Page 22 of Backup Plan

“Thanks. I appreciate that. What happened with the backup?”

“Rotator cuff. He’s thirty-four, sitting at QB2. He’s likely to just hang it up at this point.”

“Are you still close with anyone on the team?” I ask. He just retired from the Storm to run our family’s real estate development company after he merged it with his fiancée’s family company.

“I had dinner with Clay last night. He filled me in on everything. I see a few of the other guys, too.”

“Are Clay Mack and Mad Brad running the city?” I ask.

He chuckles. “Clay is trying his best to sample the female population. I, on the other hand, am retired from both the game and that line of work now that I have Kennedy. When are you going to find a nice woman to settle down with?”

I think about telling him I spent the night fucking Penny Calloway. I know how well that’ll go over.

“Why is everyone so goddamn interested in me settling down? I’m twenty-six. You had ten more years on me before you gave it all up, so for me? Not anytime soon,” I say instead.

“All right, well, hope your visit goes well. Just checking what time you’re leaving town tomorrow. Maybe we’ll be on the same flight.”

I pull my phone away from my ear and check the details.

“Flight takes off at five fifteen,” I say.

“Ours too. We’ll see you there.”

I take a quick shower and get ready for bed since tomorrow will be an early morning, and I head down to the kitchen for some water before bed. I never take my phone up to bed. I hate the idea of scrolling in bed. Beds are for sleep and sex. But I spot a text I missed, and something prompts me to grab my phone just in case it was from Penny.

It wasn’t. Honestly, I don’t even know if she has my number.

Instead, it’s from her best friend…my sister.

Everleigh: Heard you spent the night with Penny.

Oh, fuck.

I don’t even know what to say to that.

Did Penny blab? Did someone see us? What the fuck?

I was planning to never tell her. Ever.

I stare at the text for a full three minutes as I contemplate what to say, and eventually I land somewhere safe just in case she didn’t mean it how it sounded.

Me: She stopped for a drink at a bar by my place, and I ran into her.

Everleigh: She told me. Said she had fun catching up with you.

I tread carefully, but it doesn’t seem like she knows.

Me: Yeah, she’s nice.

She’s nice. What the fuck, Bradley?

Her tits are nice. Her cunt is nice. Her ass was nice when it was in my bed.

What a stupid fucking thing to say.

Everleigh: She’s having such a hard time with the divorce and everything. It was nice of you to be there for her even though she’s my friend. I appreciate you.

I blow out a sigh of relief.