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It’s strange with Travis gone, and it’s only been two days.

I’ve texted a lot with Mandy, who’s missing Jaxon, but we haven’t had a chance to have an in-depth conversation because teachers already started back at Stratford.

I should be there, too.

But I’m not.

The house is strangely quiet, and even though he’s been gone an extensive amount of time over the last month or so, I still got to rely on seeing him every day.

Two weeks without him feels absolutely endless.

Thank goodness for my network. Between Mandy and Ellie, Tessa, and Leah, my work friends have become my lifeline.

Ellie worked out a system where Leah will be working from home three days a week and Tessa is working from home the other two days. I’ll be at Ellie’s office every day, and Harper will be hanging out at Bella’s three days a week and coming with me the other two.

Trudy loves the distraction of having both girls since Evan’s also gone, but Harper also likes helping Elizabeth out with the little ones.

It’s lonely. I’ve barely heard from Travis, and when I do, it’s always rushed conversations. I’m doing my best to be understanding, but it’s hard when it felt like we were already on semi-rocky ground before he left. We may have thought we were through the rough patch, but now it feels like we’re right back in the thick of it.

“How are you handling everything?” Ellie asks me.

It’s just the two of us in her office right now. Tessa went out to grab lunch for the three of us, and Ellie took the opportunity to check in on me.

“Not well,” I admit.

She leans back in her chair and studies me for a beat. “I can tell. You’re quieter than normal. Would you like to talk about it? I promise you, one of the three of us has been in your shoes at some point.”

“So one of you married your NFL husband a little faster than you probably should have in hindsight because you wanted to protect his daughter and help provide a stable environment but then something he did cost him three games this season and cost you the entire career you’ve been building for years and now you’re both harboring resentment toward each other while he’s away at camp for two weeks and you’re caring for his daughter who’s already lost so much and just admitted she’s terrified you’re going to leave them?”

Ellie’s jaw hangs open a little as she stares at me, and eventually she clears her throat and shakes her head a little. “Well, no. Not exactly that. But I did marry Luke out of convenience when he got into some PR trouble.”

My brows knit together. “You did?”

She nods. “We fell in love along the way. Or maybe he did. I think I was probably already there. Maybe he was, too.” She’s rambling as she shrugs. “But in any event, that’s how it started. Or rather, it started as what was supposed to just be a one-night stand, and then the next day my brother introduced me to his best man. Sure enough, it was Luke…the guy from the night before.” She chuckles at the memory. “Trust me, there were plenty of obstacles along the way, but look at us now. Happier than ever. Two beautiful kids. Thriving careers.” She shrugs. “It’ll all work out how it’s supposed to. It always does.”

I nod and press my lips together. I wish I could believe her, but it’s hard to feel like it’s going to work out. “What if the way it’s supposed to work out is with us apart?” I ask.

“Then you’ll get through it,” she says softly. “Training camp doesn’t just test these men as they fight for their positions on the field. It’s also a good test of how solid your foundation is as a couple. I know this is new for you both, so just hang in there.”

I nod. I know she’s right, but it’s hard to just hang in there when half the time I’m questioning where we even stand.

I hold onto her advice, though. She’s right—maybe nobody here has been in my exact situation, but we’re all dealing with the same sorts of stresses right now. And so is Mandy, who I finally call on Thursday afternoon after work.

“Hey you,” she answers. “It’s my long-lost friend. What’s going on?”

“Are you up for drinks tonight? Harper’s at her sleepover and it’s so dang quiet in this house. I just want to get out.”

“Yes, yes, and yes. The Gridiron?” she suggests.

It’s not really my first choice of where I’d want to go, but I agree. Maybe in some small way it’ll help me feel closer to Travis.

We sit at the bar and order margaritas, and we finally get the chance to catch up.

“How’s the new Mrs. Woods?” she asks first.

“Hanging in there,” I say, licking the salt off the rim of my glass. “It’s been tough with Travis gone. I hardly hear from him at all.”

“Same,” Mandy says. “I hardly hear from Jax, too. And it’s having this sort of strange effect on me.”

“What sort of strange effect?” I ask, and I take a sip of my margarita.

“He asked me to marry him,” she says softly.

I gasp as I swallow, which leads to me choking on my drink. I’m coughing and sputtering. “What?” I choke out as I try to clear the blockage with another sip of the sour drink, which only makes me cough more.

I take a sip of water instead, and that seems to help.

She clears her throat. “I said no. I said it’s too soon. But maybe it isn’t.”

“How?” I ask. “And when? And…what?”

She giggles. “What, you’re the only one who can rush into marriage with a football star?”

I shake my head. “Last I heard you two were taking it slow. Marriage? Not slow.”

She sighs. “I know. And that’s why I declined. It’s scary, you know? I mean, of course you know, but I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with him. I thought we’d just screw around a little, have some fun, and that would be it. And then stupid feelings got involved and now I miss him like crazy.” She shrugs.

“How did he ask?”

“That’s the thing. I wasn’t even sure if he was serious. We were at the club,” she says, lowering her voice. “It was right after…you know. Sex.” She whispers the word. “We were both all worn out and stuff and out of nowhere he tells me he wants to spend the rest of his life with me.”

“You must be really good at the sex,” I say, whispering the last word, too.

She laughs and brushes her knuckles on her shoulder with modesty. “Well, obviously, yes. But I told him I wasn’t going to accept a proposal naked, and he said he’d ask again later when I had clothes on.”

“Did he?”

She shakes her head. “This was the night before he left, and there wasn’t time. But what if I told him yes? What if I want that, too?”

“Would you still keep teaching?” I ask. “The district doesn’t seem too keen on marrying the bad boys.”

“Jaxon’s not a bad boy,” she says defensively.

“He’s a member of a sex club,” I say dryly. “And I didn’t think Travis was all that bad once I got to know him, either. I didn’t think him doing something as simple as getting my ball back for me would land us here. But either way, being an NFL wife means a totally different commitment. Parents will know, students will know…it’s something to consider, anyway.”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. You know how it is. I love the kids, and I love teaching, but man, I’m starting to burn out on all the other shit we have to deal with.”

I nod. The list is endless, and it seems like more and more gets piled on every day.

Except it’s not something I have to worry about anymore.

And maybe it won’t be so long until Mandy doesn’t have to worry about it anymore, either.