25. Vulnerability is What Makes You Brave

VULNERABILITY IS WHAT MAKES YOU brAVE

EVERETT

I paced the length of my kitchen, phone pressed to my ear, listening to the rings. My mind was still upstairs in bed with Pen. I'd rather spend the day with her under me, over me, with her thighs wrapped around my head. But I had practice and needed to make this call to my agent before I headed out. On the fourth ring, Maguire's booming voice filled the line.

"Everett, my man. You were on fire on Sunday. You're not listening to the press, are you? Sara is very excited about the Take Up Space work she and the ladies are doing."

I was really enjoying my agent's enthusiasm. He was usually a bit of a grump. "Hey, Maguire. Yeah, that's sort of what I wanted to talk about."

"Great. What's the plan, what can I do?"

I took a deep breath. "I need to reach out to KnightWear. I'm going to do some work on this body positivity campaign, and I want to make sure they're okay with that."

"Hold up," Maguire interrupted. "Are you sitting down? Because man, do I have news for you."

I frowned, lowering myself into my desk chair. "What's going on?"

"KnightWear called me this morning. They're launching a new inclusive clothing line called KnightNight, and they want you to be the face of it."

For a moment, I was speechless. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack," Maguire chuckled. "They said, and I quote, 'If we had known Everett was such a body positivity advocate, we would have approached him ages ago.'"

I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. "This is... wow. Talk about perfect timing."

"You're telling me," Maguire said. "But wait, there's more. They've got an ad spot booked for the Super Bowl, and they want to get some footage of you telling your story ASAP."

"My story?" I'd never mentioned the puke story to Mac.

"Yeah, you know, your journey with body image, why this matters to you. That kind of thing."

This couldn't have aligned more perfectly if we'd planned it ourselves.

"Maguire, this is incredible. When do they want to shoot?"

"They're pushing for next week. I told them they'd need to work around your practice schedule since you're starting the playoffs, but I figured you'd want to make this work."

"Absolutely," I said, already mentally rearranging my commitments. "Set it up."

"Will do. Oh, and I heard through the grapevine that Swoosh wants to match energy too. Looks like they're jumping on the body positivity train as well. So tell Dec to get on the phone with Alexis."

I let out a laugh that was excited and relieved that fate seemed on our side. "You're kidding. Dec and Kelsey will be over the moon."

"From what I hear, they're already planning his video shoot. You Kingman boys are going to be all over the bowl this year."

I hung up with Maguire and blinked a few times at the screen. This was more than just a sponsorship opportunity. This was a chance to make a real difference, to amplify the message Pen had been working so hard to spread.

There was no fucking way Odin could match this energy. People were going to forget he even existed, and that was going to be worse than death for a narcissist like him.

I headed back upstairs, eager to share the news with Pen. I found her curled up with all the blankets on the bed. Was I pleased with myself for fucking her so well this morning that she was completely zonked out? Yeah. I was.I almost didn't want to wake her up, but this news was too good to wait.

"Hey, baby." I pushed her hair from her face and nibbled on her ear the way she liked. "Wake up, sweetheart. I've got good news that you're going to want to hear."

I was this close to crawling back under the covers with her. She groaned and peeked one eye open at me, and it was so fucking cute. "No more orgasms, Ev. I need sleep, you sex god monster."

"Pen," her name was half of a chuckle. "You're not going to believe this."

As I filled her in on the KnightWear opportunity, she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Ev, this is amazing. It's like the universe is aligning to help us spread this message."

I pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It feels that way, doesn't it? And it's all because of you, you know. You inspired this."

Pen shook her head, but I could see the pleased flush making her glow. "We inspired this. Together."

The next two weeks were a rollercoaster of emotions and events. Odin, true to form, posted more videos, but his venom seemed to be losing its sting. He definitely didn't have the same reach as before.

Instead, stories of body positivity were trending, with more and more people sharing their own journeys of self-acceptance. It felt like we were really turning the tide. Pen's campaign was gaining momentum, and I couldn't have been prouder of her.

On the field, despite the media focusing way too much on how much Kelsey and Pen were seen at our games, the Mustangs were killing it. We'd clinched two playoff victories, the team operating like a well-oiled machine. But Hayes's absence was felt keenly. There was a Hayes-shaped hole in our offensive line that no one else could quite fill.

He was finally back at practice this week, and if he could get cleared to play for the last playoff game, it would be a game-changer. Not just for the team, but for Hayes himself. Being sidelined had eaten at him, and I honestly believed if Willa hadn't been at his side, he might not be back playing at all. That girl was good for him.

