Page 82 of The Long Game

My heart practically beats a Tucker-sized hole in my rib cage. I read the text a half dozen more times. Each time, my smile widens a little more.

Lexi: When will you be here?

Tucker: Wednesday. We have media and then team meetings before I can leave.

Tucker: I need to pack up the little I have in my condo and then I told Luca I would help him pack up their condo, too. Your dad is driving up tomorrow with a moving van to help us get everything. As long as the storm passes.

Lexi: Yeah. It’s not looking good here.

Tucker: Same. We’re stuck in Green Bay right now. Flights are starting to get canceled. Not sure if we’ll make it out.

Lexi: Ok, let me know what happens.

Tucker: As soon as I know.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tucker

Paul Siezer calling…

What does my talent manager want?

“Hey Paul, how’s it going?” I ask as I drive the SUV Luca and I rented to get out of Green Bay.

We had just stopped off in Indianapolis to grab Brielle, Bronx, and the few things we needed from our condos. We wouldn’t be moving everything to Chicago now, not in this weather, but we were all anxious to weather the storm with family.

My SUV picks up the phone on Bluetooth.

“I don’t know. You tell me. I’m getting calls from all the top affiliates wanting an official statement about you and Mallory Stahl. Are you two officially dating?”

“What?”

I look over at Luca and he gives me stern look. I shake my head to indicate Paul has it wrong.

“I need the details Tucker if we’re going to control the narrative. You should have given me a heads up on this kind of thing.”

“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”

I can see Luca's jaw tighten. I don't have to imagine what he's thinking right now. That I've been chasing Lexi while dating Mallory behind her back. Nothing could be further from the truth, but I need to make sure that I

“Have you been watching the sports channel today?” he asks.

“No, I was too busy losing our playoff game and then trying to get my ass home with all the canceled flights. Been a little busy, thanks for your concern Paul,” I say with irritation.

A second later, a ping comes through my phone. I see it’s from Paul. The roads are getting icy and I have Brielle and Bronx in the car so I nod at Luca to open the message.

Luca positions the phone so he and I can both see it.

It’s a picture of Mallory and I standing in front of the back doors to the home stadium, near the parking lot for the players and staff.

She had her forehead pressed against my chest and my arms are wrapped around her.

It looks like two people in an intimate moment. I’ll admit to that. But at a different angle, you’d see, she was actually balling her eyes out and I was only trying to comfort her.

Her ex-boyfriend and also an exec for a close affiliate to the team had come into the stadium, into her office, and threatened to blackball her from pro sports if she didn’t dump her stockbroker boyfriend.

I found her again, just like I had at the opening of my friend’s new restaurant. She was standing outside of the stadium trying to pull herself together when I pulled up in my truck. She lost it when she saw me and started crying harder. I thought he had hurt her this time but she swore he didn’t.

---