Chapter 23
twenty-three
. . .
Brinkley
“I love your mom,” I said, no hesitation in my voice. Those weren’t words I tossed around lightly, but Abi Hendrix was an amazing woman.
“She loves you, too,” Lincoln said as we settled onto the couch on the back deck, looking out at the water.
“She’s so open. She told me all about her cancer journey when we stayed up chatting last night.”
“Is that when you made me drive you home after? My mom is more than aware that we’re sleeping together.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know. But she was here for a weekend. I don’t need to be getting busy with her son while she’s in the house.”
“Getting busy? Is that what we’re doing?” A loud laugh escaped.
The sun had just tucked behind the horizon and the sky was a mix of oranges and yellows and pinks. It looked like a watercolor painting. We loved to sit out here every night and watch the sun go down.
I’d never spent this much time with a man before. We were together all day, every day. My work and personal life had completely meshed together. I’m sure I’d broken a million professional rules, but for whatever reason, I didn’t care.
I couldn’t pull back now if I wanted to.
And I didn’t want to.
“I think we’re doing more than that,” I said. “I noticed you shut the conversation down quickly when your mom asked about the future.”
He turned to face me, studying me for the longest time before he spoke. “I didn’t think it was a conversation that my mother should be part of. Are you ready to have it?”
I raised a brow. “Sure. Let’s do it.”
“All right. Well, where do you see this going?”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Are you putting this on me?”
“No. I just wanted to give you a chance to go first.”
“Who’s the rude gentleman now?”
He chuckled. “I’m not afraid to tell you how I feel, Brinkley.”
“I’m listening.”
“I don’t only love your smart mouth and your hot-as-shit body,” he said as he moved closer.
“You are off to a really good start, Captain.”
“I’m not joking.” He placed his fingers beneath my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. “I fucking love you. I’m all in.”
I sucked in a breath. I could feel my eyes watering, and I blinked several times.
“What does that mean?” I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek.
“Exactly what I said. I love you.”
I nodded as his thumb swiped across the moisture moving down my face.
“I love you so much it freaks me out,” I said, my voice trembling as the words left my mouth. “But I don’t know how this works after we leave this bubble, and that terrifies me.”
“Life is scary, baby. But I’ve got you. You don’t need to be afraid.”
“It’s different for you,” I said as he pulled me onto his lap.
“How so?”
“You’re in love with a regular person. I’m in love with Lincoln Hendrix, the GOAT of the NFL.
There’s going to be women throwing themselves at you, and I don’t even know where I’ll be living.
I have a few options on the table, but I’m leaning toward going with Sports Today, which would mean I would live in San Francisco. ”
“You’re thinking too much, sweetheart. We’ll figure it out. Other women won’t be throwing themselves at me because I won’t be looking. There’s only one woman I see. One woman that I want.”
“Maybe that’s because I’m the only one here in Cottonwood Cove. This bubble is going to pop, and the real world is going to be waiting for you.”
“Do you think I’m that guy? I’ve never cheated at anything in my life.
I don’t take shortcuts. If this isn’t working, I’d have enough respect for you to talk to you about it first. I’d expect the same in return.
I keep my circle small because I like it that way.
But I’m loyal to the people that I love, and I think you know that deep down.
Hell, I think you’re drawn to it. We’re similar that way. ”
I nodded. He was right. I was the same way. I kept my circle small, and I was fiercely protective of the people that I loved, as well.
“I agree. But temptation will be there. The press will be hounding you again. Our lives won’t be private any longer.”
“I didn’t say it would be easy, but it’ll be worth it. And if you end up in San Francisco, I’ll fly out to see you or fly you out to see me as much as we can. I’ve got access to planes, and we’ll make it work. People do it all the time.”
I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation.
That we’d both been completely honest about how we felt.
It was scary and exhilarating all at the same time.
“So, we’re doing this?”
“I’d say we don’t have a choice at this point. There’s no turning back now. I’m too far gone,” he said, and he wrapped his arms tighter around me.
He was right.
We were both too far gone.
“You are such a traitor. You’ve only known him for a few months, and you’re cheering for him over your own sister?”
