The Big Time

CHAPTER ONE

ALL HIS LIFE, TROY dreamed of meeting the father he never knew. Never once did he imagine it would turn into a nightmare. Still, the rage oozing from his mother's voice when she saw his father's face wasn't a complete surprise. But when her hateful glare scorched Troy, too? That was a shocker.

She acted as if Troy had invited the man to show up on Seth Halloway's front steps when, in fact, the appearance of his missing father shook Troy to the core.

"We don't want you here," Troy's mom said.

Seth, the Falcons' star linebacker, appeared behind her and stepped onto the front porch of his stone mansion as if to protect Troy and his friends, Tate and Nathan, from the intruder. Noise from the party by the pool out back filtered up over the slate roof and into the night sky. The entire Duluth Tigers football team-which Seth had coached as a favor to Troy-and the players' parents were celebrating the team's victory in the Georgia Junior League Football State Championship.

"Can I help you?" Seth asked, the cords in his muscular neck now dancing in the porch light.

Troy's father stood an inch or two over six feet-as tall as Seth-with a handsome face worn from weather and worry. He laughed a soft, friendly laugh, and he stuck out a big hand with a slim gold watch on his wrist.

"I'm Drew Edinger; I'm staying with a client who lives a few streets away," Troy's dad said, extending his hand even farther until Seth had no choice but to shake it. "I know who you are. I admire the way you play."

"I said we don't want you here," Troy's mom said, crossing her arms and jutting out her jaw.

"I'm the boy's father."

"You're not his father," Troy's mom said.

Drew looked at Troy, gave him a sly wink, and said, "You're saying he belongs to someone else?"