The Franchise Quarterback Book One The Third Generation Series

Chapter 9

There it is in black and white. The email as promised by Emma Bradford. A black tie, silent auction, benefiting the children's cancer hospital. $250 per plate and the opportunity for a night out with a member of our very own San Francisco football team. Easton Bradford headlining the ten bachelors who will be auctioned off. Starting bids will begin at $10,000.

"Wow, that better be one impressive date for the cost. I hope whoever bids on you doesn't expect to get more than one date. You don't have it in you to do more than that. But then you are good at the one night stand thing, Easton." Frowning at the screen, I'm regretting that I even agreed to do this. "Nothing like rubbing my nose in it."

Not Emma's fault. I don't blame her. I won't blame her. She's trying to help the children's hospital. It's a good cause. A great idea for a good cause. Of course I did the right thing by agreeing for the team to participate. Just the positive press the team will get from this is worth it.

"I'm not getting anything done here. I should just go," Pushing away from my desk, I pull out the bottom drawer and pull out my purse. "Time to go home."

Getting my keys out, I walked out to a silent, dark, empty room. Calling out, I make sure there's no one else still here. Looking around, I listen for a response. Not hearing a peep, I head to the elevator and go down to the garage.

As I step out of the elevator, our security guard is standing there waiting for me. With a nod, he bids me good night and I head for my car. It's even quiet out here. Almost eerily quiet, like one of those horror movies where the woman is stalked by the crazy ax murderer who dies in her car.

"Too many movies for you, Lowe." Pressing the key fob, I get into my car and begin to pull out of my parking spot. Looking at the reverse camera screen on the dash, I slam on my brakes when I see a man dressed in all black standing directly behind me. "What the hell!"

Throwing the car into park, I push out of the car to chew out the idiot who was stupid enough to try to get run over, but in looking around no one is there. Not a single person. Not even the security guard is still here.

Where did he go?

Concerned and not just a little scared, I walk to the other side of the garage and back to my car, looking for anyone who might still be here. There's no one here. No one. The only vehicles that are even in the lot are the security guards and the cleaning crew. That's it.

"O .... kay." Slowly, I get back into the car and lock my doors. I'm not going to be hacked up by some crazy murderer. Looking around cautiously before I pull out again, I don't see anyone as I leave the garage.

How would someone who doesn't belong there get in the garage? Everyone is assigned a code to punch in to enter. It's not open to the public. It's not even open to the press. Staff and team members are the only people allowed to be in the garage. But someone was there. Someone was standing there behind my car, I know it.

"So who was that?" I asked myself as I got on the freeway. "I didn't imagine it. I know I saw someone."

And it wasn't a comfortable feeling.

Getting home, I was surprised to find Raelyn waiting for me. My wonderful cousin is more of a best friend than family. But I guess in a Bradford world friends are family. I'm not a Bradford. I'm a Segler and Raelyn is a Stafford. Her parents, Sarah Tateman and Landon Stafford, are awesome and are the bridge, or one of them, that blend the Segler's to the Bradford's.

"Rae, I didn't know you were coming over. Did we have plans? I didn't think we had plans tonight. God, did I forget?" I asked as Raelyn stood up from the steps at my front door.

"No plans. I just thought I would come by and see how the big wig football queen was doing. Apparently, she is working some seriously long hours. You look beat," Rae comments as she follows me inside.

"It's been a week. A long couple of weeks actually. Do you want dinner?" I ask, knowing that out of everyone I know, Rae will listen to everything that has happened and give me an honest opinion.

"As long as neither of us have to cook. I'm thinking Chinese," her suggestion sounds good to me and I go to the kitchen and get the menu.

"Pick, I'll call it in. After I change my clothes, I could use your opinion anyway. I've had some wild things happen to me," I tell her as I head to the bedroom.

"Wild as in weird or wild as in sex?" She yells from the other room.

I hesitate for a moment and think about what I want to tell her. I was thinking about the guy in the garage being weird but then the garage sex with Easton popped into my head. That was a little wild and weird too.

When I didn't answer, Rae came to the bedroom door and poked her head in. "Lowe? Did you have wild sex and you're only just now telling me about it?"

Easton

Laying on the couch watching Max run the winning home run, I figure I've waited about as long as I can to do this. Lowe is going to run out of patience with me soon and Max is going to want some answers. I'm just not sure I have any.

"I slept with Lowe again and promised her it wouldn't be like before, but I haven't talked to her since and I think I've blown it again. Yeah, that's exactly what Max wants to hear. Ugh!" Tossing a pillow across the room, I get up and start to pace. No matter what I say, I'm screwed.

At the sound of my phone, I pick it up to check the caller ID, speak of the devil. "Hey! Just saw the winning run, nice slide."

Max gave a deep chuckle in response. "Thanks. That's not why I called. It's about Lowe. We need to talk, Easton."

Yep, he is just like his sister. Both of them have only so much patience before they will take matters into their own hands. That's what Max is doing.

Getting up, I start pacing around the house as we talk. Nervous energy always has kept me from sitting still. Wandering room to room, I pause at each window to look out at the evening sky.

"I know. You're right. We do need to talk. Are you up for a pizza and a couple beers?" We might as well eat before he kicks my ass.

"Bribing me with pizza isn't going to help your case, East." He growls, but then adds, "large meat lovers and wings."

"I'll order it. See you in a bit," disconnecting the call, I watch the man across the street. He is acting like he's tying his shoes but both laces are fine. While he bends down, he is watching my house. "Who the fuck are you?"

I watched him stretch and tie, tie and stretch, and buy his time in his spot. If he's press, he's getting kicked out of here. If he's just a fan, he's still getting kicked out of here. I'm not in the mood.

Grabbing my phone again, I call the main gate to the community. As I do, I head back to the front window. "Yeah, this is Easton Bradford. There's a weird looking guy out in front of my house. He looks like he's buying time to hang out, out there. Can you get over here?"

When I'm asked about his location again, I go to the front window and I can't find him. He was just there! I know it. I saw him and suddenly he's gone! "What the hell?"

Where did he go?

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