“Correct,” Cage said dryly, and everyone laughed.
We’d come to Maddox and Georgia’s house because Hugh and Lila had met their wedding planner over here to discuss the final details for their wedding, and we’d stopped by to see everyone.
Cage and Gracie were out running errands, so they’d stopped by, as well.
Finn was doing the final scenes for Big Sky Ranch, and he’d been working a lot lately.
Of course, once we’d shown up, that led to Georgia insisting we play pickleball. Let’s just say that Lincoln Hendrix may be amazing with a football, but I did play volleyball for a long time. And with my sister being oddly talented at the sport of pickleball, she’d taught me a thing or two.
He and I had gone at it for the last hour, and he’d managed to edge me out, all with the annoying cheering from my oldest brother.
“I cheers for Auntie Brinks and Links!” Gracie shouted.
“He is the best football player out there, so don’t take the loss too hard,” Hugh said, placing an arm around my shoulder.
“It’s fine.” I rolled my eyes and handed my racket to my sister before glaring at Cage. “You best sleep with one eye open.”
“Hey, remember that I played you first, and you gloated about beating me. Linc doesn’t gloat.”
“Please. He gloats so much he does it in his sleep!” I threw my hands in the air.
“Only when I have reason to gloat in my sleep, sweetheart.”
Cage and Hugh high-fived him, and I punched him in the shoulder.
“We’re leaving. I need to go check on the garden.”
My brothers both laughed because they found it hilarious that I was so invested.
“You should see it,” Lincoln said as he reached for my hand. “It’s taken off.”
Maddox and Georgia smirked at one another because they knew he’d been the reason it was currently a garden that could hold its own on any home and garden show. “She’s got a green thumb.”
Normally, I would call him out for covering for me, but I was annoyed with Cage, so I let this one go.
We said our goodbyes and drove to my house. We spent very little time there because, with Lincoln having a place on the water, along with an amazing home gym, it was the obvious choice most days.
But the garden was my thing. And yes, he’d had a watering system put in, so I didn’t need to be out there with the hose every day. But I liked to go choose some items from the garden that we could use for dinner or for breakfast the next day.
There was something very satisfying about growing the food that you ate.
When we pulled in front of my house, we both stared at the tall guy sitting on my front steps.
“Who the fuck is that?” Lincoln grumped.
“I don’t know. But let’s greet him a bit friendlier than that.”
I got out of the car, which earned me an eye roll from my boyfriend, who had hurried around to open my door.
“It’s not a goddamn race,” he said under his breath as he pinned me to the car. “But I do need to get you alone.”
“Did you forget that we have a stranger waiting for us a few feet away?” I said with a laugh.
He pulled back, and I patted my hair into place and walked toward the house.
Our unknown visitor was standing up now, and the closer we got, the clearer it was that he was strikingly good-looking.
He was tall, close in height to Lincoln, with broad shoulders and wavy brown hair, and he appeared to be in his early twenties, if not younger.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Lincoln.” He studied the man beside me, but not the way someone having a true fan moment would. This was different.
“Do I know you?” Lincoln asked. “Who the fuck were you expecting?”
I turned to look at Lincoln. The man was such a hothead when it came to people he didn’t know. “Turn it down a notch, Captain.”
“Are you Brinkley Reynolds?” the guy asked.
Lincoln stepped in front of me, wrapping his fingers around my wrist to keep me behind him. “Are you a fucking reporter?”
“Do I look like a fucking reporter?” The guy raised a brow with the same bad attitude as my boyfriend.
“I’m going to ask you one last time. Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?”
I stepped out of Lincoln’s grip to stand beside him.
The guy crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m Romeo Knight. I’m fairly certain that you’re my brother.”
Lincoln’s shoulders stiffened, and his jaw strained when I glanced up to look at him.
“Your last name is Knight? Who’s your father?” That was all Lincoln asked.
“Keith Knight.” He continued to stare at Lincoln, and you could cut the tension with a knife.
I stepped forward, desperate to lighten things up. “Hi, Romeo. I’m Brinkley Reynolds. How’d you find my house?”
