Page 20 of Unwritten Rules (The Sunburnt Hearts #1)
Chapter Nine
TATUM
E xhaustion doesn’t come close to describing the weight in my limbs or the heaviness of my eyes.
Who knew travelling around the country and watching men play rugby would be so tiring?
I had expected this job to be a piece of cake—something easy with the ability to switch off when I got home—but it’s far from it.
Turns out, treating thirty men and keeping on top of their recovery and training schedules is far from a piece of cake.
It’s possibly the hardest job I’ve ever had.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and having the ability to help others, especially footy players who need me in order to be able to play their best. I wouldn’t say I’m the glue that holds them together—more like one tiny speck—but a lot does ride on my shoulders, especially going into a game day.
Each player checks in with me and we go over their charts to make sure nothing is amiss, and they can talk to me about any pains or aches they might be experiencing.
And once I’ve done a few exercises with them and given them the all clear, I move onto the next person who might have a different history and is experiencing something new.
It’s a lot of pressure to shoulder, but at the end of the day, I go home with a smile on my face, grateful to be in the position I am. And it’s all thanks to my dad.
Even with pain soaring through my bones from being on my feet for multiple hours of the day, and exhaustion clinging to my soul, I have no regrets leaving Barrenridge.
If anything, I made the right choice because here, I can grow.
And if I didn’t take Dad’s offer when he handed it to me on a silver platter, I have no doubt I would be working behind the bar at the local pub because in a town like that, there isn’t much else to do.
“How are you feeling, Tate?” Dad asks when I walk into the kitchen, pulling my hair into a high ponytail. “You look tired.”
“I am,” I agree, dropping my arms to my side. With a sigh, I slide onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. Dad stands opposite me, back leaning against the granite bench top with a coffee cup in hand. “Should you be drinking coffee this late into the arvo?”
Dad chuckles and sets the cup down beside him. “Probably not, but with a late game tonight I know I’m going to need the caffeine rush to keep me going.”
“That makes two of us.” A yawn slips from my parted lips and I crush the palms of my hands into my eyes. “I don’t know why I’m so tired.”
“Well, we did go to Townsville over the weekend with a bunch of rowdy men in their twenties.”
I drop my hands to my lap, blinking away the blurriness coating my vision. “Yeah, maybe it’s that. Or maybe it’s because I’ve been staying up late revising every player’s medical history and recovery plan. Not to mention ensuring my plans coincide with Todd’s training schedule. It’s a lot of work.”
Dad rolls his lips and nods. I swear I don’t see this man wearing anything besides a black and red polo shirt with the Wolves logo stitched into the fabric and black jeans. If he owns other clothes, I haven’t seen him wear them since I moved to Sydney, nearly three weeks ago now.
“You’re doing a great job, Tate,” Dad says, his lips tipping up in a smile. “I’ve had a chance to speak to every guy on the team and they have all given me positive feedback about you.”
I raise a brow at him. “Are you sure it’s not because I’m your daughter, which you made abundantly clear on my first day? Who knows, they could be too afraid to tell you that I suck and need to look for a new job.”
Dad snorts a laugh and shakes his head. “Trust me, they like you. Even the rest of the staff have sung your praises.”
Warmth spreads through my chest. I hadn’t realised since starting the job that the rest of the staff members thought so highly of me.
When I’m working, I tend to keep to myself because I’m in the zone and have a lot of work to get done, so I do most of my socialising during lunch.
To hear the team is already accepting me fills me with a sense of pride that has me smiling like a damn fool.
On my second day, I met Olive during my lunch break.
She’s not much older than me and oversees the social media aspect of the club, always involving the guys in interviews or playing small pranks on them.
Her carefree attitude and warm smile make her approachable and easy to talk to.
After spending twenty minutes with her, I realised we had far more in common than I thought.
And from there, we couldn’t stop talking until we both had to get back to work.
Now, we spend most of our lunch breaks together, and when I’m not with Olive, I’ll speak to whoever is in the break room. I love flapping my gums and making people smile, it brings me joy seeing others happy.
