Page 16 of A Whole New Play

My brows lift. “Really?”

“Really.” He nods and walks to the door. “Do you have a few minutes before you leave? There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

I feel exhausted, but I’m too intrigued to leave now. “Sure, I have a few minutes.”

“Great.” Dad is out the door and walking towards the weight room.

I follow, picking up my pace to keep up with his long strides. “Is this person in the building?”

“Yes. He’s a player on the team.”

“A player?” What job could a football player have for me?

“Yeah. It’s Jones, actually. He needs a nanny for his kids, and I think you could be a good fit.”

A nanny?

It’s a job I’ve done before, and before accounting, it was the best-paid job I’ve ever had. But it’s time-consuming. Or, at least it can be depending on the schedule the parents need.

“Why does he need a nanny? What does his wife do?”

“He’s not married, and the kids’ mom isn’t in the picture at the moment. Something about traveling with her new boyfriend. I don’t know the details, but I know Carter is struggling to find a suitable nanny to care for his kids while he works. Which is why they’re here. And why my star linebacker is struggling to focus on training for next season.”

I hear what Dad isn’t saying. Players need to be all-in during preseason training. If Jones is distracted, it doesn’t just affect him, but the entire team.

It’s not like I have anything else going on at the moment. It might be nice to have something to do while I figure out what my next career move will be. It will help prevent me from making a rushed decision out of boredom or fear. Idle hands and all that…

As I continue to work to keep up with Dad’s quick pace, I decide I’m open to helping out Carter Jones. Provided the hours are agreeable, that is.

Dad finally stops outside the weight room. The noise trailing out of the room tells me there are more people inside than before. Voices are shouting to be heard over the booming music.

Dad walks inside. I hesitate before moving to stand in the door frame and take in the sight before me. Over two dozen large, muscular men are spread throughout the room, working out as they talk and laugh amongst themselves.

Dad weaves through the crowded space with ease, slapping the backs and arms of different players he passes. Different men call out to him as he walks by, and all parties involved smile and laugh. My heart swells at seeing him look so happy. He worked hard to reach this level in his career, and I’m so proud of everything he’s accomplished.

Dad keeps moving until he reaches a man standing in front of the free weights, and my eyes land on the stranger. A hint of recognition flickers as I take in his broad shoulders and firm backside. My eyes shift to the mirror in front of him to see his face, and the air rushes into my lungs with my sharp gasp.

I know that guy.

Those strong, handsome features are forever imprinted in my mind.

CJ, the man who gave me the best sex of my life, is a player on my father’s football team. And I’m pretty sure my dad wants me to be his nanny…

5

CARTER

There used to be a time when football helped me escape the shit going on in my life. Back in college, when Laura and I were dating, I could always count on practice to give me a reprieve from the drama that embodied my relationship. I wouldn’t trade the twins for the world, but man… I still can’t believe I was such an idiot and stayed with her through all that nonsense.

Even now, half a decade after officially ending our relationship, Laura finds ways to make my life miserable. Her latest tactic? Abandoning our kids and leaving me alone to try and explain what’s going on to them.

I blow out a harsh breath and pick up the forty-five-pound weights from the ground. I lean against the incline bench, take a breath, and begin my next set of bicep curls. I monitor my form in the mirror in front of me, trying and failing not to think about how bad I was during practice today.

The running backs smoked me the entire afternoon, and I couldn’t catch up to our receivers to save my life. Add in the fact I dropped an easy interception thrown by the team’s second-string quarterback, and there’s no denying I was an embarrassment today.

I’m better than that—I know I am. My athleticism is far from fading. It’s my mind that’s slowing me down. My personal life is distracting me from my game—something that’s never happened before. And I have no idea what to do about it.

I drop the weights back to the ground with a clatter. No one reacts. The locker room is filled with my teammates getting in their afternoon weightlifting sessions before heading home for the day. And while no one has said anything to my face, I know they’re talking about my shitty performance today. Hell, from the past week. Training camp just resumed for veterans, and I’m already making everyone wonder if I’m up for this upcoming season.

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