer. Dark brown laminate flooring ran through the entire condo. His mother had chosen to leave the walls white, adding color in the form of art, rugs, and throw pillows.
He kicked his shoes off and put them in the closet before making his way into the kitchen. After grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, he leaned against the counter and pulled his phone from his pocket.
Among the PR email notifications, correspondence with his supplier for FLEX, and the group chat with his teammates, there was a text message from a number he didn’t recognize. He smiled, having a feeling he knew who it was from.
Hey! I’m sorry it took me this long, but I just wanted to say thank you again for the birthday party. You really didn’t have to do all of that for me, but I loved it :)
Brent: I’m sorry, who is this?
Berkley: Ugh, you’re joking right?
Brent: Haha of course I am. Hello, Berkley. You’re welcome :)
Berkley: God you scared the shit out of me. I was worried I texted some rando.
Brent: To be fair, I kind of am some rando. And you didn’t give me your number in return, so this really could’ve been any number of people.
Berkley: Fine fine, let’s try this again.
Berkley: Hi Brent, this is Berkley Daniels! I just wanted to say thank you so much for throwing me a surprise birthday party! I had the best time :)
Berkley: Better?
Brent: Much ;)
Brent: I’m glad you finally texted me. I was beginning to think you didn’t like me.
Berkley: Definitely not the case. You just make me nervous.
Brent: I make YOU nervous? I had to throw a birthday party for you just to get your attention.
Berkley: Not even remotely true. You messaging me out of the blue just threw me for a loop.
Berkley: And I’ll admit, I was a little freaked out by the story of what happened to us the night of Kimber’s birthday.
