Chapter 4
Cooper
I finishup my last round of reps and head for the showers. Lizzy’s with her mom this week, so I’m heading home to get the BBQ fired up for the guys coming over later tonight. Just as I’m walking in the door, my phone dings with a number I don’t immediately recognize, and I open it as a second message follows.
UNKNOWN:
Hey. This is Beatrix. I had your number saved from one of the times we were at the lake house. I hope you don’t mind me texting.
I just wanted to let you know Lizzy tried to add me today on my private Instagram account. I’m not sure how she found it. Probably because she’s so smart. I’ve declined, but I don’t want her to be upset. She can add me on my public account if she wants or text me anytime. I mean—if you’re okay with it! My private account is mostly what I use for close friends, and I just don’t want her to accidentally see something she shouldn’t.
I’m grinning like an idiot at my phone because now I have her number without having to find an excuse to get it. Although, I’m curious about this private account she has on social media. But first things first. I have to reel it in and act like the good father and professional I am.
No. Text her anytime. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll chat with her and give her your number to text you, if that’s okay?
I type in Trixie and save her to my contacts before I toss my bag as I walk in the door and tuck my phone in my shorts. I make my way to the shower, stripping out of my shirt. I’m exhausted after a long day of offseason practice. My muscles are still trying to remember how the fuck to play football all over again, but I’m not too exhausted to text with her.
Trixie:
Yes. As long as you’re sure you don’t mind? I understand if you don’t want us talking. It made sense when Rob and I were together, but now, it might be weird for you?
Not weird at all. She adores you. She’s been going on about you since she saw you the other day. As long as she doesn’t drive you crazy, I’m happy for you guys to talk.
Okay. I just wanted to be sure! Thanks. Good seeing you both.
Well fuck. I need a reason to keep this going, but first, I have to get showered, dressed, and get things marinating out of the fridge and on the grill before the rest of the guys get here. And fire off a text to Lizzy to find out how her snooping ended with her being on Trixie’s private account.
Me:
Hey Lizzy. Hope you had a good day at school. Trix said you added her on an old private account on socials. She doesn’t use it much so she said you can text her at this number if you want to talk more.
I send the number over to her and wait for a reply as the water in the shower heats up.
Lizzy:
Okay. Thanks. I just wanted to catch up and ask her about something.
She said to text her anytime. But now I gotta ask, ask her about what?
Girl stuff.
Okay, well, don’t drive her crazy. Also, what’s the account name you found?
Why do you want to know?
Just want to see something.
Not suspish at all.
Huh. That’s interesting.
What?
Someone just asked me about doing something on Saturday night. Might have to go.
You know we’re going to the fair! Everyone is going, and I can’t miss.
Are we though? I don’t know. Can’t seem to remember.
I could just have Emmeline’s parents drop me off with her.
Nice try. If you go, I go. Now… give me the info.
It’s TrixXTreats.
That’s my girl.
Making me sell out Trix so I can see my friends. I’ll have to discuss that with her when we chat.
Don’t you dare.
Hmm. Just hoping I can get some time with my friends without my dad watching me like a loser.
Smartass.
I learned from the best.
I’m going. Those are the rules. I drive. I stay.
You can stay at the same place, but you can’t, like, stalk us around the fair. You’re going to embarrass me.
You realize half the guys in your school invite me to their birthday parties every year, right?
Embarrassment. Distraction. Either way. Not cool.
I’ll keep a low profile. Like a spy. You won’t even know I’m there.
You are such a nerd.
A nerd who loves you. Getting ready to BBQ. Have a good night. Do your homework. Listen to your mom.
Don’t eat all the cookies I bought. I want some when I get home. Tell the guys I say hi and remind Rams he still hasn’t beaten my score.
Will do.
I’m laughingat how much it’s going to irk Ramsey that he can’t beat my daughter at his favorite game, and more that she loves to taunt him about it. I copy the name Lizzy gave me and type it into the search bar so I can find the account.
It comes up quickly and is private just like Trix said it would be. A small picture of her in a dress is the only sign it’s hers with a bio so vague it could belong to anyone. I have my own private account for friends and family, so I don’t blame her for wanting some anonymity in a world where people can turn the smallest thing into a salacious detail. I like having somewhere I can post things that are just between all of us and not having to hear every thought that runs through random people’s heads about me and my performance out on the field.
