Chapter 18
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
SILAS
I’m three days into the combine, and I’m tired. The initial adrenaline rush of being invited and just being able to show off my skills to the NFL teams is wearing off. Not that I’m not still excited or grateful because I am.
But I miss Brooke. I wish she could be here with me, but she can’t miss a week of classes, and I understand that. I don’t expect for her to put her life on hold for me just because we’re together.
We’ve been able to talk every night, and it’s been good for us, I think. Talking to her, I’m learning all the little things that make her who she is. And I feel like we’ve gotten closer as a couple too.
“Good job today, man. Your vertical is insane. I don’t know how you can get up that high.”
Cale Sellers is a cornerback from one of our rival schools, and I’ve always gotten along with him. His room is next to mine at the hotel, so we’ve been eating meals together and going to and from the venue in the same car. He’s hoping to get drafted to New York.
“Thanks. My legs are feeling it tonight.” I squeeze my thighs.
“I feel that. The forty nearly took me out. I just wanted to hit under four thirty, but it wasn’t in the cards. Callaway was on fire today too. Same with King. He’s fast for a tall guy. You Walker boys are dominating the combine.”
He holds out his fist when we reach our rooms. I tap his fist.
“For sure. They’re both going high in the draft. I’ll see you tomorrow, man.”
“Yep. Later.”
Bo and Casey are here with me, but I haven’t seen them much other than meals. We traveled here together though, so I’m sure we’ll catch up when we head back to Oklahoma.
When my door closes, I pull out my phone to text Brooke.
Silas: Hey, I just got back. Are you around?
I watch my phone for a second to see if those dots appear. When they don’t right away, I set it on the dresser and sit on the bed to take my shoes off. Just as I stand, my phone buzzes.
Brooke: Hi! I’m home, but I’m trying to finish some homework. Can you give me, like, forty-five minutes?
Silas: No problem. I’ll take my shower while you finish up.
Brooke: K. Talk to you in a bit.
I take a quick shower, then slide on a pair of boxers.
I crunch on a protein bar and drink some electrolytes to replenish everything I burned today.
Then I settle in on the bed with my computer, put on my glasses, and pull up my calendar to see what I need to submit for homework this week.
It’s a lot to juggle right now, but I’m determined to get my degree, and with just a few months away from graduation, I can’t slack off.
Graduating is too important for my long-term goals.
I take care of a few things that don’t take long, then read through some emails my agent sent me, including some film of my performance today.
I check the time on the screen. My eyes are starting to get heavy, and I feel like all it would take for me to fall asleep is to lie down, but I don’t want to miss my call with Brooke.
A few minutes later, my phone rings, and a picture of her from our visit to Turner Falls appears.
“Hey,” I answer, smiling.
“Hi. How are you?” She smiles, looking like she’s genuinely happy to see me.
“Pretty good. Long day today. My legs are sore.”
“I’m sorry. It seems like no matter how often or hard y’all train, it still stains your body.”
“Yeah, but that’s all part of the job. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“What did you do today? You had the 40-yard dash today, right?”
“We did and ran the gauntlet too.”
“I think I remember Beck had to do that last year. It sounds like it’s hard.”
“Yeah, he did. And it is definitely hard. You have to run in a straight line, turning side to side to catch balls being thrown at you. It takes a lot of focus while also anticipating where the ball is going to be.”
“I can imagine,” she says, yawning. “How did you do on the 40?”
“Really good. I had the second best time in the group.”
“That’s awesome, Silas. I’m so happy for you.” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Thanks, Cupcake. It’ll all pay off. I just wish I had a better idea of where I’m heading.”
“Yeah, it’s like a total crap shoot it seems. I wonder how many first round draft picks have really been like ‘fuuuuck I don’t want to go there’.” She giggles.
“Right? Although the amount of money they get as the number one pick probably makes up for the disappointment.”
“True. Where do you hope to go? I don’t think we’ve even talked about it.”
I hear her shift, and it sounds like she’s getting under the covers, maybe.
I want to see her, so I hit FaceTime, and she answers right away.
“Hi,” she says shyly. “Good Lord. Shirtless and has his glasses on,” she mumbles.
“Hi,” I smile.
She’s so damn pretty.
“I wanted to see your face. Is this okay?” I move my computer off my lap and set it on the bedside table next to me.
