She looks at her phone, as if she’s waiting for it to ring.
“You don’t have to do this, you know. José will understand—”
“I can’t talk about it.”
“I was going to say”—I turn and lift her chin so she’s looking at me—“he would understand if you were worried about Harper.”
“No, she’s grown up now, not a baby. She’ll be fine.”
The door starts to open, and I push the button to close it. Then I hit the twelfth floor.
She covers her face, hiding her pain, and her purse slips down her arm. I grab it and open it.
“What are you …?”
I hold up the candy bar she shoved in her bag last night and open it. “Sugar rush and a crash. Then sleep, Tessa.”
She sighs, and the corner of her lips curls up.
I hand her the Baby Ruth, and she takes a bite.
“Thanks for—”
“Don’t mention it.”
The elevator opens, and I walk her down the hall.
I see Brody, who looks down, as if to read something on his phone as I bring her to the door.
“Goodnight.”
I close the door and turn to see Brody now looking at me.
I look at him as I walk by, and neither of us say a word.
?
José and I had a great time talking about football. He talked about what he had seen on the news about Harper and how shocked he was to hear about Collin’s death. He told me he had four kids and the hottest wife in the world. We talked about Tessa’s sister, Kendall, who he dated briefly back in his college days and asked what she’s up to. I fill him in. I avoid conversations about Ashley, and he seemed to get the fact that I wasn’t going to talk about my marriage.
We made plans to meet up again next season, right here, when the Giants play at home. I honestly look forward to it. He also asked that I let him know where Logan is playing next fall. He wants to see if he has any of his “old man”in him.
As I ride the elevator up, I consider the men in my life who made me want to be what a real man should be. Tommy, John Ross, Alex, Ryan, and José molded parts of me more so than my father ever did. They lifted me up in a spiritual way, so to speak.
Collin Abraham, he was one, too.
I add that talk, the one about surrounding yourself with people who lift you up, to the many I need to have with Logan.
?
I wake Logan up at six in the morning. “Let’s hit the gym before we head back.”
He grumbles, “Dad, please—”
“Head hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Remember that next time. Let’s go.”