Page 19 of Just a Football Star

“You could pretend you need some help with one of your college courses.” I follow the hallway on the fourth floor to Oliver’s office. He’s not in there. “Sebastian was the big man on campus at Columbia. I’m sure he’d love to be reminded of that and then you can sort of slip in that you were wondering why they need to speak to Oakley.” There’s an undercurrent of apprehension, like there are things shifting in the background that I’m not aware of, things that could catch me off guard.

“A few of my professors remember him. It’s not cool being Sebastian’s youngest brother—it’s a lot of pressure.”

I didn’t attend Columbia like Milo, my dad, Gabriel, Oliver and Sebastian did, so I don’t understand much of what he’s saying. But I think all of us brothers have felt the weight of following in Sebastian’s footsteps.

“But you have one thing Sebastian doesn’t have, Milo. A zest for life, dude. A zest for life.”

Milo’s laugh punctuates the air and makes me smile. “I’ll try calling him.”

The rest of my afternoon wanderings get cut short by my needing to get ready for my training session. I’ve been doing all the things Oakley recommended, including drinking more water. I have the tired muscles and full bladder to prove it.

The truth is, I might lose this bet. And setting my stubbornness aside, I think I might not mind that at all.

The second two-a-day is almost over, and Oakley and I are arguing over which NFL coach is considered the best of all time. We have ESPN on in the background, and every once in a while, we stop to pay attention to some headline. It’s been surprisingly enjoyable.

We take a short break to grab a drink and Oakley clasps her hands low in front of her and stares me down. Which is a feat since she’s several inches shorter than me. “So…any idea on what this meeting with your brothers is all about?”

“No. I’ve been trying all day to get answers. All Oliver told me was something vague about this being a good place for people to rehab.”

She cocks an eyebrow. “I’d believe it, I guess. It’s gorgeous here.” She clears her throat and places her hands on her hips. “Ready to go again? We have three more sets of ten.”

There are still fifteen minutes left when she perks up into a smile. “Want to go on a short walk outside? To work out the leg a bit before we finish?”

It will be nice to get out of the way of the people who’ve come to work out. We go out through the double doors to the resort grounds, and I show her around the well-kept lawns with clusters of aspens and rose bushes. Less than a hundred yards away from the back of the resort, the walking paths converge into one, which turns into a boardwalk leading out through the sand and onto the lake.

“Oliver’s newest toy,” I say, pointing to the European sailboat docked on lock and key.

Oakley whistles her approval. “I love it. And I love the water.” Her gaze follows the vast, natural lake with seagulls calling overhead. The smell of sand is in the air.

“I bet I can get him to let us take it out one of these days.” But then I remember that she’s leaving. I feel dumb wanting to take her on the boat and I wonder how I can have dinner with her and still convey that her training has actually helped me.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, Alec,” she says with a side glance. “Only two more sessions to go. I’ve got to prove myself.”

“Oakley.” I pause. “I’m going to write the recommendation. You know this, right?”

Her bottom lip drops down in surprise before joining the rest of her mouth in a smile. “Are you saying I won the bet?”

“Like you said, we still have two sessions left.” My head goes side to side, like I’m pretending she doesn’t already have it in the bag.

“Come on! You know I won. Admit it. Your leg feels better. And I don’t even have to test you to know there’s increased range of motion.”

I chuckle and jam my hands in my shorts pockets. “I figured you’d win. I knew if you pushed me, some good would come of it.”

“Somegood?”

“Okay, fine. A lot of good.” I swivel to face her, and am surprised at the look on her face. It’s not one of triumph, of one upping me anymore. It’s awash in sweetness, like all her strict strength has melted into something deeper.

“And just so you know? I did push you, but you’re the one who actually did the work.”

“If you hadn’t come here, I’d still be holed up in my cabin, watching film from my games, and feeling sorry for myself.”

“Yikes.” She traps her top lip in her teeth. “I’m glad I came along.”

I grunt a laugh. “Me, too. I appreciate your help. And you know what? There’s still a lot of work for me to do.”

“Truer words, Alec. Truer words. Except, I really want to watch the film from your games sometime.”

My lips twitch with a smile. “Maybe.” We watch the people on boats and plastic kayaks bobbling along the clean, blue water. “So about Lionel’s steak…”

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