The attachment I’ve developed toward Violet is already so strong, leaving her is extremely difficult. I’m not sure which one of us is the saddest. And then there’s that Andi-Owen situation I interrupted. Just when I thought things might be improving between us, I run into that little huggie-fest on my way back here. Talk about a bucket of ice to cool things down. Mom walks me outside as my ride to the airport arrives.

“Chase, honey. A word, please.”

“Yeah, Mom.”

“Don’t close yourself off to Andi.”

This is not what I want to hear right now. “Mom,” I huff.

“Honey, I know how angry and frustrated you are. But give her time.”

“Time? She had over two years. How much more does she need?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

I blow out a lung full of frustrations. “Look, Mom, I’ve got a plane to catch.”

“Yes, I know. And a lot on your plate. I only want you to think about the decisions she made. You were at the center of them. And look at what she’s doing now. This can’t be easy for her.”

“And it is for me?”

“No. But you’ve been in Italy, have friends there. She’s walking into a completely new world filled with strangers. People who she thinks will be against her. Go easy on her.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

“If not for her, do it for Violet. It won’t do anyone any good if your daughter isn’t happy with this transition.” Then Mom hugs me and I climb in the car for the ride to the airport.

The flight back to Italy is uneventful. I actually sleep most of the way, exhausted from the entire trip to Chicago. I suppose it’s emotional burnout. The roller coaster I’ve been riding has finally taken its toll. My body is out of shape—physically, that is. Coach is going to bust my ass when I get on the field.

When I walk into my apartment, it registers that this place is not going to work at all. What the hell was I thinking? For me, it was perfect, but it’s not just me any longer. There isn’t a chance our moms, Violet, and Andi will all cram into a two-bedroom home, not to mention, what if Andi wants to date someone? We aren’t committed to each other, and I have no hold or say on what she does with her love life. That little interlude I witnessed with Owen was enough to make me realize Andi has her own life to live and I don’t fit in. I have two weeks to find a new place and move, so I’d better scramble.

The first call I make is to Max.

“You finally back?” he asks.

“Yeah, just walked in. I need a new place to live.” I go on to explain why.

“You don’t need an apartment, my friend. You need a damn palace with all those people.”

“That’s an exaggeration, but I do need something drastically bigger than this. Can you help?”

“Let me make some calls. I can’t help, but I may know of someone who can.”

“Great. Thanks. Have you talked to the people in Germany?”

He laughs. “What do you think? They’ve been badgering my ass for weeks now. The real question is, what are you going to do? You need to make a decision, and soon.”

“So what? I need to take a trip to Berlin then?”

“Not unless you want to turn them down or sign without meeting them in person. They’ve already agreed to a transfer fee with your club and are willing to offer you a new contract for more money—a lot more money. It’s a win-win for you, Chase. It can’t possibly get any better than this.”

Would this be good or bad for Violet and Andi? They’re both moving, so I guess it wouldn’t matter. I should probably discuss this with Andi, though, before I do anything.

“Is it possible to delay them any longer?” I ask.

“You know how it works. If they can’t make a deal before January 31^st, you’re looking at summer between July and August. Who knows if they’ll be feeling so charitable then.”

“And what are the chances of getting an offer back in the U.S.?”

“Is this some kind of a joke?”

“No joke, Max. I have a child to think of.”

“You have a career and a bank account to think of too, Chase.”

“Money isn’t everything,” I grumble.

“Excuse me?” he asks. “Is this the same person who made me beat down the Italian league for a few hundred thousand euros?”

“Right, I know, but I didn’t have a daughter back then.”

“Which is exactly why you should be more concerned with money now.”

He does have a good point. But I’m a great investor. My brother has guided me well, along with Andi’s brother, Mark. My money has grown because I’m not out spending it foolishly like some athletes do. I have enough to live off of for years to come, even if I were to quit playing tomorrow. On the other hand, if I did the Germany contract and played for a couple of years, I could put all that away and we could move back to the States before Violet was ready to start school. I would be set for life and I could play or even coach somewhere if I wanted to.

“Check my schedule and let’s make a quick trip up there. I’ll talk to my family right away.”

