“We’re still in Montana except for Jenson, who already flew back to Pennsylvania to be with his sons. But don’t worry because we’ve conferenced him in, plus Colton from Hawaii, so we’re all here on the line. I’m putting you on speaker phone now.”
Oh, shit. Between the five of them, I don’t stand a chance.
“I’m doing fine,” I say. “So all of you can quit bugging me, okay? I thought you losers were leaving Montana by now, anyway. You’ve been up there forever.”
“We fly out tomorrow,” Ayden says. “And after you refused our invitation to come back up here and hang with us, we wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“No way,” Colton says through the line. “Something’s fucking off. What is it?”
“Aren’t you on a honeymoon or something?” I say to him. “Go be with your wife.”
“My wife insisted I make sure her second favorite person in L.A. is doing all right,” Colton says. “Her words.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. “That’s sweet of her, but really, I’m good. I’m just taking some downtime. You know…without football.”
“And without women?” Brayden’s low voice comes through the phone. “What about Jasalie?”
“She’s…out of the picture.”
Silence.
“Why?” Jenson eventually asks the question I know is on everyone’s minds. “She’s clearly in love with you. And I don’t say that lightly, Dyl. It’s the absolute truth.”
“He’s right,” Ayden says. “She loves you. And you clearly love her.”
“I screwed up,” I say. “There’s this fan…”
By the time I finish telling them what happened, they’re talking over each other.
“You’re too hard on yourself about your career, Dyl.” Brayden’s voice is firm.
“I’m worried about you, man,” Colton says.
“I know I fucked up,” I say defensively. “But I did that by inviting Jasalie into my fucked-up world. By letting her go, I’m protecting her.”
Silence hits the line again.
“What’s her story?” Colton says finally. “Not to get nosy, but I’m trying to figure you two out so I can help you fix this shit and be happy again. In the short time I spoke to her, she sounded as scared of commitment as you.”
I sigh. “Long story. She was a foster kid and…”
“She didn’t have a family?” Colton says.
“No.”
“That’s got to be some hell for a kid,” Cam says with a long exhale.
“Yeah. Understatement.”
“So you need to show her that you won’t leave, too.” Brayden makes the idea sound easy. “Which is the opposite of what you did, by the way.”
“Thanks, Bray.” I run my hand down my face. “I think I get it.”
“The Dylan Wild we know never quits on anything,” Ayden says. “Not football games, and not on the people he loves. So fucking tell her you’re still waiting, why don’t you?”
My other line buzzes, but I ignore it.
