Page 15 of Fumbled Love

I knew from personal experience that Della was hard to please. So, her comment didn’t surprise me.

“Let me guess, he wanted more.”

Della was beautiful and confident and attracted a lot of attention. She’d dated her fair share over the years but was known for not keeping anyone around for too long.

“Ending it was better for both of us. You know firsthand how high maintenance I can be.” She chuckled, trying to play it off.

“I hate to admit it, but you’re right.” She smacked my arm playfully. “But don’t worry, when the right guy comes along, you won’t be able to stay away from him.”

“Since when are you an expert on relationships?” Her tone grew defensive like it always did when I brought up her lack of commitment issues. “It’s not like you’re out there trying to hunt down a wife. I’m the closest you’ll ever get and the only relationship you ever had.”

“Della, I never said I didn’t want to settle down at some point. I just haven’t had the time or met the right one yet.”

I had a feeling that once I did find that woman, my friend would have a hard time accepting it. She didn’t like sharing the spotlight.

She narrowed her eyes over the rim of her glass. “Your focus has always been on football, Maverick.” She took a sip of her drink and made a sour face. “Besides, you’re too picky, that’s why I’ve been the only woman in your life for the past decade. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

She had a point. Over the years, I’ve grown very selective about whom I spent time with and who shared my bed. Being the team captain came with a lot of responsibilities, and everything I did was a reflection on my team and the franchise. One picture with a catchy headline could be devastating. I’ve seen how bad decisions can damage and destroy careers. So I did my best to stay out of the tabloids.

“Mav, you came, dude.” Morris came up and patted me on the shoulder.

“Where the fuck have you been?”

His smile was wide. “On the dance floor where all the action is.” He jerked his hips playfully. “JP is still down there busting a few moves. My old ass can’t keep up with him. I need a drink.” He wiped his hand across his sweaty forehead.

“I’ll join you.” I stood up and glanced at Della. “You need anything at the bar?”

She looked disappointed that I was leaving her alone. “I’m good.” She hurried out of the booth. “I’ll go find someone to hang out with now that you’re leaving me behind.”

Morris shook his head, and I cleared my throat uncomfortably. Della rubbed people the wrong way and wasn’t loved by everyone. Usually, I’d make an excuse for her behavior, but I didn’t feel like defending her tonight.

“Let’s go get you a drink.” I pointed to the bar. Morris looked like he wanted to say something but gave me a hard pat on the back instead and followed me across the room.

The club was packed tonight. There was a private party in the back room, so the servers were stretched to their limits. I placed an order at the bar and turned to face Morris, who was typing on his phone. “Sorry, bro.” He slipped his phone into his pants pocket. “That was Dwayne.” Dwayne Poteete was our offensive coordinator and one of the few people I regularly butted heads with on the team. While standing on the sidelines, I’ve watched how well he worked with my backup, Brent Wilson. Brent allowed him to run plays where I liked to call them on my own.

“I’m surprised he isn’t out celebrating tonight.”

Morris’s eyes filled with sympathy. “Wilson is good, but he still has a lot to prove.”

“Well, he sure fucking proved that he can get the job done.” I knew my mood was shitty and acting irrational, but I was worried about keeping my job.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, bro. You are the one who is going to be in the Hall of Fame. Wilson is starting to think he’s God’s gift to football; he still has a long way to go. You have been in the league long enough to know what happens with the rookies with a God complex.”

“I know.” I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was listening. I needed to snap out of this funk before the wrong people started to pick up on it. “I’m just a little bitter. I want to hang in there as long as I can without worrying about boy wonder stealing my job. I’ll feel better once I’m back on the field.”

“Mav, we all know this is just temporary and we can’t play forever. Yeah, his performance is good right now, but he hasn’t learned everything from the school of hard knocks like you and me. You’re still our QB1. You’ve got to focus on getting better, dude, and stop driving yourself crazy. Your time ain’t up until you say it’s up.” He leaned forward, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Wilson might have a bright future ahead of him, but he’s not ready to lead the team like you can.”

“You’d think after all these years I’d be a little less paranoid, huh?” I muttered.

“Nah.” He patted my chest. “It’s that fire in you that makes you a warrior on the field. It’s what earned you those three Super Bowl rings. Besides,” he took a sip of his drink, “Coach has a hard-on for you. Pretty sure you could fuck his wife and he’d still thank you for doing his job.”

We both laughed. I was lucky to have a coach who not only believed in me but built an entire team around me.

A head of long blond hair caught my attention. My eyes bugged out of my head. Could it be her? When the woman turned, giving me a clear view of her face, I quickly realized it was most definitely not her.

Morris snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “Mav. Did you hear me?”

“Sorry,” I apologized, giving my head a quick shake. “I thought I recognized someone.”

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