Aldrich
“IS THIS HOW we doing it?”
I was staring at Ling like she was a piece of meat and I swore I was trying to be respectful but I couldn’t with what she had on. I was glad my mama wasn’t at this game because I was about to do some real nasty shit to my girl when we got the baby to sleep.
She looked embarrassed but I circled my finger in the air because I wanted her to turn around despite my being able to see her ass from the front.
Sterling rolled her eyes playfully but obliged and the back view was just as good as the front.
Sterling was wearing a black wrap dress that hugged her every curve like a second skin.
She had it paired with some blue fur boots that made her legs even longer and had a short matching fur jacket to match.
She looked classy as fuck and I guess since it was December and we’d just clenched our spot for the playoffs Sterling was comfortable in her spot as my girl.
This season had been better than I could’ve imagined.
I was on pace to break my single-season yardage best. I was contributing to my team’s success and the two losses we had were by three points or less.
Being in first place in our division had us extra focused and I knew I could work at peak performance because of the love and support I had at home.
“I felt like dressing up a little. It’s the Christmas season and all so I thought I’d bring out the fur.
” She was explaining like I was criticizing her and I hated that she still did that shit.
I knew it would take her a while but I bit my lip and let my nostrils flare so she knew I ain’t have a problem with what she was wearing.
“Definitely a big deal and definitely a good idea. You look good as fuck, Ling. You been keeping the baddest outfits in the guest bedroom closet haven’t you?
I’m glad you didn’t let me see this one, my ass would’ve been distracted all game.
” The offensive line had worked its magic against our instate rivals and I’d had another hundred plus yard game.
If I would’ve known Ling was in this, I definitely would’ve been mentally saying, fuck this game all night.
This is why her ass didn’t want to walk the sidelines before the game.
Just before our Thanksgiving game, I asked Ling if she wanted a sideline pass.
I’d always had them available but didn’t think she’d use it.
I understood her desire to stay anonymous especially with people coming at her crazy.
But when she started boldly wearing my number and had no issue with being on the team pages, I got up the nerve to offer it to her.
And she’d accepted. I was so damn happy I made her learn a handshake and everything.
One of the guys from the social media team captured us on the sidelines doing it and now I had a video of it on my phone.
I was slowly building up a collage of moments between the two of us because I wanted her to know that in every part of my life, she and Ami were my reason.
“Thank you.”
I stepped closer to her and pulled her to me. With one hand on her hip and the other on the stroller, I gave her a deep, quick kiss. I might be eager to get her home, but I wasn’t going to compromise having my eyes on my little one even if we had a bunch of people around us.
I turned and kissed her neck before I whispered in her ear. “Whoever you ordered them from go buy every color. I know them boots gone feel soft as fuck on my shoulders later.”
I moved away quickly and bent to the stroller as Ling’s ass stood there too flustered to speak for a moment.
“Aldrich!”
“Yeah okay, you know what name to call me when I’m deep in—”
“Money!”
The insistent way the person said my name had us both turning abruptly even though we’d both been trying to avoid speaking to anyone we didn’t know.
We were on the outskirts of my teammates greeting their family and the woman who’d called me was wearing a facility crew outfit.
I relaxed and hated that I hadn’t immediately recognized who she was.
I never wanted to be one of those players who overlooked the people who kept everything going, but I couldn’t place this woman.
As she approached us I noticed she was older than we were, with olive-colored skin and light brown hair that washed out her features.
She had the type of eyes that showed her family kept it in the family and her family tree was probably a garland instead of sycamore.
They were extra recessive blue and rhuemy like they were chronically wet with too many popped blood vessels.
Branches crossing back and forth over one another.
When she stopped in front of us her eyes landed on Ami and Ling immediately tensed and stepped in front of her stroller. That put me on guard and I moved toward the woman so that they were behind me. “Hi, I’m sorry for not remembering you, but is there something you needed?”
“Aldrich Dinero? You’ve been served.”
