31
VALENTINA
My Pain in the Ass: I miss you. I wish you were here with me. Maine is cold and I need you to keep me warm.
Me: That’s exactly why I’m here and you’re freezing your balls off. Cold and I don’t get along. I called her a bitch and she unfriended me.
My Pain in the Ass: Mi Reina, you know my balls are tucked safely in her purse. I’m okay. Be sure to watch the game.
Me: Of course I will. Lucy and I are having a watch party. She’s bringing the margaritas and I’m providing the dill pickle chips.
My Pain in the Ass: Peach margaritas and dill pickle chips. Interesting combo. Sounds like the cravings of a pregnant woman. Do you have something to tell me, mi Reina?
Me: Yeah. You’re delusional. Pregnant woman don’t drink alcohol.
My Pain in the Ass: Are you still able to pick me up from the airport? I know it’s late but I really just want to be able to hug you after a ridiculously long flight.
Me: Yes. I will be there. I’m sure Lucy will be snoring on my couch so I’ll be wide awake.
My Pain in the Ass: Well I hope she’s a sound sleeper because I plan on fucking my girl until she wakes the sun.
Me: Nico! You can’t send those things over text.
My Pain in the Ass: Why not? It’s the truth. Take Monday off because you’ll need some rest.
My Pain in the Ass: image attached
Me: OMG! What is wrong with you? You do know that people can hack into your phone and then exploit you all over the internet?
My Pain in the Ass: Babe…the entire internet has pretty much seen what I just sent you.
Me: Don’t remind me.
My Pain in the Ass: Aside from that, what would you rate the picture?
Me: 10/10 gif
My Pain in the Ass: Thank you, thank you. Okay. Your turn. I’ll wait.
Me: Hahaha. Nice try but not happening.
My Pain in the Ass: Pllleeeeeeaaaassssseeee!
My Pain in the Ass: Mi Reina?
Me: image attached
Me: You better put that in an encrypted file. If I end up on the internet I’m going to rip your balls off for real.
My Pain in the Ass: GODDAMN!!! Fuck I’m a lucky man. Those tits! Don’t bother me for the next fifteen minutes. I’ll be busy.
Me: Gross!
Me: But also, me too.
My Pain in the Ass: Wear something sexy tomorrow.
Me: I’ll wear your t-shirt.
My Pain in the Ass:
I wait in my car, heater blasting and waiting for the plane to land.
I’m at a private airfield just a few miles away from the international airport and the amount of security I went through was insane, but I guess that’s what you have to do when dozens of single women, all looking to land a pro-athlete, are waiting for their chance to get close to the guys.
Desperate much?
The lights of an incoming plane glow on the tarmac and my heart flutters. This is still such a foreign feeling to me that sometimes I don’t quite know if I should tell myself to just give in, or punch myself in the boob for being an idiot.
A gentle rain begins to fall, misting the windows, and I brace myself for the cold that is about to hit my bones. I jog over to the waiting area and rub my hands together furiously as I stare anxiously at the plane, just waiting for the door to open and for Nic to come walking off.
He was outstanding tonight. His receiving yards were on fire (yes, I now know what all of those numbers mean), and after one particular catch, he tossed the ball to the ref and found the camera on the wires hanging above the field.
I watched with confusion because I couldn’t figure out what he was doing.
He smiled, winked and flashed what I thought was a peace sign.
But when he followed it up with a heart, I knew the peace sign was actually a V.
I choked up as Lucy cooed and snuggled me. “My girl done gone and fell in love.”
Her accent was tragic, but her words weren’t too far off. I wasn’t about to admit it to her, nor will I let Nico in on that secret, but I’m definitely feeling something warm and fuzzy inside of me when I see him.
The plane’s door opens and the integrated stairs slowly lower. Players begin filing off the plane and I watch one giant after another squeeze their bodies through the small opening. At least it looks small as they dwarf what is probably actually quite large.
When a familiar face catches the flood lights from above, his eyes search me out.
I tug on my beanie, covering my ears, and feel the misting rain begin to fall heavier.
His legs move faster and his feet carry him closer to me.
He smiles and licks his bottom lip before taking it between his teeth –jerk– and when he clears the security gate, I run over to meet him halfway.
He drops his duffle on the floor and holds his arms open for me to tuck into. I pop up on my sneaker clad feet and he leans down, our lips meeting in a kiss. I breathe him, the fresh scent of his bergamot body wash still clinging to his skin, and I can’t believe I fought this so long.
