RECKLESS LOVE

Book 3 in the Single Dad Playbook series

arrives January 16, 2025

Prologue

The Night We Met

RHODES

Then

I heard her laugh before I ever saw her. A wild, carefree burst of sound that managed to still be delicate. I turned to find the face to that laugh and when I did, I tried not to gawk. She was beautiful with long, black hair, dark brown eyes, and cherry red lips…dressed in an oversized dress that went all the way down to her ankles. 

Somehow she still made that dress look sexy. 

I was about to go introduce myself, when a guy walked up to her and handed her a red Solo cup. I frowned when she took it without hesitation, and I moved in closer when she looked disgusted after a sip. 

Doesn’t she know you don’t take a drink from someone without seeing where it came from? 

But the next second, I relaxed, laughing to myself when she handed the cup back to the guy and shook her head like it wasn’t for her. He downed it in three huge gulps and then burped loudly. A slight flicker of distaste crossed her face before he took her hand and led her through the crowd to dance. 

I found myself looking for her throughout the night, but people kept coming up to say hi, and every time I saw her, she was still with that dude. He was getting sloppier by the second, and the later it got, the more she looked like she wanted to escape. A bunch of us were out by the bonfire and the guy sat on the ground next to her chair as she stared into the fire. Next thing I knew, he tried to pull her out of the chair, his voice rising to an obnoxious whine.

“Come on, I’ll take you home,” he said.

“I’ll get another ride,” she said.

“Come on, I’m fine, Elle. Let’s go.”

“No.”

I stood up and was there to block his path when he tried to walk away with her.

“Hey, man, can I give you a lift home?” I put my hand on his shoulder and he swayed into me.

He held onto my arm to keep himself standing. “Nah, I got it.”

“Well, why don’t you stay longer? The party’s just getting started. Here, why don’t you stretch out on this chair?” I led him to an open lounge chair and helped him sit. 

He stretched out his legs and leaned his head back. “Thanks, man. I’ll stay a little bit longer.”

Within seconds, his eyes closed and his mouth gaped open as he fell asleep. 

“You’re good,” the girl said as we looked down at him. “I’ve been trying to hide his keys from him for the past half hour, but he was onto me.”

“Looks like he’ll be out for a while. You okay?”

She turned and looked at me directly for the first time, and damn, I liked her smile.

“Much better now, thank you. I was trying to step out of my comfort zone…go to my first college party, say yes to Logan since he’s asked me out every day for two weeks straight…but I have horrible luck with guys. Next time I think I’ll just stay in my dorm room.” She laughed that tinkley laugh and it made me feel warm all over.

“Aw, now, let’s not make rash decisions like that,” I said. “Come on, let’s turn this around. Why do you have horrible luck with guys?”

“Uh…because they either cheat on me…or put me down…or get drunk and pass out on the first date.” She laughed.

“Damn. Guys are assholes, what can I say?” I crinkled my nose. “How about you tell me what would make your first college party experience better? It’s my first college party too, by the way.” I leaned in conspiratorially. “Did you try the Jell-O shots?”

She laughed again and I wanted to keep them coming.

“So Jell-O shots aren't just a college myth?” she asked. 

“Nope. They're very real. Come on. I'll show you. There are even different flavors.”

“Well, anything has got to be better than the beer I tried earlier.”

I laughed at the face she made. “You don't like beer?” 

“Turns out, not at all. I didn't know that until tonight either, but—” She lifted a shoulder. 

“You tried it for the first time to have the full college experience,” I finished for her.         

“Exactly.” She grinned. “It’s not like I’m new to everything…but a lot of things.” She made another face, and I couldn’t stop smiling.

“I’m Rhodes, by the way.” We walked into the house and into the kitchen. 

“I’m Elle. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

“Do you know who lives here?” she asked. “Logan told me who was throwing the party, but I forgot the name…” 

I paused and gave her a sheepish smile. “I actually live here with a few guys, but Shep is the one throwing the party.”  

“Wow, it’s a really nice place.”

A few girls walked up and I could tell what was coming next by the way one girl’s mouth parted when she saw me. 

“Oh. My. God. You’re Troy Archer’s son, aren’t you?” she asked.

“I am,” I said, glancing at Elle.

Elle’s eyes widened. Fuck. I wanted a little more time to get to know her before she found out who I was. It inevitably made people weird around me.  

“And isn’t Amara your mother?” the other girl asked. “She’s so beautiful. And your dad is so hot.” 

My eyes narrowed when she reached up and touched my hair. I’d been growing the curls out for a while, but that didn’t mean I wanted just anyone touching them.  

 “I can’t get over your eyes. So unusual,” she said, moving even closer.

I took a step back and her hand dropped from my hair. 

