Page 82 of Fumbling for Perfection

“Sorry, guys. This is my family. Mind giving us some space?”

My family.Technically, only two-fifths of us are his family, his brother and brother-in-law, but they don’t need to know that.

After they’ve gone, Walker asks, “What are you guys up to now?”

“I guess back home?”

He looks to Jackson and Taylor and asks, “If you don’t mind sticking around, I can get you passes to wait inside and I’ll treat you all to dinner. I’m usually pretty hungry after a game.”

“Um...” I start as Kendall and Jackson shout, “Okay!”

That adorable smile appears again on Walker’s kissable lips. “Don’t leave. I’ll send someone over.” He meets my eyes again, then winks before hopping down. I watch as he struts over to one of the trainers and he nods, looking up at us.

After a pat on the ass—jealous!—the trainer comes over to us. “Bankes family?”

“I am!” Jackson holds up his hand like a schoolboy, and the girls and I can’t help our laughter.

“I’ll get you some passes, but it’ll be a few minutes. Mind waiting?”

“Not at all,” Jackson says.

The crowd has thinned out and the cleaning staff has started sweeping up the mess rowdy fans have made in the stands.

We’re all giddy with excitement when the trainer comes back with five lanyards and passes. “Take a right at the end of the tunnel and you’ll see the signs directing you to the family waiting area. We’re lucky to have Walker on the team. He’s going to be a game changer for us.”

I rub Jackson’s back as he straightens his shoulders like the proud big brother he is. I expected more people to be waiting based on how many family members I saw on the news the other night, but there are maybe a hundred people scattered around.

It’s probably because it’s only a preseason game, or maybe they're meeting up at a restaurant or at home. Regardless, I’m happy for Walker to have people waiting for him.

“What did you think of your first football game?” I ask Jackson as he impatiently scrolls through his phone.

Kendall and Rowan are too busy checking out the players as they slowly emerge from their closed off area and greet their loved ones.

“I get the excitement. All those people cheering for you. The energy in the crowd’s amazing, but I don’t understand why football games need to be so long. We get the idea after thirty minutes. Proud of Walker though. Not gonna lie. Every time the crowd chantedTake it to the BankesI pretended they were cheering for me.”

I snort and shake my head. Leave it to Jackson to find a way to make himself the center of attention. He doesn’t ever do it to take away someone else’s sunshine though.

“Here he comes,” Taylor’s tall enough to see over the crowd, whereas I rise on my tip toes and all I can see are the backs of the taller people’s heads.

Jackson leaves our little circle and strides up to Walker, giving him the handshake, chest-bump-half-hug thing they do.

“I understand now why they put your ugly mug on the side of a bus.”

“Thanks.” Walker chuckles and glances at me before going over to Taylor. “It’s good to see you guys here.”

Taylor gives him a half hug and a pat on the back. “It was Riley’s idea, we all just jumped on the bandwagon.”

His right eyebrow lifts as he looks in my direction again.

“Tell me you’re friends with Miles Buckingham,” Kendall begs, not looking at Walker but glancing around the area as if Miles will appear out of thin air.

“Nice jersey.”

“Yeah, yeah. Your ass is already taken. Miles’s isn’t, is it?”

Oh, lordy. My cheeks burn in embarrassment. I’m sure Kendall has no idea what she implied and she’s just trying to get a rise out of Walker while also asking about her crush. Walker grins at me but speaks to Kendall.

“Who’s got my ass?”

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