The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

“No, it definitely wasn’t.”

“My buddy said if he had the original impression you took, he could probably up his percentage of accuracy. But even with a photo of it, he feels comfortable telling you it’s a match.”

“Hey, Knox,” the offense coach yelled. “You need a special invitation to shut your damn phone off?”

I whispered into the phone. “Gotta go, bro.”

“I heard it. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

“I will. And thanks, Tyler.”

I lowered my phone and was just about to swipe the call off when I heard, “Hey, wait!”

So I lifted my cell back to my ear. “What’s up?”

“I almost forgot. In case I don’t talk to you Monday, happy birthday.”

He wasn’t the only one who’d almost forgotten. “Thanks.”

The five-hour flight gave me plenty of time to think about how I was going to break the news to Bella. Though when I landed, I was no better prepared than when we’d taken off from JFK. It definitely needed to be an in-person conversation, and since she was arriving at the game shortly before kickoff on Sunday and leaving right after it was over, I had a reprieve of a few days. But I’d have to tell her soon after we got back home because I was never going to be able to face her, knowing what I knew now.





CHAPTER 26




* * *



BELLA



My phone rang as soon as I got into the waiting Town Car at the Las Vegas airport on Sunday.

“Hello?”

“Bella?”

The voice sounded familiar. “Yes?”

“It’s Jake Knox, Christian’s brother.”

“Oh,” I laughed. “No wonder your voice sounded familiar. You sound like Christian.”

“Yeah, sometimes that works for me. Like yesterday when I talked your admin, Josh, into giving me your cell phone number. I told him I was Christian, and my phone broke, and I had your number saved and didn’t know it by heart. Sorry about the little white lie, but I didn’t know how else to get your number after he said you’d left the office for the day to go to a meeting and wouldn’t be back until Monday.”

“Couldn’t you have just asked Christian for it?”

“Ah…no, that brings me to the reason I’m calling. It’s Christian’s birthday Monday. Well, and mine, too. Because that egomaniac couldn’t even let me have all the attention one day a year. Anyway, I have a game in Philly tonight, and we’re off on Monday, so I thought I’d drive up and surprise Christian. Lara is coming to the game with her sisters, so I figured maybe we could make it a little party. I’ll see if Tyler can come, too. The last time we got to celebrate together was ten years ago, for our twenty-first.”

“That sounds like fun. I’m sure he’d love that.”

“Excellent. You think you can find out what time his practice is tomorrow, so I can make some plans?”

I smiled. “I think I might have an in with the coach to find that information.”

“Perfect.” He chuckled. “You have my number now, so text me, and I’ll pull something together.”



***



On Monday, I was dragging. The six PM flight I’d caught home last night really took off at nine Eastern Time. So by the time we landed, it was three in the morning. The team wasn’t flying out until nine, so the birthday boy probably didn’t walk in the door until the sun came up. Today’s practice was just a team meeting at four, so I waited until one to text him, figuring he’d have to be awake by then.

Bella: Happy Birthday!

An incoming text notification buzzed from my desk a few minutes later.

Christian: Thank you. What time did you get home?

Bella: 4:30. You?

Christian: 8:00. But I slept on the plane.

Bella: Do you feel up to celebrating your birthday tonight? I made a reservation just in case, but wasn’t sure how you’d feel.

Christian: Do you mind if we stay in and talk?

My brows knitted.

Bella: Do we have something we need to talk about?

I watched as the dots started to jump around, then stopped. A few minutes later, they finally started moving around again.

Christian: Sorry, I meant to write stay in instead. I just woke up, and my brain is still sleeping.

Bella: LOL. Okay. Staying in sounds good too. How about if I come to you? I’ll bring dinner.

Christian: Sounds good. Should be done at practice by six. Eight?

Bella: See you then.

I switched over to my text chain with the other Knox football player.

Bella: Practice is an afternoon team meeting today. Should be over by six. I’m supposed to meet Christian at his place at eight. Maybe we could meet you at eight thirty?

Jake typed back right away.

Jake: How about we surprise him at his place first? Once word gets out where we are, we won’t have ten minutes of privacy.

I wished I could offer to surprise him over at my place, but two people barely fit.

Bella: That would be great, but not sure we can get in.

Jake: Not a problem. Do you know the doorman’s name?

Bella: I think Fred usually works weekday evenings.

Jake: What’s he look like?

Bella: Maybe sixties, white hair, always smiling. Why?