Page 215 of Most Valuable Players
The guys are kicked back in Nathan’s room, a bottle of Jack on the table between them.
“Couldn’t spring for something a little nicer?” I ask as I take a seat next to them and pour myself a glass.
“Old school, Baby Payne,” Joel says. “It was this or Everclear, and I don’t think Chloe would appreciate your brother passing out before the ceremony.”
Nathan wears a sheepish smile as he tips back another small sip. A knock at the door gets him to his feet.
“Linc,” Nathan calls as he holds the door wide and my boss walks in.
I stand to greet him as well with a hug. “Hey, I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He steps back and looks me over. “How’ve you been?”
“Good. Great.”
“He met a girl,” Nathan says as if that clarifies why everything is great. I guess it does.
“Man, I hand you over to Wally for weekly check-ins and I miss all the good gossip.”
When I first started working with Lincoln and his sports coaching website, we talked weekly. I reported directly to him. But the busier he’s gotten, the less frequent our calls have been. I’m also pretty certain that the only reason I was reporting to him was so he had an excuse to check in on me. I’d like to think he and Nathan have finally started to trust that I can take care of myself and are giving me more credit.
“Is Keira here too?” Nathan asks. “She killed it at the tournament last weekend.”
“She is.” He beams with pride talking about his pro-golfer wife.
The room becomes a back and forth of questions and cross conversations as everyone catches up. When Nathan gets up to get another bottle of liquor, I follow him.
“Hey, I have something for you.”
“Yeah?” He abandons the bottle on the wet bar and takes the box I hold out for him.
“Wrapped it myself,” I say as he pulls back the flaps of a battered box I re-used from my collection of care packages he’s sent.
Grinning, he pulls the items from the box. Gum, breath mints, sunscreen, condoms, earplugs.
“What is all this?” he asks with a chuckle and holds up the earplugs.
“A little honeymoon care package from me to you. Those are for Chloe so when she’s tired of your shit, she can tune you out.”
“Thank you.”
I take out the smaller gift from my pocket. “Your real present.”
He tears off the white paper and a ghost of a smile pulls one side of his mouth. “Is this—”
“Yeah, it’s the same cologne Dad wore. I was walking through the store and the scent just hit me. I don’t expect you to wear it. I thought you might like to have a reminder… especially today.”
His hug is unexpected and tight. It takes me a moment to return the gesture, but when I do, there’s a feeling like Dad’s really here with us, or at least looking down and watching.
* * *
Thirty minutesbefore the wedding is scheduled to start, we put on our tuxes and prepare to head down.
“Yo, Heath, can you do me a favor?” Nathan approaches me, looking sharper than I can ever remember seeing him. “I need to give Chloe her wedding gift before the ceremony, but I’m not supposed to see her.”
I take the present covered not in wrapping paper, but in college-ruled notebook paper with his writing all over it. I give it a little shake. “What is it?”
“It’s not for you.” He blushes and now I really want to know what’s inside. “Can you get it to her or not?”
