Exhausted, sweaty, and we all stink. But for the first time, I don't feel like I have one foot in the grave after practice. My body must have finally pushed passed that plateau I've been struggling with. It feels good to keep up more.I trail in behind the others, throwing my jersey in the giant laundry cart on my way by. I can't imagine being the person who does laundry around here. Practice clothes are disgusting. If it was me, I'd be tempted to set the whole cart on fire on a daily basis.The locker room is loud. When a few dozen sweaty athletes all start throwing gear around, the noise level definitely goes up a few notches. I almost don't hear Christian over it all."Did you ask her out?""What?" I ask as I strip off my cleats. "Who? What are you talking about?""I seem to remember a conversation we had a couple weeks ago about a certain sports producer who was catching your eye." I can feel my face start to flush. I had forgotten about the conversation. Not about what I had lear
"How do you make a strawberry shake?"I look up from my computer and smile. I'm totally engrossed in researching stats of some of the contenders for this year's Football Hall of Fame. But that little voice is always able to tear me away from the most interesting research. And this isn't interesting at all. I swivel around in my chair and look the brown-haired cutie in the eye. "I don't know. How do you make a strawberry shake?""Put it in the freezer!" Ashley covers her mouth and starts laughing at her own joke."That's a good one," I say with a smile. "So what's our category?""Fruit jokes. Your turn."I lean back in my chair and pretend to think really hard before answering. "Got one," I say with a snap of my fingers. "What is a vampire's favorite fruit?"She narrows her eyes at me momentarily before surprising me with the answer. "A neck-tarine.""How did you know that?" I ask, fake shock on my face. Truthfully, I rarely know a joke she hasn't already heard, which means she always
"Um, hi. Tiffany?" The voice on the line sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it."Yes?""This is Rowen. Rowen Flanigan?"My heart starts pounding and a feel a smile stretch across my face. "Hey, Rookie. How are you?""I'm good. I hope I didn't catch you in the middle of something important." He sounds kind of nervous, which is strange because he has always come across as quiet before, but not usually nervous. Of course, we've only interacted a handful of times so I guess I can't really make that judgment.I lean back in my chair. "I'm just at work.""Oh shit," he says. "I totally forgot you would be working today. I forget not everyone has rotating hours like me. I can call you later.""No, no!" I say quickly, afraid he's going to hang up. "I'm just doing some research right now. I'm not in the middle of anything pressing.""Oh. Okay. Can I ask what the research is on?"I relax back into my chair and smile again. "I'm researching stats on Football Hall of Famers. The list of this
I've only ever been in the northern states or Europe at the end of winter/beginning of Spring. Needless to say, the weather this time of year in Houston is like nothing I've ever experienced.It was warm, temps in the seventies, the entire month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The week after Christmas? It dropped to the thirties and all of a sudden I was in the holiday spirit. But it bounced back and I have to admit, winter has been really pleasant compared to what I'm used to. No blizzards. No frigid, bone chilling wind. While I'm not looking forward to a hundred and ten degree temperatures with ninety-five percent humidity in August, this time of year, I understand the appeal of Houston. "You realize it's seventy-two degrees out."I look at Tiffany, as we walk away from The Grove, where we just ate the best hamburgers I've had since moving to Texas. "I know.""Don't you think it's a little too warm to wear that beanie?"I smile and tug it down over my ears. Nervous habit, I gue
She shifts her body so she's facing me. I immediately miss the feeling of her thigh resting on mine. "The television markets are ranked on how big your demographic is. For instance, New York City has the largest population in the country so they're ranked number one. Los Angeles is ranked number two. Most people, when they first get out of college, start in a really tiny market like Lubbock or Amarillo. They're both ranked well into the one hundreds.""How many markets are there?""Over two hundred. The larger the market you work in, the more you get paid, the more sports teams there are, the better the stories and opportunities. So while you may start out in a tiny market making minimum wage, the goal is to get a big market where there are bigger perks and maybe even national attention.""So where is Houston ranked?""Last time I looked… it's number eight.""Holy shit," I exclaim. "That's really good!"She nods excitedly. "I know. My first television job is a full hundred and fifty ma
Seven days.It's been seven days since I've heard from Rowen. I knew I wouldn't hear from him a lot because they're so busy on roadtrips. But I didn't expect radio silence. I down the last of my vodka and cranberry and continue wallowing in self pity.I knew better than to mention the tension between him and Mack. But I wanted him to know he could talk to me about it. That he could vent to me. But it backfired. Instead, I'd made him question why I was there with him in the first place. If I was on a date with him because I like him, or because I was using him for a story.The drive back to my place that night was silent. Its not uncommon for things to be quiet when Rowen is around. He's a man of few words. But I didn't expect it to feel awkward.And then when he walked me to my front door… before I could even invite him in, he gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek and took off. Rejection at its finest. I take a deep breath and put my glass on the end table next to me. The guys are final
We drive around in silence for what seems like hours. I'm so angry, but I'm still trying to figure out why and if I even have a right to be.What Tiffany does with her body is her business. I have no say over it. I respect that. Even if we were considered a couple, it's her decision, right? I don't even know the right answer anymore. All I know is I feel this desire to protect her, which is ridiculous, but there it is. I want her to be treated like she deserves to be treated… like her body is to be worshiped. And that's not what those assholes do. They treat her like a piece of fucking meat. They use her and someday they're throw her away and she's worth so much more than that.The worst part is, she doesn't see it. But how would she? They give her tickets to games. They bring her to parties. They call and text and let her call them her friends. And then they turn around and call her a whore behind her back and laugh about someone actually caring about her. I try to relax my hands on
"In the middle of it, I remember kind of sobering up. You know how that happens? It's like you have a rush of sobriety? Well I had that right in the middle of it. I looked around the room, knowing I should be mortified by what I was doing, but I realized… it was turning me on even more."My head snaps up at this comment."I know. I was just as shocked as you are. I had never realized how much I enjoyed the voyeuristic part of sex until that moment. I liked it. So I just started trying different things. Being more free. No one was judging the things that were going on because everyone was doing them. Things just sort of spiraled from there."I take a deep breath, trying to process what she's telling me."What?" she asks quietly. "Tell me what you're thinking. Do you think I'm filthy now?""No." I shake my head but don't make eye contact. "I've spent a lot of time thinking about you this last week. I've thought about the things I've seen. I've thought about the things I know. And I reali