Page 17

seventeen

. . .

Viv

Our seats are in the upper level in the middle of a row. I like that Tony didn’t try to use his brother’s connections to get prime seats or spots in a suite. I’ve got connections of my own. Asking for favors doesn’t impress me. People have used me enough; I won’t stand for anyone else to be used, either. Maybe some people would want to be treated that way, but I’m more interested in getting to know him , not what he can do for me.

The protein options at the arena are rather lacking, so we both settle for chicken sandwiches and agree to split a soft pretzel as our cheat treat. He waves off my offer to pay, settling his hand on my lower back as we walk back to our seats.

“Are you a big basketball fan?” I ask as we get comfortable.

Tony laughs. “Not really. I watch a few games here and there.”

“And yet you brought me here?”

He grins. “I mean, I like it. The guys and I will shoot hoops after training. It’s more I think other sports are more fun to watch.”

“I haven’t been to a game in forever. Not since… maybe three years ago?” I try to recall. “Perry was still here, he dragged me.”

“Who’s Perry?” There’s a little furrow above his brow that I want to smooth away with my thumb. Somehow, I resist. Touching people without their consent is bad.

“My brother. One of them,” I explain. “He was signed with New England for a few years when I first moved here, then he got traded to Raleigh.”

“This is the football player?”

My eyes narrow, but I can’t keep my smile off my face. “Did you Google me?”

Like he’s playing at nonchalant, he shrugs, but he can’t hide the smile on his lips. “Maybe.”

A warm shiver of happiness runs through me. He cared enough to look me up. He wanted to know more about me.

“Yeah. Perry’s the football player. Chuck does hockey.”

“For Denver,” he says slowly, like he’s trying to remember.

I nod.

“And the rest?”

“Janine is a swimmer at the national training facility out in Colorado, Frankie is a volleyball player at Clemson, and Bradley… he doesn’t do sports.” I take a bite of the pretzel. It’s soft and doughy and so not on my diet plan. I take a second bite. “My mom coaches the Clemson volleyball team and my dad works for USA Tennis. That’s it. That’s my family.”

Tony laughs. “It sounds like a lot to keep track of.”

“It can be,” I allow. “They’re overwhelmingly supportive. Sometimes too much.”

“My parents are the same way.”

“Do they live here? You live with your siblings, right?”

He nods. “They’re in Florida, taking care of my abuela . The winters here are too harsh for her. After I graduated from college, I came back here. Cari moved in after she graduated last spring, and I keep expecting Al to find his own place, he can afford it, but he seems to like staying with us.”

“My brother lived with me when he was here. Well, I lived with him. When he got traded, I found a new place.” I shrug. “We’re never going to have all six of us under one roof again. Even for things like Thanksgiving and the holidays, we stay in hotels. My parents’ three bedroom house can’t handle all of us, but outside of one or two weeks a year, they don’t need to keep the space. Only the youngest two are still in school. The rest of us are all self-supporting.”

Thank goodness for social media endorsements. I earn a comfortable salary from the Revolution, but the majority of my income comes from paid promotion. I don’t know what I’ll do once I retire next summer, but the pay probably won’t be anywhere near enough on its own. And the farther I get from my rugby career, the less draw I’ll have for potential advertisers. I’ll have to find something else to bring the money in.

“Do you have plans for after retirement?” Tony asks.

I shrug. “Not so much. I still have this upcoming season and next year’s Olympics to figure it out.”

If we place well at the Games, I can try to go back on the talk show circuit, maybe get on a reality TV show… but it all feels so exhausting. I’m not ready to think about it yet. That’s Alycia’s job.

“I’m sure you’ll have tons of offers.”

“Here’s hoping.” I manage a smile, but it feels forced. “What vet schools are you applying to?”

His face flushes. “I, um, haven’t decided yet.”

“Are you going to try to stay local?”

Is this thing between us dead on arrival? If he’s moving, do I even put in the effort?

“I want to, yeah,” Tony says quietly. “My siblings are here. And yeah, I know they can be traded at any time, but it’s home.” He sighs. “There’s only one good vet school in the city, and if I don’t get in, I don’t think I’d have the stomach to apply again. There are other schools in New England, but it would mean moving out again, and I just…”

“It’s a lot.”

“Yeah.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “This isn’t exactly fun date conversation, is it?”

“I’m digging it.” Relaxing a bit, I give him a smirk. “I’d much rather you be real with me than pretend to be someone else.”

To my surprise, he swallows and nods seriously. His fingertips skim over my cheek. “I’ll only ever be real with you.”

My heart skips a beat and my mouth goes dry.

“I don’t play games,” Tony says. “What this is, what we could have… It’s important to me. It’s real. ”

Before I know what I’m doing, I’m yanking him by his shirt collar and crashing my mouth to his. His body is tense, but his lips are soft and yielding beneath mine.

It takes all of a second for him to react. And then his fingers slide into my hair, cupping the back of my skull in his massive palm, as he kisses me senseless. His tongue slips into my mouth, stroking mine. My entire body turns into goo. I melt against him, or as much as I can in the uncomfortable stadium seat.

There’s a shout and then a whistle chirps, and we break apart. I almost forgot about the basketball game going on below us.

Tony doesn’t go far. He rests his forehead against mine, breathing hard. His eyes are closed. How have I never noticed how long and thick his eyelashes are? His eyelashes are the goals of every mascara company everywhere.

When I realize I’m still clutching his shirt collar, I release him, smoothing the fabric back into place. He lets out a soft chuckle, plucking my hand away and pressing a soft kiss to my palm.

Easing back into my own personal space bubble, I clear my throat. “Sorry for, um, mauling you.”

Tony blinks his eyes open, a hazy smile on his face. “You can maul me anytime.”

“You’d probably like that, wouldn’t you?” I tease, nudging him with my elbow.

“Yeah,” he says, his eyes bright. “I would.”

My stomach swoops and drops like I’m on a rollercoaster.

He hasn’t made it a secret that he’s into me. Now that I’ve come around… I don’t want to hide it, either. I’m too old to play games.

As much as I want to ignore the game and take him back to my place, I know there’s no need to rush. He’s not going anywhere.

Settling back into my seat, I draw his arm around my shoulders. Tony tightens his arm around me and presses his lips to my hair.

“I like this,” he murmurs.

“I like you,” I whisper, my eyes trained on the court below. If I turn to look at him and he doesn’t feel the same way, I think I might die. If he thinks I’m joking or teasing, I might yeet myself out of this stratosphere.

But Tony just squeezes my arm, his grip reassuring and calm.

“I like you too.”

A smile stretches my face from ear to ear, and I have to resist the urge to look at him. From the corner of my eye, I think he’s smiling. Good. He’s adorable when he’s all scowls and frustration, but I like when he smiles. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he keeps smiling.