Chapter 17
Seventeen
Tyson
I kissed Blair. I fucking did it. She didn’t push me away or tell me to stop–she put herself into it.
My cheeks sting because I’m that annoying bastard who’s been smiling like a kid on his birthday any time I’ve been thinking about it.
And let’s be for real, it’s been difficult to think about anything else.
I can’t wait to spend a few days with Blair, out of the city. Ever since I met her in college, she’s always come to my family Thanksgiving. It’s hard not to remember the first time I asked her to come home with me.
“You running like that because you’re about to have a few days off? Or did that treadmill commit a crime?” I ask as Blair pounds her feet as she damn near sprints next to me. Ever since I met her, we’ve been studying together or working out when we’re not at practice.
She looks down at the time and when she hits a specific number, she removes some of the speed and slows down to a walk next to me. “No days off for me. I’ve got no Thanksgiving plans.”
Blair gave me the rundown on her family, mentioning her mom and two older brothers, but while I always try to make it home to Michigan, I can’t remember a time where she went home. Family is difficult or maybe it’s hard to line up schedules?
“What do you mean you’re staying here? It’s Thanksgiving. Turkey, rolls, and pie? You love those pumpkin drinks from the café, how can you not like Thanksgiving?!”
Her eyes, golden like the last of the autumn leaves clinging to the trees, stare ahead. “My family isn’t big on the holidays. My dad left when I was twelve and after that it just became too much for my mom. I didn’t push it. When I was in high school, we’d order pizza and watch old movies.”
Pizza on Thanksgiving. Her shifty eyes look to me and the sad smile on her lips has my heart squeezing in my chest. I know every family isn’t like mine but it’s so difficult to imagine that for someone like her.
She’s close with her brothers and typically talks about home like she misses it.
But it’s got to be much more complicated than that.
I’m sort of kicking myself for assuming she’d have this massive holiday at home, just because my parents don’t know how to chill out when we’re together.
“Are your brothers going to be around or are you really just planning on staying in the dorms?”
“No, they’ve got girlfriends and other things to get to. Just me this year. It’s no big deal.” The line that falls out of her mouth is one she’s said more times than anyone should.
I stop the treadmill, my cool down walk just about finished, and look out the window.
Snow is starting to fall, flakes thick and gorgeous when you’re safely inside.
I can’t imagine Blair in her tiny dorm room while I’m back at home with the bustle and comfort of being with family.
It will only be a two-day trip—that’s the max Coach could allow this season based on the football schedule—but it’s better than nothing.
What if you invited her? The thought runs through my brain but like it’s carrying a little bag full of doubt and fear.
What if she thinks it’s weird? Too much?
What if she’s looking forward to time away from me?
Twelve—that’s when her dad left. She probably hasn’t had a full holiday, like I’m used to, in that long.
And that’s the tipping point.
“Why don’t you come home with me?” I ask as Blair continues to walk on the treadmill, her cheeks red from the work.
“You don’t have to do that, Ty.” She wags her finger and only looks at me for a moment.
“I know I don’t have to, I want to. Plus, if my parents find out that I left you here like this? I’ll be in trouble.”
She stops her treadmill and turns to look at me, putting a hand on her hip and shifting the weight. “You want me to fly home with you? Crash your Thanksgiving?” She scrunches her forehead in the way she does when she’s trying to make sense of something. It’s fucking adorable.
“Yes. I’m only going to be there for two days, practice and stuff, but we have lots of space and my mom would love to meet you.”
She tilts her head, letting out a quick breath, “Your mom knows about me?”
Fuck. Is that too much? Have I crossed into creeper territory?
“Of course she does. She knows about all my friends.” I tell the little white lie. Well, actually it’s not a lie. It’s just that I’ve only had time for football and Blair. There really aren’t any other friends to talk about. But I definitely don’t tell her that.
“Are you sure? You really have the space?”
I do my best to reassure her, “Yes. More than enough space. My family would love it, I promise.”
