Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1) Read online

  “I don’t think Ellerie’s wife would appreciate that,” I retort.

  “Actually, Ellie’s my niece,” Ellerie laughs.

  I narrow my eyes at him then look down at the little girl in my arms smiling at me. A million things run through my mind. There is no way. This little girl has to be at least five or six. I think back to six, seven years ago. I was dating Rebecca my last year in college off and on. Rebecca was paler than me with thin lips and a long nose.

  I look at Ellerie examining his face. His eyes are a hazel color and are sort of almond shaped. I pinch my eyes closed trying to see the one face I know that could be similar to his… no it couldn’t be. I look at the little girl again. She’s too old I continue to tell myself.

  “I wouldn’t mind becoming a part of your family,” Teddy chuckles.

  Ellerie grimaces, “I wouldn’t mind another visit with your wife,” he bites out.

  “That’s fine as long as your sister is bent over in front of me as I watch,” Teddy says casually and shrugs.

  “Fellas,” Eric places a hand on both their shoulders and nods toward Brielle. “We have a little lady in our presence.”

  Brielle is more focused on watching me. There is an innocent curiosity in her eyes. Ellerie shoots Teddy a warning glare and folds his arms across his chest.

  “Ellie, I think I saw some cake and ice cream being served over there. Would you like to join me for some?” I ask.

  She gives me the cutest little pout that reminds me of the one my oldest niece perfected. “Thank you, but no thank you, Mr. Brad. Mommy said I can’t have any, because I won’t eat the food,” she says sadly.

  Ellerie runs a hand over her head and she turns to look at him. “How about we run an audible, you and Brad go that way,” Ellerie tips his head to the side. “I’ll intercept mommy so you have time to eat your ice cream and cake. Just don’t spill it on your dress.”

  “Oh Uncle Eli, really, can I?”

  “Sure baby, but remember it’s our secret,” Ellerie says and winks at her. “Brad, if Ellie gives you a hard time just scream for help.”

  “Oh, I’ll be good. I promise,” Brielle says with wide eyes.

  I don’t know what possessed me to offer to take her for cake and ice cream. The kid just drew me in. I tighten my hold on her and start for the refreshment table where I saw them serving cake. I think about what she said about her mama not wanting her to have it, because she wouldn’t eat and detour toward the food. She is fidgeting with my tie peeking up at me every so often.

  “So Sugar, why won’t you eat any food,” I ask gently.

  “Mommy says I’m a picky eater,” she says wrinkling her nose. I know I have seen that look before. She shrugs her little shoulders. “I don’t know if I’ll like it. You shouldn’t waste food.”

  “You know what? I’m a picky eater too. I ate a few things here though. How about before we get your ice cream you eat a little? I’ll get you a plate of what I had, that sound good?”

  “Okay,” she says, nodding enthusiastically.

  “Are you allergic to anything?” I ask not wanting to give someone else’s kid something that would harm them.

  She wrinkles her nose again and looks me in the eyes as she thinks. “No,” she replies. “But when I go see Nana and Pop Pop I have to wash my hands after I eat my peanut butter crackers before I touch Pop Pop or his things.”

  Feeling certain she understands what allergic means and that she isn’t allergic to anything. I place her on her feet and fill a plate with some turnovers, wraps and pigs in a blanket. There are a variety of things to choose from but I go as kid friendly as I can. Plate in hand I take Brielle to a table, help her into a chair and have a seat.

  “Okay Sugar, let’s see if your taste is as good as mine,” I say and wink at her.

  She grabs for the turnovers and starts to munch away. It is easier than I thought. She sits humming and watching me. I watch her just as intently. Her lashes are blonde but so long and thick. Her hair is not a golden blonde like mine but it is a dirty blonde color with sandy brown highlights.

  “Do you go to school Ellie,” I ask.

  She nods in between bites then covers her mouth with her small hand. It is such a lady like gesture. “But Mommy let me skip two weeks to take me on a cruise,” her eyes sparkle when she says mommy.

  “Oh really, I bet you had a lot of fun.”

