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“How was your exit interview?” Eddie asks. “Any word on next year?”
Asher shrugs. “It was fine.”
“You don’t want to talk about it?” Eddie presses.
Asher glances at me and twists his lips. “We went over this year’s accomplishments on the field and off. We talked about the 5K.”
“Did they mention a contract?” he asks.
Asher shakes his head. “Not yet.”
“You’ll hear something before free agency. Linc won’t make you go through that,” he says.
Asher nods, and he glances at his watch as he reads a text that just came through. “Can you excuse me a minute?” He stands and leaves me alone with his dad, and my eyes edge over to him as that nervousness from earlier is back in full force.
“Good thing he’s got you,” Eddie says, jamming his thumb in my direction as he nods toward his son’s retreating figure. He shakes his head a little.
“Me?” I ask.
“Sure. He doesn’t have to worry about that big money contract.”
I clear my throat uncomfortably. “He’s never…I mean, we haven’t really talked finances.”
“You should. You’re having his baby,” he points out, and I want to believe he’s just trying to be sensible, but my gut tells me he’s insinuating something far more sinister. “But it’s always easier for thehavesnot to be concerned about it. I’ve been both—ahaveand ahave not—and I remember the good old days well. It’s what I want for my sons, anyway.”
I snag my top lip between my teeth as a means not to cry. I hate that he’s making it seem like the only reason Asher is with me is for my money.
He didn’t know who I was when we got together, but I also don’t know how to handle myself around his father.
I clear my throat and take a sip of water to keep myself busy. Where the hell did Asher run off to? Why did he think leaving me alone with his father was a solid plan?
I’m hurt by his dad’s words, but I refuse to let him see that. Instead, I rush to Asher’s defense. “He’s a hard worker who would never rely on someone else’s means.”
“Then I fear I didn’t teach him a damn thing,” he mutters.
The server comes by with a basket of bread, and I set my focus on that while I wait for Asher’s return. But I feel awkward through the rest of the meal. My answers are short and stilted, and Asher picks up the check at the end even though his father invited us to this meal.
The man is something else, that’s for sure.
“I hate to eat and run, but I have an appearance to get to,” Asher says. “Are you coming with me?”
“I think I’ll just head home,” I say quietly. He gives me a long look to ensure I’m okay, but I’m not.
I sort of wish he’d duck out on his appearance. I know that’s silly. He made a commitment, and he needs to follow through on it.
But it marks the first time I feel like he’s prioritizing something else over me. I know he will when it comes to football, and I know that’s what my daddidn’twant for me.
He had his exit interview today, and we haven’t even talked about it. We haven’t talked about the possibility of him moving into free agency, where he could be picked up by any team in the league. We haven’t talked about how many more years he wants to play before he retires.
We haven’t talked about an awful lot of important stuff, yet I’m having his baby. These are things I need to know, but they’re things I won’t get the answers to tonight since he’s off to make a few extra bucks to prove his dad wrong.
Chapter 59: Asher Nash
Let’s Be Late
I feel like I’ve been out every night this week…because I have.
I’m exhausted. It’s late nights at clubs and bars and early mornings meeting with my teammates to continue offseason workouts at a gym near the Complex. I’m trying to prove that the team needs me for my leadership skills by showing up even when I don’t have to.
