Page 26 of Touchdown Under the Mistletoe
And I just know that I made the right decision.
I’m about to head back downstairs when my phone buzzes with a text from Maxwell. Just two words, all caps: CALL ME.
I consider ignoring it. Whatever he has to say, I don’t want to hear it right now. But if I don’t call him back, he’ll just keep trying, and I’d rather get this over with before dinner.
He answers immediately, and he’s already yelling.
“What on earth were you thinking? I just got off the phone with Sienna’s manager. You’re ending the contract? Both of you? Are you out of your mind?”
“Maxwell, please.”
“Do you have any idea how much money you’re throwing away? The endorsement deals alone are going to set you back seven figures. Seven, Steelbird!”
“Maxwell, listen to me,” I say, but he ignores me.
“And right before the playoffs. The team won’t be happy about this distraction. Your focus should be on football, not on some—”
“MAXWELL!” I cut him off. “I don’t care.”
“What do you mean, you don’t care?”
“I don’t care about the money. I don’t care about the endorsement deals. I don’t even care that much about the playoffs, if I’m being honest. I care about being happy. And that fake relationship was making me miserable.”
“Travis, you need to think about your future.”
“Iamthinking about my future. A future where I’m not lying to everyone I know. A future where I can be with someone I actually care about without violating some contract. Sienna and I worked it out. We’re making it a mutual decision, coordinating our statements. It’s done, Maxwell. I’m not changing my mind.”
“You’re really doing this?”
“I really am.”
“Fine. I’ll talk to legal, and we’ll figure out the best way to minimize the damage. But Travis? This is going to cost you. A lot.”
“I know. And believe me, it’s worth it.”
I hang up and sit on the edge of my bed for a moment. My heart is pounding, but it’s not from fear. It’s from excitement, from relief, from the knowledge that I finally did something for myself instead of for my career.
Now I just need to tell Riley.
Chapter Eleven
Riley
I help Rebecca wash dishes from our Christmas breakfast. My hands are submerged in soapy water, and I’m scrubbing a particularly stubborn casserole dish, but my mind is miles away.
Travis has been upstairs for over an hour now, making phone calls. Important ones for work, apparently. Maybe he’s talking to Sienna. Maybe they’re working out how to handle the media fallout together. Or maybe he’s not even calling Sienna at all but is discussing playoff strategies with his coach. Who knows?
“You’re awfully quiet, dear,” Rebecca says as she picks up a plate to dry.
“Oh, I was thinking about how I have to head home soon. Prepare for my classes after the New Year. You know, back to real life.”
“Well, we’ve loved having you here. Travis especially.” She gives me a wink that makes my stomach flip.
“Really?”
She nods fervently. “Absolutely! I haven’t seen him this happy in years. Not since before he went pro, honestly.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I just focus on scrubbing.
