36. Lucy
Lucy
“Hey, Lucy. Do you have a sec?”
I walk over to Paula’s desk. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Evan and I were talking yesterday, and we both agree that we’d like for you to have a more active role in the training of the players.”
I perk up, excited. “Really?”
She nods. “We’d like for you to shadow us when we’re taking the guys through stretches and during their sports massage sessions.”
“That would be amazing. I’d love that.”
“Great.” She hands me a thick packet. “This is a rundown of all the stretching and massage techniques we use on the players. We’d like you to go through it and get comfortable with them. I’ll email it to you also, but just in case you want a break from staring at a screen, I printed it.”
“I’ll get started on this right away.”
“The best way is to practice the stretches and massage techniques. You can do it on yourself, but it’s best if you can practice with another person. Friends, family, whoever you think wouldn’t mind you stretching them out and massaging them.”
I go back to my small desk in the corner and flip through the packet. And then I have an idea.
I pull out my phone and add Poppy, Anna, and Briar to a group text.
I’m nervous as I start to draft a message. They’re new friends, so hopefully they won’t think this is weird.
But I need to push out of my comfort zone. These past few years, I got used to being on my own. I didn’t even think about making new friends. I didn’t have the time or the energy. I was just trying to work and survive.
But now that things are more stable for me, I have new friends, and I want to spend time with them.
Hey! I have kind of a weird question to ask you guys. I have to practice stretching and sports massage techniques for my job. Would any of you be cool with letting me practice on you?
The second I put my phone down on my desk, it starts buzzing like crazy.
Anna: OMG yes!! Please!! I’m so stiff from sitting down in lab these past few weeks, I need this!
Poppy: Sign me up!
Briar: I would LOVE a massage!
I smile at my phone screen, relieved and happy.
Poppy: Are you guys free tomorrow night? I can have you over at my apartment. I’ll get snacks and drinks. We’ll make a girls’ night out of it.
Me: That would be amazing! Thank you!!
Poppy: My pleasure. It’s the least I could do if you’re going to give me a free massage
Anna: Lucy, I’m surprised you didn’t ask to practice on Leo. I bet he’d say yes to you putting your hands on him ;)
Just the mention of Leo has heat racing across my body.
I try not to think about that insanely hot kiss we shared at the gala. But I fail miserably.
Because I haven’t been able to get that kiss or Leo out of my mind since then.
I know I shouldn’t be thinking about him. We agreed it was a mistake and that we would move on…
But I can’t. It’s all I can think about…the rough, desperate way he claimed my mouth… how I could feel his hard dick pressed against my hip as he pushed me up against the wall and gave me the hottest kiss of my life…the way he said my name, all raspy and rough…
I swallow, feeling hot all of a sudden.
Up until that point, I wasn’t sure if Leo liked me more than a friend. But that kiss made it crystal clear just how much he liked me…and it turned me on like crazy.
I think about how I was grinding on his hard, muscled thigh…how close I was to having an orgasm in that darkened hallway…
But then his sister walked in on us.
That familiar disappointed feeling courses through me. He’s right. We can’t fool around again.
Because right now, Leo is my closest friend. And my roommate. He’s the reason I have this job. He’s the reason I have Wally. He’s the reason I have a place to live.
And if we hook up and things are weird, it could change our friendship forever. I could lose him—I could lose everything.
A sick feeling lands in the pit of my stomach just thinking about it.
That’s why we can’t be anything more than just friends.
I type a reply in the group chat.
Me: I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to massage Leo after what happened at the gala.
Briar: ???
Anna: Um, what happened??
Poppy: Did you guys hook up?
Me: I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow night.
* * *
I push gently on Anna’s leg as I stretch her hips. “How does that feel?”
She closes her eyes and sighs happily. “Amazing. Oh my god, I didn’t know my muscles were this tight.”
“Sitting all day at a desk can definitely take a toll on your body.”
I finish with her stretches, then move on to Briar.
I grab the small bottle of massage oil I brought with me to Poppy’s apartment, then dab a little onto my palms and rub them together.
I sit behind her. “You said your neck is tight, right?”
“Yeah. It’s been aching all week.”
I start with smooth strokes to warm up the muscle, just like I read in the packet that Paula gave me.
When I finish, Poppy sets out some snacks on the coffee table in the living room. She pops open the bottle of wine that I brought and pours us all glasses.
I take a sip, feeling happy that I was able to treat them tonight after how kind and generous they’ve been to me.
Just a few months ago, I couldn’t have imagined being able to do something like this—hang out with friends and buy a decent bottle of wine.
But I’ve been able to save a lot from working both of my jobs, so I feel comfortable spending a little money now.
“That massage was amazing,” Poppy says, raising her glass. “Cheers to Lucy for getting that knot out of my shoulder blade. And stretching out my IT band.”
“Thanks for letting me practice on you guys,” I say.
“Anytime you want to have another massage and stretch session, we’re always available,” Anna says.
We all sip our wine and dig into the snacks.
Anna turns to me. “Okay, now you need to tell us what happened between you and Leo at the gala.”