Page 22 of Honey Undone
“There’s so many weird terms in Rugby, it’s like a drunk person was in charge of naming them,” I said with a shake of my head. “Like who calls a player ahooker?”
“Kaia is incredibly proud of that term, you should be careful what you say,” Cosy laughed. “Her main job in a scrum is to hook the ball and push it backward to our team.”
“Very literal of the drunk person…” I rolled my eyes. “Do another,” I said to Van who was watching quietly and shoving chips in his mouth. He rubbed his greasy hands on his jeans and held up another card that saidconversion.
“Extra points the team can gain after a try is scored,” I said confidently.
“That’s our boy!” Cosy clapped. “You know it’s really cute that you’re trying for her.”
“It’s nothing.” I dismissed the praise.
“Cosy’s standards for men are in hell so take the compliment, it’s the only one she’ll ever give you,” Van said with a mouth full of chips.
“It’s true,” she agreed with him. “But I see you trying.”
“I’ve never felt so lost with a girl, usually it’s a smile and a wink, a peek of the tattoos and they’re puddy. Adeline just doesn’t give a shit, or at least she’s damn good at hiding it if she does. I flirt my ass off and she’s just better at it.” I slumped down into the chair with a loud sigh of defeat.
“Don’t take it personally,” Cosy said, leaning back on her hands. “Addy has only ever had one dream, playing professional rugby. And the Hillcats are fucking good, but it’s not where she belongs. There are teams popping up all over the states, professional teams that want to push rugby into the forefront of mainstream sports media. Addy belongs on one of those teams. She knows it, we know it. She’s just determined.”
I could understand it. I had always been that kid that just did the thing. No matter what, my parents always supported it and I was kind of just always good at whatever it was. I finished my masters almost a year ago but didn’t want to stop playing ball so I picked up classes that would keep me enrolled at Harbor. Just because I could.
“I get it.”
“You don’t,” Cosy stopped me, “You’re smart though so you can understandthat being determined isn’t a single definition, not to a woman like Addy. It means all her focus is on rugby, all the time. She doesn’t have time for men or games. If you want her attention you have to take it.”
Take it.
Cosy wasn’t saying force her, or blur the lines of consent. She was telling me to stop being a pussy and win the game once and for all.
“Addy is the best of us,” she said to me, her tone serious and hostile, “and if you break her heart, I’ll have Rhea and Kaia break your legs in ways that Silas will never be able to repair.”
Dread filled my chest at her threat but I nodded in understanding before looking at Van for rescue but he was just as scared of his older sister as I was.
“Good, now back to the pop quiz,” she said, pointing to the cards in Van's lap.
Unknown:
Do you take dick as good as you suck it?
Unknown:
How many dates before I can get in your pants?
Unknown:
Are you into threesomes?
I laid in my bed at the Nest staring at the ceiling, deleting all the random messages after we had gotten home from Cosy’s. Every once and a while it was nice to go there for dinner. She was a terrible cook and we always ate out but I enjoyed the change in conversation. If I had gone to my parents, Mom would have grilled me about Adeline again before we fell asleep watching movies. I’d needed a chance. I wanted to be proactive about my intentions with Adeline.
Learning rugby terms was Van’s idea and I had been on board without hesitation which only made me feel more shame because the look on Van’s face said it all.
I was wrapped around Adeline’s finger.
Might as well go all in, I’d never been one for doing something half assed and I wasn’t about to start now.
What are you doing?
Just got home from training.