Lucy said it best when she told me I was being a crotchety bitch who’d rather stay alone and miserable to prove a point than just let myself be happy. It’s the Capricorn in me. I can’t help it.
When we pull apart he whispers in his low, gravelly voice. “This fucking beanie is killing me, mi Reina. I think I’m going to have to fuck you wearing that.”
My teeth chatter as I stand here just staring at him. Sometimes it’s really not fair for a man to be so beautiful. But at least this beautiful man is mine.
“What a way with words you have. And for the love Nico, please pick that bag up. Leaving Gucci on the floor is a mortal sin. I’m literally having anxiety.” I sniff as my nose starts to run from the cold air.
“Okay babe. Now let’s go before you get sick.” He grabs his bag and my hand and pulls me to my warm car that waits by the curb.
I climb into the passenger seat after he tosses his bag in the trunk, and he slides, quickly grabbing my hand just like he always does.
We talk about the game and how I saw the message he sent me, and I fill him in on Lucy’s new addiction to those damn chips and that she is also mad at him for introducing them.
The streets are quiet at this time of night and we can hear the sloshing of the tires as it passes through the shallow puddles.
The rain is a slow drizzle and the street lamps shine down, making the droplets look like a sea of diamonds.
The dim blue lights of the car’s interior, the hum of music, the soft tap of rain on the windshield, and the cool weather that has me inching closer to Nic are little things that I’ve never noticed or paid much attention to before he came along.
I see the world a whole lot differently now that my pessimistic colored glasses are off.
Things I’ve always heard other people talk about –richer smells, deeper thoughts, more tangible feelings– all seemed to be an agenda used to get others to buy into the farce of love.
I was set on never subscribing to that foolish way of thinking.
But Nic makes it so damn hard to pack all of those pesky feelings away.
Every time I would try to shove them in a box, here comes Nic to kick off the lid and expose the flimsy container.
My box kept getting smaller and smaller as more time passed, and now it sits in a corner, empty and gathering dust
It grows quiet as my head spins with all of the what if scenarios. What if this ends in disaster? What if he wants things I can’t give him? What if I’m a little defective and love isn’t within my capabilities?
I know I really really like Nic. I’ve never liked a guy I dated more than him. That makes me wonder if it’s more than like. Could I really lo….
The word gets stuck somewhere between hope and reality and I just can’t face what that means right now.
So I decide to do the same and just exist in the in between…for now.
I’m absolutely exhausted as I’m sure Nic is. So when we walk through the door, he trails off to my bedroom and I head to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
“Nico. Would you like something to drink or eat?” I call out to him, my voice echoing across the apartment.
I reach for two glasses but my weary eyes have me missing the counter with one of them and it goes crashing to the floor.
“Val!” He shouts and rushes to the kitchen. “What happened?”
I crouch down and begin gathering the broken glass. “I dropped a glass. No big deal—ouch.” A sharp piece pokes my finger and a bead of blood forms.
I bring my finger to my mouth and suddenly find myself floating through the air. Nic picks me and plops me down on the kitchen counter.
“Stay there,” he orders and digs under the kitchen sink for a hand broom and dust pan.
He sweeps it all up, dumping it in my trash, then gets a wet paper towel to pick up any remaining microscopic pieces.
He does all of this with precision just like he does on the field. Focused, measured, complete. I would’ve expected a guy like him to pull out a vacuum and say screw whatever happens when glass is sent flying everywhere like shrapnel.
“Mama Loving taught you well.” He tosses the paper towel and looks at me with a smirk.
“Well when you have a clumsy sister without the finesse of her athletically blessed brother, you learn all the little secrets to cleaning up broken dishes.” He comes to stand between my legs and grabs my hand inspecting my finger.
He looks at it like a doctor examining a complex wound then treats it how I assume most doctors do.
He pops my finger into his mouth and sucks the small dot of blood left. I watch the way his lips wrap around my finger and a tsunami of chills drowns me.
“Did you say something about being hungry?” His eyes are dark and mischievous.
“Yeah-huh. Yes, I mean. Are you hungry? Or thirs…ty?”
My eyes are glued to him as he unties my sneakers and pulls them off, followed by my fuzzy socks. He chuckles as he tugs on them because my feet are always freezing.