The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

“That’s my brother alright. He’s the drunk version of me, even stone-cold sober.”

“You two must be close if he flew out here to go shopping with you and watch the game on one of his only weekends off of the season.”

“Sometimes too close, but yeah, we’re tight.”

“That’s nice. I always wanted a sibling growing up.”

“And lucky you, now you have two who never wanted you.”

I held my stomach, pretending I just got punched in the gut. “Ouch. That hurts.”

Christian smiled. “Did you get any sleep today?”

“I did actually. I walked for about an hour and then came back to the room and drew the blinds and slept for three hours.”

“Good. Feel any better?”

“I do. Though I’m pretty sure I’ll be looking over my shoulder for a long time. I still can’t get over how someone followed me so many hours a day, for at least a few months, and I had no clue. This might sound weird, but I feel violated—almost like someone took something from me that didn’t belong to them.”

“Someone did. Your privacy.”

“Yeah, I guess so. But at the same time, I’m also very curious to get back and see what’s in the other planners now.”

“I bet.”

We arrived at the elevator bank. I pushed the up button and turned to face Christian. “I walked over to your brother when I saw him standing at the bar because I thought it was you and wanted to say thank you for this morning, for listening to me.”

Christian shook his head. “No thanks necessary. That’s what boyfriends are for.”

I raised a brow. “Boyfriends?”

He patted his chest. “I’m a boy, and I think we’re friends, so boy friend. It’ll be easier if you think of me that way from the get-go, since that’s where we’re going to wind up.”

“Well, I owe you one, boy friend. If you ever need to talk, I think you know where to find me.”

The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped in. Christian put his hands on the return panels to keep them from shutting. “I lost my dog when I was ten. His name was Buddy. It still kind of hurts when I think about it. Maybe I should take you up on your offer and come talk about it. Say five minutes from now, in your room? You can slip into something comfortable, and I’ll bring a bottle of wine.”

I pushed the button on the panel with a smile and looked at my watch. “You have curfew in twenty minutes.”

Christian stepped back. His eyes sparkled. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“I’ll take a raincheck.”

The doors started to slide closed. Christian moved with them to stay visible as the gap narrowed. “A raincheck? That means another time? That’s not a no…”

I laughed. “Goodnight, Christian.”





CHAPTER 11




* * *



BELLA



“Shouldn’t you be on the field with the team?”

It took all my self-control not to roll my eyes. Instead, I displayed my pearly whites. “This isn’t Christian, Tiffany. It’s his brother, Jake.”

“Oh. Wide receiver for Oklahoma, right?”

Jake and I had been sitting on the couch in the guest team owner’s suite, waiting for the game to start. He stood and leaned forward to extend his hand. “Jake Knox. Nice to meet you.”

“Tiffany Barrett. A legitimate daughter of John Barrett.” Rather than shake, she put her hand in his like she was a princess and he was supposed to kiss the top.

Jake glanced over at me, his forehead wrinkled. I wasn’t sure if it was the way she introduced herself or the handshake, but regardless, I shrugged, and Jake proceeded to shake her wilted hand. Because misery loves company, Rebecca walked in next. She took one look at me, her mouth twisted in disgust, and she sauntered over to the hostess and started rattling off what she needed for the day. I wasn’t sure what was worse, Tiffany’s vocal disdain for me or the fact that my other sister didn’t even think I was worth the energy to speak to.

The two of them set up camp on the other side of the room, and Jake sat back down. He looked over his shoulder at my siblings. “Tiffany seems like a real peach.”

“They’re not my biggest fans.”

He shook his head. “And you have to share the visitor’s box with them? Do you share the home one, too?”

I sipped the mimosa the sweet hostess had made for me when we arrived. “Actually, we don’t share the suites. They belong to me, but I invited them.”

Jake’s brows lifted. “Glutton for punishment?”

I chuckled. “Perhaps. But I try to put myself in their place. Their father had a secret child and cut them out of the biggest part of his will. I mean, you can’t blame them for hating that I exist.”

“Maybe. But someone should remind them it’s not your fault that you do. It’s the people who made you.”

I sighed. “Let’s talk about something more fun. Do you have a plan for your proposal?”

“I’m throwing Lara a surprise thirtieth. I’m going to do it in front of all our friends and family.”

“Oh wow. Go big or go home, huh?”

Jake smiled. “What about you? Ever been married?”