Champagne Brunch: The Stiletto Sisters Series Ainsley Claire (primary phonics books .TXT) 📖

I laugh. “Not likely.” I need to change the subject. “How did you sleep last night?”

“I did okay. I like being over here at the Lancaster compound. There’s always something happening.”

I smile, but then catch myself. I honestly don’t know what to think about Nate anymore either. If he’s caught up in something shady with Mia… Fuck. How did I get myself into this mess? Have I put my player in harm’s way? Is my whole life going to come crashing down around me?

“…but some of the players say I’m kissing up to him and making moves on his daughter,” Jeremy says.

My stomach tightens. I think I missed a bunch of what he said. Get it together, Axel. Surely this is just his teammates trying to get in his head again. “Are you messing with his daughters?”

“The youngest, Bex, will hang out with me if she’s around, but she sees me as a big brother. And while Katrina is hot, I’m not going there. I wouldn’t want to lose my place on the team or my spot living here in the guest house.”

A wave of relief splashes over me. He gets it. Of all the things I have to worry about, he’s not one of them. “Then just ignore Raymond and keep your head down.”

“Okay, I’ll see you over at the stadium today.”

“Yep,” I assure him. “I’ll see you there.” I need to make sure I’m focused on the right things. “Why don’t you and the guys come over tonight and we can order pizza and play some Fortnite? I’ll try to send my sister and her kids out for the night so we can hang.”

“I don’t mind the kids,” Jeremy says. “They can be there.”

“Are you sure? They wouldn’t mind a suite and the swimming pool at the Fairmont.”

“No. Clay reminds me of my little brother.” Jeremy chuckles. “The kids don’t bother me. They remind me of home.”

I look over at Clay, whose middle name should be Trouble, on the swings. “How are your parents doing?” I ask Jeremy.

“Good. I bought them a new corn harvest machine. It’s state of the art. Life will get easier for them.”

“I’m glad. They deserve it.” I rub my hand over my face. “You have a few days off. Should we schedule a trip home for you?”

“I can do that?”

“I’ll talk to the GM and make sure it’s okay, but I don’t see why not.”

“That’d be great. Oh, and tell Mia I’m sorry about all the fake publicity she’s getting right now. I can’t believe someone did that to her. I hope people don’t believe everything they read on the internet. Bryan tells me she and Mr. Lancaster are fighting this every way they can. People are trying to smear him too, and the government isn’t doing anything to stop the trolls. They’ve had to enlist Clear Security to help.”

Oh my God. In that moment, my world stops cold. Who’s the big brother here? All the nagging questions that have been swirling through my mind finally crystallize into something solid. What I was reading didn’t seem like Mia because it isn’t Mia. The big news outlets aren’t reporting the same things as the gossip rags because it’s not true. I’m an idiot. I’m worse than an idiot. My emotions have carried me off the deep end, and I should absolutely have known better. What have I done?

“Axel?” Jeremy says. “You still there?”

“Yeah, sorry. Uh, she’s dealing with a lot right now.” I don’t know what else to say.

“I’m sure knowing she has your support makes it easier,” he adds. “I know what having you in my corner does for me.”

Ooooh, fuck. “Well, thanks, buddy. That’s a great compliment. I appreciate it.” I feel like my head is floating away from my body. Just how badly have I messed this up?

I finish with Jeremy and let Nina, the new nanny from Clear, know I need to head back to get over to the ballpark shortly. She agrees to bring the boys home in a little while.

I wave goodbye to my nephews and walk back to my condo.

Alana looks up from the kitchen table when I come in. Her arms are crossed and her eyes swollen and red rimmed.

My stomach sinks. “What happened?”

“Mom called.”

I look to the heavens for a moment. I have really pissed someone off, somewhere in the universe. “What did she want?”

“For me to forgive Marco and take him back.”

I stop short. “Does she know Marco was in jail for domestic battery?”

“She does. She said he needs counseling, he’s sorry, and it’s more important that we’re together as a family.”

I narrow my eyes. “What he did was a million times worse than whatever Dad did to her.”

She shakes her head. “Marco has been talking to them, and I think they’re going to pay for his flight here to San Francisco.”

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. “We can get a restraining order,” I tell her.

“What if he’s really learned his lesson?”

I sigh. “He’s an unhappy person. When he uses, he takes that out on you. What happens if he takes it out on Clay or maybe goes right for Tavish?” I let SoBe off his leash. “Until he gets counseling and can pay his own way home, he can’t be around you or the kids. Alana, tell me you agree.”

She nods, but I’m not convinced she does.

I walk past her into my home office. I have to unlock the door, since I’m keeping it secured after someone smeared peanut butter all over my computer keyboard.

I open a blank email message to my parents and attach the pictures I took of Alana when she arrived. I want them to see