Chapter Three: Kelsey

In the Bears’ general offices, I had a small cubicle in the corner of the human resources area. Jackson—the other team’s physical therapist—and I usually came here to fill out paperwork on our off days. It was the end of the season, so the offices were busier than usual. Players came and went as they met with the coaches and promotional team.

I hated being in the office. The smell of the carpet, the blinding fluorescent lights, and the constant chatter. I much preferred the clinical area of the therapy room. At some team facilities, the therapy rooms were nothing more than a locker room. But the Bears had a state-of-the-art facility, and the players were required to come into the therapy room once a week during the season.

While Jackson was busy coming up with treatment plans for some of the injured players, I was tasked with creating new routines for the incoming players. Some were easy enough, with no past injuries to account for, but a few had old wounds that would need to be worked and monitored.

“Whatcha working on right now?” Jackson asked as he leaned back in his chair, the wheels squeaking under his weight. Jackson was a muscular man and one most women in the office fawned over. He had dark-brown, almost-black hair, piercing eyes, and skin that held a year-round sun-kissed glow. He was of Hawaiian descent and loved to complain about being landlocked in Tennessee. We tried to go out once but realized we were much better suited as friends.

“Just a new method of dry needling and blood flow restriction,” I replied.

Jackson winced and skirted back to his desk. “I’ll leave you to it. Want to grab some lunch at Skeeter’s today?”

“Maybe. I want to finish outlining these new protocols before I take a break.”

He nodded and went back to staring at his screen as the two women in the cubicles across the way made it clear they found him more appealing than their own jobs.

Just as I opened up a new player’s file, my phone buzzed on my desk, and Caleb’s name flashed on the screen with a new message. Well, the fake name I gave him in my contacts: Hotstuff.

Hotstuff: Do you know where my keys are?

Me: No. Did you check your nightstand?

He tended to remove all the items in his pockets onto his nightstand as he undressed. I’d only been to his place a handful of times since we started dating. He preferred coming over to see me at my apartment instead, so I didn’t have a good grasp on where he’d leave random items.

Hotstuff: Not there.

Me: Kitchen counter?

Hotstuff: Nope

Me: Couch?

Three dots appeared and then disappeared, then reappeared a few minutes later.

Hotstuff: Thanks. Down in the cushion .

I didn’t want to know why his keys were shoved between the cushions, but I knew he had gone out drinking with his friends and a few of the ballplayers the night before. I’d been out with them a few times and knew they could get a bit rowdy by the end of the night.

My fingers hovered over the letters on the screen as I contemplated sending another reply. I didn’t want to seem too needy but decided to type out the message anyway.

Me: Will I see you today?

Hotstuff: Dunno.

“You okay over there?” Jackson asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Yeah. Sorry. Crick in my neck from sleeping wrong last night.”

“I could work that out for you if you want,” he offered, and I heard a moan off in the distance. The funny thing was that Jackson was offering sincerely. He’d worked tight muscles out in my neck before, and I’d done the same for him.

“It’s fine. I’ll just take a muscle relaxer.”

An hour and a half later, I’d compiled new documents on the incoming players and how I planned on working with them throughout the season with these new techniques, then sent them over to the coach and general manager. Just as I opened a new document for ideas related to the currently injured players, an alert popped up on my computer screen.

HR: Meeting in fifteen.

I glanced around warily to see if anyone else received the same messaging, but everyone else seemed to be going about their day as normal. Not even Jackson looked frazzled. And after ten minutes, when my timer went off, I noticed no one else got up from their desks.

Sweat beaded along my spine and neck. My palms grew clammy. And before long, I was about to have a full-blown panic attack as I boarded the elevator for the conference rooms on the tenth floor.

As I exited the car, I watched as Caleb left the conference room with a smug smile. My heart instantly sped up.

“Hey,” he said as he walked toward me.

“Hey, uh… what are you doing here?”

“The GM wanted to talk to me about something.”

“Oh, okay. Do you want to get lunch when I’m done here?”

“I don’t think that’s best,” he said jovially.

Someone poked their head out of the conference room, and I took a hearty step away from Caleb, but I feared it was too late.

“Come join us, Ms. Davis,” the woman that reminded me of Mrs. Trunchbull from Matilda called out.

“Well, good luck. I’ll have someone pick up my stuff tonight,” he said dismissively as he boarded the elevator.

What?

Before I had a chance to ask him what he meant, the lady repeated my name. “Ms. Davis? Please hurry along.”

***

“What am I going to do?” I asked Rory as I opened another box and started shoving anything Caleb left here inside.

“Weren’t you looking for a new job anyway?”

She was right; I was. But it was far easier to look for something new when you had a steady paycheck. I had been looking casually for a new job, but now I felt like I had to scramble.

“Yeah, but now no team is going to want to work with me.”

“Explain to me what happened again. Something isn’t adding up.”

I went on to describe once more how I was pretty much ganged up on in the conference room and accused of breaking the no-fraternization rule. I argued that there wasn’t an actual rule listed in the company handbook, but they insisted it was more of a guideline. Fraternization had always been frowned upon. Yet, I didn’t see that stopping the general manager’s assistant and someone in finance.

What really set me off was that Caleb wasn’t willing to fight for me. They gave him a choice to either continue our relationship and risk being let out of his contract or to end things. He chose the latter without a second thought. I guess whatever we had wasn’t worth as much as his contract.

I knew I had grounds for suing the team for wrongful termination, but lawyers cost money. And even if I won, it wouldn’t get me my job back.

“How do you think they found out?”

That was the question I’d been asking myself since I packed up my desk and then went to collect my things from the training facility. Being escorted out by security wasn’t my favorite memory, but I understood.

“Maybe he slipped and told one of the other players? We were really careful whenever we were out in public.” If we went out by ourselves, it was always to some place he wouldn’t be recognized. But most of our meals when we were together were either takeout or I cooked. Caleb could burn water, so it was usually left to me. And the times we went out with a group of people, I made sure Jackson or some of the other medical team members were with us.

We had been so cautious. Or so I thought.

“I’m so sorry, Kels. Lose your job and boyfriend in the same day. What are you going to do? I’d offer you my house, but my brother is staying there right now. Maybe you can come stay at the bed-and-breakfast for a while until you figure something out?”

Smiling, I closed up the last box of Caleb’s things and set it by the door before moving toward my couch and relaxing back into the cushions.

The idea had crossed my mind, but I needed to start job hunting immediately.

“Thanks, Rory, but I’m paid up on rent here for the next six months, so that gives me time to search around for something in my field. Though, I guess my options are limited now.”

“Can you work with a different sport or field entirely?”

“I could. I’m just partial to baseball, you know, because of my dad.”

My father had been an avid Bears fan, and we went to as many games as he could afford. Working for the Bears had always been my dream.

“I guess that’s what sucks the most about this entire thing… I won’t ever get to work for my dad’s favorite team again. All because of my asshole ex.”

“I’m so sorry, Kelsey. You know you’re welcome to visit me in Knoxville too.”

Chuckling, I said, “Yeah, right. I have zero desire to have a front-row seat in Talon’s and your love nest again.”

“Aw, we’d behave.” She grins. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I can arrange some time in my schedule, or if you want to head to Ashfield, maybe I can meet up with you there.”

“Okay, that sounds good. Though, I really do need to find another job. Especially since Mom has been contacting me again.” I let the info slip without thinking but then realized if I were going to tell anyone, it would’ve been Rory.

“Things okay with your mom?”

“Yeah, things are just… not as easy as I hoped.” Especially since she pretty much drained my savings whenever she called. That was going to be a tricky situation I’d have to navigate.

I didn’t let Rory know how my mother was using up all my savings. It was something I was embarrassed about.

In the background, I heard Talon call for his wife, and I ended my call with her after promising I’d message her later and let her know where I was applying for jobs.

After an hour of scrolling through online job postings, it looked like any prospects would likely take me across the country unless I wanted to switch my field of work from baseball to golf. And while I enjoyed the sport, golf was not something I was passionate about. I’d even take working for a college-level baseball team at this point, but being the middle of a school year, many weren’t looking for replacements.

What am I going to do?

My stomach growled loudly as I gave up my search and switched on my television to a true crime show I’d become addicted to recently. Caleb thought it was stupid, but now I didn’t have to explain why I enjoyed it.

While the show ran through its intro, I stalked my cabinets for something to eat, but nothing seemed appetizing. Did I need to spend any money on takeout now that I was without a job? No. Did my stomach sound like it was about to hold its own revolution if I didn’t order Chinese? Yes. And I was not one to argue with my stomach. Thankfully, the Chinese restaurant was only a block away and promised to deliver my Kung-Pow chicken and wonton soup in the next ten minutes.

