Page 14 of Home Town Advantage (Fourth Quarter Fever #1)

“Reagan Daulton said a ton of fans sent them to me at the stadium. I couldn’t take them all home with us, but I took a bunch, and I grabbed all the accompanying cards so I could read them. The fans here are so nice.”

She rubs her hands together in excitement. “Ooh. Grab them. Let’s read a few.”

As I walk into our living room to locate the big bag of notes and cards, Kennedy shouts, “What are those dark red, ugly flowers? I’ve never seen them before.”

I smile to myself, knowing exactly which ones she’s talking about. I yell back, “They’re called Chocolate Cosmos. They happen to be rare. Smell them. They smell like chocolate.”

I can hear their chairs scrape across the floor before they mutter, “Holy shit. ”

I giggle as it resurfaces a few childhood memories.

We begin going through the box of notes. Most of the notes are from fans kindly wishing me well. My favorites are from little girls telling me that I’m their idol. It’s very humbling to be seen that way.

There are a few weird ones, like the one person who wrote, “I bet you sweat glitter.” There’s one that truly gives me the creeps that reads, “I love watching you on and off the court.”

But then I get to one that blows me away. It’s typed on a florist’s card.

I’m not sure I realized that I had tears streaming down my face until Palmer hands me a tissue. They both look at me in question. Kennedy asks, “Who’s VV?”

I wipe my eyes and blow my nose. “Vile Vance. I called him that as a kid. He and my brother would fart without regard for my presence. I’d call him Vile Vance and my brother Farty Finn.

As for the flowers, Finn used to buy me Chocolate Cosmos on special occasions to remind me that it’s okay to be different.

Not all packaging is perfect, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t sweet.

I was an awkward kid, skinny with bizarrely long legs and arms. Being the butt of jokes wasn’t easy, but my brother and Vance always turned it into a positive.

I suppose I should have realized they’d be from Vance.

He and my brother once talked me into eating the flowers, promising they tasted like chocolate too.

” I force a small smile. “They don’t. In fact, they taste disgusting. ”

Kennedy nods in understanding. “I guess that was nice of him.” She looks like she wants to say more about the topic, but doesn’t, instead asking, “Did you get Layla’s text about her dinner party in a few weeks?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t checked my phone this morning.”

“She invited us and all the guys over for a small party at their house.” She twists her lips as she looks at me. “Are you…okay with that? Are you okay seeing him? I won’t go if you don’t want to.”

I shake my head. “I’m not going to be the girl who causes friend issues.

It’s fine. I’m truly sorry about my breakdown the other day.

I’m over it. I promise. Everyone should feel comfortable hanging out without the risk of me losing my shit.

It won’t happen again. I want us to be social.

Layla and Presley are married, and our friends will all be hanging out.

I’ll be totally fine. I’ll just…ignore him. ”

She leans back in her chair and sips her coffee. “I swear, all of women’s problems start with men. Men tal illness, men struation, men opause, guy necologist, his terectomy.

Palmer and I laugh at her ridiculousness, yet I can’t deny that she makes a good point.

We’re in the locker room after practice.

Coach Lakshmi calls me into her office. When I enter, I see Reagan Daulton standing there in her fancy business suit.

Even though she’s never been anything but kind to me, I find her extremely intimidating.

There’s something about the way she carries herself that makes me feel on edge around her.

She glares at me. “Close the door and have a seat. ”

I do both, suddenly feeling like I’m in the principal’s office, about to get into trouble.

She crosses her arms. “We’ve got a bit of a problem.”

My shoulders fall. “What’s wrong?” I’m running through anything I could have possibly done to piss off this powerful woman.

“You have an overwhelming sea of admirers. More than I anticipated. We’re getting deliveries for you by the truckload, by the hour. I’m not sure how to handle the flow. Thousands of flowers, candy, stuffed animals, and bags of mail every single day. I can’t imagine you want all this stuff.”

I blow out a breath of relief before shaking my head. “No. Can you donate everything to a local children’s hospital, or something along those lines? Everything except the Chocolate Cosmos. I’d like those if there are any more of them sent.”

She smiles softly. “That’s a nice idea. I’ll have my assistant take care of it, though if this continues, I might have to hire someone to manage it all.”

I can’t fathom the fact that she might have to hire someone to deal with deliveries sent to me. It sounds crazy.

