Chapter 10 #2
“I don’t know.” Lily shrugged. “Wren just said to prepare myself because it’s going to be epic—her words exactly.
” She grabbed her crossbody purse from the table where the security guard had placed it after sending it through a scanner, draping it over the shoulder of the patchwork hoodie she had made specifically for this game out of Wren’s old jerseys and team gear.
Lily, going slowly crazy adjusting to the slower pace of life now that gymnastics wasn’t consuming all of her time, had decided she needed a hobby.
Sewing had always been something she was interested in, but never quite had the time for.
Well, now she had time, and it turned out she was pretty good at it.
She enjoyed the distraction of coming up with unique clothing combinations crafted out of thrifted materials.
“I’m going to head fieldside to try and catch Wren before coming up to the box. See you guys soon.”
Lily waved goodbye to her mom and Nell as she made her way towards field level.
As she approached, she spotted Shannon York, one of Wren’s former teammates and Jamie’s Empower Business partner.
Shannon had retired from professional soccer the year before to dedicate herself full-time to running Empower Ventures.
“Lily, hey!” Shannon greeted her warmly. “You heading to the field too?”
Lily nodded, and they walked together in the same direction.
When Jamie had first started working with Shannon, it was a little weird.
Long before Jamie introduced them, the same day Wren and Lily had met, Lily had been a massive fan of Shannon’s.
Then, suddenly, she’d come home from the gym all sweaty and gross, and Shannon freaking York would just casually be drinking wine with her mama and Jamie on a random Tuesday.
“Where did you get that hoodie?” Shannon asked, eyeing her sweatshirt. “It’s incredible!”
Lily looked down at the garment, at the crooked seams and fraying threads in a few places, smiling weakly.
“Oh, I actually made it. Wren gave me a bunch of her old gear that she wasn’t using anymore, and I used it to make this.
I was also working on a matching pair of sweatpants, but I kind of messed those up, and they didn’t make the final cut. ”
“You made it? Wow, very cool. I might have to commission you to make one for me from my old stuff. I’ve got a box of it sitting in my closet taking up space.”
Lily blinked, slightly surprised by Shannon’s enthusiasm, again looking down at her sweatshirt to see if Shannon was indeed seeing what Lily saw when she looked at the garment—a learning experiment.
“Really? You’d want one?” she asked curiously, tucking her hair nervously behind her ear. A security guard blocked their way. Shannon and Lily quickly flashed their badges, allowing them access to the field.
“Absolutely! How much do you charge for them?”
“Oh, I don’t—I mean, I, like, just learned how to make these. It’s not even that good.”
“So what I’m hearing you say is $200.” Shannon smiled slyly. “Works for me. I’ll text Jared to mail the box to your mom’s house.”
“Yeah, okay, I guess. It might take me a little while to make,” she said hesitantly, still a little uncomfortable with the idea of making something for someone else.
“No rush.” Shannon beamed as they looked out across the field where both the Freedom and Pride were warming up.
Lily scanned the field, looking for Wren’s distinctive curly hair, but was unable to find her. That’s weird. Wren should definitely be out on here already. She scanned again, looking for the number thirteen jersey—and then she spotted her.
“Oh my god,” Lily said in pure disbelief.
It was Wren—there was no mistaking those gangly limbs. Lily was at a loss for words.
“Parker!” Shannon called, catching Wren’s attention. “Hey, Parker! Get over here.”
Wren saw them, a wide smile spreading across her face as she jogged over to them, but all Lily could focus on was Wren’s hair, or lack thereof. Where she used to have long, wild, messy dark ringlets was now a platinum blond buzz cut.
“Jesus Christ, Parker, your hair!” Shannon exclaimed, reaching out to run her hand over Wren’s buzzed head.
“I know, right!? I was going for Beckham circa 2000 and I think I nailed it.” Wren beamed, running her hand over her scalp, resting at the back of her head.
Lily was still staring at her. Seeing Wren without her signature curls was surreal. It felt weird, like she was looking at an entirely different person.
“Kick ass today, Parker,” Shannon said, clapping Wren on the back before moving on to a group of retired USWNT members doing a pregame show a little ways down the field.
