Page 29 of The Silent Count
“Date?” He finishes the sentence for me. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
I sputter.
A thousand thoughts race through my brain at once, all of which are battling to come out of my mouth at once.
This man flusters me more often than I’d like to admit, and every time it catches me off guard. The feeling is so foreign to me, and I don’t like how vulnerable it makes me feel. Never in my life has someone been able to see through me the way he does, not even my father.
“I don’t want to keep you waiting for something that might never happen, though. You deserve someone who can give you all of themself without restriction.”
“What restrictions are there other than your father’s rule?”
“I…” The argument I don’t have dies on my tongue, because there is none.
According to the bylaws, we can engage in a romantic relationship as long as it’s disclosed to The League’s Human Resources department. Sure, his teammates will give him shit about it. If we wait until the end of the season to tell HR, it’s likely that he’ll get picked up by another team and these guys on the Matrix won’t be his teammates, anyway.
The only hindrances will be in my territory. Dealing with the press’s speculations of our relationship and the timeline of events. Having to shut down jabs at my reasoning of getting with a player to ensure that my integrity among League staff and officials remains intact.
“We’ll cross any battles together when they come, Lea,” he reassures me. “I don’t want to let fear dictate our happiness.”
“Who’s unhappy?” My father pops his head into the doorway, startling me.
I don’t even want to know how guilty my widened eyes and the pink heat that’s rising to my cheeks must look right now.
How much of that conversation was he listening in on?
Having this conversation here was a miscalculation on my part. I should’ve known when I scheduled this meeting that my dad likes to drop by my office around half past four and run down the clock until it’s time for us to call it quits for the day. I curse myself out in my head, because this error only solidifies my answer to Fortune’s question from earlier.
We should wait until this season is behind us before taking our relationship a step further.
My dad doesn’t seem fazed by the conversation he walked in on, though. Instead, he ambles in without a care in the world, clapping his beloved wide receiver—who I can tell is trying his hardest to play it cool—on the shoulder before settling into the only open seat left in the room.
“What are the two of y’all talking about?”
“The New England game on Sunday,” I lie, ignoring the pain in the back of my throat. “Fortune’s not happy about the weather forecast. He was telling me about how he doesn’t like playing when it’s snowing.”
My dad gives Fortune tips on how to keep himself warm before plays, and I sit back watching the two most important men in my life enjoy each other’s company.
TWELVE
FORTUNE
The entire planeride to New England for our away game, all I could think about was last week in Lea’s office. She sat a few rows in front of me on the plane and her rust-colored hair caught my eye every time she and the team’s social media girl would crack a laugh.
I’d quickly get pulled from my trance the second her dad, who was sitting across the aisle from me, let out an obnoxiously loud snore. I know I should feel bad about going against his rules and putting my reputation on the line. The worst part is that I don’t give a single fuck.
It’s wrong. I know it’s wrong.
Playing ball has been my dream since I was a kid, but being with Lea is a better high than making a touchdown. If the two of us are going to give this an honest go, I want it to be on her terms. She always acts like she’s making decisions about us, and the future of our relationship, with only my interest in mind. How being with her could impact my career. She never mentions how it could tarnish hers, though.
She’s created a name for herself in this industry. Never once has anyone questioned her credibility. And a lot of that has to do with her never having dated anyone in The League. She’s never batted an eyelash at any of the players.
Lea is apillarof professionalism.
Dating a player… one on the same team she works for… a player her father forbid her from dating… It'll be an uphill battle fighting off the rumors and think pieces that will inevitably surface once the press found out.
I hate that I’m the one who’s putting her reputation on the line.
Through no fault of our team’s scheduling coordinator, the hotel we were scheduled to stay at tonight got overbooked. The team split up, with half staying put at the original hotel and the other half relocating to a different hotel across town.
