*
Randi was in the locker room, removing her cleats when the coach walked in. They’d won the game by the skin of their teeth.
He shrugged and moved to the front of the room to address the team. “We came out on top tonight, but it was sloppy. They were aggressive and we matched their style of play instead of playing our game. If they’re being overly hostile, it will force mistakes. If we play with finesse, we will be able to take advantage of those mistakes, but if we’re playing their game, we’re only being destructive. Was the ref making bad calls? Absolutely. Is there anything we can do about that? No. We got lucky, especially going down to ten players with five minutes plus another five in stoppage time.” He crossed his arms. “The only thing that came out of our win tonight is three points that moved us up to second place. Next week is the final game of the season, so even with a loss, we’re still in the playoffs.”
Everyone cheered.
He held his hand up. “That doesn’t mean that next week’s game is a wash. We need to regroup this week and come in playing our game. Orlando needs a win to get into the playoffs. They will be coming at us hard. We cannot do what we did tonight.” He ended and stepped over to Randi.
“What got into you tonight?” he asked.
“That ref was an idiot.”
“Yeah, but you were out there fighting and playing just as aggressive. She was looking for a scapegoat to show she had control and you let it be you.”
I wish this damn day was over already, she thought.
“Next week will be hard enough, now we have to do it without you,” he added before leaving the room.
Randi changed clothes and grabbed her backpack.
“Everything okay?” Carrie asked.
“Yeah,” Randi mumbled, before walking out of the building without showering.
42
Berkley lied on the couch, staring up at the ceiling fan spinning around. The adrenaline coursing through her veins had long worn off. The reality of what could’ve happened earlier that night filled her conscience, hitting her at full speed. She was a cop, she was bound to be in hairy situations from time to time, but she’d never had to make the decision on whether or not to take someone’s life. All the while, wondering if they were about to take hers instead. She couldn’t remember thinking of anything in the moment, but several thoughts had crossed her mind since, like her last conversation with Randi. The more she replayed it, the more it bothered her. She’d basically called Randi a liar, something she knew she wasn’t, which made her feel bad. She should’ve stayed and talked more, but nothing Randi said made sense to her.
“Who breaks up with their girlfriend, yet continues to live with her?” she mumbled to herself. “I knew I’d see her again, but that was definitely not the way I thought things would go.”
She shook her head and pursed her lips. Hearing Randi say she’d missed her…had missed them together, tugged at the tear in her heart that had opened when she’d said goodbye to her. “Do I really want to go down this road again?” she sighed.
I don’t think you have a choice, her thoughts answered.
*
Randi cracked her eyes open when she heard her phone vibrating on the nightstand. Rays of sun were filling the room with streaks of light. She reached out blindly, grabbing it just before whoever was calling, hung up on her voicemail.
“Hello?”
“Are you still sleeping?” Elisa asked.
“I was. What time is it?”
“Ten.”
“Ugh,” Randi groaned. No wonder her stomach was growling. She’d skipped dinner after taking a quick shower and spent the rest of the evening in her room. Olivia had tried to coax her out, but talking about the game was the last thing she’d wanted to do. And she certainly couldn’t talk to her about Berkley.
“So…what happened last night?”
“Let me guess, you saw the game?”
“Uh, yeah. Along with mom and dad and some of mom’s yoggies.”
“What the hell is a yoggi?”
“Her yoga buddies,” Elisa chuckled.
“Oh, for crying out loud.”
“You were clearly having a bad night.”
“You think?” Randi muttered, sitting up and pulling a t-shirt over her head to cover her naked chest.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Ay dios mio! Miranda Francisca, fighting on the field…no bueno.”
“You sound like mom.”
“Exactly. She’ll be calling you next. You might as well talk to me so I can run interference.”
“Ohhhhh. You play a good game, Elisa Sofia,” Randi laughed, feeling like they were kids again, keeping secrets from their parents for each other. “I saw Berkley yesterday,” she finally said with a sigh.
“I take it things didn’t go so well.”
“Nope. She thinks I’m playing games with her.”
“Weren’t you? At first, I mean.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. It was flirty fun…until I kissed her.”
“Then, you kept on until you slept with her.”
“You make it sound like I seduced her. She came onto me just as hard.”
“Yeah, but you had a girlfriend whom you were living with the entire time. That’s playing games, sis.”
“I fell for her somewhere along the way. It was no longer a game at that point.”
“She doesn’t know that. All she knows is you’re supposedly single, but still playing house with your ex. Think about that for a minute. If it were reversed, would you have anything to do with her?”
“I doubt it.”
“Exactly. Who wants to get mixed up in that mess? It’s an unhealthy situation, even if you are best friends.”
Randi sighed.
“You need to figure out what you want and where you want to be and make it happen. This is obviously a lot deeper than you realize if you let it affect your game.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you love Olivia?”
