Chapter 17
HUDSON
Ithrow my water bottle to the side in a fit of anger. The assistant coaches around me take a step back as we walk along the field in the late-morning sun.
“I want to see Lewis in my office this afternoon. Is he not following workouts in his own time? He’s out of shape and doesn’t seem to have studied any plays at all. This isn’t the standard I expect.”
“I’ll set up a meeting,” Arnold our team manager pipes up.
“Good. I want him off the field for the rest of practice. He’s a distraction and needs a rest.” I rub the back of my neck in pure aggravation.
Lewis, my second season linebacker is pissing me off, and unlucky for him it’s on the wrong day. Ever since Piper told me the other day about April, I’ve been conflicted.
I wanted to reach out to April, but from my understanding, only Piper knows, which means April would know Piper and I are in contact.
As much as I don’t care that April knows that fact, I am sensitive to April’s moment of despair.
But this means we’re stuck in a holding pattern until April finds out.
Yep, unlucky Lewis for pissing me off on the wrong day.
“Kimberly is here,” one of the assistant coaches announces.
Ugh, just what I need now, the team’s new PR coordinator who focuses on social media.
She just graduated from college, and her idea of building buzz is creating little videos every day and posting them online.
When she asked if she could take a video of what my lunch was, that was the day I almost lost faith in humanity.
I roll my eyes before I rub my face when I witness her clearly flashing an overly sweet smile at one of my players as she walks my way.
“Hudson!” she calls out with a little wave. “We need to go over the calendar.”
“Can’t this wait? I want to do one more drill with my guys.”
She looks down at her tablet. “The schedule says they should have a break now.”
I hear Arnold chuckle under his breath, and I give him side-eye. “You handle the team; I’ll get this over with.”
He slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Just remember that sponsors love the shit she spews out.”
“Don’t I know it.” I turn my attention to Kimberly, cross my arms, and smile politely. “What’s on the agenda today?”
She flings her hair behind her shoulder. “Well, we need to finalize details for the pre-season team dinner, the charity BBQ, and the press conference coming up. I think you have the press conference under control, but I need you to confirm how many guest seats you want for the dinner and BBQ.”
“You know I do those things solo.”
“I know, but someone from the events team mentioned sometimes a Drew and Lucy come?” She studies her screen, clearly having no idea who they are.
“It’s okay, Kimberly, they’re my son and daughter-in-law. We don’t actively advertise that fact.”
She smiles genuinely. “Oh, okay. Well, let me know if they’ll be coming.
Which brings me to the other question.” She attempts to hold in her smile.
“Do we need to plan for a plus-one for your upcoming functions? Otherwise… damn it, why do they make me do this,” she mutters to herself, and I appreciate that we’ve established enough trust that she can curse in front of me.
“Spit it out.”
“Marketing wants to know if they can agree to a feature on you that may emphasize that you’re a bachelor. They think it draws in the female demographic.” I can tell she doesn’t enjoy being the messenger.
I’m quick to answer. “Plan for a plus-one.”
“Really?”
I glance over at the guys setting up for a scrimmage. “Yes.”
“So… there is someone?”
My attention turns back to her. “Yes.”
“Care to elaborate? Because they will only send me back here tomorrow.” Her face is pleading.
“There is someone in my life, so yes, Piper will be with me.”
The thing about aggravation is it shoots determination through me and sends me on a direct path to what I want. I know April will figure everything out soon, and that means that Piper and I can continue to take steps, and I want nothing more than to have Piper by my side.
“That is such an adorable name. Can I have a last name, social handles, and any dietary restrictions?” Kimberly returns to business mode.
“Nope. How about we keep it easy.”
Kimberly stomps her foot in slight frustration.
“You know Smith’s wife started posting several times a day about a day in the life of a football wife, often taking pictures and videos when she visits him at practice, videos of what she cooks him for breakfast before training, those kinds of things.
She gained a hundred thousand followers in one week. Fans love that stuff.”
I hold my hand up. “No disrespect to Smith’s wife, but Piper is not that kind of woman.” Piper carries herself with a sort of demeanor that my parents would call classy, yet behind closed doors, she’s the best kind of dirty.
Kimberly holds up a finger. “One post. One picture when she visits you at training. Give us something.”
“Can we focus on my guys again, please? What’s happening to that whole football-players-with-puppies charity event? I mean, sign me up for that. It’s puppies,” I tell her half-heartedly.
“Fine. I get the hint.”
“Good. Now I need to get back to coaching.” I throw a thumb over my shoulder and walk back to centerfield.
I shake my head. As much as Kimberly’s suggestions are ridiculous, I can’t help but smile at the idea of everyone knowing who my girl is, making it clear Piper is off-limits and I take complete claim for her. And hot damn, I’m sure we would blow up the marketing department’s social media quota.
My sister Catherine walks into my office at the training facility that is my home for most hours of the day as we prepare for the new season.
It’s a mess at this moment due to having extra screens up so I can compare plays and footage.
