Page 63 of Sticking Around

“Thanks. With all the guys away, Brighton asked me to join you both.”

I drop down next to Brighton at the table, and the server comes. Since Brighton is pregnant, she orders a soda, and since that sounds good to me, I order the same. Dani, who appears to be nervous about something, asks for wine. I think she could use a glass or two. I don’t really know much about her, and I don’t really understand her relationship with Conner, other than she was married to his late brother.

“Dani was just telling me about this hot book she’s reading for book club.”

“Oh yeah?” I take a sip of water. “I can’t wait to read a book that doesn’t involve psychology. Honestly, I’d love to lose myself in a novel.”

We talk about books for a few more minutes. The server delivers bread, and butter and our drinks. The sudden smell of fresh bread, which I freaking love, turns my stomach and I lean back in my chair.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Brighton asks.

“I don’t know. The smell of that suddenly made me queasy.”

Brighton rubs her big belly, her voice joking when she teases, “Maybe you’re pregnant.”

A strange, garbled sound catches in Dani’s throat and both Brighton and I turn to her. Heat flushes her face as she looks at everyone and anything but me. “Are you okay?” I ask. Maybe she’s the one who’s pregnant.

Dani reaches for her glass of wine and takes a gulp. “Yeah, bread. Just choked a bit. I’m okay now.”

We stare at her for a second and when she doesn’t say more, Brighton turns back to me. “Wait, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

I laugh and shake my head, because that’s seriously ludicrous. “I’m not pregnant,” I assure her, and give her a dismissive wave of my hand.

She lets it go, and after the bout of nausea passes, we have a nice evening chatting. The rain has lightened by the time I leave, and I give my friends a hug before I head to my own car. I jump in and drive toward home. As I pass a drug store, Brighton’s words jump into my brain and I slow the vehicle.

Should I get a pregnancy test?

21

Brady

My phone pings as we pull into the driveway, exhausted, sore and in a bad fucking mood after losing to New York. I pull my phone from my pocket as Noah kills the ignition and reaches for the handle, no doubt anxious to get inside and see his wife and child.

I glance up at the window and see the lights burning in my wing of the house. Melanie texted me a few times and I kept my answers short and sweet. She doesn’t need to know how fucking shitty I feel for letting my team down. Christ, how that last winning goal got by me… I’m going to play that shit show over and over in my head all night and I don’t want to subject her to my sour mood as I beat myself up.

Noah’s about to get out of his car, but stops and turns to me as I stare at the message from my mother. “It was only an exhibition game. We’ll kick their ass during the regular season.”

Emotions are a weakness, Brady. You’re the man of the house now, so grow a set.

As my mother’s words suddenly come back to haunt me, I laugh—like I always do—and shrug. “Yeah, I know, man. It’s all good.” He eyes me. What the fuck? I’ve always been able to hide behind my humor and sarcasm. Being with Melanie is changing me, and I’m not sure if it’s for better or worse, because dammit, I don’t want my team to see me as weak. The truth is, I take this game very seriously, and tonight I let Coach and the guys down. Every time I do that, it cuts me to the core.

But are emotions really a weakness, Brady?

Maybe they’re not. Maybe that’s what Melanie has been trying to show me, but right now, I can’t get out of my own head to even work through that.

“You coming?”

I shake my phone. “I have to send a message. I’ll be up in a minute.” He pauses for a second, and I toss him a grin. “Go see your wife and kid, dude.”

He nods and exits the car and I let loose a long breath as I stare at Mom’s text, asking for more money. My stomach clenches and a new kind of anger bursts through my blood. I’m about to text back, asking how much, when my phone rings. I guess I took too long to answer.

“Hey Mom.”

“You’re not answering your texts?”

“I just got home from an exhibition game. I was about to answer you.” I pinch the bridge of my nose as one of the lights in my living room brightens. Melanie is up there waiting for me and I’m a real asshole to keep her waiting. “Did you catch the game?”

A pause and then, “No. I’ve been down and out, Brady. These pills I’m on are making me dizzy.”

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