“You got it, boss.” He disconnects the call without another word, and then I’m faced with the sad truth.
We really are back in the real world, and I’m still not sure how our brand new relationship is going to survive it.
When I wakeup in the hotel bed the next morning, I feel like I didn’t sleep at all, even though it’s already nine and I got here around midnight.
I spent three hours working after I got here, coordinating surgeons, travel arrangements for Richardson, and putting together a press release with the Leopards.
Yesterday was officially the longest day of my entire life, and yes, that includes the Saturday of the reunion where every second I kept dodging having a conversation with AJ felt eternal.
I hurry to check my phone, and see a few messages but nothing urgent, and when I check, I seethe Leopards’ post is up as well as Richardson’s. He made a video from his hospital bed—which I guess will help keep the fans on his side for some time. The thing that we need to make sure of is that they’re still on his side in a year when he’s healed up and ready to take the field for the last year of his rookie contract.
I really hate it when they get seriously injured so fucking young.
There was an air of despair around him when I made it to the hospital last night.
His older brother is the only family he’s got, and he was there with him, which I’m hoping means he’ll help.
When I get back to my messages I can’t help but go right to AJ’s.
AJ:
Glad you got there all right.
Let me know when I can call you, please.
Miss you.
God, he’s sweet.
Cam:
Miss you too.
Just woke up and I need to check on a few things, but I’ll call you in an hour or so if that’s okay?
I’m surprised when he answers right away, but then Irealize it’s already seven in the morning, and it’s not unusual for him to be up early.
AJ:
Whenever you can, I’ll keep my phone close.
I don’t think he knows how much that simple statement means to me.
But he keeps it up for the rest of the week. He’s there for me every morning in texts, midday when I take a break for lunch, at night before I go to sleep. He always answers my calls, he always texts back quickly.
It’s not really surprising from AJ.
He’s always been very quick to get in touch with me when I’ve needed to talk to him about something, but I know for a fact he was a master avoider when it came to his previous... conquests.
I hate that I’m comparing myself to those girls. Yeah, most of them were eager gold diggers, but there were... no, there was one good one. I think? Maybe.
In any case, comparing AJ to every jackass I’ve ever cared about texting me back is an even worse idea because then I start to sweat.
By the third day, even with AJ keeping in touch as much as before, I’m a mess. I’m sure he’s going to tell me he can’t live like this, always waiting for me to come back to the city, always putting my clients first.
I’m braced for it Saturday morning when I fly back to LA, ready with my armor around my heart firmly on. Iknow what’s coming. I freakingknewit was too good to be true and that what we shared at the ranch would never survive when we came back to our real lives.
Gomillion, the reunion, our fake relationship, and yes, the ranch, all of it wasn’t based on reality.
