Page 62 of Enemies Off Camera
So I raise my thumb—high and happy.
And he sees it.
He raises his thumb back.
A funny thing happens:Tati, wife of a right tackle named Josh Banks, includes me in the round of tequila shots she buys for all the girls.
That’s what they call each other—the girls—and I think, as of tonight, they consider me part of the crew.
Jaxon scores two more times, and each time, we do the thumbs-up thing. I hope he doesn’t think I’m pretending. I can’t wait to tell him that I meant it. He’s the reason I’m really enjoying the game tonight. So, yeah—not only is he playing like a demigod, but he’s made it possible for me to enjoyhim. And for that alone, he deserves a thumbs up.
There’s less than a minute left. San Diego has the ball and is up by only three, even though Jaxon scored three times. I’m chewing on my nails, but Genesis, Onetra, Tati, and everybody else isn’t.
“Don’t stress, honey,” Genesis says, patting my arm. “They’re going to run out the clock. We won.”
“Oh,” I say, exhaling the tension from my body.
Then she leans in and says, “Come with us tonight. We’re throwing a little after-game party.”
My mouth drops. I mean, I knew I was making inroads with the girls, but aparty?
“Are you serious?” I finally ask, totally shocked.
“Yes, honey. It’ll be fun.”
My stomach does little dances, and my heart skips a beat.
Is this what it feels like to be one of the girls?Like, for real?
Because on the show—I faked it. I fake-bonded with the girls. I can admit that now. No wonder they all dumped me in the end. I didn’t know how to be real with them.
But I can feel it now.
Genesis and the girls... they could end up being my friends.
For real.
FORTY-FOUR
Genesis and Barber’s home is nestled high on a hill. It’s huge—mansion-sized—with sweeping windows and three sprawling floors. She drove me here in her very expensive half-sport, half-luxury car with cream-colored leather seats and high-end everything. The whole thing smelled like wealth and newness.
She’s rich.Veryrich. And on the drive over, I learned Barber’s salary isn’t the only reason why.
Genesis was a hedge fund analyst before marrying him. As she whipped through San Diego’s winding hills, she casually mentioned that she’d quadrupled his paychecks—and that when his contract ends, he could retire at twenty-eight.
“But he loves the game too much,” she said with a shrug. “Still, we made a deal: if we ever see signs of brain injury, he quits. Through our private provider, we scan his brain three times a year.”
I was stunned. The same woman who once told me our job was to “eat, sleep, and breathe our football players” had actually taken anindustriousapproach to that idea. I’d assumed she meant keeping him happy so he didn’t stray. But no—Genesis is playing chess while the rest of us are learning the rules.
You never truly know someone until youknowthem. I’m learning that more and more these days—starting with Jaxon.
Inside the house, the vibe is casual luxury. There’s a spread of sliders, truffle fries, lobster corn dogs, and steak crostini with truffle butter—just a few of my new favorite things. I haven’t eaten all day, and I had one strong tequila shot, so this food is a godsend.
Only women and children are present for now. Some teenagers are night-swimming, while younger kids are wrangled by nannies as their mothers sip cocktails and socialize.
Onetra and Tati—who sat in the same section as me in the suite earlier—have claimed the end of the largest sectional I’ve ever seen and waved me over. I heard this room isn’t even their living room. It’s designated for “events.” Casual.
“So,” Onetra says, “how’s it going with Jaxon?”