“Your hair,” Lily finally whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the buzz cut as Wren watched her nervously.
It looked amazing. Wren definitely had the bone structure to pull it off.
The contrast of the blond with her naturally dark eyebrows made her eyes pop even more than usual.
But it was so different and so beyond what Lily had even expected when Wren had told her to prepare herself mentally.
She at least had been right about one thing—it was epic.
“Can I touch it?” she asked, a million questions already popping into her brain. Where did Wren get the idea for this? When did she do it? Why did she do it? But none of those were important right now.
“Yeah, of course. It feels so cool, right?” Wren breathed a sigh of relief, smiling and bending down so Lily could reach the top of her head.
“You like it, right? I mean, I know it’s really different, but it’s just hair.
It’ll grow back eventually. I did it yesterday on a whim—thought it would be cool, you know, since it’s such a big game,” Wren rambled, her nervousness creeping into her words.
“I love it, but it’s definitely different. It’s going to take some getting used to,” Lily said honestly.
Wren grinned. “I know, I keep jumpscaring myself every time I see my reflection.”
“Parker, let’s go, get on the field,” one of the coaching staff members called over to her.
“Crap, I gotta go.” Wren jerked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating her need to go back out to warm up.
“Yeah, okay.” Lily looked from Wren’s hair to her eyes, seeing the worry still present in her gaze. “Come here.” She pressed up onto her tiptoes, snaking her hand to the back of Wren’s neck, pulling her lips to hers. “Go win it all, superstar,” she whispered before letting go.
Wren beamed at her, cheeks tinted pink. “That’s the plan.” She jogged off as Lily made her way to the VIP box to join her mom and Nell.
After a few wrong turns and a very helpful stadium worker, she found the suites. Her pocket vibrated, and she pulled her phone out to see texts from Dylan.
Dylan 5:03 PM
WTF did Wren do to her hair?
Dylan 5:03 PM
It’s all over social media.
Dylan 5:04 PM
But you two look adorable in this picture.
Attached to Dylan’s last text was a photo snapped a few minutes ago, showing the pregame kiss she had shared with Wren down on the field.
Lily rolled her eyes—this was exactly why she stayed off social media for the most part these days.
She had her private account, the one with a handle no one in their right mind would ever figure out where she posted a few things here and there about her life to a small group of close friends and family, but her public-facing account had pretty much sat dormant since she finished up her last brand deals.
Dylan was right, though, the picture was a cute one of her and Wren. She tapped the photo, saving it to her phone as she typed out her response.
Lily 5:05 PM
Her hair looks great, right? And what’s this? Is Dylan Cassidy actually tuning into a sporting event?
Dylan 5:05 PM
Yeah, yeah. Wren’s talked so much goddamn soccer around me that I finally decided to give in. But I’m rooting for Freedom. They are the more consistent team.
Lily 5:05 PM
Of course you are.
Lily rolled her eyes, sliding her phone back into her bag as she entered the suite, finding her mom and Nell talking in their seats. She joined them, sliding into the one next to her mom. A few minutes passed before her phone vibrated with another text.
Mama 5:15 PM
WREN’S HAIR!!!!! Tell her I think it looks incredible. Watching from home with Liv, Pat, and Sean.
“Who ya texting?” Her mom sing-songed over her shoulder, craning her neck while trying to see Lily’s phone screen, which Lily quickly switched off, glaring at her.
On the list of annoying parent-y things her mom did, this was the number one thing, “Ew, Mom, privacy, remember?” She huffed. “It’s just Mama. She’s watching at home with everyone and was texting about Wren’s hair.”
Nell leaned forward in her seat, looking around her mom. “It’s fabulous. And please tell her I said that.”
“A compliment like that from you? I think Wren would literally shit herself,” Lily joked.
Nell’s intimidation factor had never quite worn off with Wren, who still actively avoided eye contact with her whenever they were in the same room.
Lily didn’t get it because Nell was so cool.
Yeah, maybe she was a little out there, but that was part of what made her so interesting.
“Language, Lily,” her mom scolded her.
“She’s nineteen, Sarah, let her curse if she wants to. Plus, it’s a sign of high intelligence.” Nell winked at Lily.
“There is literally zero concrete evidence that backs that up.”