Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
NASH
I’m quickly learning the harsh reality of playing in a brand-new league.
I walk onto the court for the start of practice and see chaos. There’s a team already there, all right. But they’re standing on either side of the half-court line throwing big red rubber balls at each other.
Daly walks up behind me and quickly takes in the scene. “What the fuck is going on?”
I gesture at the players. “Dodgeball.”
“I see that,” she says flatly. “But why are they here during our time?”
“Let’s go see.”
We walk over to where Coach is talking quietly to who seems to be the dodgeball team manager. She’s pulled up to her full six-foot-four inches, ready for confrontation. I just catch clips of their conversation, “Scheduling disaster—I can’t believe you allowed this to happen.”
A couple of us are standing around waiting to see if we are going to actually get to practice; a few others are warming up like they’re sure we will.
Coach storms away from the other man, clapping to bring us all in. “There’s been a mistake in the scheduling of the court time.” She takes a breath.
Temi speaks up, “They’re in the weight room too?”
Coach nods. “Apparently, this is a joint practice between two teams. There’s one in the weight room now, and later in the day they will switch.
Normally, I would have a backup plan, but since I’m not from around here, I’m not sure where we can go on such short notice to have any kind of workout.
” She looks at us for suggestions or ideas.
Coaches are supposed to have an answer for everything, to never crack under pressure or let anyone see them flinch, but this season hasn’t come without challenges, and we need to stick together if we want to make it.
“Let me call a friend,” I say and step away from the group and into the locker room to grab my phone.
I unlock it and go to my favorites, hold it up to my ear, and listen to it ring.
Time and time again I find myself leaning on Wyatt when things go sideways in my life, and this time is no exception.
“Hello?” Wyatt answers.
And he never fails to come through when I need him.
“Hey,” I hedge.
“What’s up? Shouldn’t you be at practice?”
“I am, but there was a scheduling issue and the Average Joe’s are here, instead. We need somewhere else to go, and I thought maybe you might know someplace that can accommodate us last minute?”
“I think Ironsides is usually closed on Mondays, but I’ll call and get them to open for you. He owes me a favor. I’ll text you the address.”
“Oh my God, you’re a lifesaver. We cannot afford to miss a practice. Even just catching half of a workout is enough.”
“It’s no problem.” I can hear the tease in his voice when he says, “Anything for my girl.”
Tell me why my stomach did a little squiggle when he called me that? Why did I have to press my lips between my teeth to contain my smile? “Bailing me out, once again.”
“It’s not bailing if I want to help.”
I toe the tip of my court shoe at the ground.
“Nobody heard that anyway. So your boyfriend charm is wasted on me alone.” I hear everyone in the main gym speaking over one another and say, “I’ve got to go let everyone know we’re moving out.
” If I stay on this call with him any longer, I’m going to be flouncing out there like a little schoolgirl.
When I come back out of the locker room, my teammates are putting their warm-up sweats back on over their practice gear and changing out of their court shoes for a variety of other footwear, as if they’ve given up hope on having a practice today.
They turn expectantly to me. I hold my hands out like I’m about to tell them I found the golden ticket and we’re all going to meet Willy Wonka.
“I’ve got a place. I’ll text the group chat the address and we’ll all meet there. ”
“Where are we going?” Temi asks.
“How did you find something so quick?” Lauren adds on.
“Wyatt trains at this gym with some teammates, and he said they’re usually closed on Mondays, but he is going to call and get them to open for us.”
An actual cheer that makes me feel simultaneously like a hero and a fraud, breaks out. I wave them off. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can thank me if this actually works.”
Temi runs up to me. “Wyatt did this?”
I shrug. “He said the guy owes him a favor.”
“Either way, that is so sweet of him.”
I try to hide the smile and blush combo spreading across my face.
“He’s a sweet guy.” And I am walking the tight rope between us.
The thin line between making a good thing even better and ruining something that’s been so important in my life.