“Great choice. I’ll check in with you later, and by then I’ll have a name for you for some temporary living quarters until your move to Berlin.”

“Thanks, Max.”

When I check the time, I notice my window is opening on Violet waking up. So I pick up the phone so we can FaceTime. Andi answers and she’s smiling. I’m glad she’s in a happy mood. I ask to speak with Violet and the Little One’s grinning face appears before me.

“Dada, miss you.”

“I miss you too. But I’ll be seeing you soon. You and Nana, Gamma, and Mama will all be here soon.”

“Holly too?”

“No, sweetie, not Holly. But maybe she can come to visit sometime.” I hate the lie, but it’s the only thing I can think to say. There’s no way Owen will ever be invited to my home—at least not for a while.

“Okay. Can I bring toys?”

“Of course you can bring your toys. Every single one of them.”

That crazy crooked grin of hers melts me on the spot and I know when she gets older I’ll never be able to say no to anything she asks of me. I’ll be putty in this girl’s hands. I am so fucked.

“Dada, love you.”

“I love you too, Little One. Now let me talk to your nana.”

Mom gets on, asks how the flight was, and we chat a bit, then she hands the phone off to Andi. I decide to be the chicken shit and not mention anything about Berlin to her. It can wait until they’re all here. What will it matter anyway? At least that’s my justification. We end the call on a fairly good note, although things are a bit stilted. I promise to call the following day.

The next day I show up for practice and have a lot of explaining to do. After a very long meeting with the coaching staff, I finally persuade them to let me back on the field. I’m to report to practice first thing in the morning. I’m not even sure why. If I go to Berlin and sign with them, what difference will it make? If this doesn’t happen before the end of the month, we have to wait until summer. Who the hell knows? Talk about turmoil.

On the way home, I get a call from an agent who leases homes. He has a few he can show me this afternoon. Since I’m already out, I agree to meet him at his office. The first place he takes me to is so ostentatious, I immediately say no. I can’t see any of us spending one night there. The second one looks unlived in. I want somewhere that’s comfortable, a place where we can all kick up our feet and feel okay doing it. The final place we visit is perfect. It’s a villa on the outskirts of town, yet closer to the soccer complex. It has a heated pool, which Violet will love, and the furnishings are cushy and the ultimate in comfort. There are five large bedrooms all with their own private bath, a huge kitchen, two living areas, a room upstairs that Violet could use as a playroom if she’d want, and room for Andi and me to spread out and not get in each other’s way.

“I’ll take this, as long as it’s month to month.”

“The owner would prefer a six-month contracted lease, but let me see what I can negotiate.”

“I’ll pay extra in rent, if necessary. I really want this house.” If we go to Berlin, Max will have to locate something similar for us. This affords us everything we need.

The real estate agent wanders off for a few minutes and returns with a smiling face. “I’m pleased to announce you have yourself a house, Mr. Wilde. The owner, who is out of the country for the year, is happy to let you have this place.”

“Excellent. When can I move in?”

“Today, if you’d like.”

I mentally tick off what needs to be done. Packing, selling my furniture because there’s no use keeping it, hiring movers, and then settling in before the rest of the group arrives.

“Mr. Wilde, do you need assistance? Our company offers relocation services.”

“Yes, that would be wonderful.”

He makes a few calls and says someone will be coming around later this afternoon. I head home and experience a real sense of being overwhelmed. I can delegate a lot of this stuff, but I want everything to be in its place when everyone arrives.

I’m walking in the door when the phone rings. It’s Max. “Can you fly to Berlin this weekend?”

“Yeah, I’m free. Are you? I’m not going without representation.”

“I would not have asked if I couldn’t go. I’ll make the arrangements.”

I’m just about to kick up my feet when there’s a knock on the door. Fuck, not a moment’s rest around here. I’m still worn out from the trip, and I need to sleep because if I’m not on my game, I’ll receive an ass chewing for sure. It’s going to be bad as it is because I’m out of shape, having not worked out in almost two weeks.

Not bothering to check who it is, I sling the door open to a frenzy of cameras, the paparazzi, and reporters asking a million questions. But the number one answer they are hounding me for is, “Mr. Wilde, what did you think when you found out you were a father?”