God Only Knowsby Natalie Maines
“Inever knew it got so cold down south.” Lisa Taylor wrapped her scarf a little more securely around her face. “I’m glad I remembered my gloves.”
On the other side of me, her husband leaned over. “Well, itisDecember, Lisa. You can’t expect beach weather. Virginia isn’t that far south.”
I bit my lip and tried not to laugh. Leo’s parents had been down here for the last three days, visiting on what Joe called a ‘pre-wedding mini-vacation’ and what Lisa referred to as ‘Joe’s attempt to keep me from killing people’. Although they never really argued, they sniped at each other all the time, which made it less than fun to be around them. Apparently, being the parents of the groom was almost as stressful as being the bride’s family. Simon had called us last week, griping about the tensions between Justine’s parents and his own.
“You’ve got to take them off my hands for a little while, Leo. Please, I’m begging you.” Neither of us had ever heard Simon sound so desperate. “All of them—Mom, Dad, and Justine’s folks—they’re making Justine crazy. She’s on the verge of a breakdown.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Leo had given me wide eyes over the phone between us. He’d put Simon on speaker at his request.
“You have no idea. Listen, let me give you both some big brotherly advice. Elope. Save yourselves and everyone else a lot of stress. Just go away to get married.”
“We’ll take that into consideration.” I’d cocked an eyebrow at Leo, who’d shaken his head.
“They’re coming down next weekend anyway. I’ll do you a solid and suggest they make it a week, okay? Will that help you out?”
“You’ll have my eternal gratitude. I might even name our firstborn after you.”
I hadn’t worried about the Taylors visiting. I loved these two like they were my own parents, and I was never uncomfortable with them. But that was before I’d realized that they were at each other’s throats just now, thanks to Lisa’s anxiety over her oldest son’s impending nuptials.
Leo had escaped today by claiming that he had to be at the stadium extra early for a meeting. When I’d fastened him with a skeptical glare, he’d just shrugged innocently.
“What, babe? You know this is my job. My career. I have to take it seriously.” His teasing wink gave him away, and I managed to forgive him for his defection when he suggested that I take him to the stadium, so that we didn’t have so many cars there after the game. The drive there and back bought me at least forty-five minutes of relative peace. And the extra fifteen minutes we spent making out in the car, in the parking lot outside the stadium? That was just yummy icing on the cake.
We actually had a bunch of guests in town this weekend, and although I was enjoying the chance to visit, I wasn’t going to be unhappy when they all went home, either. Simon and Justine’s wedding was just a few days after Christmas, and the Rebels had a home game on Christmas Day. Since the game made it nearly impossible for us to make it to our parents’ homes for the actual day, Leo had suggested that we follow through on the idea we’d joked about after Nate’s funeral: instead of going back to New Jersey for the holiday itself, we were hosting a celebration down here for our friends. Zelda, Tucker, and Gia had signed on without hesitation, and Leo had invited his college buddy Tate Durham to join us, too.
In addition, several of the Rebels who were in the same boat that we were planned to come over that night for dinner. Leo and I were both excited about the prospect of hosting our first real social event as a couple.
But the Taylors and my mom had been a little dismayed that their chicks wouldn’t all be back in the nest for Christmas. That’s when this little pre-Christmas visit had been planned. Lisa and Joe were staying with us, in the guest bedroom of the townhouse, and my mother and Shane the dry cleaner had a room at a hotel in town. I was working hard not to think about the fact that they were sharing one room. Even though I knew they’d spent six weeks together in Europe over the summer, the thought of my mom hooking up with anyone—even Shane, who’d turned out to be a pretty nice guy—still creeped me out.
The whole crew was here today at the stadium for the Rebels’ game, taking up nearly an entire row between the Taylors, my mother and Shane, and me. We were playing New York, and the guys were pumped. The team was thirteen and one; a spot in the playoffs seemed like a very good possibility. No one talked about it too much, because we were all a superstitious lot, but the press didn’t have the same qualms.
The idea of the playoffs was even sweeter for me, because Leo had been playing some amazing football in the past four months. He’d started in all but one game, and his percentages were climbing. He’d even scored his first touchdowns as a pro—one was a completion in the end zone, while another had been an eighteen-yard run after a completed pass. We’d celebrated both in the best way we knew how: champagne in bed and me in Leo’s jersey.
These were good days.
Not every day was perfect. We were still working out the kinks, as Leo said, learning how to live with each other, remembering to leave the past behind us and focus on each other. I’d realized that part of Leo still worried that if the media attention became too much, I might run again. Each time a story about Richmond’s promising second-year receiver hit the wires, he tensed. I’d learned that the best way to reassure him was with lots of attention and sex.
I called it a win-win situation.
In all honesty, the press attention wasn’t an issue for me anymore. I didn’t know if it was because I felt secure that Leo would always support me, that he loved to show me off and never tried to hide the fact that we were engaged, or if I’d grown up enough to know that this was an aspect of the game. Football was an important part of the man I loved, and I would have no sooner taken it from him than I would’ve cut off his arm.
Of course, I was now a part of the sports press. My job with Marla Smith’s organization was challenging and exciting, and it gave me insight into Leo’s career and into the game of football. I’d done several stories that had made it to the website, although Marla was very selective about what went up. My most popular reports so far had been my profile of Kara Crocker, which we also used to promote the Crockers’ book, and a fun story about single football players that showed a different side of the glamorous, playboy lifestyle so many people believed they led.
Marla had approached me about writing a regular column that described my experiences as I joined the world of football wives. Although Leo had readily agreed to the idea, I was still hesitating. Writing about others in this world was one thing, but opening up our privates lives felt as though it might be crossing a line. We treasured our privacy and guarded it jealously. The media around Richmond tended to be low-key and positive about the Rebels, and Leo and I weren’t often on their radar, although the local papers and television station had all run short reports on our engagement. I wanted to keep things that way as long as I could.
My adjustment to this new life was easier since Ellie and I had become such fast friends. She’d loved showing me around Richmond and guiding me through the earliest days of being a football fiancée. We’d enjoyed tweaking things in the townhouse to make them more my style, and of course, being an event planner, she was all over helping me plan the wedding that was tentatively scheduled for next summer, between spring mini-camp and the preseason.
No, football wasn’t at all the issue that Leo had worried it might be. I knew that was a relief to both of us.
I still had some sad days. There were times when I missed Nate with a sharpness that took me by surprise. At first, I’d tried to hide that from Leo, not wanting him to misunderstand my feelings, but a few snippy arguments followed by honest discussion had cured me of doing that. Now, when I wanted to talk about Nate, I did. To my surprise, he’d admitted missing our friend, too, and every once in a while, Leo was the one who brought up a memory.
I’d had a long talk with Mark and Sheri before I’d officially moved in with Leo. They were both understanding and unsurprised, and they thanked me for taking their feelings into consideration. They’d put their house up for sale and were considering a move down to Florida. It made me sad to think that pretty soon, two of the houses I’d considered home while growing up would be owned by strangers. I’d threatened Lisa and Joe that if they even thought about sellingtheirhouse, I’d never speak to them again.
Leo and I had made plans to spend New Years’ Eve with all of our parents down at the shore. We wanted to be together on the first anniversary of Nate’s passing, and I had a hunch Mark and Sheri were relieved that they wouldn’t be alone.
“There’s my boy!” Joe clapped his hands and whistled as the Rebels took the field for their first possession in the second half. We were up by two field goals, but with a team like New York, that wasn’t quite a comfortable margin.
