Impossible To Resist (BWWM Romance Book 1)(19)

“I had no idea.” Jared watched the brothers laugh together, despite the younger’s obviously frail state. “I’m really glad we did this, A.J.”

“Me, too,” A.J. agreed and gave his hand a squeeze. “You’re getting a really big reward later.”

“Really?” Jared arched an eyebrow at A.J.

“Absolutely.” A.J. leaned up and kissed him on the cheek then disappeared into the crowd to play with the kids.

“She’s so hot,” Max stepped up, sporting his own jersey and an appreciative smirk. “I get the appeal now.”

“Yeah.” Jared watched her move through the kids and the way their faces lit up at her attention.

“Yeah? That’s all you have to say?” Max’s eyes widened and he slapped Jared on the shoulder. “Dude, you’ve got it bad.”

Jared’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the caller ID and frowned. Derek, again. Jared declined the call for the third time today. He wasn’t ready to deal with that world, especially not today.

“How long are you going to ignore your life?” Max asked casually.

“I’m not,” Jared answered defensively. “I just want to devote my time to this today. Look at these kids, they are so happy.”

“Mmhmm,” Max murmured. “It seems like you’re avoiding life, man. But, I think life is going to catch up with you in an ugly way if you don’t handle your shit.”

“I will, Max. I’ll call Derek tomorrow,” Jared promised. “Let’s just do this, okay?”

“Whatever you say, man, whatever you say.” Max shook his head and walked away to join the festivities.

“So you’re the guy.” A young girl ambled up to him. Jared didn’t need an introduction to know who she was.

“Hi.” Jared stuck out his hand nervously. “You must be Jaida.”

The girl smiled. She favored A.J. but for the lop-sided grin, a remnant of her accident. She held out her good hand and shook his lightly. “I am.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Jared smiled down at her. “I’ve been asking to meet you for a while.”

“I know.” Jaida’s eyes skipped to her sister. “She’s kinda protective.”

“I get that,” Jared agreed. “I’m glad you came today.”

“This is cool,” Jaida said with approval. “Alex likes you.”

Jared chuckled. “She does?”

“Yeah, or she wouldn’t have let me come,” Jaida admitted. “I hang out with those kids a lot. They are my only friends.”

“Why are they your only friends?” Jared frowned.

“The kids at school make fun of me,” Jaida replied evenly. “They think I’m weird because I can’t use my arm or walk right and I talk funny.”

“I think you’re amazing,” Jared assured her. “And I don’t think you talk funny at all.”

“You’re just saying that cuz you like my sister,” Jaida muttered and looked at the floor.

“That’s not true,” Jared refuted, he meant it. Now that he knew her story, he really respected her. “Not everybody fights back from an accident. You did. And look at you, you can walk and talk and play games. A.J. says you’ve earned gold medals in the Olympics, too. That’s pretty impressive.”

Jaida looked up to him. “Just the Special Olympics, not the real ones. And only cuz my good arm is still really strong.”

“The Olympics are the Olympics no matter how you cut it,” Jared argued. “Not everyone walks away with a gold, let alone five.”

“Six,” Jaida corrected. “I’ve got six.”

Jared laughed. “Sorry! See, six, that’s a lot. Six more than I’ve got.”

“But you’ve got Super Bowl rings,” Jaida pointed out, “and two MVPs.”

“So?” Jared shrugged. “They still aren’t gold medals.”

“Alex could have had a gold medal.” Jaida turned sad again. “She was asked to be on the real Olympic team.”

“I know.” Jared frowned, he’d learned more and more of this story over the past several weeks but didn’t expect to get it from Jaida.

“We were real proud of her.” Jaida watched her sister, her voice caught a little as she spoke. “Momma was trying to figure out how we could get me out of school to go with her.”

“I didn’t know that.” Jared wondered if A.J. knew.

“Alex didn’t know either,” Jaida responded. “I’ve never told anybody that. Her agent was mean and said we would just distract her. Momma didn’t care. She knew it was shit.”

Jared almost chuckled again; to hear Jaida curse seemed incongruous to her child-like demeanor but, he reminded himself, she was almost eighteen. “Most agents are like that.”

“That’s what Alex says.” Jaida reached out to take his hand. “I like you, too. Let’s go play.”

Jared allowed Jaida to tug him around from station to station and even showed off with the QB throw much to her delight. He found Jaida’s laugh infectious and truly enjoyed the time with her, not to mention the insight into A.J. who seemed satisfied that he was treating her sister well.