Page 105 of Against the Clock

“Not yet,” Daniel tells him, then winks at me. “Alright,” he continues before I have a chance to respond. “Here’s how this is going to go.”

The whole time he’s explaining defense-defense-offense to the group, I’m barely listening.

Not yet.

Not yet.

CHAPTER 40

DANIEL

The next few weeks slide by in a blur of pain and texts to Kelsey. I don’t get nearly as much time to see her as I would like, between her work schedule and practice and away games.

Every day, practice feels harder. My motivation is slipping, the pain in my shoulder worse. Every day, Dale looks at me like a fucking vulture ready to pick the meat from my bones.

Every day, I pop the ibuprofen they give me and strap an icepack to my back as soon as I’m home. Game day, they’ll shoot me up full of pain killers and I’ll be okay.

I’ll make it work. Coach is counting on me.

My phone vibrates against the locker and I pull it out to see a message from Kelsey that takes the bite off the pain.

I miss you

Miss you more. Sorry we haven’t been able to meet up this week

Me too

It’s not your fault, either. My schedule is awful right now too

How’s the piece coming

Good. Really good. I think it’s going to piss your bosses off

That’s great

I roll my shoulder, pain radiating all the way down my back, down to my fucking hip. You’d think I’d be used to it now, the relentless aches. I don’t think the human body ever gets used to the kind of beating we take, day after day, month after month, year after year.

How’s your dad?

Kelsey’s dad’s been on my mind a lot lately. I looked him up after she told me who he was, and the whole story is sickening.

And as much as I loved working with the kids on the field two weekends ago, I hate that injury and pain might be in their future, too.

He’s okay. Why do you ask?

Just been thinking about him. About you, too

You ready for the Beaver Ball

You ready to read my speech at the Beaver Ball?

Absolutely fucking not

But I’m a man of my word

I know. That’s one of the things I love about you

My heart feels like it fucking grows in my chest, inflating with hope and that gold shimmer of love I’ve felt for Kelsey since my first date with her. The woman has me wrapped around her little finger, and I’ve never wanted to get wrapped tighter.

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