* * *
I was in the middle of eating lunch the next day when my phone beeped. So far, I hadn’t gotten any threatening calls or texts from Diana, but I was still a little scared to look at the screen. I actually hadn’t heard from her at all since I’d left her house. That wasn’t unusual, but it still left me feeling a little anxious and a little mad. Luckily, it was Aiden’s name that popped onto the display. I had finally gotten around to changing his contact information.
Aiden: Are you free this Sunday?
I was never free on any day, technically, but his question made me pause.
Me: It depends. Why?
Aiden: Come to my game.
Uh. Was I imagining this? Was he really inviting me to one of his games for the first time in the history of the universe?
Me: I’ve gone to a few of your games.
Aiden: You’ve met me after a game five times.
He remembered that?
Me: I met you after a game five times, but I’ve gone to more than those, thank you.
Aiden: When?
Me: Last season I went to five. The season before that, I went to three. I haven’t gone to any this year though.
Obviously.
Aiden: Why
Me: Because the guy who usually gets me tickets doesn’t play for your team anymore…
Aiden: Zac got you tickets?
Me: Who else would?
Aiden: I could have.
The same person who couldn’t tell me ‘good morning?’ Riiiight.
My phone beeped again.
Aiden: I could get you tickets now. All you have to do is tell me.
There was something about the fact he said ‘tell me’ and not ‘ask’ that made me grin.
Me: I didn’t know that. You usually only get tickets for Leslie and that’s it. Zac always just gave them to me.
Aiden: Come this Sunday.
Me: I sort of had plans.
I lied. My plans were to get a little work done in the morning and watch a couple of football games to make sure my fantasy football quarterback and favorite wide receiver got the job done.
Aiden: Do you want Trevor or Rob to come visit?
Me: Is that a threat?
Aiden: It’s a fact. I talked to both of them. They brought up how you haven’t been to my games.
I decided right then that I didn’t want to know what they had talked about. I didn’t need to know either. If Aiden was threatening me with visits from one or both of them, and they were aware that we’d signed paperwork… that was enough for me. I could take one for Team Graves if I had to, especially if it didn’t involve those two jackasses.
Me: Fine. Get me two tickets, please.
Aiden: In the family box?
Hello no.
Me: In the bleachers, if you can, big guy.
* * *
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Zac whispered as we got out of line at the concession stand located by the club level.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe I had either. When I’d thought about whom I could ask to go with me, I knew my options were limited. There was Diana, who I hadn’t talked to, was still frustrated with, and didn’t want to lie to again especially since my marriage to Aiden had been reported. There were a couple of people I’d met through her that I hung out with every once in a while. Then there was Zac. I hadn’t exactly had a whole bunch of time to make friends since moving to Dallas. So I’d gone on a limb and asked Zac if he’d like to go.
What I hadn’t been surprised about was his reluctance.
But I usually got what I wanted as long as I wanted it bad enough, and this was no difference.
That didn’t mean I had to be smug about it. Patting his arm, I steered him in the direction of the section our seats were in. He’d never been in the stadium as anything but a player before, and he’d been eyeing everything like it was new. There might have also been half a sneer on his face, but I was going to pretend to ignore it.
“Are you sure you’re okay being here?”
“Yes,” he insisted.
I wasn’t sure if I entirely believed him, but he’d said the same thing to me all eight times I’d asked. Still, I felt a little guilty to be putting him through a game when he’d been released a little over a month ago. He’d come back with, “I guess I’m gonna watch a game at home anyway.”
The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt. He could have said no to coming, but he hadn’t. “We can go have Mexican food afterward, how about that?” I nudged him.
His only answer was a grumble and something that resembled a nod.
Our seats were excellent. So excellent that I wasn’t sure who the hell Aiden had to bribe to get them just days before the game. We were right at the fifty-yard line, third row. Surrounding the seats were a river of jerseys and Three Hundreds trademarked gear, and I could sense Zac’s tension as we took our spots.
Setting our drinks down, the big Texan leaned into me. “Are you gonna tell me why we’re sittin’ here instead of in the box?”
I slid him a look. “I don’t like the people there.”
That had the nosey ass interested. “Who?” He even whispered the question, his eyes alight with interest. “Tell me.”
Good grief. I couldn’t help how much of an asshole I was about to sound like. “All of them?”
Zac burst out laughing. “Why?”
I had to take a sip out of the beer I’d bought before I could muster enough mental strength to recollect that day. “Remember that time you got me tickets for there? The first time you invited me?” He didn’t remember, but it didn’t matter. “Well, I went… it was like Mean Girls with women who have been out of high school a long time. They were talking about each other nonstop; who had gained weight, who was using a purse from last season, and who was cheating on who… it gave me a headache. Now I’m one of them.”
“You’re one of you, Van.”
That made me feel nice. I might have preened as I took another sip of my beer and then touched my shoulder against his. “I like you, you know that, don’t you?”
He snorted and grabbed his own beer bottle, taking a swig out of it. We settled in and watched the players come on to the field, the fans in the stadium getting to their feet and screaming all eighty thousand of their lungs out. The Three Hundreds were playing one of their top competitors, the Houston Fire, and it was packed. I was planning on sending my foster dad a picture message later.
Unzipping my jacket so I could have free range of my arms and hands later in the game, I pulled my arms out of my sleeves and adjusted the bottom hem of the jersey I’d put on.
Beer shot out of Zac’s mouth and right into his lap. “Van. Van. Why would you do that?” he cried, eyeing me like I’d lost my mind even as his hands wiped at his face.
I sat back in my seat and grinned. “Because you’re my friend, and if anyone’s watching, I don’t want them to forget about you.”
* * *
Hours later, Zac and I had gone to eat Mexican food—and squeezed in a margarita each—after the game, and were back at the house when Aiden finally showed up. Those huge legs dragged across the floor as he dropped his bag, looking every bit as tired and thoughtful as he usually did after a win. I didn’t know why he got so thoughtful after a win instead of rejoicing, but I kind of liked it. When the team didn’t win a game, he usually just looked revved up and downright pissed in that quiet, brooding way of his. Like clockwork, he’d eat something then disappear into his room.