Chapter 24 Ian
TWENTY-FOUR
IAN
June
As soon as I answer the door, Lilly blurts out, the mix of frustration and panic clear in her voice, “Oh my god, Ian! My bathroom is flooded. The landlord isn’t answering the phone… I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry, I got this,” I say to calm her down. Grabbing some tools before heading over to her apartment, I immediately identify the problem when I look under the bathroom sink. “One of the pipes is leaking.”
“That’s just great. Wonder how long that’s been happening?” Lilly takes a closer look at me and asks, “Were you going somewhere?”
“I’m supposed to be at mandatory practice this morning.”
“Shit, Ian, you can’t be late for that, you’re one of the team captains!” Lilly says frantically. “You need to go. Now. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m going to wait with you until the landlord shows up.” My tone brooks no argument as I finish tightening the loose pipe. “I’ll just text the coaches to let them know I’m going to be late. It will be fine.”
It won’t be fine; I’ll definitely take some heat for this, I think to myself while typing a message to my coach. He’ll be angry, but taking care of Lilly is more important.
Thirty minutes later, the landlord shows up with a handyman. He pokes his head inside the bathroom, and I breathe in and out, not to lose my calm as he says, “Yes, it’s flooded.”
“We figured that out, already,” I gnash out, showing him where I tightened the pipe.
After the handyman inspects the damage, he says, “The repairs will take a few days.”
Is this some kind of divine intervention because I’ll gladly take it.
“You can stay at my place,” I tell her.
“But—”
I pin her with an intent look, and she nods. “Fine, but now get out of here. I’ll wrap things up and head to the store.”
Kissing her temple, I inhale her sweet scent. “See you later.”
I must tread carefully and shove my desire as far down as I can until she overcomes whatever holds her back.
Patience. Everything is better than us not talking. Fuck, that was brutal, and I’ve been through hard shit lately. But now we’re back on track, and I preserve hope that at the end of this ordeal, we’ll be together.
There’s no other way; I refuse to even entertain a different outcome.
When our kids ask us how we met, I’ll say, “I wore Mommy down while being the perfect friend and the man she needs.” That’s my strategy, and I’ll keep telling myself that, not to give in to my impulse, for now.
Like not sleeping together. There’s denial and there’s torture. I refuse to make things harder for us.
As soon as I enter the locker room, Coach Parker seethes.
Roman casts a worried look my way, and I mouth, “Talk to you later.”
“In my office, now,” Coach booms.
The hinges clatter with the force he shuts the door behind him. He scowls at me, letting me feel the brunt of his disappointment.
“I thought you, as a captain, would be the first through the door. You’re an hour late.”
I drag a hand down my face, trying to fix the situation. “Coach, it was an emergency.”
“What was an emergency?”
I am screwed either way, but I keep my mouth shut. He takes my silence as nothing important and says, “Don’t force me to bench you.”
I blink, taken aback. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“But, Coach…” Fuck. Coaches are supposed to have your back, but mine is intent on making my life more difficult than it already is. “Is this about me and Lilly?”
“There is no you and Lilly. And I hope you would never disrespect me by doing something stupid,” he mumbles under his breath.
I clench my jaw so hard that my teeth grind together.
“So what? You’re fine with me as your quarterback, but not dating your daughter?”
He slants me a deadly stare.
I know I said the wrong thing, but fuck him. He surely said something to her. Let’s have him bench me until the board is up his ass. If he wants a pissing contest, I am giving him one. Let’s see them winning without me and telling everyone the reason we’re on bad terms.
“There’s no way you’re dating my daughter. You’re not the only quarterback on my list.”
A threat I truly don’t give a fuck about. By the sigh he lets out, he’s aware just as much.
“Why?”
“I don’t have to justify myself to you,” he grumbles, being an unyielding cliff of inflexibility.
Crossing my hands over my chest, I jerk my chin to him. “You know what, Coach, you projecting your failure onto me isn’t helpful.”
“I would be very careful what I say next if I were you,” he snaps.
“My personal life should be of no concern,” I snap back.
“Yes, it is if it affects your performance. You think I haven’t watched you closely? Just because you keep most of your escapades private doesn’t mean you’re the type of man I would want with my daughter.”
This is Lilly’s father, I remind myself. I am on thin ice already, cracking with every step and threatening to break under my feet any moment, but consequences and his opinions be damned.
