“Did you know that the Cosmos have a women’s locker room? With like… ridiculously nice products?” Her fingers pat her cheeks.
I tip my head back and laugh, “No, I didn’t. But don’t tell Zack, he’ll ransack it.” Handing her a flute, champagne fizzing to the top, I raise my barely-filled flute and say, “Cheers to you, Blair,” and she clinks her glass to mine in response.
We each take a sip but then Blair doesn’t stop—she downs the entire glass and stares at the table where the now empty flute sits. Her eyes don’t meet mine and she doesn’t move.
“So, there’s a 99% chance I’m about to have a meltdown. I’m talking tears, weird laughing, it’s all coming.” Her voice is soft but twinged with the nervous laugh I’m familiar with.
Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long. Blair is so fucking good at managing things in the moment… she’ll stretch herself thin until she’s almost transparent. But, it eventually catches up.
“What do you need?”
Afterabottleofchampagne, a few glasses of bourbon, equal amount of tears and nervous laughter, plus all the fancy chocolate she could stand, Blair is exhausted. She giggles into my chest as I reach down to pick her up and take her to bed.
She said I could take her home but that doesn’t make any sense. After she told me she had tomorrow off at Embers and Ashes, I knew she’d stay here.
Her arms loop around my neck and it makes me hurt knowing how bad I want her. How amazing she is. Still can’t believe no one has realized it yet—I always told myself these feelings would go away once she settled down with someone, but that has yet to happen. To be honest, we’re trending in the wrong direction if the objective is less feelings.
I lean forward and set her on the bed, the side closest to the bathroom, pulling the covers up and over her.
“There’s water on the table and the bathroom is right through there. I’ll leave the light on,” I say while her eyes roam over my face, a lopsided smirk on her full, pink lips.
Her lashes flutter, jet black, over her dark eyes. “You think of everything,” her words drag. “How do you have so much room in there?” Sheputs her hands through my hair and I have to hold back from leaning into it. “So much room for thinking. So smart.”
I let out a laugh while I get her situated. “You’re smart, too. Lots of room in that brain.” I jokingly tap her forehead.
“You’re right. I do lots of thinking.” Her voice rises and falls like she’s reading a children’s book.
Sitting back, I press, “Is that so? What do you think about?”
She tilts her head; her eyes are heavy and her lips tug on a corner. Blair takes in a slow breath, like she’s trying to steady herself. “I always think you’re going to kiss me. But you never do.”
Her sleepy words turn me into a statue, sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiles at me for a few lazy seconds before turning on her side and settling into the pillows.
I sit there, frozen, until the sound of her deep breathing tells me she’s asleep. Is my brain playing tricks on me? Did I really hear that?
I always think you’re going to kiss me…but you never do.
Fuck, if she only knew how much I dreamt of it.
From the Stands to the Stats Sheet: Blair Miller Wins It All With One Kick
UPSTATE, N.Y.—The Upstate Cosmos ran out of kickers—and almost out of options—before they ran into Blair Miller.
In what might go down as the most chaotic pregame in NFL history, the Cosmos found themselves down not one, not two, but three kickers in four weeks. The final straw? Their emergency third-string popped an Achilles in warm ups.
According to the Cosmos’ front office, they made some calls to see if anyone had any ideas on how to sign a kicker for the game but they came up empty.
But that’s when long snapper and Super Bowl champ Zack Andersen came in. He suggested something absurd: see if anyone in the crowd could kick an extra point. If they find someone, put them on the roster.
It was supposed to be a wild idea. Probably a gimmick. Something to get fans excited before kickoff. Honestly, it’s the Zack Andersen the Cosmos fans and team know and love.
Then Blair Miller was the last woman standing.
The thirty-year-old former Division I soccer star stepped up and crushed the competition in the impromptu pre-game contest. The fans expected her to win some swag, maybe tickets for a game, but certainly no one expected she’d see the sideline, dressed to play. With the score tied and six seconds left in regulation, the Cosmos punched in a touchdown—and needed one point to win the game.
They called her name. Granted, they did try going for two multiple times and were stuffed by the Kansas City Thunder defense.
One snap, one hold, one kick, and one chance to make history. Miller drilled it.
