Chapter 17 #3
“Just wanted to check. Are you headed to bed soon?”
“Yeah, but I’ll wait up. Take your time.”
“Maybe you can play around with Patty Ford for a bit. Sandie and Dale did the other night.”
“Oh my God.” Sandie gasps and then pushes me with her foot. “Don’t tell him those things.”
“Why not? He’ll think it’s hot.”
“It is hot,” Levi says. “But I want the real thing tonight, so call me when you’re done visiting and don’t rush.”
“Okay. I’ll call you in a bit.”
“See ya, babe, and bye, Sandie.”
“Bye, Levi,” Sandie says right before I hang up.
I set the phone down, but I can feel Sandie’s eyes on me. “You are so freaking in love.”
I cover my face with my hands. “I know!”
“First thing’s first,” Penny says as she clasps her hands together and looks me in the eyes. “I need to know, has Posey eaten bologna off you as a sex thing?”
I nearly snort out the sip of coffee I just took. Instead, I swallow, then chuckle. “Uh, no.”
“See, I told you he was classier than that,” Blakely says as she takes a sip of her drink.
We all met at Café Peppermint, one of Levi’s favorite places I found out, and we’re discussing what I can do to help out the team, Levi’s idea to get my dad to stop asking me to do crazy shit.
“You know, I’m kind of disappointed in him,” Penny says. “I expected more.”
“Did you want him to have bologna sex?” Blakely asks, almost horrified.
“I think I would have felt more at ease if he did.”
I chuckle. “I think your perception of Levi is way different from the person he actually is. I understand the man you know because I’ve seen it too.
Kind of goofy, but also tough and dangerous.
He can be self-centered, thinking he is God’s gift to the world, but I think that’s how he is around his friends. ”
“Yes, that’s exactly how I see him,” Penny says. “The number of times I’ve rolled my eyes at that man.”
“Same,” Blakely says. “But I do believe there’s a different side to him. Halsey said he sees it on occasion.”
“I see it all the time,” I say. “He’s so not the guy he puts out there for the media and the fans. He’s so different when it’s just us. He’s selfless, thinks of me all the time and my needs, not his.”
Penny props her chin on her hand and leans on the table. “How so? Also, I know we are here to talk business, and we’ll get to that, but I need to know more about this relationship. I’m fascinated.”
“As long as you promise to tell me how you felt when Eli texted you that he just ate an apple.”
Penny laughs. “Oh my God, he told you that?”
I nod. “He takes responsibility for all his friends being in love, and he went into great detail about it, but I’m sure what he didn’t say to you guys is how each of you are the perfect counterpart.”
“He said that?” Penny asks, looking surprised.
“He did. And he’s really happy for all of you, especially his boys.”
“See.” Blakely swats at Penny. “He might be a little off, but he’s a good guy.”
“I never said he wasn’t a good guy. I’m just perplexed by him. Is he good in bed?”
“Incredible,” I say. “And adventurous.”
“Huh.” Penny looks over at Blakely. “Maybe it’s in the Gatorade in the stadium or something.”
Blakely chuckles. “That has to be it. Although, you’re the only one with a baby.”
“Trust me, everyone will be right behind me. I know it.” Penny glances at me. “By the flush in her cheeks, I would say she’s next.”
“Ooo, not sure I’m ready for that yet, but I do want kids someday.”
Penny shakes her head in disbelief. “She does seem perfect for him, don’t you think?”
“I do,” Blakely says. “And let me tell you, we are not kidding when we say that man is infatuated with you. Like absolutely crazy for you.”
“He is,” Penny says. “I’m sure he’s showed you how crazy he is for you, but when he first needed our help, he was losing it.
He wanted nothing more than to make a move on you, to make you his, to show you that he’s not a playboy, that he can be a one-woman man.
He also wanted to get to know you more, and not in the way where he was seeing how annoyed you would get over the asinine tasks he gave you.
He hated everything he was making you do. It actually made him sick.”
I smile softly. “Yeah, he told me, and he’s apologized far too many times for it.”
“Because he’s a good guy,” Blakely says. “Even though he says weird shit to us.”
“Eh, we say weird shit to him,” Penny says, then turns her attention back to me. “Okay, enough of that. I have an idea for you if you don’t mind. I know you’re struggling with your dad and him understanding what you want to do with your career. I hope it’s okay that we know.”
“It’s totally okay,” I say.
“Well, Blakely and I were thinking we have an upcoming charity event for American Thanksgiving. We call it a week of giving back. The fans bring in food donations, and we do themed nights. One of the nights is kind of stupid, but the fans love it—we turn the players into different dishes.”
“Yes,” I say. “I’ve seen this. I especially loved the one where my dad was turned into a cooked turkey.”
“Exactly,” Penny says. “I was thinking that maybe you could head up the graphics for those. The guy who did them last year left the organization, and we weren’t going to do it, but then we thought, maybe we could ask you.
We’ll have you help out that night as well, so you get the feel of it.
Posey is a big contributor to the week, so it all fits together.
And you get to be involved in both business-focused activities, per your dad’s request, and use that creative head of yours. ”
“Yes, I’d love to. But only if I can turn Eli into apple pie.”
Penny and Blakely both snort.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Penny says. “Although”—she taps her chin—“we did make a baby over a French silk pie, so maybe go with that.”
“Consider it done.”