Page 15 of Unrivaled Love (D.C. Renegades #2)

Bryson

I have never been happier in the face of failure.

All she does is nod before turning back towards the stairs.

I feel terrible.

It was an accident, I’d never intentionally spoil a story for someone, but I still regret it happened.

She was so upset.

The pain in her face was evident. And it was excruciating to witness. My fingers tingled with the urge to comfort her.

Maybe I pushed her too far.

And she’s been wearing the same clothes, her fucking uniform, for three days now. It’s like she doesn’t have anything else with her.

That’s weird, right?

She’s got a car. Why doesn’t she go out to get some clothes? There are plenty of stores in town and the super center is like a twenty minute drive west.

Something is obviously wrong and here I am finding renewed energy from torturing her.

I feel like a flaccid dick. Small, wrinkly, and limp.

I don’t want to prank her anymore.

But I don’t know what to do instead.

She literally fell into my lap this week. For years I’ve been pining from afar and eventually I stopped trying to get close to her again.

Jo used to be the one I could lean on, confide in. And I think I was that for her too. If she needs a friend I’d gladly be there for her again now.

She might not know it, but I know her. I watch her teams’ social media accounts.

I see how hard she works. I read the blogs and reports about her.

Listen to the PSL podcasts. When she was announced for the national team, I almost cried from how proud I was.

Felix was next to me and I had to explain my sudden surge of emotion.

I watch every match, even if it’s on tape delay because we had a game too. I know her pre-game and re-warm up routine. How she shuffles and taps her left toe on the sideline first, then the right, then she jogs out onto the field. I watch her crack her knuckles with her thumb before each kick off.

The tears she was crying felt like tsunami waves crashing into me and pulling me under. I didn’t know how to react.

What are the fucking chances we’re both reading Raven Squall ?

This title was all anyone in the book world was talking about back in January but I don’t let myself read the heavy stuff during the season.

I stick to romcoms and lighter stories because a good laugh when a character finds herself waking up on the day after Christmas, realizing her Heartmark style holiday romance story is now her life is the balm to my soul as romance writers say.

It’s more like the chill pill for my overly-intense training and game schedule.

This isn’t exactly something I share with all the boys but one day I will convince them; the Big Guns don’t just need to be Cap’s movies, some of the scenes I’ve read would elevate our bedroom escapades to epic levels.

Something tells me Young Gun may know exactly what I’m talking about.

Who knows, since we are both reading Raven Squall , maybe Jo and I will be able to have a little “book talk” about our favorite parts.

Holy shit. What if she wants to reenact scenes with me?

And as much as I want to get back into the story and learn what happens next, and store away some tips for the future, there’s something I want to do more.

I want to help Jo feel better.

For all the romance I read I still don’t know what to do with a sad girl. My instinct is to be goofy and help her just laugh it off. But it doesn’t feel like that would fix anything, just make it better for the moment.

One author posted a video saying you can console an author by saying “there, they’re, their,” and as hilarious as that is, I don’t think it would help either.

I seriously doubt my teammates will be able to provide insight but desperate times and all.

Mayday! Mayday!

She got sad and it wasn’t even because of a prank.

CROSBY

Sad?

What the hell did you do?

DUNCAN

You’re supposed to be pissing her off so she leaves!

I didn’t do anything!

DUNCAN

Umm, sorry Boder.

What?

What is he sorry for? Then my phone vibrates with a text but it’s not on the chain with Crosby and Duncan.

Uh oh.

FELIX

What have you done?

I knew you idiots went rogue.

CROSBY

Hey! We were just supporting our teammate.

FELIX

Don’t text me when we’re in the same room.

CROSBY

Sorry Cap.

Forney, I didn’t do anything wrong. She just got really sad over an accident.

FELIX

What accident?

I wipe a hand down my face. The guys know I read because my nose is in my kindle every plane ride but they don’t know what I’m reading. I shouldn’t be embarrassed by my reading choice but I also don’t know how they’ll react.

On an exhale, I type.

