“I wouldn’t tell you what to do,” Mike said.
“Sounds like you are,” she said, laughing.
“No,” Mike said. “I assure you. Just wanted to make sure that everyone was on track with no distractions. The season isn’t much longer and Warren has been pretty preoccupied lately. You know, a new relationship...”
“I see,” she said. “You think that he’s thinking of me more than the team?” She was laughing. “I don’t think that is the case. If anyone knows what they are responsible for, it’s Warren. You’re worrying for nothing.”
“I know,” Mike said. “We all know how much football means to Warren. It’s all he’s ever known. Even his agent said that he’s not sure Warren is ready to give it up yet and is starting to think about where he might end up after this contract. It’s possible he could get an extension here close to you. I bet you could convince him of that.”
“It’s not anything that concerns me currently,” she said, her heart dropping. Had Warren lied to her about retiring after next season?
It was his decision, not hers.
And it’s not like she needed someone in her space nonstop. Didn’t she just tell her mother she felt guilty he was sittingaround while she was working, even though he didn’t care about it?
In her eyes they’d made the past seven months work just fine, so she shouldn’t let this bother her though.
“You say that now,” Mike said. “But the woman always ends up controlling things in the end. I’ve seen it happen more than you realize.”
“You have a nice Thanksgiving,” she said. “Warren just showed up so we should end this.”
She hung up on him before he could say bye. Not rude, just her normal thing.
“Why did you lie to the team’s publicist?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Emma said. “It’s nothing that concerns me.”
“Sure, it does or he wouldn’t have called you,” her mother said. “Do you want to let me in on it?”
“I think Roark and Chelsea are here. I’m going to get Taryn first if you don’t,” she said and took off running for her niece.
After dinner, she felt full and got up to go to the bathroom.
When she was walking down the hall, Warren stopped her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, moving in to kiss him. “I had to pee. I’m not sure how you don’t go nonstop with as much water as you drink.”
“My body is used to it now,” he said. “Are you sure everything is okay? You’ve been acting odd.”
“I’m always odd,” she said. “Be more specific.”
He angled his head. “I can’t put my finger on it. It’s just a vibe I’m feeling.”
Guess she wasn’t doing that great of a job hiding her annoyance over Mike’s call and the news that Warren was thinking of continuing to play.
Between that and the fact his father had been trying to reach him, she wondered how close they were to each other.
She felt something distracted him on the day of his injury, so maybe Mike was right. He had a lot going on in his life and it was best that he focus on those things first.
“No vibe,” she said. “You’re going back home, right?”
He frowned. “I thought I could go to the island with you, but I just assumed it.”
“Oh,” she said. She knew he was going to, but it was best to have him get back on track. Maybe he needed to return to football with that headspace, like Mike said.
“I don’t have to,” he said. “I guess I could have overstayed my welcome. You can tell me that.”
“It’s fine,” she said. She decided to be honest. “I just think that when you’re in the house and I’m working, I’m feeling guilty that I’m ignoring you. It’s kind of rude.”
