The Game: A Contemporary Sports Romance

by Alexia Chase

  “I’ll see you there. Bye.” He hits the phone screen. “I’ve got to go.” He shoves the t-shirt over his head.

  God, I’m going to die. I’ve got to protect myself and pretend it doesn’t matter. It’s the only way to survive. “Do you have time to get to the game?”

  “I should.”

  Thank God. I bite the bottom of my lip.

  “We have a failsafe in place if someone is over thirty minutes late, we check-in.” He frowns. “Except, I missed the first two calls. So now, I’ve only got twenty minutes to get to the stadium.”

  Shit. “It takes me thirty minutes to get there.”

  “Okay.” He inhales and steadies his shoulders. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.” He shrugs. “I don’t know when I’ll have time to get back with you.”

  “Gunner.” I shake my head. He’s going to hate me. Lord, the whole town will hate me. “This is a mistake.”

  “What?”

  “This.” I raise my hands out in front of me. I’m not going to be the reason he loses his job or doesn’t achieve the dreams he’s envisioned. He’s put way too much into it. If he chose to be with me, he’d eventually hate himself for not putting his career first. I can’t live with his regret.

  Fuck. That’s stupid. He’s already said I was a mistake.

  “Dani, I don’t have time for this.” His jaw flexes as if he’s grinding his teeth together.

  “I know.” Tears fill my eyes, and I blink them away. “Go on.”

  “Shit.” He shakes his head, and his gaze narrows. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Gunner. Go. It was fun. We had a great couple of nights together, but that’s it. I don’t do relationships, and you don’t have time.” I lick my lips. “Go.”

  “Fine,” he spits out.

  He slams the door against the wall on his way out of the bedroom. The sound echoes through the stillness.

  When the front door snaps shut, I sag to the mattress. My entire body shakes like I’m suffering from a fever, and I can’t stop.

  From the driveway, I hear the engine of his Mustang rev and his tires spin. Fuck. Tears pool against my lashes, and I furiously blink them away. I never stood a chance with him. He’s so far out of my league.

  Why would something good happen? The tears I’d blinked away reproduce a tsunami of ones to replace them until they’re streaming down my cheeks and splashing on the fabric of my robe.

  Why? Because he’s perfect. And I’m – me. It was always destined to be one-sided.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Gunner

  As I weave through traffic, I honk at a van. The vehicle is driving in the passing lane but at several miles an hour under the speed limit. On my right are two semis, and on my left are a row of cars and a pickup. “Pull the fuck over into the slow lane.”

  I push the phone button on my steering wheel. “Call, Veronica.”

  “Yes, sir.” My virtual assistant says, and I’m rewarded with the sound of pushing buttons and the ringing of the phone. At least one thing has gone right today.

  “What?” My sister’s voice sounds shrill as it pipes over my stereo system.

  I stab the volume button and turn down the sound. “I need you to bring my bag to the stadium.”

  “Why?”

  For fuck’s sake, why do you think? I wave at the man in the van, who’s finally moved over to the right lane. He nods, and I return my attention to the road and my frustrating sister. “Because I’m late, and I don’t have time to go home.”

  “Why are you late?”

  “Veronica, just get my bag and meet me there.” My arms ache from the tension. I wiggle my fingers and try to pry my death grip off the steering wheel. There are still two hours before the game, but I need to be on the field an hour before kickoff to play.

  I’ve got GPS on my cell and my vehicle. Someone would have come out to get me if I was too late. There are too many safeguards in place for anyone to miss the game. Granted, I’m usually the first one in the locker room, so I’m late as fuck – for me.

  “Did you have a good night?” Her cheerful voice grates on my nerves and I want to end the connection. Except, I need my uniform and if I piss her off, she’s likely not to bring it.

  I’ll end up with someone else’s too tight football pants and a jersey with hastily ironed on numbers. I’m superstitious enough to want my own gear. “No. I didn’t have a good night.” I had a fantastic night, but a shit-ass morning, which evens it out to – everything sucks.

