Read Online Fourth Down Baby: A May-December Romance by Lauren Landish - Free Book Online
Authors: Lauren Landish
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you some under the table advice the past couple of years, but this . . . Jesus, they're paying you this much to play football?”
“They are,” Troy says quietly, seriously. “This is important. I want to set up for the long term. Things are different than they were even just a few weeks ago.”
I sip my drink, then set it aside. I don't need this shit right now. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, Troy, but this amount of money will either make or break you over the next few years.”
“There's nobody else in the world I'd trust more with it,” Troy says, level but supportive at the same time.
“You know I’ll treat it like my own, but Troy, you know what they say—friendship and business don't always mix.”
“Not always, but in this case, I trust you.”
I nod and glance across the room to where Whitney is talking with some of the other ladies in attendance. Seriously, this feels like a junior high dance, with guys on one side, girls on the other, and two miles of barbed wire and poison gas in between. “Troy, you know I don't mean to pry into your business, but I've been doing a little quick math in my head. That little girl with Patricia Nelson today—”
“Laurie.”
“She's not Patricia's. She's got the same face, just like Whit's, in fact, but Patricia hasn't had a kid in the past five years. I know that much.”
“Oh, you do, do you?” Troy says with a smirk and pats me on the shoulder.
“I guess what I'm saying is . . . Laurie's got blonde hair, and you're blond . . . you know what I'm sayin'?”
Troy chuckles again and shrugs, frustrating my question. “One more thing. I'd like to look at setting up some sort of blind trust again. I want it to be a lump sum payout sort of thing, maturing when someone turns either eighteen or twenty-one.”
“I can get that set up.” I nod, going back to business. “What amount are you looking at?”
“We'll talk that later. I need to work out some details on that first,” Troy says.
I nod and pick up my drink, taking a sip. “Well, I'll email you as soon as I get the details back in San Fran. In the meantime, though, I think I'm going to stir the pot around here. This junior-high boys and girls shit's gotta stop. You coming with?”
Troy shakes his head and smiles a secret little smile. “Nah. I've got plans on throwing my own hand grenade in this little party, and I wouldn't want to do that too early. Just . . . use some discretion, know what I mean?”
“I can be discreet. Remember, I'm an investment banker, or I want to be. We have to do nondisclosure shit all the time.” I get up and walk across the floor, my mind whirling. Troy and Whit, back together. As awesome as that is, I wonder if that's why Patricia isn't here. It would explain things. She's the sort of woman who wouldn't want to put pressure on her daughter. Besides, that helps my feelings too, so I'll run with that explanation.
“Whitney Nelson, I just had to come over here and say it's good to see you again,” I say.
She gives me a quick hug and pats my stomach. "How're you doing, Cory? You’ve gained some weight.”
“Hey, it's only five pounds!” I laugh it off, knowing that she's messing with me. “You, on the other hand, look absolutely amazing. And can I ask—that little girl with your mom at the ceremony?"
“Yes, she's my daughter, Laurie,” Whitney says, and there's a sense of pride in her eyes, one I can understand. Regardless of whether it was smart for her to leave, Whitney's busted her ass the past five years, and I'm impressed.
"You know, she looks a lot like you. She has the same cute smile.”
Whitney gives me a smile of her own, so much like Patricia's that I'm caught off guard and my heart surges. Jesus, they look so much alike. They could be sisters and not mother and daughter. Troy's one lucky son of a bitch. “Thanks. What about you? Have you found someone?"
I see Dani behind us, and she looks up, a bit surprised, but I play it off. I
“They are,” Troy says quietly, seriously. “This is important. I want to set up for the long term. Things are different than they were even just a few weeks ago.”
I sip my drink, then set it aside. I don't need this shit right now. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, Troy, but this amount of money will either make or break you over the next few years.”
“There's nobody else in the world I'd trust more with it,” Troy says, level but supportive at the same time.
“You know I’ll treat it like my own, but Troy, you know what they say—friendship and business don't always mix.”
“Not always, but in this case, I trust you.”
I nod and glance across the room to where Whitney is talking with some of the other ladies in attendance. Seriously, this feels like a junior high dance, with guys on one side, girls on the other, and two miles of barbed wire and poison gas in between. “Troy, you know I don't mean to pry into your business, but I've been doing a little quick math in my head. That little girl with Patricia Nelson today—”
“Laurie.”
“She's not Patricia's. She's got the same face, just like Whit's, in fact, but Patricia hasn't had a kid in the past five years. I know that much.”
“Oh, you do, do you?” Troy says with a smirk and pats me on the shoulder.
“I guess what I'm saying is . . . Laurie's got blonde hair, and you're blond . . . you know what I'm sayin'?”
Troy chuckles again and shrugs, frustrating my question. “One more thing. I'd like to look at setting up some sort of blind trust again. I want it to be a lump sum payout sort of thing, maturing when someone turns either eighteen or twenty-one.”
“I can get that set up.” I nod, going back to business. “What amount are you looking at?”
“We'll talk that later. I need to work out some details on that first,” Troy says.
I nod and pick up my drink, taking a sip. “Well, I'll email you as soon as I get the details back in San Fran. In the meantime, though, I think I'm going to stir the pot around here. This junior-high boys and girls shit's gotta stop. You coming with?”
Troy shakes his head and smiles a secret little smile. “Nah. I've got plans on throwing my own hand grenade in this little party, and I wouldn't want to do that too early. Just . . . use some discretion, know what I mean?”
“I can be discreet. Remember, I'm an investment banker, or I want to be. We have to do nondisclosure shit all the time.” I get up and walk across the floor, my mind whirling. Troy and Whit, back together. As awesome as that is, I wonder if that's why Patricia isn't here. It would explain things. She's the sort of woman who wouldn't want to put pressure on her daughter. Besides, that helps my feelings too, so I'll run with that explanation.
“Whitney Nelson, I just had to come over here and say it's good to see you again,” I say.
She gives me a quick hug and pats my stomach. "How're you doing, Cory? You’ve gained some weight.”
“Hey, it's only five pounds!” I laugh it off, knowing that she's messing with me. “You, on the other hand, look absolutely amazing. And can I ask—that little girl with your mom at the ceremony?"
“Yes, she's my daughter, Laurie,” Whitney says, and there's a sense of pride in her eyes, one I can understand. Regardless of whether it was smart for her to leave, Whitney's busted her ass the past five years, and I'm impressed.
"You know, she looks a lot like you. She has the same cute smile.”
Whitney gives me a smile of her own, so much like Patricia's that I'm caught off guard and my heart surges. Jesus, they look so much alike. They could be sisters and not mother and daughter. Troy's one lucky son of a bitch. “Thanks. What about you? Have you found someone?"
I see Dani behind us, and she looks up, a bit surprised, but I play it off. I
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