In my opinion, my hazel eyes weren’t that unusual with a blond-haired, blue-eyed dad who was white, and a black-haired, brown-eyed mom who was Black, but I didn’t bother saying that. I looked at Elle and lifted two Jell-O shots.

“Red or blue?” I asked. 

“Red, please,” she said.

“Excuse us, ladies,” I said to the girls.

They still stared at me like I was an exhibit as I motioned for Elle to follow me. 

I leaned in toward Elle’s ear. “Want to see a fun part of the house?”  

“Where is it?” 

“The roof.”

Her eyes widened and I hedged. 

“It’s safe, I promise. And it’s not the highest part of the roof…it’s just outside my bedroom window. We can sit out there and pretend to be gargoyles, checking out the party from up above.”

She snorted but looked hesitant for a moment.

“We can tell your friends where you’re going in case you’re worried about going to the roof with me.”

“Maybe if I had any friends.” She giggled. “I don’t really know anyone but Logan and look how that turned out. I’m not worried about going with you. I’m just not the best with heights. I mean, I probably should tell someone where I’m going, but you feel safe.”

I lifted my eyebrows. “Not what everyone would think when they see me coming.”

She giggled again and it was so fucking cute. “You are ginormous. But have you seen your dimples? I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that guys with dimples are harmless.”

I smirked. She was adorable, and I liked how she seemed exactly the same as she did before she heard about my famous parents. Don’t get me wrong, I’d benefited from having a movie star father and a supermodel mother my entire life, growing up in a mansion in LA and going on fancy trips all over the world, never lacking for anything.

Except anonymity. 

But people knowing who I am wasn’t the worst thing, I guessed.

I just never knew for sure who wanted to get close to me for me and not my parents.

I started walking toward my room and she stayed close. 

“I hadn’t read that about dimples before, but you’re safe with me,” I said over my shoulder. 

When we got to my door, we walked in and I went straight to the window, opening it. I turned, and Elle was looking around my room and then paused near my bookshelves. She rubbed her arms as she shivered.

“Do you need a sweatshirt?”

“Yes, please. I’m from Colorado, so I’m used to colder weather than this, but Palo Alto at night is chilly to me, for some reason.”

“I grew up in Southern California, so it’s chilly here for me too.” 

I grabbed one of my Stanford sweatshirts and handed it to her.

She pulled it over her head and beamed up at me. “Much better.”

“I don’t believe you don’t have any friends. You’re so nice and smart and cute.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m pretty sure my roommate thinks I’m the biggest nerd she’s ever met, and she’s not wrong,” she said.

I grinned and climbed out the window, stepping aside to make sure she got out safely.

“Can nerds dance like you do? I don’t think so,” I told her.

She looked at me in confusion. “You saw me dance?”

“Uh, is it creepy to admit that? Earlier…with Logan. You’re good.”

“Thanks. I love to dance. Love it. That’s what got me to this party…I wanted to dance.”

“You could be a cheerleader. Stanford’s cheer team is pretty great.” I motioned for her to sit on the ledge next to me and she did, both of our feet dangling from the roof. The sounds of the party drifted up there, but it was slightly muted. “I guess you’ve already missed the cutoff for this year. But you should try out in the spring.”

She looked at me with an odd expression and my eyebrows lifted.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m actually on the team. I guess I look quite a bit different when I’m off the field.”

I grinned. “You don’t wear your crop top everywhere you go?”

She laughed and shook her head. “I’m still trying to get used to that.” She scrunched up her nose. “Wait…you’re on the football team, aren’t you?”

“Yep. Sure am.”

“Oh, gosh. I totally should have known that.”

I chuckled. I hadn’t heard anyone say gosh in a long time.

“I’ve been so nervous about doing all the right steps that I’m not paying close enough attention to the game yet,” she said. “But I know you’re a big deal!”

“I do all right.” I shrugged.

I just signed another NIL deal this morning. I was doing more than all right.

She laughed at my cocky grin.

“Tight end’s my thing.” I tilted my head in a slight bow.

“It totally makes sense, now that I think about it. You’re so tall and you have muscles on top of muscles.” She smirked when I laughed but didn’t seem embarrassed. I liked how she said what she thought. “You’re nicer than most jocks I’ve met. Well, I guess I haven’t met that many, but…you’re definitely nicer.”

“I’m not that nice. It’s you bringing it out in me,” I admitted.

She let out a derisive sound. “Right. And why would I bring that out in you?”

“You haven’t acted any different since finding out who my parents are,” I said, ticking off my fingers. “You seem very genuine and down-to-earth.”

Her shoulder bumped mine. “That’s such a kind thing to say. See? You can’t tell me you’re not that nice.” She sighed contentedly and looked over at me, her eyes crinkling with her smile. “I didn’t know I was going to make a friend tonight.”

