Page 37 of Game Changer

She snuggles into his chest, her tiny arms wrapped around him. “We love Mommy so, so much,” she whispers.

He squeezes her close. “And she loves you so, so much.”

“You have Sydney cooking breakfast; this is certainly a treat,” Riley says as she walks into the kitchen, Hudson following right behind her, and Major behind them.

“Oh no, Daddy, we gotta get Bossy. She’s all alone.” And that’s when that sweet little girl finally breaks.

The four of them have become like a little family in a way, and Lindsey is a part of that now.

I stay busy as they console one another, and then, when they tell her that Bossy was in the vehicle and is at the vet hospital, they console her some more.

“Hey, Lily,” I call her attention from where she is consoling Bossy’s littermate, Major. “You want to tell me when there’s enough whipped cream, or should I decide?”

During breakfast, Lily found out we had a snow day, which brightened her day just a little bit. We made a big deal about it because it was her first New York winter. Riley and I talked to her about going sledding with some of what we called the Knights family to keep it simple. She asked Beau to come, too, and he told her that he wanted to go back to check on Lindsey and talk to her grandparents. Lily wanted to make sure Hudson was going with him so he wouldn’t be all alone.

“She’s had a long day,” I whisper as I tuck her in.

“She’s been a trooper.” Riley yawns as we exit her room.

I smile. “You know who else has been a trooper?”

She makes a surprised face and points toward herself. “Me?”

“Of course, you. You’re supposed to be resting and being pampered by your football playerfiancé.”

“I don’t want to be pampered by my hot football playerfiancé.I can pamper myself. But what that boy does to my body cannot be recreated. I rather like being F-U-C-K-E-D by him.”

“Oh my God, is that my daughter?” My aunt Jade laughs from the foyer down below.

“Certainly hope it’s not mine; that would be odd.” Hudson’s mother, Linda, giggles.

“Fuck me,” Riley whispers, or at least she thinks she does. She has a horrible habit of talking louder than she thinks she is.

“Sweetheart, you’re pregnant. I know what you and my son do, and as wrong as it sounds to say this—and I will never give him a pat on the back or an attaboy—but yeah, attaboy. I’m happy the two of you make each other happy. Never stop doing that.”

“Unless the two of you promise to stop talking about this, I’m going to bed,” Riley threatens, but does so pleasantly.

We both stop when we hear quiet murmuring coming from Lily’s bedroom.

“You go down with your mother and future mother-in-law. I got this.”

“I can help.” Riley yawns again.

“If we go in there, and she’s awake, and we end up laying with her, you’re gonna be asleep in ten seconds. Go say hello to your mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law. I’ll be down in a bit.” I shoo her away.

Chapter 8

Letter

Boone

“How you doing?” Hudson asks as he pulls out of the hospital parking garage.

“I would rather take a helmet-unprotected sack repeatedly for an entire game than deal with that vile family,” I admit.

“Be a lot like me to say some shit likeoh, you’re being harshoryou’ve gotta be niceor something like that. Notice that shit isn’t coming out of my mouth, because they’re awful fucking people.”

“It’s that old money,” I grumble.

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