Page 51 of Enticing

Ohh. You gotta Facetime me if he brings her. I can’t believe I’m missing this.

Leo

Sucks to be you, shithead.

Hendrix

You’re just pissed it’s you in the hot seat this time, shithead.

Everly

Truth. I’ll send pics.

Callen

Send me pics too. Could be good for a laugh.

Hendrix

So . . . did you guys meet her?

Everly

She’s real, and she’s nice, and we’re not sure what she’s doing with Leo.

Leo

Tease me all you want, but she’s here to stay. So be nice to her.

Leo

I shove my phone in my pocket and walk into the jewelry store and cringe when my dad turns around and stares at me. “Hey, kid. What are you doing here?”

I look around to see if anyone else is with him, but it’s just him and the owner.

“I thought you were leaving for the game today,” I try to change the subject. There’s doing what I’m doing, and there’s lying to your old man’s face while you do it. Especially when that man is Declan Sinclair.

Dad holds up a black bag with fancy gold font curled across the front. “Had to pick up your mother’s Christmas present before I left. How about you? Aren’t you leaving today for Oregon?”

“Washington,” I correct. “I guess I needed to pick up a present too.”

“For the woman you brought to the game last night?” he asks as he moves next to me, and I know I shouldn’t be surprised healready knows. My plan worked. TheKroydon Kroniclespicked it up, and so did all my siblings.

Social proof.

“Yeah. Something like that,” I admit. My plan is to use as much truth as possible in what I tell my family.

“Kind of a big statement, having her and her family at the game last night. Would have been nice if you’d have let your mom know you were seeing someone before you let theKroydon Kroniclesrun with it.” There’s an edge to his typically easygoing voice. He’s not thrilled.

“I didn’t?—”

“I’m not stupid, son. Don’t treat me like I am. You kissed a woman while she was wearing your name before your game. In this town, with that name, there was no way it was going unnoticed. Bring her to the house. Let your mother meet her.”

“You pissed?” I ask, not really liking the idea of him feeling disrespected. Most guys have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to their fathers. That’s pretty hard to have when your dad is as good a man and great a father as mine is. He’s also the GOAT of professional football, and now, he coaches the damn team he took to the Super Bowl more than any other team in history. So I guess I can thank him for my athletic ability too.

“Not pissed. Curious.” He looks around the store, then smiles. “Get her something nice, Leo. Then bring her over. See if she still wants to date you after she’s met your family. Your brothers and sisters are enough to scare a saint.”

I laugh. He’s not wrong.

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