Chapter 16 – Phoenix
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Tampon darts and Vagisil wipes
Phoenix
I stand beside Tank in the center of Sanders Sporting Goods, a locally owned but very large establishment that serves as the end store for one of the malls in Houston. The place is fucking packed, and practically every customer is here to see Jordie.
As stated in the contract, Mr. Sanders has provided two security guards, and in addition to my big friend, they’re keeping the crowd pretty much under control.
I glance at the table where Jordie is busy signing balls, jerseys, and other merchandise. Her new sneaker was released this week, and the store has already sold out of them, despite the event only starting fifteen minutes ago.
Tank inches closer to Jordie when she steps around the table to take a photo with a particularly loud guy in front of the logo backdrop the store set up. While Tank is generally a gentle teddy bear of a man, he’s got his game face on today, eyes sharp and mouth unsmiling.
When the rowdy man squeezes a little too close to Jordie and tries to hug her, I step forward, my hackles rising.
But before I can react, Tank is right by her side, saying something to the guy in a low voice.
The asshole turns, a look of belligerence on his face until he sees the hulking bodyguard wearing a tight black tee and a scowl.
His eyes drop to Tank’s Jupiter-sized biceps, which are straining the sleeves of his shirt, and he quickly scurries off with his signed football.
When Tank returns to my side, I ask, “Do you have to get your shirts specially made with industrial-strength threads to keep the seams from busting?”
He doesn’t look at me, but his lips twitch just a bit. “The thread is made from the intestines of people who piss me off.”
“Gotcha. I’ll do my best to stay on your good side then. In fact, can I bring you anything? Perhaps a side of beef to snack on while you glare at small children?”
This time there’s no mistaking the quirk of his lips. “I’m not glaring at the children, just the adult men who think it’s okay to touch a woman without her permission.”
“What about that kid?” I ask, nodding toward a little girl about Reece’s age with blonde pigtails. She just got to the front of the line and is hopping up and down in excitement. “She looks pretty suspicious.”
“Want me to take her down?” Tank jokes. At least I think he’s joking. His face is the picture of impassivity, his blue eyes sharp and flinty.
The little girl jumps, and Jordie catches her, both of them laughing. I elbow the big guard. “Go get her, tiger. She looks scrappy, but I think you could take her.”
He uncrosses his arms and holds a fist to his mouth, covering a snicker with a fake cough. “Go away, Hale. You’re bugging me.”
I ignore the request, and we watch as Jordie poses for pictures with the little girl and then signs her jersey and mini-football. “She’s good with kids,” Tank notes, and I nod my agreement.
“Reece loves her. Jordie was great with her at my house last weekend.”
Tank slowly turns his head toward me and raises one eyebrow. “At your house?”
Waving him off, I say, “She came by so I could look over some contracts for her. Ended up staying for dinner and… stuff.” No way was I going to detail my spa activities.
“Stuff, huh?”
“Stop smirking at me. It wasn’t like that.” Changing the subject, I watch as Jordie gives the shorty a fist bump before turning to the next person in line. I waggle my index finger in that direction. “Now this one, you really need to keep an eye on. I think she’s up to something.”
Tank huffs out a sigh. “Isn’t that your sister?”
I cackle. “Yes, that’s Perri.”
After my sister is done meeting Jordie, she trots over to us, holding up her signed jersey, T-shirt, and sneaker box and doing a little wiggle. I give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, bro,” she says. “You changing your career to bodyguard?”
“Just here to give Tank some pointers.” I shrug in a show of fake modesty and jerk a thumb at the bodyguard. “Amateurs, am I right?”
Perri pats Tank on the arm. She’s so petite it looks like a child’s hand on his biceps. “Is this man bothering you, Tank? I could have him removed.”
He grins. “Nice to see you again, Perri. No need to have him removed, but I wouldn’t mind knowing some of his deepest secrets for future use.”
She flaps a hand at him and lets out a pshht hiss. “I got you, dude.” Leaning forward, she whispers, “I think he has a crush on young miss Jordie McNamara.”
I cover her mouth with my hand as Tank guffaws. She licks my palm, and I pull it away, wiping sister spit on my khakis. “I do not have a crush on her. Or anyone.”
Perri rolls her eyes toward Tank, who is listening with interest. “He totally does.” Then she deepens her voice, presumably trying to sound like me. “Jordie’s pictures turned out beautifully. You should see Jordie’s eyes. They are such a pretty turquoise color. Jordie is freaking amazing.”
Heat prickles my neck, causing little beads of sweat to dampen the collar of my Dragons polo. Apparently I’m shit at hiding my true feelings.
