it, too.
Marian started laughing. “Oh, God. I can’t believe I fell for that.”
“How young and stupid do you all really think I am?” Tom asked. His tone was light, but Cass sensed some insecurity behind his question. With chagrin he realized that maybe his doubts about signing Tom to the Rebels hadn’t been as well hidden as he’d thought. And maybe some others on the team had picked up on that. He glanced over at Tyler, who was looking at him expectantly. Trust Tyler to pick up on all of that and set things straight.
“Stupid enough to eat the rest of the crispy duck,” Cass said casually. He grabbed his phone from off the table and tossed it to Tom, who caught it awkwardly. “Hunan Province,” he told him. “Under
P
. And you’re paying this time.”
“Wait a minute,” Tom said, frowning. He pointed the phone at Tyler. “He finished the crispy duck.”
“Not so stupid after all,” Cass said with a grin.
“More egg rolls,” Marian demanded. Cass saw her wink at Tom. “I’m eating my feelings over my lost house.”
Beau laughed out loud and they all joined him while Tyler ordered more food.
“So, do you guys have any ideas to get the Rebels more press coverage?” Marian asked. “The head office wants more of what Beau gave them.” She looked relaxed and happy and Cass realized that inviting Tyler over tonight might have been the best play he’d made all day.
Chapter 6
Cass slammed the locker-room door open with a flat palm and Beau winced when it hit the wall. “If that motherfucker doesn’t get his ass here pronto, I’m going to serve it to him on a plate. He won’t even return my calls. What am I supposed to do with that?”
The locker room had gone quiet when Cass stormed in, and Beau rolled his eyes at Cass’s dramatics. “Not cool, bro,” he whispered. “You want to sink his chances with the team before he even gets here?”
“You’re the one who called him a prima donna on cable TV,” Cass growled. “Not me.”
Beau was so sick of hearing about that interview that he wished he’d never opened his big, fat mouth. Except the part about the Rebels bringing trouble to your fucking door. That part was good. He liked that. “I was pissed off at the reporters and all the bullshit,” he snapped. “You know that. I took it out on Smith. We’ve all been where he is. He was blindsided by this trade, salary cap or no. He expected the Ravens to fight to keep him. It was a blow from left field. He’ll get over it. He’s a pro.”
“I don’t know much about his situation,” Tom offered from where he stood in front of his locker. He slipped his arms into his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. “Maybe none of us do. There could be shit going down we don’t know about. Right?”
“Marian said the same thing,” Cass growled. “I don’t care if he’s got his own shit. He needs to deal with it on his own time and quit wasting ours.”
“Amen, brother,” Jo Jo said. “Preach. No offense, but the young Jedi there shouldn’t be our only running back.”
“Fuck you, Yoda,” Tom said mildly. “I can handle it.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” Cass argued, ripping his shirt off. He tossed it into his locker and grabbed his practice shirt. “He was hired to do a job. He needs to show some professionalism and do it. He acts like he doesn’t even want to play football. If he doesn’t want to play, then what the fuck, man? Why is he even in the NFL in the first place?”
“What’s all the yelling about?” Marian asked. She stood in the doorway, one hand holding the door open, a frown on her face. She wore an all-white shorts-and-polo outfit today. Beau liked her in white. It made her hair look like melted gold against her shirt. Tyler came up behind her and laid his chin on her shoulder. She let out an undignified squeak and jumped a mile high before she threw her back against the door and looked frantically from side to side. Cass didn’t like that at all
Marian started laughing. “Oh, God. I can’t believe I fell for that.”
“How young and stupid do you all really think I am?” Tom asked. His tone was light, but Cass sensed some insecurity behind his question. With chagrin he realized that maybe his doubts about signing Tom to the Rebels hadn’t been as well hidden as he’d thought. And maybe some others on the team had picked up on that. He glanced over at Tyler, who was looking at him expectantly. Trust Tyler to pick up on all of that and set things straight.
“Stupid enough to eat the rest of the crispy duck,” Cass said casually. He grabbed his phone from off the table and tossed it to Tom, who caught it awkwardly. “Hunan Province,” he told him. “Under
P
. And you’re paying this time.”
“Wait a minute,” Tom said, frowning. He pointed the phone at Tyler. “He finished the crispy duck.”
“Not so stupid after all,” Cass said with a grin.
“More egg rolls,” Marian demanded. Cass saw her wink at Tom. “I’m eating my feelings over my lost house.”
Beau laughed out loud and they all joined him while Tyler ordered more food.
“So, do you guys have any ideas to get the Rebels more press coverage?” Marian asked. “The head office wants more of what Beau gave them.” She looked relaxed and happy and Cass realized that inviting Tyler over tonight might have been the best play he’d made all day.
Chapter 6
Cass slammed the locker-room door open with a flat palm and Beau winced when it hit the wall. “If that motherfucker doesn’t get his ass here pronto, I’m going to serve it to him on a plate. He won’t even return my calls. What am I supposed to do with that?”
The locker room had gone quiet when Cass stormed in, and Beau rolled his eyes at Cass’s dramatics. “Not cool, bro,” he whispered. “You want to sink his chances with the team before he even gets here?”
“You’re the one who called him a prima donna on cable TV,” Cass growled. “Not me.”
Beau was so sick of hearing about that interview that he wished he’d never opened his big, fat mouth. Except the part about the Rebels bringing trouble to your fucking door. That part was good. He liked that. “I was pissed off at the reporters and all the bullshit,” he snapped. “You know that. I took it out on Smith. We’ve all been where he is. He was blindsided by this trade, salary cap or no. He expected the Ravens to fight to keep him. It was a blow from left field. He’ll get over it. He’s a pro.”
“I don’t know much about his situation,” Tom offered from where he stood in front of his locker. He slipped his arms into his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. “Maybe none of us do. There could be shit going down we don’t know about. Right?”
“Marian said the same thing,” Cass growled. “I don’t care if he’s got his own shit. He needs to deal with it on his own time and quit wasting ours.”
“Amen, brother,” Jo Jo said. “Preach. No offense, but the young Jedi there shouldn’t be our only running back.”
“Fuck you, Yoda,” Tom said mildly. “I can handle it.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” Cass argued, ripping his shirt off. He tossed it into his locker and grabbed his practice shirt. “He was hired to do a job. He needs to show some professionalism and do it. He acts like he doesn’t even want to play football. If he doesn’t want to play, then what the fuck, man? Why is he even in the NFL in the first place?”
“What’s all the yelling about?” Marian asked. She stood in the doorway, one hand holding the door open, a frown on her face. She wore an all-white shorts-and-polo outfit today. Beau liked her in white. It made her hair look like melted gold against her shirt. Tyler came up behind her and laid his chin on her shoulder. She let out an undignified squeak and jumped a mile high before she threw her back against the door and looked frantically from side to side. Cass didn’t like that at all
Similar Books
