Page 108 of First Down

“It would be beautiful,” she says. She looks over at me. “Did you notice this when you looked at the listing?”

“Of course,” I say. “I told Kerry we needed somewhere with plenty of space for your art.”

“It was very sweet,” Kerry adds.

She tucks her hair back, flushing lightly. “Thank you.”

“Why don’t you go explore upstairs?” Kerry says. “I’ll be in the backyard when you’re ready to look at the pool.”

We wander to the owner’s suite, which is enormous... and currently filled with the ugliest bedroom set I’ve ever seen. Bex evidently agrees with me, because she snorts, clasping her hand over her mouth.

“Oh myGod. Who staged this?”

“A time traveler?” I can’t hold back my laughter. “Why does it look so... Victorian? I don’t even know.”

“Maybe it was an alien,” she says. “No human would think a bed this... opulent... is tasteful.”

“Are those carved doves on the headboard? And... pineapples? Pomegranates?”

She nods, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. I peer into the bathroom, which is not much better. Who remodels a bathroom and keeps the red toilet?

“So, we’d need to change this.”

She wipes at her eyes as she peeks in, succumbing to laughter once more. I love her when she’s like this, silly and loose; I pull her into a kiss just because I can. She indulges me for a minute before pulling away. “Definitely would need to do some remodeling.”

“I don’t even know what decade that’s supposed to be from.”

“We should ask Kerry if the furniture is for sale too.”

“Absolutely not.” I pull her into my arms again, rocking us from side to side. “But I don’t know. It doesn’t feel quite right.”

She looks at me. “It would be a big place for just you.”

I swallow my protests. If we find the perfect home, she’ll have to move in; she’ll see it’s meant to be for us both. I need to let the space itself do the talking. “It would be nice to spend more time in the city, but I’ll probably get recognized a lot, especially if the Nike sponsorship works out.”

She shrugs. “That’s happened already, and it’s been fine. Weird, but fine.”

She’s right; we spent the weekend in New York City last month, and I got stopped on the street a couple times for autographs and pictures. (And one Giants fan who wanted to heckle me.) It felt weird, because up until this point, whenever it’s happened it’s been because I’m with my father. And when we went to Carbone for dinner with my parents? I felt more eyes on us than any othertime in recent memory that Dad and I have been in the same public place.

Bex, for her part, was really sweet about it. I’d have preferred to be left alone for a romantic weekend with my girl, but you don’t go third in the draft in a visible position like quarterback and not gain a certain level of visibility, especially in the age of social media.

She smooths my hair back. “Does Kerry have anything else on the docket?”

Chapter 5

Bex

As we crossed the Benjamin Franklin bridge into Philadelphia, something shifts in my chest. As lovely as Cherry Hill is—and I could definitely see it being a beautiful place to raise a family—it doesn’t feel right for right now. We’re only twenty-two, and don’t know anyone in Philly aside from James’s new teammates. Whether we live together or apart, being close to the culture of the city feels important. Aside from a tour of Lincoln Financial Field, I haven’t been to Philly, and I want to be close to whatever job I end up starting, and near museums and restaurants and nightlife.

James slows the car for a red light, drumming his fingers on the wheel. “Bit of a different feel, huh?”

“This could be really nice.”

“Definitely. There’s a lot more energy.”

“This is a seriously expensive neighborhood, right?”

“Rittenhouse Square? I won’t lie, this listing is even more expensive than the house.”

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