“I’m glad because if I wasn’t accepted by the people you trust and admire to help run things smoothly, I may have considered packing my bags and returning to Barrenridge.”
Dad waves me off with his hand. “Nonsense, Tate. You’re a great addition to the club. Your mother would be proud of you.”
My heart stutters in my chest and I have to swallow the lump forming in my throat for fear it might choke me. My fingers flex on my thigh, and I will my lungs to focus on pulling air in at a steady pace and releasing it without a shake.
Talking about Mum never gets easier. I would be lying if I said she’s always on my mind, even after two years of her being gone.
I feel her in different ways—her calmness in high-stress situations, her support when I’m riddled with anxiety, or her warmth when sadness consumes me.
I don’t need to think about her every second of the day to prove I miss her or to remember her face and voice.
She comes to me when I need her most, and to me, that’s far more valuable than lying awake thinking about her.
No matter where I am, or what I’m doing, I feel her—watching and loving me from afar.
When the news of her death made its way around Barrenridge, I was inundated with texts and calls from extended family and friends offering their condolences.
The most surprising person to reach out to me was Sadie Cooper.
We were in the same year group in high school, but never spoke much, unless it was in passing.
Her mum passed away just after graduation, so she understood what I was going through at the time.
“It hurts now, Tate, and it might never get easier with time, but rest assured your mum will always be with you, no matter where you go or what you do.”
I needed to hear that more than anything.
It pains me that Mum left this world far too young, long before she was ready.
I wish she were here to see me on this new journey and tell me she’s proud.
Knowing she won’t get to witness the big moments in my life fills me with a sadness not many people can understand.
But even though she’s not here physically, it doesn’t take away from the fact that she’s standing in the kitchen with Dad and me, a cup of tea in hand and a smile on her face.
“I know,” I manage to choke out. “I wish she was here, you know?”
Dad nods, his face twisted in what I can only assume is grief. “Me too, Tate. But she’s cheering on from the sidelines. Her voice always was the loudest.”
I smile. “Really?”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Your mother was my number one supporter. She went to every game, even if we were in a different state. Rain, hail or shine, she wore my jersey with pride, never letting the outcome of the score dampen her shine.”
“She used to tell me lots of stories about you guys growing up.”
Dad raises a brow at me. “Did she tell you the story about the time she nearly got into a punch-up with a fan in the crowd during the grand final of ‘06?”
My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “ No . What happened?”
Dad rolls his tongue in his cheek, folding his arms over his chest. “Well, she told me the wife of one of the Illawarra Sharks was talking shit about me, and in my honour, threatened to beat her ass if she didn’t stop talking.”
“Mum did that?” I all but squeeze out, unable to believe the words coming from his mouth. “Are we talking about the same woman?”
Dad chuckles, the sound airy and filled with memories from decades ago.
“She was fierce, your mother. And so incredibly loyal that I almost didn’t feel worthy of her.
” He exhales a soft sigh, meeting my gaze.
“She was willing to get arrested if it meant standing up for me. What woman does that? But she wasn’t just any normal woman.
Your mum was brave, outgoing, supportive and so beautiful it hurt to look at her.
” Dad blinks rapidly and shakes his head.
“I didn’t deserve her one bit, but she didn’t care.
She showed up when I needed her the most, and I wish I had done the same for her. ”
“Dad…” I breathe, voice shaky.
“I should’ve been there for her, for you. But I wasn’t.”
“Mum understood why you didn’t stay,” I try to reason, my heart aching seeing the pain splintering across his features. “You were doing everything you could to provide for us.”
“And in the process, I let you both down because I should’ve been more present, more available.
But instead, I let my passion get in the way of the two women I care the most about.
” Dad exhales a shaky breath and reaches for his coffee, downing the remnants of the drink.
He sets the cup down and meets my eyes, tears brimming in his lower lashes.
“I can’t take back my actions, Tate, but I promise you that I’m going to do whatever I can to take care of you now.
And I know your mother is watching over us, offering her wisdom and support.
This time, I’m not going to let her down. ”