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CHAPTER FIVE

SIGNS

PENN

I don’t know how I drive away from Addy, because the last thing I want to do is leave her after I’ve just found her, but holy fuck. What the hell just happened? The girl I’ve been pining over is Adeline Evans?

My pulse is hammering. My brain keeps replaying the moment—her standing there staring back at me, finding out who she was…and realizing she knew who I was all along.

She knew. The whole time.

I don’t even realize I’ve driven to the Mustangs training facility until I’m there. I park and exhale sharply, then pull out my phone and open the group chat.

Emergency Single Dad Players meeting. Whenever you’re able.

Henley

Uh…what? You all right? Are you still at the picnic? Looking for you.

No, I left.

Weston

Oh shit. Sam? Is he okay?

Rhodes

Be there in ten.

Bowie

Where?

Gym. Place is empty because everyone is at the picnic.

Henley

On my way.

They all hurry, no doubt assuming this is about Sam. I feel bad for leaving that hanging, but this is another kind of dire situation that has me in distress.

It only takes them fifteen minutes to get here, which is impressive since they’d all been at the picnic, even Henley.

They all file into the gym. Henley is in a polo, Weston’s wearing a backward cap like he’s fifteen, Rhodes looks suspicious…

like he’s expecting me to drop something insane on them—which, fair—and Bowie just levels me with a look.

“What’s going on?” Weston asks, breathing hard like he sprinted here. “Is it Sam?”

I rub my face. “I wish I had an update on Sam. But this is about Addy.”

They exchange glances, still catching their breath.

“Addy?” Henley repeats.

“The girl I’m so hung up on…you guys met her today,” I say, the words feeling surreal as they leave my mouth. “All of you. At the picnic.”

They look at each other and then back at me, not following.

“What do you mean?” Rhodes asks.

I brace myself. “Addy is Adeline Evans .”

Silence.

Then—

“Shut the fuck up,” Rhodes yells.

“No freaking way.” Weston throws his hat on the ground dramatically.

Henley just stares at me like I’ve told him I’m quitting football to become a monk, which now that I think about it, might be a good idea since I kissed Coach’s daughter. “Hold on, hold on. Adeline, Coach Evans’ daughter, is the girl from the Bahamas?”

“Yes.”

Rhodes lets out a low whistle. “ Damn . I don’t even know what to say.”

Bowie pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’re fucked,” he says.

“This whole time you’ve thought she was this unattainable mystery woman and it’s Adeline? I’ve met her before. Have you never met her?” Weston asks.

“No,” I say, feeling defensive that I missed out on that. “I’ve never even seen her until the night before Bowie’s wedding. I would’ve remembered, trust me.”

“It’s a sign.” Rhodes grins. “You’re meant to be together.”

“Rhodes,” I groan.

“No, listen. You don’t just accidentally kiss someone in the Bahamas and then find out she’s tied to your life in a permanent way. That’s fate.”

“Fate?” I scoff. “Or some cosmic joke? If Evans finds out I’m into his daughter, I’ll be shipped off to the next team so fast I can’t blink.”

“Shit. Yeah. He’s really hard on you already…this would not fly,” Weston says.

I wince, rubbing the pain in my chest that’s been there since I figured out who Addy is.

Henley leans back against the treadmill. “What are you gonna do?”

I exhale, shaking my head. “I don’t know. She followed me after the announcement. Tried to explain. She was scared of what we had…because she knew who I was the whole time.” I shake my head again. “And her college roommate got in an accident and that’s why she had to leave.”

“So she didn’t just ghost you for no reason,” Rhodes says, folding his arms.

I sigh. “No.”

Weston spreads his arms. “Bro. This is your second chance. Don’t blow it.”

“What am I supposed to do? I can’t pursue her,” I grumble. “You heard Coach today. All you single players …and you know I’m not high on his list to begin with.”

“You can’t miss this opportunity,” Rhodes says.

“Agreed,” Henley says, smirking.

“Prove yourself to her dad,” Bowie says.

