Page 31 of Game Day

An idea strikes me.

"What if it is?" I lift both canvases, careful not to touch the wet fronts, and hold them up against the white walls. "These would look amazing in the hall.”

Her expression brightens with delight. "We'd need more. Two."

The idea of having pieces we created together thrills me, but reality comes crashing in.

"When would we have time?" I ask.

She has to get home. Her responsibilities are different than mine.

Mari taps her lip, and for a moment, she looks like me. "Right now.Emily's nanny can put her to bed. I'll say good night when I get home."

My arms go around my sister before I can think. “You’re the best sometimes.”

She hugs me back. “Only sometimes?”

10

CLAY

By the time I tap out for the day, it’s after six.

With Nova ditching me, I called the realtor to see what he could show me on short notice. Figured if I found the perfect place today, it’d have the bonus of freeing me up tomorrow so I could go to Aspen with her.

We visited three houses. Nothing was a fit.

One was too small. Another didn’t have a view of the mountains. The third I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong, but I couldn’t picture Nova dancing through the kitchen on Saturday morning in her bunny slippers, and that was reason enough for me.

I’m used to having all the answers. Especially if the question can be answered with money. It’s frustrating as hell.

Instead of pulling up in the parking garage of my building, I find myself in front of the team's bar. Mile High has grown on me over the past couple of years. Not only because I’m a part owner, but because it’s the kind of spot where I immediately feel at ease no matter how rough my day was.

I’m barely inside the front doors when the bartender calls, "Clay!”

“I need a drink and a corner where no one will bother me.”

“Corners we’ve got.” Sierra grins.

She turns away, returning a moment later with two glasses. One contains water, the other a frothy amber liquid that definitely isn't water.

"Season hasn't started yet,” she points out.

"Week and a half.” But I take a sip of the beer. "Your dad around?"

Not because I’m looking for company, but I should at least say hello. It’s been a minute since I was here, and as a forty-nine-percent owner of the place, I try to check in.

"He's taking a vacation. But don't worry, he'll be home for opening night."

"Surprised you could get him out of here for more than a couple shifts."

"I gave him an ultimatum. He left me with the place for a week, or I wouldn't come back." Her gaze lifts behind me. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Bear sense," Miles calls. "We knew Clay was drinking and figured we'd come celebrate.”

I turn to see half the team filing through the door. So much for alone time.

Jay reaches me first, hands shoved in the pockets of his college basketball team jacket as he sits on the stool next to me. "Haven't had a proper toast for you and Nova with everything going on."

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