I nod, he’s right, I think that if I wasn’t a professional football player, Ellie and I would be public with our relationship. “I want you to meet her.” I say. Ty is more than my best friend, he’s my brother, he saw me at my worst and still chose to stick around. Having him meet and like Ellie would be the proverbial cherry on top.
“About damn time.” Ty says stretching out his back. “You name the time and the place and I will be there. Tell her to bring this Sadie chick too. I feel like I need to meet both of them. They seem like they’re basically a package deal.”
I purse my lips. The idea of Tyson and Sadie meeting makes me nervous. Not in a bad way, more in a ‘they’re going to get along like a house on fire type of way.’ I’m not sure if we need two forces of nature colliding like that.
“I’ll see what they’re doing on Friday. Since those seem to be the only nights that align for our schedules. It’s going to mess up their Mexican date nights they have, but I’m sure they’ll allow us to interrupt if we pay for whatever we plan on doing.” I grin.
“I will gladly pay for any and all margaritas if it means I get to meet these ladies.” Ty says as he heads toward the showers.
I follow and take up the stall next to him. “We are not going to their favorite haunt. Reggie is very kind, but he now follows me on every social media and I don’t know if I can look him in the eyes knowing hisfursona is a Racoon.”
Ty’s laugh reverberates off the shower room walls. “The more I hear about that night, the more I feel like it was a fever dream, except there is photographic evidence of it.”
After we finish our post practice routine, Ty and I part ways and I head back to my apartment. I’m pulling into my parking garage when my phone starts ringing.
Incoming call: Cassie Johnson.
My heart plummets into my stomach. What could she possibly want? We haven’t spoken since our split. I sit there and watch it ring in the console of my truck. Frozen in an internal debate with myself. Finally, the buzzing stops and I move to get out of my truck only for it to start up again.
Incoming call: Cassie Johnson.
Something is wrong. Cassie has been silent since that fight, giving me the space I required. After the stint of her showing up with her man in my place at her charity event, she had been laying low. Ignoring the voice in my head that says if it’s important, she’ll leave a voicemail I pick up the phone.
“Hello?”
I hear Cassie’s labored breathing. “Archer.” Her voice is thick with tears. “My dad died.”
I freeze. I loved Frank Johnson. I was excited for him to be my father-in-law. He always went out of the way to include me in every guys’ trip he took with his brothers and their boys. He was the first call I made when I wasdrafted by the Wolves as I was sitting in my parents living room. Frank Johnson was a good man, and the world was lesser without him in it.
“Cass, I—” There aren’t any words I can offer that will bring her peace. I feel the need to try to offer comfort. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Your dad was an amazing man.”
“I know.” She sniffs and lets out a shaky breath. “His funeral is this Friday. I… I wanted to let you know in case.” Her voice trails off and I think she’s trying to hold back a sob. “In case you wanted to come. I understand if you want to avoid me but—”
I interrupt her. “Of course I will be there.”
“Thank you.” She lets out another shaky breath. “I’ve been avoiding telling you because I was afraid, you’d say no and tell me to go fuck myself. I’d deserve it, but Dad loved you and I couldn’t take away your opportunity to say goodbye.”
“I’ll be there.” I tell her again.
We hang up and I sit in my truck for a long while staring at the ceiling. It was going to be awkward as hell facing her family, but I owe it to Frank to be there. Hell, I owe it to myself to be there. I deserve to get to say goodbye to the man who had an instrumental part in my life. I pull up the obituary on my phone and make a sizable donation to the charity they listed— Children’s Hospital, where Frank had been a pediatric gastroenterologist for the past 27 years. I also send a floral arrangement to the funeral home as well. Cassie and hermother always loved flowers, so I felt like I needed to send those as well. If they even offered a sense of comfort, it would be worth it.
I call up Coach, letting him know that I will need to miss practice on Friday for the funeral. Before I can explain further Coach assures me. “You do what you need to do. I know how much Frank meant to you.”
“Thanks Coach.” I hang up and finally make my way into my apartment.
Once inside I sit on my couch. Just processing. I don’t realize how long I sit there until my phone rings and I answer seeing Ellie’s name and photo on the screen.
“Hey!” She’s breathless and must have just finished her cycling class.
I clear my throat. “Hey.”
She must hear something funny in my voice because she immediately asks “Is everything okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t think so. Frank, Cassie’s father, passed away. The funeral is Friday. I’m going to go.”
“Well, of course you are.” She says matter-of-factly. “Just because you and Cassie didn’t work out, doesn’t erase the relationship and years you had with her father and the rest of her family.”
“You’re not angry that I’m going to it?”
