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Jackson, Jameson and Dane are still here, and it looks like I’ll be the designated driver tonight.Imagine that.
“Billy! Billy, my favorite brother-in-law! Come on over, we need to talk!”
Rolling my eyes at Jackson, I lean against the bar and cross my arms. “Which one of you is going to explain his behavior to my sister tonight?”
Dane cackles. “Four words.” He ticks them off on his fingers. “Jameson is in town.” He shrugs. “She expected it.”
Raising a brow, I nod. “This is true. So, then who’s going to explain Jameson’s behavior to Daddy Dash?”
Jameson’s dad, Dashiell Winters, is a straight up cranky ass grouch. He’s been better since settling into a relationship, but Jackson loves to poke at the guy for a reaction.
A loud laugh comes from Jackson. “Daddy Dash! I need to remember to call him that.” He waves his hand around. “Quick! Let’s FaceTime him! Give him the same excuse my wife gets.He’s with me.”
“You two are trouble.”
”Bill, it used to be the two of us causing trouble.”
Nodding, I adjust my stance. “I remember.” I pause. “Well, I mostly remember.” We all chuckle together.
“Have I told you how proud I am to be your brother-in-law?”
“Oh, here we go! He’s had a few beers and now he’s getting sentimental.” Dane pushes him around and Jameson throws his arm around him. “What are you going to do without him, Jackson?”
Jackson’s eyes connect with mine, and the smile that was plastered across his face disappears. And now I know the rumor is not just a rumor.
The guys grow quiet.
“Going somewhere, Jackson?” I ask.
“I’m sorry. Was this not common knowledge yet?”
Jackson’s eyes hold mine as he shakes his head as he answers, quietly, “No. It’s not.”
I have a choice to make right now. I can blow up in his face. I can yell and scream, point the finger, tell him no way, over my dead body is he taking my sister and nephew away from me.
And if I had been drinking tonight, I would have done just that.
Instead, because I’m thinking clearly, I can choose to support him. I can tell him how, after what I saw tonight, he’s meant to be a coach. He’s meant to take on a new team and make new dreams come true.
I can redeem a future issue right here, right now.
“Talk to me, brother. What were you offered?”
He watches me for a few short seconds before I visibly see his shoulders relax and the breath he was holding releases.
“Dane got two of my guys into Carolina U, where they’ve been working with Jameson and some of the Warriors in the offseason.”
“It’s a brand-new mentorship program. We’re breaking them down and training them our way.” Jameson responds.
Dane cuts in. “It’s how we got them to Carolina U. Francesca and Zach Hart, who runs the scouting program at Carolina U, worked together to strike a deal. And once I made that connection, Francesca brought me on so I could stay here with Mariella.”
“So, you stay and he goes?” There’s no hiding my disappointment in the tone of my voice, but I need to know the full details here.
“I’ve already been working with them, Bill. But things are getting a bit more complicated, and I’m needed there.”
“Where’s there?”
“Warriors Stadium in Mistletoe Falls.” He pauses. “The head coach now is having health issues and is backing out of his contract earlier than expected. He’ll finish the season, but they’ve offered me a short-term deal. See how I gel with the team and see if I can repeat a Super Bowl win.”
