Page 13 of Merry Mischief List

“I asked if you’re gonna block Olivia.”

Did I tell him about the list?

Or only about Olivia?

“How did you? Why would? That’s—” I stutter as I readjust myself in the seat while he stares at me in amusement. “You know what? New rule. No more talking. This is a silent Uber.”

“A silent Uber?”

“Yeah, you know? With Uber, if you don’t wanna talk to the driver, you can choose the ‘silent’ ride. And they leave you the hell alone. And definitely don’t ask questions about your ex.”

“Oh,nowyou don't want to talk about exes? Is that exclusively a sangria subject?”

“Silent. Uber,” I repeat, desperate to end this conversation. Porter apparently follows directions well as a quietness falls over the cab of the vehicle. I fight every intrusive thought begging me to fill the silence and turn up the radio instead.

A few minutes later—minutes that felt like hours—we pull up to the curb of my dorm at CBU. “Thanks for the ride,” I say, hopping out of the vehicle. He follows my lead, meeting me at the back of the Range Rover, and opens the trunk to retrieve my bag. “And thanks for doing your professional duty of making sure I didn’t sleep on the airport floor last night.”

“Welcome,” he says, folding those damn muscular arms over his chest. Like he knows it makes him look intimidating and sexy as all hell.Arrogant prick.“Bye, Andi.”

“Bye, Coach.”

6

PORTER

Rubbing my eyes, I see the tape of our last game come back into focus. I’ve spent the last five hours trying to analyze how to improve our chances of winning the bowl game on New Year’s Eve. We’ve got a talented group of players this year and have won most of our games, but the competitive spirit in me wants to win them all. That’s the only way we’ll ever be able to make it to a national championship. Which is pretty much the career goal for a college coach. If you can win a championship,maybeyou’ll get moved up to coach professional someday. And much like the guys I’m coaching, there’s not much I wouldn’t give to be back on an NFL field come game day.Even if it’s as a coach instead of a player.

After watching the same clip eight times and being unable to focus, I call it a day. I’m not even supposed to be working, but I needed a distraction when Andi blasted off faster than Max Verstappen.

There was something uncomfortably normal about having her in my space. For the first time since my accident, an interruption to my routine felt welcome rather than feared.A bit ironic considering the reason for it.

I unfold the small list she dropped at my house this morning and examine it for the twentieth time today.

Block Olivia

Blow Santa

Elf lick whipped cream off tits

A smile breaks free as I put it back in my pocket and leave my office. With everyone on vacation, the practice building is empty and eerily quiet.

Leave it to the workaholic to be the only one here.

I exit the vacant building into the sunshine and warm Florida air. A pleasant reminder I won’t have to spend the next week in the cold, arctic tundra of New Jersey. Unlike Andi, I’d much rather have sunshine than snowflakes for Christmas.

Hopping in my Range Rover, I start a podcast before pulling out of the staff lot. I force myself to fully focus on the work/life balance episode, a topic especially targeted at people like me who struggle to maintain boundaries around the holidays.

“It’s important to allow yourself time to decompress from the hard work you have completed this past year. With the new year will come new beginnings, new opportunities for growth, new ideas for how to efficiently run your business and hold a clear mind. If you don’t give yourself time away from your tasks, you will be unable to see them in a new light.”

Hard to step away from your job when there’re hundreds of players and staff who contribute to the season, along with tens of thousands of adoring fans, relying on you.

“Don’t see the holiday festivities as distractions, but rather a break that will allow you to come back refreshed with a new perspective. It is imperative—”

A flash of something comes into the road a few yards ahead, and I slam on the brakes. Whatever, or whoever, it was must have been bumped by the car and be on the ground considering I no longer see them.

“Shit,” I mutter to myself, jumping out to round the front. “Are you o—” I pause in my tracks, looking down at furious and familiar amber eyes.

“Did you seriously just hit me with your car?” Andi snaps, glaring up at me.

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