Page 128 of Unrivaled Love
Especially after losing a bet over how many sticks Aiden would give out to kids during warmups tonight. He just had to go and be super generous didn’t he? Now I’ve got to grow out a mustache for three weeks.
Idiots.
The crew dims the cabin lights and I close my eyes. Maybe a nap will help me feel better.
***
The nap didn’t help. I’m still pouting and grumpy as we get off the bus at the hotel. I’m tired, sore, and feeling ineffective in my relationship.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Felix says as he steps into my path.
I draw up short and look up into his face.
“What?” I challenge.
“You’re not good and you will tell me what’s wrong.”
I look around at a few other teammates as they pass. No one is throwing me a lifeline here. I spin further and see Aiden, Crosby, Duncan, and Emmett standing behind me looking about as receptive as a line of referees after a 10 man fight.
“The distance is getting to me. With Jo. Or, rather, without her.” I admit quietly to Felix.
He rests a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go.”
With a nod to the boys behind me we turn to the elevator and head up to Felix’s room. I’m not sure what he has planned but it could be anything from a meditation session to scream therapy.
Turns out, it’s movies.
I should have known.
It’s exactly what we did for Aiden when he was struggling with his spot on our team and it led to an issue with Harper. And we did it for Felix’s buddy, Austin, when we had to help him realize he needed to win the girl of his dreams back.
“Why are there a hundred channels but nothing good on?” Felix grumbles as he pages through the guide channel. “This is what I get for an impromptu Big Guns movie night on the road.”
“Oh! There!” Duncan yells as he points.
“UFC Thursday Thunder?” Aiden asks.
“No. That!” Duncan points again.
We all read the other titles on the screen.
Starting in two minutes is something calledMistletoe Mergeron the Heartmark Channel.
“You can’t be serious.” I say as I cross my arms. They have me sitting in the desk chair about three feet from the TV. Front and center. No distractions.
“Absolument!” Felix cheers and he selects the channel.
“And here I was worried this would be a waste of time.” I grumble. They mean well but I don’t see how some cheesy made-for-TV movie is going to help me strengthen my connection with Jo.
“Are we really watching Christmas movies now? It isn’t even Bryson’s birthday.” Emmett points out.
“Or Halloween or Thanksgiving.” Aiden adds.
“We’re watching them. Get cozy.” Felix commands in his Captain voice and we quiet down.
Forty minutes into the movie I swear Crosby is sniffling. The girl just delivered the news that even though they had a successful mistletoe selling season the farm still isn’t financially viable and she has to recommend shutting it down to her boss.
It’s brutal.
