Page 81 of Over Time Advantage

I nod. “You’re right. It’s just hard. There are no guarantees that we’ll work out.”

He shrugs. “Of course not, but if you think it’s headed in the right direction, go for it. If you end up with him, his relationship with Harper will be an important one. And maybe you need to test the waters a bit. I wouldn’t have married a woman who didn’t have a great relationship with Harper. Who Harper didn’t love.”

Oh jeez, I never thought about it that way. What if Harper doesn’t like him?

SIXTEEN

JETT

Baron DeBurg, the general manager of the Camels, walks into the team’s weight room during a workout. He places his index finger over his lips, telling me to be quiet as he stealthily approaches Daylen from behind. He places a finger gun into Daylen’s back. “Freeze. You’re under arrest. Anything you say can and will be held against you.”

“Boobs,” Daylen answers without missing a beat.

DeBurg chuckles. “Good one, Humblecut. You should see the tits I just bought my wife.” He holds out his hands like he’s squeezing them for everyone in the gym to see. A few of the guys laugh. I’m disgusted.

Daylen turns around and gives DeBurg a bro hug. “What’s up, big guy?”

DeBurg smirks. “Not much, little guy.”

DeBurg is more than a foot shorter than Daylen and probably weighs half what Daylen weighs. They’ve been doing their annoying big guy and little guy bit for years.

Put simply, DeBurg is a prototypical nerd with his horse face, perfectly parted, gel-saturated hair, and thick, dark glasses. I’m pretty sure if he wasn’t worth over five hundred million dollars, he’d be a fifty-year-old virgin. He recently married a Camels cheerleader who’s half his age. A woman who is so obviously with him for his money that it’s almost comical. And the idiot didn’t want a pre-nup. He said it wasn’t necessary because they’re in love. What a moron.

He’s a thorn in my side and has been for the six years he’s been the GM. He’s not bad at his job, per se, but he never played football like so many other men who hold the same position in the league. He doesn’t always get what it’s like to play this sport. It’s not as easy as he often likes to think it is. He’s a pencil pusher. If something looks good on paper, he thinks it automatically applies to the field.

“How’s married life treating you?” Daylen asks him.

DeBurg winks at him. “When you’ve got a hot piece of ass like I do, it’s great. Marrying a woman half your age is the only way to go. It’s tight pussy on demand,” he adds as he thrusts his hips over and over in an obscene manner.

I want to punch him in the face.

I see Daylen’s jaw tic in obvious annoyance. I’m surprised by that. He normally joins in on Baron’s crudeness.

Daylen uncharacteristically doesn’t respond. He turns and looks at me, practically begging me to intervene.

“Daylen, do me a favor and go spot Vance,” I instruct before turning my attention to the micro-sized weasel. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit down here in the dungeon, DeBurg?”

He grins, thinking I’m pleased to see him. Idiot.

“I was hoping to have a chat with you. Will you stop by my office before you head out for the night?”

I grind my teeth together. “Sure thing. Thanks for stopping by,” I add, hoping he takes that as his cue to leave.

After DeBurg finally exits the weight room, Daylen approaches me. “Thanks, Coach.” He scratches his unruly hair. “That guy is kind of a sexist prick.”

I view him skeptically. “You’re kind of a sexist prick.”

He gives me a lopsided smile. “Nah, I love the superior sex.”

“Are you fucking with me, Humblecut? Last time that dipshit was down here, I heard you ask him, ‘What did Snow White say to Pinocchio when she sat on his face?’”

“Lie to me.” Daylen lets out a laugh. “That’s a funny joke. It’s not sexist. And maybe I’m maturing.”

Why is he being so…normal? I look around. “Am I on camera?”

He shakes his head. “No, sir. I’m just hitting middle age, like you.”

“Does a trip to Costco excite you?”