11. Adam
Adam
“Hi, this is Mia Wright. I can’t come to the phone—”
Shit. Ending the call, I toss my phone back in my duffle bag in the locker room and hit the showers after our morning workout.
I haven’t heard from her all morning, which isn’t exactly our normal, but I guess nothing alarming either. We’re bound to run into this issue a lot in our relationship, but the last two weeks of getting lucky and talking to her have spoiled me.
I like starting off my day being able to hear her voice. I like the random voice memos she sends me about work, and FaceTimes especially are a good time, but I fucking miss her.
I’ve been repeating Callie’s “second chance” ideology in my head since the last night with Mia. It hadn’t dawned on me till now that the depleted feeling I got when I moved to Seattle didn’t come when we got traded to Boston.
While I don’t think that subconsciously I’ve been going through the motions like Will has said or felt lost like Callie—I’m simply ready to have more out of my life. I like the whole second chance of spending my life with someone that makes me happy, and damn if Mia doesn’t feel a bit like my fate.
The only person crabbier than me right now about missing their significant other is Beck.
It’s gotten to the point that he’s thrown out the idea of us planning the perfect timing for a flight to Boston just for us to get a few hours to see the girls.
I’d be lying if I didn’t consider it the fifth time he asked me.
I’ve never made this much of an effort to talk to someone before.
Hell, the thought of leaving would’ve never crossed my mind before Mia.
And not from the lack of emotional availability— I just feel Mia deserves a higher bar, point-blank period.
But the reality is damning: it's simply impossible to see her with the schedule of Spring Training.
Making my way back to my bag, I throw on a clean pair of athletic shorts and a Blues T-shirt.
We’re supposed to play at noon, but there’s been a storm in the forecast all morning.
In typical Florida style, it’ll roll on through eventually, but it’s currently up in the air whether it will delay the game.
Rifling through my bag, I look for my phone to try Mia one more time, but then I hear Beck and Will’s bickering behind me.
“Fuck off, Beck,” Will grumbles, but it never works.
“What? What did I do?” Beck plays dumb, and that right there tells me he knows exactly what he did.
Will’s probably one of the more mature players on the team, but not when dealing with Beck, and something tells me I’m about to have to break this up.
“What did you do? I swear to fuck, if you don’t quit bringing up the fact that you have plans after opening night to Callie when you know it’s the engagement party, I’m going to hit you.”
Beck throws his hands up. “It’s not like I’m telling her the plans!”
“You’re baiting her into asking questions! Have you met Callie?”
Beck looks at me. “Is he implying something about our sister right now?”
Will runs a hand over his face. “Fucking don’t—don’t start.”
“Quit being so sensitive. All because you’re nervous about asking Callie to marry you.” Beck pokes at Will’s shoulder because that will always help escalate the situation. I’m not entirely sure why Beck’s pushing his buttons but it usually comes with a reason—most of the time, at least.
Our team’s rookie, Sam, comes up to my side. “Will looks like he’s about to kill him. Should we do something? I doubt Jensen would like that.”
I shake my head. “Nah, they’ll be fine, just a family fight.”
Sam nods, but before he can say anything else or Will can actually hit Beck, Tripp comes in the locker room with his hands covering Emma’s eyes. “Is everyone decent?”
When no one objects, and Tripp looks around just to be double sure, he finally moves his hands. She looks at him with a smile.
“Thank you. Okay, I need Adam and Beck to come with me. We’re going to do a quick press interview.”
Beck grumbles a few curse words under his breath, but I’ve never really minded doing interviews.
Between all the shit clubs I was forced to do in high school and the media training we do with our marketing team annually, I’m more than prepared.
It typically makes me the go-to person while Beck is there for the personality.
Following Emma’s lead down the hall, she gives us a quick rundown. They want to know how we think the team is looking…how opposing teams are looking…blah, blah, blah.
When we get to the door to one of the media rooms, she spins around. “Okay, last thing, they were a little grumpy, so deep breaths, find your patience.”
“We got it, Em, promise.”
Beck gives her a small salute as I open the door, but when we walk in, there’re no reporters in this room…just Mia and Jensen. It takes a few seconds for us to register, but the moment Jensen jumps on Beck, he snaps out of his trance.
Mia calmly steps up to me, her smile somehow even more beautiful than I remembered. Reaching to cup her face is both necessary for me to grasp the reality that she’s here and for my mental sanity.
