Page 43 of The False Start (Off the Bench)

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she says, turning to me. Her voice is annoyingly breathy. “I didn’t see you there, and I just had to say hi to Theo. I’m Cynthia,” she simpers.

“No problem,” I mutter, rubbing my shoulder. Her elbows are bony, and it kind of hurt.

“Is this your date?” she asks, turning her body to block me from their conversation.

“No, just a friend,” I answer for him.

“Oh, I see.” Her expression warms slightly. “And how do you know each other?”

Theo opens his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. “We have some mutual friends.”

Just then another girl joins us, this one a blonde so platinum they could make jewelry out of it. “Theo, you remember Stephanie, right?” Cynthia introduces the blonde.

“How could I forget?” He kisses her knuckles, and the girl giggles.

“I’m sorry,” she says to me, though she doesn’t sound at all apologetic. “I didn’t catch your name.” She looks down her nose at me, and I fight the instinct to scoff.

“It’s Lila.”

“Pleasure.” The irritation bubbles in my gut, and I grimace at her. Where did Cal go? Surely our drinks can’t have taken that long.

“Oh Cal, you didn’t need to bring us drinks,” Cynthia says, and I turn to see him coming up behind me, holding two glasses of wine.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t.” He smiles at them, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Here you are, love.” He hands me one of the drinks, his smile warming as he looks down at me. “When Theo said he’d introduce you around, I’m a bit surprised this was the first group he thought of.”

“I didn’t exactly seek them out,” Theo defends himself.

I place one hand through Cal’s arm and both girls clock the possessive gesture. “We were just getting to know each other, weren’t we, ladies?”

“Of course, “Cynthia says. “Well, we should make the rounds.”

“Good seeing you both,” Stephanie says. “And lovely to meet you, Lila.”

They walk away arm in arm. “Well, they’re nice,” I comment dryly.

“Vultures,” huffs Theo. “The lot of them.” He nods his head at a cluster of young women, all dressed with more than a little skin showing, each more beautiful than the last.

“Who are they? It doesn’t look like they’re here with anyone specifically.”

“Some are local models, some are the daughters of notable Chicago families or big football names,” Cal explains.

“Some are just in it for the status, some for the money, but very few actually want a real relationship or at least not one that exists outside social media. Most don’t even particularly care about the player for more than the amount of play time they get. ”

“That’s nearly predatory. If it were the other way around, they wouldn’t be allowed in.” The heat from the car rising again, although for a different reason now.

“Most of us know better, but some of the rookies have a tough time the first year or two in the league. Though so many of them come from big football schools it really isn’t much different than some of the groupies in college these days.”

“It’s just a game. How is it this big of a deal?” I say, exasperation coloring my tone.

Cal and Theo gape at me.

“Oh come on. I obviously love watching games as much as the next person, but the obsession surrounding the players is a little insane. At the end of the day it’s just your job, and it is just a game.”

“You know that game is what we do for a living?” Theo asks.

“Well yeah, but?—”

“That it’s a billion-dollar industry?”

“Yes, but?—”

“I know what you mean, it’s just not something anyone usually says to professional players.”

“Oh,” I flush with embarrassment.

“Especially not to players they’re dating,” Cal teases.

“Oh, shut up.” I bump him with my hip. “Let’s go find a table.” I nod toward the mass of people moving toward the main dining room doors.

“Are you sitting with us?” I ask Theo.

He shrugs good-naturedly. “Yeah, might as well.”

Being on Cal’s arm is surreal as we enter the main dining room.

I’ve never attended an event like this without being a last minute plus-one, courtesy of Katie.

I can feel eyes on us as we wind our way through the crowded tables and force myself to stand a little taller, leaning into the touch of Cal’s palm ghosting across my lower back as he guides me through the tables.

We’re sitting down when Cynthia and Stephanie stand from a few tables over, flanking none other than Victoria Winston.

Her ice blue eyes are locked on Cal, casually lounging in the chair next to me in deep conversation with Theo.

Something about Kansas City and their playoff strategy.

An uneasy feeling twists in my gut as I turn back to watch them whisper.

Victoria must sense my gaze, as her eyes flick to mine, a smirk pulling up at the corner of her mouth.

I suck in a quick breath and choke on it, my mouth completely dry.

“Lila, love, are you okay?” Cal asks, breaking off his conversation with Theo.

I nod, coughing into my elbow as delicately as I can.

“Here do you want water?” He hands me my water glass, and I gulp it greedily.

“Sorry,” I say, setting down the now half-empty glass. “I’m not sure what happened.”

I glance quickly toward the other table but find the three women nowhere to be found.

“As long as you’re okay.” He frowns, giving me a once over, when an elderly woman walks slowly to the small platform on one end of the room.

“Who is that?”

