Chapter Eleven
“This is good,” Brian says to the waitress as she sits us in a booth near the windows.
“This is nice.” I smile as I look around. It’s probably the fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been to while I’ve been here. Not that I’ve been to many regular restaurants at all while I’ve been here. Or dates for that matter.
“I’m glad you like it. I hear the lasagna is great.”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
Brian smiles. “Do you drink wine?”
“Not particularly, but I’ll have some if you’re having some.”
“I was thinking we could order a bottle.” He looks at the wine list.
“That’s very . . . grown-up. I’m down to share a bottle.”
“It does feel very grown-up, doesn’t it?” He chuckles. “My mom likes dry red wines, so she kind of put me onto those.”
“That’s cute, so you drink wine with your mom?”
“When I’m home I do.” He glances up at me. “She was the one who told me about this place. UNC is my parents’ alma matter, so they drive over whenever there’s a big game.”
“Drive over from where?”
“Wilmington.”
“Is that home for you then?”
“Yep.” He smiles wide. “I’m a Carolina boy through and through.”
“I can see that.” I smile back. “What do your parents do?”
“They’re both chiropractors and have their own practice.”
“That’s very cool. My parents are nurses.”
“That’s awesome. I guess our parents chose careers that’ll never go out of business.”
“Yep. What are you planning on doing after you graduate?”
“Become a chiropractor.” Brian chuckles. “I have four more years of school ahead of me. What about you?”
“I’m going to play in the National Women’s Soccer League.”
“Really?” He raises an eyebrow and looks at the waitress when she comes by to ask for our drink order. He orders wine for us and we put in our food order since we both know we’re getting the lasagna. When she walks away, he looks at me again. “So, professional soccer.”
“It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted. I figure if it doesn’t work out for me, I can always go to nursing school and follow in my parents’ footsteps, but I won’t be able to try out for teams in ten years.”
“I’m sure you would be able to.” He frowns.
“I mean, sure, you have Pearce and Formiga who both competed in their forties, but it’s not the same. You play hockey, you know how it is. You give your life to a sport and your body starts to slow down at some point.”
“You make a good point.”
We continue talking about our plans for the future and find that we have a lot in common. After dinner, I’m feeling full, a little buzzed, and grateful when Brian pays for dinner, so when he asks me if I want to keep the night going and go to a bar where his friends are hanging out, I immediately agree. The bar is only a block down from the restaurant, on Franklin Street, so we decide to walk over there, pushing through the now crowded sidewalks. When we get to the bar, we hand over our IDs for the bouncer to check and Brian makes small talk with him as we walk inside.
“I take it you come here often,” I say over the loud music.
“Every weekend.” He smiles, nodding toward the back of the bar. “The guys are over there. Can I get you anything?”
“Just water.”
“Water?” He blinks at me. “On a Friday night?”
“I have to be up early for training, so yeah.” I smile sheepishly.
“Ah, I didn’t know you had practice tomorrow. We could’ve rescheduled this for tomorrow night.”
“No biggie. I kind of train every morning, so it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“Seven days a week?” He gawks at me. “I guess this is why you’re going pro and I’m not.”
I laugh as we reach the bar and he leans against it. I look over at the group of guys he pointed at earlier and notice they’ve taken over two booths and the standing room near the bar. That’s when I spot Maverick and my stomach does a little flip. He hasn’t seen me. He can’t, with the way his tongue is down the girl on his lap’s throat. I don’t miss the way his hand grazes over her chest, or the way she has a knee pressed up against his jeans, where he’s surely hiding a hard-on. The scene does something to me. I’m suddenly hot and cold at the same time. Angry and turned on. This is my best friend, for goodness’ sake. I really don’t want to feel this way around him or about him. I excuse myself and head straight to the back of the bar, in search of a bathroom. Once inside, I shut myself in a stall and press my back against the door, closing my eyes, willing my body to stop reacting to what I saw out there. Maybe I should leave. Maybe I should call it a night right this second, call Leyla or Ashley or Rea, or any one of my teammates to ask them if they’d let me crash at their place. I decide to go that route and take out my phone to text Leyla and Ashley first. They’re roommates, so surely one of them will answer quickly.
Once that’s settled, I exit the bathroom and rejoin Brian. He smiles when he sees me, then stops smiling when he takes a good look at my face.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t feel so well,” I say quietly in his ear.
It’s not a total lie. I don’t feel well being here. I chance a glance in Maverick’s direction and see that even though he’s still firmly grabbing onto the girl’s ass, he’s no longer making out with her. With the way he’s looking at her, like she’s the only person worthy of his attention, it doesn’t matter. My heart feels like it’s being stabbed repeatedly at the sight of it either way.
“You want me to take you home?”
“No, it’s okay. You should stay. You just got a drink and your friends are here.”
“You sure?” His brows pull together slightly and I can tell if I ask him to accompany me, he would.
“Positive.” I plaster the biggest smile on my face.
After a quick hug, I leave the bar and step into the Uber waiting for me outside. I could walk the few blocks home, but I’d never hear the end of it, not from my parents or Maverick. The driver and I small talk during the four minutes it takes for her to drop me off at the front of my house. I was going to Ashley and Layla’s, but changed my mind at the last minute. Once inside, I shut the door and take a breather. It’s quiet in here, the way it often is on weekends. I’m pulling my pajamas over my head when I hear my phone buzz and walk over to see a text from Mav.
Mav: Where are you?
I frown, and shoot back, Home. Why?
Mav: I just saw Brian and he said you left. Why didn’t you let him take you home? Did you walk?
Me: I Ubered. I was fine.
Mav: You should’ve told me. I would’ve gone with you.
I sigh heavily and plop down on the bed as I type, You were busy.
Mav: ???
Me: You had your tongue down that girl’s throat.