“Yeah, of course. I wanted to see your face too.” She snuggles under the covers in my bed. Or I guess, our bed.
Neither of us says anything for a beat; we’re just smiling at each other like fools.
“So, where do you want to go?”
“Oh, right. Your beauty distracted me.” I wink at her.
“Stop! You’ll make me blush.” She covers her face up to her eyes.
“Uh-uh. I want to see your smile.” I motion for her to drop the covers.
She does and rolls her eyes. “Fine. Happy?”
“Yes, I am. Thank you.” I lie back on my pillow and turn on my side, propping my phone on the extra pillow. “Where do I want to go? Hmm. I honestly don’t really have a preference. I just want to go somewhere, you know?”
She purses her lips and nods. “So, if the Browns called you up, you would be okay with that?”
“Well, actually, yes. Their defense is one of the best in the league. To get to play with and learn from some of those guys would be incredible.”
“I guess you’re right. Bad example. Okay, but you have to have some thoughts about it.” She raises her brows.
“It would be nice to be close enough that it’s easy for you and my parents to come see my games as often as possible.” I shrug my shoulder.
“Me?” She points to her chest.
“Well, yeah, we are married.” I chuckle.
She shakes her head slightly. “Right. I just didn’t realize that I would be a factor?” She says it almost like a question.
“Why wouldn’t you be? I know it won’t be easy to make schedules work sometimes, but we’ll figure it out.” I watch her face, and she looks a little unsure. “That’s what we’re going for anyway, right?”
“Sorry, yes. I guess it just still feels a little surreal sometimes. I mean, we got married on a whim for fun, and now we’re talking about big decisions for your future.” She looks away from me.
I swallow the lump forming in my throat.
“I get that. And you’re right, but I guess for me, it’s turning into something more.
At least I hope it is. I like the idea of planning my future and seeing your face in that picture.
” I pause and wait for her to look at me again.
“I don’t want you to feel any pressure though.
So, if you ever feel like you are getting overwhelmed, I want you to be honest with me, okay? ”
She nods and smiles softly. “Yeah, I promise. And I like seeing your face in my future too.”
“Good.” I smile in return. “So, I’ll be breaking all kinds of NFL records, and you’ll be chasing storms. But we’ll do it together somehow.”
“Chasing storms?” She laughs. “I mean, I guess, in a way, you’re right. I just won’t be on the front lines with the storm chasers. It’ll be more behind a desk or at my home office that I plan to have.”
“That’s a possibility? You working at home?”
“Yeah, for sure. Especially if I go into the private sector or consulting. I’ve actually been thinking about your parents and what we talked about with the shifts in their crop production due to weather.
” She turns to her side, mirroring me. “It’s something I would like to explore more as a long-term focus.
And now it has more of a personal connection too. ”
“That would be amazing, and I support all of that. So, it’s a lot of research then?”
“Mostly, yes. Some field work would need to be done, depending on what I’m doing, I suppose.”
“Well, it sounds like something we can work with.” I search her face, looking for agreement.
“I guess we’ll see.” She smiles and nods.
I don’t want to push the topic any more tonight because we’re both tired. And I’m trying really hard to let our relationship grow naturally. But at the end of the day, I do want us to make this work. I want her to fall in love with me in the same way that I’m falling in love with her.
I clear my throat to change the tone of the conversation. “So … Brooke.”
“Yes, Silas?”
“Did you miss me today?”
She nods. “I did. Did you miss me?”
“You know it.” I smirk. “Only a few more days until I can kiss those perfect lips of yours.”
“I can’t wait,” she says softly with a smile. “So, um, Charlie gave me something today. It was a little embarrassing at first, but now I’m more curious than anything.”
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh, yeah? What did she give you?”
She inhales. “Hold on. I’ll show you.”
She scoots out from under the covers and leaves her phone on the bed; she moves out of view so I’m looking at the closet door. When she comes back into view, she’s holding a black wand that looks sort of like …
Oh fuck.
Please tell me it’s what I think it is.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She covers her face with her free hand.
“Brooke … what’s in your hand?” With the way she’s turning it in her hand nervously, I can see it more clearly now. But I want to hear her say it.
She drops her hand from her face, but closes her eyes. “Charlie got me a vibrator. I kind of want to vomit at the next part, but she said this is her favorite one and helps her get through long times away from Beck.”
I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s not a visual you wanted.”