Page 225 of Steeling Her
I did a hard workout and followed Carter’s exercises at my own pace and seeing her only pushed me to get her to notice me. She couldn’t see me; I was behind her in another room, but I kept starting out the window to the main gym while I was practicing in what they call the therapy gym, the one where the physical therapists work with the players. It’s a section where the players can do their own thing, which is what I did.
I could see her in her suit, looking very professional, as well as the recruitment team. I had no idea she applied for the position or that they were taking in more therapists. It would be ideal for her to be on the team; it means I’ll be closer to her when I’m at work.
“Nick!” I see a hand waving in my face to get my attention back. TJ stares at me and waits for an answer.
“Yeah?” I ask.
“You want brown or white tortillas?” he asks, silently quizzing me on where I was for the last few seconds.
“White, easier to wrap,” I mutter as I take a large mouthful of my beverage sitting coolly in my hand.
“Alright, I have both in case you change your mind.” Haley returns with two plates of tortilla wraps in each hand and sets them down on the table in front of us before taking her designated seat next to her fiancé.
I’ll never get used to that.
“Thanks,” we both say as we reach for the tortilla we want to start preparing our meal one at a time. Filling our wraps up one by one leads to clear plates with little to no residue leftover. They were delicious. My sister has my mom’s gift of cooking, but not the baking. She could never make the chocolate cake like my mom and she knows it. It’s my mom’s speciality.
“You full?” She chuckles, staring down at us and watching TJ rub his stomach with so much satisfaction.
“The best kind of full. I could go to sleep right now.” He kisses her as thanks before getting up and cleaning the plates off the table. I help him out but then get cut off by the sound of the doorbell chiming. TJ looks at me for a moment and begins to walk towards the door with his hands full of dirty dishes.
“I’ll get it, you go ahead and set the dishes down in the washer,” I instruct him as he had taken a little more than he can handle. Haley would divorce him before they even got hitched if he drops her dishes on her tiled floor.
“Thanks. If it’s a Jehovah’s Witness, tell them we’re not interested,” he says over his shoulder as I continue my way towards the frail framed figure standing on the other side of the door with frosted glass windows.
As I near closer to the entrance, I’m beginning to recognize her outline. I know who is waiting for me on the other side. I swing the door open and smile warmly at her, as does she. “Hi, Mrs. Steel,” I greet Elaine Steel, Carter’s mother.
“Hi, Nick. How are you?” she asks.
“I’m good, come in.” I usher her inside and shut the door behind her. “Is everything okay?” I ask her, wondering why she has come to Haley and TJ’s home for the night.
“I remembered you telling me that you were staying here until you find a place of your own.” She smiles, one that reaches her eyes. It’s a genuine smile, which is rare coming from her.
“Yeah, I haven’t found the right one yet.” I rub the back of my neck, anxiously waiting for her to answer my question. There is no reason for her to be here unless something was wrong.What if it’s Carter?I think to myself. “I’ve been looking around, but nothing has really caught my eye yet,” I confess, only for her to smile with a small glimmer in her eye.
“You’ll know when you’ve found the right one. It’ll feel like it’s been your home from the beginning.” She smiles tightly. “But everything is fine. She’s fine,” she tells me, reading me like a book. “Well, she’s been keeping to herself lately.” I follow her down towards the kitchen where TJ is. Elaine is walking through Haley’s house as if she knows where she’s going. We can hear TJ putting the dishes in the dishwasher. “Such a beautiful home,” she admires the walls filled with paintings and photographs.
“Hi, Mrs Steel?” That was more of a question than a greeting from TJ.
“Hi, TJ! Hi, Haley!” she greets my sister loudly who comes pacing around the corner.
“Hey, is everything okay?” She’s worried about something, just like me.
“Everything is fine. You kids shouldn’t worry so much.” She chuckles and waves her hand to remove the uneasy look we’re all wearing.
“Does Mr. Steel know you’re here?” TJ chuckles with her.
“No, so don’t you dare rat me out.” She winks playfully at him. “I just came here for a chat.” She turns around to face me. It looks like it’s my time.
I can remember Rodger Steel’s words like it was yesterday. “Piss off my wife and you’ll know all about it.”
Fuck.
Please don’t tell me I’ve pissed this woman off.
“Is there somewhere we can go?” she asks and I nod hesitantly. “You don’t need to look so scared, Nick.” She takes my arm and laughs at how nervous I am.
“We can go into the study room,” I say, finally agreeing to this talk. I thought I would have to speak to Rodger. I was planning on what I need to say to get him to think about where I was coming from, to get him to understand that I was young and I never meant to hurt her, but I guess seeing as her mom is here instead, I have to switch my game.
