Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
He only stares at me in return.
Okay, so Brady’s brother has an issue with us. I’m going to find out what it is and fix it because I will do anything to hold on to this. It’s only the beginning of anything official, but I’m already in deep.
I go to open my mouth to ask what I can do, say, tell him—anything that can get him on our side—but we talk at the same time. Only he gets his question out first.
“Why do you think Brady felt the need to keep you a secret from me?”
Ah. It’s nothing against us. It’s a brother thing.
I turn my attention to the football game. Brady and his pop are going head-to-head as centers, with Talon behind Miller and Kit behind Brady.
“Do they realize how dirty that looks?” I ask.
Peyton screws up his face. “Eww, dude. That’s my family.”
I don’t tell him I’ve seen his brother in that position naked countless times. I want him to like me.
“Sorry. And, to answer your question, I think there were a few reasons he didn’t tell you.”
“He told Levi.”
I snort. “No, he didn’t. Your boyfriend was drunk one night we were over. We thought everyone was asleep, and he, uh … might have gotten a front-row seat to a pretty heavy make-out session. Be thankful it wasn’t you who was awake.”
Peyton lowers his head. “Still doesn’t make it feel less shitty about him keeping it from me. I didn’t think we had secrets. Brady and me or Levi and me.”
“In the beginning, we were literally hooking up. That’s all it was. We knew Brady was graduating, so it didn’t mean anything. But as we got to know him better, we started putting pieces together about who Brady really is. Why he’s the way he is.”
“He’s everyone’s rock.”
“Not with us. I think he kept us a secret because we were something that was just for him. Something that he didn’t see a future in because he was too worried about what having a relationship with two men would do to your career.”
Peyton frowns. “What?”
“Like when he said he’d step back as your agent? He’s been worried about the public fallout of this. I can’t say I understand what world you live in. Your fame. But I do know about needing to keep a secret to protect yourself. He kept it from everyone for you.”
Peyton’s lips purse as he takes in that little tidbit.
Our attention turns back to the game again, where Brady’s team scores a touchdown thanks to Kit running it in. I don’t think he knows quarterbacks aren’t supposed to steal that glory.
Brady runs up and throws his arms and legs around Kit. Kit lifts him, and they kiss hard.
“Doesn’t that ever make you jealous?” Peyton asks.
“Nope. They make each other happy. How could I deny two people I care about that kind of feeling?” I shrug. “One of them or both of them will show me affection later. We don’t keep score.”
Peyton glances at my leg. “You gonna tell us the real story of how you got broken?”
I smile and take a huge gulp of my beer.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“Nah. I wish it was some amazing story about being shot down in enemy fire in some undisclosed corner of the world, but I’m sorry to say it really was a training op accident. Mechanical failure on a Hawk that’s older than Brady.”
“Damn.”
“It sucks that it happened in an accident that could’ve been prevented, but we can only train with what we’ve got.”
Turns out I got off lucky. Levenson might never walk again and is being discharged. Moran is already recovered and back in Coronado. But if you ask me, we’re all lucky we escaped with our lives. Accidents like this shouldn’t happen, but they do.
Peyton stares blankly at me, but it takes a second to realize he’s not staring at me but behind me. “God, they’re embarrassing.”
I turn and see two of Brady’s uncles watching the SEAL team work out. The football game is all but forgotten for most of them. Some of Brady’s cousins are on the field but staring at their phones, but Brady’s dads, Kit, and Brady are still taking the game so seriously.
They remind me a lot of my family in ways. Just a hell of a lot gayer.
“Your family is my kind of people,” I say and drink down the rest of my beer.
Peyton glances at his brother when he says, “Yeah. They’re the best.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
kit
The game is tied, and Brady has told me that under no circumstances are we allowed to let his dads win. They may be the professionals, but we have youth on our side.
I don’t point out to Brady that all the youth—mainly his cousins Freddie and Four—have no interest in football and are leaving us out to dry.