Page 137 of The Casanova Complex

“Okay… So then how does this work?”

“Once I finish the season, if there’s an organization that wants me, I can sign as a college free agent, but not until I play in my last game. There have been a few scouts that have shown interest before, but there’s not a lot of buzz right now. I’m hoping like fuck that changes in the next few months.”

“Hey.” I say, grasping his chin between my fingers, “It will happen. And you’ve got your family, your friends, me… we’re all by your side when it does. Okay?”

He runs his palm along my hair, tucking a strand behind my ear, giving me a sweet smile.

God, I love this man.

So fucking hard.

“Alright, baby. Might need you to run some drills with me. You’re supposed to be helping me with my stamina, aren’t you?” His brow curves, and that grin turns roguish.

“Oh yeahhhhh, that’s right, I am.” I look back over my shoulder at the clock above the stove. “Looks like we’ve got approximately fifteen minutes to work on it before your family gets back.”

The words aren’t even out of my mouth yet before he starts toward the stairs, a giggle tumbling out of me.

“Yeah, I only need like… five.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

BENNETT

“You know, you look at her the same way I looked at your mom,” my dad muses from beside me.

My gaze is fixated on the breathtaking girl at the opposite end of the table who has stolen my heart.

And my mind, my body, my fucking soul. She’s sitting with my mom and Brie, and they’re laughing about a story that Mom’s telling them.

Something about some drama involving the ladies she plays bunco with.

Merritt’s cheeks are rosy from laughing, her eyes shining with happiness. She looks fucking radiant.

I’ve lost track of how many times in the past few weeks, no months, that she’s stolen my breath.

I turn to look at Dad, who’s swirling the dark amber whiskey around the bottom of his glass, a knowing smile resting on his lips.

“Guess what? It’s been twenty-five years, and I still look at your mom that way.”

I can imagine Merritt and me still being madly in love like my parents are twenty years down the road. I can picture it in my head so vividly, like it’s a snapshot of the future. I can see the life we would build today.

I nod. “She’s the one, Dad. No question. I know that we’ve only been together for a little while… but I don’t know how to explain it. I just know that there’s no one else for me. She’s it.”

A pause hangs between us before his smile widens.

“Well, son, you hold on to her. She’s always going to come first. Over yourself, over your career, over your friends. You put her first, and you’ll be old and gray like me, and she’ll still be by your side, making you a better man.”

I laugh. My dad’s not even fifty yet and talking about being old and gray.

I sure as hell hope I look like him when I’m his age.

I glance back at Merritt, and a sense of contentment washes over me. Being here tonight, with her and my family, feels like I’ve got everything I need at my fingertips. I’m surrounded by the people I love more than anything.

My parents made it to the game tonight, and while I unfortunately sat my ass on the bench for the first two periods, Coach gave me another chance to make up for yesterday and put me in.

I was a steel fucking wall. We won, and it felt like the sweetest victory of my life with the people I love in the stands watching.

My parents wanted to come out to dinner tonight with us all together before they have to head home tomorrow. I’m dead-ass tired, literally dead on my feet since Merritt kept me up most of last night, letting me do deplorable things to her hot little body.