Page 63 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“It’s like a million a week to charter,” August adds. “ButKenan says you only turn forty once.”

“He’s setting the bar high,” I say, taking in the musicalfountain on the deck below.

“Yeah, he is.” Jared glances at his phone. “Hey, I gotta go. Banner needs me. Probably for sex.”

“That’s my agent,” I grimace. “I don’t need to know thatshit.”

“I fuck your agent all the time.” His grin is proud. “Andthis is totally normal. It’s baby hormones. Women get reallyhorny sometimes when they’re pregnant.”

“Banner’s pregnant again?” August asks, mouth dropped open.

“Aw, hell.” Jared scrunches up his face. “She wanted to waitand tell you guys at Dad’s birthday party next month. Can you pretend to besurprised?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He brings Jared in for a quick hug.“Congrats, brother. You caught up with me.”

“If Banner gets her way,” he says, tilting a rueful smile,“and she always does, we’ll pass you soon.”

“I’m gonna go check on Iris, too,”August tells me once Jared has gone. “It’s not her first time being away fromSarai and Michael, and they’re with my mom, but she gets antsy.”

“Yeah, I’ll head to my room, too. Hanging over the side ofthe boat waiting and watching for them to arrive ain’thelping much.”

“Also kinda gives off a stalkervibe.”

I level a glare at him.

“You’re really this into her after seeing her just a coupletimes?” he asks, smirking. “I mean, I fell for Iris fast, but it’s unusual foryou.”

We walk along the deck toward the bank of stairs leadingdown to our rooms.

“It’s a little more complicated than that. I’ve kind of beentracking with her off and on through social media for years.”

“Jared would approve.” August chuckles.

“Not all the time—just checking on her everyonce in a while. It’s hard to explain, but we had this one nighttogether.”

“Like a hook-up?”

“Nah, we were kids. Seniors in high school. We had thisconversation on the roof of her house the night before the championship. Wekissed, and I just knew we were supposed to be something to each other. Iwasn’t sure what, but I believed that.” I shoot him a sheepish look as we takethe stairs. “That probably sounds crazy, huh?”

“Not really.” August’s expression sobers. “I had that kindof conversation with Iris the night before the NCAA championship, and itchanged the course of my life. I knew it would, even though I didn’tknow how. So I get it.”

I absorb that information, not feeling quite as ridiculousknowing he experienced something similar. We continue down the passageway, thehigh-gloss wall paneling and plush carpet underfoot breathing luxury.

“You ever heard of Cliff Fletcher?” I ask, flicking him asideways glance.

“Where do I know that name from?” August’s brows pinch intoa frown. “Who’s he?”

“He was the biggest thing coming out of Texas high schoolbasketball when I graduated.”

“Oh, hell. Yeah. Wasn’t he in that SportsCodocumentary on flops and fails not too long ago?” August asks. “I rememberbecause they highlighted Len Bias, and if his story ain’ta cautionary tale, I don’t know what is.”

Bias, who many pundits speculate would have been the onlytrue rival to Jordan in that era, overdosed on cocaine two days after beingdrafted number two overall to the Celtics, becoming the highest draft pick tonever play an NBA game. I can’t help but draw parallels between the fallensuperstar and Cliff, considering the troubles with drugs Takira’s brother hasexperienced.

“That was some bullshit,” I say tightly. “Apparently thattrash documentary sent Cliff into a spiral and…it was bad.”

“They said Fletcher’s been in and out of rehab. I rememberAvery was pissed. Said that piece was bad journalismand tasteless.”

Avery, the wife of our president of basketball operations,is also a lead reporter on SportsCo, one of thebiggest sports stations in the world.