“I still think you’d get the highest number of bids. Certainly the largest amount in winnings.” Audrey looks down at the carpet, and I almost ask what she’s thinking.
“I won’t feel comfortable up there. I puked just coming here, Aud. I’m likely to spew all over the guests at an event of that magnitude, and I don’t think I can come back from that kind of display.” Besides, I don’t want to go on a date with just anyone.Tonight has made me acutely aware of the fact that I want to dateher.
“You puked because you were coming here?” she asks quietly.
Shit.
“I thought it was a bug or something,” she reminds me.
I sigh. “It wasn’t. I was nervous. I’m freaked about planning this, and you’re a cool woman, and I’m me. I got in my head.”
Mouth agape, Audrey stares at me. “You — you’reyou. And I’m cool? You’re an MVP-winning quarterback, Jamie. If either of us should puke from anxiety, it’s me. I’m not an anxious puker, though. When I have an anxiety attack, I cry, then typically pass out.”
Woah. “You have anxiety?”
Audrey nods. “Someday, I’ll explain the dynamics of my family. Honestly, they probably run in the same circles as you. I bet you’ve at least interacted with my parents once or twice. Ever heard of Charles or Emmanuelle Carrington?”
Why does that last name ring a bell … oh, shit. “Wait. My agent was just talking about your dad trying to marry off his daughter to anyone who will take her. Is that you?”
Audrey winces. “Yep, that’s me.”
“Shit, Aud. I’m sorry. That was incredibly uncouth of me.”
She shakes her head. “Not really. If it’s true, is it still considered to be uncouth? Oh well. It doesn’t matter.”
I hear a whimper, and look down to see Flash struggle to sit up. Audrey immediately crouches down, picking Flash up carefully. “I need to take her out before I can do all her before bedtime care.”
“There’s a whole routine?” I joke awkwardly.
Audrey giggles, making me exhale in relief. “For now, there is. I clean her wound, make sure she’s clean after urinating and defecating, and give her all her medications. I kennel her atnight, so I put an inflatable donut around her neck so she doesn’t attempt to somehow get at her wound. She doesn’t very much care for the kennel, so I usually end up falling asleep on the floor as she does.”
“Impressive. Sounds like Flash has the perfect human mom.”
“I hope she thinks that. I love her so much. And somehow I’ve ended up falling for those fluffy little rodents, too.”
I bark back a laugh as I walk toward the door. “They’re pretty easy to fall for.”
The following day, I’m at spring practice. Every NFL team has a spring schedule. It is nowhere near as intense as training camp, but it keeps everyone aware of what they need to work on, if they’ve gotten really out of shape, and allows us to spend time with one another. While I can genuinely say all of these guys are my friends, I have a couple of really good friends on the team. Best friends, even.
“You ready for this, QB?” My most used wide receiver, Maddox Lawson, says as he falls into step beside me. We’re walking into our indoor field, as the outdoor fields are still too icy for us to use.
Colorado loves its sports teams, and they love new state-of-the-art stadiums, practice fields, and everything our players need to stay in tip-top shape. It never ceases to amaze me that I get to play here. There are some teams that play in thirty-year-old stadiums, with the owners unwilling to put one extra cent into the team. The Coyotes are incredibly lucky to be represented by an owner who recognizes the need of high-costproducts, and he put his money where his mouth was when he campaigned for our new digs.
Our brand new stadium, with a retractable roof and every technological advancement known to man, came at the bargain price of two billion dollars. Partially funded by taxpayers, fans expect the most out of us. It will be an honor to step foot on the turf in a few months when the stadium is fully open.
“Yo. QB. You with me?” Maddox says, slapping me on the back. While we occasionally have pads on for spring practices, it’s rare. Today we’ll be in our practice uniform and pants, with helmets, of course.
“Yeah, I’m ready. Excited to be that much closer to the season starting.”
“You typically fill up the offseason with a lot of charity things, right? And you’re the MC for the animal charity event? I’m hoping the ladies dig the guns,” he boasts, flexing his biceps with a massive grin.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem getting bids, Mad,” I say with a chuckle.
“Are the bachelors allowed to make requests?”
“Like what?”
Maddox leans toward me conspiratorially. “What’s the age range for women bidding? Are men allowed to bid? What if it’s a couple and they’re hoping for a little group action?”
