Page 43 of Unrivaled Love (D.C. Renegades #2)

Jo

One of Those Days

October soccer is exhausting. We’ve been playing for seven months and this year, the race for the playoffs is tight. It’s not quite a must win every game scenario, yet, but we’re on the edge.

One of our defenders tore her ACL and is out the rest of the season. We’ve had to adjust and everyone is tired. And after a late night out, I’m even more tired.

I drag myself out of bed to the bathroom. The bags under my eyes tell me everything. I didn’t drink, because I don’t during the season, but getting home at two in the morning, four hours after my typical bedtime, clearly took it out of me.

I brush my teeth, wash my face, and get dressed in my gear. When I head into the kitchen I catch the time and curse. I’ve got thirty minutes before practice starts and I’m easily twenty minutes away. I’m not late yet, but I like to be there early.

I swipe my keys off the hook and rush down the hall.

I don’t even hear the radio as I drive as quickly as I can through the city to our practice facility. We share the training campus with the Salt Lake City men’s team and Coach McEmbry wants to use every minute available to us.

The clock ticks away and I was in such a rush I didn’t even put the address into the GPS. I just started to drive. I reach over to the passenger seat looking for my phone and that’s when I realize I forgot it.

Shit.

And I was supposed to talk to Bryson this morning too.

Shit, shit.

I don’t even have his number memorized so I can’t call him from someone else's phone. I’m stuck until I get home later. At which point he’ll be training and then I’ll have to wait for him to be home eating dinner.

It’s been good over the last month. We’ve found time to talk every day. Bryson texts me every morning and it brings a smile to my face. I hate that I didn’t check this morning in my rush to leave.

The parking lot is fuller than usual when I pull in. Probably because I’m so late. I hustle to the locker room with my bag slung over my shoulder.

“Hamilton! You made it!” Nat jokes as I get to my locker and start changing.

“Ha yeah, I’m too old for late nights like that.”

“Aren’t you 28?” Pee Pee asks and I try not to glare at her.

“Yeah, I’ll be 29 in February.” I tell her and she nods. I don’t need to explain myself further.

“Should we plan a big birthday party?” Nat asks and I shake my head.

“No way. I have never been into celebrating my birthday. We can get together for preseason training and work hard.”

“Fair enough, Hamilton.” Nat says with a shake of her head.

Whatever, the only way I want to celebrate my birthday is with Bryson and maybe my family. I don’t need a big dinner like last night or a party at a club. I only want to be the center of attention if I’ve scored a goal.

“Pitch in three!” Brie calls out to the room as she walks out of the office. I finish getting ready, hastily tying my shoes left first then right, and jog out to the field.

** *

Finally home, I grab my phone from the charger on my bedside table and bring it with me to the sofa where I plop down and snuggle into the pillows Bryson picked out. The apartment has felt empty without him but the little touches he added are comforting.

I don’t even check my messages before calling him.

He doesn’t answer.

Darn.

I pull up our texts and see several from him.

Morning beautiful. I hope you had fun last night.

Too much fun?

I’m headed to the rink but I hope you’re okay.

Just got to practice and I’m gonna have trouble concentrating since I haven’t heard from you.

I bite my lip because I feel bad. I didn’t mean for him to be worried about me or distracted. I simply forgot my phone. I keep scrolling.

Called Larry, he said he saw you rushing out of your apartment later than usual so I’m going to assume you stayed up too late and needed to rush to practice.

I’m here until four and then I’ve got a podcast recording at five. We can try to talk later.

I check the time. Yeah he’s in the middle of recording a podcast. I read his last text and then respond.

I love you.

I love you too.

That’s exactly what happened.

Call me later.

I set my phone to the side and get a snack to bring with me into the tub. A long soak is exactly what the doctor ordered.