Chapter 9
TALIA
It was good that Brady got me extra clothes on Friday morning because we spent the past two nights together too.
Luckily, my parents understood my plans since they got together quickly after meeting.
And had a ten-year age gap, too. It also helped that Brady came inside to meet them yesterday morning when I popped home to pick up some stuff, including a Nighthawks jersey I borrowed from my uncle.
Brady wasn’t a fan of what I planned to wear to his game today, though, judging by the scowl on his face. “Nope,” he growled, shaking his head as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“What? Did I pick my outfit wrong?” My brows drew together, and I glanced down at myself. “I’ve never been to a professional football game before, but I thought most people wore jerseys?”
A muscle jumped in his jaw as he explained, “They do, but no man wants to see his woman with another guy’s name and number on their body.”
“Ohhh.” Realization dawned, although I couldn’t be certain if he just was bothered because I was going to be playing the role of his fake girlfriend to help him keep playing as the starting quarterback while the other guy was injured.
Or maybe he truly was feeling territorial over me.
“I guess I could wear a T-shirt instead and grab something to pull on over it at the stadium.”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought you didn’t like football before we met. Where did you get that jersey?”
“It’s my uncle’s.”
The tension eased from his body at my explanation. “Thanks for thinking ahead, but I already have you covered.”
“You do?”
“Yup.” He strode into the walk-in closet and came back out with a jersey on a hanger. “It’ll be a little big, but you can wear this.”
I took it from him with a smile that widened when I turned it around to look at the back and saw his name. “Thanks. I probably should’ve thought to ask you in the first place.”
“No, baby.” He lowered his head to brush his lips against mine before he lifted my borrowed jersey over my head to replace it with his. “I like that you put thought into what to wear to the first game you’ll watch me in. It’s sweet as fuck, just like you.”
My heart melted at his compliment. “Aw, thank you.”
“My pleasure, baby.” He smoothed the material down and smiled. “There, now you look perfect.”
No way was that true when the jersey he’d put on me was probably three sizes too big, but there was no missing the sincerity in his blue eyes. Brady liked seeing me wear his number and name.
“We’d better get going so you’re not late for your big game.”
He had explained last night that he was required to be at the stadium by eleven but wanted to arrive early since he was starting today. Kickoff wasn’t until one, but I was going to hang out with some of the wives and girlfriends until then since most of them came early with the players.
I was nervous about fitting in with them, but I didn’t want to worry Brady when he needed to focus on playing well so he could impress the coaches.
So I just gave him a big kiss—making a show of it in my role of his fake-but-wanted-to-be-real girlfriend since I could feel lots of eyes on us—and shooed him away when someone from security offered to escort me up to the suite the team’s owner reserved for players’ families.
I paused in the doorway to take in the space filled with people, mostly women and kids.
A full buffet was spread out on a low table against the wall to my left, and a bar sat to the right.
Directly ahead were floor-to-ceiling windows with a sliding glass door that led to a few rows of seats on a balcony.
I had no idea attending a football game could be this luxurious, but I supposed it made sense when you factored in that many of these women were married to men who made millions each year, and a billionaire owned the suite.
My nerves settled some after I stepped inside, and Dakota spotted me. “Hey, Talia! I was hoping you’d be here.”
She hadn’t been in the office for the past two days, so I hadn’t seen her since I left The End Zone with Brady.
When I asked him if she was okay, he told me that she’d started her maternity leave even though she hadn’t had the baby yet.
Looking at how she was cradling her round belly as she waddled over to me, I hoped for her sake that she didn’t go too far past her due date.
“I was selfishly looking forward to seeing you, too.” I patted her stomach. “When I probably should’ve wished for you to give birth instead.”
She winked at me. “You never know. It could still happen today.”
My head jerked back, and my eyes widened. “Umm…be careful throwing ideas like that around.”
“Yeah, it would be better if I didn’t go into labor in the middle of the game. Ames would be angry if I didn’t find a way to let him know right away, and then I’d end up interrupting the game.”
“Let’s find you a comfortable seat then so we don’t risk it,” I suggested, leading her over to one of the seats on the balcony.
Several other wives introduced themselves to me, but their names were all a blur since there were so many people.
Dakota and Cleo—the punter’s wife—tried explaining the game to me when it started.
Surrounded by women madly in love with their husbands, I felt like a horrible fake by halftime. Everyone was being so nice to me, and all I’d done was lie to them about anything concerning my relationship with Brady. Leaning toward Dakota, I whispered, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
She turned to look at me, and her eyes narrowed. “Are you okay?”
I wasn’t, but I nodded anyway. “Yeah, just headed to the restroom.”
“Oh, I’ll go with you.”
I was going there to give myself a moment alone, but I couldn’t tell my heavily pregnant friend that she couldn’t come too. Instead, I helped her out of her seat and followed her to the private restroom in the far corner of the suite.
She flipped the lock when the door shut behind us and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Umm…” I hadn’t planned to share our secret with anyone, but I couldn’t resist spilling my guts. “I feel like such a fraud. Brady and I haven’t been dating for six months like we said at dinner on Wednesday. We only met that night when he saved me from a creep at the bar.”
I filled her in on everything that happened when I’d gone to get our kiddie cocktails, and when I finished, she let out a low whistle.
“Wow, I never would’ve guessed any of that with how comfortable you both seemed with each other.
Or all of the sparks flying between you.
I even remember thinking that you two would fit in perfectly with the rest of us couples. ”
“Really?” With how awkward I’d felt about pretending to be Brady’s girlfriend, her observation surprised me.
“Yeah, it’s actually kind of funny now that I think about it.
” She laughed and shook her head. “If you had asked me anything about football plays a year ago, I wouldn’t have had a clue.
My best friend was a huge fan of the Nighthawks, but I wasn’t into the game at all.
So I didn’t realize that the way a lot of the couples met each other fits with the guy’s position.
You guys included now that you’ve shared all this with me. ”
My brows drew together as I tried to figure out what she was talking about. “How so?”
“Well, take Ames and me as an example. I thought he was my blind date when we met, but it turned out that he took that guy’s spot because he wanted to be the one sitting across from me at dinner.
Charmaine joked about how we got a false start since he didn’t tell me that he wasn’t my blind date until the next time we went out, but I didn’t realize other couples on the team have similar stories.
Ames is on the offensive line, and we got a false start. ”
I nodded. “Ahh, I get your bestie’s joke now.”
“But we’re not the only ones. Nixon intercepted Ember when she was on her way to a blind date that Naomi set her up on with Jordan, and getting an interception is something he’s always aiming for on the defensive line.
Plus, the entire world thought Cleo was with some Brazilian actor when she and Rigby got together…
and his main role for the team is to punt for a voluntary change of possession. ”
My eyes widened. “Wow. You’re right. Those are some interesting coincidences.”
“Heck, you’re not even the only couple who started out by fake dating. So did Jordan and Wrenley,” she informed me.
“Whoa,” I breathed. “I had no idea.”
“Which reminds me…that last play Brady ran before the end of the quarter, it’s called a pump fake. So I have a hunch your relationship will turn out to be as real as the rest of ours. Especially since I’ve seen how he looks at you.”