Page 207 of Steeling Her
As we drive to a secluded section of the stadium for players and their families, a valet takes the car from my dad. He’s greeted by flashes from numerous cameras as soon as he steps out of the vehicle. Taylor knows to hide from the cameras. Chris doesn’t like pictures of her out in the media even though they’re everywhere in the stadium too. He protects her at all costs.
Danielle pushes her tiny head into the crook of her neck and cradles the back of it as she walks with her daughter into the building, answering no questions.
My dad, out of courtesy, answers a few questions the media have for him. It’s part of his job.
“You okay, honey?” Danielle asks Taylor as soon as we’re inside. She nods, knowing it’s part of the process in coming here. She lifts her head and pushes back her hair out of her face and sends her mom a wide grin.
We wait for my dad to come in and join us after he finishes talking to the media. When he does, Taylor practically leaps out of her mother’s arms and into my dad’s.
“Alright, where is Uncle Austin?” My dad searches the crowd for my brother. We all join in on the search party to find him. It’s Danielle who finally spots him.
“Over there! Near the bar.” She points with a huge smirk on her face. Once we see where she’s pointing to, we see the large animal flirting with the barmaid behind the long wooden table top. I roll my eyes at my brother, who hasn’t even thought about settling down once. He’s too busy enjoying his lifestyle as the country’s top athlete and most eligible bachelor. He’s enjoying the perks that come with it, if you know what I mean.
“Like father, like son, huh?” My mom rolls her eyes and we all approach Austin from behind.
“Uncle Austin!” Taylor squeals from over his shoulder as we near him. He flinches and turns quickly around to see my mother silently scolding him for his ways. She’s wanted him to take some time and try to find the girl of his dreams, but he’s of the opinion “it’ll happen when it happens” and that drives her nuts. Austin has always been the laid back brother when it comes to love. Chris is laid back, too, but Austin is almost horizontal with it.
“Hey, kid!” He quickly turns away from my mom and greets his niece. He greets everyone else soon after. Lifting his arm to pull back his sleeve, he checks the time on his wrist. “Almost time for the game.” He nods and turns around to face my dad. “You want something to drink, old man?” he asks him and Taylor let’s out a raucous giggle, gathering a few eyes in the place. Austin bounces her in his arms to prolong that infectious giggle of hers that makes each of the men in our family melt.
“I’ll just have a beer, son. One will do for me today, I need to stick to my nutrition plan.” He rolls his eyes and nudges his head to my mom, who elbows him playfully in the gut.
“I’m not the one who told you that you’re borderline diabetic. It’s a serious health condition, Roger, and you know it,” she reprimands him, unimpressed by his loose morals. I can see she’s serious but trying to keep it lighthearted for Taylor’s sake. My mom has always worried about my dad’s eating habits; she’d do anything to get him to eat healthier but she finds it hard to break his habits.
“I know, honey. You know I’ve been taking this seriously!” He wraps both arms around her and kisses the crown of her head in adoration for her looking out for him.
“It can lead to more complications if you don’t keep an eye on it,” she mutters as she rests her cheek on his chest. My parents embracing each other has always made me cringe, but as I get older, I’ve become more appreciative of their love for one another. It makes me want what they have.
We turn silent when announcements start echoing around the stadium for a moment, announcing that people need to take their seats and what food is available at the stadium. As we wait for the unknown voice to stop talking, we all decide to grab snacks and drinks before we sit down and join the rowdy crowd.
“Alright, kids, go get your food. We’ll meet back here in ten.” My dad claps his hands to gather our attention. Taylor copies him and starts clapping like he did, making him melt inside. He kisses her head, having been smitten by her actions. After that, we all walk to our usual stands to get our food. As I queue up alone in the noodle bar stand, I overhear two guys in front of me talking about the players.
Nick in particular.
“I’m dying to see how he fits in, man, he’s literally the next Austin Steel. We’re lucky we picked him up when Steel decided on the Giants’ contract. Traitor,” he jokes with his friend, making me laugh under my breath.
“I know man. This should be a good game. He’s a different type of player, he’s a little more broody—quiet and collected. Austin Steel is more . . . out there.” He laughs, and I couldn’t help but quietly join in too. “I heard he’s quite the player.”
“In what way?” the other one asks.
“The ladies,” his friend confirms.
“Oh yeah? I haven’t heard much about that side of him, but I can see the appeal. He’s got that, dare I say it, bad boy look about him.” The guy folds his arms across his chest.
“Ah, he’s quiet. That Nick guy usually keeps to himself but Cara goes wild for him whenever he’s on the screen.” He shakes his head and I couldn’t agree more. Judging by how the girls at work reacted to his commercial, I know the rest of the nation have been drooling over him since his first TV appearance.
“Ah, I don’t blame her. He’s a good looking dude!” they joke and it makes me smile once more. I love sports fans; they all have a playful sense of humor.
“She got his cover photo on GQ magazine as the background on her phone. How the fuck am I meant to compete with that?” he jokes and smacks his stomach playfully. “I had us as mine and then had to swap it for Emily Ratajkowski. She didn’t even bat an eyelid, she just continued to spew facts about Jackson the entire time!” He chuckles.
“Next!” the cashier calls out for the next person to step forward.
“Lay the facts on me. I know you absorbed something.” His friend laughs. “Hi, I’ll have an egg roll with beef sauce and egg noodles, please.” He places his order and turns to his friend, who tells her he’ll have the same.
“Apparently, he gets the magazines to airbrush his body because he has tattoos that he doesn’t want people to see. You rarely see him with his shirt off because of it. He’s a very private person. He’s looking for a home in Bel Air and he’s only had one girlfriend in his life. I mean, he has dated, but nothing has ever lasted.” I couldn’t help but smile at the last fact he said. Haley always told me that he wouldn’t date for a long time. She was always worried about him but would keep it to herself sometimes.
He went into a dark hole after our breakup, and so did I.
“Only one? How can he look like that and only have one girlfriend in his entire life? Is it by choice or . . .?” His friend asks.