When she nods, agreeing to come, it’s like a spark ignites in my chest. It’s the first time I knew how much I wanted to bring her home. Even if we are just friends.
That Thanksgiving was one of my favorites.
Blair walked in and fit like a piece of the puzzle we’ve been missing.
My mom always joked about wanting girls but instead had two boys who turned out to be massive athletes who loved to be too rough.
It was like Blair was exactly who she’d been waiting for.
Even now, almost ten years later, I remember thinking that, when I watched the two of them together. Blair had no idea how to bake, considering her mom never taught her, and she was enthralled with my mom while she was making her classic butterscotch apple pie.
We’ve had it every Thanksgiving since I can remember. Now, Blair makes it when she gets to my parents’ house. Her own tradition with the family who loves her like she’s one of us.
I can’t wait to be home with Blair for another holiday in only a few days.
Just then, she gets on the plane, looking for a place to sit. She catches me looking at her, and gives a tip of her chin, and a small smile. Only for me.
“Do you mind if I sit?” Zack says, while putting his bag in the overhead bin.
“Not at all,” I reply and Zack sits in the aisle row, leaving the middle seat open, the right move.
Once he’s buckled in and ready for takeoff, he looks at me and asks, “You and Blair, you’ve really been friends since college? Like good friends?”
I nod. “Yeah, I met her my sophomore year. We were both student athletes and sort of clicked.”
“I’m jealous. I don’t have any friends like that. Especially not someone like Blair. She’s fucking cool. I keep telling Emilie we have to get together, so she can meet her. Think the three of them would get along?” His voice climbs the way it does when he’s planning something he’s excited about.
By the three of them, I know he means Blair, Emilie, and Willow.
Emilie is Zack’s wife and she works for Willow—she started as her assistant but now has a pretty high-up job at Willow’s music label.
I know that if Blair had the opportunity to meet Willow, she’d lose her shit—that’s one of her all-time favorite musicians.
Everything I’ve learned about Willow, I’ve learned from Blair, up until being traded to the Cosmos where her fiancé Tripp Owens is on the team.
“She’d love it. Don’t tell her I told you, but she’s a bit obsessed with Willow,” I confide in Zack as he claps his hands together, rubbing them like he’s coming up with a mischievous plan.
He turns, scrunching his nose a bit and says, “You’re like best friends, huh?” I nod and he continues, “I love that. It’s like the universe needed you to have more time together this year or something.”
He’s right. I’ve thought a lot about how this season has panned out and it’s not anything I expected or even thought possible. But here we are.
He coughs, leaning closer to me. “This stuff with her dad. I can’t believe it. Hurts me to think about.”
What? The look I give him must show my confusion.
“What guy calls his kid after almost twenty years like that?”
Her dad called? What is he talking about? First a wave of adrenaline hits me, wanting to know what he wanted, what he said. When did he call? I know in this moment, I need to keep my face from giving me away. I can’t get into this with Zack.
I do everything I can to nod along and act like I totally get it.
“Yeah, I can’t imagine,” I say, turning to face the head seat in front of me, trying to end the conversation. Because honestly? I don’t know what to fucking say.
“She’s tough. That’s for damn sure,” Zack adds, in a way that shows the conversation is over.
I look out at the window, trying to get a grasp about what I just heard. Blair’s dad called her? She told Zack. She didn’t tell me. That’s probably what she was crying about yesterday. I flat out asked her if she wanted to talk about it and she wouldn’t.
But she told Zack.
Someone she just met?
The hurt catches me as soon as the plane starts to taxi down the runway.
If I opened my mouth right now, I don’t know if I could form words.
My throat is tight and it feels like there’s sand in my mouth…
like you can’t swallow past it. Quietly, I try to catch my breath.
I look over and see that Zack is wearing an eye mask and is trying to sleep.
Breathe in.
Her dad called.
Breathe out.
Why didn’t she tell me?
Breathe in.
What now?
Breathe out.
Who knows.