Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(43)
Brad stands from his spot on the floor. Ann offered to keep Brielle for one more night. While we were able to square away the nanny and a new school for Brielle, Brad is being insistent on me helping with the house hunt. So tomorrow we will be looking for a new home.
I have to admit. The more I think about it the more I am becoming excited about it. We are really going to do this. We are going to be a real family.
I look up at my man from my perch on the couch and lick my lips. He is bare foot in a pair of gym shorts with no shirt. His hair is loose and spilling over his broad shoulders. I can’t believe I have kept my hands off him this long.
I’ve been behaving myself as we discuss all the things we still need to do. Then I had to find the right moment to bring up the invitation from my dad and my boss for Brad to join them for golf. Right now I want to forget it all and get lost in his body for the rest of the night.
“Tam, you’re going to get in a whole lot of trouble looking at me like that,” Brad says huskily. “I’m going to go get this contract before I get distracted again.”
“I’m patient,” I say in a silky purr as I lie back on the couch and throw my arms over my head.
Brad chuckles and shakes his head as he turns to leave. I look up at the ceiling in thought. This is not where I saw my life heading, but I can’t say that I am unhappy.
“No Tiff, I’m seeing someone,” I hear Brad say as he reenters the house. He rolls his eyes as he tosses the contract on the coffee table and plops down next to my feet. “Yes, it is the one from the photo. Not that it is your business.”
I’m a little uncomfortable with eavesdropping on his conversation, but Brad seems fine with it. He gathers my feet in his lap and starts to massage them. I just stare at the side of his annoyed face.
“We broke up. I have a right to move on with my life. I told you I wasn’t going to lie to you about her. I’ve always been in love with her,” Brad pauses to listen.
“Why in the world would you do that?” Brad pauses in his rubbing and sits up straight. “Coming to Texas isn’t going to change anything Tiff. I really think it is best if you stay away from me and my family.”
I can hear her raising her voice on the other line now. It is taking everything in me not to snatch the phone from him and give this chick a piece of my mind. However, Brad beats me to it.
“Look, enough. Lose my number Tiffany. We are done. I know you are trying to get your career back off the ground, so stalking me won’t look so good if I go to the tabloids with this,” Brad bites out.
He hangs up the phone putting his head back against the couch. I wait for him to calm down a bit before I climb into his lap. I put my forehead to his and start massaging his shoulders.
“Is this something I should be worried about Brad,” I ask gently.
“Not at all Darlin’,” he replies wrapping his strong arms around me.
“We have a daughter Brad. We have to think about her at all times. I don’t want to confuse her or put her in danger. If we are going to do this we have to do it right. I don’t want her to get hurt if we don’t work out,” I murmur.
“As a family Tam, always as a family,” he squeezes me in his arms before he stands and takes us up to my bedroom.
Chapter 19
It feels so good to have Tam open up to me. It seemed like once she did that day in the truck I could really see us working this out. I assumed to understand the pressure Tam has in her life. However, the more she opens up the more I understand her reluctance to be in a relationship that could tip everything she has so carefully built. It all started to make sense when I met her dad and saw how in control he is of everything at every moment.
My parents are way more laid back. I can see how much he loves Tam though. Something tells me that he has known about me for longer than Tam thinks. She told me she never told her father who Ellie’s father is but I have feeling he figured it out somehow. I like the man. He is blunt and to the point.
I know I can’t make decisions for Tam, but I plan to do my part in making things easier for her. I’ve spent the last three months doing just that. After agreeing on the same school we found a great sitter that Ann recommended. We weren’t too fond of the ones we had originally set up to interview.
The sitter we chose worked out best as she happened to be the daughter of a friend of Ann’s. She is also always more than willing to take Ellie to be around her cousins when they’re at Ann’s or my parents, which Tam and I agreed to. Ellie has been busy with dance, riding horses and sleepovers since I introduced her to my family. Tam has been in a much more peaceful place.
The media backed off since we found a place. They weren’t getting much on me and my little family since Tam and I became very cautious. They were able to place names with the faces but that was it. I always steer them back to the team and the game. Once the season started it got easy to deflect.
We ended up purchasing a large house, well ranch actually, not far from my parents and my siblings. Since Tam’s family is not in Texas, other than Ellerie, I thought it would be good to be surrounded by mine. Besides, the way Tam’s face lit up when we walked in the door made my heart swell. I had to buy the place for her.
The house has been just the right amount of work for us. Tam wanted a new kitchen and I insisted she redo the master bath. All in all we have made the place a home in a very short time. A few more weeks and upstairs will be finished and we can just enjoy it.