My heart both warmed and cracked a little. I didn’t think I’d ever had such an easy conversation with a girl and I’d certainly never been friend-zoned before. But the thought of having her as a friend suddenly seemed like the best possible option. I didn’t just want a hookup with this girl and then never see her again, and the thought of starting out our freshmen year of college in some sort of relationship didn’t seem smart or realistic.

I bumped her shoulder back. “I’ve really needed a friend,” I told her.

Her face softened and she gave me that smile that felt like it was shining from the inside out. “Me too.” Her lips puckered and her eyes narrowed as an idea formed. “We should make a pact.”

“Okay,” I drew the word out. “What would this pact be?”

“That this will be a legit friendship…we’ll talk like this always.” 

“Okay.” I nodded.

She had me intrigued. Talking like this always sounded pretty damn nice.

She snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Oh, and we won’t let anything come between us…not other guys or other girls or love. Just pure friendship for the rest of our days.” She laughed. “Or at least throughout our four years at Stanford…and we won’t even let ourselves get in the way. Friends, no matter what.”

I nodded. “I can agree to all that. Should we shake on it?”

“I think we should.” 

She held out her hand and I took it, shaking it firmly. 

“That settles it. Friends forever,” I said.

Now, if I could just lose this crush on my newfound best friend.

Chapter 1

Off-Kilter

RHODES

Now

I look in the rearview mirror and smile at Levi. We’re on our way to the coffee shop to meet the guys and Levi is bopping his head to “Training Season” by Dua Lipa. I blame Weston Shaw for getting my son hooked on this…as my fingers tap to the beat on the steering wheel.

“We see Elle?” Levi asks.

And damn. My soon-to-be four-year-old isn’t the only one missing Elle. I can’t stop thinking about her.

Last night, before I ran off of Clarity Field, my eyes scanned the crowd for Elle Benton, my best friend in all the world. She was still on the sidelines, looking better than any cheerleader had a right to look, and her dark brown eyes burned into mine.

The anger was still there, glaring back, and it’s killing me. 

I thought there was nothing I hated more than losing.

Okay, there are other things that suck too.

Like it’s the worst when Levi is sick. He’s a happy little guy and it takes a lot to get him down, but when he’s sick, those sad eyes make me want to cry.

Or it’s rough when his mother, Carrie, tries to use a new angle of manipulation on me yet again.

When I’m benched with an injury sucks too.

I intensely dislike all those things.

Being on a losing streak after being the first team to ever win three consecutive Super Bowls in a row doesn’t help.

It has me feeling more off-kilter than I have in a long time.

Not fucking good. But especially not good when everything else is also going wrong.

Henley, another best friend and the most incredible wide receiver I’ve ever had the honor of playing with, was injured this season and most likely won’t be playing again.

We’ve been practicing so hard trying to make up for Henley being out, there’s not even time to get laid.

Well…if we’re going for full disclosure here, I was off my game long before Henley’s accident.

Normally, I’m the chillest guy I know. I like to have fun, not take anything too seriously, and enjoy life with my son, my guys from the team, and Elle.

But things being weird with Elle…now that is more than I can take.

I honestly didn’t know we were capable of a fight anymore. We became best friends during our freshmen year of college and that bond has only gotten stronger over the years.

I wish we could talk all night right now, like we did that very first night.

I barely get a spare minute with her these days.

Clara, my favorite barista and owner of Luminary Coffeehouse, holds up my matcha latte when I walk in, and I kiss her cheek.

“And here’s a chocolate milk for Mr. Levi Archer!” she says, leaning down to give him his drink in a sippy cup.

“You’re the best, Clara. Thank you.” I glance down at Levi and tilt my head toward Clara.

“Thank you, Miss Clara,” Levi says, leaning in to hug her legs.

I grin at Levi and he takes such a long swig of his chocolate milk, he has to take a gasping breath when he’s done.

“Oh, you are so welcome, sweet little man.” Clara beams at my little boy.

“Are we the last ones to get here?” I ask.

“I haven’t seen Henley yet,” she says. She takes another look at me and frowns. “You doing okay? You don’t seem yourself this morning.”

“When are you guys gonna get it together?” Marv calls across the coffee shop.

Marv and Walter are the two grouchos who are at Luminary whenever the doors are open. They love football and they love complaining about everything we do wrong, even when we’re doing everything right.

During a dismal 5-8 season, we’re giving them plenty of material.

I wince and look at Clara. “Not my best day, no.”

“No trash-talking in my shop,” Clara tells Marv, her hand on her hip.

Marv grumbles to Walter but listens to Clara. Everyone loves Clara, even Walter and Marv.

“Hopefully we’ll get it together by Sunday,” I tell Marv.

I lift my matcha, thanking Clara again, and Levi and I head back to the room where my guys are waiting. My teammates, Bowie, Henley, and I started meeting regularly to talk about dad life, and it sort of grew into hanging out with my best friends and talking about everything.

