Even though I want to groan with the feel of all that hardness pressed up against me, I shake my head. “Hardly. And I’m not the one with all the stalkers, Mr. King of Campus.”
He winces as I tease him with the nickname. What I’ve learned is that Roan hates being referred to as the King of Campus. It’s like nails on a chalk board to him. And he may be used to the attention he always seems to attract, but that doesn’t mean he enjoys it. When fans try to focus on him, he always reminds them that Barnett’s success on the field is a team effort. He may be looking to turn pro but there are several other players who are intending to do the same thing.
Of course, there’s no denying that Roan seems to be the face of the Bulldogs. He’s the rising star that both state and national sports reporters are always focused on. When ESPN talks Barnett football, Roan King’s name is inevitably discussed. His stats and combine results are hashed and rehashed every Saturday. And the closer we get to the draft, the more ramped up the attention becomes.
Hand in hand- and yeah, I love the feel of him holding my hand within his larger callused one, he gives a quick rap on the door before throwing it open.
Daniel and Linc live in a small bungalow in the heart of downtown where they’re able to walk to the restaurants, coffee houses, and trendy little shops that line University Avenue, which is the major throughway through the city Barnett calls home. Roan told me it’s an old house that his dad bought, gutted, and remodeled after the divorce. Daniel is an architect and Linc owns his own construction company. They ended up meeting through some business dealings they had together.
Even from the outside, I can tell that a lot of love, attention, and detail went into restoring this house to its former glory. It’s absolutely beautiful. In a way, it kind of reminds me of my dad’s house.
“Hello?”
Both Daniel and Linc appear from the back of the house. Right away Daniel pulls Roan into a brief hug before Linc gives him a pat on the shoulder. It’s obvious there is a lot of affection between all three of them. And then, rather surprisingly, I’m being swallowed up in hugs from both men. After everyone greets one another, we move onto a large deck overlooking a small, secluded backyard. Tons of trees border the property giving it a lush, private feel.
“This is beautiful.” I can’t help but admire just how tranquil it feels out here. A small slice of greenery in the midst of the city.
“Thanks, it’s one of the reasons we snapped up the property when it became available. Great location. Secluded backyard. The house itself needed a lot of work but the bones and foundation were solid. Since the house had fallen into disrepair, that meant we could gut it, start from scratch, and make it exactly what we wanted.”
“Wow. I’m really impressed.” My eyes slide around the meticulously landscaped yard. There are vegetable and herb gardens along with several different flower beds dotting the leafy green area. It looks more like a well-cared for park than someone’s backyard.
Looking pleased by the comment, Daniel merely shrugs. “It took a few years but the blood, sweat, and tears have been worth it.”
Linc comes out with a serving tray that holds two bottles of vitamin water for Roan and I and glasses of wine for himself and Daniel. Handing us our bottles, he says, “Can I assume you’ve been laying off the alcohol?”
Roan shrugs. “For the most part. Every once in a while I’ll kick back with a beer, but that’s about it.” From what I’ve seen, that’s probably true. I never see him drink very much.
The blond haired man levels him with a stern look. “The next couple of months are important. Come January, you’ll be entering the draft. You need to be in peak physical condition for the combine in February. All the top scouts will be there.”
Tensing up just a bit, Roan nods before taking a drink of his water. “I know what needs to be done. It’s not a big deal if I have a beer every once in a while. I’m working with the team trainer on a daily basis. I’m stronger now than I’ve ever been. You don’t have to worry, Linc, I’ve got everything under control. I’m putting the time in and seeing the results.”
“I know.” His expression softens before he continues, “We’re just so close to making this happen. And the team is doing so damn well this season. Three and zero, so far. You guys keep playing like this and you could have a perfect season. Big game this weekend. Have you been watching film on UMass?”
“Hours of it. And I think we found a few weaknesses we’ll be able to exploit.”