o

le in the middle of the restaurant. I had gotten a signing bonus and

I was a couple inches taller than him and I had Mom’s eyes, but I had his dark hair and facial features and his drive. Now, I had graduated from UCLA with a business degree and been drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.

aining?” Mom asked me

in Atlanta in

e home with us tomorrow and see the family and everyone before you get busy with training and your new life

shipping prices for all my stuff and Josh planned a party to celebrate tonight

eached them, and I would like you to come home for a little while. Two weeks with your family won't kill you,” she looked at me with puppy dog eyes and I knew that I was goi

m coming home,”

iden noticeably every second. “Great you wi

wnston,” I told her laughing. She shared a look with Dad t

should get back to the hotel and pack and you best get to your party and figure out shipping arrangements. We are leaving at eight in the morning. I expect you to be on time,” she gav

te the last three years, was throwing me I sat around the dining room table p

d. His apartment was across the hall from ours and his apartment was where the party was being held. I glared at him and tried bouncing the quarter into the sho

I knew what was waiting for me. Mom had told me the Mayor had said he wanted to declare my birthday a holiday and hold a parade every year. It was ridiculous. I only was in the NFL. I

early huh?”

does and convinced me to go back and spend the two wee

?” He asked, “Isn't everyone a family or

“Yes, Mr. Small Town U.S.A. here has a girl back ther

ughing. He had been on my about dating the whole time I had known him. I didn't even sleep with anyone which really bothered him for some reason. I just wa

e is a big reason... The main reas

on. They had been dating since the sixth grade,” Josh chime

old,” Jarome drew o

than she was staying in Georgia for school and I was coming to L.A. That would have made sense for most people, but Callie and I had already talked about how we would fly to see one another on breaks our families shared a private jet. It would cost nothing. We planned to c

her a week. She didn’t change her mind and she didn’t come to school. I tried talking to her best friend and my cousin, Daisy and she told me she had graduated early and decided to go to a spa with her mother for two

ulder pulling me from my thoughts. “No way she will be able to turn y

a bro hug. “Thanks for everything guys and I want you both out there for my first game, okay?” They nodded. I

get, yeah?” He restated our agreement we had discussed. I nodded in agreement. I finished saying my goodbyes to ever

e had changed. Did she have someone in her life now? I forced myself to go to sleep, but she was in my dreams the whole night too. I woke the next day not lo