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“We were both at a charity fundraiser for The Pet Coalition…”
The girls nod. I could tell them how he pulled me against him in the shadows when we barely knew each other, and he understood exactly what to do with my body even when I didn’t.
I rub the back of my neck. “Well, he handed me his credit card when he was going up for auction and told me to spend whatever I needed to win him.”
“He didn’t,” Jo squeals.
I nod, my face burning, but Briar, Charley, and Jo? They’re not laughing at me, they’re laughing with me.
“What did it come to?” Briar asks.
“Well, first of all, there was this older lady who kept bidding on him. I could tell he was distraught, so I kept going higher andhigher.” I rub my forehead, then peek around my hands. “One hundred thousand.”
Briar’s jaw unhinges, and the laugh that flows out of her is pure enjoyment. The rest of them, too.
“Hey, it went to a good cause,” Jo says, lifting her glass.
“I was thinking of all the animals, I swear.”
They laugh, and it’s Charley who says, “Yeah, we know what you were thinking about.”
Caught red-handed. It seemed crazy at the time, and I told myself it was all about the animals, but in reality, I was jealous of that married lady. I’m glad I did what I did.
“You’re great, Raeann,” Jo says. “You’ll have to keep coming to these. Here. Let me get your number.”
When I first arrived in Nashville, the only numbers I had in my phone were for Granny and Pawpaw’s landline and my doctor. As time went on, my contacts grew, and even though it isn’t exorbitant by any stretch of the imagination, the numbers I have in my phone today are a testament to the life I’ve lived. Suppliers, pet charities, Tab—of course—and now my new football friends.
“I’ll add you to the group chat,” she says after she puts my number in.
My phone buzzes, and I peer down to find a text from Jo with a bunch of other ladies.
Everyone, welcome Raeann. Micah Freeman’s girlfriend.
Girlfriend. I don’t think we’ve technically put a label on our relationship yet. The term seems sort of fast, but also not as strong of a meaning for what we have.
Message after message comes in, and I have to put my phone away so I don’t become overwhelmed.
“Thanks,” I tell her. I’ve never been in a group chat before. This is exciting, but I also hope it’s something I can handle. What if they talk too much? What if they message so rarely that one day I’m going to look down and wonder who these people are that I’m getting texts from?
Or worse? What if this thing with Micah and me doesn’t work out, and then I get booted from the group chat?
And just like that, my nerves start to fray. The stress starts small but increases bit by bit until Athena looks up and puts her paw on me. I take deep breaths, peering down and petting her until I calm a little. It doesn’t keep the thought from going away, though.
It follows me until the end of the party, on the drive home, and even when we’re sitting on Micah’s couch after getting back.
“Hey,” he says. “You’ve been quiet.”
“Just thinking.”
He turns fully to face me. “What’s wrong?”
“The ladies added me to a group chat for wives and girlfriends of players.”
His eyes widen. “Oh.”
“You…don’t like that?”
“No, I’m pleasantly surprised and happy.”