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“Should I be jealous of Arthur?”
Lee’s voice makes my stomach sink. Normally I’d be ecstatic to hear from him, but I really need Arthur to call me back.
“I’m sorry, Lee. I have to go. A pipe just burst in my kitchen and I’m waiting for the superintendent to call me back. And I really need to buy more towels the next time I’m at the store.” I don’t wait for him to say anything. Instead I hit end on the call, grab more towels, and race back to the kitchen.
The towels I initially put down are soaked at max capacity, so I pick them up and put down new towels, taking the wet ones to my tub to wring out.
I’m going to run out of towels if I don’t figure out how to turn off the water. Grabbing my phone from the pocket of my robe, I do a quick Google search. Before I can sort through the results, there’s a knock at my apartment door.
Oh, thank god. Arthur must have gotten my message.
I rush over to the door and swing it open. “Arthur, I’m so glad—”
Lee stands on the other side. He doesn’t say a word but pushes past me.
“Lee, what are you doing here?”
By the time I come around the corner, he already has the kitchen cabinet door open and is kneeling, being sprayed with water. He doesn’t answer my question. Instead he uses one hand to direct the water away from his face and gets into the cabinet up to his shoulder. Thirty seconds later, I hear him grunting. The water slows to a trickle before it eventually stops.
“Oh my god, you did it! Thank you!”
He backs up from inside the cabinet and uses his hand to wipe the water from his face. He’s drenched, but so am I, so I rush to him once he’s standing and give him a big hug.
“I was around the corner when I called.”
I pull away and push some of the wet hair off his forehead. “Thank you. I didn’t expect you to drop everything and rush over here.”
“I know.” He gives me a chaste kiss on the lips. “I’m double-parked in front of your building, so I’d better go before my vehicle is towed.” He squeezes my shoulders then brushes past me on his way to leave.
“Wait, what did you call for in the first place?” I follow him.
“I was gonna be early to the training center and I thought… I wonder what Shayna would think of a quickie…” He grins, then opens my apartment door. “But we can figure out the answer to that another day. At least this way the immediate problem has been dealt with.”
“Oh… well, thank you.”
“See you soon.” He winks.
My stomach flips and he’s off like Superman.
I stand there for a moment, trying to identify the feeling invading my chest. It feels vaguely familiar, but I’m not sure. After I leave another message for Arthur, letting him know that the water is off, and I’ve cleaned up the water as best I can, I think I figure out what it is.
This is what it feels like when you can rely on someone and trust them to have your back.
Twenty-Seven
Lee
We flew to Atlanta earlier today for our game this weekend. It’ll be my first time out on the field since my injury and I’m anxious for Sunday afternoon to come so I can get out there and show everyone there have been no lasting repercussions to my shoulder. Everyone will have their eye on me—all my teammates, the press, and other teams. I have to prove to them all that I’m as good as I ever was—better even.
Tomorrow is the big day, and a bunch of guys from the team and I just went out for dinner and returned to the hotel bar to grab a few drinks before we head to our rooms to make curfew.
I’d rather be between Shayna’s legs right now, but I haven’t had a moment to speak to her today. It’s like now that we’re actually sleeping together, she wants to pretend we don’t even know each other, which is ridiculous. Everyone knows she’s the one who got me back on the field.
“You’re in a good mood. You get laid last night?” Brady asks before tipping back his beer.
“He’s right. You haven’t stopped smiling all night. It’s weird,” Miles says from beside me.
I shrug. “I’m just happy to be back in the game tomorrow.”
