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Chapter Thirty
Ryan
Practice was gruesome and awful.I almost puked, not once, not even twice, but three times. Coach gave it to us so hard. He was pissed, and he wanted everyone to know it. My thighs are still pulsating from all the work I put in today. After waddling to the parking lot, I get in my truck and head off-campus. I’m a man on a mission, and while I could have said something to Coach, I want to talk to Shea first.
The ride to my aunt and uncle’s is almost forty minutes, but it’s mostly highway, so I don’t mind it. The radio is blaring, the windows are down, and my mind is solely focused on getting what I want. But then, there is also a whole lot of Sofia on my mind too. I can still taste that mouth of hers. Smell the foam from the pit and feel her body beneath mine. I wasn’t into the whole foam pit at first, but being there with her, surrounded by all the squishy blocks, I understood what she was saying. It did feel safe in there, but I think that was mostly her.
Man, I am in some trouble. I don’t understand the feelings swirling deep in my gut, but I can’t ignore them. They stare me right in the eye every time I stare into hers. I feel them in my heart, yet I know damn well they’ll complicate things. When she asked about when I leave for my career, I couldn’t control the dread that started to suffocate me. I hadn’t even thought about leaving her. Leaving, sure. But in my head, she’d be with me. That wouldn’t happen, though. For good reason.
I can’t think of that now.
I’ll drive myself crazy if I do.
I pull into the driveway of Shea and Elli’s stunning stone home and park behind his truck before turning mine off. I lean back in the seat and try to calm my heart as I gaze up at his house. It’s as massive as his career was. Three stories, big, beautiful windows, and the inside is as perfect as any Country Home magazine. Elli wouldn’t have it any other way. I remember when Shea had this built for Elli. I was close to six, maybe, but I remember running through here with them and helping pick colors for Shelli’s room. They always wanted a huge family, so there are so many rooms, even Amelia and I had our own bedrooms for the longest time.
Man, I have so many memories here.
I get out of the truck and tuck my hands into my worn jeans as I head toward the front door. But before I get there, Shea calls my name.
“Ryan, come back this way so the kids don’t attack you.”
God bless him. “Yeah, good idea.”
I join him at the side of the house, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders. “How ya doing?”
“Eh, practice was brutal.”
“You guys took a beating last night,” he says, shaking his head. “I shut the TV off after that fourth goal.”
I smirk. “So you missed my beauty?”
“You mean your-lucky-as-hell goal?” he says with a knowing look.
“Yup,” I say proudly before both of us start laughing.
We head out to the fire pit at the back of the property. I don’t usually like coming out here. This was where Shea and my dad would hide from us. A wave of emotion always hits me when I see the fire pit. I can still see my dad in his chair, his feet on the edge of the pit, with a cigar hanging from his lips and a beer in each hand. He had to drink, dealing with all of us.
“Want a beer?” When I nod, he hands me one. “Don’t tell your mom.”
I laugh. “She knows I drink occasionally. I’m not an idiot, though.”
“Of course you’re not. You know I’ll kill you.”
“Exactly,” I agree as I sit back in one of the Adirondack chairs. I set my feet up on the fire pit before taking a long pull of the beer he handed me. “So, anything new?”
He shrugs, shaking his head. “Same ole, same ole. Kids are running me into the ground, I see my wife as much as I see my eldest, and I feel really old lately.”
My lips turn up. “Well, you’re still a superhero in my eyes.”
Shea scoffs. “Yeah, that’s what keeps me going. You kids.” We share a small smile before we toast our beers to each other. He lowers his beer before I do and looks over at me. “So, DJ told me you’re one of the best interns he’s ever had.”
I roll my eyes. “Aren’t I one of the only?”
“I asked that, and he informed me that was not the case. He’s had a few, but no one has ever been so willing to learn but also so damn knowledgeable. Easy to say I walked around with my chest puffed up a bit. I was like, yup, that’s my nephew. I called your mom and everything.”
A grin pulls at my lips. “Thanks. It’s been awesome, and I like the guys. Did you hear I saved Johansson’s leg?”
He beams over at me. “That’s what I’m talking about. DJ was over the moon with you. He said he knew as soon as you pointed out the swelling, but the fact that you jumped right into action really impressed him.”
I nod, and I’m still proud of myself. “That’s awesome. I should get a great evaluation.”
“Hell, I’d say so.”
A comfortable silence falls between us, and I nurse my beer with my thoughts heavy on my heart. I run my finger along the rim of my beer, trying to get my words together so I sound like I have my shit together. I do, it’s just that I’ve hit a roadblock, and I want to navigate this right. With his help.
When my phone signals a text, I put it out and switch the sound off. I notice that it’s Sofia, though. I put my beer on the ground and open the text.
Sofia: You done with practice?
Me: Hey, yeah. I drove out to see my uncle.
Sofia: Oh, I need help with this stupid paper for computer science. Can you text me when you get back? Help me out? I can pay with kisses and maybe a little more if you help me get an A.
Me: Hell yeah. Give me an hour or so.
Sofia: Sounds good.
Sofia: I can’t wait to see you.
Me: Same here, babe.
When she sends me the kissy face emoji, I send her one back and grin. I swear that class is going to be her undoing. It was hard, but I got out of there with solid A. I know she can too. I tuck my phone back into my pocket and grab my beer before noticing Shea is staring at me. A knowing look sits on his face, and for the first time, I see the aging he was speaking of. He has laugh lines all around his mouth and wrinkles by his eyes. In no way is he old in my eyes, but he doesn’t look like the guy I called Unky until I was eight.
I realized it wasn’t cool then, but Shea, he’ll always be cool to me.
“Who’s giving you that grin?”
I smile, running my free hand through my hair, probably making it a mess, but I don’t care. “This girl I can’t get out of my head.”
Shea chuckles softly. “Well, I know she has a name.”
I look away, a tad shy. “Sofia. She’s Amelia’s friend, the really great gymnast? We’re dating.”
That sounds so juvenile. We aren’t dating. She’s my girlfriend. That sounds childish too.
She’s everything.
Just everything.
Shea’s eyes widen, and he shoots me an impressed grin. “Well, hell. I didn’t realize you were dating.”
“I didn’t realize I wanted to until I met her.”