He went on to explain how he’d recently learned that he had a brother.
He’d tried messaging a few times on social media.
When my article came out, he’d learned that I was writing a story about Lincoln and interviewing him while he trained.
So, he’d researched me and found out where I lived.
He assumed he’d have better luck finding a reporter than a football star who lived a very private life.
“Her address is not listed on a public site.” Lincoln was really hung up on the fact that Romeo had found my house, and he had yet to acknowledge that this was potentially his brother.
“I stopped at the Cottonwood Café, and the girl behind the counter told me where I could find your house.” He had an edge to him, very similar to the disposition of the man beside me.
Between the attitude, the striking looks, and the height, that was as far as the similarities ran.
Romeo was tan, with dark eyes and darker hair.
“She just gave you her address? What if you were a trained fucking killer?” Lincoln hissed, and Romeo rolled his eyes.
“I am a boxer, but I’ve yet to kill anyone.”
“How am I supposed to know if you’re really who you say you are?”
“Our father’s birthday is on Christmas. He was born in Clearance, Iowa. He and your mom dated in high school, and she got pregnant after they graduated. The story goes that he ran off shortly after you were born. Your mother didn’t put his name on the birth certificate, and you took her last name.”
“What are you here for, money? Did my father send you?”
“Fuck you. I don’t need your money. I guess you’re as big of an asshole as the media has made you out to be.” He stalked down the walkway.
“Lincoln. This is most likely your brother. He isn’t the one who left you. He just found out about you,” I said as I squeezed his hand.
“Fuck,” he said under his breath. “Romeo. Hold up.”
Romeo turned around, not making any effort to hide his annoyance. “You beckoned, your highness?”
They had a similar dry sense of humor, no doubt about it.
“Why are you coming around now?” Lincoln asked.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced away before looking back in our direction. “I didn’t know about you, dude. At least not beyond being a famous football player. He never told me, but all the skeletons came out of the closet after he passed away a few weeks ago.”
My chest ached at his words because he was hurting as much as Lincoln was. Just for different reasons.
“He’s dead?”
“He is. Had a heart attack ringside at my last fight. He was my coach.” His teeth sank into his bottom lip, and it was impossible to miss the emotions that were clearly still fresh and raw.
“And he sent you a message from the grave?” Lincoln asked, and I glared at him for being so cold about it.
He had his reasons for being angry, but Romeo hadn’t done anything wrong.
“No, dickhead. He’s not sending me messages from the grave.
My grandmother told me at his funeral that you were his biggest regret.
And then my mom did some digging because apparently, he’d never told her either.
She found a box he’d hidden in their closet with a copy of your birth certificate, a lock of your hair, and a few baby photos.
He had a ton of newspaper clippings from all your games over the years.
We found a letter that he wrote to you in the box, and I guess I thought I should bring it to you. ”
Lincoln just stared as if he were processing the information.
“Where do you live? Did you travel far to get here?” Lincoln asked.
“I drove from Magnolia Falls.” He looked toward the street, and I followed his gaze to the old motorcycle a few feet in front of where Lincoln had parked.
“That’s like an eight-hour drive,” I said. “You must be exhausted.”
“I got an early start this morning,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m fine.”
“Where are you staying?” Lincoln asked.
“I’ll find a motel, or I’ll head back tonight. I’m not worried about it.” Romeo Knight was pretty good at masking his emotions, that much was clear. His cool demeanor was similar to his brother’s.
“Does your mom know that you’re here?”
He chuckled. “I’m twenty-one years old. I hardly need to tell my mother where I’m going. But Tia knows.”
“Who’s Tia?” Lincoln pressed.
“My sister. Technically, I guess she’s our sister.
She’s eighteen. She’s been sending you messages to your social media accounts, as well.
I decided to just hop on my bike and come find Brinkley Reynolds and see if she’d tell me where I could find you.
Thought you at least deserved the letter he’d written you. ”
Lincoln ran a hand down his face and glanced over at me.
“Well, you drove all this way. You’ve got to be starving. You want to come inside?”
Whether he liked it or not.
They were family.