  How did I miss the signs Dani wasn’t interested in something long-term? Fuck. I’m a total dumbass. This is why I don’t date during the season. Son of a bitch. I hit the steering wheel with the base of my hand. It’s why I don’t date at all.

  “Shit. That blows. I’m sorry, Gunner. I could tell you liked her.”

  “Yeah. It’s okay. Thanks.” I rotate my head and flip on the blinker for the stadium exit. The early tailgaters are already lined up in the parking lot. The smoke from their grills fill the air with the sweet scent of BBQ. My stomach growls.

  “Gunner?”

  “For the love of God, Veronica, leave it be. I don’t have time for this shit.” I want to throw something and smash it, but that will have to wait for the game.

  A smile slides up my face. The other team has another thing coming today. For once, I’m in the mood to inflict some damage.

  “Fine,” she sighs. “I thought she was ‘the one.’

  You and me both. My heart aches in my chest, and I clutch it. Fuck. Don’t have a heart attack. “Well, she’s not ‘the one.’” I hit the end button, no longer able to handle another second talking to anyone. I need to get into the stadium and let the familiar comfort of home ease the pain.

  How am I going to be around her at the gym? I’ll have to figure something out, even if it means changing my entire workout routine, I’ll do it. Luckily, next week is an away game. I can get out of town and get some space between us.

  I pull into my assigned parking spot and kill the engine. If we win today, we’ll have an off tomorrow, and film on Tuesday. Then, we’ll fly out on Friday, which will leave two days in the gym. The only option is to go after she’s gone for the day.

  After I make it into the locker room, Tony smacks my back. “It must have been quite a night.”

  “Don’t.” I shake my head and jerk open the locker.

  “Shit.” He frowns. “Sorry, dude. I was hoping things were good between you and Dani.”

  “I thought they were.” I grab my Under Armor gear off the shelf.

  “But?” He crosses his arms and braces his legs apart.

  I might as well tell someone. He and the guys are my best friends. “Everything was great last night. And this morning.”

  Heat creeps up my neck. Making love to Dani is the best sex I’ve ever experienced. That is until she froze up and tossed me out of her bedroom and home. It was like a sword shoved through my gut.

  Damn, I was seconds away from telling her I loved her and now… Now. Nothing. Shit. I slam the metal door, and it rattles in the frame.

  Several of the guys hear us and turn to stare. Great. This is why I don’t do this. Everyone’s going to be ass-deep in my business. I’m a fucking pansy-ass pussy who can’t keep a woman.

  “If everything was great, what went wrong?”

  “She kicked me out.” I lean against the locker with a thud.

  “Kicked you out?” His eyes narrow, and he gawks like I said something that doesn’t compute. Reset. Malfunction.

  Ain’t that the fucking truth. It doesn’t make any sense. How could she not feel the connection between us? “Yes, she kicked me out.”

  “What the fuck, dude?” He claps me on the shoulder. “I didn’t see that coming. I thought she was a great girl. There was a real spark between the two of you.”

  “More like a bomb detonating.”

  “Are you going to be okay?” He drops his hand to his side and studies me with concern.

/>   The other guys turn, and the din in the room returns to normal. The steady sounds of fifty to sixty dudes talking shit and radios blasting a cacophony of different types of music is comforting.

  “Yeah, man.” I shrug. “I’ll be fine. I’ve spent years practicing. I can do this on autopilot.”

  He snorts and rolls his eyes. “Not on the field. I know you’ve got that shit covered. I meant you as a person. Are you going to be okay?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, sure. I’ll walk it off. She’s just another piece of ass.” I press my lips together. “Maybe when we’re out of town next week, I’ll have one of the guys hook me up with one of their sure things.”

  “Hey, that’s a great idea.” Devin ambles up to us and punches me in the upper arm. “We’ll hit the bar and find a willing lady. Hell, you could probably pull off a couple in a night.”

  “Sure. Why not?” I grimace.

  “Now, you’re talking.” He laughs and smacks my chest.

  “Gunner.” Tony glares at me.

  “What?” I raise my eyebrows and give him a pointed look.