I tentatively add, “I’d like to keep the mail, though. If people make an effort to write me notes and send them, I want to try to find time to read them.”

She nods. “Of course. You haven’t gotten any of these deliveries to your apartment, have you?”

I shake my head. “No. Why?”

“I’m just ensuring your safety. No one should have your home address. Make sure you safeguard it. You’re a bit more of a star than I’ve had to manage with the Anacondas, and your safety is a concern for me.”

My jaw drops. “I’m not a bigger star than those girls. Arizona Abbott is everywhere.” Magazines, billboards, commercials. Everywhere .

Reagan nods, seemingly in thought. “It’s different.

She’s a bit older than you and only first became a household name with the team’s success.

People didn’t know her as well during the first five or six years of her professional career.

You’re already a huge name. You came to us as an individual brand.

Fans watched you transition into a college superstar.

They feel vested in finding out whether you can do the same professionally.

” She rubs her lower lip with her index finger.

“It can be dangerous when fans think they know you personally.”

“Okay.” She’s got me a little scared. “What does this all mean?”

She leans her behind on the edge of Coach Lakshmi’s desk and crosses her arms. “I have genuine safety concerns. Maybe I should hire a bodyguard for you.”

What? I shake my head emphatically. “No way. That’s completely unnecessary. Look, Mrs. Daulton?—”

“Reagan,” she interrupts.

“Look, Reagan, I appreciate this, but I’m trying to fit in around here.

I want to blend in with my team. The absolute last thing I want is any special treatment that my teammates aren’t getting.

I’m trying to build bonds with them. It’s going exceedingly well.

Better than I could have imagined. I’m not rocking the boat by acting like a movie star with a beefy guard following me around.

I don’t want to be resented. It’s been an issue for me in the past with teammates. ”

She exhales a long breath and looks at Coach Lakshmi, who nods in agreement. “They’re building team chemistry and doing a good job of it. I can’t argue with Sulley’s logic. Of course I want her safe, but I understand where she’s coming from.”

Reagan is quiet for a few moments before standing. “Okay, Sulley, we’ll do it your way. For now.” She points at me. “If anyone, I mean any single fan, attempts to contact you or approach you at your home, I want to know. And if they do, we’re going to have to make some changes. Is that clear?”

I nod. “Yes. That seems fair. I’m sure the hoopla surrounding me will die down soon.”

“I need your word that you’ll tell me right away. ”

“I promise.”

I walk back out to my teammates, several of whom are sitting around laughing. “What are you all laughing about?” I ask.

Shay smirks. “Kennedy is low-key funny. I’ve spent the past three years hating her as an opponent, but the black widow is growing on me.”

Kennedy gasps. “Me? I’m a ray of sunshine.

I have a tendency to grow on people. And what I said before wasn’t funny, it was true.

I’m all for natural selection. Get rid of the morons.

Why does a hairdryer need a label telling you not to use it in a shower?

Why does an iron need a warning telling you not to iron while wearing the clothing?

Let’s weed out the people who would do any of that. ”

I giggle. “That’s funny, but her list of red flags remains the most hilarious thing I’ve ever read.”

Layla nods. “Yes, I’ve been thinking about those. I have a new red flag. Presley does it all the time, and it drives me nuts.”

“What is it?” I ask.

She answers, “When he gives me a reasonable solution to a problem instead of babying me like I need. Drives me nuts. Just fucking massage my shoulders and agree with my insanity. Don’t get all logical and rational. That’s not what I need.”

I let out a laugh. “I get that. You know what I realized is a red flag for me? When a guy sets his thermostat above sixty-seven degrees.” I make a look of disgust. “Why are you cold? What man would be cold when it’s sixty-seven degrees? It’s just weird to me. Not very masculine.”

Shay raises an unamused eyebrow. “Try being with small women who have no meat on their bones. They want a house at over seventy-five degrees. It’s stifling.”

Kennedy pulls out her phone and starts scrolling. “Ooh, I’ve got a good one. What about guys, I guess it goes for girls too, Shay, who have headshots when they don’t have a job that requires one. Such a douchey thing to do.”

We all laugh .

She keeps scrolling. “Oh, and what about guys who refer to themselves as alphas or call other guys betas? I’ll be the fucking judge of that, not you.”

She goes on and on with her hysterical list while we all get dressed and then go out to dinner together. I’m loving my new group of friends.