Page 19 of Home Town Advantage (Fourth Quarter Fever #1)

Daylen stares at her for several long beats until he eventually lets out a loud, booming laugh. “Fuck. That’s funny.”

She narrows her eyes at him and gives an exaggerated fake smile before sarcastically quipping, “Well, my goal of being your amusement for the evening is accomplished.”

Kennedy has an interesting look. Attractive but in a totally different way from Sulley.

She’s hard compared to Sulley’s softness.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think she lived a difficult life.

Her green eyes are piercing, contrasting with her very dark hair.

It’s rare to see her without a ponytail, though she’s always dressed impeccably.

Even when casual, it’s in designer clothes.

Like tonight. To the naked eye, she appears to simply be in jeans and a white T-shirt.

I know everything she’s wearing is designer, down to the very expensive high heels she’s got on.

The other girls are in sneakers, regular jeans, and Beaver T-shirts. Not Kennedy.

Daylen turns and subtly makes a jerkoff motion to me. He usually dates bubbly, overly friendly, compliant, ditzy blondes. Basically, the opposite of Kennedy Jeffries.

She’s behind him as they walk through the two-story foyer into the main living area.

Layla and Presley have a traditional, modest home in the suburbs.

It’s nice, probably about twenty years old, not overly grand, and not as modern as newer homes seem to be.

I like that it’s homey and filled with toys and clutter. It’s real.

As he walks by, Daylen whispers to me, “Did you know vibrators don’t have balls?”

I chuckle. “Have you never seen one?”

He looks appalled. “Why would any woman I’m with need a vibrator?”

I shake my head. “You’re a moron.”

He tugs on his hair, which is now in a ponytail, and says, “It must be the blond in me.”

We all head out to the back deck, which is made of the fake wood most people use. I inwardly laugh. Finn would hate this fake wood. He was adamant about using real wood to build his cabin. He couldn’t afford the higher-end materials, but insisted on using real wood.

Layla and Presley hired a caterer to cook and serve the meal. They said they wanted to sit back and have fun. With our season about to begin and the Beavers in the middle of theirs, things are going to be crazy, so a relaxing evening with friends is well-deserved.

It’s me, Daylen, Beau, Champ, Sulley, Kennedy, Palmer, Shay, and her wife, Alyssa. It’s a beautiful, warm summer night.

They don’t have a ton of land, but the backyard has a pool and is well-kept.

Even though their daughter can’t walk quite yet, there are lots of child safety gates, fences, and latches set up everywhere.

I didn’t know so many things existed. It took Daylen and me ten minutes to figure out how to open a cabinet.

Apparently they’re both child and man-proofed.

We’re just sitting when Kennedy’s phone starts pinging with a text notification. She looks down at it and lets out a laugh before silencing it. I ask, “What’s so funny?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing. A guy who ghosted me months ago just reached out. They always come crawling back for more.”

Daylen scoffs. “When a guy texts you after ghosting you for months, he doesn’t miss you. He’s just checking to see if you’re still stupid.”

“Takes stupid to know stupid,” she quips.

I look at Layla and attempt to steer the topic of conversation away from childish comments. “Thanks for having us. I’m sure it’s difficult while in season and having a baby.”

She smiles in gratitude. “Our pleasure. Honestly, it’s been harder than I anticipated. Especially now when we’re both busy with our teams. I’ve finally agreed to more help. My mother-in-law is staying with us until my season is over.”

“Where is she?” Sulley asks.

Layla points her finger inside. “She’s upstairs.

I invited her, but she was just as happy to go to bed early.

” She lowers her voice. “The only issue is that she keeps telling me what to do with the baby. It’s driving me nuts.

I’m like, bitch, I live with the kid you raised. Trust me, you don’t know everything . ”

We all laugh. I love seeing Sulley smile. It’s so carefree and genuine.

I ask her, “How did your Gatorade commercial with Tyrese Maxey go?”

She pinches her eyebrows together. “How did you know about that? I had to sign a nondisclosure. They don’t want anyone knowing about it until it’s released.”

