Zev: Dang.
Callum: Ditto.
Me: Answers and ideas would be helpful.
Me: I could ref…
Roman: You’d hate that.
Zev: Stand on the sidelines? That isn’t you, Lucca.
Callum: Sorry, man. I agree. You aren’t an official.
They know me—and they’re just confirming what I’ve already told myself.
Roman: There’s always the major league.
Callum: That isn’t exactly in our control. If we could just sign with a big club, we’d all have done so by now.
Me: I could go back to school.
To do what? I don’t know yet. But it’s an option.
Roman: Hold up. Are you insane? You’d actually quit? This job is your life. Your love. Your passion.
Zev: Maybe he’s founda new passion.
Zev: I say that with the disclosure that I don’t want you to quit, nor do I think you should. That’s a huge decision—one that can’t be erased. You need to examine your feelings carefully. As well as hers.
Roman: Is she worth this?
Roman: And to be clear, I’m not saying she isn’t. I like Maggie. And I’d make a major choice like this for Stella. But Lucca, you’ve never been one for a committed, monogamous relationship.
Me: I know that.
Callum: And?
Me: And I would agree with that—with every woman in the world, except Maggie.
Nanners has founda home on my left shoulder. I don’t mind one bit—I think she’s going to be my good luck charm for my next conversation. And if I’ve ever wanted luck, charm, and heavenly help, it’s now.
Me: What if I went back to school?
Maggie: I didn’t know you wanted to go back to school. What would you study?
Me: Lots of things.
Maggie: Sure. Do it. It would be difficult. But you could manage soccer and school. Are you thinking of online classes?
Me: No, school INSTEAD of soccer.
Me: And then, we could be together. No more not-dating Maggie and Lucca. We could be dating Maggie and Lucca.
And then my phone is ringing. I answer the FaceTime call to Maggie’s pretty brown eyes glaring back at me. “Are you freaking kidding me?” There is a scowling frown on those pretty pink lips of hers.
I lower my brow. “So, you don’t think school is a good idea?”
“Quit soccer?” Her jaw clenches. “You cannot be serious.”
