Page 104 of How to Score Off Field

My brother shrugs. “Hey, drama sells. And clearly, she's looking for her fifteen minutes of fame."

I don’t correct him.

For all I know, she was fine with her brother going to the paparazzi and selling the story. If she is actually pregnant, a few hundred thousand dollars probably sounds like a really good deal. Good enough to screw over your friend.

And lover.

And father of your kid.

My kid.

Oh my god, I’m going to be sick to my stomach.

“Drama sells.” I give Drake a weak smile, his humor lighting the room's heavy atmosphere. "Yeah, well, she got her fifteen minutes. The whole world knows now."

Drake nudges me playfully. "So what's your game plan, superstar? How are you gonna handle this scandal?" He pauses. “Handle scandal—I made a rhyme.”

I flop down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, running a hand through my hair.

"First, I need to talk to Tess. Figure out why she did this if she did this—and why she didn't tell me about…the pregnancy. Then I guess we'll have to figure out what we're gonna do next."

Drake raises an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You know, you could always consult our family's resident scandal expert."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "You mean you?"

He grins, clearly pleased with himself. "Who else? Duh. I've navigated my fair share of drama. I've got tips, tricks, and a few creative cover-ups up my sleeve."

I give him a skeptical look. "Are your 'creative cover-ups' legal?"

He waves a dismissive hand. "Details, details. Let's focus on the task at hand. First, call Tess again. Get the facts straight from the source. Then we'll brainstorm some damage control strategies."

Like get a lawyer.

Call Drew’s agent.

Call my mother and brothers.

Leave it to Drake to turn a potentially disastrous situation into a slightly less daunting one. "Alright, fine. I'll call her. But no shady cover-ups until we get to the truth, yeah?"

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. "You're the boss. No shady cover-ups. Just a touch of Colter charm.”

He winks.

I can barely muster up a smile. "I can't believe I'm actually taking advice from you."

He grins, giving me a playful wink. "Hey, I'm the big brother for a reason, right? And then we can callSportsCenter—the world is waiting to hear your side of the story."

As I dial Tess's number, I can't help but feel a strange mix of nerves and determination.

With Drake by my side, armed with his unique brand of advice and a touch of idiot sense of humor, maybe I can navigate this scandal without throwing up in the garbage can.

I find Tess in my phone.

Hit CALL.

Listen as it rings.

And rings.

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