  “Oh yes, I did. It was just me and Mommy and I got to go swimming, see movies, play, take princess pictures. At night me and Mommy sat in our room and read our books on our readers while having quiet girlfriend time to unwind,” she says animatedly.

  Yeah, this kid could not be mine. She is definitely too old to be mine. I sit quietly to watch her devour the rest of the food. She cleans the plate, which leaves me chuckling. I have no idea where she packed it all. We clean up and then we go to get our cake and ice cream before returning to our seats.

  “Mr. Brad, thank you. This is so good,” she chimes as she shoves ice cream and cake in her mouth.

  “You’re welcome and your’e right it is good,” I chuckle.

  “I think we should tell Mommy to get a cake like this for my party. Will you come with me to tell her,” she says excitedly.

  “Sure Sugar, what kind of party,” I ask.

  Her whole face lights up. That’s when I really look at her. Her eyes aren’t just blue. They are the exact same blue as mine. Not that I haven’t seen people with blue eyes before outside my family, but my family has a distinctive blue. They’re not just blue they are midnight around the outside and bleed into a turquoise then light blue around the irises. When they light up from our excitement they almost glow, just like hers are doing right now.

  “My birthday party, it’s going to be a princess party,” she sings.

  “How old are you Ellie,” I have to know.

  “I’m three but I’ll be four in a few months for my princess party,” she gushes then her face lights up more, like she just had the best idea ever. “Oh Mr. Brad, will you come to my party? You’re my new friend you have to come.”

  I am stunned into silence. Could she be confused? My nieces and nephews were nothing like her at three or four and she is so tall. I feel like I am talking to a small adult, she has to be older. Her being older would release this pit in my stomach.

  Her face falls when I don’t answer her question and she places her spoon on her plate and pushes the little bite left away. I snap out of it at the sight of her crestfallen face. She wipes her little hands on a napkin and slides out of her chair.

  “Brielle,” I croak then clear my throat. She turns her little face toward me and looks at me with sad big blue eyes. “I would love to come to your party, but we have to ask your mommy and Uncle Ellerie first, okay?”

  Her full megawatt smile comes back and she nods her head with excitement causing her curls to bounce around her face. She launches herself at me and wraps her little arms around my neck. Something tugs in my heart and I am happy I could bring that smile back to her face.

  Chapter 7

  “What did you do with my daughter?” I narrow my eyes and look around the crowded tent.

  Ellerie just strolls over to me like he owns the world. He throws an arm over my shoulder and squeezes. I fold my arms across my chest and give him a pointed look.

  “Will you relax,” Ellerie says and rolls his eyes. “I love you and that kid more than life itself. I’ve known where you and she have been every moment we’ve been here. You do remember I’ve got the tall gene. I can see over the crowd unlike you.”

  “Oh shut up,” I giggle. “I’ve had to hear about you and your tall gene and your hazel eye gene since we were little. I don’t know why I even like you. You spend more time teasing me than anything.”

  “You sister dear, love me. And you love me because I tell the best jokes, babysit whenever you need, and I kick anyone’s ass that tries to step out of line,” Ellerie says straightening his jacket and his tie.

  “W
hatever,” I laugh. “Where’s Bri?”

  “I sent her on a mission to have fun, something I’m hoping to get you to do,” Ellerie says nonchalantly.

  “I think I’m doing good. I was having fun talking to Teddy and Eric,” I retort.

  “Teddy is in a bitter marriage and I almost had to kick his ass for even having thoughts of trying to bring you into that mess. Eric is …Yeah, those two are not the type that I want my baby sister with. Besides, their my best friends we talk a lot of trash to each other but they know how I feel about you and Ellie and they wouldn’t go there.”

  “What, I’m not good enough for your friends,” I put my hand on my hip and scowl. “I was thinking about going out with Teddy and his wife.”

  Ellerie’s mouth pops open and he glares at me until I can no longer keep a straight face. I throw my head back and laugh. Ellerie tugs at a loose piece of hair at my temple.

  “Dad called me last night. They’re on their way back home from Greece,” Ellerie swiftly changes the subject.