  “Shouldn’t you at least find out what went wrong?”

  “I know what went wrong. I thought with my heart and not my dick. I won’t make that same mistake again.” When my cellphone chirps, I glance down. “Gotta go. Veronica’s got my uniform.”

  I spin on my heel and run into Dillon. “Sorry, man.” I keep going without waiting to see if he accepts my apology. The need to be alone is filling my entire body with anxiety. My skin is so tight, it’s like someone is scraping a fork over a dinner plate.

  Don’t think about Dani. I need to forget everything and surround myself in football. Once the game is over, I can go home and drink until I pass out. I need annihilation.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Dani

  For the tenth time since getting into my car, I regret not telling my parents I’m dying. Ashley has chatted non-stop about some dress she saw online the night before, and I don’t have the energy to respond.

  The second Gunner’s phone rang, my entire future crashed and burned. How could I be irresponsible enough not to set the alarm? If he gets sidelined, I’ll never forgive myself.

  My head pounds as if some little dude has crawled inside it and is pounding on a bass drum. I yank open the console and dig until my fingers knock into a plastic container. The welcome sound of rattling pills washes over me. Thank God. If I don’t quell this now, I’m going to explode like an overboiled egg.

  “Shit.” Ashley’s eyes narrow into tiny slits. “What’s wrong with you? I figured you were being quiet due to being up all night getting boned. But you look like shit smashed on the bottom of someone’s shoe.”

  I shudder and swallow. “Thank you for the visual.” Fuck. Don’t throw up. I’ve never had a migraine before, but I understand how it causes people to hole up in their room with a pillow over their head.

  “What is wrong with you? Are you sick?” She cocks her head to the side.

  “Just a headache.” Please, go away.

  Like that’s going to happen. We’re going to my parent’s house for Sunday lunch and football. My dad will prattle on about how good Gunner’s playing. If he plays. I cringe. Then, Ashley will talk about how sexy he is, and my mom will share everything she’s heard about his charity work. Welcome to my life.

  My dad will kick my ass if I’m responsible for the backup having to step in. He considers the guy to be a total tool. I groan and hit the turn signal. The entire town will flip the fuck out if he’s not on the field. On the road to the playoffs, every game is essential.

  “Why do you have a headache?”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Bullshit.” She crosses her legs and twists her knees to point at me. Here goes the interrogation. “What happened with Gunner last night? Did you do something stupid?”

  “No. Well…” My entire body floods with heat as images of our night rush at me like a motion picture through my brain. Everything was phenomenal. Until the call.

  “Well…what?”

  “Shit.” I shake my head and fight the stinging tears filling my eyes. “The night was spectacular, but we forgot to set the alarm. Someone called him, and he missed the first two calls.”

  “So?” Her brow furrows like I’m not speaking English.

  “He was late for the game.”

  Ashley stares at her wristwatch, and then gives me a ‘You’re a freaking nut’ look. “It’s still fifteen minutes until the game. I got home at ten o’clock, and you were alone. He couldn’t have been that fucking late.”

  “He has to be there early, and because of me, he might not get to play.”

  “Did he say that?”

  “No.” I shrug. “Everyone knows the players have to be there by a certain time to be on the field. He almost screwed up everything he’s worked for – over me. Not to mention, he said he was doing something stupid.”

  “What was the stupid thing? Forgetting to set his alarm?”

  “He was referring to having sex with me.” I click on the blinker and wait for traffic to clear before turning onto my parent’s street.

  “How do you know that?” She arches her eyebrows and presses her lips together. “Did he look at you and say, ‘Having sex with you is stupid?’”

  “No. I could tell.”

  “God,” she sighs and uncrosses her legs. “You’re an idiot. Of course, you’d find a way to push him away.”

  My mouth drops open as I pull into my parent’s driveway. “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t think you’re good enough for him. Do you?”

  “I’m not. If I was good enough for him, I would have told him I’d wait until the season is over, but I was selfish.” Tears fill my eyes, slipping over my lashes and running down my cheeks. “He deserves someone who would sacrifice their needs. Not jeopardize his career.”

