Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
DAYLEN
“What’s the difference between a mosquito and a hooker?” I ask Beau, Champ, Presley, and a few other guys in the team kitchen at our practice facility.
“What?” Presley asks in reply.
“When I slap a mosquito, it stops sucking.”
The guys all laugh while we watch Beau work the blender like a bartender with nearly the entire team lined up to indulge in the fruits of his labor.
He’s finally making us those Boner Shakes.
He insists that if we drink them now, the muscle building we’ll have tomorrow will be next level.
He said we’ll feel stronger than we ever have in our lives, and we’ll be able to increase the weights dramatically. I’m excited to try it.
Not having sex for the past two months has forced me to focus on some other areas of my life.
I haven’t gone out as much because I’m not on the prowl, so drinking has been cut to a bare minimum.
I’ve been waking up earlier and exercising more.
I feel stronger than I ever have, and apparently tomorrow I’ll be the strongest I’ve ever been in my life.
Beau has managed to talk nearly the entire team into trying it. Everyone believes in Beau. He’s so damn smart and so full of knowledge. I’m always learning new things from the guy.
Vance isn’t out of the locker room yet, but I take it upon myself to order him one too. I’m sure he’ll want to try it.
Like he always seems to when I tell dirty jokes, Coach walks in and hears the punchline.
He glares at me. “I don’t want to know the joke.
The punchline was enough for me. You’re going to have to grow up at some point, Humblecut.
” He shakes his head. “God help the unlucky woman who’s saddled with you one day. ”
The other guys chuckle, but I have to fake my smile.
If he finds out about my marriage to Kennedy, I wholeheartedly believe he’ll kill me.
Instead, I offer him a Boner Shake. “Beau is making Bon…I mean protein shakes. Would you like one, Coach? He says we’ll feel like Superman at our workout tomorrow if we drink it now. ”
Coach turns to Beau. “That true, Fudd?”
Beau nods curtly. “Yes, sir. It’s a proven formula. It will be the best workout of your life. Guaranteed.”
“Any potential side effects? I’m not young like you lot.”
Beau gives him an uncharacteristically tentative smile. “Well…umm…you’ll be stronger in everything you do. Everything,” he adds with a heavy dose of suggestiveness and emphasis.
Coach remains clueless. “Fantastic. Maybe my eyes will reap the benefits, and I won’t need my reading glasses tomorrow.” He smiles as he downs the shake in one large succession of gulps.
Beau and I trade glances. He’s nervous. Are the boners from this shake that different from regular boners? I’ve basically been a walking boner for the past two months. How much worse could it be?
KENNEDY
“Whose house are you sleeping at tonight?” I ask my brother as he, Booster, and I sit at the fancy steakhouse I’m taking them to because I’ve been on a major protein kick for the past few weeks, and I’m doing my best to spend as much time with Pierce before my summer season begins.
“Mom’s,” he answers before shifting uncomfortably and scrunching his face. “She’s bringing her new boyfriend to your opening night game tomorrow.”
He doesn’t look happy about it.
“How old is the guy?” I inquire.
Pierce shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t met him yet, but she wants me to meet him tomorrow.
I don’t want to. All I asked both of them was to either date when I wasn’t around or to wait until I leave for college, which is in less than three months.
I don’t know why she felt compelled to introduce me to someone now. ”
“Because she’s a bitch who only cares about herself. What about Dad and his bevy of bimbos? That doesn’t bother you?”
He gives me a look of complete and total confusion. “What bimbos? Dad doesn’t date. Or if he does, he never lets on. He’s respected my wishes. I’ve never once seen him with a woman, and he always makes sure to be home on the nights I stay with him.”
Now it’s my turn to be confused. “Then why does he post all those thirst trap videos of himself working out?”
Pierce lets out a laugh. “Do you honestly think Dad would do that, or even know how to do that? He doesn’t have social media. He only just got a real phone last fall.”
That’s true. I had a similar thought when I saw his new phone.
“Who posts those videos?”
Pierce smirks. “Daylen, obviously. He takes sneaky videos of Dad when he’s not looking.
