“I don’t think people write checks anymore, old man,” I tease.
He loops a brotherly arm around my shoulders, ignoring my dig. “I care about you, Jordie, and I want you to be financially secure. You need to take every viable opportunity to pad your bank account. Not to be morbid, but think about what happens if you get injured in your first season and can’t play anymore.” Reno wets his lips, and his eyes defocus a little. “A woman needs to be able to support herself and not be dependent on a man for money and food and…”
His voice trails off, and I know he’s thinking of the abusive situation his mother found herself in when she was younger. I lean into himand rest my head on his shoulder. “I’ll think about it. I just don’t understand what makeup has to do with football.”
“Nothing,” Bubba pipes up. “And trucks have nothing to do with hockey, and yet I’ve done three ad campaigns for Ford.”
“Listen to your brothers,” Carly says, and I like that she refers to both of them as my brothers. “Don’t dismiss anything just because it’s not your cup of tea.”
Reno pats my shoulder. “I once did a cologne commercial where I was coming up out of the ocean with dolphins leaping into the air behind me.” His lips crook into a wry grin. “That rarely happens on the hockey rink.”
My agent laughs at that. “I remember that one. The cologne smelled good, but the commercial was ridiculous. You made some serious bank though, probably because you were shirtless.” She turns to me. “As you may know, Hale Cosmetics is an international company, but they’re based in Houston. They are thrilled to have one of the new teams in their city. And not to add any pressure, but the Hales are very good friends with the Harringtons. You know, the owners of your new team?” She lifts both blonde eyebrows, and I get what she’s saying. “Having two families with that much power and money supporting the Dragons and the WNFL as a whole is something that can benefit everyone, not just you.”
Those words strike me hard because they ring true. To have both the Harringtons and the Hales backing us would be good for so many people. Women’s football has been pretty much ignored for years, but to see powerful people taking a vested interest in us could do wonders. Not just for football, but for women’s sports as a whole.
“Send me the offer, and I’ll take a look,” I finally say.
Our entire family is in Juliette and Reno’s backyard for a post-draft celebration. The entire yard is decorated in purple and silver.
Juliette sniffles beside me as she watches her husband roll around inthe grass with their twins. “You okay, sis?” I ask, and she nods, her gaze still trained on her little family.
“I’m good. Just married to a man with the biggest heart in the world. Even when he comes home exhausted, he takes over kid duty and tells me to go take a bath or write for a while. He loves them so much.”
I tilt my head over onto her shoulder. “He loves you too.”
She wraps an arm around my waist and sighs happily. “I know. I’m so lucky.” We’re quiet for a while, watching as Reno rolls over to let Ruby and Jace crawl onto his back so he can give them a horsey ride. Juliette’s voice is soft and thoughtful when she speaks again. “Don’t ever settle, Jordie. There are good men out there. You just have to be patient and wait for the right one.”
“I know, Jules.”
Juliette straightens when Pops walks over with a tray of purple cupcakes, and she grabs one for each of us. “I never had to worry about Reno only being with me for money since I didn’t have a lot of it before we got married.” She licks a bit of frosting from the top. “But you’re going to be a very wealthy woman, Jordie. You have to be careful not to let some guy take advantage of you.”
I grin and shake my head in amazement. “It’s crazy that I’m going to be rich. I don’t think I’ve wrapped my head around it yet, but I’ll be careful of nefarious men in dark alleys.”
Juliette laughs. “That’s the problem. They won’t be hiding in alleys. They’ll be wining and dining you out in the open. Just remember, not everyone has good intentions.”
I wonder for a second if she’s talking about Miles, but we’re distracted from our conversation when Billy bites Reno on the ass. The male goat has never bitten one of the kids. In fact, he’s never bitten anyone except “his dad.” And always directly on the butt.
We all watch, amused, as Reno turns and wags his finger at the goofy goat, gently scolding him. It won’t do any good. Billy has a mind of his own.
My cell rings, and when I see who’s calling, my eyes dart around the table to make sure no one can see my screen. I have a privacy protectoron my phone, but I’m still paranoid. My family just wouldn’t understand.
When I rise, Juliette looks up at me. “Everything okay, Jordie?”
Guilt surges through my veins as I lie. I feel like I’ve been doing that more recently, and it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never kept secrets from my sister.
“Yeah, old friend. Probably calling about the draft.” It’s not totally unreasonable since I’ve been fielding calls from former teammates and coaches all day. I step over the bench seat. “I’m just going to find somewhere quieter so I can hear.”
Walking around the side of the house, I answer. “Hey, Mom.”
“Jordie, I just saw the news. Congratulations!”
Warmth infuses me, chasing away the guilt. “Thank you. I’m so excited.”
“Never had any doubt. I’m so proud of you.” There’s a pause. “Do you think you’ll get any endorsement offers?”
I scrunch my shoulders giddily. “I already have some big ones on the table. I just have to go through them.”
“That’s amazing, babe,” she gushes. “You deserve every penny.”