  “Get your shit and let’s go inside. This is a pointless conversation.” She shoves open the door, and her booted heels hit the concrete.

  I follow her at a safe distance. Her irritation radiates off her, and I’m a little concerned she’s going to club me over the head. Did I read everything wrong? Was he not upset about being called by one of the guys? My shoulders sag. What if I broke up with him for no reason?

  Ashley stabs the doorbell with her index finger. When my dad answers the door, he beams at us. Then, his face drops. “What’s wrong with you two? Ashley looks like she’s stepped onto a hornet’s nest, and you look like your prized goldfish died and got flushed down the toilet.”

  I elbow her and shove past her. “She’s the hornet.” This entire day sucks ass.

  “Daniel?” She crosses her arms and spreads her legs like she’s going to fight.

  “Yes?”

  I roll my eyes. This is going to be great. Now all my dirty laundry is going to be front-page news.

  “What time do the players have to be at the stadium?”

  My dad’s forehead wrinkles like he’s trying to figure out the relevance of the question. “An hour before kickoff.”

  “See.” Ashley shakes her head.

  Gunner would have easily gotten to the stadium by ten-thirty at the latest. He had over thirty minutes to spare.

  At least, he won’t have to sit out. Does that mean I screwed up? I fall onto the sofa and toss my head against the cushions. The pre-game is already on the television, muted in the background.

  Gunner tosses a bullet down the field, and Tony snatches it out of the air. The cameraman pans in for a closeup of Gunner, and he smiles for the camera. Carefree and no concerns.

  Fuck. He doesn’t care anything about me. I close my eyes. Why isn’t there a magic lamp I can rub to make a wish? I’d like to roll back the film and start over.

  “Why did you ask when the players have to be at the stadium?” My dad places his hands on his hips.

  “Dani here was – “

  “Stop.” My eyes pop open, and I grit my teeth together.

&n
bsp; “Pft.” She wooshes me away with a flip of her fingernails. “Dani was doing the nasty with Gunner.”

  “Gunner?” My mom steps out of the kitchen while drying her hands on a dishtowel. “Gunner Sinclair? Holy cow. He’s such an amazing guy. Did you know he donates to at least five charities here in town?”

  For the love of God. The little guy in my brain smacks his cymbals together.

  “Yes, Elise. She has a…” Ashley glares at me. “Well, she had a thing going with Gunner but broke it off with him when he got a call this morning. Apparently, one of the guys called him when he didn’t show up.”

  “Yeah, players have elaborate Phone Trees set up to make sure everyone gets there in time.”

  “Dear, do you remember the time Martin Lyons had to show up and knock on the door.” My mom flushes and fans herself.

  Dad laughs. “God, yes. I made it with only fifteen minutes to spare. Of course, Rick Barns was already suiting up in my uniform to pass off as me until I got there.”

  “What?” I raise up and gawk at my father.

  He smacks his thigh. “God, yes. We had elaborate planning established for every scenario. That night your mom and I – “

  “Dear?” My mom’s eyes are round, and she shuffles her feet.

  “Oh God, don’t,” I groan. I don’t want to hear about my parent’s sex life.

  “Fine, we’ll leave that to your imagination, but whatever you and Gunner were doing, we probably one-upped you.”

  I doubt that. My face heats until I’m sure I look like a tomato.

  “I question that.” Ashley giggles and bends over at the waist. “Dani’s giving off a kinky vibe.”

  “Yeah.” My dad wrinkles his nose. “I’m not sure I want to imagine my daughter and my favorite player with whips and chains.”

  Oh, God. Please, take me now.

  “Anyway.” He shudders. “I’ve heard the guys use phone location apps to track each other. No one’s going to miss a game now.

  As they drone on in the background, I watch Gunner as he smacks Tony on the back, and they laugh at some inside joke.

  The jokes on me. I made a total ass out of myself. Either Gunner never liked me, and the whole celibacy thing was a ruse to get chicks, or I fucked things up. Either way. I’m screwed.