False Start: A Fake Dating Sports Romance (Red Zone Rivals)

Nothing I experienced at the collegiate level could have ever truly prepared me for what I’d experience in the NFL.

I heard the stories from other players about the after-game madness on the field. I remembered Holden telling us all after his first few games how the hits were bigger, harder — the kind that would steal your breath and leave your head spinning. I knew to expect more cameras and interviews, to have higher demands put on me, to have coaches breathing down my throat demanding me to be better.

And yet, here I was, seven weeks into the season, and I still felt like a little kid who just took his training wheels off.

My confidence was building, but slowly, like thick syrup draining down a very small straw. I felt myself getting stronger, faster, and learning my way around my new team and my new opponents.

Still, my stats weren’t what I wanted them to be. I only had one-hundred-and-fifty-two receiving yards and one touchdown. We weren’t even halfway through the season, and I knew I had the opportunity to have a great rookie showing by the end of it all.

But I hated where I was currently.

I wanted more. I was thirsty. Hungry. Ready to devour.

I just needed my body to catch up to my brain.

And while I’d thrived off the media attention and brand deals in college, they felt overwhelming now. I found myself slacking on social media, focusing only on what Giana said was absolutely necessary. I recorded commercials. I posed for pictures for the brands sponsoring me. I took the interviews she or the team’s PR coordinator instructed me to.

But at the end of a game, I didn’t want to flex or show off — even if we won. I’d lost the desire to take out my phone and film a selfie, or to be front and center at a post-game press conference.

Giana assured me it would come back, once I felt more comfortable.

As it was, the only thing I thought of after a game was getting home to Madelyn and Sebastian.

We’d moved into the new house just before the start of the school year and, in turn, the regular season. And while we might have picked the most chaotic time to make such a change, it was like the most natural shift for all of us.

Sebastian loved his new school and our new home. He especially loved his new room, which was twice the size of his old one. Plus, we had a pool, and a hot tub, and an outdoor court to play on, and a huge yard, and a view of the water. Upstairs, we’d made a playroom all for him — complete with an epic case to display his favorite rocks.

And, of course, a lizard mansion for Titan.

Madelyn was having a bit of a harder time, but mostly because she’d been so sick. Maybe that was part of why I wanted to rush home to her after every practice and every game. I would have given up my entire career if I could switch places with her, if I could take the nausea and headaches and exhaustion that had taken over her entire life.

But she was strong. God, she was strong. And beautiful. Every time I looked at her, even when she looked green and ready to shove me aside to run for the toilet, I found myself struck with how fucking gorgeous she was. She’d laugh and wave me off when I told her as much, arguing with me instead that she looked like death.

I knew it was hard for her, but it seemed almost harder to let me help. I knew without asking that Marshall hadn’t been a partner to her through her first pregnancy. She’d had to do it all on her own.

Not this time.

I made sure to show up for her, every day, in every way I could, to let her know that we were in this together.

It was what I would have done even when I was sixteen, had I been given the choice.

I didn’t let myself ruminate on that, though. I focused on the here and now, on the life we had stretching out before us.

And tonight, we were finally telling Sebastian about his new role in our family.

My body ached like I’d been in a plane crash as I made my way through the back of the stadium, headphones on and my head down. We’d won the game, so I made sure to keep my face pleasant, smiling a bit for the cameras as I walked by, and all their flashes blinded me. I just didn’t want to be stopped.

Because for the first time all season, Madelyn and Sebastian had come to the game.

I knew Madelyn wanted to come sooner. I knew Sebastian was dying to finally attend. But with Madelyn being sick, I refused to let her put herself through a night of misery for me. It wasn’t until we made it out of the first trimester and her nausea faded, that I agreed it was time.

We’d pitched it to Sebastian as a big night out for him. He and I spent the day together before the game, making a big breakfast and swimming in the heated pool. When I’d made my way to the stadium, Madelyn had taken over. They spent time at the park and got McDonald’s before she took him to the team store to pick out whatever gear he wanted.

And at home, there was a gift waiting for him — one he’d never forget.

My stomach was in knots as I made my way to the friends and family lounge where wives, kids, and parents gathered after the games to wait on players. I’d been so excited to deliver this news, and yet, I wanted to do it right. I wanted to make sure Sebastian understood how much he meant to us, how much we would need him as a big brother. I wanted him to feel loved and feel special.

The last thing I wanted was for this to come like a blow to the knees, to sweep him into a new reality he wasn’t prepared for.

I’d talked through it all with Madelyn a million times, and though she’d assured me it would all be okay, I was still nervous as hell.