“I’ve been trying to for years now!” I say, louder than I intended.

“And don’t be a bonehead,” Rhodes says.

“I’m not being a bonehead,” I mutter.

“Keep it that way,” Rhodes adds, pointing at me. “Now is not the time to dive back into your player ways. You said yourself that you’re tired of the clubbing. Prove it.”

I glare at him, glare at all of them. “Is it even allowed for me to ask her out?” I ask. “Elle wasn’t allowed to date Rhodes when she was a cheerleader. It’s probably against the rules for us to date too.”

“But you want to date her?” Weston asks, grinning.

“Have you not been listening?” I yell, flinging out my arm.

His smile just grows. “I gotta say, I love seeing you like this.”

“It is pretty great,” Bowie says, chuckling.

“Third best day of my life after having Levi and marrying Elle.” Rhodes smirks.

“I thought you said that about me and Tru,” Henley teases.

“Yeah, I think I was one of the best days in there too, with Sadie,” Weston adds.

“Same.” Bowie nods.

Rhodes waves them off. “Focus, people.”

“We knew the day would come, pretty boy,” Henley adds smugly.

I roll my eyes. “I hate you all.”

“You love us, and we’re gonna help you,” Rhodes says. “Where is Project Woo when we need it?”

I throw my head back, groaning at the ceiling. “No. This is not the time for Project Woo. She’s off-limits! No-go. This cannot happen!”

“Dude. It’s already happened,” Weston says. “She cast the net and you didn’t just get ensnared…you dove right in. She has caught you— hook, line, and sinker.”

I scowl at my favorite people on Earth besides my family…hell, these guys are my family. “No, she didn’t,” I grumble.

“Beg to differ,” Weston says.

“How ‘bout we go out tonight? It’s our last weekend before training camp starts. Not super late, just a little outing with the girls. They can help with this,” Rhodes says, nodding yes when I shake my head no .

“I do not want them involved in this. I’m staying in my lane,” I say, giving my hair a tug. “I am,” I insist, trying to sound more determined. And then a beat later, I add, “Maybe going out is a good idea. Otherwise, my thoughts will drive me crazy.”

“Texting Elle right now,” Rhodes says. “I’ll see if she can gather up the crew. I think they were going to Twinkle Tales after the picnic, so maybe they can meet up with us in a few hours. What if we go eat at Whitman’s in Denver?”

Everyone nods. We all love that place.

“Okay, let’s do it. Meet at Whitman’s at seven?” Henley asks, checking his watch.

I lift off of the wall. “Sounds good. I need to go shower and change.”

“Same,” Weston says.

On the way home, my mom calls.

“Hey, Mom,” I say.

“Hey,” her voice fills the SUV. “Calling to see if there’s an update on Sam.”

“Not yet. I’m supposed to meet with the social worker again this Tuesday.”

“Have they come up with a plan?”

“Not that I know of. But I think I’ve bugged her enough this week that she knows I’m not backing down.”

“Good. Don’t give up,” she says.

“I won’t.”

“And tell them your parents would be happy to move closer to help out.”

My eyes widen. “You’d seriously move to Silver Hills?” My parents live in Arizona and have never talked about moving here.

“Well, we don’t really want to leave your grandparents, but we could come for a while. We could stay during the football season to help out with Sam.”

I sigh, feeling emotional. “That’s…you’re the best, Mom. Thank you. I’d love to have you here, but I don’t want to take you from your home, and Papa and Nana need you.”

She snorts. “We hardly see them these days! They’re playing pickleball all the time. Nana won second place in the little competition thing they had last weekend.”

I chuckle. “Go, Nana.”

Mom laughs. “They have more energy than I do these days. And I would love to spend more time with you, honey. I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” I say, and a wave of homesickness hits me harder than it has in years.

I miss my parents all the time, but we see each other often and I’ve learned to deal with it, but during weeks like this, I’d give just about anything to go hang out with them.

“You know what? Yes. Please come,” I say. “It would really help.”

“We’ll get to work on that right away, honey.”