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His words, they melt me. I’ve never been with someone who knows what to say, without me having to point it out. I return his kiss and whisper a thank you over his lips.
TWELVE
ALEX
This week of practice has been hellacious. Coach is in a foul mood and has been all week. Some two-bit-blogger-turned-reporter made some pretty heavy accusations about him, the way he coaches, and how we’re not going to make it to the Super Bowl this year. That alone pissed the entire team off. Normally, we ignore reporters like this. Everyone has an opinion and they’re entitled to express it.
However, when he wrote that Coach was mentally abusive to us, it took things a bit too far. Coach is anything but abusive and cussing at us isn’t any different than other coaches out there. It happens. We’re big kids, adults even, we can handle it. Hell, most of the time the camera catches all of us saying inappropriate things during the game. Doesn’t make us bad people. It makes us human.
To add insult to injury, Noah’s hurt. He won’t come out and say it, but we all see him limping on and off the field. He goes out for every down on first team and refuses to step aside for his back-up, Gio Munoz. Three years ago, he was a top draft pick, who, for some reason fell off everyone’s radar on draft day.
Except for Bud’s. Coach gobbled him up. In doing so, Noah’s been nervous. He hasn’t confided in me or anything, but I see the stress on his face. His contract has one year left on his ten-year contract, and as far as I know, negotiations haven’t started. Neither have mine because honestly, I’m waiting to see what Noah does. I’d rather go where he goes, although I’m being unrealistic. Most centers stay with one team their entire career. Our bodies don’t necessarily take the beating the other positions do.
I head into the weight room to get my lifts in. Since meeting Kelsey, I’ve skirted this responsibility a bit. I’ve cut some workouts short so I could spend time with her or, as Jessie McAvoy says, “to woo her.” Whatever the hell that means.
I haven’t seen her much this week but will on Friday night for the fundraiser the Pioneers are expected to be at. It’s a big event at the Children’s Museum, and in all honesty, I shouldn’t have invited Kelsey. Mostly because I’m nervous. Taking my new girlfriend to the place my former girlfriend used to run doesn’t seem like the smartest thing to do. I fear the people who still work there, and are friends with Maggie, may say the wrong thing to Kelsey. Neither of them deserves to have anything said about either of them. Maggie and I ended. There’s nothing more to it.
In the middle of my bench press, Noah comes over and swaps places with my spotter. “Where are you at?”
“Fifteen,” I grunt and then put the bar back on the rack. “You up?”
Noah shakes his head. “Peyton sent me over.”
“Fuck. What did I do now?”
Noah laughs. “Nothing football related. She wants to know if she can have Kelsey’s number.”
Instantly my suspicions rise and for no good reason. Peyton doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, yet she scares the ever-loving shit out of me. “What for?”
“She wants to invite her out to lunch on Thursday. Her and Autumn have a standing reservation or something and Peyton would love Kelsey to join them.”
“Well, that’s nice of her.”
“My wife is very nice,” Noah says with a bit of humor. “She’s very, very nice, if you know what I mean.” He waggles his eyebrows at me.
“Gross.”
Noah cackles. “Don’t even. There’s no way you haven’t tapped that yet.”
“That. . . isn’t a tree,” I tell him.
“I was trying to be PC.”
“Nothing about this conversation is PC.” I shake my head. “I don’t know if I want to give anyone with the last name Westbury my girlfriend’s number.”
Girlfriend. Did I just call Kelsey my girlfriend?
I did and I like it.
I try to hide my smile, but I’m sure Noah sees it. Thankfully, he doesn’t say anything. probably because he knows I can kick his ass.
Noah holds his hand to chest and acts as if I’ve broken his heart. “You know my wife can make your life hell.”
“Low blow, Westbury.”
He giggles and sets his hands under the bar to aid my lift. I do another rep of fifteen and then follow him to the locker room. On our way, we run into Myles and Peyton. She beams at her husband and even though they keep their PDA to the bare minimum, he leans down and kisses her quickly.
“Did you ask him?” she asks her husband.