That kid meant more to me than I could put into words.

He felt like my own.

I hoped he understood that I’d always see him that way, that this wouldn’t change anything between us.

My thoughts were shaken loose when I pushed through the door to the lounge. I was greeted by the raucous noise of families reuniting, kids running around, wives chatting, friends cheering. I lifted my chin at a few of the players as I passed them, saying brief and friendly hellos to their families as they introduced me. But my focus was on finding Madelyn and Sebastian.

When I did, my heart stuttered in my chest.

They were in the far back corner with Giana — who was absentmindedly snacking on Cheetos in a bowl that she’d apparently decided was all for her and no one else. Sebastian was wearing a kid version of my jersey along with a Seattle Seahawks hat, and he had a navy-blue foam finger that looked half as big as he was. He looked a bit tired, but mostly excited, his eyes wide and his smile stretching across his face as he told some sort of story to Giana.

And then there was Madelyn.

Her red hair was longer now than when she’d first spiraled back into my life earlier in the summer, the silky strands of it hanging down past her shoulder blades. Her cheeks were flushed, her skin glowing in a way it never had. She wore a loose-fitting green blouse and a navy-blue blazer with cut-up denim jeans that reminded me of when she was my hot babysitter.

It didn’t matter that she wasn’t quite showing yet, that she looked as if nothing was different at all about her.

I knew, under that blouse, there was a tiny little bump steadily growing more and more each day.

I knew her breasts had swollen at least a cup size, that she had a new sensitivity that sometimes made her writhe in ecstasy when I played with her, and other times made her swat me away and give me a death glare if I so much as thought about touching her tits again.

I knew every mood swing she’d had, every tear she’d let fall, and every frustrated growl she’d let loose.

I knew she was carrying our child.

And that knowledge nearly knocked me to my knees every time I thought about it, no matter how many weeks it’d been.

My chest squeezed as Madelyn laughed at something Sebastian was saying, and then as if she felt me watching her, her warm brown eyes searched the room until she found me staring back at her.

Time slugged to a stop, the noise muting around us as her lips curled up into a soft, knowing smile.

Mine.

She was mine.

My rib cage expanded with the thought as I made my way to them, ready to sweep her up into my arms for the whole room to see. But Sebastian barreled into me first, crushing my legs in a hug.

“That. Was. Awesome!” he said, bouncing up and down with eyes the size of coasters. “We could see everything from our seats! When you ran that one play, the one where you spun and shoved your hand in that guy’s face?” Sebastian made a noise I’d never heard, something between a squeal and an evil laugh. “It was the best! I want to come to every game!”

I bent down next to him, flicking his hat. “I think you’re my good luck charm.”

“Next time, you gotta get a touchdown when I’m here.”

“What do I get if I do?”

“Hmmm… breakfast in bed! I’ll make it!”

“You’ll make it, huh? So, what am I getting? Cheerios?”

“Froot Loops!”

I laughed, plucking at his jersey. “I like your style, by the way.”

“Wouldn’t wear any other number,” he said proudly with a toothy grin — one that showed evidence that he’d be losing his front teeth soon.

Madelyn squeezed Sebastian’s shoulder. “He wanted to make sure he had this specific one, too. Not the white one. It had to be the navy.”

“These ones are the coolest,” Sebastian said matter-of-factly.

I winked at him, and then pulled my girl into my arms, inhaling the sweet scent that was so uniquely her. Tea and ink and citrus. I pressed my lips to her hair, feeling whole again.

“And what about you,” I asked. “You enjoy yourself?”

“Eh, it was alright.”

She smirked with the tease, but that didn’t stop me from digging my fingers into her side and tickling her mercilessly. Giana watched the whole ordeal with a soft smile on her face, like she both couldn’t believe what she was witnessing, and like she’d seen it coming all along.

“How did Clay do?” I asked, tucking Madelyn under one arm and Sebastian under the other.

“Beastly. He got an interception that was almost a pick six. Sadly, they didn’t win, but he seemed in decent spirits.”

“You see him tomorrow?” Madelyn asked.

Giana nodded. “Yes, and it still feels like too long. I swear, my hormones make me needy. We both fly home in the morning, and I’ve got just a few more weeks before I won’t be flying at all.”

“I can’t imagine you sitting still,” I remarked.

“Oh, trust me. I won’t be. I’ll be bossing Clay around to get the nursery painted and organized. If he thinks Coach is a hard ass, just wait until he sees me at thirty-eight weeks pregnant.”

We all laughed at the image, and I made a mental note to check in on my soon-to-be-dad friend. I knew he was excited, but I wondered if he was nervous, too. I wondered if he felt the way I did — like he wanted to be the best dad possible, all while understanding that he was for sure going to fuck up.

