Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(19)
“You won’t have to,” Ellerie sighs. “They are thinking about coming here for a while.”
“Oh Eli, what’s a while,” I whine.
“Not sure, a few months maybe,” he shrugs.
Not that I don’t love my parents and want them around. It’s just my father has never been happy that I refuse to tell them who Brielle’s father is. He always gives me this knowing look, like he figured it out or something. But like a good lawyer he is willing to wait for the truth to reveal itself with time and observation. That’s the problem. My dad is too observant and he does things to trip me up when I’m not on my game.
Well he can bring it on because that is one cat that will never be coming out of the bag. Brielle will keep them plenty busy with her insistent talking and demands. Bri can be the little diva when she wants.
“I guess it is about that time again,” I sigh. “I just thought I would have this partner thing under wraps and it would be enough to pacify Daddy for a little bit.”
“Dad is just like the rest of us, wanting to see you happy,” Ellerie says with a warm smile.
“When are you going to be happy Eli?”
“You’d have to understand my world to know why I do the things I do, Tam,” Ellerie says somberly. “You know a lot about the sports world but there are some things I hope you never find out. I’ll get a ring or two and then I’ll go after what I want. Hopefully it will still be there waiting for me.”
“What happened, Eli? When did we forget to be happy?” I muse aloud.
Chapter 8
“Can we go ask my Mommy now,” Ellie pulls away and beams up at me.
“Sure, let’s see if we can find her and your uncle,” I say and hold out my hand for hers.
I stand and scan the room for Ellerie. I lock eyes on Ellerie talking to the woman in the black off the shoulder dress again. Once again her back is turned to me. I have to see her face.
I start in their direction dragging Ellie along with me. I peek down and she is smiling up at me with hope in her eyes. She holds her tiny fingers up on her free hand and crosses them. I laugh and give her fingers I’m holding a gentle squeeze.
When Ellerie and the woman in black come into Brielle’s view she rips her hand from mine and shoots off toward them a few feet away. I feel the loss of her hand in my heart. After that everything else seems to happen in slow motion.
I watch as Brielle’s curls bounce on her head as she sprints forward. For the first time I notice her little feet in her sandals as they slap the ground pushing her forward.
“Mommy, Mommy,” she chimes aloud. And then the woman turns and sends my world spinning with her. Her face is glowing as she looks down at Brielle with a face splitting smile. Brielle’s arms shoot out and wrap around her legs as she collides with them.
In that moment, I feel my knees go weak. I reach out for the back of the chair nearest me to support my weight. I can’t believe it is her. I am staring at the one woman I thought I would never see again. That’s when everything starts to fall into place, slamming into me like a Mack truck.
I’m a father. I have a daughter, a beautiful little girl with my eyes, my dimples, and my chin. I have a daughter with her and I left. I left without a word, without a trace and I have a daughter. I never knew about her because I made the biggest mistake of my life. Her, she is the woman that stole my heart in one night looking more beautiful than I remember.
I suck in a sharp breath as I watch them. Brielle says something to her and her smile collapses. Her eyes draw up in the direction Brielle came from and her eyes lock with mine. She just stares for a moment then she blinks a few times and stumbles backward reaching out to grab Ellerie’s hand.
Ellerie’s face goes from concerned to confused, his head pops up to follow her gaze and his face turns to rage. Her hand shoots to his chest and she turns to say something to him as she shakes her head. And that’s when I snap out of it, I can’t wait any longer.
B
“Mommy, mommy,” I hear Brielle singing from behind me cutting Ellerie’s and my conversation short. I turn in time to lock eyes with my little girl. Her little legs carry her right to me as she barrels into my legs, wrapping her arms around them.
“Mommy, I ate the food. You would be so proud of me I ate it all. And I had ice cream and cake and it was so good. Uncle Eli’s new friend and my new best friend, Brad, said he’s a picky eater too, so he only gave me what was good to eat,” Brielle squeals so fast my head spins.
When her words sink in my smile crumbles and I look up in the direction Brielle just came from. There he is staring back at me holding on to the back of a chair like his life depends on it. It is like a punch through my heart.
It is him but it isn’t. He no longer looks like the rookie I met five years ago. The baby face is gone replaced by a square jaw and sharp features. His blonde hair is combed back neatly out of his face and tucked behind his ears brushing well past his shoulders, not like that first night when it was just long enough to cup each ear. It is now a full mass of waves reminding me of Brielle’s hair when I pull a comb through her curls. He definitely put on that Pro weight. He is filling out his tailored suit in a way that would make any woman take a second look, and a third.
His arms bulge against the suit’s jacket and his thighs stress his suit’s pants. The black suit and crisp white shirt complement his tanned skin. The blue tie is the perfect finish, making him look like a perfectly wrapped package.