  “Good, so they’ll be in the States for Bri’s birthday. I was thinking about going to New York after her party.”

  “You won’t have to,” Ellerie sighs. “They are thinking about coming here for a while.”

  “Oh Eli, what’s a while,” I whine.

  “Not sure, a few months maybe,” he shrugs.

  Not that I don’t love my parents and want them around. It’s just my father has never been happy that I refuse to tell them who Brielle’s father is. He always gives me this knowing look, like he figured it out or something. But like a good lawyer he is willing to wait for the truth to reveal itself with time and observation. That’s the problem. My dad is too observant and he does things to trip me up when I’m not on my game.

  Well he can bring it on because that is one cat that will never be coming out of the bag. Brielle will keep them plenty busy with her insistent talking and demands. Bri can be the little diva when she wants.

  “I guess it is about that time again,” I sigh. “I just thought I would have this partner thing under wraps and it would be enough to pacify Daddy for a little bit.”

  “Dad is just like the rest of us, wanting to see you happy,” Ellerie says with a warm smile.

  “When are you going to be happy Eli?”

  “You’d have to understand my world to know why I do the things I do, Tam,” Ellerie says somberly. “You know a lot about the sports world but there are some things I hope you never find out. I’ll get a ring or two and then I’ll go after what I want. Hopefully it will still be there waiting for me.”

  “What happened, Eli? When did we forget to be happy?” I muse aloud.

  Chapter 8

  “Can we go ask my Mommy now,” Ellie pulls away and beams up at me.

  “Sure, let’s see if we can find her and your uncle,” I say and hold out my hand for hers.

  I stand and scan the room for Ellerie. I lock eyes on Ellerie talking to the woman in the black off the shoulder dress again. Once again her back is turned to me. I have to see her face.

  I start in their direction dragging Ellie along with me. I peek down and she is smiling up at me with hope in her eyes. She holds her tiny fingers up on her free hand and crosses them. I laugh and give her fingers I’m holding a gentle squeeze.

  When Ellerie and the woman in black come into Brielle’s view she rips her hand from mine and shoots off toward them a few feet away. I feel the loss of her hand in my heart. After that everything else seems to happen in slow motion.

  I watch as Brielle’s curls bounce on her head as she sprints forward. For the first time I notice her little feet in her sandals as they slap the ground pushing her forward.

  “Mommy, Mommy,” she chimes aloud. And then the woman turns and sends my world spinning with her. Her face is glowing as she looks down at Brielle with a face splitting smile. Brielle’s arms shoot out and wrap around her legs as she collides with them.

  In that moment, I feel my knees go weak. I reach out for the back of the chair nearest me to support my weight. I can’t believe it is her. I am staring at the one woman I thought I would never see again. That’s when everything starts to fall into place, slamming into me like a Mack truck.

  I’m a father. I have a daughter, a beautiful little girl with my eyes, my dimples, and my chin. I have a daughter with her and I left. I left without a word, without a trace and I have a daughter. I never knew about her because I made the biggest mistake of my life. Her, she is the woman that stole my heart in one night looking more beautiful than I remember.

  I suck in a sharp breath as I watch them. Brielle says something to her and her smile collapses. Her eyes draw up in the direction Brielle came from and her eyes lock with mine. She just stares for a moment then she blinks a few times and stumbles backward reaching out to grab Ellerie’s hand.

  Ellerie’s face goes from concerned to confused, his head pops up to follow her gaze and his face turns to rage. Her hand shoots to his chest and she turns to say something to him as she shakes her head. And that’s when I snap out of it, I can’t wait any longer.

  ~B~

  “Mommy, mommy,” I hear Brielle singing from behind me cutting Ellerie’s and my conversation short. I turn in time to lock eyes with my little girl. Her little legs carry her right to me as she barrels into my legs, wrapping her arms around them.

  “Mommy, I ate the food. You would be so proud of me I ate it all. And I had ice cream and cake and it was so good. Uncle Eli’s new friend and my new best friend, Brad, said he’s a picky eater too, so he only gave me what was good to eat,” Brielle squeals so fast my head spins.

