Page 30

Xavier

After beating Phoenix, the guys and I agreed to meet in the lobby for a late dinner and, not shockingly, I was the first one down here. I look from the blank screen for the fourth time as my teammates exit the elevator with big, dumb smiles plastered to their faces. I immediately want to punch them.

I know what gave them those dopey looks: they talked to their girls. And I didn't, because technically Vivi is not mine, and that fact gnaws at me, souring the contents of my stomach.

I should have called her, but we talked briefly this morning and I didn't want to seem clingy.

Instead, I'm staring at the lock screen on my phone, willing it to ring. It's the picture Tenley snapped at the game the other day. Holland and I are centered, with Vivi standing at my side, looking down and smiling at my daughter. Her smile is so fucking bright and real, it intensifies the urge to call the woman I can't get out of my head.

Hendrix walks up first, stopping in front of me and pausing my fixation on the picture that has me completely fucked in the head.

"Why don't you ever call me?" I grumble.

"I'm sorry . . ." he draws out, his forehead creasing.

"Do better, man," I say as Dean stops next to him and my attention switches to him. "You too. Would it kill you to pick up the phone once in a while?"

"Yes." There's not a hint of sarcasm in Dean's voice.

"I'll call you, bud. What do you fancy? Good morning, beautiful? Or . . ." Dom taps his chin. "You seem like the kind that prefers a good night call."

"Nope," I say, turning away and leading the four of them into the restaurant.

A sly grin takes over the golden boy's face, and I know I'm going to hate whatever Dom says next. "So fickle. It can only mean one thing: you're all fucked up over Vivienne Cardoza. Don't worry, I can help."

"Say's the man who spent a year pining after a woman that wanted nothing to do with him." I scoff.

Cruz joins us as we make our way to a quiet booth at the back of the bar. "There's no one better to give you advice if you really like her," our captain says, his brow knitting together like he can't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

Three of us turn to him, pausing as we slide into the booth. Dom looks smug as hell.

"Thank you. You've always been my favorite." He pats Cruz on the shoulder.

"What?" Dean grumbles, staring daggers at his best friend.

"Shhhh," Dom soothes, reaching across the table to lay a hand on Dean's arm.

He immediately snatches it away, his scowl deepening as he says, "Actually, you know what? That's fine. You can have him, Cruz."

"There's plenty of me to go around, no need to fight. Xavier needs us to be a united front if we're going to help him with his girl problem." Dom looks completely serious as he props his chin on his hand, staring right at me.

I roll my eyes, trying to remember how I got myself into this mess. "I don't have a girl problem."

A balled up napkin hits me in the face, straight from Hendrix's hand. "Dude, just call her."

"We're talking about Vivi, right?" Cruz asks, looking between the two of us.

"Is it really that obvious?"

My four closest friends stare back at me, blankly.

"You had a photoshoot with her and your daughter in front of a stadium full of fans." Hendrix deadpans. "So yeah, it's obvious."

"Not to mention I caught you leaving her office," Dean adds.

"Yeah, okay," I admit defeat taking over. "Fuck, I don't even know where to start."

I look around the table. Each of these guys has had to navigate some sort of force trying to keep them from their girl to find happiness. In comparison, my problem seems silly.

The server comes up to take our drink order. When she walks away I say, "Vivi and I are hooking up. It's not serious, but I like her. She's cool and we've become friends, but neither of us are interested in a relationship." I pause before continuing. "This wasn't supposed to be complicated, because my life is crazy enough. But the more time I spend with her the more I want--the more I overthink every little thing. We made rules so this wouldn't happen, but the rules didn't stop her from getting under my skin."

They laugh. All four of them. Loudly .

"You guys are assholes."

Cruz is the only one who looks even a little sorry.

"You can't fuck a girl like Vivi and not catch feelings," Dom says.

I glare at him and he smirks. He's lucky there's a table separating us.

"Explain to me why catching feelings for Vivi would be so bad."

Everyone looks at Dean. No one expected him to speak up a second time.

"When you say it like that, I sound like an asshole. But it's got nothing to do with her. She's . . . Vivienne is incredible, but there's no room in my life for more. I've got Holland and I've got baseball. That's all I can manage."

Dean shakes his head. "Good luck, kid."

He may as well have called me an idiot with the way the sarcasm drips from the moniker.

"Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with your dad?" Cruz asks.

The waitress chooses that exact moment to bring us our drinks--four beers and my water.

Dom glances from his beer to my water, his face going serious. "You're nothing like him, Xavier. You know that, right?"

The sentiment hits me harder than I expect. "I know, but that doesn't mean ignoring the lessons his example taught me. My daughter will never have to face the things I did because I'll always put her first."

"And each of us admires you for that, but we don't want to see you pass up something good in your life out of fear."

"You're not waiting for Kristy to come back so you can try to be a family for Holland, are you?" Hendrix asks, covering all the bases. Damn, I have a lot of fucking baggage.

"Fuck no," I practically growl. "If Kristy wants to be a mother to Holland, I'll co-parent with her. But our relationship was a train wreck from the beginning, and I have no interest in putting my daughter through that."

"You still haven't heard from her?" Hendrix asks, sounding nearly as angry as me. His mom left him and Mia, never looking back and leaving him to be raised by his grandmother.

I run my tongue along my teeth, shaking my head. "Unfortunately, I think it's going to come down to my lawyer tracking her down to file for full custody and eventually relinquishing her rights." I'd much rather talk about the current woman in my life. "And things with Vivi are good, but we set boundaries and in trying to respect those I'm overthinking things."

"So . . . why are you talking to us about this?" Dean sighs.

"He's right," Hendrix adds. "Talk to Vivi. Whatever you're doubting, just ask. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Things could get weird and I could lose her friendship. I don't want that," I say.

"Or you could come out of it with another person that cares about you and your daughter. Delilah and I talked all the time when I was on the road, even before we got together."

Oddly enough, that makes it better. They might be married now, but for years they were nothing more than friends. And with these four all paired up, Vivi's the closest thing I have to a best friend.

I spin my phone around in my hand thinking it over for a minute before I unlock my screen and text her.

Xavier:

Can I call you tonight?

Vivi:

Of course. You can call me anytime.

Xavier:

Okay, I'm having dinner with the guys, but I'll call you after.

Xavier:

Have you eaten? Or do I need to DoorDash you something?

Vivi:

So bossy. Yes, I've eaten. Had sushi while I talked to Harlowe.

Xavier:

I can never be sure with you.