“Yep,” Sam agreed and quickly shaved and showered. He hadn’t had time to fill Roman in all that had happened the night before because he’d been too tired. As he got dressed and cleaned up his things and his room, he thought about Tiffany. He wanted to go spend a few hours with her. He grinned, but first he had to tell Roman the good news.
He rushed down the stairs and found Roman wearing the pink apron and feeding Maddy.
“Guess what?” Sam stood at the counter across from him.
“You got the contract with Miami.” Roman didn’t even look at him, carefully scraping baby food off the backside of a spoon before placing it into Maddy’s mouth.
“How did you hear?” Sam threw his hands into the air and moved to the kitchen sink, taking out a glass and getting himself some water.
Roman looked at him. “They issued that contract early this morning. You didn’t think ESPN would be privy to that information?”
“But I haven’t even formally accepted.” Sam put down the glass and picked up an apple on the counter.
Roman shrugged. “You will. You know you will.” He glanced at him and then broke into a wide grin. “Those are some good numbers, Dumont. I’m happy for you.”
Happiness surged through him. He grinned back. “Thanks, man.”
Roman gave him a quick nod, then turned back to Maddy and spoke to her. “Yes, Maddy, we’ll have to go see your Uncle Sam play in some pre-season games, won’t we? We’ll be making some trips to the beach.”
Just thinking of Roman and his family coming to visit made Sam ridiculously happy. He moved next to Maddy and gently put his hand on her head for a second.
She grinned and then spit more food at Roman.
Sam laughed. “Good job baby girl.”
Roman scoffed, but didn’t even move. “Don’t encourage her.”
Sam tugged his phone out of his pocket, texted his agent, and asked him to put him in touch with some realtors in Miami. He wanted to find a place on the beach.
Roman cleared his throat. “So Mr. Starting Quarterback for the Surf, what’s going on with Tiffany?” Roman pumped his eyebrows. “How did Luke Bryant go?”
Sam put his phone down on the counter and sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Dude.”
Roman stood, taking the towel on the counter and then turning back to wipe Maddy’s face. “What?”
Sam shook his head.
Roman gave him a disbelieving look. “You like her. You really like her.”
Sam moved around the counter and sank onto a barstool, feeling uncertain. “I do.”
Taking off the high chair lid, Roman pulled Maddy out and passed her into Sam’s arms.
“Gaa.” She smiled and smacked his face lightly.
He snuggled into her.
“Wow.” Roman cleaned the counter and put all the extra food away. “Who would have guessed that you’d fall for Katie’s best friend?” He sounded amused.
Sam blew a raspberry against Maddy’s tummy, and she giggled. “It’s strange, isn’t it, Maddy?”
She giggled again.
Sam turned to Roman. “But Tiffany has big news too.”
Roman whirled back to Sam, rolling his eyes. “She’s leaving on tour tomorrow for two months.”
Flabbergasted that Roman apparently knew everything, he laughed.
“My wife’s best friend, remember?”
It was so weird and normal and completely crazy how much his life had changed since he’d come to Wolfe Creek.
Roman wiped his hands on a towel and moved around the counter, easily taking Maddy as she stretched her arms up for him. “Da. Da.” He nuzzled her neck, and she giggled again. He turned to Sam. “So what are you going to do about Tiffany?”
Sam shrugged. “She’s starting a life, I’m going to Miami, what is there to do?” It made him kind of sad.
Roman moved into the living room.
Sam followed, seeing Josh with some of his friends climbing up into the tree house in the back yard. “You know he’s climbing, right?”
Roman shook his head. “He plays like he’s never been hurt.” Roman stared at him for a second, then his eyes flicked to Sam. He grinned. “I guess that’s a good thing, right?”
Sam plopped onto the floor next to Maddy. “What?”
“Playing like you’ve never been hurt before.” He lifted his eyebrows. “You could approach this relationship with Tiffany that way.”
Sam huffed out a breath. “Okay, Obi Wan Kenobi.” Sam grinned at him.
“What?” Roman frowned and sat next to them, picking up a toy and tossing it at Sam.
Sam easily deflected it and laughed. “I appreciate the wisdom.”
Roman rolled his eyes. “Somebody has to talk some sense into you.”
Liking this interaction with Roman, Sam pretended annoyance. “What are you, my new shrink?”
“Oh, no.” Roman put both hands up. “Couldn’t pay a man enough for that job.” But he gave him a warm smile.
Wisdom. That’s what Roman was trying to give him. Sam thought about what Roman had said. Watching Roman pick up a car and make a zoom zoom sound at Maddy, he decided to tell Roman the truth. “I don’t trust myself, dude. I like her. I…” he thought about how good she was.
“What?”
He hesitated before let the words out. “I’m a cheater, and she’s pretty much perfect. I can’t. I just…”
At this, Roman sat up, moving to the couch. He leaned back and let out a long sigh.
“Don’t…” Sam said, going to his feet and to the opposite couch.
“You have no idea what I’m going to say.”
“Then what?” Whatever Roman was about to say, he deserved, but it didn’t make it easier to hear.
Roman didn’t respond for a few seconds. Then he let out a puff of air. “You’re different than you were.”
This had not been what Sam had expected to hear. “What?”
Roman waited for a beat, then said, “I’ve known you for a long time…in football years.”
Sam nodded. “Yes, you have.”
“I have watched you go from newbie to,” he said, hesitating, “to too big for his britches, to…” he shrugged, “to a pretty decent guy.” He winked at him. “You’ve grown up.”
Sam’s heart was beating fast. It was really good to hear Roman say that.
Roman leaned forward intently. “I’m telling you, Sam. You’re ready to trust yourself again. So get going.” Roman took Maddy from off the floor and put her on his lap.
Nervous jitters went through Sam’s gut. He stood. “But I told you I’d help with the kids the next couple of days.”
Roman smirked at him. “Go hang out with Tiffany tonight, don’t worry, I’ll let you clean the kitchen when you get back.”
30
He showed up at the cute, older home that looked like it was from movie Pleasantville. It had a perfectly immaculate yard and black shutters. His heart was pumping so fast it reminded him of how he felt before the first game of every season—jumpy. But it was a good anticipation.
Reese answered quickly, pulling him into a big hug and repeating ‘Praise the Lord, my baby got her shot.’
Happy couldn’t begin to express how pleased he was that Tiffany was getting a chance to live her dream and that her mom was so supportive. He laughed and looked around the quaint home. “Is Tiffany here?”
The enthusiasm on Reese’s face immediately fell. She went from looking like she was eating something sugary to something that was sour and spoiled.
“What’s wrong?”
Reese shook her head, letting out a breath. The big earrings she wore tinkled back and forth. “Tiffany likes to hike behind our house on a trail into the mountains.”
“Okay.” Sam didn’t understand why this seemed to upset Reese.
Her lips pinched. “She left about an hour ago. But…” She hesitated.
“What?” Sam wanted to shake her. Her hesitation made him nervous.