Page 8 of Sideline Sweetheart
“How can you be sure?” Mom asks.
“When I asked her out, she turned me down.”
Dad questions me this time. “And turning you down is a good thing?”
I chuckle into the phone. “Yeah, Dad. It means she’s not going to fall at my feet because of who I am, she’s going to make me work for it.”
The silence on the other side of the line tells me my parents are communicating amongst themselves.
Finally, after what feels like an hour, Mom speaks. “We’d love to hear all about her.”
My shoulders relax and I fall back into the sofa as I begin to tell my parents about our new team doctor, Mackenzie Flynn.
The first week,I decided to take it easy on Mackenzie. When I saw her at practice, I kept my distance, only tossing her a wink and a smile. I knew it shouldn’t, but each time she blushed and dipped her head to avoid my eyes it felt like a victory.
The next week, I up my game sending a simple text of either good morning or goodnight. She still doesn’t respond, but I gain satisfaction knowing she reads them and thinking maybe she smiles knowing someone is thinking about her.
Thursday, after a particular brutal practice, my text changed.
Thanks for taking care of me today. It’s been a while since I’ve dislocated anything.
You’re welcome. It’s been a while since I had to pop a joint back in place. I’d forgotten how satisfying it could be.
I chuckle as I reply.
I bet it was
So, you enjoy bringing grown men to their knees?
Three dots appear and disappear several times before her response pops up on my screen.
Only when necessary.
Duley noted. Goodnight, Mackenzie.
Goodnight, Bryce.
Call me hopeful, but I feel something shift between us as I read her final text of the night. Like me, I was willing to bet she had been hurt in the past by someone who claimed to love her. While she was trying to stay professional, she was also guarded, and I couldn’t fault her for being protective of her heart. Havingyour heart broken sucks. Thanks to the media, public perception of professional athletes was skewed to make them believe there were very few of us who wanted anything long term. And while there were some who jumped from one relationship to another or had a “girl in every port,” so to speak, there were also those of us who wanted the white picket fence, and two-point-five kids and a dog. With each passing year, I was falling farther into the latter category. And something deep inside told me Mackenzie Flynn, might be falling into the same category as well.
Chapter Six
Mackenzie
I finish eatingand begin scrolling through my phone. Since Bryce extended his dinner invitation almost a month ago, we have been texting daily. At least once a week he asks me out and each time I decline. I’m reading a particularly entertaining exchange when my phone rings and I see my mom’s name on the screen. I swipe to answer the call before putting my phone to my ear. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetheart. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“Not at all, I was just finishing up lunch.”
“Lunch? At three o’clock?” She giggles through the phone. “Your father and I would skip lunch and have an early dinner.”
“After the way today has gone, I probably will too. A hot shower, and bed sounds much better than anything else at the moment.”
“You do sound tired, so I hope you get to relax tonight,” she says making me smile.
I can always count on mom to be my biggest cheerleader. It doesn't matter if I’m attending medical school, applying for a job, or taking a nap, she wants what’s best for me.
“Thanks, Mom. How is Dad doing?”
