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after is fame and fortune. It’s not. Look for someone
who isn’t interested in your money.”
    “Or
your face. Yeah, brother dear, I’ve tried that. When it comes down to it, they
only see you when they look at me.”
    “And
I am completely and irrevocably not on that particular meat market. Never was.
    They’ll
figure it out sooner or later. As they forget about me. And then maybe I’ll be
free to live in peace.”
    Jude
could hear the resignation in his brother’s voice. He knew that losing football
had been the worst thing to ever happen to him. After the past few rocky months
though, he seemed to have made his peace with it. “And that helps me how?”
    “Oh,
you’re screwed. There’s no helping that.” The smile was teasing, his brother’s
gaze warm as whiskey. Levi with a real smile on his face was something he
hadn’t seen in more years than he could remember. “Of course if you wanted to
swing the other direction, I could help you out with—“
    “Levi!
No, okay, thank you for thinking of me and my sex life but I’m pretty sure I’m
not looking to be some leather bear’s little friend.”
    “Who
said you have to be the little friend. You could be the leather bear. Well,
leather something.” Levi was laughing at him. And damned if Jude didn’t smile
back.
    “I’ll
take it under advisement.” He glanced around the room, his gaze resting on
Slater.
    Two
women had taken up residence in his lap. And somehow Jude knew his night of
sleep was going to be loudly interrupted. Again. “Are you coming back to the
townhouse or crashing here?”
    “Depends
on who’s in my bed. You or super stud over there.” Levi nodded to Slater and
his expanding circle of women.
    Jude
sighed, oh yeah, he would not be sleeping tonight. At least not without ear
plugs. “I’m sleeping in the bed every little girl dreams of.”
    “Especially
this one.” Levi speared him with a dazzling smile and flounced away, leaving
Jude to wonder if Levi was fucking with him or…had to be fucking with him.
    Please
let him be fucking with me.
    *
* * * *
    The
second week of playoffs saw them done for the season. Will spent the Friday
after the loss walking through the remains of his house now that it was cleared
for him to get inside.
    There
was nothing left. He rooted through the char until he found the wall safe. He
hoped like hell it had survived the fire. His rings were in there, along with
all of his important documents. The dial looked melted but it still worked. A
fire marshal stood watch as the structure was unsound.
    “The
source was a heater in the upstairs bathroom. Most likely a towel fell onto it.
And these old houses aren’t exactly fire proof.” The marshal told him before
they’d made it past the doorway into the burned out structure.
    Will
pulled the box containing his jewelry and papers out and tucked them into his
backpack. He followed the marshal through the rest of the downstairs. It was
all charred or water damaged.
    “Guess
I should have double checked everything before I left for the holiday.” He
couldn’t say what he really wanted to say. Not in front of the marshal. “I’m
clear to have it demolished now?”
    “Looks
that way. Sorry this happened, Mr. Slater. Really and truly. Just a lousy time
of year. Usually it’s the tree.”
    “I
didn’t have a tree.” He nodded again, almost in shock. They’d told him it was
all gone.
    He
just didn’t believe it. “And insurance has already covered everything worth
covering. I didn’t have much. Anyway, I’m just happy the safe wasn’t damaged or
looted.” He flashed one of his Super Bowl rings. “I’d hate to lose this beauty.”
    The
marshal clapped him on the shoulder and walked him out of the back of the
house. What was left of his car rested under the melted garage door. Will
couldn’t wrap his head around any of this. He didn’t have a heater in the
upstairs bathroom. Hell, he didn’t have a space heater at all. Will tried not
to