Page 57 of Forever Player

“How are things going in the sticks?” he asks.

“I thought they were going well until they weren’t,” I answer dryly.

“What does that mean? You not enjoying fatherhood?”

“On the contrary, I love being a dad. I’m head over heels for my little girl.”

He sighs. “Yeah, I get it, bro. So why do you sound. . . I don’t know, like something is wrong?”

“I like Willow too. After we hooked up, I couldn’t get her out of my head. I want to make her mine and she is just not having it,” I explain.

“Bro, you can’t force someone to like you,” he says like I am a dumbass.

“Fuck, Connor. I know how the basics work. I know Willow is attracted to me. That woman wants me. She admitted it to me the other night when we hooked up, but then she shut down on me today. I don’t know what I did wrong. I’ve been trying to be supportive of her and give her time for herself after she went through the whole pregnancy, birth, and raising Maylee on her own.”

“Aw, that’s a cute name,” he gets sidetracked.

“Thanks, bro. She really is cute as a button,” I agree. “But tell me what I can do? Willow has pulled away.”

“Give me the phone,” I hear Liam say.

Connor argues with him.

“Hey, bro,” Liam greets.

I huff out a breath. We’ve all been friends a damn long time and we definitely get into each other’s business.

“Have you seen social media?” he asks.

“Nah, I don’t want to see the shit that’s being said about me,” I reply.

“There’s a lot. There have been whole articles about what went down at the arena with Willow. There are also articles with the long list of your conquests. Some of them assessing whether there are other little Bretts around.”

I hiss, “Fuck me.”

I rake my hands over my face.

“You telling me you think Willow has been reading that shit?”

“It’s possible,” Liam says. “Skylar did not let me in at first either. She didn’t want me walking in and shaking up the world she built for her and Crew.”

“But I’m here to stay. I’m not going anywhere. I told her I’d retire at the end of the season if I have to. I don’t know what else to do.”

“It hasn’t been that long. Those are just words. She needs to see you mean what you say. She may also think you’re a big manwhore after all those articles.”

“I mean he is,” Connor confirms.

“Thanks,” I say dryly. “Not helping, guys.”

“Sorry,” I hear Connor say.

“And for the record, I’m not that guy anymore.”

“Fair, but you better confront her and let her know. Hopefully she won’t use your past against you,” Liam advises.

“Thanks guys,” I say to them.

“No problem,” they answer in unison. I picture them sitting beside each other on the bus with their heads leaned into the phone.

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