Page 75 of Backup Plan

I wrap my arms around her. “Nervous.”

She links her arms around my waist. “Me, too. I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you.”

I shake my head. “No reason to be sorry. You’re here now.”

“What time is your flight tomorrow?” Her voice is quiet.

“Early. Five, I think.” I don’t know why the weight of leaving feels so heavy. It’s not like the season is officially starting, but minicamp feels like the kickoff of a new season when I need to start spending more time in San Diego. I need to get to know my new teammates. I need to find a place to live. “I’d like to say goodbye to the boys tonight before they go to bed.”

She pulls back, and her eyes are full of wonder. “That’s really sweet, Liam. They’d love to say goodbye, I’m sure.”

My phone starts to ring, and I get the distinct feeling that every time it rings from now until I get the results, the ring is going to make my heart palpitate.

It’s a Chicago number I have saved, though I’m not sure why my father’s lawyer would be calling me. “Liam Bradley,” I answer. I’m still holding Penny in my arms.

“Liam, hello. It’s Paul Rawlings.”

“Hi,” I say awkwardly. What the fuck does he want with me?

“Look, I wouldn’t normally ask this, but I feel like your father might listen to you. We have a plea deal on the table if your father pleads guilty. He’ll likely be looking at five to eight instead of fifteen to twenty.”

“I can’t convince that man of anything, Mr. Rawlings,” I admit.

“If he’d just plead guilty, it would save everyone a hell of a lot of time and money,” he says. “The deal expires when we start jury selection tomorrow.”

My chest tightens as it feels like more pressure piled on top of more pressure. The only relief I feel from any of it is staring down into Penny’s eyes as I formulate a reply, but I’m well aware that the small measure of relief I have in her is going to be ripped away in a few hours.

“Well, there’s some reason he won’t, so that’s on him. I need to get to San Diego. This isn’t my problem. Try Madden.” I cut the call.

Her eyes are glowing as she looks up at me. “You okay?”

I voice the concerns. “It’s a lot of pressure being the one who knows everything about this case. In that respect, I’m glad I need to leave town. I just wish you could come. Are you sure you can’t?”

Her face falls, and she snags her lip between her teeth. “I wish I could, too. But you know I can’t.”

I love you. I’m about to say it. The words are on the tip of my tongue.

But saying it instead of I’m falling in love with you feels too heavy.

I let the moment pass even though I know deep down that if you love someone, you should tell them…or you might lose your chance to ever say it again.

CHAPTER 22: Penny Calloway

Child Whisperer

Liam offers a secret wave in my direction before he walks out of the suite at the baseball game, and my chest aches as I lift my hand back.

It’s not like we really even interacted during the game, and now it’s over.

“Liam, wait up!” I yell over the din in the suite. “I’ll walk with you to the parking lot.”

Everleigh is too distracted by the fact that she’s a wife now to notice anything off between the two of us, and I bid her goodbye again. She and Maverick are heading back to Vegas soon since he has minicamp this week, too, and I may not get to say goodbye to her again.

But somehow not getting another goodbye with Liam feels far worse. He waits for me, and we walk the long concourse down to the parking garage with the rest of the group of fans leaving at the end of the game. He glances behind us and sees we’re alone in the crowd—or at least away from the prying eyes of people we know—and he reaches out to grab my hand.

A thrill lights down my spine. It’s just a boy holding a girl’s hand. So innocent. So sweet. But it feels like so much more, too. It’s dangerous. We’re in public. We could be caught. He could be photographed. Everleigh could find out.

And I’m not sure I care.