Winning the fucking bowl this year would cheer him up. I had a great feeling we were gonna do it too.

I was really grateful that KnightWear was willing to fly in a whole film crew, director, and staff to film my spot for their upcoming KnightNight ad.

I stepped onto the set, the bright lights immediately warming my skin. The studio buzzed with activity, crew members adjusting equipment, makeup artists hovering nearby, and the director, a no-nonsense woman named Samantha, studying her notes.

We'd already done the underwear part of the shoot, although this time, it was silk boxers instead of tighty-whities. But now I was back in a t-shirt and jeans, and the makeup artist touched up my face while Samantha ran through the outline of the shoot. "We want authenticity, Everett. Real stories that show why body positivity matters to you."

I nodded, feeling confident. This was familiar territory. I'd rehearsed my answers, prepared my story. I could do this.

Once the cameras started rolling, Samantha dove right in. "So, Everett, tell us why body positivity is important to you."

I leaned forward, channeling my media-trained charm. "Well, it's funny you should ask. When I did the first photo shoot for KnightWear's underwear campaign, I was a nervous wreck. I actually threw up twice before we even started."

Samantha's eyebrows shot up. "Really? The great Everett Kingman, nervous?"

I chuckled, warming to my story. "Oh yeah. I had all these worries about what my body was going to look like blown up to fifty feet in Times Square, especially my butt. Crazy, right? But that's the thing. Everyone has insecurities, even professional athletes."

The crew nodded appreciatively, and I was pleased at their responses. This was going well.

But then Samantha's expression shifted, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "That's perfect, Everett. Let's get a little bit more. I understand your mother was April De la Reine, the plus-size supermodel. How did her experiences shape your views on body positivity?"

The question hit me like a tackle I hadn't seen coming. My mouth went dry, and my carefully constructed fa?ade went crumbling, crumbling down. "I... uh..."

Samantha must have noticed my discomfort because she leaned in, her voice softening. "It's okay, Everett. Take your time."

I wanted to step away, to compose myself, to put my media face back on. But then I remembered Pen's campaign, the power of vulnerability she'd been championing. Wasn't that half the point of what we were doing?

Taking a deep breath, I decided. I'd be vulnerable, raw, in a way I'd never allowed myself to be publicly before. Because this campaign mattered, more than even Pen knew.

"My mom," I started, my voice rougher than I'd like, "she was incredible. Beautiful, inside and out. But not everyone saw that."

I paused, gathering my thoughts. The studio was silent, everyone hanging on my words.

"When I was a kid, just eight years old," which was the same year she died, "there was this boy at school. He... he teased me because my mom was fat."

That little shit meant it as an ugly insult. And at the time, I didn't really understand why that was bad. But the way it was being said, even in my child-like way, I knew it was being weaponized.

"I was so angry, and we got into a fight over it on the playground. The school called my mom, and she had to come to school to get me."

I could see my mom's face so clearly in that moment—her gentle eyes, her soft smile, the way she'd wiped away my tears. "My mom sat me down and told me something I've never forgotten. She said, 'Everett, honey, people will always try to put others in boxes, to tell you what you should be. Those boxes can hurt if you let them. But the best way to blow those boxes up like firecrackers on Independence Day, and the most important thing, is to be authentically you. That's how you find love in this world—by being true to yourself and loving yourself first.'"

My voice cracked on the last words, and I realized I had tears in my eyes. But I pushed on.

"She taught me that beauty isn't about fitting some arbitrary standard. It's about confidence, kindness, and being true to yourself. That's what body positivity means to me. It's not just about looks. It's about embracing who you are, all of you, and knowing your worth doesn't depend on anyone else's opinion."

As I finished, I became aware of the utter silence in the studio. Then, slowly, applause began to build. I looked up to see tears in Samantha's eyes.

"That was... incredible, Everett," she said softly. "Thank you for sharing that with us."

I nodded, feeling drained but oddly liberated. As the crew began to buzz with activity again, I sat back in my chair, processing what had just happened.

I'd never spoken about my mom like that publicly before. Never allowed myself to be so raw, so open. But it felt right. It felt true to what Pen and I had been working towards with our campaign.

When I got out of the studio, I had a message from Jules. Hayes and Willa were back from their trip to Japan, and whatever had happened there had prompted an urgent family meeting. If ever I wanted my family around me, it was today.

"Thank you all for coming," Hayes said, his voice steady despite the obvious nerves. "Willa and I need your help."

