Page 1 of Kicked in the Heart

Chapter One

Rocky

Rochelle Masterson reluctantly answered the call on her phone, not wanting to hear the coach telling her they’d chosen someone else. Her stomach dropped as her thumb hovered over the answer call button. Last week the Indianapolis Legends had put out a call for a field-goal kicker and she'd tried out amid snickers and catcalls from the male hopefuls. Well, she'd shown them, outkicking every last one of them. Now she would see if the Legends were up to signing the league’s first ever female kicker.

“Rocky? This is Coach Albertson.”

“Hello Coach.” She crossed her fingers. Kicking for her home-town team would be a dream come true. Plus, she wouldn’t have to relocate.

“You ready to be The Legend’s kicker?”

She jumped up and down and pumped her arm. It was happening! “Uh, yeah, I am,” she said, trying to keep her voice even, as if she received offers from pro ball teams every day.

“Good. We’re prepared to offer you a one-year contract for five hundred thousand with an option to renew with salary re-negotiable at that time.”

She knew five hundred thousand dollars was quite a bit less than other rookie kickers made their first year. Should she try to get them to up it? “Well,” she said as she tried to decide, “I guess that would be acceptable.” That the salary was negotiable with renewal was a plus.

“The front office will send over the contract for your signature. Practice is at ten am on Tuesday. You’ll need to come in the player’s entrance.”

“Thanks coach, I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Once she’d hung up the call, she screamed as she danced around the room. She would be making history as the first female player in the WSL.

Her hands shaking, she selected a number and waited impatiently for her best friend, Kiley, to answer.

“Did you get it?” Kiley asked in lieu of saying hello.

“Well…”

“You’re kidding, right? They didn’t…”

“You’re talking to the newest member of the Indianapolis Legends.”

Kylie squealed, “Oh my God! For real?”

“Yeah, for real,” Rocky answered. “Holy shit, it’s just now sinking in that this time next week I’ll a professional kicker getting ready for my first game.”

“I’m so happy for you! And, now you can introduce me to all those hot Legends players.”

“I won’t be there to look for a boyfriend, I’ll be there to work.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I know,” Rocky replied. Kiley had just recently broken things off with her long-time boyfriend and she was looking to have some fun. “I gotta go, I need to call Dad, he’ll be so excited.Then, I suppose I should call Mom, but I had to call and tell you first.”

“Yeah, cause I’m your bestie. Love you, girl. Girl’s night tonight to celebrate.” Kiley replied.

“Love you back.”

After a call to her dad to tell him the good news Rocky flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Now she needed to call and break the news to her mom. Ever since she’d asked if she could try out for her high school football team her mom had been telling her no one would want to marry her if she competed with the boys. Her father had given her the permission needed to compete, overruling her mother. That had been the beginning of the end of her parents’ marriage. Now, her father was remarried and lived in Chicago. Luckily, her step-mom was amazing and they both supported her when she told them she was trying out for the Legends.

Sitting up, she selected her mom’s number and hoped she wouldn’t answer. Telling her mom’s voicemail would be so much easier.

“Rochelle? Is everything all right?”

“Hey Mom. Everything is more than all right. I’ve got some good news.”

“You’ve given up on playing football?”