Page 91 of Most Likely to Score
Jillian shrugs. “I think they’re happy because you walked and you lifted me, even though ten minutes ago you were wincing in pain.”
I look down at my knee. “Holy shit. It doesn’t hurt anymore. She’s a miracle worker.”
The doctor laughs, then clears his throat. “Be that as it may, we still need X-rays.”
“Listen to the doctor, Jones,” Jillian says. “Go.”
“Don’t leave?”
She crosses her arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Thirty minutes later, Dr. Miller studies the X-ray film and makes his declaration. “You’re one of the lucky ones. Sometimes you fall and you fracture your tibial plateau. Sometimes you tear your ACL, and sometimes it hurts like hell when you get clobbered and it turns out to be nothing.”
“This is nothing?”
He nods. “This is nothing. Right now, I see no reason why you can’t play next weekend. But come back tomorrow to check in, and you know the drill for tonight – ibuprofen and ice if you need it.”
As I leave with Ford and Jillian, I tell my agent once more, “I’m not having a secret relationship with this woman any longer. I’m having a relationship that’s out in the great wide open, and that’s exactly where I want to be with her. We need to tell Liam.”
“Tell him yourself. He’s chatting with your parents.”
We find them on the field, and my mom clasps me in a big hug, reaching up to circle her arms around me. “They told us you were going to be fine. Thank God.” Her voice is laced with the relief that I suppose only a mom can ever feel this deeply. Liam takes a few steps away, giving us space.
“I’m great, Mom. I’m all good.”
We separate, and she pats my chest. “You be careful.” Her blue eyes are fierce and full of love.
“Mom, I want you to meet someone.” I squeeze Jillian’s arm, and she smiles at my mom. “This is Jillian Moore. She works for the team. She’s my girlfriend. Can she come over for dinner sometime?”
My mom freezes for a moment, then turns to Jillianand shakes her hand. “You’re welcome anytime, sweetheart.”
“So great to meet you. And thank you, Mrs. Beckett. I’m looking forward to it.”
My mom swivels her attention to me, wagging a finger. “And thanks for telling me you had a girlfriend.”
I shrug happily. “Everyone is kind of finding out at the same time. But I’ve wanted to introduce her to you for a long time.”
“Good. Now, let’s have you meet his father,” my mom says to Jillian then takes her to meet my dad.
Ford brings Liam to my side, and my agent’s voice is deep and firm. “I believe you gentlemen have some things to chat about, and I’m happy to help.”
“Thanks. I can take it from here,” I tell him, since this is my job—to man up. Like my dad taught me—success on the field is about talent and effort, but also luck. This is the effort part.
I look at Liam and waste no time. “I’m dating Jillian. I love her. And if that causes a problem with the contract, I’m sorry. Please know I enjoyed working with you. But I love this woman.”
Liam blinks, surprise registering in his eyes. He’s quiet at first, scratching his jaw, swinging his gaze down the field. He takes a breath then turns his attention back to me. He hooks his thumb over his shoulder. “I met your parents.”
“Good to hear,” I say, not sure why he’s mentioning what I already know.
“They’re good people.”
I smile. “They are.”
“Your mom couldn’t stop talking about how worried she was about you, but how she knew you were going to be okay.”
“Yeah?”
Liam nods. “She said she watched the replay over and over. Said it was like a fall you took in high school, but you walked that off, too.”
