Page 81 of Good Girl's Guide to Love
I thought you could use something to wear to the game today. I’d be honored if you wore it.
<3 Linc
That man. He might say over and over that he’s not the kind of guy who can give you forever, but every day he does something to contradict that statement.
And I’m now on to my fifth rubber band in three weeks.
“Oh! Hi! You must be Ainsley!”
I smile as two women come toward me, one holding a toddler and the other with a very tiny baby strapped to her chest.
“Hi! Yes, I’m Ainsley. And this is my sister, Quinn.”
“So nice to meet you,” the brunette holding the toddler says. “I’m Lucy Donald, Bryce’s wife. This here is my best friend and sister-in-law, Brenna Campbell.”
“Nice to meet you,” Brenna says. “And welcome to the WAG Hut.”
I look around, and I don’t know what I was expecting, but it’s not this. For some reason, when I thought of suites, I thought of booze all around and platters of food that couldn’t possibly be all eaten by the time the game ends. And yes, there is food. I do see a small refrigerator with an assortment of beers and small bottles of wine. But what sticks out more are the piles ofchildren’s toys scattered about. A play mat and a pack-and-play. And instead of the game being on the television, it’s a children’s show with the blue dog that I’ve seen more than a few times playing in the hospital.
“I hope you don’t mind, but this is the boring suite,” Brenna says. “Once upon a time we were the young, hot WAGs. Drinking vodka sodas, wearing cute clothes to games.”
“And then we had kids,” Lucy says as her son runs off to something that caught his eye. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh not at all,” I say as her son comes back over, handing me a toy car. “I might not be a mom, but this is definitely more my speed. I’m not much of a drinker. And thank you for the car, buddy. I love it.”
He gives me a big, toothy grin as he runs back to his pile, bringing me another.
“I’m sorry, but you’re his new best friend now,” Lucy jokes. “Come on, let’s get you settled.”
Lucy shows us the food and beverages, as well as that there are a few rows of seats outside the glass windows that give you a perfect view of the field.
“Help yourself to any of the food,” Lucy says.
“Thank you kindly,” Quinn says, circling back to the buffet like she’s never eaten before.
“Pardon my sister,” I say. “I broke her out of the institution this morning. She’s forgotten what real food is like.”
She throws me a middle finger as Lucy and Brenna laugh at our antics. “Oh, I like you two. Just what we needed in the Hut.”
“And we’re not the only ones who sit in here. I don’t want you to think that we’re the outcasts,” Lucy says. “Other partners come in and out. It’s open to anyone that’s dating or married to one of the players. It’s fun to sit in the stadium. But sometimes you just need to get out of the crowds, especially if there are kids involved.”
“Totally understand,” I say. “I work at Nashville Children’s, so I understand wanting to have a separate place for you and the kids. Especially for newborns.”
“Yes! That’s where I know you!” Brenna yells. “You weren’t my nurse, but I saw you on the floor.”
I think back, and yes, I do remember a Campbell baby a few months ago. “Oh my gosh. Yes. How are you? How are you feeling?”
Brenna and I start a conversation about her birth, and how her daughter, Everly, is doing. Before I know it, a few more of the WAGs have come in, each introducing themselves to me, and I fall into a natural conversation with them all.
I was nervous coming here today. On my scale of “doing scary things” initiative that I’ve been on, this isn’t at the top, but it definitely cracks the top ten. It normally takes time for me to open up and meet new people. But as I’m talking to these women, I feel at home. Like I’m strangely supposed to be here.
“Ainsley! There you are!”
Any thoughts I had about this starting to feel a little too real are quickly brought back down to Earth as Katie walks into the suite. “I hope you don’t mind me coming in, but I heard you were here today and I wanted to stop in and say hi.”
“Oh, yeah, hi,” I say. I haven’t seen her at all since this whole thing started, but I know Linc talks to her most days and meets with her a few times a week. “How’d you know I was here?”
“Linc silly,” she says, the fake smile she gave me the first day we met in full form right now. “How nice of the veteran WAGs to let you watch the game with them.”