The cherry on top of that shit pie is that I’m also lying to all my new teammates, who I feel like are becoming my good friends.
I try to not let those thoughts linger as we get to Ironsides gym and acquaint ourselves with the space. I check my texts one last time before abandoning my bag. There’s one from Wyatt.
WYATT
Let me know if you need anything else.
If he only knew what I really wanted from him…he might change his mind about that comment.
When we wrap up our weight room session, the owner of the gym, an older man who’s ex-NFL, comes out to greet us.
“Ladies, I hope you enjoyed your time here. I’d like to extend a discounted offer to you for your off-season gym needs.
Just let me know if you’re interested later on. ” We all nod our thanks.
Coach speaks up, “Thank you for letting us use your space on such short notice.”
“No problem, always looking out for H-town’s athletes when I can.” It’s at this moment that Wyatt strides through the front door. “Wyatt,” John, the owner, greets him, “Great to see you.”
I walk to Wyatt’s side, intent on thanking him myself for saving our practice. “John, this is my girlfriend, Nash.”
“Oh, that’s how you know this lovely team,” John says, unsurprised. I reach out to shake John’s hand. He’s built like a truck and his head is shiny bald.
“Nice to officially meet you.”
“You, too. Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll get out of your way so you can pack up.” With that, he strolls back to the office he came from. I assume he has work to finish since we disturbed his off day.
I reach down to grab my bag, but Wyatt beats me to it. “Let me.” And I do.
I wave goodbye to the girls, and we head out the front door of Ironsides.
The weather isn’t unbearable yet, but the wind that blows is warm, hinting at what’s to come.
Wyatt reaches for my hand as we walk toward my car.
We basically don’t go anywhere in public not connected anymore.
My body was tired before Wyatt showed up, completely exhausted from dead lifts, but now I can feel it light up in his presence.
Starting from where he’s touching me and moving up my arm.
It’s getting harder to ignore how natural this feels.
Like what I imagine a caterpillar must feel when making its cocoon.
I think it knows it’s doing the right thing and that it will be protected while it morphs into something beautiful, and I silently wonder if whatever this is between us will also change into something equally as wonderful.
I unlock my car, and Wyatt throws the bag in my backseat.
We stand awkwardly for a second, unsure of how to leave things.
He came to my rescue once again. How many times does he have to do this before I consider him my official knight in shining armor?
He’s certainly not the freshman I once knew, all shaggy-haired and gangly.
I take in his full lips that surround his bright smile, light stubble gracing his cheeks.
Somewhere during the last five years while I was gone, Wyatt has become a grown man.
I can’t help but tongue my lip. “I’ll see you Friday for lunch?” I lean back against the car, and he leans in toward me. So close I can smell his cologne, sharp and masculine.
“You will.” I have the sudden urge to kiss him, and I have to grip my keys so tightly in my hand that it hurts. He must be able to read the look on my face because he asks, “Penny for your thoughts?”
Something has been weighing on my mind. “When this deal is done and everyone’s gotten what they wanted, what’s going to happen to us?”
“We’ll still be friends, right?” he says honestly.
“Yeah,” I say. “It’s just–” Wyatt takes my hand and momentarily stops me.
“I think things will work out exactly the way they’re supposed to.”
“That’s cryptic as fuck.”
He laughs. “I know.” He takes one step closer. “You trust me, right?”
I gulp like a cartoon character. “I trust you,” I say, but my eyes go right to his mouth.
I’m sure he notices because he goes completely still for a second.
Like if he allowed himself to move an inch, he would unleash on me.
My heart pounds in my chest and I wait for him to move, to decide how far this is about to go in this now-empty parking lot.
No one we need to convince is around. Then again, no one is around at all.
If we kissed now, it wouldn’t be for show, wouldn’t be for stress release.
It would be kissing just because we wanted to.
Do I want to take this further? Would our friendship survive if we didn’t work out?
Wyatt takes a measured step back. Giving me space to catch my breath.
I guess I’ll never find out.