Page 76 of The Long Game

“I will. Have a safe flight.”

“I will.”

After how close he came to kissing me tonight, I expect him to lean in and kiss me, but he doesn’t. He pats the window seal and then steps back.

“Night, Lex.”

“Good night, Tuck.”

I roll up the window and drive off the curb… desperate for more than just peach cobbler.

Chapter Sixteen

Tucker

“Hey man! Long time,” TJ answers.

“Yeah, I know. It’s been a while.”

“How’s that knee? I cannot believe that happened. I thought you might be looking at another Super Bowl win.”

“I’m not so sure we had it in us, but it sucked to let the team down before we could find out.”

“Yeah…I get that. Nothing you could have done though, accidents happen. But your knee is looking damn good out there. Looks like the surgery and rehab is working out for you. The trade seems to have been a good move for Indianapolis. You and Benson are a force.”

“Have you been watching any sports channels?” I joke.

“Don’t listen to those assholes. They love a comeback story just as much as a fatal crash-and-burn. It’s all for ratings. It’s not personal, Tuck.”

It doesn’t feel that way when it’s happening to you.

“How’s retirement treating you?” I change the subject.

“So far so good. We sold the house in Seattle. Bought a thirty-acre farm in Tennessee, near her mom. I wake up every day to feed the ducks on the two-acre pond, mow my massive lawn on a ride on lawn mower, and the try not to get killed by the damn cursed devil llama.”

“Devil llama? What the fuck?” I laugh.

“The owners of the property before us said they were ‘gifting’ us their possessed llama. The thing loves the kids and Sadie but I’m the only one that feeds the fucker, and it charges me every damn time! I should let it starve for a day to remind it not to bite the hand that feeds it.”

I laugh at the thought of TJ Holloway, six foot four inches and 250lbs of pure muscle, running from a shithead llama.

“I might have to come out and witness this for myself.”

“Hey, any time man, we’d love to have you. Got a guest house in the back with your name on it – ‘Casa Evans’. But listen, I gotta feed the little vomit machine baby. Sadie laid out peas for lunch to torture me… so I’m going to have to suit up for this.”

After retirement, Sadie got pregnant with a surprise baby. A little girl. TJ might act tough but that little girl has him wrapped around her finger – tight. “Let’s get to the good shit. Why did you really call?”

“I got fuckin’ girl problems,” I admit.

“Shit, you got someone pregnant…” I hear him yell out to his son in the next room. “Dillion, can you start feeding Arlo, please…

…I know she hates the peas. Just give her the fruit medley your mom put out first. I’ll feed her the peas after my phone call…

…K, thanks bud.”

“No, I didn’t get anyone pregnant. Jesus!” I add as quickly as I hear my opening.

“It’s ok if you did… I know a thing or two about knocking up a girl before you mean to. It worked out for me, though. Bestfucking thing that ever happened to me… well after I found out about the kid and got Sadie to take me seriously.”

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