Page 5 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

“Ty, please. What do you care if she’s there? You know how she is. She’ll probably stay in her room the whole time. Besides, you'll have the added bonus of your place constantly being cleaned, and there will be food in the house.”

I do know how she is. Yes, she’s quiet and has always been sweet, but she’s his sister, so it’s weird, and I don’t have people in my space.

“I have a house cleaner, and you know I eat at Jonah’s.”

Of all the guys on the team, Jonah means the most to me. He’s a wide receiver, offense like me, and the only person outside of Lance who I would ever consider as a roommate. It’s even written into my contract with the team: If hotel availability is limited when we’re on the road, I’ll room with Jonah. Otherwise, I get my own room. I don’t share my space.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe Jonah doesn’t want you there all the time?”

Of course I’ve thought about that. I’m pretty good at reading the room. I can tell when he wants to be alone or if it’s just a random night and he doesn’t mind the company.

“Vivi loves me.”

Vivi is his seven-year-old niece who he has guardianship over. Two and a half years ago, his brother and sister-in-law tragically died in a car accident, and Vivi became his. The team as a whole, but especially me, has rallied around them to give them support. I’m Uncle Tyler now, and considering I’m an only child, it’s a damn good feeling.

“Of course she does, but what happens when Jonah starts dating? Are you going to be the fourth wheel?”

I don’t bother telling him that he already is. That’ll just prove his point.

“It’s not like that.”

“Listen, my sister is not a gold-digging whore. She won’t be in your way, and she just needs a place to hide out for a while. Figure things out and stay out of the public eye. I’ve already seen posts online of people asking where she is, and you know that once the season starts and the breakup gets out, things will get worse before they get better. I need you. She needs you.”

I grit my teeth.

“Why didn’t she go to your house?”

“I offered, but she wants to be on her own.”

“On her own does not mean staying with someone.”

He lets out a deep sigh. “It won’t be for long, I promise. Ty, it makes me feel so much better knowing that she’ll be with you and not alone. People are crazy, you know this. You’ll never let anything happen to her. She just needs this for a short while. I’ll make sure she knows she needs to stay out of your way and figure it out quickly. It’s my sister, bro. Barbecue.”

It’s my turn to sigh because even with all my protestations, with that one word, he knows he’s got me.

“Fine. But one day, I’m going to call in a huge favor, and you’re going to honor it.”

“I’ll definitely owe you one,” he says on a large exhale.

“Yeah, you do.”

We finish the call, and not surprisingly, as I pull up to my house, there’s a small black fancy SUV sitting on the curb outside. Of course he didn’t give me time to let this settle in or change my mind, which he knew was a strong possibility. He waited until the last moment to call me. I can feel my mouth turn down into a scowl as unhappiness drips into my veins. She’s not even in the vehicle, which only means one thing—he told her where the key is, and she’s in my house, in my space.

An uncomfortable feeling prickles its way across my skin.

Parking in the driveway, I take my time to collect my emotions as I get out of the truck and grab my things. I walk through the garage, and there sitting next to the door leading into the house are two silver suitcases and what looks like a pair of small white tennis shoes.

Great.

At least she didn’t move straight in. I appreciate that she left her things outside in case I said no.

I bought this house a few years ago with the intent of being able to sell it quickly if I was traded. It’s not a large house. It’s also not a new house. It was built in the 1950s, but each owner has impeccably taken care of it and upgraded it along the way. It’s roughly twenty-five hundred square feet. It has what was probably two bedrooms downstairs, but one is so small it’s definitely an office, and one large primary suite on the second level. I’ve never needed anything more because the only people I’ve ever let stay with me are my parents and Lance.

But the thing I love the most about the house is that it’s on a canal which leads straight out into the bay. This house came equipped with a boat dock and lift, and next to being under the lights on the field, being on the water is my favorite place in the world.

Sucking up my irritation, I push open the door and head inside. I round the corner that leads into the kitchen, and there, across the open space, sitting cross-legged like a tiny ball in the middle of my couch in the living room, is Lily.

Lily. Fucking. Kent.