Page 38 of Personal Foul

It was the start of existing in a bubble. Train harder. Play faster. Do better. He and the others awoke at about six a.m., tired and sore from the day before. Scarfing down a healthy breakfast before heading over to the gym for an hour of weightlifting, which felt more torturous as each day passed. Then meetings. Lots and lots of team meetings, followed by watching footage of the day before. After that, even more meetings, this time on offensive and defensive strategies, and although his position was offensive, it was good to learn how the defense of the other team might move.

The practice of the day was more for mental preparation. Walking through plays, discussing what was covered in the earlier meetings. Lunch offered a little downtime, when he would text Romilly and go over the pictures of houses she sent, giving his opinion.

“Hey, you,” Crew said, sitting down next to him.

“Hey,” Kaiden said.

“What‘cha looking at?”

“Romilly is house hunting for me. Your friend is helping her.”

Crew’s eyebrows went up. “You’re moving in together?”

“No, unfortunately,” he replied. “I have a feeling I have to whittle down her hesitancy.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t have to whittle too hard. The girl watches you with lovesick eyes.”

That pleased Kaiden immensely, and allowed a little shiver of guilt to escape the vault he’d placed it in.

“What’s wrong?”

Kaiden glanced at him. “Nothing but bruises. Why?”

“You had an odd expression on your face.”

Kaiden paused, wondering if he should tell Crew. Would that assuage the feeling of remorse? Or would that just open a floodgate he wouldn’t be able to rebrick behind the wall? It was best to probably forget that all together. Just let it die a quick death.

Just then, his cell phone rang and the name of the last person he ever thought to call him flashed on the screen.

“Shit,” he muttered. “Excuse me.”

He rose from the table and hurried away, trying to get a little privacy to talk.

“What do you want, Lareece?”

“Aw, is that any way to talk to the love of your life?”

He let out a snort of derision. “You arenotthe love of my life.”

“Hm,” she said with a huff. “I saw you with that frumpy little nothing in St. Louis. Really scraping the bottom of a barrel with that one.”

“Leave her out of this,” he warned. “She’s nothing.”

“Oh? Does lover girl know that?”

“Stop. You broke up with me, remember?”

“I broke up with you because you lost your NFL career.”

“I didn’t lose it, Lareece. Stop making shit up and tell me what you want.”

She was silent for a moment. “What is she to you?”

“She’s none of your business.”

“Well, I was wondering because rumor has it, you’d do anything to salvage your career. Even hide behind someone.”

Fear made his stomach clench. “Who’s saying that?”

---