Page 10 of The False Start (Off the Bench)

Chapter Seven

CAL

I can’t believe I’m doing this.

After Theo caught his touchdown, I made the mistake of saying, “We’ll celebrate this one,” and somehow, I’m now hosting a party in my condo. Charles had a field day with the guest list when I handed it to him earlier.

Apparently, there’s a protocol with the noise ordinance in the building to protect the other residents from parties. Since my unit is insulated from the rest of the building however, I don’t need to worry . To be honest, it would’ve been nice to have a reason to not have people over. Ever.

But here we are, me sitting on the couch, sulking as I scroll through Instagram and all my tags from the game and Theo directing caterers around my living room.

“You can set up the bar over here. We’ll want easy access to the roof,” he shouts at the director from across the room, pointing toward the large balcony doors.

“Where do you want the taco station?” she asks, reading from a menu.

“Cal, what do you think?”

I slouch down further into the couch and say nothing.

Theo rolls his eyes. “Just set it up on the kitchen island.”

He strolls over, popping a tab on the IPA he’s holding.

“Are you really not going to help?”

“This is your party. It’s just being held in my apartment.”

He sighs. “I was hoping you’d be a little more excited since Lila’s coming.”

“Why would I be excited about that?” I ask, trying to keep my face neutral as my stomach churns at the idea of her in my home.

“Oh, no reason, I guess. You seem to be getting close, and you can never have too many friends.” He smirks.

“We are friends. It’s fine she’s coming.”

“You’re not just a teeny, tiny bit excited to see her?”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t you have a party to plan? Leave me alone.”

“If you’re here you should at least help.”

“Sounds like a great reason to not be here then.” I push myself up and grab my keys. “I think I’ll go for a run.”

“Are you serious? The party is in three hours.”

“And I’ll be back in one.” I grab my AirPods and pop them in. “Have fun with your caterers, Theo!” I call as I let the door slam behind me.

The sun is out, and it’s the perfect weather for a long run. Unfortunately, that means the entire city of Chicago is somehow along the lakefront, but the pounding of my feet against the pavement is soothing nonetheless even as I dodge strollers and rollerbladers.

After three miles, my muscles are burning enough to wipe the thoughts of dancing with Lila from my mind, and I push myself faster. Theo’s already hinted twice that he’s got a great DJ for tonight and a “down and dirty” playlist, whatever that means.

I’m breathing hard, my shirt soaked in sweat, when I pause along a stretch of the path right on the water and look out over Lake Michigan. It really is peaceful.

I look down the path, and let out a long breath, before turning and heading back home.

“Took you long enough,” Theo says the minute I’ve stepped through the door. I grunt at him in acknowledgment, still breathing heavily. He points toward my bedroom. “Just go shower, okay? The food will be here soon.”

I blink in acknowledgment.

“And that was more than an hour!” he sing-songs at my back. I slam my bedroom door at him.

I take a long, scalding shower and when I emerge, I feel almost like a person again. I take a bit of extra time shaving and shaping my hair into a perfectly tousled, effortless look that takes significantly more effort than anything else when the pounding on the door comes.

“Are you ready yet? You take longer to primp than my sister!” Theo shouts from the hall.

I wrap a towel around my waist and stride through my room to yank the door open.

“What more could you possibly want?” I snap. It’s not often I’m annoyed with Theo, my best friend of over two decades, but it’s quickly approaching.

“You were in the shower for almost thirty minutes. People are going to be here soon, and you can’t greet them like that.” He waves at my towel.

“Can’t I?” I smirk, flexing my abdominals.

He rolls his eyes. “Get dressed, John.”

I glower at the use of my given name and shut the door on him once more.

“A button-down please,” he calls from the other side.

“I know how to dress.”

I stare at the shirts in my closet, begging for an appropriate option that isn’t a button-down.

But I have a pretty consolidated wardrobe, so with a sigh, I pull out one in navy and slide it on before adding just a spritz of cologne.

It’s only seven thirty when I check my watch, a gold Rolex passed down from my grandfather. I really shouldn’t stall anymore.

I head out to the living room, taking care to shut my door behind me. We may not be in college anymore, but people never seem to grow out of the urge to get drunk and fuck in other people’s beds.

“Finally,” Theo groans when I emerge from the hallway. “It’s like you were trying to take as long as possible.”

