Chapter 17
After Avery left, I worked from home for a few hours but had to stop by the office for a couple of meetings.
One perk to being an independent sports agent was the flexibility to work from home or on the road.
I lived close to my office in case I needed to pop in from time to time, but more often than not, my work was done from my home office or when I’d travel for clients.
Just as I was about to head home, Jayson called. He wanted to meet up for drinks, and to be honest, I needed his advice. Between last night with Avery, and everything going on with Jackson, I wanted to pick his brain.
When my driver dropped me at the end of West Las Vegas Boulevard, I made my way inside the elegant entrance to the tall golden tower.
I had to walk through the casino in order to enter the elevator that would take me sixty-four floors up to Sky Bar—a bar on the top floor with panoramic views of the skyline.
It was one of the classiest bars on the Strip for drinks and entertainment.
Often, the wealthy would meet here and strike up business deals, or in cases like mine, bitch to their friends about their twenty-four-year-old son and new romantic interest.
Knowing my friend, he’d already gotten two drinks—one for each of us—and would be waiting on the terrace with a spot of the incredible view.
As I weaved my way through the bar and out onto the deck, I spotted a dark flow covered in a backward trucker hat.
Most men around here were dressed in slacks and pressed button ups, but Jayson being Jayson—the best hockey player in town—could get away with his backward hat and dark denim.
“Jay, you better have a cold one on ice for me,” I said, coming up behind him.
My best friend turned around, clapped me on the back, and handed me a bourbon on the rocks. “Of course, man. What’s got your dick so tied up in a knot?”
My eyebrow shot up.
“What? You look like a fucking camel in the desert with how desperate you are for a drink. I had no idea when I asked you to meet for drinks that you’d actually need one so bad.” Rolling my eyes, I took a much-needed swig.
“Two words—Jackson. Avery.” I set my tumbler down on the skinny ledge meant to hold drinks. With my hip rested against the railing, I looked off, getting lost in the sunset.
“The doctor from Grey’s Anatomy?”
My eyes narrowed before blinking repeatedly trying to understand what the fuck was going through my friend’s head.
“No, dumbass. The girl from the pool and my son. Two separate people.” I shook my head.
“Oh, damn. Sorry, I’ve been on a serious Netflix binge.” He cleared his throat before adding, “So, pool girl? And what the fuck did the kid do now?”
Deciding to start with the one thing weighing heaviest on me as of lately, I pushed the thought of Avery to the back of my mind just long enough to pick Jayson’s brain.
“Jackson got himself into some gambling trouble.”
“Again?” He shook his head.
“Yeah, but this time it’s getting out of control.
I don’t know what the fuck to do with him.
” Let’s face it; I was a sperm donor at best. I didn’t raise Jackson.
I wasn’t the most paternal of men. Now, I had a grown kid in his mid-twenties who I saw on occasion, mostly when he needed something from me—like half a million dollars.
“I mean, he’s an adult, right? Ever think about letting him fall on his face and forcing him to learn how to get up on his own?” He shrugged.
“Says the hockey player.” I rolled my eyes.
“Call it guilt, but I didn’t have any part of raising him, or even knowing he existed until a few years ago.
I don’t want to coddle him, but I don’t want to let him down either.
” Twirling the large cube of ice in my glass, I brought it to my lips for another sip, enjoying the burn as it slid down my throat.
“So, how deep of shit are we talking? Ankles? Knee-deep?”
I wish.
“Fucking drowning. He owes some guy half a million dollars that he gambled away. Apparently, the guy thought Jackson knew what he was doing—boy was he wrong.”
Jayson coughed, choking on his beer. “Excuse the fuck out of me?” His voice came out raspy.
I answered with a slow nod.
Saying it all out loud for the first time to someone else … it sounded crazy. Like something straight out of a movie.
“So, what are you going to do? Just pay it for him?”
“I have to.” I swallowed, hating the taste of my answer.
