I sat forward, clasping my hands between my legs. “I don’t know, Parker. Something about being here. It’s screwing with my head.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I get it, man. We all do.”
I wasn’t sure he did, though. All the fleeting thoughts of Adaline over the years … if I’d catch a glimpse of her picture somewhere or wonder if she was at our game once Parker joined me in Ft. Lauderdale a couple of seasons earlier, it was like they all melted together into one giant hulking thing that I couldn’t ignore for much longer.
“It’s not about having just anyone, Parker,” I said quietly. My hand had stopped trembling, and once the back towers were complete, I laid the foundation for another battlement extending out the side. “The only time I’ve ever considered placing something alongside football in my life was her. It scared the shit out of me because the next day, I was walking into a draft that would decide my entire future in this league. It felt … impossible to balance the two.”
“Fucking hell, Ward,” Parker grumbled. “Leave it to you to have some life-changing epiphany five years after you had your chance with someone. You are, without a doubt, the smartest dumbass I’ve ever met in my life.”
I laughed, the sound completely devoid of humor. “Trust me, I know how stupid this is. She has Nick.” I said the word with so much venom that Parker shook his head. “Nick and his record-breaking contract that’s moving him to … where is it? New York? Which means she’ll probably go with him.”
Parker mimicked my posture, and when he took a long, deep, very dramatic inhale, followed by the longest exhale in the entire world, I wanted to punch him. Of course, she was going with him. They’d been dating for four years.
“I’m gonna regret this,” he muttered.
“What?”
He turned his head to the side. “They broke up a couple of days ago.”
“What?” I shouted.
The family in the corner went quiet, and I cleared my throat. Breathe, Ward, just breathe. Yeah right. My heart was trying to crack an escape route through my ribs.
“Smooth.”
“Shut up, Parker.” I dug my hands into my hair and tugged uselessly. “Does she still have the same phone number?”
He laughed.
The asshole slid back in his chair and laughed.
I gave him a steady look as he finally calmed down.
“I’m glad you find this funny.”
He slapped my back. “Emmett … I give you credit. You’re good for so much more than wins and touchdowns and the most chiseled jaw in the world.”
I closed my eyes, slicking my tongue over my teeth. It was the only way I’d stop myself from smacking the shit out of him.
“You’re not going to ask what I mean?”
“No.”
“Excellent. I’ll tell you anyway.” He cleared his throat. “They broke up sometime within the last forty-eight hours.” Parker paused to let that sink in. “They dated for four years. Maybe, just maybe, you could give her some time to deal with that before you go barreling in with your”—he waved his hand toward my face—“intense eye thing you’ve got going on. My sister isn’t fragile by any means, but I hate to remind you that you are the one who told her you didn’t want a relationship.”
“Then don’t remind me,” I growled. “I didn’t…” I paused, the words crowding my throat until I couldn’t get them out anymore. I took a deep breath. “It felt impossible to start something five years ago. She was in Seattle. Everyone knew I was going to Florida.”