Page 26 of Home Town Advantage
Tyrese Maxey is a young, rising star on Philly’s men’s pro basketball team.
My shoulders fall. “Oh. Out of curiosity, why wouldn’t you want one of the new women pro athletes in town? The Anacondas and Beavers have become extremely popular. Philly is now truly a dual-sex sports town. You should embrace it and capitalize on that.”
Tanner scratches his beard in thought. “That’s a fantastic idea, Andrew. I have it on good authority that you’re looking to create a special edition pink Gatorade for breast cancer awareness month this coming October. The Beavers have pink uniforms. You could shift focus. No offense to Vance getting a little long in the tooth, but you could do something along the lines of transitioning from the older, original, red Gatorade, like Vance, to the new pink Gatorade. I happen to represent Sulley O’Shea. There’s no bigger female star than her right now.”
Andrew makes a weird noise. Something between a hmm and an eek. It comes out like, “Hmeek.”
I agree, “Yes, Sulley would be perfect. Great idea, T.”
Tanner raises an eyebrow at me as he speaks into the phone. “What do you think, Andrew?”
“I think it’s fantastically fantabulouso. Let me run it up the flagpole and talk to Maxey’s people about the pivot from Vance to Sulley, and then I’ll?—”
I interrupt, “I meant Sulley and me. Not Sulley and Tyrese.”
Andrew answers, “I think the basketball-to-basketball connection makes more sense. We’ll find another zipperific project for you, Vancy. I’ll contact you soon, Tanner.”
Tanner gives me an amused look. “Sounds good. To be clear, you’ll pay Sulley the same amount you were planning to pay Vance. The women in this town are revered and will be treated accordingly.” He winks at me.
Andrew makes a few more weird noises before agreeing. “Talk soon, terrific Tanner. And?—”
Tanner disconnects the call before Andrew can say anything else and looks at me. “Adjective Andrew is a lot to handle.”
I nod in agreement. “Adjectives and fake words. I bet he was stuffed into a locker every day in high school.”
Tanner chuckles. “Without a doubt. Probably still is.” He places his pen down and gives me an amused look. “You just cost yourself a lot of money.”
I shrug. “Whatever. I don’t need it. I’d rather Sulley have the opportunity. Don’t tell her it was my idea. She won’t take it if she knows.”
His face falls. “Things haven’t thawed at all for you two?”
I shake my head. “I very clearly trigger her. It’s hard to watch. I understand why, but it still hurts.” I exhale a long breath. “I was there the first time she held a basketball. I watched her turn into the player she is now. You know what her brother meant to me.”
He nods. “I do. Any thoughts on cluing her in on your big secret?”
“Nope. She’s in a good place. I’m not rocking theboat.”
“It might soften her on you, though.”
“This isn’t about me, it never was. Certainly not right now, when things are going so well for her. Maybe one day.”
He runs his fingers over his beard, appearing annoyingly judgmental. “The truth usually has a way of coming out.”
I run my tongue along my teeth. “Hmm. I think you’re right about that. Does your ex-wife know you’re fucking your daughter’s nanny?”
He leans back in his big, leather chair and steeples his fingers. “You love to go on the offensive when you feel cornered. I wasn’t trying to corner you, Vance. I’m just trying to help. As always. You’re my friend. I’ve watched you needlessly struggle for years over everything that happened. It doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. I know you’re a good man. I wish you believed that too.”
He stands and holds out his hand for me to shake, which I do. I sigh, feeling embarrassed by my immature behavior. “Sorry, man. I was out of line.”
He waves his hand dismissively. “It doesn’t bother me. And so you know, Fallon does, in fact, know about my physical relationship with Bailey. It’s not as cheap and tawdry as you and the boys would like to think. I have real feelings for Bailey. Fallon only cares about Harper’s well-being, and Bailey is good to Harper. There’s no drama. The two of them get along well. While I didn’t set out to clue Fallon in on things, it’s a bit easier now that everything is out in the open. Easier when there are no secrets among the people you care about.” He lifts an eyebrow pointedly. “Just consider it.”
I nod before exiting his office and heading to our practice facility.
“D, buttonhook left, not right,”I yell out on the practice field. Daylen is off today. He’s not running his routes properly.
That’s the thing about Daylen. Healwaysruns concise routes. That’s how we connect so perfectly. And when the coverage is tight, we can read each other’s minds and know it’s time to change course. It’s the magic formula we share as quarterback and tight end. You can’t manufacture that. It’s just there. It’s why we’ve been such a successful duo for a decade. It’s why you rarely hear one of our names without the other.
Daylen’s contract was up earlier this year. He was willing to re-sign for less than he’s worth. Tanner and I wouldn’t let him, so he played hardball with management. We were both on pins and needles, as neither of us could ever imagine playing without the other. Coach Jeffries and I both went to management demanding that they pay Daylen the right amount. We all watched in awe as Tanner played management like a violin, with a little off-the-record help from me, until Daylen received every penny he’s worth. Now my best friend is the highest-paid tight end in the sport and will finish his career in Philly with me.