Bowie has a daughter and Henley has three, so we had plenty to cover. Weston and Penn started showing up because they wanted to hang out with us, but then Weston became a dad and Penn started mentoring a kid, so the Single Dad Players now consists of five of us. We write shit in The Single Dad Playbook, and hanging out with these men has become some of my most treasured times, outside of the football field.

There are fist bumps all around. Levi goes around the table, saying hi to everyone, and stops when he gets in front of Caleb, Weston’s son. Levi plops down in front of Caleb with his toys and hands him a toy he knows Caleb likes.

“Good job, Levi. I love it when you share.” He hasn’t always been the best at sharing, so I make sure to praise him a little bit for it.

“What have I missed?” I ask.

“Not much,” Bowie says, leaning his elbows on the table.

I’m saying, “We look old this morning,” when Henley limps in. He’s still recovering from ACL surgery, and he turns and acts like he’s going to walk back out of the room when he hears me.

I jump up and tug him in, laughing when he pretends to hit me in the gut.

“If I can’t talk about how old I feel, you can’t either. And only one of us can be depressed at a time. Last time I checked, that was me,” he says.

He’s grinning as he says it, but he’s right. I wouldn’t want to be dealing with what he is for anything.

“I thought you were feeling better,” Penn says, eyebrows puckering in concern.

“I am, but it’s not a joyfest overnight or anything. And that game last night…” He looks around at us and sits down, stretching his bad leg out to the side.

We all groan.

“I need to drink this tasty beverage before I go there yet,” I grumble.

“How are negotiations going for you?” Weston asks.

“Pretty good.” I nod. “Sounds like they’re trying to get everything I wanted.”

“That’s awesome, man,” Henley says.

“Okay, then let’s talk about what’s going on with you and Elle and the way she looked at you after the game last night,” Bowie says.

“Elle?” Levi echoes, standing up to see if she came into the room. He goes back and sits down when he realizes she’s not here.

I give Bowie a pointed glare and he returns it with a contrite one.

“You noticed that, huh?” I say under my breath.

Bowie lifts his shoulder as if to say, Who didn’t?

“Hard to ignore those daggers,” Weston says.

If these guys noticed, who else did?

“You think anyone else noticed?” I look around at each one of them.

“I doubt it,” Penn says. “It’s just because we know you guys. So what’s going on? You were weird at Friendsgiving too…and at the dance recital.”

“Are we really saying Friendsgiving when the girls aren’t around? It’s just so…” I sigh. 

“We do Friendsgiving now and we own it,” Weston says, laughing.

“I love doing it, it’s the word that I never thought I’d be saying…”

They all laugh.

Weston elbows me. “Out with it. If it were one of us not talking about our mess by now, you’d be all over us. Spill.”

I groan and pick up a napkin, twisting it. “I don’t know where to begin, I guess. When she told me she wanted to be a cheerleader for the Mustangs, I was all for it. She loves to dance…she was the best cheerleader on our college team. She has that IT factor that makes everyone want to get another look at her. I mean, you’ve all seen her. She’s fucking gorgeous,” I whisper the F-word since Levi and Caleb are here. “She belongs out there, and she needed something to boost her confidence. She’s spent her whole life trying to fit into the box her parents wanted her to be in…she deserves this time. But she’s busier than she’s ever been. And you guys know we’re skirting the rules even hanging out at all, with the no-fraternization policy between us and the cheerleaders. But it’s me and Elle. Everyone knows we’ve been best friends forever.”

Thirteen years is a long time.

“Can’t the rules be bent a little?” Penn asks.

I tilt my head and make a face. “I thought so. But since she got on the team, we’ve hardly seen each other. We’ve hung out at Henley’s and at each other’s houses a couple of times, which is technically prohibited, but come on! It’s ridiculous to think that we’d cut off ties with each other just because she’s a cheerleader on the team.”

I scowl at the floor.

“Elle doesn’t think it’s so ridiculous,” I add. “She’s been adamant that we can’t be seen together, ever, and she came this close to not showing up at Friendsgiving. She’d come over the night before upset, and we drank a little…and…” I pause, still unable to meet them in the eye because again, it’s me and Elle.

“The anticipation is killing me,” Bowie says.

“Same, bro. What happened?” Penn pounds on the table.

I clear my throat. “Well, one thing led to another, and…”

The room is silent. I look up at them and they’re staring at me in shock before they all start speaking at once, demanding to know what happened.

“We kissed,” I admit, wincing. And a little more than that, I think but don’t say.

“Why are you making that face? Was it bad? Did it feel wrong?” Henley leans in, disbelief on his face.

“No, not even a little bit. I thought it was all kinds of right…but apparently she didn’t, because she’s been pissed at me ever since.”