“What?”
“Are you in love with her? Do you see things working out with her?”
“No. That’s over.”
“Then why are you still living in her house?”
Randi brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her free arm around her legs. “I don’t know.”
“That’s your starting point.”
“Are you sure you’re not a psychologist?”
Elisa laughed. “If I am, you owe me $500.”
“What?” Randi chuckled. “That’s a bit steep, don’t you think?”
“You owe me for at least five sessions. Not to mention your teenage years.”
“Uh-huh. On that note, I’m getting off the phone.”
“I’ll deal with mom, but you owe me.”
“Put it on my bill,” Randi laughed as she hung up. She set the phone down and laid her head on the top of her knees. Her sister had given her a different perspective. She definitely wouldn’t have given Berkley the time of day if she had been dating someone, much less living with them.
“You okay?” Olivia asked, rapping her knuckles on the door.
“Yeah.”
“I’m leaving for my recovery massage.”
“Okay,” Randi answered. They were off for the next two days but required to do some form of recovery the day after a game, and a form of exercise on their other day off. She’d planned to go to the pool for a long, relaxing swim, but at the moment she had other ideas. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her important contacts and waited until she heard the garage door going back down, before hitting the call button.
“I was just about to call you,” Carrie answered.
“Are you busy?”
“No.”
“Anna isn’t with you?”
“No. She missed the game and didn’t come over last night.”
“Bummer. Law school is a bitch.”
>
“Yep. What’s up? You sound like you’re in a better mood,” Carrie said.
“Something like that,” Randi replied, getting out of the bed.
“Want to do something together for recovery?”
“Nope. We’re going apartment hunting. I’ll be there in thirty,” Randi stated before ending the call.
*
The echo of Berkley’s motorcycle sounded like thunder as she rolled up next to the open fire station bay. She killed the engine and got off, locking the frame with her key so that it couldn’t be stolen, before walking inside with her backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Hola, Chica!” Dena yelled from the top of the staircase leading to the second floor, where the living quarters were located.
Berkley smiled. “Where’s Captain Sanders?”
“Right here,” he said, removing his glasses and wiping them on his shirt as he walked out of his office. “Good to see you, Ward. I heard you made the SWAT team.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied with a nod.
“Good for you. I take it you’re here to join us for a rotation?”
“Correct. Gotta keep that certification up to date. I scheduled it with the lieutenant a couple of weeks ago.”
“He’s out on paternity leave. His wife went into labor a month early, but their baby girl is doing fine.”
“That’s good.”
“Anyhow, no need to go over formalities. You know your way around. You can double up in the rig with Hernandez. I’ll put Grace on the truck.”
“Okay.”
“It’s always good to have you back…even if it is only for twenty-four hours.”
“It’s nice to have a change of pace,” she replied honestly.
“Everything good?” Dena asked, sliding up next to her.
“Yeah.” She smiled. “Looks like I’m riding with you.”
“Oh, shit! The dynamic duo is back together,” Dena giggled.
Berkley chuckled. The last time she’d done a rotation, Dena and Maggie were off, so she’d ridden on the truck as a backup EMT.
“Sometimes I hate being a firefighter/EMT,” Maggie pretended to pout.
“Girl, please. You talk about how much you love it all the time,” Dena chided.
“Yeah…until she comes to play with us.” Maggie grinned.
“I’m going to go get settled in,” Berkley said, shaking her head and laughing as she walked away.
43
Cher’s cover of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA was blaring on the radio when Carrie opened the passenger door to Randi’s BMW and slid into the bucket seat.
“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A woman after midnight!” Randi sang as she drove off.
Carrie laughed. She couldn’t help feeling like she was in a gay club with the techno tune playing. She quickly joined in. “Take me through the darkness to the break of day!”
When the song ended, Randi turned the volume down.
“Are you really moving out of Olivia’s house?” Carrie asked.
“Yep.”
“You know, I have plenty of room.”
“Thanks, but I need to do this on my own. I’ve never lived alone. It’s time I put my big girl panties on and see what adulting is all about.”
Carrie nodded.
“Any suggestions on where to look first? I found a couple of places online. I’m looking for a studio or one-bedroom apartment. Nothing big.”
“I hear Pinewood is nice.”
“What’s the one Anna lived in before she moved on campus?”
“Laredo. They’re nice inside, but she dealt with a slew of issues.”
“Figures.” Randi shook her head. “What’s she up to today?”
“No idea,” Carrie said, turning her head to look through the window. “We broke up last night.”
“What?!” Randi hit the brakes a little too hard coming to the red light, causing the car behind her to honk the horn. Randi held her right hand up, shooting the person a bird despite knowing her tint was too dark for him or her to see it. “Are you serious?” she questioned, looking at her best friend.
“Yeah. We’d been heading in that direction for weeks. I knew it was time to call it.”
