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Sixteen

“DUDE, YOU STILL haven’t called her?” Scott couldn’t miss the condemnation in Finn’s voice.

He cringed. “I meant to, but then I tweaked my shoulder, and Lindsay had to send Dylan home, so I had to coordinate with Lauren, and I wanted to give her a few days to cool down, anyway...” He trailed off, noting Finn’s raised eyebrows and crossed arms and knowing his excuses were as empty as a backfield on a five-wide.

“Can you imagine what Kelly’d say to me if we had a fight and I didn’t call for six days ?”

Scott could, actually. Finn’s wife ran their home with an iron fist, which benefitted Finn, because otherwise he’d have already blown his contract money on fast cars, fancy suits, and expensive watches.

“But it’s different,” Scott insisted. “You’re married.”

Finn silence further implicated Scott, and he had the adolescent inclination to squirm under his best friend’s unwavering gaze. “You wanna marry this woman?”

Scott raked a hand through his hair. “Yeah, maybe. Someday.”

“Then you gotta start acting like it now. You know this life ain’t easy, and if you can’t hack it dating, then what makes you think you can get married?” Finn paused. “You of all people should know that.”

“Low blow, there, man.”

Finn jutted out his chin. “Harsh, maybe, but you know it’s true.”

He did.

“You think she’ll be angrier at what I said or at me blowing her off?”

“Does it matter? Either way, you’re gonna have to apologize.”

Scott shook his head. “All your marriage counseling must be paying off.”

“You spend long enough in therapy, you learn a few things, whether you want to or not.”

Eager to turn the topic away from himself, Scott perked up. “Kelly forgive you, yet?”

Finn waved a hand. “Long since. Don’t mean she trusts me, though. Away’s are gonna be rough this year. Takes time. But we both want it.”

“She’s good for you.”

“Your girl good for you?”

“I suppose she is,” Scott replied, accepting Finn’s unspoken rebuke for changing the subject.

“You got a few minutes right now. ‘S good a time to call as any.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going, I’m going.” Scott snorted as he stepped into the hall, then girded himself and tapped Abby’s picture in his contacts.

“Hello?”

His breath caught at her voice. In that moment, he feared he might lose her, and it would be all his fault.

“Hey, Abby. How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Her words were clipped, short. Whether hurt or angry, he couldn’t tell.

“Good, good. I’m glad.” He paused. “I should have called sooner. Things have been a little crazy around here. Practice, and Dylan had to come home early, and...”

“Yeah, I get it.”

He paused, then spoke again, his words low. “I’m trying to apologize, here, Abby.”

“Really? Because it sounds like you’re making excuses.”

Scott slumped against the wall. “Whoa, okay, then.”

The silence stretched taut between them. Then, her quiet voice came down the line. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have waited so long to call. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Her tone gentled. “I understand.”

“No, it’s not fine. I was frustrated last week. I shouldn’t have said the things I did, shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I’m sorry, Abby.”

“Me too.”

“No, you didn’t do anything.” Scott ran a hand through his hair, tugging the strands at the end, a knot of tension building in his chest. He didn’t want to share these things with Abby.

Didn’t want to burden her with them. “I’d been on the phone with Lindsay and.

..well, it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have said those things. ”

“Yeah, no, I understand. It’s okay.”

“Thanks. For understanding.” He pushed on before the pause could turn awkward. “How’re things?”

“They’re, umm, quiet?” Her words were an odd cross between a question and a statement. “I’m still working on the business plan for the therapy dog school.”

He pushed off the wall and dropped into a chair, grateful the conversation seemed to be normal. “Do you have a name yet?”

“Not yet. Nothing seems right.”

“Well, when you’re done, I could take a peek at it. If you wanted.”

“Oh, no,” she said, quickly denying the possibility. “I wouldn’t want to... Well, you’re so busy right now.”

He laughed. “Abby, you know I have a business degree, right? I even graduated with honors. I’d be happy to help out any way I can. Unless you’d rather I didn’t. I know this is still new for you.”