I roll my eyes. “Do you need help with anything else?”

“No, it’s basically done.” He nods toward the bar set up by the patio doors. “Get yourself a drink and try not to make a mess of anything.”

I ignore the jab and stride over to the bar. The server hands me my G&T when the front door opens, and Theo greets the first people of the night.

I ignore the newcomers and focus on the sunset over the city.

“Hey, man”—a hand claps my shoulder—“nice place.” I turn to see Aaron, the baseball player from the club, and grin before clasping his now outstretched hand.

“Thanks, glad you could make it.”

“Well, McClane did promise a great time, and a special once-in-a-lifetime look at your penthouse.” He laughs.

“I’ve been meaning to get a muzzle for him.” I glance over at the man in question, animatedly talking to two women near the taco bar.

“How’s the season going?”

We chat about football as more and more people squeeze into my condo.

It’s spacious, but usually it’s only me, so with the addition of several food stations, a bar, and about fifty additional people, I’m just a little overwhelmed.

Theo must have invited every professional team in the city because they’re all here.

I even see a couple of Flurries players—one I recognize from a recent interview on their dominating World Cup performance last year—eyeing up the shrimp cocktail from a corner.

The party’s in full swing when a tinkling laugh gets my attention, if only because I’ve been half listening for it since Aaron showed up.

I turn to look at the door and see Lila walking through, glancing around as Katie gives Theo a hug.

He leans down to whisper something in her ear, and she giggles, Lila looking on with an amused expression on her face.

Her eyes sweep the room, meeting mine for a moment, and she smiles, offering a small wave before looking away quickly, her face falling.

I frown, what could I have possibly done?

Theo leads them over to a group of Storm players, and Lila doesn’t look back at me once. It stings more than I care to admit.

I turn to grab another drink at the bar and find Aaron has struck up a conversation with a few of the Avalanche cheerleaders.

They make space for me in their circle quickly.

The woman next to me, a pretty girl with dark, curly hair and deep eyes smiles at me, the bright white of her teeth contrasting nicely against her dark skin.

“So, Cal, how has the transition to Chicago been?” she asks.

I shrug, and she smacks my arm with the back of her hand playfully.

“It’s really fine. The team is solid, and the guys have all been decent to me. Not much to complain about.”

“Well, if you ever need anyone to show you around the city, get a more personal tour, I’d be happy to show you.” She looks up at me, her big brown eyes full of promise. A couple weeks ago I’d have been all too happy to take her up on it, but there’s no twinge of intrigue now.

I can’t help but glance up at Lila, and I find her eyes locked onto the girl’s hand wrapped around my arm. I shake it off, stepping back to put some space between us. If there’s one person I’m interested in here tonight, it’s not the girl standing next to me. I need that to be abundantly clear.

“Uhm,” I clear my throat. “Excuse me, hosting duties.”

I grab another drink from the makeshift bar and survey the groups of people clustered around my home. My eyes find her before I can stop them.

Lila’s chatting animatedly with Katie and a couple girls I don’t recognize.

Seeing her happy in my space does something to my chest I can’t examine right now.

I barely know this girl. Sure, we’ve been texting, and the physical attraction is there—I only think about dancing with her every night before bed—but great chemistry and flirty banter don’t make a relationship.

I should be focused on my new team and getting settled in Chicago.

She laughs, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.

“Hey, pass me one of those, would you?”

I turn to see a guy I can’t place gesturing to the fridge I just pulled my beer from. I grab another and hold it out for him.

“I’m Cal, Avalanche tight end,” I say.

“Brayden, defenseman on the Storm.” He cracks his beer and takes a long sip.

I should’ve guessed hockey. The guy is around my build, but if he played on the Avalanche, I’d know him.

I haven’t met most of Chicago’s hockey team yet.

Theo’s big on inter-sport friendships, hence tonight’s guest list, but personally, I don’t quite understand the appeal of the missing teeth and legal fights on the ice.

“Thanks for coming.”

He nods, and I can’t decide if I’m grateful he’s not a talker or annoyed that he’s making me carry the conversation.

We enjoy our beers for a few minutes before he breaks the silence.

“Your game last weekend was solid, I caught the end after practice. Dallas isn’t an easy team.”

It’s my turn to nod as I sip my own drink and Katie drags Lila by the arm toward a group of loud men, though she doesn’t seem overly upset about the movement.