It turns out we’re reading the same book and I’m further along in the story than she is so she accidentally picked up my copy and read a spoiler and blamed me for moving her bookmark when I didn’t do that at all and she was actually in the wrong but instead of her getting really mad at me she got sad and started crying and then walked into the woods.

I wait as my message bounces off satellites and lands in their hands. Why I envision them all huddled together over Felix’s phone instead of reading it individually on their own device is beyond me.

Actually, I’d bet money that is exactly what’s happening.

Then the response comes. But it’s not in the group chat.

DUNCAN

Did she already knock over the tree ?

Oh fuck!

No! No, no nonononono.

In a full-on sprint, I launch myself down the steps and out towards the hiking trails. I would have heard the crash right? Maybe she took a different path.

I stand in the driveway and scan the woods. Hoping to catch sight of her bright white uniform. There are other paths she could take but the one where the tree trap is set up is the longest and most secluded route.

Exactly where a sad person would go to be alone.

I hustle in that direction and maybe against my better judgement call out her name.

“Jo, hey, c’mon back. Talk to me.” I call out as I move as quickly as I can down the trail.

“Leave me alone, Bryson!” She calls out and it’s a sad sound but it isn’t too far off. I keep going.

“Come back! I want to talk with you about Flora and why she made certain decisions.”

“No.” She sends back and I hear a twig crack. My spine stiffens waiting for a massive chain reaction but nothing happens.

Phew.

“Why not? I don’t get to talk to anyone about the Fifth Flame books and it would be fun to know what you think.”

I’m looking out into the distance to try and catch her on a returning path so I almost miss where she’s sitting and leaning against the log.

The. Log.

My brain tells me to proceed with caution.

Approach slowly.

I stop and keep us several feet apart.

“Why did you follow me, Bryson? I just want to be alone. ”

“I uh,” I rub the back of my neck and look around for help answering that question but no one else is here.

“Whatever,” Jo huffs and then to my dismay she stands and stomps on the log to keep moving down the path. It sways the tree next to it a little but nothing happens.

Thank fuck.

My calculations were wrong.

I have never been happier in the face of failure.

“Alright, see you back at the house for dinner!” I call with a big smile on my face because she stepped on the trap and didn’t send a tree falling to the ground. Later I might be annoyed that my attempt at physics was a bust but for now I’m elated.

“Seriously?” Jo turns and yells at me. I point to my chest to confirm she’s talking to me. All I did was wish her a nice walk and said I look forward to seeing her for dinner. I open my mouth to respond but before any words form she is storming back in my direction.

My eyes widen and I step forward hoping to keep the magnetic rejection space between us. If I move forward she won’t be able to get closer.

But it doesn’t work.

I need a physics refresher I guess.

“I can’t believe you not only ruined my book but then you followed me to bug me about it!”

“Jo,” I start but she cuts me off as she stands on the log and towers over me.

“No. I don’t want to hear it. I’m pissed at you, Bryson.” She informs me like this is breaking news. “And I want you to leave .” The last word is accentuated by a stomp.

Oh shit.

How can I keep her from getting even angrier?

“Me?” I ask and that was not the right move. She lets another stomp go and the air evacuates my lungs.

“Go away!” Her fists fly out with her frustration and one final stomp is the straw to break the camel's back.

Or knock down the tree in the woods as it were.

A loud crack sounds just as Jo loses her balance and goes tumbling backward to her ass. I lurch forward to try and catch her but I miss and end up having to use the log to break my fall which results in another loud crack.

I look to my left, Jo looks to her right, and together we watch the tree fall.

The sound is deafening as it hits other trees and then it’s quiet for a moment.

Our eyes turn to each other.

“What the hell?” Jo asks.

I don’t get a chance to answer because a loud creaking sound fills the woods and we both turn towards the source.

Then a whiplash sound pierces the air.

And less than a second later, the sound of warped metal and broken glass reaches us.

“What the fuck!” Jo demands and all I can do is turn back to her with terror in my eyes. Nothing in the woods should have made a broken glass sound.

Jo scrambles to her feet and I stumble behind her as she jogs down the path to the house.

We burst out onto the driveway and that’s when I see the utility pole crashed through the middle of her car.

“Oh shit.” I whisper.