Draw Play: A Sports Romance

by Tia Lewis

  “You weren’t the man she needed you to be. That can happen, sometimes. You have to admit that to yourself and admit it to her. Tell her you’re going to try your best from now on.”

  I realized something at that moment. Coach was the closest thing to a father I had ever known. I hated him sometimes, and we butted heads almost constantly. He believed in me, though, and that was what I needed most.

  “She’s a good woman,” he said. “Don’t let her get away.”

  “She’s not the only woman in the world.”

  “Jake, she’s the woman for you. If she’s still in your heart after all these weeks, if you’re still beating yourself up for letting her get away, she’s the one for you. I like her a lot. She’s what you need. That kick in the pants, when I can’t be around to give it to you.”

  He leaned toward me. “Now give me back my picture and get the hell out of here. The wife hates it when I get home late, and dinner’s cold.”

  24

  Claire

  It was the week of finals. I had never studied so hard in my life.

  Funny thing about pouring time and energy into helping another person get straight A’s: you forget about your own coursework. Sure, I had turned everything in on time, but I hadn’t kept up with the reading and memorizing the way I should have. There were a dozen or more cases I hadn’t reviewed, and I had term papers on most of them. I could have smacked myself for letting Jake get to me the way he had. And for what? Sex? Hardly worth it.

  However, it didn’t seem that way at the time. I could admit that much to myself. I wished I could go back and wring my own neck—especially when I took a look at the mountains of work still left to be done before I even considered my finals.

  At one point in my studying, I desperately needed a cup of coffee. I took my books with me to the local coffee shop a block from the library. It was always open twenty-four-seven during finals week, and there were always plenty of students in need of a jolt of energy. They had to make a killing at this time of year.

  I waited in line, tapping my foot, wishing the people at the registers would hurry up. Sure, they were swamped, but they might not have been so swamped if they worked more efficiently. I could have screamed, it took so long. I didn’t get out of line, though. I needed the caffeine too badly, and everywhere else was closed. The diner was too far—I didn’t have time to go back, get the car and drive out there. Besides, it would be as crowded as the coffee shop. There was hardly room to breathe in the already tiny place. I wished they would rent a larger store. It was intensely claustrophobic. I felt the way I used to as a kid when my mom would drag me around to do Christmas shopping. I would stand in line in the overheated store, dying because I still wore my coat, wishing the other shoppers would give me some room.

  I heard a deep, male voice beside me. “Claire, right?”

  I turned to find Zack standing there. My instinct was to recoil, and I stepped away from him. He held up a hand and smiled.

  “I’m sorry if I surprised you. I didn’t mean to.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” I couldn’t even pretend to be civil. I hated him to the depths of my soul. “What do you want?”

  “I wanted to apologize to you.”

  I smirked, but the expression on his face didn’t change.

  “I mean it,” he said. “I was wrong. I know what you heard, and I wish I could take it all back.”

  The line started to move, and I sighed in relief, as did he.

  “Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

  I thought about it, deciding it couldn’t hurt. I gave Zack my order, and he recited it to the cashier.

  He pointed to a pair of stools along the counter. “Can we sit for a minute? Just a minute. I know you’re busy. Nobody comes in for coffee at midnight when they’re not busy.”

  When he wasn't a prick, he was kind of charming. I nodded and waited there for him while he stood and waited for the coffee. He was good-looking, for sure—dark, where Jake was blonde-haired and blue-eyed. He had a dangerous sort of vibe. I remembered what the girls in the dorm told me about him being a freak. I could believe it.

  He wanted to apologize, huh? He felt bad, huh? I couldn’t help but feel a little powerful, knowing he saw the error of his ways. I had to wonder what brought it on, though. Why was he coming to me after all these weeks?

  He carried our drinks over, and sat beside me.

  “What I did was unforgivable,” he said. “Totally.”

  “You’re right.” I couldn’t argue with him.

  “I was going through a lot when it happened. A breakup, but then we got back together. I was questioning everything, and I mean everything. Lashing out, trying to hurt people. Believe me, I talked this all out with my girl, and she’s much smarter than I am. This is all coming from her.”

  I couldn’t help chuckling a little. I thought Zack might actually be human but still kept my distance. For all I know this could be a setup and I refused to be a fool again.

  “Anyway, that was where I was. A mess. I took it out on everybody around me. Including Jake. And you. You didn’t deserve it.”

  I nodded. “I know I didn’t. You were really nasty, Zack.”

  “I was. I remember what I said, and I hate myself for it. I’m so sorry.”

  “Only because I heard you say it.”

  “No, because I said it at all.” He shook his head. “Jake wasn’t kidding when he said it’s impossible to get you to listen.”

  “So stop trying and leave. No one is forcing you to stay.” I turned on the stool to step onto the floor, but he stopped me.

  “Claire, wait. Just listen to me, please.”

  “What, Zack? I don’t have time for this.” I sighed and waited for him to finish talking.

