Chapter 3

Through it all, Troy had said nothing. Not when his college roommate gave a remarkably bland tell-all interview, not when he was accused of taking part in a nightclub fight that he couldn’t possibly have been at, seeing as he was three states away at the time. The Bengals cut him from the team, issuing a short statement that they would be starting their newest draft pick as quarterback instead. A corn-fed white boy from Brigham Young University with a fiancée and an American flag bicep tattoo.

As quickly as it had started, the scandal had dissipated, and the sports world had found new items to discuss. Dan had wavered between relief that Troy would finally be left alone, and anger for how quickly the rest of the world had moved on and forgotten Troy’s losses.

Dan’s fears dissipated as Troy let out a quiet laugh and shook his head. “Damn, you calling me old?”