"Mo boyo!" My dad grabs me in a tight hug as soon as I step through the front door, causing me to drop my bag on the floor. He's never been shy with his affection for me. He offered to pick me up at the airport but I got a rental car instead. Its always a hassle because of my age, but I like the idea of not being dependent on my parents for anything. Call it lingering insecurities from trying to be my own person for so long.I pound him on the back a few times as we embrace. "Good to see you, Da.""I missed you, mac," he says and kisses me on the cheek, pulling away as my mom comes racing over."Rowen! I'm so glad you're here. Take off that darn cap and give me a hug." She snatches my beanie off my head and throws it across the room, then wraps her arms around my waist and I hug her back tightly. My habit of covering up my hair always irritates my mother. I expect I won't see that beanie again until I head back to Houston in four days."Me, too, Mam." I lift my head and take a deep br
"What do you want to know?""So you aren't going to deny that you're seeing her?""Why would I? I like her." He releases me and we move into another stretch. He's helped me do this so many times for so many years, it just comes second nature."I just know ye had some concerns in the beginning because of her lifestyle. I'm curious what's changed.""I'm not sure anything's changed," I say with a strained voice as I deepen my stretch. "I don't like how much she parties. I think she thinks she just has friends with benefits. And I think they treat her like shit and she doesn't even realize it.""But can you handle knowing she does it?""Not does, Da. Did. We had a long discussion about where I stand and how I can't share someone with my teammates. She agrees with me, one hundred percent. When she's single, she likes to go out and have fun. I mean, I guess that's her idea of fun. It's not mine. But when she's in a relationship, she's faithful."I stretch my arms up and lean forward, my dad
Compared to other sports, the off-season for soccer is very, very short. Only a couple months long, depending on a team's playoff schedule. But this past couple of months have been some of the most fun I can remember in a long time.On the party front, things died down a lot. The players who are married with families tend to go on a lot of vacations during the off-season and spend a lot of time at home while they can. And most of the single players head to their home town during that time. It's easier to save money when they're living with their parents and doing their off-season training at a local gym.Rowen, however, stuck around. And I suspect it had to do with me.We spent those months really getting to know each other. We explored tourist spots all over the city. We went to Galveston for a day trip. We did a lot of people watching.We went to almost every museum in Houston including my favorite, the John C. Freeman Weather Museum. There's so much to see and do there, including a
The thought hits me out of nowhere. I knew I liked him. Really, really liked him. It just never occurred to me until now that I love him. But I do. I love him with everything in me."Hey," he says cupping my cheek. "You okay?""Yeah." I shake my head of these new thoughts, not ready to confess my feelings at this point. "Sorry. My thoughts just ran wild for a second."He kisses the top of my head and we make our way into the apartment."Hey, Rookie!" Christian yells as he walks his way towards us, stopping to give Rowen a fist bump and me a hug. We've seen him a few times during the off-season and I know he and Rowen have become friends."How was the trip to Hawaii, man?" Rowen asks.Christian holds a hand over his heart. "It was fucking beautiful. Amazing. Probably the most romantic place I've ever been and I'm not a romantic guy.""I don't believe that," I chide. "I bet you're romantic with the right person.""I was treating my mama to this trip to Hawaii. That's not the time for rom
I watch Tiffany from across the room while I nurse my beer. A smile lights up her face as she chats with one of the newest players, a rookie who just came to us from Tulsa. Darren something-or-other. No doubt they're talking shop. She always looks happy when she's talking sports. She's so damn beautiful. And of all the guys she could have chosen, she chose me. Unbelievable.She hasn't made eye contact with me since the incident with Mack. I knew she would turn him down. At least, I really hoped she would. But I can't figure out how I ended up being the bad guy in that exchange."What are you doing over here while your woman is over there?" Daniel sits down next to me, slapping me on the back in greeting."Hey. What are you doing here? Quincy let you out of the house?""She's having a girls' night with Geni or something. Besides, I always come to the first party of the year.""Really?"He shrugs. "Just to make a showing. Team unity and all that shit." I nod and suck in my beer some more
I wind my way around the stadium, watching the signs as I go. I'm so used to sitting in Section 100 that I've never been to this area before. Even after four seasons of games.It takes me a few minutes to find it, but finally I'm pushing through the door of the box reserved for the wives and girlfriends, more commonly known as WAGs.When Rowen suggested sitting here, I had to really think about it. I like sitting close to the field. But since we're in the middle of the last cold snap of the year, I decided it was a good time to check it out. There are a dozen or so people standing around, chatting. Most of them I don't recognize, but I assume they are family members. Especially the kids. What looks like a fully stocked bar is off to my right, the bartender busy wiping down the counter. Against the wall there is a long buffet table set up, just waiting for food to be brought in. With it being an evening game, I'm assuming dinner will be provided later.As the door clicks shut behind m
I hear the commotion as people surround us and feel my head ricochet back when her fist connects with my mouth. Immediately my hands are on my mouth and I taste the blood on my tongue.Within seconds, she's being ripped off of me. Her legs are flailing and she's screaming for the man to put her down. And she's holding a chunk of my hair."Let me go! She's a fucking whore and she doesn't deserve to be here! Let me fucking go!"Quincy is almost immediately by my side. She puts her arm around me and leads me to the door. "Come on. Joe! Take us to the training room. You know where it's at?""Yes, ma'am," the bartender says and opens the door, stepping out in the hallway with us following behind him. There's blood all over my hands and my head feels like it's been pounded with nails. We walk about a hundred yards before security joins us and leads us the rest of the way around a maze of hallways. We end up in a brightly lit room where three or four guys in Mutiny staff uniforms are loungin
Rowen stalks over to me, cleats tapping the floor as he walks. He takes my face gently in his hands and looks me over from head to toe."It's worse than it looks," I say holding onto his forearms. "It's a lot of blood for a split lip.""And be careful of her head," Quincy says as Rowen goes to pull me closer. He draws back at her words and looks at me again, noticing the state of my hair for the first time. "She had a good chunk ripped out of the back. It's not bleeding anymore.""Fuuuck," I hear off to the side and look over to see Daniel watching the scene unfold before him. He looks at Quincy and raises his eyebrows."Jessica," she says to him. He sighs and squeezes the bridge of his nose. "Okay." That's all he says before turning around and walking away."Jessica Funderling?" Rowen asks Quincy. She nods and crosses her arms before looking at the floor. He looks back at me with a look of concern like I've never seen before. "Does it hurt bad?"I shrug. "A little. But not as much as