Shit. “Oh…umm…I was in Tanner’s office when the offer came in.”

She slowly nods. “Oh. I can’t say much, but it went well. Tyrese was a total sweetie.”

I can’t help the pang of jealousy that takes hold of me. He got to do a shoot with her and spend the whole day with her.

“Glad to hear it.”

She tilts her head to the side as if she’s remembering the day. “The marketing rep from Gatorade was weird though. I think he makes up words.”

I chuckle. “That would be Andrew Furman.”

She nods. “Yep. That’s him. He told me I was…” She places her finger on her lip as she tries to recall the word. “Stupenderific. What is that?”

I have to bite back my smile. “I think the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin was his biography.”

She giggles. It’s the first time she’s smiled at me in years. I feel like a million dollars.

She says, “Probably. But I’m excited to see the end product. The shoot went well.”

Daylen proudly announces, “I had a shoot this week.”

I lift an eyebrow. No, he didn’t. I was with him at training camp all week. He winks at me. “It was for a new fragrance in honor of Vance. It’s called, Leave Me the Fuh Cologne .”

A small smile finds its way to my lips, but I still manage to give him the finger. Kennedy snorts in annoyance. “Men are so immature. ”

Daylen happily responds, “I consider myself a work in progress. Is that a red flag for you?”

She nods at him. “Immaturity is. Women mature faster than men because we get our boobs at fourteen and men get theirs at forty-five.”

Presley shakes his head. “Coach Jeffries is about that age. No man-boobs on him. Only muscles. He’s jacked.”

Layla bites her lips and lets out a moan. “Umm hmm. Oh god, yes. He’s so fucking hot. Have you seen those videos of him on TikTok? So many daddy videos of him.”

Kennedy sits there with her jaw open. “Are you all for real? You know that’s my father, right?

Can we not discuss his status as a social media sex symbol?

I had to delete most of my accounts because of it.

No matter what I tried, it kept popping up on my For You page.

” She scrunches her face. “Ugh. Disgusting.”

The guys and I all chuckle. I feel the need to defend Coach. “For what it’s worth, he hates it too.”

“And yet he allows topless videos of him working out to be posted,” she challenges. “He doesn’t have to work out topless. He doesn’t have to pose for the videos. Trust me, he loves the attention.” She mumbles, “He always has.”

I share a look with Daylen. We both know Coach is unaware of all of those videos.

Layla shrugs. “Sorry, Kennedy, but he’s my number one hall pass. That man is fiiiiiine.”

The caterer serves us all our food as Kennedy stares violently at Layla, seemingly waiting for the servers to leave before responding.

Once they do, she bites back, “Aren’t hall passes technically supposed to be for someone who’s unachievable?

You’ve likely met my father. He’s a free agent now.

I’m sure he’s having a grand old time being single with the bevy of bimbos lined up at his door. ”

“He’s not,” I interrupt, again feeling defensive of Coach. “ He’s very focused on your brother. He’s put his own social life on hold until your brother graduates.”

She mumbles something about doubting that but otherwise drops it before turning to Presley and asking, “Who’s your hall pass?”

His eyes widen. “This feels like a trap.”

Layla rubs his back. “It’s okay, love. You can tell them who.” She then turns and mouths to the rest of us. “He has no chance.”

All eyes turn to Presley. He fidgets nervously. “It’s…umm…Jennifer Connelly.”

I shrug. “She’s hot. A little older, but still hot. Nothing wrong with that.”

Layla smirks. “Continue, chiquito.”

He visibly swallows. “Jennifer Connelly from when she was riding ? —”

“The horse in Career Opportunities ,” Daylen interrupts.

Presley blows out a breath in relief. “Yes. So hot.”

Daylen nods. “I think every guy jerks off to that scene. It’s a rite of passage. No shame in that.”

Career Opportunities was a cheesy nineties movie. It wasn’t very successful, but every man in America had some sexual response to that scene of Jennifer Connelly riding a fake horse in a department store.