It’s one of the few things I hate about being a pro athlete—some people have no boundaries, and others feel like being pro means being flawless all the time. So I can appreciate a space where there’s no pressure to be perfect .
I hover my thumb over the follow-request button for a moment, contemplating whether or not I should. But I’m curious what’s behind the privacy wall. Who she is when she’s not being the senator’s daughter, the good girlfriend in front of my parents, or the public-facing PR person.
I’ve seen enough to know I like her. More than I should given who she’s been to me before now. But I have a feeling there’s a lot more to Beatrix Xavier than I’ve seen so far, and a whole lot fucking more I’m going to like. Which is enough to convince me to push the button.
It’s anticlimactic, though, because nothing happens. Just a note that she’ll be notified and will have to accept or decline. I tap my phone against my leg and then set it on the counter so I can hop in the shower. I’m more anxious to see how she’ll respond than I’ve been for anything outside of a game in a while. I am playing with fire already, but I like it.
An hour later,I’ve got the grill going, and Northmore is splashing around in the pool with Mira, Kelly, and Daphne, while Ramsey and Garner are busy helping me prep the food. I check my phone again, and there’s a notification, but when I open it, it’s from a post I made on my main account this morning and nothing from my private account.
“Waiting to hear from someone?” Logan Garner smirks and nods to my phone. “You’ve been checking it like every five minutes.”
“Oh, just Lizzy telling me how you guys can’t beat her score in the game and filling me in on her day.”
“Damn. I really can’t. She’s fucking good. I think she really does have a career in it. Aren’t there like competitive teams and cash prizes? Maybe she should do that,” Ramsey pipes in.
“I’ve offered, but she doesn’t want to compete. She just wants to design. She’s always sketching things in her notebook and then running off into her room to work on them. She has an idea for a post-apocalyptic game right now. Honestly, it sounds pretty badass. Her friend’s been working with her on it, though, and he’s always coming over on his skateboard after school when she’s here.”
“A guy, huh? You let them hang out?”
“With the door open. They’re still young, but her mom said the PTA group chat says a couple of the kids were already caught making out under the bleachers. She wants to go to the fair this weekend with him. He invited her. I guess there’s a group of them.”
“Kid stuff is a challenge, huh? Fuck, I don’t know how you’ve done it for thirteen years already. Even now, I don’t think I’m ready for them.”
“Almost fourteen years now. I don’t think you’re ever ready. I think you just get thrown into the fire and pray you’ve got enough water every day to put it out.”
Garner laughs and shakes his head. “Yeah, I think I can wait a bit for that.”
There’s a shriek from the pool that draws our attention toward it, and I see Mira splash Northmore with water, laughing and then trying to swim away before he can catch her. Ramsey’s making his way to the pool, and Daphne’s pulling herself up out of the side in a way that’s hard to miss. Water’s cascading off of her as she uses a towel to dab at her neck and chest. I’m half-certain it’s for his attention, or maybe all ours. She’s wild as hell and off-limits for every guy on the team.
“Fuck. She’s hot…” Garner curses under his breath.
“Two words: Mayweather’s sister.”
“I know. But I can look, can’t I?”
“At your own risk.”
“You wouldn’t if she asked?”
“Fuck no.” I draw a line at my teammate’s sister. My brother’s ex, on the other hand… There, my morality’s a little on the gray side. At least when it comes to one woman in particular. I glance at my phone again, and there’s another notification. It’s not from the app, but it’s a text. And it’s Trix. I nearly drop my phone in my hurry to open it.
Trixie:
Did you try to add me, or was that an accident when you were checking up on Lizzy?
I talked to Lizzy and gave her your number so the two of you can chat. I meant to add you, unless you think I’m not old enough for the content.
She leaves me on read, and I turn around to open the grill again, flipping over the burgers and dogs while I wait to see if I get an answer.
Trixie:
Funny. But… is it weird if we’re friends?
Why would it be weird?
The obvious reason?
Nah. I think it’d be weirder if we weren’t still friends. You’re not going to hold him against me, are you? I can disown him if need be.
I guess I won’t make you disown family just to talk to me.
You and the rest of your family were always kind. I know I said that already, but seriously, thank you. And thank you again for the rescue the other day.
You act like it’s hard. We all just like you. Just between us—you were the only girlfriend of his I liked.
Well… thanks? I think. I’m not sure what that says about me.
Probably that he was lucky for once.