“That’s just admiration of a very talented athlete and subject of our marketing campaign. It’s my job to hype her up.”
“Uh-huh,” Perri says, unimpressed by my explanation. “Whatever you say, Phoenix. Now I’m going to put my loot in the car and then head to the arcade. You brought Reece, right?”
I nod, relieved that she let go of the whole crush thing so quickly. “Bristol asked me to bring her so she could play with their kids.”
“Coolio. I’ll go help. Can we go get barbecue afterward?”
“Sure. I’ll see if Jordie wants to come.”
My sister thinks that’s the funniest thing ever. “Yeah, you do that, bro.”
Okay, maybe I did sound a bit enthusiastic about the idea.
“Because I thought you might want to spend time with her since she’s about your age,” I call to her back, but she’s still laughing as she walks away.
I swear, my little sister is the biggest pain in my ass.
I walk into the arcade, and my eyes widen. I’ve never been here, but this is obviously much more than the arcades I grew up with. It’s like a damn mini-amusement park with a small roller coaster and bumper cars, as well as regular video games.
“Daddy!” My head swivels from side to side, recognizing Reece’s voice immediately, but I don’t see her. “Daddy, up here! Watch me!”
I notice a line of thirty-foot-tall slides against the left wall.
It’s dim on that side of the space, and all the slides are illuminated with neon lights, but I recognize the small form standing at the top of a big, pink, wavy one.
I try not to panic because she’s so high, but I see Perri right behind her and there’s plenty of safety netting.
Still, my feet carry me quickly as I force a smile onto my face.
“I see you, Reecie!”
My heart thunders in my chest when she fearlessly dives headfirst and bumps her way down the slide on her tummy, the organ only returning to some semblance of normal when she reaches the bottom and tumbles onto the soft mat with an insane giggle.
I’m there in a second, scooping her up and kissing all over her face. Being a dad to a preschooler is fucking terrifying, but I try not to let that show. I want my little girl to be safe, but I also don’t want to be a helicopter parent that wraps his kid in metaphorical bubble wrap all the time.
“Was that fun, my brave girl?” I ask, planting one more kiss on her nose.
Her smile lights up brighter than the neon lights. “So, so fun. I’ve been on every slide here. The purple one was, like, amazing. It goes like this.” She wiggles her little hand from side to side in a snakelike motion. “But the pink one goes up and down, and it was the funnest.”
Cradling her to me, I watch as Perri slides down with a whoop, and I reach down to give her a hand up.
“Hey, Big Daddy! Watch me!”
I’m confused for a second until I find a pink-haired old lady waving with cheerful exuberance from the top of a yellow slide. Jesus Christ. Tank’s grandmother, of course.
“Why did she call you Daddy?” Reece asks. “You’re not her daddy.”
“Gram’s just being silly,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “Here, stand right by Aunt Perri while I help her up.”
Setting down my daughter, I stroll over and offer a hand to the sweet and crazy old bird who just landed on the mat. “Good job, Gram. Are you having a good time?”
“The best,” she crows. “Want to play bumper cars with me? I’ll let you ram me.”
Fucking hell.
“Thank you for the offer, but we’re actually about to head to Carver’s Family BBQ. Your grandson said to ask you and Bristol if you wanted to go eat with us.”
“I’m sure she’ll want to. The kids just started complaining that they’re hungry. Here she comes now.”
We watch as Bristol slides down a green slide with her toddler, Henry, in her lap. She agrees to a late lunch, and twenty minutes later, we have all the kids rounded up and are walking into the family-owned restaurant.
I’m surprised to see my dad and Rebecca at the hostess stand in front of us. “Hey, good to see you both,” I say, giving dad a hug and kissing my stepmom on the cheek. “You guys want to join us?”
Opal, the ever-present waitress, seats us shortly at a long, unadorned table.
I’m sitting on one side with Dad, Rebecca, Gram, Tank, and Henry, who’s secured in a highchair.
Reece wanted to sit beside the middle Hanford child, Maddie, and, of course Jordie, so she’s across from me while Bristol, Amelia, and Perri take the final seats on that side.
After Opal takes our orders, my dad decides it’s officially embarrass the fuck out of Phoenix day and begins telling stories.
“And then I remember this one time, I took all three of my boys fishing.” He smiles fondly at my half sister. “This was before you came along, Perri. Anyway, I taught the boys how to bait a hook, and a few minutes later, I catch a whiff of something sweet.”
“What was it, Dad?” Perri asks, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth.