Page 19 of Perfect Storm
In his pocket, Levi’s phone buzzed. Then buzzed again. It was nearly ten, and he couldn’t imagine who was calling him. But they did it again.
Riley shot him a look. “You dodging someone, bro?” he asked.
The only person Levi could possibly be doing that to currently was Riley’s older brother, and he was asleep upstairs. Levi didn’t think there was a chance in hell Aidan was the one calling him right now.
He yanked his phone out of his pocket, and as he’d figured, it wasn’t Aidan. It was his agent, Alec.
“Actually,” Levi said, worry suddenly making his heart and stomach clench, “it’s my agent.”
“Oh, you’re working on that new deal, yeah?” Riley said casually, like it wasn’t a big deal. Like it wasn’t a big deal to get a call from his agent at nearly ten at night.
“I better take this,” Levi said. Riley nodded at him as he lifted himself off the couch and headed outside, settling down in one of the Adirondack chairs before accepting Alec’s call.
“Hey, man,” Levi said.
“Levi,” Alec said, sounding tired.
Also not a good sign. Levi tried to tamp down his apprehension but wasn’t sure it worked. Alec had told him before the bulk of the negotiation with the Seahawks began that it was possible they wouldn’t give him the kind of deal he wanted. The kind of deal that Alec agreed that Levi deserved. That they might be better off exploring other options.
Levi hadn’t liked the idea. He’d been drafted by Seattle six years ago. The two-year deal he took to extend his rookie contract had been a bridge, but Alec had reassured him that they’d figure out something long-term after that.
“I take it it’s not going well,” Levi said hesitantly.
He wanted to stay in Seattle, but then Logan hadn’t stayed in Minnesota and Landry hadn’t stayed in Buffalo either. Watching his brothers end up happy playing for different teams had given him a different perspective. If Seattle didn’t want to give him what he needed, then he’d find a team who would.
“I’d like you to come out to LA,” Alec said, not really addressing what Levi had said. “Tomorrow? Can you make that happen? I think I can get you a flight out of Dallas.”
“I’m not in Texas,” Levi said. “I’m in Michigan. With Landry and the Flynns.”
“Okay, Detroit, then.” Alec paused. “Seahawks won’t budge on the long-term part of the deal. The money’s good, but it’s not as many years as we wanted. It’s . . .atbest, another bridge. There’s some GMs out here, taking some meetings, and I think it’d be easier if you were here in person. I don’t want to drag you away from your offseason—”
Levi didn’t want Alec to drag him away from his offseason either, especially not after the kiss he’d just shared with Aidan. But he didn’t need anyone to tell him that it would be a mistake if he stayed in Michigan and kept kissing Aidan. Or that if he did stick around, despite his best intentions, he’d probably keep doing it.
“It’s okay,” Levi reassured him. Reassured himself that this was better, anyway. “I was leaving soon anyway.”
It wasn’t true, but Alec didn’t need to know that.
“Alright. Good. I do think we can make it work with one of several other strong possibilities, Levi. Teams that might even be a lot closer to a ring, even.”
That had been the one downside about Seattle. They hadn’t made the playoffs the last two years, and based on how the team was building next year’s team, Levi could see that trend continuing.
Logan had left Minnesota and had won a Super Bowl. Landry had done the same thing, two years later with the Condors.
Levi could do that, too.
“If that’s the best path forward, then we’ll explore it. I told you I’d be willing to leave Seattle,” Levi said.
Alec sighed. “I didn’t want you tohaveto. But they won’t budge. One of the new draft class is someone they seem convinced can take your spot in a year or two, and he’d be a lot cheaper. It comes down to money, honestly.”
“Do you think he could?” Levi wasn’t offended by the possibility. Okay, he wasn’tmuchoffended by the possibility. A rookie being good enough to take his spot?Yeah fucking right.
“Honestly? No. They’re vastly underestimating his upside, but the point isn’t ifIthink he can.Theythink he can, and they’re all about saving money, because their new QB is going to get a huge deal in two years and they need the cap space.”
Levi muttered afuckunder his breath. Why did teams only care about the quarterback and not the guys who kept him upright long enough to throw the fucking ball? It had never made sense to him, but from what he’d seen from the Seattle front office, this shortsightedness was not entirely unexpected.
“I know,” Alec said. “It’s really fucking stupid. But what can we do about it? There’s teams that want you, Levi. A whole lot.”
Levi knew it. “Yeah. And I know it happens. Landry and Logan both did it.”
