AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe an intern?” Logan picks up his headset and puts it around his neck. “Maybe Allie could help us find a high school kid who needs college credit?”
Allie is the librarian at the high school. She’s also a single-mom, who works at our family restaurant in the summer and is another of Dylan’s many best friends.
“She’s usually at the restaurant for Dare night.”
A few years back, Dylan became obsessed with hot peppers. Now, every Thursday night, she prepares a free “Dare Dish” for customers to try using one of the hottest peppers on the Scoville scale. It’s turned into a big party night with “hot” themed dance music and lights and dancing.
I wouldn’t know anything about hot peppers if it wasn’t for her, but I’ve become a fan—unlike Logan, who steers clear of all fiery foods.
The television flickers, and I pull on my headset in time for Garrett to appear on the big screen.
“Thunder and Lightning,” he calls playfully, leaning back in his chair. “How’s it hanging?”
Logan’s nickname when he played ball was Lightning. I’m not sure how I got branded as Thunder, but since we started doing the show, it stuck.
“You ready to get your ass whipped tonight?” Hendrix appears on the screen, already teasing his older brother.
At six-four, Garrett is the biggest one of us, but Hendrix is a fast six-foot. Jack and I fall right in the middle at six-two each. Dylan’s a shrimp, and she stopped watching the games after our dad died of what we’re pretty certain was chronic traumaticencephalopathy. It was never confirmed, but all the symptoms were there.
Now she keeps a steady drumbeat of trying to get us all to retire.
“Keep telling yourself that,” Garrett quips back.
Garrett’s an offensive lineman, so he and Hendrix are never on the field at the same time, much to Dylan’s relief.
“Ricky Berke’s been making waves this season.” Logan’s smooth voice keeps us on track. “How’s he fitting in as the newest member of the Pirates offense?”
After Logan retired, his old rival transferred into Logan’s position, playing closely with Garrett.
“He’s no Logan Murphy.” Garrett adjusts the ball cap over his short brown hair.
“I hear you’re still calling him The Dick,” Hendrix laughs, rocking in his chair. “I’m sure that’s great for team building.”
His blue eyes sparkle and Garrett shakes his head, looking over his shoulder. I’m thinking of this group on video. Despite the shit his dad gives him, Logan has good instincts. He’s barely making ends meet as it is, but a YouTube channel could change that.
“He’s got a lot of maturing to do.” Garrett’s voice is serious, and I study my middle brother.
He was the youngest long enough that he never lost that teasing, playful manner, but now I think he might be growing up. He’s getting to that point we all do, where he’s thinking about the future and how many years he has left in him.
Logan keeps our conversation focused on the game, despite the nonstop teasing between my two brothers. We discuss last week’s highlights, and it feels like we’ve just sat down when the ninety-minute bell sounds.
We all make our final comments, then Logan switches off the recording. The guys stay on screen a bit longer. Garrett is usually an hour ahead of us in New York, but today he’s on theWest Coast with our brother for the game. It’s not even lunchtime in LA.
“What’s Dylan making for tonight’s Dare dish?” He shifts in his chair.
“Is she still doing those?” Hendrix stands, stretching his arms side to side.
“Roasted chile de árbol salsa.” Logan taps a few buttons on the control panel.
“Of which you will have none,” Garrett teases. “Man, I wish I was there to try it. It sounds delicious.”
“It sounds like you’re retiring—is that true?” Hendrix leans into his camera.
Logan’s eyes flicker up to his friend’s face on the screen. “You’re retiring?”
“No!” Garrett hits the word hard enough to make us all exchange a glance. “I’m not. It’s just, it’s different now that you’re gone. The other guys all have families. I don’t like being the old man at the club, but what else am I going to do?”
Hell, I know that feeling from my own forced retirement two years ago. I was fucking lost, depressed, pissed—but I try to encourage him.
