Page 162 of Payoff Pitch

“Yes, baby, and I agree with Bailey. You should play lots of sports.”

Sulley blinks a few times. “What word did she just use?”

Fallon and I giggle. I answer, “Harper learns a new word every day. She amazingly remembers them and uses them appropriately in conversation.”

“What does that word mean?”

Harper answers, “Having skill at something with your hands or limbs. Like ambidextrous is having skills with both hands.”

Sulley twists her lips. “Hmm. I think I need to study more if I’m going to hang out with you, Harper.”

We’re all laughing as we walk back toward the house. I invite Sulley to stay for dinner, but she says she has plans. Before leaving, she turns to Fallon. “Have you ever considered working with athletes?”

Fallon nods. “I work with them all the time.”

Sulley responds, “I mean on a permanent basis. I know the Beavers are in the market for a full-time dedicated physical therapist. We told management we want it to be a woman. A woman like you with a basketball background would be perfect. And look at what you did for Bailey. Obviously it’s more intense during the season, and you need to travel with the team, but you’ll be able to set your own hours in the off-season. Something to consider. We’d love to have you.”

Harper’s face lights up. “Does it mean courtside seats for her daughter?”

Sulley laughs. “I don’t see why not.”

Harper jumps up and down. “Yes, Mommy. You should do it.”

Fallon smiles. “I’ll think about it. Thanks for asking, Sulley.”

Sulley nods and says her goodbyes as she makes her way toward her car.

When the three of us walk back inside, I notice a familiar-looking man sitting with Tanner.

Fallon stops short and her face falls. “Linc? What in the hell are you doing here?”

Harper gasps. “Mommy. Language. That’s ten dollars.”

Linc. Linc. It takes me a second, and then I remember that it’s the name of Tanner’s younger brother. The one he rarely sees. The one he doesn’t think highly of. I don’t remember seeing a photo of him beyond the age of eight, but I feel like I’ve seen him before. Maybe it’s because he resembles Tanner, though he’s not nearly as attractive.

Linc rolls his eyes. “Warm as ever, Fallon. I didn’t think I’d seeyouhere,” he wiggles his eyebrows, “but I certainly don’t mind the view.”

He then oddly stares at me. It’s kind of making me uncomfortable, but perhaps I’m reading too much into it. I hold out my hand. “Hi, I’m Bailey. It’s nice to meet you.”

He tentatively shakes it. “You too…Bailey? Did you say your name is Bailey?”

“Yes.”

Tanner stands behind Harper. “Bug, you probably don’t remember him, you haven’t seen him since you were really little, but this is your Uncle Lincoln.”

Harper shakes her little head. “I don’t remember.”

He smiles at her. “Maybe we can do something to get to know each other. Do you have dolls? We can play with them. Or maybe a make-believe kitchen? We can have a tea party.”

Harper scowls at him. Fallon and I smile at one another. Harper doesn’t have a single doll or engage in tea parties. She’s a tomboy through and through.

Tanner bites back his own smile. “Linc, she’s not four, and she happens to be into sports. Mostly softball. She probably throws harder than you ever did.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. Aren’t sports for boys? You should play princess dress-up, polish your nails, or other things like that.”

I mouth to Fallon, “He’s a douche.”

She nods and mouths back, “Yep.”