She was in the area to collect intel for one of her depositions and called if she could stop by, and I have an afternoon break that I don’t normally take.
But this is perfect timing, as I was going to call her anyway to share the latest news in my life.
“Hey, big sis,” I greet her with a hug.
She hugs me back. “Hey, trouble.” She sits on a chair in front of my desk while I head in the direction of my small fridge
She admires the new photo from Drew’s wedding, a photo of me and the happy couple. “Good photo. He’s settling into married life? Or have you not seen him yet since the wedding?”
“I saw him the other week when he delivered a shelf he made.”
I bring her a sparkling water then slide my phone off the desk, unlock my screen, and show her the photo of Drew’s latest creation.
Catherine examines the screen. “It’s beautiful. I wonder if he could make me one.”
I admire the woodwork in the photo and smile at the fact that Piper left a creepy lobster statue on top of a book. She said it brings luck, and she had it in her car as she was moving things from her office to storage.
“You know he will.”
She taps the screen with her nail. “Send me this photo so I have an idea of the measurements.” Catherine makes herself at home and opens her bottle of water. “I won’t stay long, just wanted to quickly chat in person,” she calls out.
I head behind my desk and let out a sigh of relaxation because it’s the first moment of the day that I don’t need to discuss football.
“April and Jeff broke off their engagement,” she explains.
I ditch my seat and head to my coffee machine on the side table and hit the button for a cup of caffeine that now seems like nirvana since we are heading straight into a serious conversation. “I know.”
“How? She only just told me last night.”
Grabbing my cup, I have no intention to lie to my sister. “Piper told me.”
My sister tilts her head in curiosity as she studies me. “I didn’t realize you two had contact.”
Sitting down, I lean back, throw my feet on my desk, and take a sip of my coffee. “Want to make this about your daughter or me?” I counter.
“I’m concerned about April. She must be heartbroken, but I hate myself for not giving in to the red flags and telling April she could do better.”
“Fate stepped in then.” I hold my coffee up to her in a toast. “I’ll reach out to April if you want. Maybe she could use a weekend here at Lake Spark.”
“That would be a good idea.” Catherine brushes a piece of lint off her slacks. A silence overtakes us, and she examines me before giving me a pointed look. “You’re sleeping with my daughter’s best friend?”
I grin because of her bluntness. “I would like the think we are more than that, but yes. Piper and I met before we realized how we’re connected. Funny, huh?” I stay calm and collected, in fact unaffected by my sister’s facial expression of intrigue.
“Yet April has no clue,” she highlights the fact.
“Piper was going to tell her the other day, but April wasn’t in a great place. I’d do it myself, however they should figure it out between them. I don’t want to get in the way of their friendship.”
“How noble of you.” I sense sarcastic undertones in her words.
Catherine gives me a stern look before she throws her hand in the air.
“You’re right, though, it’s for them to work it out.
” She studies me for another hot second.
“Piper? Really? I mean, she is a lovely girl, don’t get me wrong.
But your niece’s best friend? Like, really? Is this a mid-life crisis thing?”
I give her a pointed unimpressed look and swing my feet off my desk to sit up straight. “It’s not. She’s good for me.”
“April may be crushed.”
“Why? Wouldn’t she want her best friend and favorite uncle together?” I place my coffee to the side.
My sister gives a short laugh. “Listen to that statement you just said. And I don’t know, maybe she’ll be thrilled. She has a lot going on right now, so I can’t predict it.”
“Well, I’m not going to hide my relationship with Piper anymore.”
“Uh-oh. Bullheaded Hudson is coming out. You were this way when you discovered you have a son. Determined as hell and nobody could get in your way. Just be sensitive, please, it involves my daughter,” she reminds me.
I nod in understanding. “Is it so wrong to grab hold of what you want when you discover what you have?”
Catherine chortles. “Well, I’ll be damned. You are under a spell, and let’s just all hope it doesn’t wear off when you’re out in the open, no longer sneaking around, or that Piper is just as ready as you seem about a future.”
Her statement takes me off guard because she’s right. Piper needs to be on the same wavelength, or we have no chance.
“Is that concern I hear?” My brows lift.
She folds her arms over her chest and taps her fingers along her forearms. “It’s logic. She’s young, maybe doesn’t want to jump into all the things you do, well, at least not on your timeline. But heaven help us if you actually listen to me.”
I smile to myself because I hear the caring undertones but admire her ability to still lecture me as an adult. “I’ll take it into consideration.”
My phone in my pocket vibrates, and I pull it out to see that Piper sent a message.
Piper
Hey, I know you’re supposed to be in focus mode during training, but I’m going to try and head up to Lake Spark later this week. I’ll drive up, avoid foxes and killer pinecones. Hopefully won’t have terrible timing again too. I want to see you.
A hint of a smile tilts on my lips, and my sister’s advice now only hangs by a thread in the back of my head.
Because I’ve got everything under control. Even the slither of doubt within can’t shake my standpoint that I’ll get exactly what I want.