Page 43 of Hidden Plays (Desert Football #1)

TWENTY-ONE

JORDAN (JJ)

A few months later, I strolled into my hotel room at the combine in Indianapolis, exhausted from a day of proving my worth and showing off my skills.

In my team sweats, I strolled to the window and gazed across the parking lot at the Lucas Oil Stadium, lit against the dark sky, and reflected on the last few months.

Everything had worked out, and my relationship with Dad had never been better.

My parents had invited Holden’s family for Christmas, which helped them since Holden’s brother had still been in treatment.

Our families seemed destined for each other.

Thanks to my agent and my uncle, I’d met with the Cardinals’ coaching staff my first day here and had expressed my desire to stay in Arizona and play for them. It helped I was already a star player with ASU, and the fan base would follow me.

My phone buzzed on the bed, and I strolled over to it. “Henry Cowden.” With a grin, I answered the call. Hopefully, he’d have more good news for me. I was unstoppable.

“JJ?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, this is JJ.” Henry was finally using my nickname. About time. I sat on my bed with my back against the pillows and the headboard.

“I have good news. The Cardinals requested your information.” He chuckled. “I have a good feeling about this.”

“They have?” I sat up in bed, my spine straight. “That’s great news. Is there anything else I can do to sweeten the deal?” Like maybe express my desire to play with them again ?

“No, I think we’re good there,” he said. “But JJ, I’ve also gotten a request from Baltimore.”

My heart sank. I’d met with them briefly, but given them no sign I’d want to play with them. “Okay, so what does this mean?”

“Well, the Cardinals pick first. If they don’t pick you, then I guess you’ll go with Baltimore.”

I slumped my shoulders. Draft day would be a nail-biter. “But the Cardinals will pick me, right?”

“You know as well as I, there are no guarantees. I think your odds are good, but it depends on the organization.”

“Okay.” I scoffed a sigh. I had another month to wait this out. “Thanks, Henry.”

“You’re welcome.” He paused. “JJ, relax. I’m sure you’ll get your spot with the Cardinals, and we’ll negotiate a great deal.”

“Thanks, man.” I jumped off the bed. “Talk to you soon.” It was time to call Holden.

“Yes, bye now.” The call ended.

I called Holden, put the phone on speaker and waited through three rings. Where was he? It was a Saturday night. Was he out?

“Hello?” Holden asked, breathless.

“What are you doing?” I paced the room in front of the window, peeking at my reflection.

“I’m out with Noel.” His smile carried through the phone. “We’re having a nice dinner at your favorite place, Postino’s.” He chuckled. “Noel’s drinking a Coke. Turns out he hates wine, so it wasn’t triggering for him. ”

“Hi, JJ,” Noel said in the background.

“Put me on speaker.” Fucking hell, of course he was with Noel. The two had been inseparable since he’d gotten out of treatment. I rubbed my forehead, a grin teasing my lips.

“Okay, you’re on speaker,” Holden said.

“So, I just spoke with Henry, and he says the Cardinals asked for more information about me.” I waited, my grin breaking across my face. “I guess Baltimore asked for info too, but the Cardinals are picking first.”

“That’s outstanding, JJ,” Noel said. “Tell him, Holden.”

“Shh,” Holden said.

“Tell me what?” I stalked across the room. I couldn’t sit still during this conversation.

“I got an internship with the Cardinals over the summer. They called me this morning.” Holden sucked in a breath.

I stared at my phone. Damn, the deal with the Cardinals had to go through now. It was everything.

“JJ? Are you still there?” Holden asked.

“Yes, babe. I’m still here.” Squeezing my eyes shut for a beat, my heart pounded against my breastbone. “I’m so proud of you, Holden. You’ll make it to the NFL even if you can’t play.” God, I wished I was there with them. But I’d return tomorrow.

“Thanks, babe,” Holden said.

“That’s my baby brother, the star trainer for ASU.” Noel barked out a laugh.

“At least you stopped calling me Golden Boy.” Holden huffed. “Anyway, JJ, I can’t wait for you to fly home.”

“I can’t wait to be home. I love you.” I dropped onto the end of the bed. I should let him get back to his brother. They had so much time to make up for.

“Love you too,” he said. “Bye.”

“Bye.” I ended the call, pressing my phone against my chest. Draft day couldn’t come soon enough.

The day was here when I’d find out if the Cardinals would pick me and if the good luck streak my life had turned into would continue.

We’d gathered the guys at the house to watch.

I was the first one to go, besides Cooper, but Cooper was having a watch party with his boyfriend at the hockey house.

He was waiting for Seattle. They were lower in the pick though.

To say my nerves were on edge was an understatement.

Even though I was a shoo-in for the new Cardinals offensive line, last-minute surprises were commonplace.

I stood in front of the open refrigerator, perusing the contents.

If I took the champagne bottle out early, I’d jinx myself.

But fuck, I needed something, and all we had was wine otherwise.

But I still wasn’t sure about drinking in front of Noel.

Noel stepped beside me. “What are you looking for?” He grabbed a Gatorade from inside and twisted it open.

“I think a glass of wine?” I glanced at him. No beer or hard liquor existed in the house. They had been Noel’s drinks of choice, and we didn’t want to trigger him. For whatever reason, the dude hated wine.

“Go for it, man. You deserve this.” Slapping me on the shoulder, he sipped his Gatorade.

“Oh, what the hell.” I slipped the bottle of chardonnay out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter.

