“No, of course not. It wasn’t you.” They waited, expectant, and speaking directly to Lori made it easier. “I lost my brother right before I turned eighteen. Rory died in a car accident—he was in college and was going back to the dorm from an off-campus party. He and I were very close—best friends. Since then…” I shook my head. “It’s been hard. I never learned to drive because of that. Silly, isn’t it?” I forced a smile, but Lori’s eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. How awful for you. And your poor parents. Thank goodness they had you to lean on. Was it just you two boys?”
“Yeah. The two of us. But my parents…we’re not close. And please. This is your birthday celebration. You don’t need to waste your time on my life.” I gathered myself. “Tell me about Patrick when he was growing up and when you knew he’d become a football player.”
Don launched into the story of how he’d brought Patrick to a Kansas City Chiefs game, and Patrick had pointed to the goalpost after Trent Green threw a touchdown pass, and said,“I’m gonna do that one day.”
Patrick chuckled. “I remember that. I’ve never wanted to do anything else besides play football. I’ve been very lucky and blessed to be able to follow my dream and end up where I have. I don’t think many people are able to say that.”
“Most people, I’d wager,” I muttered.
Our food came, and I’d hoped that would change the course of the conversation. And for a while, it did. The Chateaubriand was everything I’d imagined—the meat juicy and flavorful, the potatoes creamy and delicious. It felt oddly intimate to be sharing the platter of food with Patrick, and during the meal, I could’ve sworn I caught him staring at me strangely, but I brushed it off as my imagination. Wishful thinking on my part. Lori and Don mentioned several times how impressed they were with the meal, and I breathed a sigh of relief, happy they’d moved on from dissecting my life.
I should’ve known better. After all, Patrick was a tenacious bulldog on and off the field. He’d obviously inherited it from someone.
“How did you decide to become a personal assistant, Fallon? What was your college major?”
“I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do,” I admitted. “But I kept in touch with Dev all throughout school. We…we helped each other deal with losing Rory. When I graduated, he told me to come home and work for him.” The condensed, less messy version.
“It’s nice to have friends like that.” Patrick cut a sharp glance toward me. “Dev’s good people.”
“He is.” Hoping to shift the conversation away from me, I pointed to Lori’s and Don’s plates with my fork. “It looks like you’re enjoying your meals. I can recommend other restaurantsyou might like for the next time you visit and are able to stay longer. I’m sorry you won’t be here for Sunday’s game.”
A look of regret clouded Lori’s eyes. “We would’ve loved to, but we’re going on a cruise. Don surprised me for my birthday.” She squeezed his arm. “We have to get home by tomorrow night so we can pack and leave Wednesday.”
“But you’ll be back for the postseason, of course.”
“Wouldn’t miss it, especially now.”
Patrick knocked my elbow. “You barely ate anything.”
He was right, and I’d hoped no one would notice. Once Rory’s name came up, my appetite had vanished.
“I did.”
“No, you didn’t. I hate wasting food. So eat up.”
The man was frustrating, but I cut a slice of meat and shoved it into my mouth, chewing with exaggeration. “Okay?”
“No. More. And the potatoes, too.”
With a huff, I scooped some up and ate them, aware of the slightly amused but somewhat curious expressions on Lori and Don’s faces. I attempted to make light of it. “I guess since he’s my boss, he thinks he can make me eat.”
The cake came, a confection of lemon and vanilla, and Lori’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve never had a more wonderful birthday. Patrick, I think this move to New York has not only been the best thing for your career, but also personally. It looks like you’ve found good friends to have in your corner, and that, more than anything, makes me happy.”
I could feel the weight of Patrick’s eyes. “I think so too.”
With the dinner finished, the time had arrived for me to make my escape.
“I’m going to let you all go home now and have some private family time. It was wonderful to meet you. And if you ever need anything, please reach out to me.”
I shook Don’s hand, but Lori held out her arms for a hug. “Thank you for making this trip so special. And honey, trust me, it’ll get better.”
She held me until I detached myself. “It’s all good. Have a safe flight home.”
I escaped and hailed a cab, not bothering to wait for a car. At home, I showered and lay in bed. My phone buzzed with a text from Patrick.
If you don’t tell me what the hell is going on, I’m coming over.