  “Jake called me out. I guess you didn’t hear that part. He told me what a piece of shit I was, and he said it was because Sam left me. It was all true. He tried to stand up for you and protect you. Hell, we almost put hands on each other, and he could have risked football if the cops got called. Coach has zero tolerance when it comes to teammates fighting each other, and he’s not afraid to kick you off the team if you fuck up.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Most importantly he’s been a mess without you.”

  That last part threw me off. “He has?”

  “When he’s not studying, which he does most of the time, he’s moping around the frat house. He doesn’t hang out or go places or anything. He barely talks to us when we work out together, only during practice and games. I guess you heard we’re going to the Championship this year.”

  “Yes, I did hear that.” I couldn’t pretend I hadn’t followed along with every single game, though I wouldn’t dare step foot in the stadium during home games. I couldn’t go that far. But I knew the team was undefeated, and I knew they were favored to win a second straight championship game.

  Zack grinned briefly, and then shook his head. “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think it means anything to him.”

  That took me by surprise. “What? Football?”

  “Yeah. His heart is not in it anymore. I just thought you should know.” Just then, a beautiful girl with long, dark hair came in. “Oh, there’s my girlfriend, Sam. Say, if you’re alone, you can always come sit with us.”

  “No, thanks. I’m good. I think I’ll take my coffee to go.” I stood. “Thanks for taking the time to talk with me and for apologizing. It means a lot, Zack.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to at all.”

  “Shit happens, right?” I shrugged, forcing a smile.

  I shook his outstretched hand, and he joined his girlfriend at a nearby table. They looked cute together. He didn’t seem at all like the person I overheard that day at the frat house. Being in love had changed him.

  From the way it sounded, Jake was pretty messed up. I wondered if it was wrong for me to want everything Zack told me to be true. I wanted him to miss me and feel the pain he put me through. Maybe then he would feel just a f
raction of the anguish I had felt—because God knew I missed him.

  Zack’s words weighed on my heart for days before I asked Marcie for advice.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” she asked.

  “Finals. I know you’re busy. I’m busy, too. Plus, it’s not that big of a deal.”

  “What! I’m never too busy for you and this is major.” She sat cross-legged on my bed, looking up at me with wide eyes. “So, what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. On the one hand, I feel so much better, knowing Jake stuck up for me after all. He told me he did, but I didn’t believe him. I thought he was just trying to get me to calm down, but Zack eased my mind.”

  “So, he wasn’t laughing at you. He told them all off. That’s good, right?”

  “It’s good. But it’s been so long now. I’m sure he’s moved on.”

  “Ugh, six weeks? That’s not so long,” she said.

  “It feels that way. We weren’t even sleeping together for six weeks. Barely for two weeks. Oh, geez, have I wasted all this time on somebody who I only slept with for two weeks?”

  “No,” Marcie said. “He’s not just some guy. He’s a person you care about. I know you do. Don’t discount it just because he hurt you. You had real feelings for him.”

  “You’re right,” I said.

  “And Zack told you how miserable Jake is without you,” she added.

  “How do I know he didn’t snap out of it yesterday? He could have woken up and thought, ‘Wow, why did I spend so much time thinking about that Claire girl?’” I sat down beside Marcie, my head sinking into my palms. “I don’t know which way is up. I really don’t, and I don’t need this stress during finals.”

  “I think you’re over-thinking it,” she said, patting me on the back. “and you have a tendency to do that, love.”

  “True. I’ll admit that.”

  “You’re driving yourself crazy, for no reason. You know Jake still cares. Why isn’t that enough?”

  “I can’t go through it again.” I raised my head to look at her. “I can’t. I don’t want to be played like I’m some fool.”

  “I understand. That’s the chance you’re going to have to take, though. Otherwise, you’ll never know, and that will kill you. It’s so much worse, not knowing.”

  I knew she was right. I just wasn't sure I had it in me to take the chance.

  “Come on,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “Let’s take a walk and clear our heads. Then we can get something to eat. Adam will be there. Oh! Did I tell you? I think he’s seeing somebody.”

  “Shut up! Really?”

  She nodded with a giggle. “You know him. He guards his life like it’s a national secret. I saw him walking to his dorm with a girl last night, and he kissed her on the cheek before they went inside. It was super cute!”

  I clapped my hands. “I can’t wait to torment him with this!” I shouted maniacally. Now that we were back to our brother/sister relationship, things were much more comfortable between us. That was the way we were meant to be. We were never meant to date.

  “Did I tell you about the ski trip my parents want to go on this winter? You should come.” Marcie linked her arm through mine, and I did my best to be jovial and give her my attention, as she had done to me. I would have more than enough time to think about Jake later when I was alone. The way I did every night.

  25

  Jake

  I walked out of the Arts and Sciences building feeling pretty proud of myself. I knew I had aced my last final. It wasn’t even a challenge. Straight A’s. I didn’t think I had it in me until Claire showed me.

  The thought of her made something ache inside me. It had been so long since I saw her face, heard her voice. Her presence in my life was something I came to depend upon before I knew what was happening.

