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And Maggie.
She’s funny and kind. Her heart is made of gold, and she lets me come to her whenever I need advice. She always keeps my secrets safe, and there’s never any judgment when I ask her questions or tell her about the things I’ve done. She’s never tried to fill the role ofMom, but I love her like she is one.
Then there’s Shawn and Lacey, two best friends who fell for each other after an epic kiss on the big screen at a football game. With all this happiness around me, I realize, for the first time, that everyone I care about has a partner.
Everyone has that soul-crushing, head-over-heels kind of love that you read about in books. The infatuation where you could lose everything you have, but as long as you have each other, you know you’ll be alright.
I wonder if I’ll ever have that.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted it, but when I see it in front of me, I desperately want to be a half of a whole with someone who looks at me like I’m their entire world.
“Hey. It’s not my fault you showed up unannounced,” my dad says, and he uses a spatula to transfer the sandwich out of the pan and onto the plate. “I’m allowed to flirt with my girlfriend in my apartment.”
“Fine.” I smile when he hands me the food. “Behave however you want.”
“How do you like working for Dallas?” Maggie asks. “I did a deep internet dive the other night, and some of the stories about being around NFL players are kind of wild. Does he treat you right?”
“Dallas is literally the nicest guy in the world,” I say. “He’s never made me uncomfortable. I’ve liked getting to know him. The last couple of years have been isolating as I watched my friends finish out their college playing careers and move on to the next thing in their athletic journeys, and it’s nice to be around someone who understands the joy and heartbreak sports bring.”
He also asked me to move in, and, surprise, we’re roommates now! The other night we were drinking on the couch and he was staring at me like I was his lifeline. Like I was keeping him afloat and I would’ve let him kiss me if he asked.
Maggie narrows her eyes. It feels like she can tell I’m hiding a dozen secrets, but she doesn’t comment on them.
“That’s good,” she says, and she smiles brightly. “And how is his daughter? June, right?”
“The most adorable four-year-old in the world. I convinced Dallas to let us join him at an away game, so we’re flying to Cleveland this weekend to watch him play. It’ll be June’s first time seeing her dad on the field in person. I ordered a specialjersey for her, and Shawn got us some field access passes. Figured we’d surprise Dallas before kickoff.”
Maggie reaches out and takes my hand in hers. “You’re so thoughtful, Mae. That’ll be an experience he’ll remember forever.”
“Yeah, well.” I shrug, and my cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. “He’s done everything by himself for so long, I thought it was time someone did something nice for him.”
“You raised a wonderful woman, Aiden,” Maggie says, and my dad grins.
“I know I did. How’s that camera working for you, Mae? We can trade it out and get something nicer if it’s not getting the job done.”
“It’s perfect, Dad. Really. I’ve taken some good photos with it, and ESPN even ran one of them last week in an article about the Titans.”
“She’s working her way up, folks.” My dad hands Maggie a plate and rests his elbows on the island. “What about your apartment? Did the maintenance people ever come and fix that leaky faucet?”
I take a bite of my grilled cheese before I answer him. “Hm?”
“The leaky faucet in your kitchen. You said someone was going to repair it.”
“Oh, yeah.” I nod and take another bite. “All good there.”
It’s not technically a lie. I’m sure the maintenance people did come and fix it. I’m just not the one who signed off on the paperwork. Those problems belong to the new residents of 7F now, not me.
“We’ll be at the next home game,” Maggie says, and I’m grateful for the change in subject. “Shawn said he’d get us field access so we can see you in action. Lacey will be there, too.”
“That will be awesome. I’d say we could all get dinner after, but with June and?—”
“You have responsibilities, Mae, and that’s okay. You know we’re grateful for any pockets of time we can get with you, but we also love seeing you busy and doing something you love. It’s good to see that excitement in your eyes again.”
“It feels good,” I agree, and my phone buzzes in my pocket.
I pull it out and see Dallas’s name on the screen.
Dallas
