Page 119 of Hot Stuff
Branton and Walker stare at each other for long seconds before Branton breaks the stare and turns to me. “And who the hell are you? The general manager?”
“No. That’s Natalie Redding. I’m the team owner and this”—I wave my hand toward Blake who’s been hiding in the back corner—“is our assistant coach, Blake Watts.”
Branton spins on his heel so fast he stumbles but the commotion isn’t enough to mask the gasped, “Blake,” that leaves his mouth.
I watch as my best friend and Branton have a conversation with their eyes only and I make a mental note to ask her about it later.
There’s history here I’m unaware of.
“I…” Branton takes a step toward her. “Blake.”
Her name holds so much anguish, it tightens my chest.
“Bran.”
The next thing I know Branton launches across the room and wraps his arms around her. He burrows his face in her neck and the tightening in my chest goes to lung crushing as his sobs fill the room.
A quick look at Walker and we make a mutual decision to leave them and head for the front door.
Once outside, the door closed behind us, I ask, “You know about that?”
“They used to be close. Before…”
“Ah.”
“And Bran is—was—really close to her brothers, the twins.”
“Right. Of course. I saw that in his report. Just never made the connection to Blake.”
“There were rumors before he got married. About him and her. But they never admitted to being in a relationship other than friends.”
“Will their history be a problem?”
“No. She’s solid and he’s not about to let their past affect him.”
“Just his own past.”
“I don’t know the whole story, but I know he only got married because of the baby.”
“Well fuck.”
Branton’s story is tragic on so many levels and I’m not aware of all of them, I’m sure.
I still don’t know if he’s what we need. Losing a child has to be devastating.
Now I have Micky, and it’s only been a few days, I don’t think I’d be able to come back from that kind of loss.
I have no idea how Branton Lattimer is still breathing.
“Oakley.”
I turn to see Blake in the doorway. “Yeah.”
“I’m staying. Give me a few days and I’ll let you know if we need to keep looking or if Bran is joining us.”
“You’re staying here?”
“For now.”
