even had her hands on her hips. “When you’re ready? Jonah, the season starts in two months. You have to make a decision now. If you wait too long, the rosters will be filled and then what?” Her back straightened, but somehow her head went forward and her voice got creepy quiet—I noticed Natia stopped walking and just stood where she was, looking too—and asked, “You are planning on playing this season?”
Jonah’s face got pink at the same time it all clicked.
They were talking about his plans for the future with rugby and how he really hadn’t made a decision yet on what he was going to do.
Because really, what were his plans? He hadn’t said a word to me. Then again, I hadn’t asked either because I didn’t want to know yet. Even though I should.
Jonah’s hand went to the back of his head, and he said quietly, “Can we discuss this later? I should get the bags you left in the boot. I’m sure Mo would love to see what you bought her.”
Being raised around someone who didn’t give a fuck had prepared me for her answer. “No. Her gifts can wait. We need to talk about this now. You need to make a decision now. Garrett said that there’s a team in Japan interested in you, another club in France has reached out. I reckon that, if you can get past this issue you and your brother are having, he would be more than willing to talk to the selectors in Auckland about you coming back.”
Goose bumps broke out across my arms, and I found myself holding my breath. France, Japan, or New Zealand? That shouldn’t be such a surprise. It wasn’t like there were any teams any closer, unless he went to the UK. Even then, that was still an eight-hour flight.
Why was my heart beating so fast?
I looked up at the ceiling. Well, none of those places were fucking Mars. There were planes, and I didn’t have that many expenses other than Mo, insurance, my car note, cell phone, and the electricity and gas bill. I swallowed and lowered my gaze, but as I did it, I caught a pair of honey-brown eyes across the room.
I smiled at Jonah. A real one. One that I hoped said he shouldn’t worry about us.
I was too busy looking right into my favorite eye color in the world that I didn’t notice his mouth start to move until he said my name. Then, “What do you think I should do?”
Who? Me?
“Yes, you,” he said in that quiet, strong voice. “What do you think I should do?”
His mom turned to look at me, so did Natia, and I was positive Grandpa Gus was mentally doing binocular hands.
“Whatever you want to do?” I offered, not knowing what to say.
One of those dimples popped, and he was partially smiling as he asked, “But what do you think I should do?”
I didn’t mind being put on the spot, but in this case, I didn’t want to. So I shrugged at him. “Whatever makes you happy, Jonah with a little j.”
His other dimple came out to party, and he wasn’t even trying to hide his big-ass grin.
“Seriously, go wherever you want,” I said. “Go to the team that offers you the most money and has the most potential for winning. Or go where they offer you less money if it’ll make you happy. Do whatever you want. We’ll support you anywhere you are.”
“And what if I decide to retire?”
I’d swear the neighbors were able to hear the gasp that Sarah let out. Hell, the neighbors down the street might have been able to as well.
But Jonah put a hand in between him and her and said, “Mum, wait.” He speared me with a look. “What would you say if I told you I wanted to retire?”
Now I could see why he wanted to have this conversation in private. I didn’t even want to be a part of it. But… he was asking me to be involved, and I wouldn’t tell him no. So what I did was tell him the truth.
“If you want to do that and it’ll make you happy and you won’t regret it, then do it,” I said. “But, if I were you, I wouldn’t be a little bitch and quit. I’d play as long as I could if I still enjoyed it and it didn’t screw my back or my knees up too bad. You don’t give up on