PJ:Bruh, you better.
Antonio winced. He hated when PJ called himbruh, like he was one of his homies or his older, cooler uncle. Just once, he’d like for him to call him something more meaningful. Something that conveyed how Ant, at least, truly felt.
Something like…Dad.
Finding out PJ was his son had upended Antonio’s bachelor life out of the blue. He’d had no idea that his beautiful, smart, and talented son existed until ten years ago—by that time, PJ was already twelve, nearing six feet, and a basketball phenom in the making. A one-night stand on the road, back when Antonio was in the league, had resulted in a child. Marilyn, for lack of a better word, was a groupie. That was no shade to Marilyn, because Antonio was wild back then too. He was young, rich, and handsome—and completely irresponsible on all fronts.
For years, Marilyn had believed that PJ’s father was one of Antonio’s teammates—she had hooked up with another guy on that same road trip. After the supposed father repeatedly insisted on a DNA test, Marilyn finally relented, sure it was a waste of time. When the results came back negative, she realized that the only other person it could have been was Antonio. When she got in touch, Antonio took his own DNA test, confident that he wasn’t a dad. He swore he’d worn protection, but then again, that whole road trip was one big blur of alcohol-fueled bad decisions. That reckless chapter of his life caught up with him one fateful July morning when a phone call from Marilyn changed everything.
Including what could have been with Jackie.
Now with the merger, and with his son as Jackie’s star client, Antonio’s life had the potential to become messier than it already was. His life felt like a big ball of yarn, tangled with no easy way to unravel the confusion.
He had to figure out how to do just that, without losing it all.
Antonio’s phone buzzed again. This time, PJ was FaceTiming him. Antonio answered, and a sweaty PJ filled the screen, blond-tipped locs flopping in his face. He looked as if he was tucked in the corner of the locker room. There was a look of worry on his face that made Antonio sit up straight. Jesus, had something happened? Did he get hurt?
“What’s wrong? Something happen at practice?”
“Nah.” PJ frowned. He wiped the sweat from his brow on the end of his jersey. “I was just wondering if you were coming to New York on Thursday?”
Antonio raised a brow. “New York? For the shoe campaign?”
“Yeah, man. The campaign. Listen, you ain’t gotta come or nothing. I mean, Jackie’s gonna be there, so I know I’ll be fine… I just thought…I’m just not trying to fuck it up.”
The corners of Antonio’s mouth lifted into a slight smile.He’s nervous. This was highly uncharacteristic of a guy who hit buzzer beaters from past the three-point line and had taken his college team to the championship three times. As much as PJ tried to play it cool and aloof, being the face of a major campaign was getting to him. It was the stuff little boys dreamed of in their rooms.
“PJ, it’s cool. You’re gonna kill it. Jackie securing this deal for you is unheard of. It’s major. A lot of rookies don’t get stuff like this.”
PJ ran his hand through his locs. “I know. Jackie did her big one with that deal. It’s just a lot of pressure. You know what it’s like, that’s all.”
Antoniodidknow what it was like. He’d had his fair share of endorsements as a player—none this major, but still. The fact that PJ recognized his experience warmed his heart.
After pretending to look at his laptop—knowing damn well he didn’t have anything scheduled for that day—Antonio said, “Well, I think I can move some stuff around. I’ll be there, PJ.”
PJ returned the same crooked, dimpled smile. Besides height, it was the one thing he inherited from Antonio. “Cool. Let me head back out there. I faked like I was going to the bathroom, and they probably looking for me. Don’t need them thinking I got the runs.”
Antonio chuckled. “Bet. See you Thursday.”
“Later, Ant.”
Antonio felt honored that PJ wanted him there as a calming presence. It was the kind of stuff Antonio’s own father would have done for him when he was a rookie in the league.
But Jackie…. He had no idea how he’d explain his presence to her.
Antonio groaned. It was time to start unraveling that ball of yarn.
CHAPTER 5
