False Start [#1]

Prologue

P R O L O G U E

My heart sits in my throat, and my stomach is chilling on the floor.

Another tequila shot isn't going to take the edge off of this one, doesn't stop me from throwing it back though.

My eyes are glued to the TV screen; watching, waiting, wondering if this last week has been a complete waste of overthinking, should the rumours turn out to be wrong.

"Next season, I have decided that I will be transferring to..."

"Please, please, please," I murmur to myself, praying he says anything else but what I'm scared he's going too. "Please, Lord, I'll be good, I'll stop drinking, I'll pay my parking fines, promise."

"The New York Giants,"

"Fuck!!" I growl, looking up at my living room ceiling. "And fuck you too, I'm not stopping, paying or promising shit again!"

Next season is three months away. Which means I have three months to leave town, give up my social media director position with the Giants, and sell my real identity in exchange for another one.

One that didn't even know Huxley Ridge existed.

Of all teams, he had to choose the one I worked for.

Asshole did it on purpose.

I just know she's screaming at the sky right now.

Damning everything and everyone... Probably planning her escape route too.

The thought makes me smile as I duck under my agents arm, heading off stage.

"Shit, the reporters are going crazy out there, Ridge." Mass grins, peaking behind the black curtain. "You're name and face is going to be all over the internet tomorrow, in every newspaper and magazine."

Falling in line beside me as I walk down the narrow studio halls, I study my phone as it blows up with notifications, endless spam calls and dozens of text messages.

The only reason people are losing their shit is because a vet is going back to his home town after six years playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, who snapped me up first round pick right outta college.

When I had to leave everything, and everyone behind.
Except Lane, he's a bad smell you can't get rid of.

Avoiding the swarming reporters, and flashing camera's, I slide my sunglasses down and duck into the back of my waiting SUV, Mass right behind me, closing the door quickly before the driver pulls away from the chaos.

"So, guess we better make a plan to move back to NYC, huh?"

Watching the street blur by, I smile at the thought of seeing Malia Rivers in the flesh, once again, after six years.

"Guess we had, Massy, my man." I say, turning to him with a grin.

Mass looks at me all weird. Like I just told him I was up for eating his cats food or some shit.

I'm not.

I'll be seeing you real soon, my little star.
New York, do me a solid, and welcome a man who's sorry, and very in love, home, huh?