We stayed and visited for a while longer before Giana was ready to head to her hotel, and we were ready to brave the madness of the paparazzi on our way out to the parking lot. I’d asked Madelyn if she wanted to leave separately, if she wanted to avoid the spotlight for a while longer, but she’d wrapped her arm in mine and held Sebastian’s hand and said she was done hiding.

Cameras flashed as we made our way through the stadium — though there were fewer gathered now than there had been right after the game ended. I knew Giana would be hounded in the morning, everyone wanting to know who Madelyn was. Sebastian stole the show, grinning and waving at every camera we passed. I had a feeling he’d have no problem with a life that came with a bit of spotlight, but I still wanted to protect him at all costs, to make sure he never felt like his privacy was invaded.

Security escorted us to my Audi. I’d left the Aston Martin at home, since it only had two seats. Madelyn and I both breathed a sigh of relief once we were inside the tinted windows with the doors locked.

Sebastian, on the other hand, let out a whoop of adrenaline, declaring how awesome that was and that he couldn’t wait to see his pictures.

He passed out in the back seat less than five minutes into the drive, and Madelyn reached across the console, wrapping my hand in hers.

“You ready?” she asked on a whisper.

I couldn’t fight the smile that washed over my face, and I squeezed her hand before lifting her knuckles to my lips.

“Ready.”

Madelyn

Sebastian was so tired when we got home that I carried him inside, and I loved that I could still do it. He was teetering on the edge of being too big, and I found myself nuzzling into him for those little boy cuddles as long as I could get them.

Once we were inside, though, he stirred, and a new wave of energy washed over him. He asked me if he could have ice cream, and though I didn’t think sugar at midnight was a great idea, it was a special occasion.

So, he and Kyle made little ice cream sundaes — one for each of them, and a special one for me, which included more sprinkles than I’d had in all my years of life combined.

We ate at the kitchen island and made a mess with chocolate syrup, Sebastian and Kyle talking about the game while I smiled and listened.

I could see how nervous Kyle was, and it was the most adorable thing in the world.

Here was this beast of a man who had just won an NFL game, and he was shaking in his boots at the thought of telling a six-year-old that he was about to be a big brother.

It warmed my heart.

Once the ice cream was done, Kyle grabbed Sebastian’s hand, casting me a weary look over his shoulder. I winked at him with what I hoped was an encouraging smile. With one last breath, Kyle nodded, his resolve set.

“Have you had a good day?” he asked Sebastian.

“The best day.”

“Well, what if I told you we had one last surprise for you?”

Sebastian’s eyes widened, flicking from Kyle to me and back again.

“There’s a present for you on your bed,” Kyle said. “Think you have enough energy to open it?”

“Yeah!” Sebastian took off in a sprint, and Kyle and I chuckled before jogging along behind him.

We poured into his room just in time to see him ripping into the race car wrapping paper, and he tore at the box until he was holding his present in his hand.

A medium-sized, smoothly polished river rock — engraved with the words Big Brother.

Sebastian blinked at it for a long moment, turning it over in his hands with a confused and tentative smile. “It’s a rock.”

“It is,” Kyle said, bending down next to him. “Can you read what it says?”

Sebastian sounded the two words out one letter at a time until he got it.

“Big brother.”

We waited for it to click, but when Sebastian just tilted his head to the side, Kyle glanced up at me before sitting on the bed and pulling Sebastian up next to him.

“Tonight, at the game, did you see how me and the other guys on my team worked together?”

Sebastian nodded.

“We all had to work as a unit to get the win. Some of us had to throw or catch the ball. Others had to block so our players wouldn’t get hit. Some had to kick. Everyone had a role to play.”

“Kind of like a family.”

“Exactly like a family,” Kyle echoed. “Do you remember when I took you to Talon’s birthday party a couple weeks ago? Remember how she was showing off her new baby brother?”

Sebastian giggled. “Yeah. He kept blowing bubbles with his mouth.”

“He did, didn’t he?” Kyle smiled, sucked in a long breath, and let it out slowly. “Well, what would you think if I told you that you are going to have a new baby brother — or sister.”

My son’s eyes grew wide, and my hands floated to my mouth as tears pricked my eyes.

I knew that look.

He was excited.

“Wait, really?!”

Kyle nodded. “Really.”

Sebastian blinked rapidly. “How? When?”

“Well, I think you can see that your mom and I love each other.”

Sebastian smiled at me, and I winked at him. “Yeah,” he said.

