AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A round of baby babbles comes through the monitor, and Nora and Snipe pop up like they just heard the word ‘treat.’
“Can I get him?” Nora sits forward, ready to bounce. “I’ve missed that little booger so much.”
I smile as she jumps up like she’s won the lottery. “Yeah. Just keep all that Sean’s-so-great rhetoric to yourself. Ax is on my team the whole way, forever.”
Nora snorts from down the hallway, and I pat Snipe as he lays back down at my feet. “You’ve always got my back, you good boy.” I scratch behind his ear and watch the Tigers take the field. The crowd cheers, but as the camera scans, they breeze by women holding posters calling out Sean as a cheater.
One says, ‘Tigers cheat.’ Another says, ‘Tigers don’t keep Cheatahs.’ The signs are held high, and the boos go on as number twenty-four is announced and runs onto the field.
My stomach twists for him as I watch him take his place on the sideline with the rest of his team. Regardless of my wishy-washy feelings toward Sean and not understanding what he’s all about, he doesn’t deserve this. No one should have to just stand by and watch their dreams and hard work go down the drain because of one person’s bald-faced lie.
I think about Gem asking what we were going to do about it. I know that woman, and she’d do anything but sit back and let someone work her over. My Gem would sit with her VO and water, getting the last laugh. She’s never hunkered down and waited for the storm to pass. She’d be out there dancing in the rain. Maybe she was onto something when she said we shouldparade in there and show them how we Taninbaughs deal with liars.
Nora returns, holding my favorite guy in the entire world. He’s just a baby, but I want to be the kind of mom who shows him strength and resilience.
“I’m going to do it,” I blurt, stopping Nora in her tracks. “I’m going to work with Sean and give these jokers the big middle finger by doing something really great for some deserving people.”
Nora grins. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” A smile creeps across my face in return.
“Can Gem and I literally flip them all off?”
I laugh. “You, no. You work for me, and we’re going to be professional about it. Gem, well, she’ll likely have her own ideas.”
“Damn straight, she will. I want to be her when I grow up.”
I smile. “Don’t we all.”
Chapter 17
SEAN
“You guys brought in a win today, thanks to your touchdown that tied up the game. Any thoughts on what happened in the first quarter and what was going wrong?”
I need this to be the last question as I try to escape from the podium before they address the crowd boos and all of the negative press that’s aimed at me.
I quickly make up some generic response I’m not even sure I hear myself say, then lift my hand as in thanks as I step away to let them know I’m done.
A hand shoots up, and the reporter speaks before I can make my getaway. When I hear the start of the question, I freeze, my temper spiking as they continue to push forth this fabricated story.
“Sean, can you say if your recent break up with Morgan Monroe and her claims will have any impact on your relationship with the Tigers organization or your sponsors?”
I push out a breath, dragging myself back up to the podium. My hands grip the sides to prevent myself from letting loose on the room. All eyes are on me, expectant and waiting for any bone I will throw, giving them their next headline.
I steady myself, hoping they can catch this. “My contract does not specify relationship status or lack thereof as a conditionof employment. As far as sponsors, they have been gracious in understanding that one person’s claim does not equal truth.”
I shake my head, so freaking sick of this. “As far as what’s being said about me and my personal life, this is all I’m going to say. If you all want to spend your time listening to and reporting on far-fetched ideas, fine, but leave innocent people who have nothing to do with those things to their lives. You can come at me all you want. Surely, you have better, more important things to report than trying to hunt down false narratives to get another like or follow that will boost your career.”
I step down and grab my bag, ready to go home to peace and quiet. I need to text Andie and see what she’s thinking so we can get on with this or not.
Halfway home, my phone starts ringing. It’s Mark.
“Now, that’s what I’m talking about! About time you whoop some ass!” Mark yells through the phone. “Who’s next, bro? I want asses and names!”
I laugh for the first time in days. “The next person that follows me or shows up at my house or calls my phone looking for a comment.”
“Alright, now. There you go! That wallowing shit was getting really old. I saw the game. That touchdown had to feel good. You showed those fans what you got.”
