“Uh-huh. I mention it and then I get an email from the Blaze team store that custom jerseys were available for order, shortly after we talked about it one night.” Danny studies me carefully. He knows I did it, I know it did it, but for some reason I can’t bring myself to admit to it. It’s like it’s easier for them to believe that I’m some womanizing businessman than a man who cares about his friends enough to use what influence I have to make things happen for them. I’d honestly believe the former. It’s easier that way. I’m not meant for anything more than that. Not after what I did toher.Not after the expectations my last name comes with. How can I expect a woman to be worthy of my father’s standards, when I myself do not think I am?
“How about that,” I reply. “Are you ready to head over to the box?”
“Yeah, about that, though. I wanted to talk to you about Hendrix’s brother. Mac might have mentioned that he knows about your history with Hendrix. He’s not exactly a fan of you. Could you just please try and be nice to him tonight? And not pick any fights with him?” he asks me.
I grin, holding in the fact that Hendrix had already texted me for this very same favor. “Yeah, I can do that. I’m sure I’m not his favorite person, but I will be nice to him. I won’t antagonize him about anything. I do know how to be civil to people, Danny,” I tell him. “After all, he’s her brother. The last thing I would say to the man is anything about how I used to do his sister.”
Danny chuckles and shakes his head. “I know it’s true, that you two were a thing. No one makes any effort to hide it anymore and she certainly hates you. But I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that you actually used to date her.”
I nod. “I know, I’ve heard it before. But I did and I loved her.” The last line slips out before I can stop it.
Danny’s eyes widen. “I had no idea, man.”
“I did. I loved her. Hell, maybe I still do. But she hates me and with good reason. So, I will behave and let her take all the shots at me that she needs. Because at the end of the day, we need her on this team and she needs this team. It’s where all her friends are and it makes her happy,” I say, shrugging. “I won’t be an ass, and I won’t blow that up a second time.”
It’s Danny’s turn to nod. “You know you are not who everyone thinks you are, August. I wish you would show them this side of you.”
I shake my head. “Nah, let’s just let them believe what they want.”
He chuckles. “Whatever you think is best.”
“Come on, let’s go watch them kill it,” I say, locking my computer and heading towards the door.
“Did you ever meet Hendrix’s brother?” Danny asks me as we make our way to the elevators.
“Nope, but I knew she had one. She mentioned him in college, but he never came to see her that I know of,” I reply. What I don’t tell him is that I did Google the guy back when we were in school. He was a college basketball standout, but now heowns his own consulting company. He’s a self-made man who has done well for himself. If things had turned out differently between Hendrix and me, we might have managed to be friends. But there is probably very little chance of that now.
“Mac says he’s some silver fox,” Danny says with a laugh.
I nod. “Are you meeting him somewhere? Or is he just coming to the box?” I say, changing the subject from his looks to the question that has been looming in the back of my mind since he was invited to hang out with us tonight.
“Yeah, I’ll meet him outside the entrance of the girls locker room and head up to the box. I just wanted to check in with you first and see if you were going to be cool with this.” Danny glances at me as we make our way from the office buildings over to the stadium.
“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” I ask him, only a hint of sarcasm in my voice.
“Oh, I don’t know, because she’s not always the nicest to you and no one asked you if her brother can come and sit in your box,” he says, stating the obvious.
“It’s fine, the more the merrier. I told you guys a long time ago, you’re welcome in the box and so are your friends. It’s just me up there most nights anyways. Why should I be the only one enjoying it?” I reply. What I don’t tell him is that there isn’t really anyone that I want to invite into the box. Being a Cromwell comes with the extra special perk of not always knowing who you can trust or who just wants to be friends with you for your money.
I could tell instantly the guys and players that I’ve had the opportunity to hang out with because of the Blaze are not like that. So, there’s no reason to turn down anyone’s family who wants to watch the game from the box. Although, no one has ever asked before, except, of course, Hendrix. And she didn’treally ask; the request came through Danny. I was just given orders to be nice.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you both up there,” I say as Danny veers off to wait for Ash Monroe to join us.
I make my way to the box. I smile when I come inside. It looks the same every game—the same food, drinks are all the same. The emptiness is still the same too. No one else in the organization really comes to watch the girls play and that’s fine with me. I enjoy the privacy of watching them from up here, and not being judged or noticed for the number of times my eyes wander to the goalie.
I don’t have to wait long to meet him. I hear the door open to the suite, and I turn just in time to see Danny and Ash walk in.
“Hey, August,” Danny calls out as he makes his way over to me. Ash trails him. His hair is certainly grayer than I imagined it would be. He’s tall, not too much taller than I am. I can see why he made such an impressive basketball player. “This is Ash Monroe, Hendrix’s brother.”
I nod, holding my hand out to him. “August Cromwell.”
He looks at my hand and for a second I think he’s not going to shake it, but he does. “Good to meet you.” The words he says are meant to be nice, but I don’t miss the malice that drips off his tongue.
Oh, he doesn’t want to be friendly with me.Fine, I think to myself. He can come up here, eat the food that I provide, drink the beverages and watch his sister in the net. Treat me as he see fits, but I won’t stoop to his level. I’ll be nice, as I promised her I would be because she means more to me than either of them realize.
“Please feel free to help yourself to anything you’d like to drink or eat. The bar is fully stocked; we have a wide selection of soft drinks and waters if you would prefer that instead,” I tell him politely. Ash only nods in response.
I head turn back around so that I can watch the team warm up. I hear them talking about getting something to drink and Danny is telling Ash about the street tacos that the suite offers. I sigh, happy to have a little bit of space from him. Hendrix does resemble him. They have the same chocolate eyes, the same brown hair, even though his is more grey than brown. I wonder if they look more like their mother or father. I can’t remember if she ever had pictures of either around. But I know I haven’t met them. They never came to college games that I was ever aware of.
