Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
~MAC~
It’s our first away game as a team. We travel together, but on a commercial airline.
There aren’t any fancy airplanes like the NHL and other national sports teams get.
No, we sit in the same waiting areas, go through the same security checkpoints, and board the same planes that we board when we’re visiting relatives or heading on vacation.
Except we do it in style.
Each player is wearing a navy-blue tracksuit with the Blaze’s logo on the chest and our last names on the opposite side.
I’m excited to be traveling with the team.
I have jitters like it’s the first day of school.
I have my Starbucks cold brew in hand, and I’m ready to board the flight.
It’s been a rough few days with practice, and my sleep hasn’t been the best, so I’m on edge.
“Hello there, travel mate,” a voice behind me says. It sounds like velvet. We haven’t talked in a while. It’s Wednesday morning and it’s early. We had lunch on Monday, which was weird and very civil. Now he’s here in the airport and standing there like he just made a perfect runway walk.
“What do you mean travel mate?” I ask him, confused.
He chuckles and I instantly want to smack him. It’s arrogant and all-knowing. I hate being kept in the dark, but it seems like some deal was struck and now he’s following my every move.
“August invited me here to tag along, get a good sense of the team. What it’s like to be on a travel day. Thought it might be fun to spend some time with you.” I roll my eyes, which only causes the grin he’s wearing to grow. “What, are you a nervous flier?”
It’s teasing and I can tell by the shit-eating look on his face that he thinks it’s funny. Irritation is growing in my tone, and I hate that I now have to be civil. All I really want is a nap.
“Why are you flying?” I ask him with another eye roll. “Don’t you just sprout wings and talons and fly to Chicago all by yourself?”
My irritation and change in attitude only seem to spur him on. “Tell me something, baby, is rolling your eyes a part of your cardio or something, because damn, you sure do it a lot.” He teases, avoiding my question.
“No.” I’m fighting the urge to roll my eyes again. “Fuck you. Why are you here again?”
“I already told you, August has me traveling with the team.”
“Yeah, but why are you coming now? The game isn’t until Friday, and since when do the local reporters fly to Chicago to cover the local team? That just seems like a big fat waste of money and space and…” I’m ticking the reasons off on my fingers when he puts his fingertip on my lips.
“Because I’m going to be writing an article about you, and I’m getting the full experience.”
I hate the way his touch causes me to shiver. I hope my body didn’t give it away. But the huge-ass grin on his face tells me that he noticed.
I groan. “Where is a soccer ball when I need one?”
“Now, now. You promised Cromwell you were going to behave,” he reminds me.
I know I did, but even still, I’d love to rip that smug look off his face.
His photographer, who I remember meeting the other night, comes up beside him. “Hey, how long until we board?”
Of course he’s traveling with him. How would Danny ever be able to properly report on us without his wingman? Nick still doesn’t seem to acknowledge that I exist, just like the other night, causing my already shortened temper to flare some more. Danny remains in front of me, watching me.
“Soon,” he says without even glancing in his direction.
“You may have to wait awhile,” I say. “I don’t think you have priority boarding.” I know the team does, and there are a lot of us, so it will take some time for everyone to get on the plane and get situated.
“What is he doing here?” Cassidy says to me as she joins us. “Starbucks finally got my order right.”
“He’s flying over to Chicago for the story, apparently,” I reply, making sure she can see the annoyance written all over my face.
“Really?” Cassidy stares over at him in disbelief. “Are you fucking kidding me? The paper is paying for that?”
“Well, kinda,” the cameraman says.
“Nick,” Danny snaps.
“What does kinda mean, Nick?” I ask him, turning my attention to him.
“He paid for our tickets,” he explains. “We’re in first class because that’s how Danny wanted to fly, so he upgraded us.”
“Dude!” Danny exclaims.
“What? She looked all scary!” Nick says, holding his hands out in front of him like he might have to hold Danny back. Even though we both know he’s just instigating.
“I see. Thank you, Nick.” I grin and turn my attention back to Danny. “Had to fly first class, did ya?”
He shakes his head. “It seemed like a good idea.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What? You just said yourself that you ladies are going to take forever to board. This way, we have priority boarding,” he replies. “Plus, I didn’t pay for the whole ticket. I just upgraded us to first class.”
“Oh, that makes it so much better.” I roll my eyes at him again.
He smirks. “Are you hitting your quota before lunchtime?”
“Fuck you,” I reply.
“Come on now, please play nice,” Cassidy chides me.
Danny opens his mouth to speak, then closes it before turning to Nick. “You about ready? We can head into the lounge.”
“Yeah, let’s do that,” he replies.
“Catch you on the flip side,” Danny says as he walks away.
“That was surreal,” I say, rolling my eyes as he walks away.
“He’s right, you do that a lot,” Cassidy says, pointing at me.
“Knock it off, Cass. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I thought lunch with him went fine.”
I shrug. “It did, actually. I thought that maybe he was an actual human being.”
“So, what changed from today?”
“I’m not sure. It’s like he got an extra shot of arrogance,” I admit.
“Bothers you, doesn’t it?” Cassidy bumps her hip with mine.
“Yeah, and why is that?” I exclaim.
“Okay, we need to use our indoor voices.” Cassidy laughs at me.
“Sorry.” The team is now looking at me.
Hendrix comes over. “What are we talking about so loudly over here?”
“Apparently, Mr. Taylor is coming along for the ride to Chicago. He’ll be covering the game,” Cassidy fills her in.
I slap her arm. She feigns that it hurts but laughs at me.
“Why? He’s a local dude.” Hendrix looks over at me and asks, “Is this for that in-depth piece? Does that include an in-depth look at your hotel room?”