I’ve done it with Daylen a few times. You can even hear us laughing in some of the posts.
He’s such a funny guy. He created those accounts right after the divorce.
I think he thought he was being a good wingman, but then the silver fox thing took on a life of its own.
I’m not sure he still does it, but now people just take old videos and splice them into content.
It’s kind of gross, albeit funny as hell.
The best part is that Dad is totally clueless. ”
I lean back in my chair in a bit of shock. “So he doesn’t post those shirtless videos of himself?”
“Fuck no. Dad would never do that. Not in a million years. I doubt he knows the term thirst trap, let alone would participate in one knowingly.”
I’m going to kill Daylen. I should have known.
I’m a clusterfuck of emotions over the guy.
On one hand, I hate him; on the other, I dream about those hands.
They’re big and strong, and when they were back on my body massaging me a few weeks ago, I almost combusted.
I kept willing him to move them lower from my shoulders, but he didn’t.
He proceeded to give me the best shoulder rub imaginable.
For over an hour, I couldn’t pay attention to the show we were watching.
At least when he left, my new vibrators got the workout of a lifetime. I’m sure it’s nothing about me suddenly being attracted to him and more about the lack of sex in my life. I crave physical contact. I miss it terribly, and that night was the only kind I’ve had in two months.
And I felt something strange in my chest when we were at Harper’s game together. He and Harper had this whole intricate, choreographed handshake. It was like my ovaries actually swooned at how sweet and gentle he is with her.
Gah. What the fuck is wrong with me? I’m getting soft in my old age.
Pierce continues, “Dad is the nicest guy on the planet. He offered to get himself another seat tomorrow night so Mom’s boyfriend can have his. I think Vance got him an extra ticket.”
I think about what Fallon said that day in the training room.
About it being better for Harper to keep the peace.
I guess that’s what my dad is doing. Keeping the peace for Pierce’s sake.
It’s a shame my mother can’t do what’s right for Pierce.
If he asked her to keep her love life on the down low, why would she insist on bringing a boyfriend to a public venue like my game?
It’s basically shoving it in my father and Pierce’s faces. Typical for her.
I decide it’s best to switch topics. “Are you two excited about rooming together this fall?”
They’re going to a college right here in Philly. Pierce told me that his final decision was weighted heavily by his desire for him and me to be geographically close so we can continue rebuilding our bond.
They both nod enthusiastically. “Queen,” Booster says, “I’d like to continue my internship with you if you don’t mind.”
I shake my head. “No.” His face falls until I add, “I think it should be a job. An internship was good while you were in high school, but now it should be more. I’ll only let it continue if you let me pay you. It can’t be much, I don’t have a lot, but I want to pay you for the time you give me.”
His face lights up. “Really? I’d do it for free. I love being around you and your friends. You’re all so much fun. And it’s good for my resume.”
“Absolutely. We’ll figure out a fair salary and appropriate times with your class schedule.
You’re going to be a busy college man. I don’t want you spending too much time doing my errands.
Maybe a few hours a week. Oh, and I got Reagan Daulton to agree to make you the official towel boy.
So now you get to be on the bench for all our home games this season. And she’s paying you for it.”
He gasps with a huge smile. “Ahh,” he squeals like a girl. “Thanks, Queen. You’re the best.”
Pierce mouths, “Thank you,” and despite the insanity of my marriage, I’m feeling good for the first time in a long time. It’s like removing men from my life has given me more time to reflect on what I want. I have clarity I haven’t ever had before.
Repairing my relationship with my brother is priority one for me, and I’m excited we’re well on our way.
I’m equally excited about the women in my life.
I have a solid and supportive female group of friends.
Feeling like people have my back is new for me.
Fallon and I discussed it the other day while she was working on my leg, which healed nicely.
She told me she has a circle of women in her life who have become her lifeline and maintaining those relationships is important.
It’s only been a few months, but having a strong, stable, nurturing maternal figure in my life has given me an inner peace that I didn’t know was missing. I’m so grateful for Fallon coming into my life.