There’s been music playing in the background, just barely loud enough to hear. Suddenly, Beau starts quietly singing, almost as if he doesn’t realize he’s doing so. It’s the song “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. In his crazy deep voice, he sings as he wiggles in his seat.

Palmer starts giggling at the big guy knowing all the words. Before I realize it, almost everyone has joined in on the lyrics.

The whole group is smiling when the song comes to an end. Sulley looks at Beau. “I didn’t expect that coming from you.” She glances around with amusement. “ All of you. What other girly songs do guys secretly like?”

Champ answers, “‘Shake It Off’. Taylor Swift is my queen. I went to ten shows on her Eras Tour.”

Layla nods. “Oh yes. Her show in Miami was amazing.” She smirks at her husband. “Presley loves ‘Wannabe’. He belted out a Spice Girls medley to me on our first date. I think it’s half the reason I fell for him.”

Presley nods. “Most underrated band ever. I’m still praying for a reunion tour.”

Daylen bats his eyelashes. “I’m a Beyoncé kind of man.

” He stands and starts singing and dancing to “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé.

He struts across the whole deck as he performs the choreography perfectly, as I’ve seen him do many times before, though usually when drunk.

The man does have shockingly good rhythm, especially for a guy his size.

Everyone watches on with amusement. Kennedy stands and dances behind him, happily mimicking the moves in perfect unison. Before I know it, all the girls get up and join him in the choreography. Champ does too.

When it’s over, Layla smiles at me. “What are your secret favorite girly songs, Vance? I have a feeling there’s a man in touch with his feminine side under those jeans and cowboy boots.”

I can’t help the smirk that finds my face. Daylen coughs, “Anything Miley Cyrus.”

Sulley lets out a loud laugh. “Vance particularly likes ‘Wrecking Ball’ and ‘Party in the USA’ by Miley.” Her eyes flash with amusement. “He used to make my brother listen to all her songs when they were building a cabin together.”

I’m a little afraid it’s going to bring up difficult memories for her, but she’s grinning from ear to ear.

My eyes find hers. “Well, you watched the damn Hannah Montana movie every day that summer. It was burned into my brain. ”

She giggles. “You used to sing ‘The Climb’ every time you drove into the mountains. Right when you passed the sign for the Beartooth Mountains.”

I wink as I sing out the first line of the chorus, “There’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna want to make it move…”

I pause briefly, and the whole crew joins in on the rest of the chorus, followed by a sea of laughter.

We end up having a nice evening. I’m so happy Sulley and I finally connected on some level, albeit a silly one.

I drove, so I barely drank, but the girls are mostly sauced. I offer to drive them home. Shay’s girlfriend doesn’t drink, so she has Shay and Kennedy in her car.

I’m driving Sulley and Palmer back to their apartment. They’re sitting in the back, adorably giggling together. The Sulley I remember from childhood was a tomboy with very few girlfriends. I think they were all probably jealous of her. I’m happy she’s found some nice friends here.

I can’t help but quietly smile at their interaction.

Their heads are practically glued together as they speak way too loudly but think they’re whispering.

I’m gathering that Palmer has a bit of a crush on Beau.

He might be a little bit too much for a demure girl like Palmer, but who knows what could happen?

When I get to their apartment, I insist on walking them up since there’s no doorman. When we get to the door, I see a bouquet of Chocolate Cosmos. Sulley turns to me. “Did you send them here this time?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t know your address until tonight.” I scratch the back of my neck. “I…umm…didn’t want to be intrusive. I send them to the stadium each week.”

She pinches her eyebrows together. “Who else in the world would send these? Maybe they’re from Shane.” She runs her lower lip through her teeth. “No, he doesn’t know about these flowers. ”

What the fuck? Her boyfriend doesn’t know her favorite flowers. I hated him plenty before, but now I hate him even more for being a selfish asshole.

She continues. “They’re probably from my parents.”

As soon as she opens the card, I know it’s not them. Her face falls as it turns a shade of white.

She looks at Palmer. “We need to call Reagan Daulton right away.”

What the hell is going on?