“I can’t believe you and Nate haven’t ever hooked up. Really, it doesn’t make sense.” Summer on her own has very little filter, but Summer with a few shots is completely unhinged and doesn’t know what a filter is.
“Ne-ver,” Mia sounds it out as her words slosh a little when she speaks. It’s a miracle none of us have gotten sick with the way this Uber is weaving in and out of downtown Miami traffic.
“I mean have I wanted to? Okay fine, maybe once… but… but…” She trails off, seemingly losing her train of thought. “But, I’m responsible.” Her words are so slurred, I’m shocked I understand it.
Once we make our way back to the apartment, the three of us throw ourselves on Summer’s bed without even bothering to take off any makeup or change our clothes.
* * *
The headache hits me like a ton of bricks and the sunlight shining through the window isn’t doing anything to help it either.
“Coffee… I need coffee,” I hear Summer’s muffled voice and look around to see Mia on the floor cuddled up into a blanket with the pillow over her eyes and Summer is laying face down on her bed.
Before I can respond my phone dings.
Ford
Reinforcements will be arriving shortly.
What? I read the text out loud to the girls. “That’s from Ford…” Mia sits up and Summer turns over, keeping her arm slung over her eyes. Before any of us say anything else, we hear a light knock on the front door.
Summer groans as she gets up. “There better be a large coffee in my hand if I’m getting out of bed right now.”
She opens the door and all we hear is a loud sigh before she says, “Seriously!” Summer walks into the room smiling carrying a tray of coffees and two brown bags, presumably filled with food. “You and Ford are annoyingly cute. You have the best boyfriend and I’m officially jealous.”
Like scavengers, Mia and Summer rip open the bags and start sipping the coffee as I take a look at the note on the piece of paper that Summer handed me.
Abby,
Coffee runs have sort of become our thing when we want to talk to each other, but I don’t want to interrupt your time with the girls, so I figured I’d leave you a quick note with what I want to say.
I used to think having football was all I needed and anything else I’d figure out when this was all over. I thought that when I made it to the Super Bowl, that would be the highlight of my life, my greatest achievement.
I was wrong.
You are the highlight of my life, Abby. The greatest thing I’ll ever do is love and be loved by you.
Always,
Ford
P.S. Don’t let the girls give you shit for this letter, you know they’re just jealous ;)
It’s hard to see between the tears clouding my vision when I look up at Mia and Summer. I don’t know how I got so lucky in meeting Ford and our “arrangement” becoming what it is today, but I’m so goddamn happy.
“I’m literally making any guy I date from now on take lessons from Ford. Who knew he was such a fucking swoony mush?” Mia says that with a straight face as she takes a bite of a croissant and it makes me bubble over with laughter. I fold up the letter and put it in my overnight bag before grabbing a blueberry lemon scone and my coffee. Sometimes the finish line of one race is just the beginning of another one, a better one.
I’m not superstitious, but I do have a playlist I’ve been listening to for the duration of the playoffs and we’ve done well, so why change it up now, right? I hit play on my phone and put a headphone in one ear.
Abby and the girls loved their hangover remedy yesterday morning. I knew they’d need it after watching Abby take her second shot of tequila. She did let me know that while they all “felt like death” –her words, no one actually got sick.
“Anderson!” Chase walks my way in the locker room as I’m about to put the other headphone in, but I pause as he gets closer to me. Nodding in his direction, he extends his hand to me.
“Listen, what you did for my sister the other night with that dickhead… I’m glad she has you to look after her.” This is probably the most we’ve spoken in weeks.
“Of course, man. Your sister is tough, though. I’ll always protect her, but she’s strong too, you know.” Chase and I exchange looks and a handshake before he pulls me into a hug. I’ve never gotten emotional when hugging a friend, but this would probably be the closest encounter. The last thing I wanted to do was fuck up my friendship with Chase, but I would’ve done anything for Abby and I’m glad he sees that now.
“Ten minutes!” Coach Aarons yells from the other side of the room and Chase and I go our separate ways to finish getting ready. Pulling my phone back out, I press play on the music and I see a text from Abby.
