When I Need You (Need You #4)(8)

"I get that seeing your buddy's life upended at age twenty would sour you," Walker said. "But this no-cheerleaders rule . . . What's that about?"

"In high school and college if I dated a cheerleader and we broke up-which we always did-I still had to see her at every game and team event. Then the rest of the cheerleaders on the squad hated me on her behalf. They were one collective mind in separate bodies. In the pros there are no-fraternization rules between the cheerleaders and the players." 

"That's archaic," Walker said. "And probably illegal. I'd get my ass sued if I tried to tell my office manager Betsy who she could date outside working hours."

"It is what it is and it makes things easier for me."

"I agree with Dubbya, which is why Lund Industries doesn't have that kind of asinine rule in the employee handbook," Brady added. "It doesn't make sense. But your no-health-care-professionals edict doesn't really make sense either."

I scrubbed my hands over my face. "Look, I'm a football player. My body takes a beating on a regular basis. Nurses, massage therapists, fitness trainers, even yoga instructors, try to diagnose me if I mention an ache or pain. Like I should listen to her over what the team's medical staff is telling me? Then I take a blast of shit when I don't follow through with her advice. It leads to drama, and I don't do drama. And I definitely don't go against my professional trainers' recommendations. So I avoid the hassle by just saying no to that entire profession."

They both stared at me.

"For chrissake, what now?"

"That is actually a smart list, Jens."

I tried-and failed-not to take that as a backhanded compliment. "Surprised that I use my brain for more than memorizing plays and random chicks' phone numbers?"

Brady held up his hands. "Whoa. Defensive much?"

"Maybe I am." I squirted water in my mouth. "I'm sure the ‘where do we hide Jensen in the family business' issue has come up if I'm released from the team. Unlike Jax, who's been assured there's always a place for him at LI when he's done with hockey, I've never gotten that same promise from you, or the uncles, or even Ash and Nolan."

Walker sucked in a breath. "That was harsh, Jens."

"It's true." I pointed my water bottle at him. "He's not denying it."

Brady leveled his CFO stare at me that sent his minions at LI running for the exit.

I managed to stay put.

"Shifting the responsibility of your future after football onto LI? Dick move, bro. Especially since you've refused to tell anyone what postfootball career options you're considering."

"It isn't like you haven't had time to think about it while you've been recuperating," Walker said. "There's no shame in admitting you don't have a fucking clue."

I closed my eyes and tamped down my temper. "Sorry. It's not your problem . . . I don't know what I'll do if the team cuts me. I've been superstitious that if I seriously consider postcareer options right now, the universe will see it as I've given up on my football career and it'll be over." I opened my eyes and looked at Walker first and then Brady. "I'm not ready to even think about moving on."

"Although that sounds like the cosmic-consequences stuff that Dallas believes in, I do understand where you're coming from." Brady kept his gaze on me. "My door is always open to you when you are ready to talk about a career change, okay?"

"Okay." I'd dreaded this conversation, taking the "it's all good" tack whenever anyone brought it up. So color me relieved it was over-for now.

Walker and I gathered our stuff and said good-bye to Brady. Outside, Walker paused by my ZR1 before he headed to his truck. "What's going on in your world this week?"

"Dante and I are meeting with the coaching staff today. He's giving them the full report from my week in checkup hell. I have rehab training every day. Besides that, not much. What about you?"



       
         
       
        

"We're slammed with renovations and we're turning down more work than ever. Jase and I discussed expanding, but we're clearing substantial profits as it is. For him, an increased workload would take time away from Tiffany and their baby girl Jewel. Given what he's been through to finally have a family, money isn't a driving force for him. For me either. I want to be with Trinity and baby T-Dub as much as possible." He grinned. "So I'm an old married dude content to spend my weekends puttering around and being at my pregnant wife's beck and call."