The Romantic Pact (Kings of Football)(91)

Fuck.

Mom and Dad exchange glances. Uncle Paul’s eyes widen, and more tears stream down Hazel’s face.

Before I can ask her if she’s okay, she pushes away from the table and says, “Excuse me.” Then she walks away, out the front door.

“Is she okay?” Uncle Paul asks.

I shake my head. “Probably not.”

“How much are the investors willing to pay?” Dad asks.

“Right now, the offers stands at 2.2 million dollars.”

“Holy shit,” Uncle Paul says. “What are we waiting for? We should sell.”

“Paul,” Mom chastises. “This is our home.”

“I understand that, but he wants two people working the farm. Can you tell me which one of us plans on staying here? I can’t move. Savannah was just promoted, and the twins are in high school. You two have to live in California for the business, and Crew is going to play professional football. Tell me how this is going to work.”

“There’s one more thing,” Mr. Earnshaw says. My brain is already overwhelmed.

“Please continue,” Dad says in an even tone.

“‘If you don’t decide to sell, the two or more people who decide to stay and run the farm gain a higher percentage of the farm, depending on how many people, so they hold the weight in stock, while the others split the rest of the shares. Mr. Earnshaw has the numbers, and he’ll keep those private until a decision has been made. Until then, please give this great thought. If you decide to sell, know this won’t hurt me. I saved this decision for you, because you’re the ones who grew up here, and this is your home now. I love you all.’”

“Well, that makes the decision clear. We sell and all take equal parts of the investment,” Uncle Paul says. “What about Dad’s assets, like life insurance and savings?”

“That will come with the decision.”

“And we have until the fifteenth of February to make a decision?”

Mr. Earnshaw nods and closes his folder. “I hate to drop this on you and run, but I have to get home, as it’s late. I left a few cards in the middle of the table. Please feel free to text, email, or call at any point if you have questions.”

Dad stands and shakes Mr. Earnshaw’s hand. “Thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate you making the trip.”

“Of course.” Mr. Earnshaw pauses and looks at us. “Maybe the letters he left you will help. Or any letters you’ve received prior to tonight.” Mr. Earnshaw makes eye contact with me and then takes off.

What the fuck, Pops?





“Want to talk?” I ask Hazel, taking a seat next to her on the porch stairs.

Her head is buried in her arms, and she’s shaking. “No.” Her voice comes out all choked up.

“Haze—” I place my hand on her back and she scoots away.

“Don’t. Okay? Just don’t.” She lifts her head and wipes at her eyes. “Please don’t try to talk to me and tell me that it’s all going to be okay. I’ve heard it, Crew. I’ve heard you tell me that over and over again for the past eight days. It’s not going to be okay. Maybe for you, but not for me.”

“Hazel, you don’t know that. You didn’t hear how much the farm is worth. 2.2 million dollars. That’s a lot of money split four ways. That’s a new start. You could go to college, find your passion—”

“You don’t get it,” she says, her voice rising. “This is the only comfort I’ve ever had. This land, this porch, these steps that I’m sitting on. You have a loving mom and dad to fall back on if you need them. You have a safety net. This farm has been my safety net ever since I can remember. This life I have, it’s all built around this land, and I’m just supposed to give it up?”

“You’re asking others to give up their lives, too, to move here,” I say.

Her head jerks up and she turns toward me. “Wait, so they’re actually really considering selling? It’s not just a possibility? They’re leaning toward it?”

“What do you expect my family to do? My parents have to be on the West Coast with their business. Uncle Paul can’t move because he has a family to worry about.”

“And you?” she asks.

“I . . . I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I see.” She lifts from the stairs and starts walking away, so I chase after her.

“What do you expect me to do, Hazel? Give up everything?”

“I don’t expect you to do anything, Crew. Just like I didn’t expect you to do anything about us.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, getting in front of her so she can’t walk away anymore. “I told you I was working on figuring out a solution.”

“You were pulling away, and don’t tell me you weren’t. I felt it with every mile we traveled home. You realize the last time you kissed me was in Germany? You haven’t held my hand. You’ve barely even looked at me since the castle.”

I push my hand through my hair. “Because I’ve been trying—”

“If you say ‘to figure things out,’ I’m going to punch you in the face.” She calls me out. “You can figure things out and still be affectionate, still show that you care about me.”