When she didn’t answer right away, Scott wondered if he’d overstepped. Then, he heard a ragged, indrawn breath.

“Yeah, that would be great. When I’m done.”

He nodded, though she couldn’t see him. “What else is new?”

“I had to shave Gen because I thought she had some hot spots, and she did, but none big enough to justify how uncomfortable she’s acting. And shaving her hasn’t helped. I’m thinking it might be time for a vet visit.”

“Is she okay?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe? It’s probably the heat getting to her. I know I don’t want to eat, either, by the end of the day, and I don’t even have fur.”

“Well, if you need to, Lauren and Dylan are home. Drop by the house, use the pool, enjoy the A/C...” Scott trailed off, wishing he’d thought to give Abby a key to his place before he’d left. “I know Dylan misses you guys.”

“Th-Thanks...” He wasn’t sure what caused her to stutter, or why her voice filled with some kind of deeper emotion.

“I mean it. You should go by this evening.”

“We’ll see.” He heard her shift through the phone, the creak of a chair, or maybe the couch. Toenails clicked in the background. “So, how’s practice going?”

“Eh, as well as can be expected.” He didn’t like talking about training camp, or even pre-season. He didn’t want to risk jinxing it. “Starting to gel a bit, hitting the targets, running the plays. One day at a time, you know.”

Abby laughed. “I always thought all those platitudes at press conferences were an act. What else am I going to learn this season?”

Scott snorted. “You have no idea. Oh, speaking of which, Finn’s wife, Kelly, wants to know if you’ll be at our home opener. I know you haven’t met her yet, but she’s awesome. I thought maybe the two of you could sit together.”

“I don’t know. It might be too late to buy tickets,” she hedged.

At her words, Scott couldn’t help laughing. “No worries, Abby. I’ve got you covered.”

“It’s not that. I mean, I can buy a ticket. You don’t have to get one for me.”

“It’s no big deal, promise. I have a couple free tickets to all our home games. Dylan comes, and sometimes my sister or my parents if they’re in town.”

Scott grimaced at the small “oh” coming over the line. “Sorry, I’ve never, uh, done this before. I don’t know how...”

“Me either. Usually it’s my family, if anyone comes at all, but Sarah’s in Montana, now, and my parents loved San Diego so much they stayed, even when I got to come home. I’d like you to be there, though, and if you want, Dylan can come, too, or I can have him stay home with Lauren...”

“He doesn’t go on his own, does he?”

“No, he sits with Kelly, or with Jimmy’s family. You met Jimmy at the hospital?”

“Yeah, I remember him. Big guy, six siblings, right?”

“Yep, that’s Jimmy. His littlest sister, Nevaeh, is a little older than Dylan. The two of them are like a hurricane when they get together. Batten down the hatches, ‘cause something’s gonna get thrown around, broken, or flooded.”

“I met her at the fair.” Abby laughed and Scott let go of the tension he’d been holding.

He understood her hesitation, knew she didn’t want to ask too much of him, now, at training camp, or in general, not wanting anyone to think her interest in him stemmed from what she could get out of it.

On the other hand, every time she refused to let him do something, whether picking up the check at dinner or giving her tickets to one of his games, a small part of him wilted.

He wanted to be able to give her these things, and more.

He wanted to spoil her, even though she’d never allow it.

He wanted to shower her with gifts, physical manifestations of his affections. And to be honest, proof he could.

He worked hard for his salary, and if it made him want to show off a little bit, who could blame him?

“Alright, I’ll be there. Dylan can introduce me to everyone and Kelly, was it? Kelly can tell me all your deepest, darkest secrets.”

Scott snorted. “Don’t have many of those.”

“Aww, no secret girlfriends? Weird quirks?” she teased.

He didn’t want to tackle his relationship history, yet, so he chuckled, instead. “I’ll get those tickets for you, and we can chat later about all the details.”