Somee #3
The first thing I noticed, however, wasn’t a recap but a headline about Ryland.
They were dragging him for being disrespectful to the reporter after the game and discussing rumors of his recent activities and social media presence.
All of which could mean a trade according to ‘sources close to the franchise’.
What the hell?
If Ryland was potentially being traded that meant Rylee having her life uprooted yet again. I swiped out of Baller Alert and moved to Sports Center Live. They always had the most accurate information about teams and trades.
I clicked the video and tapped the closed caption option, reading their discussion of how Ryland’s performance off the field was affecting his play on the field.
I wasn’t a Sharks fan but watched enough football to know Ryland was indeed not playing at his best. Based on his past seasons and stats, there had been a decline in his performance.
Although he’d played great today, all the broadcasters wanted to talk about was his comment after the game.
An entire game was defined by one moment and it sucked. His point was valid. It was a bullshit call that cost them the game but the delivery of his reaction didn’t work in Ryland’s favor. His image was already suffering.
I felt bad because there was a lot of pressure that came with being a pro athlete.
Or at least I assumed there was. Not that I knew personally but those guys had brutal schedules, were subjected to scrutiny, and expected to brush it off because their salaries said they shouldn’t be allowed to complain.
What I was most concerned about was if Ryland was traded, he wouldn’t be the only one affected.
I locked the tablet, carefully placing it on the floor beside the tub.
I lifted my wine, taking a healthy gulp before also placing it on the floor.
I dropped my head back and sighed because how the hell did I end up here?
I shouldn’t be feeling bad about the guy trying to take my sunshine from me because Rylee was indeed my sunshine.
She made my life so much brighter. But I couldn’t help it.
I cared, and no matter how much I pretended I didn’t, Ryland was an important part of my life because he was now an important part of Rylee’s.
I soaked for another twenty minutes before I washed clean and got out. After I dried off and slipped into a robe, I drained the tub and cleaned it. I dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and climbed into bed after making sure the alarm was set and all the lights were off.
With my phone in hand, I navigated to my thread with Ryland. There hadn’t been any new messages, so I plugged the device in and snuggled up in bed, only to be awakened an hour later with a steady vibration under my pillow along with my phone on my nightstand.
I lifted my head and grabbed the device, noting the vibration was from the doorbell.
It was just after midnight, so I pulled up the camera to find Ryland standing on my porch.
He had a hat pulled low on his head and wore dark clothing but the Sharks logo centered on the hat along with the broadness of his shoulders and his height gave it away.
I threw the covers back, grabbed my robe from the chair next to my dresser, and shoved my arms through the sleeves as I hurried toward the door. I disarmed the security system and opened the door, frowning when he lifted his head.
I was ready to go in but the exhaustion on his face and the slump of his shoulders paused my attack.
He lifted his hands and signed sluggishly. “It’s late, sorry. I can get a hotel if you don’t want me here.”
Well shit, how was I supposed to deny him after that while knowing the day he’d had?
“No, it’s fine. You’re already here.” I stepped out of the way, creating space for him to enter. His hand lifted and lights flashed from my driveway, signaling that he’d locked his rental. He really expected me to send him away.
Ryland stepped inside and waited for me to lock the door and set the alarm. I motioned toward the sofa before signing, “It’s not the best but at least we have an early flight.”
His head bobbed before his hands moved. “It’s fine. Thank you for this.”
Ryland’s eyes shifted toward Rylee’s room.
“She’s asleep,” I confirmed and he nodded, signing, “Figured. I just want to see her for a minute before I crash. Been a long day.”
I glanced around before my eyes were on him again. “You need anything?”
He shook his head.
“I left you a blanket and pillows.”
His hand lifted, moving to his chin and lowering to tell me thank you and I shifted my weight, feeling awkward.
There was nothing else to say, so I signed goodnight and headed back to my room.
The contrast between the Ryland I’d met last week and the man who showed up on my porch tonight was vastly different.
I wanted to ask if he was okay but that wasn’t my place.
So I climbed in bed and snuggled under the covers, pretending like I was going to drift back into a peaceful sleep.
With Ryland under the same roof, emotionally distraught, and me wanting to make him feel better, there wasn’t a chance in hell my night would be peaceful.