Page 58 of Built To Perform

“If, that is,” Coach continued, “you think your adoring fans will be able to do without your performances.”

There was, I had to believe, the very slightest hint of amusement on Coach’s face. You just had to look very closely - and be equally familiar with his usually stoic expression - to see it.

Brayden made no such effort to hide his grin.

“I think they’ll survive, sir, yes.” He side-eyed Jefferson, pointedly. “Honestly, I’m not so sure wrestlers are welcome down there right now.”

Jefferson - probably wisely - opted not to say anything.

“That’s settled, then,” Coach said. “I suspect you’ll need to tighten your budget all the same, be more sensible. Perhaps there’s someone with number skills who can hold you to account, and stave off some of your more... indulgent tastes.”

Brayden frowned, looking like he was about to argue the characterization, but I jumped in first.

“I think I know just the person,” I suggested, flashing my big bro a smirk.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Pay attention!”

Brayden looked up from his phone. “I am paying attention.”

“To the spreadsheet, I mean.”

“Why, though? I already know I’m broke; I thought the whole point of this was you telling me how not to be?”

Adam looked, briefly, like he was considering arguing with that. Then he very clearly gave up on the idea.

“You’ve got free access to weights and stuff at school, but you’re still paying for a gym membership.”

Brayden shrugged. “School doesn’t have a jacuzzi.”

“An essential part of every young athlete’s day,” Adam said, sarcasm dripping.

“I can tell you’ve never been jerked off while a jacuzzi jet tickles your asshole.”

For a moment, Adam just blinked. “You remember what I made Eoin promise,” he said, finally, “when I agreed to help you with your financial bullshit?”

“Something about ‘no screwing around, no goofing off, no shenanigans’ maybe? Y’know, I think it’s kinda cute that you say words like ‘shenanigans.’”

Adam grunted frustration. “Well, this definitely counts as screwing around, goofing off, and shenanigans. With this attitude, I’m not surprised your accounts are such a shit-show. You know you have subscriptions to at least eight different streaming services, right?”

Brayden yawned, stretching expansively. Adam - despite everything - instinctively glanced down at how it exposed his abs.

“I get bored easy,” the senior suggested, “I need constant entertainment.”

“Two of them you’re paying twice for!”

“It was a promotion!” Brayden gestured at the laptop, as if astonished the columns of figures hadn’t already made his budgeting acumen clear. “You got a free month if you signed up new. That’s called being clever with money.”

The sigh seemed to reverberate from the depths of Adam’s chest. “Only if you cancel the service you’re already paying for. And then cancel the new one, once the free trial is up. Rather than, y’know, paying for both of them, simultaneously.”

“You’re so clever at this stuff,” Brayden suggested, with a beaming grin.

“I am,” Adam agreed, dryly. “Not that I really need to be, given a small and barely-numerate child could see where all your money is vanishing to every month. And I’m also immune to flattery, especially when it’s so obviously self-serving.”

Brayden rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll cancel them. Are we done now? Can I afford, like, rent?”

Adam flashed me a mutinous look over his shoulder. It was an expression which said both ‘can you believe this guy?’ and ‘I’m gonna smother you in your sleep, for getting me into this bullshit.’