“You broke up with her?”
Carrie nodded.
The car behind them honked again because the light had turned green.
“I’m going to bitch slap this asshole if he honks one more time!” Randi growled, shaking her head. “What is wrong with people?”
Carrie chuckled. “Sounds like you’re still fired up from last night.”
“Maybe a little,” Randi laughed.
“I was pretty sure you were about to give that girl a beat down right there in the box.”
“I was ready to go a few rounds with that damn ref, for sure. I still can’t believe she red-carded me.” Randi pulled into the Pinewood Apartment Homes parking lot. “Nice change of subject, by the way. You still owe me some details.”
Carrie released her seatbelt and got out without saying anything.
*
“South 5—Rescue 21. Overturned vehicle on Longhorn Boulevard. Engine 21 is on scene. Please respond,” the dispatcher radioed.
Dena and Berkley had just finished a call with a man who had fallen off a ladder and hurt his ankle. He didn’t want to be transported and said he’d get his wife to take him if the swelling got worse.
“Rescue 21—en route. ETA two minutes,” Berkley replied using the mic in the cab of the ambulance as Dena switched on the lights and sirens and sped through a red light.
“Have you spoken to Randi…you know, since everything ended?” Dena asked.
“How can you have a conversation and drive like a maniac through traffic at the same time?” Berkley questioned, watching the road in all directions.
“The same way you chase people at over a hundred miles an hour while radioing other officers and watching the computer screen. We’re gold medalists when it comes to multitasking. You have to be to do what we do. Now, spill it. You’ve seen her, haven’t you?”
“We’re almost on scene,” Berkley said.
“Look at the screen. Minor injuries reported. It’s not life or death. And, the engine is already there.”
Berkley shook her head. “Yes. Fine. I saw her…once. It was yesterday, actually. And it didn’t go well. I pretty much called her a liar. I feel bad about it. Now, can we go do our jobs?” she huffed as they pulled up to a small group of people standing near a blue, two-door sedan that was on its roof.
*
“What do you think?” the rental clerk asked as they got onto the golf cart to ride back to the front of the complex.
“It’s spacious and I like the floors, but the wait time is longer than I was looking for,” Randi replied.
“Our single units don’t last long. Sometimes, we have a waitlist. In fact, that one has been rented, but the person isn’t moving in for a few more days. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have anything open to show you.”
“Wow,” Carrie uttered.
“Thanks,” Randi said as they stopped near her car. “I’ll let you know today, if I want to move forward.”
The clerk waved as she went back inside the office.
“Where to now?” Carrie asked as they got into the car.
“I’m going to take you home. I feel bad for dragging you with me. You should’ve said something.”
“Randi, I’m fine. If I didn’t want to go, I wouldn’t be with you. Now, let’s check out Oxford Villas. I heard they were really nice.”
“Aren’t those luxury apartments?” Randi asked, backing out of the parking space.
“So was this place.”
“Really?”
Carrie nodded. “They’re right down the road. It won’t hurt to look.”
Randi pulled out of the complex and drove towards the next place. She hadn’t bothered turning the radio back on since they weren’t going far. How did I
not know what was going on with my best friend? I’ve been so caught up in my own shit. She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she muttered.
“What?” Carrie looked over at her.
“I’ve been a horrible friend lately.”
“No, you haven’t,” Carrie replied as they pulled into the parking lot for Oxford Villas.
“I had no idea what was going on in your life.”
“I didn’t either. At least, not until I talked to you about your own mess. It made me see what was right in front of me…or more importantly, what wasn’t. It’s fine. I’m fine. We went our separate ways in a five-minute conversation. It’s not like we were together for several years and lived together and so on. It was two years of an almost nonexistent relationship. Now, come on. Let’s go find you a new place to live, or you’re moving in with me.”
Randi laughed and got out of the car.
“Good morning, ladies. Are you in the market for a lovely new place to call home?” a bubbly man said with a big smile. He was already outside of the office, waiting for them to get out of the car. His perfectly manicured hair, pressed suit, and shiny shoes made Randi think she was looking at a place in Beverly Hills.
“She is,” Carrie said, pointing at Randi.
“Wonderful,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Derrick.”
“Randi,” she replied. “This is my best friend, Carrie.”
“Excellent. So, Randi…are you familiar with the Oxford property?”
“No, not really.”
“Oxford is a one-hundred-acre property with an eighteen-hole golf course. Oxford Estates is the lavish neighborhood that surrounds the course. Oxford Hollow, on the other end of the property, is a group of high-end townhomes, and Oxford Villas is a luxury apartment community. Our residents have the option to use the golf course amenities. Of course, if you’re not into golf, they wouldn’t be included in your rent.”
Randi nodded.
“What are you in the market for? We have one to three-bedroom units. As well as lofts.”
Playing the Game Page 26