  When her words sink in my smile crumbles and I look up in the direction Brielle just came from. There he is staring back at me holding on to the back of a chair like his life depends on it. It is like a punch through my heart.

  It is him but it isn’t. He no longer looks like the rookie I met five years ago. The baby face is gone replaced by a square jaw and sharp features. His blonde hair is combed back neatly out of his face and tucked behind his ears brushing well past his shoulders, not like that first night when it was just long enough to cup each ear. It is now a full mass of waves reminding me of Brielle’s hair when I pull a comb through her curls. He definitely put on that Pro weight. He is filling out his tailored suit in a way that would make any woman take a second look, and a third.

  His arms bulge against the suit’s jacket and his thighs stress his suit’s pants. The black suit and crisp white shirt complement his tanned skin. The blue tie is the perfect finish, making him look like a perfectly wrapped package.

  I don’t have a thing for white men. I just have a thing for this white man. Five years and I cannot mistake the butterflies in my belly. There is no denying the fire I feel in my veins at the memory of his touch. I blink a few times and stumble back reaching for my brother’s hand and squeeze it hard.

  “Oh my God,” I gasp, “oh my God, oh no, oh God no.”

  “I’ll kill him,” Ellerie growls beside me as his body tenses.

  I snap out of it and turn to push at my brother’s chest as he starts to launch himself toward Brad. I shake my head fiercely. This is not happening, it can’t be.

  “Listen to me Ellerie, he doesn’t know, he didn’t know. He never knew. I never even told him my name. It was one night. I was stupid and drunk and Stacey had this idea to not tell him and his friend our names. I never tried to tell him. Please,” I whisper frantically trying to explain.

  “You’re kidding me right, Tam,” Ellerie hisses. “You’ve known all this time who he was and where and you made us believe it was someone you didn’t know how to find or contact.”

  “It’s complicated. I was embarrassed. I was scared,” I almost sob.

  “Brad,” Brielle squeals behind me.

  I whip around to see him now standing less than a foot away. He is looking down at Brielle as a myriad of emotions cross his face. His large hand moves shakily toward her face then drops back to his
side. His hands clench then unclench.

  His blue eyes mist over and then he squeezes them shut. He opens them and tries blinking a few times. The whole time Brielle stands staring up at him with a huge smile on her face.

  His eyes slowly move up to meet mine and search my face. I watch his throat work as he swallows hard trying to find his words. One hand moves to run through his hair.

  “I…is she…she’s,” he stammers out not able to complete a phrase. I nod and he gulps down a breath of air.

  This time he reaches for my face and brushes my cheek. “Sweetheart, please tell me your name,” he rasps.

  “Tamara, Tamara Hathaway,” I breathe.

  His jaw works under his skin like he is trying my name out in his mouth. “Tamara,” he drawls. “Tamara, we need to talk.”

  “I know,” I murmur.

  “Mommy,” Brielle says looking at me with concern.

  I reach for her, pulling her close, hugging her against me. Brad looks down at her and pain washes over his face. In that moment, I think that maybe I had made the wrong decision. Maybe he had a right to know about her.

  “Bri, why don’t you go with Uncle Eli, baby,” I look down at her and say softly.

  Brielle gasps and her face crumbles as her little bottom lip trembles. “Oh mommy, please don’t be mad at Brad. I’m so sorry Brad, sorry Uncle Eli, I forgot it was supposed to be our secret,” she sobs. She grabs Brad’s hand and looks up at me. “Mommy, I ate first. Brad gave me food first. Please don’t be mad at him. He’s my new friend. I don’t want him to get in trouble because I forgot.”

  “Bri, it’s fine baby. He’s not in trouble for giving you the cake. Just go with Uncle Eli,” I soothe.

  “But,” she sniffles and looks up at Brad.

  He squeezes her little hand in his and kneels down to her eye level. He brushes away a tear that slips free. It looks like he wants to cry with her.

  “Sugar, it’s okay. I need to talk to your mama. She’s an old friend of mine. When we’re done I’ll come find you and we can cause a little trouble with one of those go carts I saw them setting up,” Brad says gruffly.