Page 35 of Your Play to Call
“Well, if you brought snacks. Come on in.” She holds the door open for me. Her mood is hard to read.
Immediately, I’m surprised by how open everything feels. Vaulted ceilings, open floor plan, lots of space. My apartment isn’t small, by any means, but I love the way it feels in here.
“You’re going to need to tell me the story behind this place.” Before I finish my thought, I don’t want to let her know that I may or may notknow where her typical New York spots are to stay, and this one is never mentioned. I swear, I’m not a creep. I just know things.
“Sure, it’s a good one.” She takes the bag and walks into the kitchen, setting it on the island. “Can I get you something to drink?” Willow opens a white cabinet and grabs a glass. “I have peppermint iced tea… does that sound good?”
“Sounds great.” She gives me a small smile as she pours me a glass. I hate how we’re moving around each other like we’re just friends.
I take a drink, and it’s so refreshing. I make a mental note to start putting this in my fridge at home.
“I owe you an apology,” I say, after almost drinking the entire glass, jumping right in.
“I’m listening,” she says with her arms crossed across her chest.
“Last night, I bailed because Bailey showed up at my apartment. I didn’t invite her, but this is the sort of thing she does when she’s in town. She’ll just show up.”
“Bailey, like friends with benefits Bailey?” She scrunches her eyebrows and glares at me.
“Yes. I mean no. I mean, yes, it was Bailey, but there were no benefits.”
She stands still as stone, like a statue.
“She did kiss me and that’s when I spilled all the beans about you. Now that I’m standing here, I’m not sure there was anything to spill.” Willow’s expression is icy. “But I told her everything.” Willow doesn’t say anything, and it feels like the doubt could swallow me whole. “Bailey thinks I’m a jackass, if that helps this situation at all.”
“What else did she say?” She’s direct and I know I’m walking the thinnest of lines.
“Well, she insisted I needed help. She’s not wrong. Believe me. She was pissed that I let her kiss me and I didn’t say anything before, but she really just showed up. I don’t typically greet people with HEY IWENT OUT ON A DATE WITH WILLOW SO PLEASE DON’T COME ON TO ME.” I know I’m being over the top but it’s my only move.
Willow looks at me with a slow blink and presses her lips in a thin line before shaking her head. It almost looks like she’s trying to hold back a laugh.
“Nothing else happened?” Willow presses.
“Nothing. I spilled my guts while we drank bourbon. We played Scrabble. She beat me like she always does. It was late so she slept in my bed, but I took the guest bed. My neck has the tight muscles to prove it.” I’m rambling at this point.
Willow stands without saying anything. Part of me wants to run to her. The other part is too nervous.
“I don’t think you’re a jackass. But you did hurt my feelings.” Her voice gets terribly tiny at the end. It hurts to hear.
“I’m sorry. Really, I am.”
“I thought we had this connection and then you blew off plans, after it took forever for you to find time to even make them. It felt like you were trying to get rid of me. No second date. I thought maybe I imagined our first night just being better than it was. Or something. I don’t know. I can’t chase people who don’t want me. Not any more.” She puts her hands on her forehead, like she’s trying to block her eyes from mine.
Now I feel like an even bigger jackass. I take a couple steps so I’m standing in front of her. I put my fingers under her chin and lift her face up. I lean in for a kiss but pause with my lips in front of hers. I let her make the decision and close the distance. Her lips on mine, soft and intentional, make me feel even more sorry.
“I’m a dick. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. It is not in your head. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. If last night taught me anything it’s that you’re the only one I want kissing me.”
I give her another chaste kiss.
“In all transparency, I have no idea how to do this. I’m terrible at making time for things other than football and training. But you make me want to try.” She smiles at me for the first time tonight. “Plus, I know you like your privacy. And fuck, I want to date you, only you. Even though I barely know how.”
Willow grabs my shirt and pulls me in for a kiss.
“You showed up, in gray joggers, with snacks. I think you know how to do this. Give yourself a little credit. And you’re right. I do like my privacy to an extent. I would love to keep this place under wraps,” she gestures to her home. “My last boyfriend couldn’t do the public thing. It hurt more than I thought it did. I don’t want to do that again.”
“Wait. What is the public thing?”
“He acted like being photographed was the most inconvenient thing and it just… it… wasn’t for me.” She picks at her fingernails.