Page 43 of Friend Zoned

“Too fucking cold for me,” I tell her. “Are you out?” It’s barely seven in New York. And why is she out? Is she trying to find a man to go home with? I can feel bile rising in the back of my throat at the thought.

“Nah.” The chatter is silenced, and I realize it was her television. “Just watching a Christmas movie on The Hallmark channel. I’d have to have a life to be out. Just wait until February fifteenth.”

We have a home game on the fourteenth, and I’m pretty sure she’ll be spending that night with me and waking up in my arms on the fifteenth.

“Yeah, just wait,” I tell her. “It’s going to be epic. I can’t talk for long, but you should watch the game.”

“But my Christmas movie,” she whines.

“Spoiler alert. They end up together and live happily ever after. It’s a Christmas miracle worthy of Charles Dickens himself. Come on. Watch the game and make your bestie happy.” I pout but then realize she can’t see me. I look around the locker room, grateful that no one is paying attention to me.

“Ugh. Okay, but you better win. Wave at the camera so I’ll know you’re waving at me,” she says.

“Um, no. I’ll look like an idiot.”

“Fine, but I’m going to think of a secret code that only I’ll know is for me.”

I try to think of something clever to say, but it’s time to go.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll call you after.”

We end the call and I slide my phone back into my pocket, wondering how the hell I’m going to get through the next six days until I can see her again.

Jeannie: I’ve never seen you mad before. You should have kicked his ass.

Jeannie: Um, why is our team losing?

Jeannie: If I’m going to watch, you have to win. That’s the law.

Jeannie: Finally! Kick their ass!

Jeannie: Yass!!!

Jeannie: Um, they’re closing in on the lead. Handle that, Coach.

Jeannie: You won, but only by one point. Do better next time.

Jeannie: I’ll deny this if you ever bring it up, but that was really exciting.

I chuckle at all her texts. I guess she did watch the entire time. A one-point win is still a win, so everyone is in good spirits when we board the bus to the airport. We arrive in Detroit only a couple of hours later, but it’s after one in the morning, and everyone is tired. Since we ate on the plane, I head straight to my room, shower, and drop myself in the middle of the bed.

Me: A win is a win is a win.

Me: That ref is lucky I didn’t kick his ass. That was a bad call.

I stare at the phone, hoping to see the three bubbles indicating that she’s texting me back, but nothing happens. She must be asleep. I stare at the ceiling in my dark empty hotel room. The rooms all blur together, and I can’t even tell one city from the next anymore. I wonder how the hell I’m going to do this.

Victoria Chastain was right about being in the friend zone. I’ve been privy to information that a love interest probably wouldn’t know so soon, but that leaves me wondering how I’m going to give her what she wants. I can make her happy but for how long with my schedule? She deserves all the things she wants, and what she wants is not that much. After her asshole ex-husband, she deserves it all, but how long until my traveling gets to be too much? How long until she realizes she’s still eating dinner alone most nights? Even when I’m in New York, I’m working during dinner time on game days. I’m working all the damn time.

But other people have made it work. There are married players. Married coaches and equipment managers. If they can do it, I can manage to keep a girlfriend.

Yeah, but all the others left.

Yes, but they didn’t matter, and I wasn’t trying to make them happy or keep them. Jeannie Dubois has changed the game, and she has no idea. I grab a pillow and pull it to my side, I close my eyes and pretend that she’s here with me. My dick wakes up, but I don’t tug it. No. This dick can wait for Jeannie. It won’t be long now.

Things are going to change the next time I see her.

Chapter 22

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