Page 20 of Make the Play

Corie

The house has been quiet the last couple of weeks. Training camp is in full swing for the Rampage, which means my brother and his friends are too exhausted to do anything beyond practice, eat, and sleep. Landry drags in every night, eats dinner, showers, and goes to bed. I’ve been ensuring he has a home-cooked meal when he gets home at the end of the day. I know how exhausting this is for him, and it’s the least I can do. He is letting me stay here rent-free, and he’s feeding me.

I’m adding mozzarella cheese to the Crock-Pot dinner I made today when the front door opens. He’s a little earlier than usual. I hope that’s a good thing and that he didn’t get hurt. I know my mind shouldn’t go there, but he’s the only blood family I have left, and I worry about him. I’m rushing to finish what I’m doing as he enters the kitchen. “Hey, everything okay?”

“Yep. It’s done.” He flashes me a cheesy grin and falls into one of the stools at the kitchen island.

“You survived,” I tell him with a smile.

“I did, and whatever that is”—he nods toward the Crock-Pot—“how long until I can have some? It smells damn good.”

“It just needs about fifteen more minutes for the cheese I just added to melt.”

“Thanks, Corie. You’ve taken good care of me, not just during training camp, but since you’ve been home.”

“Nothing your housekeeper doesn’t do when I’m not here,” I remind him.

“It’s not the same as having family here. I don’t know if I’ve told you this, little sister, but I’m really fucking glad you’re home.”

Tears burn my eyes. “It’s good to be here.” I don’t tell him that I don’t feel like I have a home, not really. Sure, all my things from my childhood are in my bedroom upstairs, but it’s not the same. I don’t have the memories or the connections to this place. I’m a visitor in my brother’s home, but I missed him so much.

“You know you don’t have to cook for me every night, right?” Landry asks.

“You just told me you were thankful that I was.” I laugh, shaking my head. “Was that the hunger talking?” I tease.

“Maybe.” He smirks. “I do appreciate all you’ve done during training camp. It’s not the same when it’s not family, but I don’t expect it from you.”

“I know, but what else am I supposed to do?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you.” His eyes light up. “I heard through the grapevine that the Rampage is looking for a new social media director.”

My heart stalls in my chest and then starts again, beating a frantic rhythm. “What?”

He nods. “Yeah, I’ll talk to Coach Warner tomorrow and see if he has any pull and who you need to talk to.”

“How did you find out?”

“Harry told me.”

“Should I know who Harry is?” I know the Rampage has several members on the coaching roster, so maybe he’s a coach? I try to remember if I’ve ever heard him talk about a Harry.

“Harry’s my boy.” Landry nods like that’s explanation enough.

“That doesn’t tell me anything, Landry.” I almost stomp my foot on the floor like a toddler. I’ve been stressing over a job for weeks. Weeks of applying and hearing nothing. Weeks of worrying that I would have to move away from my only family. Then my big brother drops a bomb. He might have a job for me, from his bro Harry. I don't know what deserves a foot stomp if that doesn’t.

“He’s my bro, and he gets all the good information at the stadium. We’re buds, so he passes it along to me. That’s how I found out Nancy was sleeping with Mike.”

“Who are Nancy and Mike? Wait, never mind. Landry. Focus. Who is Harry, and how does he know?”

“Harry is the head of maintenance. He’s in all areas of the stadium, and no one ever pays attention to him. He’s a wealth of knowledge, that one.”

“Is he right? I mean, is his information usually accurate?” I ask him.

“Yep.”

“Can you call your coach?” I ask nervously. I’m chewing on my bottom lip, and I can taste the metallic flavor of blood. I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth. I’ve been preaching that Landry needs to stop taking care of me, and here I am, leaning into nepotism. That’s how desperate I am to find a position and start making my own way. Landry has done so much for me, including covering what my scholarship didn’t. I know it’s wrong of me to ask, but I really want this. Ineedthis.

“Wait. Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Landry asks.

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