“We love each other so much that we made a baby, and that baby is growing inside your mom’s tummy right now — just like you did.”

“In her tummy?” Sebastian looked at me slack-jawed. “Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes,” I said on a laugh, and I went over to join them on the bed. “You know how I’ve been feeling kind of sick lately? Well, that’s because it takes a lot of work to make a baby.”

“You’re making a whole human!”

“Isn’t that so cool?” Kyle asked.

Sebastian nodded emphatically. “And I’m going to be a big brother!”

“You are,” I said, squeezing his knee. “The best one ever.”

“Can I hug the baby? And play with it?”

“Absolutely. And you’ll help me and Mom protect it and care for it. Babies can’t do much for a while, so it’ll be a lot of work, but we’ll make it fun, won’t we?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian said. But his smile faltered a little then, and his eyes met Kyle’s. “Will the new baby call you dad, the way I call my dad?”

“Yes, buddy, they will.”

My son swallowed. “Would it be okay if I call you dad, too?”

Kyle’s eyes fluttered shut, and I watched him compose himself before he reached down and put both hands on Sebastian’s shoulders. “You can call me anything you’d like to. And I want you to know that this doesn’t change a thing between you and me. I…” He swallowed. “I love you. And you’re always going to be my buddy. In fact, I’m going to need you now more than ever. I’ve never been a dad before,” he said the word like it was crazy, and Sebastian giggled. “What the heck am I supposed to do? I need you to walk me through it all.”

“But I’ve never been a big brother, either!”

“Well, then I guess we’ll figure it all out together, won’t we?”

Sebastian nodded, and then he looked up at me. “We’re going to be a great team, aren’t we, Mommy?”

“We sure are,” I said, kissing his hair.

“So, do I have a baby brother or sister?”

“We don’t know yet,” Kyle said.

“Can I help name them?”

That question surprised me and Kyle both, and we laughed a little before I swept Sebastian’s hair back. “Maybe.”

“What would you name them?” Kyle probed, curious.

“Spider for a boy! Or Rockman!”

I rolled my lips together to stop my laugh.

“And for a girl?”

“Flower! Twinkles! Pinky!”

“Yeah, I think we might need to work on these a bit,” Kyle said, pinching his side. “But you can definitely be a part of the conversation.”

“Okay.” Sebastian yawned, and we took that as a cue to get him ready for bed.

All of us were still excitedly chatting about the news as Sebastian brushed his teeth and washed his face. He asked me all kinds of questions, including ones I wasn’t quite ready to answer like how are babies made? But I was happy he was inquisitive. This was a good sign for my little one. He only got curious about things he really cared about.

When he climbed into bed, Kyle tucked him in. We were just about to turn out the light and leave him be when I noticed him sniffle, his little eyes watering.

“Oh, honey. Are you okay?” I asked, sitting next to Kyle.

“Yeah,” he assured us with a nod, but he sniffed again. “I’m just… happy.”

Kyle smiled, swallowing as he smoothed Sebastian’s hair back. “Because you’re going to be a big brother?”

“Because we’re finally going to be a real family.”

Kyle and I shared a look before I leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Oh, sweetie. We’re already a family. We always will be, no matter what.”

“I was wondering something,” Sebastian said.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“I know you asked Mommy to marry you,” he said to Kyle, all serious-like now. “But I think you should wait until the baby is here. I don’t think it’s fair for them to miss it.”

Kyle looked at me with an arched brow, and I considered for a moment before nodding.

“You know what, that’s a great idea,” Kyle said. “Let’s wait for the baby.”

“But I can still be the ring tiger?”

I snorted. “The ring bearer,” I corrected. “And of course.”

Seemingly satisfied with all his questions answered — at least, for now — Sebastian settled deeper into his covers. He wished us both goodnight, and we slipped out of his room and into the hallway.

I looked at Kyle.

Kyle looked at me.

And then we crashed into an embrace.

Kyle held me tight to his chest as I melted into him, the weight of the news lifted off both of us. I knew we still had so much to come our way — pregnancy, birth, a wedding, a court trial. But somehow, it felt like the hardest of all of it was behind us. Somehow, it felt like it was all an easy breezy downhill skate from here.

“I love you,” Kyle said, pulling back to frame my face. “So, so fucking much. Do you know that?”

“Mmm,” I said, nuzzling his nose. “How much do you love me?”

He arched a brow. “What do you want?”

I bit my lip. “Macaroni and cheese.”

“Baby, I’m about to make you the best fucking mac and cheese of your life,” he promised, and he sealed it with a smack against my ass before he was toting me into the kitchen, kissing me every step of the way.