“You are pouring me one of those bad boys.” Malik, sitting on one end of the sectional, loosely crossed his legs, his arm sprawled on the back of the couch behind Tex.

“Me too. If you’re drinking, we’re all drinking.” Tex chortled and bumped his shoulder into Malik’s.

Holden gave me a look. “Did?—”

“Yes, dear brother, I can handle it.” Noel strolled to Holden, sitting dead center on the sectional, and squeezed his shoulder. “Isn’t that why we always hang out at the wine bar?”

“Yeah, but…” Holden huffed. “Go ahead, pour me a glass.”

“Casey? You’re the last holdout.” I took five short glasses from an upper cupboard and unscrewed the bottle. Yeah, we weren’t fancy around here. But this inexpensive wine surprised with its great flavor.

“Hell yeah.” Casey said, sitting on the opposite end of the sectional from Tex and Malik.

“I might need to open two bottles.” These would be heavy pours.

As I dispensed the wine, Noel passed by me, picked them up and handed them out.

The guy was completely different since becoming sober.

Not only his personality, but he’d started going to the gym with Holden and, damn, his physique rivaled his brother’s. They actually looked like brothers now.

I opened a fresh bottle of wine, poured the last glass and rounded the couch to fall in beside Holden. The draft picks started on the television, and the Cardinals were third in line.

“They’re supposed to call you first, right?” Holden edged into my side as his brother dropped in beside him.

“Yes.” I glanced at the coffee table. “Where the hell is my phone?” My stomach clenched. Damn, losing it now was terrible timing. I patted my shorts. “I don’t have it.”

“Hold on a minute, JJ. Don’t freak out.” Casey jumped off the couch and paced to the dinette. “Fuck, I don’t see it.”

“Shit.” I hopped off the couch and paced the room. “Maybe my bedroom?”

On the television, the first team made its pick, and the announcers debated who the next in line would pick.

I hauled ass into my room and stomped through it, scanning every inch of the place. It wasn’t here. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!” I couldn’t miss this call. Would they change their minds if I didn’t answer? It’d be a dick move on my part. I stormed out of my bedroom.

Noel stepped out of the hallway bathroom. “Uh, guys?”

Smacking into him, I grabbed him around the waist as he fell backward. “Sorry, Noel.”

“Dude, no problem. Is this it?” He held up my phone. “It was by the toilet.”

I freed him as my phone lit with a number I didn’t recognize. “ Yeah, that’s it.” I snatched the phone from him, fumbling it in my hands as I strode into the main room, my pulse racing out of control.

“If you catch a football like that, there’s no way you’re getting a contract.” Casey, standing by the couch, choked out a snicker.

“Fuck off, Casey.” I had to answer my damn phone. Breathless, I jabbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear. “H-hello? This is JJ, I mean, Jordan Matthews.” I stood by the front door, all the guys standing and watching me while Holden rushed into the kitchen.

“Jordan, this is Mac Jacobson with the Arizona Cardinals. How are you doing?”

My mouth went dry, and I smacked my lips. Holy fuck, all my dreams were about to come true. “I’m great, Mr. Jacobson.”

“Perfect. I think you know why I’m calling. We’re about to announce our pick for the draft, and you’re it. Your combine performance and last season’s play match what we’re looking for.”

I straightened my spine. “Thank you, sir. It would be an honor to play for the Cardinals next season. I can’t wait to take the team to the Super Bowl.” Fuck, JJ, too much. I winced.

Mac chuckled. “I hope that’s where we’re headed, and I’m sure you can help us get there,” he said. “The contract is already with your agent. We’ll be in touch. Bye now.”

“B-bye.” The call ended, and I stared at my phone.

“Well?” Holden stood at the kitchen island with two bottles of champagne in front of him, one with the foil already unwrapped.

On the television, the announcer said, “And first pick for the Arizona Cardinals goes to Jordan Matthews, wide receiver from Arizona State University.”

All the guys jumped in the air and hollered, pumping their arms and dancing around like lunatics, Casey grabbing Noel and dipping him .

With a loud pop, Holden shot the plastic cork off the first champagne bottle and poured it into glasses. “My baby is an Arizona Cardinal!” With his gaze winding to mine, he said, “Get over here and drink this with me.”

“Hell yeah.” I jogged to his side while the rest of the guys gathered around the island, plucked a filled glass from the counter and held it up. “To dreams coming true.” It was only a matter of time before Holden became a full-time trainer for the team.

“We’re spending the summer in the cool mountains of Flagstaff.” Holden tapped his glass to mine, curled our arms together and sipped his drink.

With a broad grin, I drank my champagne.

The rest of the guys tapped glasses and sipped.

Noel stood with them, using his Gatorade bottle to toast. “I’m happy for you two and I can’t tell you how awesome it is to share this day with you.

” Shaking his head, he said, “To think I almost didn’t…

” He stepped to Holden and side hugged him.

“Love you, bro.” His gaze slid to me. “And I love you too, JJ.”

“We love you, Noel,” Holden said, beaming at his brother.

“Aw, isn’t that sweet.” Malik snickered. “Maybe you should take Noel to Flagstaff with you this summer.”

Holden’s brows rose. “Uh, babe?”

“No, you don’t have to.” Holding his palms out, Noel gave a stuttered laugh. “You two need your time together.”

“Babe, I’d do anything for you, and you know it. If that’s what you want, then I’m sure we can bring him.” I kissed Holden’s cheek. Noel was basically my brother now too.

“You’re the best, babe.” Holden planted a hard kiss on my mouth, taking my breath away.