Chapter 6
a football party with a player
Morgan
“Wait, so, we’re having a Football sunday party, and a football player is going to be here?” My best friend, Alexis asks.
I nod, “that’s correct.” I place the the veggie tray on the counter, turn the plate to line up with the cookie tray and step back.
“I’m confused, why?” she continues.
“Why what?” I look at her.
With her hands on her hips, she turns, “shouldn’t be be playing football today, not watching it?”
I pierce her with a look and shake my head. “He has a bye week. And he promised that the next time he had a break, we would hang out if he was in town, and he is.”
“And by hand, you mean watch football with a group of people he doesn’t know? Possible fans?”
“He knows what he’s getting himself into. Besides, I couldn’t cancel our weekly get-together when it was my turn to host it.”
“Does he know what he’s going to be walking into? A house full of several die-hard Wolves fans?”
“Yes,” I answer, avoiding her eyes.
“You lie. He’s going to kill you.”
“He may be mad at first, but he’ll get over it pretty quick.” I shrug, walking around the counter and opening the fridge. I look into the brightly-lit container and quietly count the non-alcoholic drinks that I have.
Enough. There’s enough. Most of everyone coming drinks, it’s only a few who don’t. I’m sure there’s enough.
“This is how it’s going to go, ‘oh hey Jax, welcome, come on in. Let’s not talk about how you’re this huge football plater and pretend you’re just the guy next door’, this will be fun.
“He really is.”
“What? The guy next door? Girl, please. He’s a multi-millionaire. He’s on billboards, in magazines, gets awards, has famous friends. Nothing about him screams guy next door!”
The fridge closes and I turn around, place my hands on the counter and smile. “Regardless of how he may be perceived, he’s a normal guy, you’ll see.”
A knock breaks the moment and I look at the time as Alexis sashays to the front door.
“Mikey! What the hell are you wearing?” Hey Kendra.” Alexis says, reaching to Kendra as she passes through the threshold for a quick hug.
Mikey, a regular at our weekly get-togethers steps into the kitchen with a wide grin on his face. He’s wearing a silver leotard with black shorts and a matching luchadora mask.
“Just be happy that I put on the leotard. Kendra told me that it would be improper if I was only wearing the shorts and mask.” He states.
“With how short and tight those shorts are, be thankful ladies that you didn’thave to see what I saw.” Kendra says, shaking her head. “Hey Morgan.”
One by one, our friends come over and the television blares over the surround sound speakers in the entertainment room of my home. The morning games are ove, and the afternoon games just started. Pizza has been ordered and everyone is getting their fill of food when my doorbell rings again.
I steady my breath. Jax is here. No one, aside from Alexis is aware that he’s coming over, and I’m hoping that it doesn’t become a big deal. Because Jax doesn’t like big deals.
Shit! Am I an idiot?
Jax Carr and I have been friends since we were kids.
We both grew up in the same neighborhood of the suburbs of the bay area.
We met in fifth grade and from there we were inseparable.
He became my sounding board, my secret sharer, and the one steady shoulder that I knew I could count on for years.
For as long as I could remember, I was crawling into his bedroom window and falling asleep beside him after talking all night or watching movies.
We shared all the important moments of our upbringing together. From first loves to heartbreaks, to bad grades and winning games, and no matter what we would support one another.
Before he became the man he is today, he was just my friend.
And even though our moments together are few and far between since he travels so much, we find a way to stay connected, to stay grounded.
When it’s the off-season, he has a more open schedule, but it’s still packed to the rim with stuff he has to do.
So, when we can, we hang out, but we have to make sure it’s in the calendar.
Opening the door, I dive into him. Placing my arms around this neck and hanging at least a foot off the floor. His large hands hold me against him and he laughs.
“Easy there tiger.” He laughs into my hair as he hugs me back tightly before setting me back down on my feet.
“I didn’t realize until seeing you, how much I’ve missed you.”I say louder, just in case someone is listening.
“Well, don’t get all emotional on me and start crying. I’m here now. What are we gonna be up to?”
“Okay, don’t be mad at me.” I begin, but I’m abruptly cut off from the loud cheers in the living room.
He lifts a single brow in question.
“So, every week, friends and I get together and have a football Sunday party, and it just so happens that this week, it was my turn to host. So, I couldn’t bail, that would throw off our rotation, and you know how it goes.”
“No, Morgan, I don’t know how it goes.” He says, his lips thin.
“Don’t be mad at me. You know you can’t be mad at me, I’m your favorite person.”
“Be that as it may,” he clears his throat.
“Is this the mysterious other best friend that I share Morgan with?” Alexis steps beside me, breaking the tension. She thrusts her hand in his direction and smiles, “Hi, I’m Alexis.”
Jax takes her hand, pins me with a look, then gives her his camera-ready smile. “Hi, I’m Jax. I wasn’t aware that Morgan had another best friend. I thought that was a single position.”
“Come in, everyone is properly lubricated to likely not even realize that you’re here.
But that doesn’tmean you can be a wallflower.
” She loops her arm through his and leads him inside my house and I follow them.
I open my fridge,grab him a bottle of his favorite beer and lean over the counter to hand it to him.
“See, no one even noticed that you’ve walked in.” Alexis says.
“I’m not worried about being seen. I just didn’t know I was coming to a party.” He says quietly, piercing me with another look.
“Oh, don’t be a spoil sport. We can do dinner after that last game and you’ll get me all to yourself.” I assure him.
I see a small smile creep to his face, before he takes a pull from the bottle, then sits down on the barstool.
I turn to the television and see the play is first and ten, and round the counter to get a better view.
“Hey Morgan, you’ve got Washington right? Looks like he’s going to score.” Mikey says from the couch.
“You play fantasy football?” Jax asks.
“Of course I do.”
“Who’s your tight end?”
“Mickey Mouse.” I deadpan. “Of course, I have you, you dingbat.”
“You better.” He grins.