As Hayes laid out their dilemma, their love, their fears, the impossible choice they faced between Willa's need for adventure and Hayes's ties to Denver, a knot of hissing snakes formed in my stomach. It was all too familiar.

Hayes was trying so hard to live up to expectations he thought were being placed on him, by us, by society, but more importantly, by himself.

And honestly, weren't we all?

It was all bullshit.

The room erupted into a flurry of suggestions and opinions. I watched as Hayes and Willa rejected idea after idea, each unwilling to let the other sacrifice their dreams. It was admirable, but also frustrating. Couldn't they see they were talking themselves in circles because of all these expectations?

Kelsey sat up straighter, her eyes sparkling with that look she gets when she's had an idea. She waved Penelope, Jules, and me in close.

"I think I might have a solution," Kelsey whispered once we'd huddled close. "What if Willa came to work for me? We travel all over the world, but we're based here. I'm just not sure in what capacity."

Penelope nodded and her face lit up. "What about having her travel ahead of you on tour?"Pen suggested, her voice low but excited.

"She could scout locations, check out hotels, make sure everything's set up properly for you and your team. It would let her travel and solve problems, which she loves."

My chest tightened watching Penelope because my heart was so fucking full. Here she was, barely a part of our lives for any time at all, and yet she was right in the thick of things, using her insight and creativity to help solve our family's problems. She fit so seamlessly into our chaos, offering ideas and support with that unwavering positivity of hers.

The others nodded enthusiastically at Pen's suggestion, and I realized just how important she'd become, not just to me, but to my entire family. She wasn't an outsider looking in, she was one of us, through and through.

Kelsey beamed at Penelope. "That's perfect. Let's pitch it to them."

We broke our huddle and Kelsey cleared her throat. "Willa, I think I've got an idea. See what you think."

The room fell silent as Kelsey outlined the plan, explaining about her upcoming album and tour, then dropping the proposal for Willa to work for her.

Surprise and uncertainty flickered across Willa's face. "I... I don't know, Kelsey. That's an incredible offer, but am I really qualified for something like that? I don't know anything about the music industry."

Hayes squeezed Willa's hand, his eyes lighting up. "You'd get to travel, see the world, talk to and charm new people, and I'm sure there will be crazy weird problems to solve. It's everything you're good at, babe."

But I could see the hesitation in Willa's eyes. "But I'd be away from you the whole time. It's no different than if I just got another teaching job abroad. We need a way for us to be together. Maybe I should just?—"

As the discussion heated up, something important built up inside me. All the emotions from the KnightWear shoot, the raw vulnerability I'd experienced, the lessons I'd learned about being true to yourself—it all came rushing to the surface.

"Okay, you two, listen up," I heard myself say, my voice ringing out clear and strong. All eyes turned to me, surprise evident on their faces. I rarely raised my voice like this.

"There will never be a perfect solution. There is no such thing as perfect. Relationships are all about compromise, and you two are the worst at compromising I've ever seen. You'll compromise to make the other person happy, but not yourselves? What the hell?"

I found myself pacing the room, my voice rising with each word. "You're already defying expectations by refusing to allow the other to give up their dreams for you. Everyone would expect Willa to give up her life to be with Hayes because it's always the women who follow the players in football. They give up everything for us. But you two have already said that's not what you're going to do."

I marched right up to Hayes and Willa, my eyes blazing. "I've been trying to tell all of you lovesick fools that you need to be true to yourselves. Stop trying to fulfill everyone else's expectations of what they think you should be or how your relationship should look. All of you need to get your heads out of your asses and go after what you actually want the most."

With a final huff, I stormed out of the room, leaving a stunned silence in my wake. As I stepped outside, the cool air hitting my face, I took a deep breath. I hadn't meant to explode like that but seeing Hayes and Willa struggle under the weight of all these expectations, I'd never missed my mom more.

We all needed her advice right now.

I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. Maybe I'd gone too far. But after everything I'd been through, everything I'd learned about being true to yourself and embracing vulnerability, I couldn't stand by and watch them make those kinds of mistakes.

The door creaked open, and Penelope stepped out, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of concern and pride.

"Hey," she said softly, coming to stand beside me. "That was quite a speech in there. I'm proud of you. That was the real Everett Kingman in there, vulnerable and authentic. That's the man I fell in love with."

Her words hit me hard, and I intertwined our fingers. This moment with Penelope felt more real than any carefully curated image I'd ever tried to maintain. "That's the man I always want to be for you."