Page 42 of Made Better Together

CONNOR: Yeah, Milo’s boyfriend has some event for the Orlando MLS team that he wants to attend.

EDEN: Great, when is it? Maybe we could meet up?

CONNOR: Literally next week. I guess Milo wasn’t planning on including me, but some of the guys I grew up playing with will be there, so he realized it would be good for networking.

EDEN: Next week? I’m leaving for the U23 training camp on Tuesday.

CONNOR: Shit, that’s when I’m flying in. Flying back on a Saturday red-eye.

EDEN: We’ll just miss each other.

CONNOR: Damn.

EDEN: My first Tolliver game is the week after. You won’t be here?

CONNOR: I know, I saw. I’ll be back in LA.

EDEN: We seem to have bad luck managing to be in the same city

CONNOR: Well, soon I’ll be moving there, for good.

CONNOR: What else could possibly happen?

11

CONNOR

THREE WEEKS LATER (LATE AUGUST)

“Thanks for the detour to New York from LA,” Grace says as I duck into the town car to join her. “This is Jeff. He’s been driving me everywhere.”

“Nice to meet you.” The driver nods to me in reply. I suspect Johnson insisted she hire him because Grace wouldn’t normally indulge in such things herself.

We’re here in NYC for two events. The first is the National Athletic Managers Conference. They’ve asked her to be part of a session on athletes-turned-managers.

As Jeff pulls away from the airport, I turn to my sister. “You ready for your panel?”

She clears her throat. “I think so.”

“You’re gonna be great.” I know it might not be the last time I have to offer reassurance. My sister isn’t shy, but she’s also not comfortable being the center of attention. When she invited me in the name of “learning more about what we do,” I knew another likely reason was to have a support system.

I couldn’t say no.

As the second event, the Waves have a preseason away game against New York the day after the conference ends. From our current location in Manhattan, there’s no excuse not to attend, and she really wanted to make a weekend of it.

So instead of officially being back in Orlando this week, I’m in New York.

Another delay in spending time with Eden. Like two comets streaking toward opposite ends of the sky.

On the flip side, the distance has helped us get to know each other better. We’ve continued messaging the last few Saturdays via Instagram; granted, during her U23 camp week, it was abbreviated.

We’re friends now. Peeling off the false filters of our lives, layer by layer, week by week.

But that’s not all I want, and I’m fucking determined—when I’m back in Orlando, I’m taking her out on a date. No more delays.

“We’re staying in the hotel where the conference is,” Grace explains. “It’s nice. Once you’re checked in, I’ll introduce you around. The opening keynote speech is tonight.”

“Great. I’ll let you lead the way.” Not that I have a choice.