Page 13 of Kick Out of It

Nora

Were you going to tell me?

I’m sorry it came out this way.

No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed you’d tell me.

It’s not like that, I promise. I’m meeting a mate for a drink. Are you free later so I can explain?

I can see if my sister can watch Leo for a few hours. Let me know what time and where to meet you, and I’ll try to make it work.

I can come to you?

I have to finish up with Murphy and the coach debriefs. I’ll talk to you in a bit and we’ll figure it out.

An unexpected growl settles in my chest at seeing Keith’s name. I love him like a brother, and I don’t want to fight over Nora, especially with their history. Jealousy isn’t something I experience often, yet here I am, wishing they had never been together so I could have her for myself.

The expression ‘drinking under the table’always made me chuckle. Not as much as I am right now, watching Keith struggle to sit in his seat. He’s fallen over twice in the past twenty minutes, bringing a visual to the phrase that I won’t likely forget any time soon.

“Let’s get you home,” I laugh, standing and circling the small table to help him up.

Over the past few hours, he’s shared about how after finding out Nora is single, he intended to reach out. Poor arsehole is tooscared to even email her. I can’t fault him. Not only is Nora’s fucking stunning—crystal blue eyes, rich dark auburn hair, and legs for days—she’s an ambitious woman who puts her career and her son above all else. Who wouldn’t want her?

Keith doesn’t stand a chance with the goddess. Between how they broke up and his aversion to parenting, she’d be an idiot to date him again.

Once I get the drunk bastard a taxi home, I grab my own to get back to my flat. Not bothering to unpack my bag with warmups from earlier today, I take a quick shower and sit on the side of my bed. My muscles are sore, and I relish the dull ache. I missed my long, hot shower and massage after the match; I’m paying for it now.

Before texting Nora, I pull up my social media app, and my thumb hovers over the small search icon. Unable to help myself, I click and type in her name. The fourth result is her personal account—we’ve been talking on her professional page this past year—and again my thumb hovers for a beat before tapping it.

Like every other time I’ve checked, it’s set to private, so I can’t internet stalk her as I’d hoped. I’m about to close out of my app when a text notification vibrates my phone and I accidently click ‘follow.’

Eejit!

The only thing stranger than following Nora would be to unfollow her. There’s a chance I could get lucky and she doesn’t check it often. I click out of the app, tapping on the new text from Lucas.

Lucas

Got a minute, mate?

Is it about the match?

No, you know you played for shit.

I need your help with something.

Sure. Can I call you when I’m up tomorrow?

Yeah nah yeah.

With him being in Australia, the time difference is nearly half a day. By the time I wake up, he will have sorted out what’s happening and give me a recap. I’m sure it’s about a fella he’s been interested in.

Dancing bubbles appear and disappear. After a minute, I assume he’s overthinking something and once he works it out, he’ll share. Opening my social media app again, there are already dozens of new notifications liking my recent posts, over a hundred comments from fans about the press conference, and ten new followers. My eyes zero in on one new follow in particular: Nora Knightly. I can’t help my stupid smile.

There’s no harm in pursuing my friend’s ex-girlfriend.

All right, there’ssomeharm.

I left things a little awkward today, and I still want to see her. I switch over to our text thread and begin to type “Hi, beautiful,” but quickly hit the back button.Too unoriginal. “How is Leo?”Too personal. After typing and deleting several times, dancing bubbles pop up at the bottom of the screen.

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