Page 29 of Perfect Storm
An acrimonious divorce was bad enough, but then there’d been rumors Dawson’s ex-father-in-law, a financial advisor, had stolen a lot of his NFL cash.
“I get it,” Levi said. He suddenly wondered if Aidan hadn’tonlyinvited Dawson here today because Levi was scheduled to arrive. After all, this was Aidan they were talking about. The guy’s motives had motives. Riley was always complaining about how he liked to arrange everything.
Levi wasn’t sure how he felt about being arranged.
On one hand, that was kind of hot.
On the other, it was annoying that Aidan was going to do it and not be transparent about it.
“Honestly, I’m trying to distract him.” Aidan grimaced, like he was bad at it. He probably was. Even when he was providing prime jerkoff fodder for Levi, he wouldn’t have called Aidan Flynnentertaining.
“Want me to help?” Levi asked.
“Yes,” Aidan said, looking intensely grateful.
“Alright.” Levi rubbed his hands together. “No problem.”
Aidan looked suddenly worried. “What are you gonna do?”
“Bro, stop looking so constipated,” Levi teased, smacking him on the arm. It was good to get the casual touching out of the way. He touched everybody. He wasn’t going to keep his distance just because Aidan was pretending that they’d never kissed.
“What do I have to do to get you to stop calling me bro?” Aidan asked, pained, as he trailed after Levi, heading back into the living room.
“Dawson, my man,” Levi said, flopping down on the couch right where Aidan had been. He held out his hand for a fist bump. Dawson hit it back, after a long confused pause. “How’s it hanging?”
Aidan shot Levi a look and settled into the big armchair kitty-corner to the couch.
“Well, uh . . .it kinda sucks.” Dawson made a face. “I’m sure you’ve heard.”
“Some of it, yeah, but not really any of the details.” Levi reached over and patted Dawson on the knee. “Sucks, tho.”
Dawson shrugged, awkwardly. “I should’ve known better.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” Aidan argued. “How were you supposed to know not to trust him with your money? He was your fucking father-in-law.”
Dawson looked like he wanted to bury his head in the couch and not come out. Levi internally sighed; no wonder Aidan was struggling here. The point wasn’t for Dawson to keep talking about how he’d been screwed over, literallyandfiguratively, but todistracthim from it.
Levi hefted himself off the couch and walked over to the entertainment center. It was sleek and streamlined, and to Levi’s complete lack of surprise, contained no gaming consoles. He glanced back at Aidan. “No PS5? Seriously, bro?”
“You really want to playgames?” Aidan asked self-righteously.
God, he was kind of the worst. Levi couldn’t believe this was the guy he had a boner for, no matter how hot he was.
“Yeah, for sure, bro,” Levi said. He looked over at Dawson. “You got a system?”
Dawson shot a half-apologetic look at Aidan. “It’s packed . . .somewhere. I don’t even know what I got in the divorce, honestly.”
“Same with mine. Stupidly assumed thatsome peoplewould be locked and loaded.” Levi pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted the only other guy he knew on the team—Nate Bishop, a linebacker and a friend of Landry’s who’d played with him initially on the Condors but had been traded to the Thunder two years ago.
“Hey,” Aidan complained, but Levi ignored him in order to compose a text to Nate.Hey, man, it’s Levi. Just got into town, staying with Aidan. Turns out this guy is a freak and doesn’t have a PS5. You wanna bring yours and come hang out with us and Dawson?
Levi’s mom would’ve had his head for inviting someone over to a house that wasn’t his, but Aidanhadtold him to make himself at home. That was all he was doing.
And, of course, saving Dawson from a fate worse than death: spending an entire afternoon with Aidan, who’d probably inadvertently make him relive every horrible moment of his divorce and defrauding.
Nate, the great guy that he was, didn’t leave Levi hanging long.Oh, yeah, sure. Give me half an hour. Warn Aidan. He kind of hates me. Something about a bad tackle at practice last year.
Levi was extra proud of himself now. It was always funny when Aidan got annoyed—and snooty—about something. Even better when it was a someone.
