Page 48 of Intercept My Heart

“I have an appointment with Sienna at the Chanel store for some retail therapy. Speaking of appointments, have you thought anything about the sports reporter job Mickie mentioned at my father’s dinner? I think it would be a really great opportunity, and the salary is reasonable. You don’t want to let your name die in the public eye. I was actually thinking we should post some engagement photos and see ifPeople Magazinewants in on the exclusive,” Harper rambled, but something she said caught my attention.

“Why would they need an exclusive? This is supposed to be something for our close family and friends,” I questioned, walking over to my dresser to grab a fresh pair of boxers so I could get ready to meet up with Charae and the twins.

“Oh, come on, Money. This is the last major event you’re gonna have now that you’re retired. If we make this public and really get the buzz going, we may be able to get a wedding special or something. It could open up some new money-making opportunities for us.”

“You know that’s not really my thing. I don’t like the idea of a bunch of strangers being involved in such a private moment between the two of us.”

“Yeah, but if we play our cards right, the wedding will pay for itself. Think of all of the sponsors!” She squealed. I realized it was a losing battle, so I left it alone. There were more pressing matters to address anyway.

“Look, I needed to talk to you about something important.”

“Okay, baby. You have my undivided attention for the next… seven minutes,” Harper replied, looking down at her watch to confirm. I took a seat on the edge of the bed, playing the words over in my head.

“There really isn’t an easy way to say this, but I’ve recently made contact with someone from my past. We dated back in high school and college, but we broke up before I entered into the draft. She has twin boys, and there is a possibility that I could be their father.”

“Wait, you’re joking, right?”

“No. Why would I play about something so serious?”

“Well, what’s her price?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Her question caught me off guard because it wasn’t the response I expected.

“Well, it’s obvious that she is after money. I mean, why else would she turn up after all of these years trying to pin her kids on you?” My eyebrows furrowed as I thought about how I wanted to address her questions. Harper missed the whole point of this conversation.

“Charae didn’t seek me out. We ran into each other, and that’s when I discovered her boys.”

“Okay, well then, why are you bringing life to something that doesn’t matter? If she never reached out to tell you about them, then you’re technically off the hook. You can continue to go on with your life, and she can go on with hers.” Harper shruggedher shoulders as if she said some profound shit. Instead, she managed to piss me off even more.

“What kind of man do you take me for? Why would you want to be with a man who neglects his responsibilities? If those children are mine, I’m gonna do right by them. Fuck is wrong with you?” I never talked to her aggressively, but she blew my mind with that stupid shit.

“All I’m saying is, why mess up your life for some kids you don’t even know? If the kids turn out to be yours, you don’t have to neglect them. Sit down with her and discuss a settlement amount so she can continue to take care of those little bastards, and you can continue to enjoy the life you’ve carved out for yourself.”

I chuckled angrily and decided to leave the conversation alone for now. At the rate things were going, I would end up saying some things I couldn’t take back. I headed to the shower so I could get my day started. There were no signs of Harper when I made it out. I questioned why I even stayed in a relationship where I wasn’t happy, but I guessed I was content. Harper didn’t kick up a lot of dust and allowed me to do what I wanted, as long as it never reached the internet.

To the outside world, we were a power couple, but behind closed doors, I lived my life as a bachelor. Since Harper couldn’t please me in the bedroom, she allowed me the freedom to fuck other women. At first, I wasn’t cool with it because I wasn’t the cheating type, but after a few threesomes with her, I became more comfortable with the idea. Due to being a public figure, I was cautious about who I lay with because you never knew who might be looking for their next payday. I kept a few NDAs in my gym bag as well as my glove compartment. Nobody would ever catch me slipping if I could help it.

When Harper and I first got together, it was due to her father’s insistence. After we discovered her pregnancy, CoachMonarch made it clear that he expected me to treat his daughter with care, regardless of how the baby was conceived. Once our daughter was born, he became more aggressive with his approach. I noticed him limiting my time on the field and excluding me from scouting opportunities. When I approached him about it, he gave me an ultimatum: Either I make Harper my woman and raise Milani in the same household, or he would make sure no NFL teams would be interested in me.

It pissed me off in the beginning, so I attempted to transfer, but his influence was far greater than I’d ever imagined. I hated the idea of someone having my future in their hands, but that was exactly what it was. The moment I complied with his request, everything began to fall in line for me. As much as I despised the man, I couldn’t deny that he helped me elevate my game and placed me in the best position to be drafted to a great team in the NFL.

The crazy thing about the whole deal was that Harper was well aware. She understood that I had no real feelings for her, but she insisted that they would grow over time. She wasn’t completely wrong, in a sense, because when she gave birth to Milani, we had no choice but to work together. Harper struggled with postpartum, so I had to step up for her and our daughter. Truthfully, Milani was the reason I agreed to give our relationship a shot. She deserved to grow up in a two-parent household, so that was what I gave her.

We did a DNA test on baby girl, and once it came back that she was mine, I decided to give the family thing a try. It wasn’t the path I chose for myself, but I wanted to give my child something I lost—a real family. She deserved to be able to wake up with her parents in the same household. Harper wasn’t the type to kick up any dust, so we easily fell into a routine over the years. I preferred to keep Milani off social media and out of the limelight, but her mother would post pictures of us all together. Ididn’t police her about it because she was her mother. However, Harper knew my limits when it came to that. We weren’t in love with one another, but I’d grown to care for her over the years.

Lately, my feelings had begun to shift, making me question whether it was time to make some changes in my life. If Cashynn and Cashmir were my sons, things would have to adjust because I wanted them to feel welcome in my space. Regardless of the time I missed, I would love and care for them the same way I did for my daughter.

Moolah had been giving me his ass to kiss since I met him, and I prayed that I would be able to repair whatever damage my absence caused. As angry as I should have been with Charae, I wouldn’t pretend that the possibility of being a father again didn’t excite me. Seeing them on the field reminded me of my younger days. I longed to be able to show my dad my plays and dedicate my touchdowns to him. It would be an honor to share my first love with my children one day.

Charae texted me to let me know they were on their way to the testing center. I called in a favor to have the results rushed because enough time passed without me knowing the truth. I needed to know if they were mine or not. I threw on some clothes, grabbed my keys, and headed out the door.

“All done. We are going to get these samples tested, and you’ll receive an email within the next seventy-two to ninety-six hours. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call the number listed on the back of this pamphlet. Enjoy the rest of your day.” The nurse gave me the rundown before she sent meon my way. We were in separate rooms, so I wasn’t sure if they were finished yet.

My hands were sweating when I walked in, but now I felt a sense of calmness. Regardless of the outcome, we would have the answers we needed before the week ended.

“Well, that was painless,” Charae retorted nervously. Damn, she was perfect. I examined her pretty, caramel face, and aside from a few worry lines, she could have easily passed for her early twenties. Her pouty lips still made me feel weak in the knees after all these years, although I contained myself since she no longer belonged to me. Her hair had grown past her shoulders, and it surprised me to see her wearing it straight because she used to always wear it curly or in a bun.

“Yeah. The only thing we have left to do now is wait.” I stood there awkwardly with my hands in my pockets.

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