Page 51 of Full Tilt
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
JENNA
“No, but seriously, that punch made it halfway down the pitch!” Darcy rockets her arm forward, almost catching Collins square in the nose. “I was convinced that ball was going straight into the back of your net.” She takes a sip of her cosmo, eyes wide with excitement. “But in the blink of an eye, you cleared itandturned it into the best counterattack move I’ve seen in modern-day soccer.” She shakes her head and takes another sip of her drink. “I mean football.”
With a rare pint of IPA in one hand, I stand, staring at my cute, petite British friend. “Modern-day soccer?”
Darcy just shrugs. “It sounded like I knew what I was talking about, adding that part on.”
From behind, Archer approaches, wrapping his arms around her waist. He sets a kiss on top of her head and gazes around our small group of friends. Every time one of my girlfriends interacts with their man, it’s like a sharp sting of something shoots through my veins. It’s only brief, but it’s there, and it doesn’t get any less painful.
Sometimes, I hate myself for feeling that way. I should be happy for Kendra, Collins, and Darcy as they gather around me, wearing rings that sparkle and reflect the happiness and contentment they’ve found in their lives. But to suppress my own sadness would be unnatural or maybe inhumane. I have feelings and needs myself, and I long for a man to wrap his arms around my waist from behind, even if I’ll never let it show how deep that desire runs.
Kendra nudges me in the shoulder. “What are you thinking about? I feel like you’ve been more absent than present lately.”
Buying myself a second to gather my thoughts, I take a sip of beer. “I’m not sure if I completely agree with that. I just kept a clean sheet, and we’re one win away from the shield.”
“Off the soccer pitch, I mean,” she counters, eyes turning from playful to more concerned. “I feel like if we weren’t a part of the same team, then I wouldn’t see you nearly as much as I’d like.” Kendra turns around and sets her water glass down on the bar behind her. “And that worries me because you’re my best friend. You were there for me when everything went down with my shitty ex and when I moved to this city and had no one.”
A lump forms in my throat as Darcy, Collins, and Archer talk between themselves.
“We’ll never lose touch, Kendra. You’re my number one girl.” I set my glass down beside hers and take my best friend into my arms. “I rarely promise anyone anything, but I’m promising you this now: we’re together forever. You can trust me on that.”
To my surprise, she sniffles into my hair, her breath tickling my neck as she speaks quietly. “I’m pregnant.”
I pull back, my hands braced on her shoulders. “You’re what?” I heard Kendra clearly the first time around. I just want her to say it again because I know how much this means to my friend.
“I’m pregnant,” she says, rosy stains painting her cheeks. “I took a test this morning, and I’m definitely pregnant.”
My eyes rove the bar for her husband and find him staring straight at his wife from across the room, a broad smile spread across his face.
“Does he know?” I ask, turning back to Kendra.
She shakes her head. “No. With our match this morning and then the hockey game straight afterward, we’ve barely had time to talk. I took a pee test because my period hadn’t started straightaway, and I’m ordinarily like clockwork. Jack had already left for the rink.”
I’m practically vibrating on her behalf. “I bet you can’t wait to get home and tell him.”
Her smile widens. “We’re going to have a July baby! Only …” She trails off and looks down to the floor. “That puts my due date right in the middle of the season. Not ideal, I know.”
With my finger under her chin, I tip Kendra’s face up to look at me. “Having this baby is the most important moment in your life. I know how much you have both wanted this, and soccer can wait. The team can wait.”
Kendra’s eyes shine beneath the bar lighting. “I’m so fucking happy, but I’m going to keep it quiet until I get a chance to tell Jack. Then we’ll decide when we want to break the news.”
I nod and pull my friend back into a hug.
“What did Coach want to see you about after the game?” she asks, picking her water glass back up and taking a sip.
I tap the side of my nose and wink. The way I want to spill my secret to Kendra because she will undoubtedly go crazy on my behalf, even if I know that I have to keep quiet for now. The entire team was aware that Hollie Browne would be stepping down from her role as captain at the end of this season since she’s reaching the twilight of her career. What I never expectedwas to be called up to take her place. It’s a dream come true, along with a bump in salary that I desperately need.
“I can’t actually tell you right now,” I reply on a wince.
Like a child, Kendra drops her shoulders. “For real?” she whines.
I offer her another wink, hoping that will satisfy her. “The whole team will find out soon enough.”
Silence falls between us as Kendra stands there, studying my face for clues.
“Aside from both the Blades and the Storm winning today, do you know what’s taken tonight from an eight to a full ten out of ten?” Collins breaks the silence, flicking her mid-length pink hair to the side.