“No!” I shout, causing more stares from the other girls. Amelia and Andie join us.
“What is going on over here?” Amelia asks. She looks like she’s trying to stifle a laugh as Hendrix is laughing at her comment.
“It’s not that funny,” I say, shaking my head at her.
“Well, you see, the reporter and Mac are going to bang in Chicago,” Hendrix proudly announces.
I go to playfully shove her too, but her solid build makes her hard to move. She just winks a chocolate eye at me and laughs.
“We are not going to bang. I don’t even look at him like that.” I sigh and take a sip of my coffee.
“Why the hell not?” Andie asks. “I mean, come on. I know you hate him, and I get why, but damn, have you looked at the man? He’s fucking hot with that swimmer’s body. I’d love to know what’s under that long-sleeve tee.”
“Right.” Amelia looks in the direction of where Danny disappeared to moments ago. “The tee is certainly tight enough that it doesn’t leave anything to the imagination, but I’d still like to see him without it.”
The girls are busy cracking up, and I’m getting annoyed. “I hope you all sleep on the plane.”
“You gonna be okay?” Cassidy asks. “Since you’ll be on the same plane as him?”
“Maybe they’ll join the Mile High Club!” Hendrix squeals.
“We will certainly not do that. Now please stop shouting. Everyone is fucking looking at us.”
“Who cares! Let them look. We’re fucking awesome.” Hendrix surveys the airport to see just who might be watching.
“We’re not on the same flight. I saw his ticket. He’s on a different airline,” I report.
“Sorry your booty time has been taken away from you,” Amelia says with a giggle. “But you know it’s best to do it in bed anyway.”
Thankfully, there isn’t much longer until we board, and soon, the girls stop teasing me about Danny. Although, as much as I do not want to admit it, they weren’t wrong about how good he looked in that long-sleeve tee.
Before we parted on Monday, he double-checked with me more than once that he had my number, promising me that he would be using it.
It was a sweet, almost date-like gesture.
I tried not to put too much weight into it, but it made me wonder why.
He texted me back later and told me that this was just so he could reach me to interview me.
That he didn’t want to have to go through the team.
I sigh and close my eyes. I should sleep.
That would be the smart thing to do. We have practice when we land and then another one tomorrow so that we can get ready for match day.
Today’s will be more challenging than tomorrow’s.
They always take it easier on us before a match, but maybe it will be just the distraction that I need.
I had purchased the in-flight WIFI so that I could watch some movies. I hover over our text conversation. There’s nothing special and nothing to show, but I want there to be more, don’t I? That’s why I’m thinking of texting him now.
Mac: Why are you really here?
I hit send and hope I can fall asleep before he answers me, but no such luck.
Danny: I’m covering the team and you.
I read his response and read it again. He said he was covering the team first. Not me.
The team. Okay, so maybe I’m making up the little things that I keep feeling and seeing.
He seems to enjoy pushing all my buttons and keeping me off balance.
Why does it bother me so much? Maybe because as much as I try to hate him, I can’t.
Especially after everything that he wrote about me.
I feel like I keep needing to remind myself of that fact.
For some reason, my heart and my vagina are trying to tell my brain to forget all of those hurtful things.
Mac: Seems weird for a local reporter to be coming all the way to Chicago. Shouldn’t that be saved for someone who does National coverage?
Danny: I see we’re grumpy today. Here I was worried that, after our lunch, you were actually going to be nice to me.
Mac: Fat chance. What are you really doing here?
Danny: August invited me.
Mac: There it is.
I lean back in my seat. He’s just here to kiss up to the Cromwell’s. Maybe he’s doing it so that when he writes something about me, they won’t care as much. My phone vibrates again and again. I hate how badly I want to look at it. Finally giving into temptation, I take a look.
Danny: There what is?
Danny: Oh, you think I’m only here because August invited me. That I don’t want to see you play? Well, I’ve got news for you. I’m looking forward to it.
Mac: Stand on the sideline.
Danny: Wanna keep me close, do you?
Mac: Yeah, and this time I’ll be sure not to miss you.
“Are we having a good flight?” Cassidy asks me, leaning over to try to see my phone, but I quickly darken the screen.
It vibrates, but I don’t bother to look at it. I want to wait until she’s not suspicious so that I can read the message in peace.
“Oh, just look. I won’t pay any attention.” She playfully pushes at my arm.
“Why did I agree to sit by you?” I tease her.
“You love me, and you know it.”
She’s right, I do. She’s my ride or die, and I’d probably be bored on this flight if not for her.
It’s not a particularly long one. We’re not really even talking that much.
I just like having her with me, sitting beside me.
It’s calming in the reality that has become my life lately.
I went from being a college graduate to playing for a newly created NWSL team.
I still don’t go a day without pinching myself because I can’t believe that I’m actually here.
This was a dream that I had when I was a little girl playing travel soccer.
In high school, I wrote in my senior yearbook that I would be on a NWSL team when I graduated college.
I think some of my teammates believed it, but not all.
And now I’ll be the subject of a news article because I kicked a soccer ball at the guy who’s writing the article.
It’s been a wild ride, and I think it’s only going to get wilder. I recline my seat just a touch more, looking back to see that Hendrix is passed out, so she won’t care that I reclined a bit more. Before shutting my eyes to get some much-needed sleep, I peek at my phone.
Danny: Don’t worry, I won’t go far. And I know that’s not what you meant, but you don’t really want to hurt me, and it shows.
I fight back a snicker and close my eyes, letting sleep take me. Thoughts of Danny, our upcoming game are filling my head, so it’s not very restful. But I’ll take what I can get.