“Nah. Fuck that. You don’t have to do shit.”
“He’s my son, Jay. I don’t know what kind of guy Jackson is dealing with. And to most people, that kind of money is something to come after someone for. I can’t put him in danger.”
“To be fair, he put himself in danger. But I get it. So, you pay off his debt … then what? How do you know he won’t do it again?”
I shrugged as my eyes fell to my feet in discomfort. “I’m not sure. That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Maybe you can help me figure that out.”
“I’m not a dad, Spence. Not sure how much help I can be.”
“Yeah, I know that. I just … I don’t know. I told him I’d get him the money—which I will—but I wanted to figure out what I’d say to him once I paid off the debt. I don’t want to risk the chance he takes the money and runs.” I sighed.
“Maybe make him attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings? It’s a start at least.”
“I don’t know, man … I think it may be more serious than that.”
“Yeah, asking Daddy for half a mil isn’t a small ask. I wish I could help, but I know you’ll figure it out.” He clapped me on the back. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night. What do you say I get us another round? Maybe another drink will spark an idea or two.”
“Please.” I drained the rest of my glass.
While Jayson ran to the bar, my hands were itching to stay busy. Slipping my phone from my pocket, I pulled up my contacts. Avery finally gave me her number this morning, but we still hadn’t texted each other.
She was working tonight, and I wanted nothing more than to crash that date with a text from the man she was truly interested in—whether she would fully admit that or not, I knew it to be true.
Just as I was about to draft a text message, Jayson came back with the next round.
“Pays to be the best hockey player in this city when you get to skip the line, and the hot bartender remembers your order.”
“Exactly why it’s better that you order our drinks and not me.” I held my glass in the air and tipped it back.
“Besides your daddy issues, what’s the update on the pool girl?”
“I don’t have daddy issues, and her name is Avery, asshole.” I snickered.
Pointing his beer bottle at me, he said, “You’re the daddy, and Jackson seems to be giving you issues. Daddy issues.” He shrugged as if proving his point.
Jayson could be a punk sometimes. Hockey, getting laid, and his boys were his life. He didn’t take anything too seriously and that was one big reason I kept him around. He chilled me out and was the life of the party when I needed it most.
“The only issue I have with being a Daddy happened last night when that word slipped from Avery’s mouth.” Normally, I wouldn’t kiss and tell, but I’d never been around a girl I wanted to brag about before. Or one I needed to talk to my friends about, for that matter.
“No shit? You saw her last night? And she called you Daddy? Oh, this is too good.” Jayson shook his head with a grin plastered across his face.
“And I fucking liked everything about it. Way too much.”
“Well, unlike your issues with Jackson, there shouldn’t be a problem there. You’re loaded as fuck, she’s young—sounds like its case closed.”
“It’s not as easy as you think. She’s … not able to commit.” I didn’t want to air Avery’s dirty laundry. She hid her job from me in the beginning for a reason. I couldn’t go around and divulge that information to someone she didn’t even know.
“What do you mean, she can’t commit? Does she have a—”
“You have to be fucking kidding me,” I cut Jayson off, running my hands over my face, hoping that what I was seeing across the bar wasn’t real.
He followed my line of sight directly to the girl with the dark wavy locks, a tight as sin dress, and heels that made her long legs look even more delectable. Ice-blue eyes stared into mine with panic.
“Oh, shit. Dude, she really does have a boyfriend?”
Taking my friend by the shoulder, I flipped him around, so we were no longer facing her direction. Through gritted teeth, I mumbled the truth, “Not her boyfriend. She’s working.”
I let him put the pieces together for himself, and only a few beats went by before it all clicked.
It wasn’t supposed to come out this way.
Her work wasn’t my business to tell. But she was here, standing just feet away.
How else was I supposed to explain why I couldn’t just walk up to her, grab her around the waist, and pull her in for a kiss?
Tonight, Avery wasn’t in the room with me. Sky was.