Her arms wrap around me as I pull her in. “Hey, All-star, you miss me?”
“Yes, I really fucking did.” I take two more seconds to admire the smile on her face before kissing her. She tastes like those mint chocolates she loves.
Her body melts into mine for just a minute before I hear Jensen squeal and the door being opened. Turning around, I see Beck carrying Jensen out of the room.
“We’ll catch up with you guys later.”
Mia snorts, then brings her arms back around my shoulders. “You know, I wasn’t sure Emma was going to be able to keep the bit up, but with the look on your guys’ faces, I’d say she did a pretty good job.”
“She did. I was fully prepared to bullshit some very professional answers about this season.”
Mia’s laugh comes again. “You could still do that. Hold on, let me think—I’ve been watching these games when I can—”
I brush some of her hair out of her face, then cut her off with another kiss. My hands move to her waist then guide her back up against the wall. Her body molds against mine, and our kiss deepens as she lifts her legs around my waist, pulling me tighter into her.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” I whisper against her mouth.
“Really?” she breathes out between the kisses.
Pulling back, I look into her eyes. “Yes, baby, I’m very happy you’re here. Beck and I had actually considered sneaking back up to Boston just to see you.”
She snorts a laugh. “Right. Just a quick lil’ trip. Wouldn’t you get fined for that?”
I shrug. “Ah, only if we got caught.”
“Mm-hmm, I’d say you’re all talk, but the thought was nice.” Mia bites at her lip as her eyes dart down to my lips. “I’m happy I’m here, too.”
There’s this pure animalistic need to fuck her right here, right now. The glint in her eyes tells me she very well may be good with that, but we’re pressed for time, and a quick fuck here in the press room is not going to cut it.
Mia tilts her head with this smirk. “Listen, All-star, I brought condoms in my carry-on, but I already broke into your room and left it there. I will, however, gladly make out with you until the game.”
I adore her.
Pulling her tighter to my body, I move a hand to cup her chin and brush my thumb lightly against her lips. I missed these lips and the sass that comes out of them. I’ve missed kissing her.
There’s got to be something about the pure joy I feel being around her. There’s a smile straight up plastered on my face at the sound of her voice. I don’t care if we don’t have sex for the entirety of her stay—I really want to, but I’m happy that she’s here more than anything else.
“What about I take you on another unconventional date?”
“I’d love that, too.”
“Alright, I’ll be right back.”
With a kiss on her forehead, I head back by the locker room where I grab two subs that have been left out for lunch and some water.
We have a little less than an hour before I have to start getting into game mode, but I’m positive there’s already a crowd forming in the stadium, so the press room is as private as we’re going to get.
“Okay, ham or turkey?” I ask as we move over to sit in the chairs.
“Turkey, please.” She holds out her hands, waiting for the sandwich. “I swear, one time you’re going to take me to a very pricey restaurant and I’m going to hate it.”
“You own one of those, Mia. I knew that wasn’t the way to impress you.”
Her eyebrows raise as she gives a bit of a shrug. “Who knew I’m a low-maintenance date type of girl?”
“Hold on to that statement until you unwrap the sandwich.”
“Fair enough.” Her smile threatens to dim as more of the sad little sandwich is revealed, but when she takes her first bite, she hums. “I’ve had worse.”
“The company makes it better.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a very cheesy man?”
“No, I’ve gotten boring and too serious before, though.”
Mia’s eyes light up. “Yeah, well, she was very wrong.”
“I’m willing to bet it will be the first and last time she’ll admit that, too.”
Mia nods as she takes another bite. Leaning back in her chair, she turns her body to face me and lifts her legs into my lap. “Okay, All-star, I meant what I said. I’m going to have to learn everything about this sport, so I’ve been watching it every chance I get.”
“My games only?” Not that I actually care. I simply love the fact that she’s wanting to be involved in this major part of my life.
“Of course, only you. Which leads me to two very serious questions to start.”
“Oh boy, this ought to be good.”
“First, who do I need to thank for you being traded to the Blues? I hate to tell you this, babe, but the Seattle red was not your color.”
My head tilts back with a laugh. “Here I was thinking you’d want to thank them because that led me to you.”
“Well, yeah, that too, but you know—”
Taking her by the chin, I pull her in for a quick kiss. “What’s the second one?”
She hums with this smirk on her face. “As a very nosy girlfriend, I naturally googled you in the name of research on the game, of course.”