Fumbled (Playbook #2)(93)

“It’s probably nothing,” Sadie says as I dig through my purse, cursing all the receipts and unused napkins hiding my phone. “She just said to turn on ESPN.”

I find my phone and swipe at the unread message notification.

Aviana:


Poppy. ESPN. Now.



I run into the house without even locking my car doors.

“Shower,” I bark at Ace, who’s looking too cozy on my couch.

“But, Mommm,” he whines.

I’ll never understand the vendetta he seems to hold against personal hygiene.

“Now.” I take the remote from his hand and point toward the bathroom.

I don’t know what’s about to happen, but I don’t want Ace to see it with me if it’s bad.

“Fine,” he pouts, stomping away like he’s not about to be ten.

“You’re too old for that!” I shout after him, forgetting for a moment about the task at hand.

Sadie, not distracted, takes the remote from me, opens the guide (neither one of us knows the channel for ESPN off the top of our head), and scrolls.

“There!” I shout when she passes it. “Go up one!”

She does as I say.

We’re standing in the middle of my living room, holding hands. Then, with what we see, we both fall onto the couch behind us.

There’s an SC on the bottom-left-hand side of the screen, and a single man in a suit standing on what looks like a huge stage is talking. But that’s not what made my legs give out from under me.

Behind him, on a screen stretching from floor to ceiling, is a picture of TK standing on the field in his uniform. I know it’s an old picture, I saw it once or twice last year when I was flipping through channels. And it’s not even the sight of TK that does me in. It’s the words in all caps and bold print at the bottom of the screen.


TK MOORE RETIRES



“Holy shit,” I say out loud.

Sadie’s hand tightens around mine while the man in the suit keeps talking. “After a month spent in a Southern California clinic that focuses on brain injuries, Moore has decided to end his career in a move that has shaken the league. Moore is in his sixth year in the league, and only his second in his new contract. Because the NFL does not offer guaranteed contracts, he is walking away from millions of dollars. This story is just developing and we’ll report on it as we get more information.”

Sadie turns off the TV when a commercial comes on. We both sit there, saying nothing at all. The only sounds are our heavy breathing and the running water from Ace’s shower.

“Holy shit.” I stare at the blank TV screen, not knowing what to think.

“You can say that again,” Sadie says, and because I have nothing else to say, I do.

“Holy shit.” I turn to her, convinced we’re wearing matching expressions with wide eyes and open mouths. “What does this mean?”

Sadie stays quiet for a minute, biting her lip like she’s not sure she should say what’s on her mind. “I think you need to go ask TK that.”

I nod, my hands fidgeting nonstop in my lap. “I think you’re right.”

“Now, Poppy,” she says when I don’t move to get up. “I’ll stay here with Ace.”

“Maybe I should give it a day.” I push my hands onto my knees to stop my legs from bouncing.

“No.” She uses my mom voice on me. “Now.”

“Fine,” I pout, sounding a lot like Ace did a few minutes ago.

I pick up my purse from the spot on the floor where I dropped it and check to make sure my keys didn’t fall out and end up under my couch somewhere. Same thing with my phone.

In other words, I’m procrastinating.

“You have everything!” Sadie yells, and points to the door. “Go!”

“Geeez.” I stick my tongue out at her, now definitely acting like Ace. “So bossy.”

“Poppy!” she shouts, her cheeks burning red.

“I’m gone!” I pull open the door, laughing at her as I go.

I pull the door closed, taking my key out to lock both locks.

With my keys in hand, I turn to walk to my car.

But I don’t get far, because after one step I’m toe to toe with TK Moore.





Forty-one




I don’t know if I’m more startled by him being here or that he looks even more handsome than he ever has—something for which I both thank and curse the Lord.

“Jesus, TK!” I shove his chest, acting mad, but really just wanting a reason to touch him. “You scared me!”

“Sorry.” He grins, his dimple popping out on his still-beardless face. “Didn’t mean to.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask him once my heart rate has dropped and my breathing has returned to normal.

“I came to see you and Ace.” The smile fades away and he shoves his hands in his pockets, rocking back onto his heels. “I can come back another time if you’re busy.”

Where I fidget all the time, TK does it only when he’s really nervous.

I was going to lie. Maybe say I was going on a date or something else more believable, but seeing how nervous he is and knowing how hard this must be for him, I don’t. “I was actually going to see you.”