“I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“I don’t know, man. It’s terrifying to know the whole world saw me like that. It’s soul-crushing to watch the videos online of former fans burning my Cobras and Knights jerseys. But it’s also…” He searched for the right words. “Freeing.”
Cooper thought of the recurring dream he’d been having—the one of a yellow bird breaking free from the cage. He and Nico had honored every bet they’d ever made and he saw no reason why this one should be any different. Still, his gut pinched tightly just thinking about fans burning his jerseys.
He thought back to the time Matteo confronted him after being ejected from the game for throwing a punch. He thought about one particular question he wished he had asked but had been too stunned to say much.
He exhaled and closed his eyes. “How did you know about me?”
“Just a feeling.” Matteo nodded. “You know I used to have the biggest crush on you.”
Cooper cocked his head sideways and scowled. “Shut the fuck up.”
“I’m being serious.” Matteo smiled a perfect smile with the most perfect set of teeth he’d ever seen. Always had the most beautiful smile. “I still do, to be honest. That’s the tequila speaking. But I know your head and heart are elsewhere.”
Cooper swallowed nervously, waiting for the next bit.
“A few years ago,” Matteo continued, a sullen look passing over his cheeks, “as I was leaving Luke’s gala, I saw Nico get out of the back of an Uber. I was one of the last people out of the building that night and I thought to myself, why would he be showing up after everyone is gone?” Matteo pulled back from the railing and palmed a hand on Cooper’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “I hope you get your happy ending this time.”
Cooper watched as Matteo slipped back inside, leaving him alone once again on the terrace.
Alone with his thoughts as he watched Nico light up the dance floor with the moves of every white boy who is halfway decent at dancing. Nico took his date’s hand in his own and twirled her on her feet, pulling her back against his front.
Jealousy was a new thing for Cooper Callahan.
Chapter Twenty-Five
september 2025 - malibu
“We havea lot to talk about, Nico Fallon,” Stassi said as she stepped through the front door of Nico’s Malibu beach house. It was a quarter after eight and she showed up in sweats with a hoodie. Even when she was dressed down, she was effortlessly classy.
Nico closed the door behind her. “Come on in.”
She didn’t need the invitation, though. “You know the house next door is for sale?”
“Yeah, I saw the sign the other day when I was pulling into the garage. Is that why you’re here? You’re going to make an offer?”
He was only half-joking.
“Coop is considering it.” She dragged her hand over the marble island. “He says we’re here three to four months out of the year and it’d be nice to own something a little more spacious than the condo downtown.” She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, twisted the cap off, andtossed it into the trash bin. “The condo is bigger than the house next door.”
Nico stared at her, unsure of the point she was trying to make. Or maybe he was just dumber than he thought. “I’m confused as to why you need to have a talk with me about a real estate deal.”
She nodded but said nothing. Instead, she opted to take a long gulp of water.
This wasn’t any normal Wednesday. This was the night before the biggest Thursday of the year: the opening game of the 2026 season, and it was a big one. The Hollywood Knights versus the Alabama Oilers. He needed rest, not an unannounced visit from his boyfriend’s—err, situationship’s—fiancée.
She set the bottle down on the counter and leaned against the marble. “What is it about Cooper that draws you to him? Beyond holding the same secret, I mean.”
Nico didn’t have an immediate answer for that. “What does this have to do with the house next door?”
“Because Coop makes him want to do irrational things like buy that house so he can come over whenever he wants. In his head, it would make the cage a little bit bigger and a hell of a lot easier to breathe. Do you know Coop is claustrophobic?”
“I think he’s mentioned it once or twice.”
Stassi fanned herself with one hand and looked to the sliding glass doors behind her. “Mind if we take this conversation outside?”
The question felt less like an inquiry and more like a demand. “I’ll grab a beer and meet you outside.”
