Page 144 of The Backup Plan
The rest?
Theo F.
You’re a junior playing second-year eligibility, so we’ll address what sponsorships we have the connections to influence, your potential in the transfer portal, the likelihood that we can kill you and call it an accident, and then wrap up with a sanctimonious lecture on the brotherhood of our glorious game.
And we’ll draft an outline for my phone call to your head coach tomorrow.
Tom B.
Can I do the lecture?
Cory T.
Seriously, Tom?
Tom B.
I’m just so bored.
Cam’s phone rang with an incoming video call. He saw his own face on the camera preview for a split-second before he answered, and looked about as low as he felt—disgruntled, discombobulated, and dirty. He’d left his gear in a pile in the locker room and ran as soon as he could get into regular pants. Justin had gone straight into surgery.
A familiar face filled the screen. Cam slouched and closed his eyes. “Okay,” he said in greeting. “So we’re doing this.”
FORTY-TWO
Total Game-Changer
CAMERON
“Yeah, we’re doing this.” Jordan bobbled his phone, shaking Cam’s view as he situated himself on a recliner. “You’re putting up better numbers than I ever did. I knew I left that place in good hands.”
“Are you finally ready for your press conference? Because I’ve got questions.”
“Warm me up with an easy one. I’m out of shape.” He reached for a beer as if to prove his point.
“Were you hooking up with Shelby Wentz from P.R.?”
Jordan spit half a mouthful of lager onto his shirt. “Why is that your first question?” he rasped.
“Because it has haunted my nightmares since the day Marsh North suggested it was the reason she always held you up as a paragon of goodness while telling me all the ways I suck. Oh God, your face is so red. It’s true. You sick bastard.”
“Have you seen her in a good pair of jeans, though?”
“If you’re down with the humiliation kink, carry on. But she’s an evil misandrist who has big thoughts about how my dick compares to yours.”
“She what? What the hell did you do?”
“Well, I didn’t do her.” He yawned. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you in a year and a half, since that’s how long we go between calls now.”
“Buddy, you have to know why I didn’t tell you.”
“Whatever it is—and remember, I still don’t know entirely what it is—don’t you think I would have lied for you?” Cameron demanded. “What I said just now about you handing me the team on purpose was a guess. If this is about what happened with that stupid helmet, I’d have helped you however I could.”
“Talking about it would have opened us all up to trouble. If you knew, it meant the coaches knew. It meant the program knew. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“What was all that shit about unfinished business for if you weren’t going to tell me? What are you doing here now, if it’s still such a big secret?”
“The pressure’s off you, for now. I doubt anyone will ask you about me again, so you won’t have to lie. Cory texted me before Fish got on. I had to let you know I’m still here for you and the team.”