Lucky as fuck, frankly. I still have no idea how Rob convinced her to date him. She was out of his league. Out of mine, too, really. Way too refined and smart for either of us. That isn’t going to stop me from trying though.
I spend most of the rest of my BBQ distracted and texting with Trix rather than chatting with any of my guests. I can feel Daphne’s irritation with me building that I’m ignoring her, but I’d rather let her be Garner’s problem than mine. Especially since I’m fairly certain her only interest in me is that she views me as a challenge. The two of them make a lot more sense, assuming he’s ready to have his limbs rearranged in the process.
The more I text Trix, the more I’m reminded of how much I like her and how easy she is to talk to. I just wish I could spend more time with her, and somewhere outside of work. Which makes me think about this weekend and gives me a brilliant idea.
So I’m wondering… do you like county fairs?
Trixie:
That’s a loaded question.
Is it? Bad fair experience?
I had to go to a lot of them as a kid.
4H?
Worse. A father in politics.
Oh right… That’s fair. Get it?
Sorry. That was fucking lame. Dad jokes just happen sometimes.
She doesn’t answer, and my anxiety builds because I hope I’m not fucking this up. When another ten minutes pass by and I hear nothing, I decide to go for it anyway. Hoping I can salvage it somehow.
Not even a giggle? Well. I’m still gonna shoot my shot. Confidence of a middle-aged dad, after all.
I’ve gotta take Lizzy to one Saturday night. I promised she could go with her friends. But there are boys involved, one in particular I have my eye on. So I told her I’d take her, but I’m staying. It’ll be weird if it’s just me wandering around checking on them, but if you go… It’ll just look like I’m out with a friend. So you could help my image by making me look like less of a creep.
Trixie:
Sorry, I was in the shower.
The dad jokes are gold. They definitely make me giggle.
Does she already have a boyfriend?
After my brain short circuits for a moment imagining her in the shower, I answer her.
I’m not sure. She swears he’s just a friend, but he comes around enough that I think he wishes they were more. If I spent that much time on a girl at that age, it was because I wanted to be more than her friend. So I have my suspicions.
Trixie:
Had trouble with the friend zone growing up, did we?
I plead the fifth. But seriously… I’ll buy you all the funnel cakes and ride tickets you want. Lizzy might even stop complaining about me going if you’re there…
What time? I have a date Saturday, but I could go later.
My heart sinks. If she’s already dating, that answers my question about whether or not I have a chance in hell.
A date? Already? You move fast.
Trixie:
Ouch? Madison’s got me on a dating app.
I cringe at my own lack of filter. I don’t know what I’m doing when I’ve got someone like her I’m trying to talk to. Just fumbling around trying to figure things out and making an ass of myself in the process.
Didn’t mean it like that. I know you’ve been broken up for a while. I just meant you haven’t been in the city that long.
Trixie:
I’ve been here for a bit.
Where are you living anyway? Got an apartment in the suburbs somewhere?
A hotel.
A hotel? Is it a long-term stay or? Seems like it’d get old after a couple weeks.
Something like that. Still trying to figure out if I’m going to stay here for long enough to justify something other than a hotel.
Well, tell your date he better give you some good reasons to stay. The team needs you.
I’ll be sure to let him know you said that. His profile said he’s a big Chaos fan, so he might actually listen to you.
Then tell him if he cares about the team, he’ll cut the date short so you can go to the fair with me. I have to have her over there at 7:30.
Okay. I’m meeting him for coffee at 6, so I might be able to meet you there. Where’s the fair? I’ll have to get a ride. Still no car either.
Must be a pain getting to the stadium every day.
I’m staying close. Walking distance. Mads has been picking me up for other stuff, and I’ve been grabbing the occasional ride. It’s been okay so far.
The fair’s kind of out in the country. Where are you going for coffee?
The typing bubble pops up and disappears a few times. I’m not sure if she doesn’t want to tell me or she can’t remember the name of the place.
Trixie:
The Perk or Later. Why?
I can come to pick you up. Just text me when you’re done, and Lizzy and I will get you on the way. I can take you home too.
Are you sure? I don’t want to be a pain.
I’m more than happy to pick her up and even happier to grab her from her date. Not that I want to be a dick, but I also don’t want to lose my shot before I even get a real chance.
You’re doing me a favor by going and keeping me company. The least I can do.
I grin at my phone. I’m gonna give her the best fair experience of her life, one so good she’s going to forget she even went on a different date earlier in the night.