what might come out. I’m also trying not to think about how, in three days, I have to yet again leave Kay for another week when the team travels to play in the national championship. It doesn’t help that since school is on break and NJA is back to practicing, she’s been spending more time in Blackwell than on campus and Liam Parker is also from Blackwell. I hate that I feel like I’m leaving her unprotected, even if it’s highly illogical.
“I understand your reluctance to talk about your connection to the Dennings girl—”
Can we pause for a moment so I can say how much it makes my fucking blood boil that he still undermines my relationship with my girlfriend?
“—but this complete radio silence thing you’re doing whenever you’re asked about her isn’t helping people forget about it.”
“Brantley…” I suck in a breath, checking my temper. “I thought I made myself perfectly clear—time and time again, I might add—on where I stand on this subject.” Another deep inhalation for good measure. “Kayla is a hard limit for me.” The use of her full name is another indicator of how close to the edge I am.
“I know,” Brantley concedes. “I get it.”
But do you? Because I’m pretty sure the only time you talk favorably of her is when you want to use her to some unexplained advantage.
“The thing is”—he shifts forward, resting his elbows on his knees—“what you aren’t seeing is that by refusing to talk about her but kissing her in a way that trends all over social media, it only makes the press think there’s a bigger story they aren’t seeing.”
I nod again, because he isn’t completely wrong.
“If you give them even the smallest nugget of information, it might help take some of the intrigue out of things.”
My instincts scream at me to reject the idea outright, to hold firm on the stance we’ve taken. If this were months ago, that’s exactly what I would do, but somehow I manage to curb those thoughts enough to actually consider what Brantley is suggesting. I’ve seen how Kay has been changing. It’s not only the kiss pictures she hasn’t freaked over. Maybe his idea does have merit.
“I need you to keep this in mind while you’re in California. This isn’t just the end of the football season for you—this is also the start of your career. How you handle yourself with the press will show teams you aren’t only an asset on the field, but off it as well.”
I work my jaw side to side as I mull it over.
“Teams won’t be the only ones keeping an eye on you. This is your first opportunity to prove to sponsors and companies how marketable you are. If you impress them enough, we may be able to score a top-notch endorsement deal.”
And we’re back to the money thing. It’s always about the money with him. Doesn’t he have enough? How many more zeroes does he need in his bank account?
“I’ll talk to Kay about it.” It’s not that I need to ask permission, but I need to show him that she and I are a team. Brantley has a habit of forgetting this very important fact.
Originally, the plan was to meet up with Kay after she was done coaching the double practices at The Barracks, but after my…talk with Brantley, I need eyes on her now, not in a few hours.
It’s why I offered to drive the twins to their Admirals practice, opting to spend Trav’s and my last free weekend at The Barracks. Olly and Livi direct us to the stairs that will take us to the family viewing area on the second floor while they rush off to the locker rooms in the state-of-the-art all-star gym to change.
I’m surprised to see a familiar blonde in the row closest to the ledge overlooking the main gym area, her arms folded on the edge. Trav nudges me when he notices her as well.
“Hey.” I greet Savvy King as I take the open seat to her left.
Tilting her head but never lifting her chin from where it rests on top of her folded arms, she casts a glance in my direction and looks past me to Trav before returning her focus to where the Marshals practice is coming to an end. “Yo.”
She’s nowhere near as quiet as her brother, but I’ve noticed the younger King doesn’t rush to fill the silence with useless words like most girls her age—aka my sister—tend to do.