I bring in my brows. “Later? Don’t the Bullies play football on Saturday?”
“Not this week,” he says on a sigh. “But Dawson won’t be playing for a couple games.”
Now my heart is racing with worry about Dawson.
I try to keep my voice even. “Oh? Is he okay?”
“Totally fine,” he says, like it’s acceptable for him to miss a game. I want him to go on, but he doesn’t. “Since it’s a bye week, we figured we’d have breakfast with the boys. My future son-in-law will be home this weekend too, so we’ll have all three for the day. Then Baylor and I would come to record the show with you. How’s four?”
My mind is going crazy, and I need to know why Dawson won’t be playing. “Sure, that’s great for me.”
“Awesome, I’ll?—”
“Jayden, I know this is none of my business, but what did you mean when you said that Dawson would be sitting?”
I’m met with silence, and I close my eyes. I’m so stupid. I am supposed to have a professional relationship with this man, but I’m over here asking about his son I have no business knowing about because I have completely blown him off left and right.
In front of his parents!
But he comforted me.
He held my hand.
Ugh. He makes me foolish.
“With him going into the NHL draft, we don’t want him getting hurt, so he’s sitting on lower-ranked games.”
Oh. That makes sense. Wish him well and hang up. But of course, I don’t do what my brain says. Instead, I ask, “Is that what he wants to do?”
Wow. If there is a medal for dumbasses, I get the gold.
Jayden chuckles. “It’s what’s best.”
“I understand that, but he loves playing. He wants to win.”
“I know, but the Bullies are undefeated right now?—”
“Because of Dawson,” I say, going for broke at this point. “He is making unbelievable plays, and I know he isn’t straight-into-the-NFL good, but he’s a college badass for our conference. The way he can read the field is wild, and how quick he is on his feet when he’s a fucking giant and weighs over 200 pounds—I mean, come on, he’s kicking ass.”
Jayden is quiet for a moment, and then he chuckles once more. “Um, Ro, is there something going on between you and my son?”
I snort. Like a fucking pig. “No way. Not at all. I mean, he gets on my nerves on the best of days and makes me stabby on others. But I just know how much it means to him and how much he loves playing.”
He doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. I know he thinks I’m a babbling fool. “I hear you, and I’ll make sure to remember that.”
“I hope so.”
I hope so?
I hope so?
What is wrong with me!
“I just mean, I’d hate for him to miss out on what he loves, and the chances of a championship are very high,” I quickly add, covering my face as it burns from my stupidity.
“I know, Ro. I hear you, and I also hear you defending my son pretty hard.”
“Me? Never,” I say too fast. Way too fast. “I don’t know why you’d think that.”
