Page 2 of Love on the Waiver Wire

Deciding that a response would only make me push him harder, Leo heads back to the door once more, unlocking her door for her and letting her back in.

When he returns, he looks more irritated than anything else, his brows furrowed as he bites his lip.

“What’s up?” I ask him, setting the slab of cheese and grease down on the back of the pizza box in front of me.

“Zeke was traded,” he says, crossing his arms in front of him.

I sigh, rubbing my temple. No matter how many years we go through this, it’s always hard. In only a few days, the official 53-man roster is due, and great players are cut, traded, and demoted to practice squad left and right.

“He knew it was coming,” I say, feeling that familiar sense of sadness waft over me. It’s sad every time, but it’s something we have to deal with.

“He was so excited for our league this year, man.”

“Leo, the guy isn’t dead. We’re still friends with him.”

“But the league.”

I stare at him as he stares at his pizza, still sitting face down on his counter. “You know you’re the commissioner, right? Like, you make the rules. You can change them if you want.”

Leo’s eyes slowly lift to meet mine before narrowing. “The league’s rules are written in stone, Crosby. You know this.” He scoffs. “God, if we just throw out the rules for this, what’s next? The rules of football are changed? Then what?” He throws his hands in the air. “Ocean laws are tossed out the window?”

“What the hell are ocean laws?”

“The whales, Crosby. The whales.” He rolls his eyes, heading for the fridge. I let it be, more confused than ever.

Which is, unfortunately, par for the course with Warner.

“What are we going to do? The draft is in three days.”

Taking a swig of milk from the container, Leo shrugs. “I’ll find someone to replace him. It’ll be easy. Who doesn’t want to be part of our league?”

Most people, I think. Most of the guys on the team have their own leagues going, and although everyone loves Leo—he is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league, after all—most don’t have the time or patience to deal with his antics.

Leo’s fantasy league is his baby. He’s a little obsessive about it, and although it’s fun, it’s a lot of work for a group of men who already have a lot of work to do.

Well, not Franklin. I guess he can be a good contender.

Except Leo’s fantasy rules require all league members to be active players of the Baltimore Cobras team at the start of the season, not management, coaching staff, or water boys.

Zeke was one of the only son of a bitches we could convince to join two years ago. We’ve been solid ever since.

“Well, that’s a you problem,” I tell him, getting up to get a beer. Pursing my lips, I turn back around to him. “So, your sister…”

“You know the rules, Crosby.”

Look at my sister, and you’re dead.Yeah, I know it. I know it well.

2

ISLA

Sometimes, I forget that my brother is adored around the country. He’s just such a giant idiot I can’t picture it. I love him, but he’s so easy to rile up it’s ridiculous.

“What happened?” Mila asks, her voice oddly soothing over the loudspeaker of my phone.

“Well, I took a shower and was getting ready to go back to work on this painting when I heard a knock on my door. I thought it was the food that I had ordered for dinner and went to answer it. No one was there, so I went to peek down the hall, and the door shut on me!”

Silence follows my words, and I put down my paintbrush before checking my phone to ensure I haven’t lost her. “Hello?”

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