Page 42 of Last Fall

My hopes for food distraction were immediately dashed. “So tell us about her,”Chrissaid.

“I’d tell you to read one of her books to get to know her, but you don’t read.” I knew there was still a long list of things to learn, but her books said a lot about her. Her humor. Her intellect. Even the way she spoke came across in thedialogue.

“No,” Chris said, holding up a French fry, “but I do watch movies. If they ever make one of her books into a movie, I’llwatchthat.”

“They actually are. A big studio bought it right away and they already have the movie movingforward.”

“Really? What’s itcalled?”

I didn’t know why it would matter to Chris but I answered. “The book is calledThe Fight at MidnightSprings.”

“You’re shitting me.” He dropped his fry. “Seriously? Your lady wrotethatbook?”

Since it wasn’t even out yet I was seriously confused how Chris, a man who did not read, knewthat. “Yes...”

“My brother Scott is in it. He’s one of the executiveproducers,too.”

Wes started laughing. “I fucking love our small little world. Zoe’s going to lose it when she realizes thatconnection.”

“I read some lines with him two weeks ago when we were in LA. It wasintense.”

A little bit of jealousy hit me in the gut.Chrishad read something of Zoe’s that I hadn’t. “She’s a greatwriter.”

“You should read one of her romances,” Wes quipped. “Try one of theMayhemseries. It will help you improveyourgame.”

Chris threw a fry at him. “I don’t need any help withwomen.”

“You’d be surprised how much you don’t know about women until you read a book written by a woman about whatwomenwant.”

Chris and Seth both looked at him like he was nuts, but I knew he was right. At least about Zoe’sbooks.

“So what’s the hold up? She not into you?” Seth asked, turning conversation back to mydatinglife.

I could feel Wes’s eyesonme.

Waiting for me to say the wrong thing so he could beat the crap out of me. I made a mental note to be nicer to my sister’s boyfriends andhusbands.

“She’s got somebaggage.”

Chris waved at me to continue. “Does she have a kid orsomething?”

“No. I don’t know for sure but...her ex was a problem.” I didn’t want to makeguesses.

I looked up from my food when I realized everyone was staring atme. “What?”

“He hurt her?” Seth asked reallyquietly.

I shrugged. “I just told you I don’t knowforsure.”

“Whatdoyou know?” Chrisasked.

I noticed Wes just kept staringatme.

“I know she doesn’t feel safe alone with men. I know she left everything behind three years ago and you don’t do that unless it’s bad. I know she’s scared shitless of feeling anything.” I balled up the paper napkin in my hand and threw it on top of my half-eatensandwich.

My appetitewasgone.

“Fucker,” Chris muttered. The look on Seth’s face was equallydisgusted.

And this was why I hung out with these guys off the field. They weren’t perfect, but we all shared the same general outlookonlife.

“When I saw her last weekend I could see how torn up she was and I realized this isn’t something I can push too hard for. She still gets scared alone with me.Me.” I was a big guy, but I wasn’t scary. I generally thought of myself as the opposite of scary. “So for now we hang out. And we’ll hang out until thatchanges.”

I didn’t know what Wes was thinking until after we paid our bill and headed out. He stopped me at the curb outside our rental car. “Thank you,” he said, raw emotion breaking the words up. Then he hugged me hard, once, nodded, and ducked intothecar.

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