“She’s the owner of the Avalanche.” Theo mutters, the hall going quiet as she steps up to a podium.

I blink in surprise. I didn’t realize the owner was a woman. If I didn’t have two reasons sitting next to me to cheer for my home team, I have one more now.

“Welcome, everyone, to the Chicago Avalanche Annual Holiday Party,” she begins.

Her remarks are brief and festive, congratulating the players and coaching staff on a successful season so far.

The playoffs are in their grasp, it’s not time to let up now.

It’s time to give it their all. She receives a standing ovation and once everyone has returned to their seats, an army of servers appears, trays loaded with bread baskets and salads.

After an incredible meal fit for NFL linemen, I’m completely stuffed and feeling more than a little uncomfortable from the combination of too much good food and a few too many glasses of wine.

“I’ll be back,” I say, standing as I look around for a ladies’ room. I spot it just outside the main doors and give Cal’s shoulder a light squeeze.

“We’ll be out by the bar.” He smiles up at me.

“I’ll find you.”

After using the facilities, I spot the gleam of his silver blonde hair in the corner of the room and carefully make my way through the crowd.

I’m only a few feet away when I catch the voices, my footsteps freezing in their tracks.

“So, is this why you haven’t bothered to text me back?” a cool, female voice asks.

Cal replies calmly, “I told you I was seeing her. We were never exclusive anyway, don’t pretend this is anything more than a hit to your ego that someone didn’t choose you.”

The woman scoffs.

“Come on, Tori. You don’t want to be with me, anyway, so why are you making this a thing?”

“Does your father know about her?”

“I’m sure he’s been informed. We haven’t been keeping our relationship a secret.”

“So, they haven’t met then.”

“Of course they haven’t met, do you think I’m daft?”

“Sometimes.” Cal chuckles, and my heart clenches.

I take one step to the side to see a stunning brunette give him a disappointed look. Victoria Winston is somehow more beautiful in person than the photos make her look, and I feel suddenly out of place watching them together.

“It’s always complicated with him, you know that.” His voice is filled with despair, and a bolt of confusion hits me.

“You can’t have a real relationship hiding from your father, Johnathan.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, Johnny boy.” I swear I can hear Cal’s teeth grind together from several feet away as she pats his arm condescendingly.

“When this blows up, you can still call me. You know he at least approves of someone .” She steps around him, eyes widening as she sees me a moment later, before her lips pull in some complicated smirk dripping with pity.

I pull myself straighter and roll my neck to join Cal now standing alone, looking morosely into his drink.

His eyes light when he catches sight of me, and I force my lips to smile.

“Hey, I was wondering where you went.”

“Just got a bit lost on my way back from the bathroom.”

He laces once hand with mine, frowning slightly at how tense my muscles are.

“Do you want another drink? I can introduce you to some of the other players.” There’s an offer in his eyes. A silent plea to stay. “I believe I promised you a dance.” He smiles and my heart cracks.

I want to do nothing more than dance with him.

But I can’t. Not after what I just heard.

“I’m feeling a bit tired honestly.”

“Oh,” I want to take it back from the way the light in his eyes dim. “We can head out, no problem.”

“You don’t have to, this is your party after all, I can just grab an Uber home.”

He scoffs, looking mildly offended. “If we’re leaving, we’re leaving together.”

“If you’re sure, I just don’t want to drag you away from the fun.”

“I’ll call the driver and meet you by the coat check.”

I nod, and his lips brush my cheek before he steps away, pulling his phone out.

I steady myself with a breath before turning to leave a party I was once so excited to attend.

“Are you okay?” Cal asks, when I’ve been silent for nearly the entire ride home, sitting huddled toward the door and away from him.

“I’m just tired. I can feel a headache coming on.” It’s not entirely a lie. The conversation that keeps cycling through my head would make anyone’s head pound.

“Can I do anything?”

“No, I just need to go to bed.” I turn to him and smile. “Thank you for a nice night.”

He grins at me, some of that charm melting back into his features.

“Do you want to come over to my place? We can just sleep if you’re not feeling well.”

“Sorry, Cal, I really just want to go home to my own bed.”

“Right, yes of course.”

I twist my face, so his goodnight kiss lands on my cheek, ignoring his confusion as I push open my door, trying to get inside as quickly as I can to the safety of my apartment.

“Lila,” he pleads. “Talk to me. Something is clearly upsetting you. What did I do?”

I step toward my building, only a few feet away now.

“You didn’t do anything, Cal. I just had another piece of the puzzle that is you fall into place tonight, and I’m not sure our lives really fit together as well as I thought they did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard your conversation in the bar.”

His face goes white.

“I think you maybe have some things to figure out this time.”

I step inside the door quickly, counting the click of my heels against the flooring.

After I pass the front desk, I chance a single glance over my shoulder, and he’s still rooted to the spot where I left him.