I slam a fist into my chest, blowing a harsh breath.
“You know nothing about my principles and values. I am a player just on the field. Let’s clear that up.
When I love, I love fucking hard and with all of me.
That goes for my family, friends, and my sport.
And you bet that my woman would never feel like she’s less important to me.
Be the coach I need to advance in my career.
Only one person keeps me here, so you tread just as carefully, Coach. ”
A pensive expression slides over his features for long minutes, which only increases my agitation.
I tap my foot on the floor, wanting to be done already. “Am I dismissed?”
“Yes, and pull double the time today.”
“Fine.”
I storm out.
He can think badly of me, but threatening to bench me, fucking stinks.
Back in the gym, Roman does pushups next to me while I do some arm exercises.
“What was that about?”
“Just him showing he’s the big guy,” I grit out. “Said not to force him to bench me.”
His eyes widen while he glances at the inexperienced backup quarterbacks, and whispers, “Oh, come on, man. Go back and crawl on your hands and knees if necessary. What the fuck was so important today?”
“Lilly. Her bathroom got flooded.”
“You whipped idiot. Really?”
I nod, dragging a hand down my face. “There are things just as or even more important to me than football. I love the game, but I will always be there for the people I love. I’m not taking that shit for granted.”
He swipes his towel over his sweaty temples, squeezing my shoulder. “Maybe he’d understand if you told him. She’s his daughter.”
“I’m not using Lilly to justify anything. He’s just pissed I am close to his daughter.”
Brows furrowed, he narrows his eyes at the wall as if he can see Coach behind it. “I don’t get his fucking problem. Why doesn’t he want his daughter to date a football player? She could do so much worse.”
I elbow his side. “Thank you, asshole. I appreciate it.”
My teammates trickle out, and I remain the only one in the practice facility. If I am something, it is determined to prove a point. Bring it on, Coach, but I am made of fucking stronger stuff.
Just to prove he means business, he has me throw passes until I can’t feel my fucking arm. I grit my teeth and push through.
“Good.”
It takes everything in me not to toss out a snarky remark. Good? Is he fucking kidding me? I watched the distance my ball flew every time. That’s not merely good.
He leaves, and I trudge to the locker room, hauling my exhausted limbs inside.
After I take a long, ice-cold shower, a member of the medical staff waits for me to bring me to the recovery room.
I sit down as he massages my arm and places an ice pack on it, wrapping it around my sore muscles. He inspects my shoulder with care, making sure it does what it’s supposed to do—bring in the wins.
“I’m fine,” I groan.
If I couldn’t handle this hard training, I wouldn’t be here. The more I work, the better I will become, honing my skills.
Once he’s done, I drive home.
Every trouble is forgotten when I catch Lilly in my kitchen, swaying her lips as she listens to something. Rooted in place, I watch her in her element, not wanting to disturb her, but she senses me, if that secretive smile is any indication. She turns around, and the smile wipes from her face.
She tugs at the earbuds and approaches me. “What happened?”
I can’t bitch to her about her father.
I force a smile to calm her. “Just a harder practice.”
The sadness clinging to her features guts me.
She lowers her gaze, sighing deeply. “I got you into trouble, didn’t I?”
“Hey.” I brush my finger under her chin, urging her to look at me. I get my suspicion confirmed because indecision flickers in her eyes. “I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.”
She offers a nod that is more placating than accepting. It makes me want to genuinely curse out my coach.
She drags me by the hand inside the kitchen, and I notice a shot on the counter.
How I missed these small, caring gestures that make the biggest difference.
I drink it in one go, already feeling a bit of my energy returning.
“Are you hungry?” she asks, clapping her hands together, her sign of excitement that she prepared something new.
“I’m starving.” More for you than for food, but with the smile teasing her lips, my face must reveal it.
As she plates two couscous salads with grilled chicken, I pour us some sparkling water.
“You know you can eat whatever you want. I won’t mind,” I say, my stomach growling at the delicious-looking dish.
“We’re a team.”
Yes, we are. The perfect team, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone else get in our way.
She shifts on her feet, chewing on her bottom lip. “So, about me staying with you until my bathroom gets fixed…”
“We basically lived together before. We’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? I could stay with Kat and Theo.”
No, I need her too much to agree. Her only option is my place. Period.