Page 18 of Run the Play
My chest squeezes at the thought of the vibrant life of the party, Landry Reynolds, being lonely. It doesn’t sit well with me, but I ignore the feeling. I know it’s because I understand loneliness, and I don’t wish it on anyone. I was the girl surrounded by people, but still felt so overwhelmingly alone.
“He is. I feel bad about that, but we have to keep moving on and moving forward, right? I just wish he could find his someone, and then I would worry less about him.”
“We should fix him up,” Sloane suggests.
“If I knew someone who was ready to settle down, I would.”
“Don’t look at me,” Sloane tells Corie. “I grew up smelling his farts and feet, I’m good.”
Corie and I burst out laughing. “Stop,” Corie says, holding her belly.
“What about you, Rowan?” Sloane asks. “He’s a good one,” she offers.
“Not in the market for a relationship—not sure I ever will be—but I’m sure we can put our heads together and think of someone.”
“I don’t know,” Corie starts to backtrack. “Look at the situation Baker is in. Maybe we’re better off just to let it happen naturally.”
“Let’s keep it on the table, but we won’t be actively searching,” Sloane suggests. “I’d love to see him fall to his knees for a woman. You know that when Landry Reynolds falls, it’s going to be hard.”
“What makes you say that?” I ask.
“That’s just who he is,” Corie says. “If my brother is in, he’s in. He’s dedicated and trustworthy. Sure, he cheats on his team-mandated diet, but in all other aspects of his life, Landry is loyal to a fault. He stepped up when we lost our mom and took care of me.”
“He still wants to take care of her. I can honestly say, if you fell for anyone other than Knox, he wouldn’t have taken the news so easily,” Sloane says.
“It was still hard on him, but it’s impossible not to see that we love each other. I can admit that, and Knox is a great man. Landry had no argument there.”
“Agreed. And when he falls, he’s going to be all in. That’s just who he is. I, for one, can’t wait to watch it happen.”
“Yeah.” Corie smiles. “I’d love to see him happily in love. I want him to find the relationship that I’ve found with Knox. He’s my only family. Was my only family before I was married, and I want him to have something of his own, you know?”
Sloane and I both nod. I know exactly what she means. I don’t have any family or close friends, but that’s all starting to change. These two ladies have brought me into their lives and accepted me for who I am. Me—just Rowan—and they don’t understand how their friendship is healing me in ways I never knew I needed.
Chapter Five
Landry
“It’s a good thing you didn’t choose golf as a career,” I tease Foster. We just finished a round of eighteen holes of golf, and he came in last. None of us are stellar golfers, but last place gets to be the butt of the jokes for the day. That’s how we roll.
“You wish you were as agile as me on the field,” Foster quips.
“I mean, I’m the lead blocker,” Baker tells him.
“Here we go again,” Reid says, laughing. “The age-old debate of running back versus halfbacks. They’re the same damn position,” Reid argues.
“No, they’re not,” Baker and Foster reply in unison.
“Guys, guys, guys.” Knox raises his hands in the air. “Sure, the league doesn’t differentiate much anymore between the two positions, but as the players on the field, we know the difference in each role. We get it. Not all running backs are halfbacks, but all halfbacks are running backs.”
“Basically, it’s complicated,” I say. “You know, like Baker’s baby momma situation,” I say, teasing. Baker has complained most of the day about Natasha and their plan to co-parent thebaby while she’s living with her longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend.
“Fuck,” Baker says. “She’s complicated as hell. How is this my life?”
“At least she’s not trying to trap you into a relationship,” Reid offers.
“I don’t know what’s worse. My pregnant one-night stand and her now on-again longtime boyfriend helping me raise my kid, or her trying to trap me into a loveless relationship.”
“Everyone’s cordial. That’s the important part. That’s what’s best for your kid,” Foster says.
