Page 5 of Game On

Chapter4

Blaze

Practice over the comingweeks is routine, and Coach finally releases us later with well wishes for a merry Christmas. He also tells us to get the hell out of there because he has plansandexpects us to have a good couple of days off. The team thankfully has a few days to relax until we play a home game the day after Christmas. Unfortunately, I have never been away from my family for so long that I can’t even make a quick flight home to spend some time with them over the holidays, and I am really disappointed about spending the holiday alone. The plan for the small break is to stay at my apartment, eat a microwave dinner, and watch Netflix. My first and only stop is the grocery store, to pick up the necessary supplies for me to be able to make it through this not-so jolly holiday.

As the boredom begins to set in, I wonder if I get my hands on a turkey microwave dinner, if it will give me the sense of a home cooked Christmas meal.

Yeah, probably not. Undoubtedly, there’s not much excitement happening here at all.“Hey, Blaze,” Luca yells at me while he runs across the field.

I turn back toward him, waiting for him to catch up, as I head into the locker room. “What’s up?”

“Do you have plans for these couple of days off?”

“Ha! If you consider Netflix and a frozen boxed dinner plans, then, yes, I have plans.”

“No way in hell are you eating that shit for Christmas lunch. Come home with me, to my parents’.”

The dark-haired beauty, who plays the leading role in my nightly relaxation, immediately comes to mind. Can I be around her, and her family, when all I will be thinking about is the way she kisses and the way I’ve imagined her naked? I would love to see her again and maybe steal another amazing kiss... or more... even though, messing around with my best friend’s little sister is a very bad idea.

“Thanks for the invite. Yes, I would love to come. How about I meet you there? I think I’ll take a train up tomorrow and stay in a hotel overnight. I may even check out Venice’s Christmas Market for my mom’s gift, and if it’s okay, I’ll catch a ride back to Milan with you Christmas night. That way, we’ll be back before the game.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll text you the address and what time to be there for Christmas lunch.”

“Hey, thanks again for the invite. I really appreciate it.” And I mean it, Luca is a great friend.

I spend the evening ordering a first-class train ticket, securing a hotel room online, and packing to be ready to leave on the train first thing in the morning.

My excitement kicks up thinking about the idea of doing something other than eat, sleep, and breathe soccer for a few days.

The next morning’s commute has amazing views as the sun rises over the hills, illuminating the breath-taking countryside. Not knowing the language makes it a little challenging to get around at first, but I’m picking up Italian fairly quickly, and I make it onto the ferry headed to Venice with ease.

The closer I get to Venice though, the more interesting the views. The water is dotted with Santa suits. I don’t really understand what they are doing, but it’s pretty cool to watch boats filled with six Santas synchronize their rowing to gain speed through the water. It’s hypnotizing to watch, even if they are dressed like jolly Saint Nicholas.

At the dock, I get off the ferry and head in the direction my phone’s GPS suggests to find the hotel. There, I check in and run through the map to head out and see as many sights as I can before meeting Luca’s family tomorrow. As I mentioned to Luca before, I’ve heard the Christmas shopping here is wonderful, and I still need to get my mom her last gift and ship it home. I have always tried to get her a little something extra to say thanks for all that she’s ever done for me.

It doesn’t take long to get settled in at the hotel and hit the streets of Venice. I walk toward an area that seems to have lots of little shops with big windows. It’s like an outdoor mall, with thousands of Christmas lights strung from the low roofs between the buildings and across the walkways. I wander, amazed by the sight. Just a couple of stores in, one of the windows catches my eye. The window is filled with Christmas books and lots of porcelain bells painted with different scenes from Venice. My mother would love one of those.

Opening the door to the shop, I hear a bell signal my presence to whomever is manning the store, and I step into the warmth of the small space. I immediately turn to look for the bells in the window display. The store is full of people, and I wait patiently to see all of my options. I finally get a turn and choose one decorated with beautiful buildings, highlighting the landscape of Venice. On the front of the bell, there is also a Santa gondolier driving a couple through the waters of the canals. It would be a great present for my mom. For myself, I also pick up a sci-fi book that catches my eye and begin to read it while I wait in line to check out.

The line is so long that by the time I reach the cash register, I am already deep in the second chapter of the book. A throat clears, and I look up at the cashier, to be welcomed by the brown eyes plaguing my dreams.

Holy fuck! No fucking way!

“Gaia,” I say a little out of breath. Not much oxygen is getting to my head at the moment. “What are you doing here?”

She looks at me with a strange gaze before cocking her head to the side in the sexiest of ways. The movement exposes the neck that I’ve been dreaming of getting my lips on.

“Umm, you walked intomystore,” she says. “What areyoudoing here?”

“Haha, you’re right. Sorry. I’m here to actually have Christmas lunch with your family tomorrow.”

“Did Luca tell you where my shop was?”

“No, this is a total coincidence. I just came down a day early to get my mom an extra gift.” Gaia still eyes me with skepticism, so I continue, “You do have a really neat shop here.” Someone behind me clears a throat, and I glance back and see quite a long line. Knowing I need to hurry, an idea forms. “Hey, what time do you close here tonight?”

“I’m supposed to close in about an hour, but I’ll be here as long as this line keeps coming.”

---