  It had been over two weeks since I talked to Coach about her, and she was still just as strong of a presence in my heart as she ever was. His words haunted me, too. It wasn’t all about football. It was about building a life outside of football. Something for me, for once. I had never been able to have something just for me.

  I didn’t blame my mom, not entirely. She was the kind of person who was afraid of a lot of things. Like always being poor. And working. The two didn’t go well together. I was her meal ticket. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t hate her for it.

  I was an adult, in my senior year of college at the UM. I couldn’t blame my mom anymore and like Claire once told me, I needed to “man up.” I also needed a good woman at my side.

  I needed Claire.

  As I walked to the dorm, I knew I would be completely devastated if she had already left for winter break. Sure, I had her phone number, but what I had to say to her couldn’t be said over the phone. There was no guarantee she’d pick up, either. I had to do it in person.

  If I had it in me to study my ass off and prove myself, then I could knock on her door. I held my breath and did just that. I then stepped back and waited.

  I heard footsteps and a pause. Somebody looking out of the peephole. Was it Claire, or her roommate Jess?

  The door opened, and as soon as I saw her brown hair, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Hi.” Her voice was flat, toneless.

  “Hi,” I replied.

  We stood there, looking at each other.

  “How are you?” I asked.

  “Fine. Getting packed. You?”

  “Good. Just finished my last final.”

  “Great.” She leaned against the door, not about to make it easy for me. Why would she start then? She never had before. “So—why are you here?”

  “Well, I’m glad I had caught you before you left.”

  “Okay.”

  “Can I come in, please? Just for a minute.”

  “For what?”

  “I want to say a few things. If you want me to go when I’m finished, I understand.”

  She rolled her green eyes. “Whatever, Jake. Just for a minute. I’m kind of busy.” She opened the door fully so I could step inside.

  One-half of the room was bare except for the posters on the wall. “Oh, Jess left already?”

  “Yes, she finished her finals yesterday and left this morning.” Claire sat on her bed.

  “Oh, that’s cool,” I replied, looking around the room.

  “Well? What is it you have to say?”

  “I have to apologize again,” I started.

  “You really don’t have to. I’m over it.”

  “I do. Because I wasn’t the man you needed me to be.”

  She scrunched her face. “What are you talking about?”

  “You needed me to defend you and protect you. I didn’t. I failed you. I don’t blame you for pushing me away because I failed. I’m sorry for that. You don’t know how sorry I am, Claire.”

  She took a deep, hitching breath. “I guess.”

  “I know you hate me right now, and I understand. I wish you would give me the chance to be the man you need me to be, though. I know I can. I know he’s in there. It just took him a minute to find his way out. But he’s there.”

  She sighed. “I know he is. Zack found me. He backed up your story, about how you told him off after I left and how you guys almost got in a fight.”

  “Wait. He did?”

  “Yeah, at the local coffee shop.”

  “Fuck, I told him not to do that. Where did he do it?”

  “Does it matter?” She smiled softly. “I mean, really? He did it. That’s what important.”

  “I didn’t want you to think I was trying to trick you. Zack came to me weeks ago, telling me he would do it. I told him not to.”

  “Well, he did anyway. And—you can thank him for that.”

  My eyes widened. I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Thank him?”

  “Yes.” Her smile became bigger. “I didn’t think you’d want me anymore, after the things I said. I figured, oh, well. He has a million g
irls banging down his door and clawing their way to snag a football player. So, what does he want with me? Even after Zack found me, I didn’t go to you. I didn’t want to be played a fool again.”

  “I would never think that about you,” I insisted.

  “I would, though. And we’re our own worst critics, aren’t we?”

  I could agree with that.

  “You know, I love you.” The words came out before I could stop them, but once I heard them, they made perfect sense. They were what I needed to say because they were the truth.

  Her eyes went wide. “What?”

  “I love you, Claire.”

  “You do? I mean—” she asked in shock.

  “Yes. I do.” I went to her, touching her hair, her face. I had missed her so much. My hands almost ached to feel more of her.

  “Wow. I didn’t see that coming.”

  “I’m speaking from the heart. Fuck football or what anybody thinks. I want you, Claire. I love you.”

  “I—I love you too, Jake.” Tears started rolling down her cheeks. “I’ve just been too afraid—”

  “Too afraid to say how you really feel?”

  “Yes,” she sobbed.

  “Well, me too. But I’m no longer afraid, and I’m here to let you know that I’m in love with you.”

  “I don’t even know what to—”

  She couldn’t say anything else because I kissed her. I thought I might explode with happiness. There I was, thinking it would never happen. We would never be together again. I was so sure. Ready to give up hope.

  Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer to her. She was as desperate to be with me as I was to be with her. It had been too long. I held her close, tightening my grip around her waist. She sighed. I had even missed the sound of her sigh.

  I pulled away just far enough to strip down. She did the same, pulling clothes off, tossing them onto the floor. I watched her as each piece came off. Her body was just like I remembered it—the full tits, swaying a little as she moved, the round hips just perfect for me to grip when I took her. The firm, ripe ass and strong legs. I wanted them around my waist.