The Endgame Is You (Rixon Raiders 4)

Her eyes went wide. “You did?”

“I was serious about what I said, Mya. You want to put down roots here, and if I’m going to work for the family business, that doesn’t just happen overnight. We’d need to find premises, employ a team, source clients.”

“Wow, you’ve really given this a lot of thought.”

I reached for one of her spiral curls and twirled it around my finger. “Coach asked me today about going pro. Said I have a shot—”

“Ash,” she frowned, “I don’t want you to give up that dream for me.”

“It isn’t just about you. It’s about me too. And honestly, I don’t want it. I love football, but it’s not my life. You are.” Her breath caught, but I wasn’t done. “I know we’re young, and I know you probably think I’m crazy for even talking about starting a family, but I want that. I want a life with you.”

“Actually...” Mya pressed her lips together and looked up at me through her thick lashes. “I’ve been doing some thinking myself…” She hesitated. “How do you feel about fostering?”

“As in fostering kids?”

“No, puppies.” She rolled her eyes. “Of course, kids. I was talking to Sally tonight and she was telling me all about the family who have taken in Hugo and his brothers, and what they’re doing... it’s incredible. I always thought the way I could help and make a difference was to be out there in the community, working at grass roots level. But maybe this is something

else to consider.”

“I’m not going to lie, babe, I don’t know the first thing about fostering. Don’t you have to be settled? Have a good job, a house, that kind of thing?”

“There is eligibility criteria, yes. But it isn’t as rigid as you think. You have to be over twenty-one and have a stable living arrangement, but the rest is pretty flexible.”

“Fostering, huh?” I didn’t know how to feel about opening up my home to a kid who wasn’t mine. I’d always imagined we’d start a family with a baby, our baby.

“It’s not something we have to decide or even talk about yet. I just think it’s something I might want to do one day.”

“You have a big heart, Mya Hernandez.” I brushed my thumb over her cheek, letting it linger on the pillow of her lip.

“I just want to help. You came into my life when I needed someone. I’d like to think I can pay that forward one day.”

Well, shit. When she put it like that… but fostering? That was huge, and we were so young.

“I don’t want this to be another issue between us,” she said as if she could hear my thoughts. “I was just saying it’s something I’d like to think about, one day.”

“I know.”

But I also knew Mya, and once she got something in her mind... Yeah, this wasn’t going away anytime soon.

I could give Mya a lot of things: money, love, a happy life... but could I give her this?

There was only one thing for it. I needed a beer and some guy time with my best friend.

Asher

“Hey, thanks for coming.” I got up to greet Jason. We guy-hugged before taking a seat at the bar.

“Anytime. What’s up?”

“I... fuck, I don’t even know where to start.”

“Is everything okay? With Mya? Your mom?” Concern filled his eyes.

“Yeah, they’re fine.”

He frowned. “So, spit it out.”

“Mya wants to foster kids.”