“Good. Yes! I can’t wait for you to meet him. He seems excited to get back to playing, and I think he’ll make a great asset to the team we have now.”
“That’s great news. I’m glad we found someone who’s got you so excited.” Madi laughed. It felt good, really good to be able to talk about replacing her husband without being assaulted by anguish.
Lathem laughed on the other end of the line. “I know. But I’m telling ya, once you see him in action, you’re gonna be the one excited. We’re going to the Super Bowl this year, Madi. I feel it.”
“I sure hope you’re right. We got the talent, that’s for sure.”
“So, you want me to set something up for week after next? I’ll inform him you’re on vacation. I think he’s taking his daughter to Disney World anyway, he said.”
“Yeah, just let me know what time. We’ll fly back before then. I need to get back to the complex soon anyway.”
“I’m glad to hear it. And Madi, if you need anything…”
“Thanks, Lathem. I appreciate it.”
She said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, feeling hopeful.
Brett stood by the window, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes questioning as Madi grinned up at him.
“Everything ok?”
“Yeah, Scoop found a replacement for Hunter.” She tried not to let her voice waver when she said his name, but it did. Brett’s reaction didn’t help; his head fell and he looked upset. “Brett…”
“And you’re ok with this?” he retorted as he looked back up at her, eyes narrowing.
“Well, I mean it’s just a meeting. Of course I’m gonna see him in action and everything before we make the final decision.”
“But you’re ok with talking about this…so soon?”
“The draft will be here in a couple weeks, Brett. If we don’t grab him up, someone else will. You know how it is.”
Brett just nodded but Madi could see that he was still mulling it over. “Hey,” she said as she shot up and stood in front of him. “Are you ok with this?”
“I’m fine. I just…”
“I know it’s gonna be hard. I’m sorry.” She rested her hand on his forearm and stroked him there lightly.
Brett gave her a weak smile. “Who?”
“Quillan Layton. He used to play for Baltimore.”
“I remember him. Hell of a player. We won’t regret signing him.”
Madi smiled, and Brett returned it.
“You sure you’re alright?” he asked again and moved to unfold his arms, a hand coming up to her cheek.
Madi simply nodded and smiled back, getting one out of Brett. “Let’s take a run, then we’ll go look for hidden treasure. I wanna know what it feels like to be a pirate.”
With that Brett nodded and gave her a hearty laugh.
Hours later, Val and Linc were there with their adorable twin boys and everyone was on the beach, laughing, playing Nerf football, and listening to Bob Marley telling everyone to not worry and be happy. They all were simply enjoying this sunny day they’d been blessed with. The guys were sipping beers from the cooler, save for Linc, and the girls were drinking “mocktails.” Madi knew Val didn’t drink when Linc was around. He’d been an addict and alcoholic following the death of their daughter, Marly. When he’d given it up after trying to kill himself year before last, Val didn’t permit the stuff in the house; she only drank when he didn’t witness it. In her words, “If it’s there, the temptation to pick it back up always will be.” So, she’d eliminated that temptation. Although, Madi sensed that it wouldn’t matter; Linc would never do anything to jeopardize what he had with Val and the baby boys he adored.
Madi and Brett had gone scuba-diving alone after their run this morning, leaving Trav and Sky the house to themselves—of which she was sure they’d done it on every counter, knowing those two. She hadn’t found any treasure inside the old ship that rested in a watery grave fifty yards beneath the surface, save for an old Spanish coin. She’d been permitted to keep it, much to her delight. She was going to have it polished and appraised, not for monetary value, but for the fact that she loved history—especially when it came to nautical things. Exploring that shipwreck had been fun and a bit eerie. Seeing the ocean bed and sea life claim the centuries-old wreckage had been magical and a bit spooky. Madi had enjoyed every minute of it alongside her diving companion, who seemed to be as in awe of it as she had.
“Lennox, haul it over here, son. You need more sunscreen,” Linc scolded even as he chased the cackling baby boy who was waddling toward his “Uncle Travis.” His deep brown skin glistened in the bright sun that reflected off his neon green swim trunks.
Travis grabbed Len up and swung him around, making noises like an airplane, and getting giggles out of the adorable, curly-haired baby boy.
It was easy to laugh with the toddlers running around, all carefree and innocent. It lightened Madi’s heart and even her mood, especially when Lofton crawled over to Brett and began pouring sand on his legs, getting a laugh out of the moodier one of the two twins. When Lofton leaned in to hug Brett, for no apparent reason, everyone gave an, “Awww.”
“He never loves on anyone, save his mum, Brett. You should feel privileged,” Valeria said, her Aussie, gold skin soaking up the rays beneath her white bikini.
Lofton surprised them further when he attempted to share his sippy cup with Brett, too. Even Brett gave a hearty laugh. Seeing him with the baby made Madi swoon even harder than she already had been. Once again, she was reminded of the fact that she was even further from having a child of her own with Hunter now gone. She was twenty-eight, soon to be twenty-nine, and her biological clock had begun to tick louder
