Page 12 of Everything In Between

I tune out their opinions and hot takes and begin running through some of the specialty offensive plays we concocted for this game in my head. I’ve been working on them so much this week I could name them backward and forward.

There have been games in the past where I’ve been worried about mixing up the plays or saying the wrong one—many times, the random words we assign to different plays can get confusing. This game, though, I have no worries. I can’t.

I have to be on my A game on Sunday. There is no other option.

When I get home, the house is dark and quiet, as it always is on a Friday night. In the distance, I hear the familiar jingle of Periwinkle’s dog tags as she moves around her fluffy bed. I set my practice stuff by the front door and head into the kitchen, flipping on the overhead lights.

My phone dings as soon as I do.

Jersey

Are you done with practice?

I tap out a quick response.

Hayes

Yup, just finished.

As soon as I’ve hit send, I walk around the kitchen toward Peri’s little bed on the other side of the fridge.

The small dog squints up at me with a disdainful grimace, and I fight off a smile.

Tomorrow night I’ll be with the team at our usual hotel we stay in before home games and my housekeeper will take care of Peri for the evening.

I’m sure when I get home on Sunday night after the game, Peri will be on the clingy side.

I scratch behind her ears and under the collar of her purple chevron sweater and wait expectantly for Jersey’s text to come through.

The three little dots appear on the screen, telling me she’s typing out a reply.

Then they disappear, without anything coming through.

I narrow my eyes at the screen when they pop up again.

Finally, after the same thing happens two more times, she finally sends the text.

Jersey

Would you want to talk tonight?

I can’t fight off the grin that appears on my face.

Hayes

Like a phone call?

Jersey

Yeah, if that’s okay…

Hell yes, it’s okay.

I don’t hesitate, tapping her contact information and starting up a call as I continue to rub behind Peri’s ears.

From her position on her fluffy bed, she starts making a sound I attribute to purring—never thought Shih Tzus purred until Peri came into my life.

The call rings twice before Jersey answers.

“Hayes?” Her voice is a bit timid like she’s scared of who will be on the other end of the call.

“The one and only, honey,” I tease her, still grinning from ear to ear.

I can practically hear her audible sigh of relief. “It’s nice to actually talk to you.”

“You too, though I have been enjoying texting you this week. Nice to know you’re real,” I tease.

Her laugh is a light twinkling sound that reminds me of Fourth of July sparklers. “So, what did you do today at practice? What terms do I need to write down to study later?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. I ran some drills and did some agility training. Coach had a few new plays that he wanted us to run today. All in the name of getting ready for that big game on Sunday.”

“Are you ready?”

I sit down on my kitchen floor so I can continue to pet Peri, lest I stop and she throws a fit. Leaning against the fridge, I get a bit more comfortable. “For better or for worse. All I can do is my job. I can’t control everyone else.”

Jersey hums, thoughtfully. “I guess that’s true. I’d be stressing about everyone else, for sure.”

I chuckle. “I did at first, but then those sleepless nights start to catch up to you when your job is as physically taxing as mine. I had to relinquish some of the control, or I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have.”

“I’d love to live a day in your life, I think.”

Leaning my head back on the fridge, I smile up at the ceiling. “You say that, but when you get sacked ten times in one game, it’s not so fun anymore.”

“Ugh, I was watching some of your replays on YouTube the other day, and I can’t believe how hard you get hit sometimes.”

My grin widens. Pride swells in my chest at those words. “You looked me up?”

She pauses, and I have to fight off a laugh. I love that she looked me up. I looked her up, so it’s only fair.

“I may have done a few Google searches . . .” She trails off. “I’m still working on building my sportsball knowledge, okay? And I want to be able to watch your games and know what’s going on.”

“I love that you cared enough to look me up, Jersey.” Football is everything to me, so it’s hard for me to remember that there are people who have never had the beautiful game up on their screens or joined the rowdy crowds at the stadium for home games.

“You do?” Her voice sounds small, and I hate that. Especially knowing how bold and confident she can be on stage. I hate that she’d feel anything but that way for any reason.

“Yeah.” I grin into the phone, hoping she can somehow hear it.

The fact that Jersey is wedging her foot in the door to this sport that is my very reason for breathing means so much more than I could ever put into words, and knowing she’s doing so for me?

That makes it even better. I have a lot of people in my world who care for me, but it’s been a while since someone’s gone out of their way to do something so meaningful for me.

“I want you to know everything about me, and everything about my game. And give me another week or so and I’ll be singing your songs from memory.

If you want me to learn your dance moves too, all you gotta do is say the word. ”

Jersey finally laughs into the phone, and I close my eyes, listening to the delightful sound. I can’t wait for the opportunity to hear her laugh in person, to see how her face lights up when she laughs like this.

I run my hand over my face and shake my head at myself. I’m so screwed.

Down beside me, Peri must sense that I’m giving her less than a hundred percent of my attention because she yips, pulling me out of my daydreams of Jersey’s laugh and back to the present.

“Do you have a dog?”

I chuckle. “I have a gremlin.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ll show you.” I switch the call to speakerphone so I can snap a picture of Peri and send it through to Jersey.

She responds a moment later. “Oh my gosh, she’s so cute!” she exclaims. “And her sweater? Stop it.”

“Her name is Peri,” I explain. “Short for Periwinkle.”

“What kind of dog is she?”

“Shih Tzu,” I say, looking down at Peri fondly. “She’s a good dog, if not a bit of a drama queen.”

“I’ve never had a dog,” Jersey admits.

“Well, anytime you want to borrow her, you can.”

“What does she do when you’re traveling for games?”

“My housekeeper takes care of her when I’m gone. Peri sleeps ninety hours a day, so all she needs is some food and plenty of water. She’s really low maintenance.”

“I love that. Maybe I’ll get to meet her one day.”

At Jersey’s suggestion, my heart clenches, and I find myself smiling up at the ceiling again. Hopefully, this is the first of many, many conversations with her—this could be the start of something that will change both of our lives.

“I hope you will.” I breathe.