The woman’s grin was so triumphant I didn’t have the time to be angry that she’d thrown this at me.
I didn’t have a problem with being served.
I knew she didn’t understand the grave mistake she’d made by using whatever means she had to get back into this area instead of waiting to serve me when we got out into the parking lot or hunting me down in the street.
“Thanks. Do I need to sign anything to attest that I’ve received the summons?”
I was playing it cool, both dimples popped out of my cheeks and I knew that I had thrown her for a loop.
She expected me to go off. To rage or rip the paper up — and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for keeping it cool.
It was clear this setup was twofold: to get the paperwork to me and then for someone to catch my reaction on camera so they could make me a headline.
I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of either.
The process server stood there and shuffled her feet as though she were waiting on something and Sterling couldn’t help but be petty.
“Are you looking for a tip, or something? I’m sorry whoever hired you isn’t paying you well but I don’t have any cash, do you, Money?”
The impenetrable professional mask was broken momentarily as I slid my now seductively narrowed eyes toward her.
She knew what she was doing. She only called me Money on two occasions: when she was rocking the mic or when I was making her cum.
The distraction worked because my body instantly relaxed.
“Nah, I don’t. Sorry for you.” I shrugged as I turned to look and the woman and then smiled when I realized that her day was going to get so much worse.
“Money, you good?”
Oh, this was about to get good.
I watched Parker with his hands intertwined with Tiana’s head our way.
She was sporting a grin that was bigger than the rock he’d put on her finger.
He’d proposed to her at their Thanksgiving gathering at Stew’s house privately in the backyard but only after asking her parents’ permission.
He didn’t want her to feel pressured to say yes in front of a bunch of people but in true Tiana fashion she’d said yes then run into the house screaming she was a fiancée.
The video that Rachelle sent around to the girls’ group chat was the funniest shit ever.
Their dinner was smaller this year because of the new baby, but their core family was there.
There was only one picture of them together when she said yes because he wanted the moment to be private but also wanted it captured for them.
Parker had that shit blown up and was hanging behind his desk in his office.
Cupid got another one.
There was no mistaking that he adored this woman and everyone had better take note or feel his wrath. Just like this sneaky bitch standing between us was about to.
Flanking him was the security that watched over him and Tiana whenever they were anywhere besides home and the facility. They looked like NFL royalty with Tiana wearing Desperados blue leather pants and a long black silk shirt beneath a black floor-length fur and boots.
Fur had to be the WAGs theme of the day because everyone seemed to be wearing it.
“Well, I’m done—”
The process server tried to walk away but one of Parker’s security guards stepped in her path.
“No, don’t leave. Who are you? I sit in on every change that happens within this facility and I don’t remember hiring anyone new.
” Parker had released Tiana’s hand and moved to stand in front of her.
They looked like a chessboard with everyone protecting the queen.
When he slid his hand into his pocket I had to smirk because I knew that look.
She looked around realizing that we surrounded her and now she needed to talk her way out of this situation. “I’m—”
“She just served, Aldrich.” Ling clearly wasn’t about to give this lady the chance to lie because she looked the type to cry her way out of a bad situation. And with the way Tiana’s brows rose she knew the bitch was gonna try to be sneaky and only deal with her skinfolk.
She’d really screwed up.
“You’re a process server?” Parker looked at the woman who seemed to know she’d messed up by doing this here.
She cleared her throat and stood up taller before she nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“That’s odd because I don’t remember it being okay for process servers to get free entry to our facilities.
At least not without clearance, which I know you don’t have because security would’ve escorted you directly to Aldrich at a more discrete location instead of out here in the open where you could make a scene.
That’s what you’re going after, right? A scene? Some type of attention?”
Parker looked calm but I could tell by the way Tiana folded her lips that this was Parker being angry. I honestly couldn’t wait to see how he put this lady in her place. Since this was his stadium I was going to let him handle it and sit back and watch.
“I had a ticket for the game.”