I was midway through my show when the deliveryman buzzed from the lobby. I let him up, and I swore I could smell the fragrant meal before he even reached my door.

I thanked the server and gave him a hefty tip before nearly devouring the meal in my entryway. It took all my strength to bring it over to my coffee table and settle in like a normal human being.

Just as I finished one episode and waited for another to begin, there was a knock at my door. No one had buzzed up from the lobby for approval, so I could only assume it was Caleb here to collect his items. He and Rory were the only ones on my approval list—something I was going to have to remedy sooner rather than later.

Begrudgingly, I set my dinner aside and headed toward the door. Thankfully, I already put his few things together and I wouldn’t have to ransack my apartment for his stuff.

Opening the door, I came face-to-face with a bored-looking Caleb staring down at his phone. I recognized he was wearing one of those smirks he got when he was watching something he thought was funny. Usually, it involved someone getting hurt or maimed in a video.

“Caleb,” I said as I opened the door.

“Hold up,” he replied, eyes still glued to his phone as if I was inconveniencing him, even though he was the one standing at my door.

I used to brush aside his attitude, but now I’d had enough.

“No.”

Caleb’s attention finally left his phone as he focused his narrowed gaze on me. “Don’t need to be a bitch, Kelsey.”

“I do when you’re the one at my door interrupting my night.”

He made a grumbling noise before he added, “Like you have anything interesting going on. I bet you’re watching some reality show and eating ice cream while you cry.”

Caleb was a fucking asshole. I didn’t know how I hadn’t seen it before. He always put me down, but it was in ways that I saw the comments as playful. Now, I knew better. Caleb had always been ready to bolt.

Maybe that’s why I was more upset over the downfall of my career than my relationship.

Turning the tables, I leaned against the doorjamb, eyeing Caleb like he was the dirt on the bottom of my running shoes. “Actually, I’m watching a series about how to kill someone, hide the body, and get away with it.” Caleb visibly stiffened as he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his distress. “This one episode, a woman chopped up her cheating ex and put his limbs down the garbage disposal. The detectives only found out when she confessed after thinking he was haunting her. But you know something, Caleb?”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve never been afraid of ghosts.”

Caleb didn’t look as confident as he had a minute ago, while I finally felt like I had the upper hand for the first time today.

“Here are your things.” I gestured to the two boxes I set in front of the bifold doors of my laundry area.

Caleb glanced down and frowned. “So… can I come in? Maybe we can talk about things.”

“No,” I said immediately. “You threw me under the bus, Caleb. Blamed the entire relationship on me and made it seem like I focused on you when you signed with the team. Hell, the team owners are looking back at tapes in the therapy room to make sure I wasn’t crossing lines with any of the other players. You’ve tarnished my entire reputation. So, excuse me if I have zero desire to speak to you ever again.”

“Aw, Kelsey. Don’t be like that.” He unleashed that charming smile that won me over the first time but now felt slimy as he reached a hand out for mine. “We could figure out how to make things work.”

I immediately recoiled from his touch and straightened. “Caleb. You have made it clear that everything we shared over the last year meant nothing to you, so excuse me if I have zero desire to continue anything between us. Truthfully, I’m not even sad.”

The vein along his temple expanded through the skin, and his jaw ticked.

“Fuck you, Kelsey. You’re a terrible lay, and I was cheating on you the entire time anyway. You were my dirty secret.”

It took all my energy to rein in my anger at his words. I always felt like our relationship was hush-hush and not just because of the job, but he always assured me that was the sole reason. Now I knew why. I was the “other woman.” I’d never questioned him, but now I wish I had.

With renewed energy, I turned to the side and reached for the first box. I lifted it into my arms and chucked it across the hall.

“What the fuck, Kelsey!” he shouted as the box gave way and clothing spewed across the carpeted floor.

While his back was turned, I did the same to the second box. The pile landed close to the other.

In my head, I was thankful I never left anything other than a toothbrush, razor, and hairbrush at his place. Things that were easily replaceable and nothing I needed to rely on him to pack up for me.

While he was busy picking up his clothes and toiletries, I fought back my grin. It was nice to see him struggling. Caleb always made it seem like he had most things in life just handed to him.

“Don’t call me,” Caleb grunted as he set one box on top of the other.

“I’ve already erased your number.” That was the partial truth. Blocking his number when I arrived home was one of the first things I’d done, but not before I took an extended screenshot of all of our texts. If ever I was asked about our relationship again, I was going to have proof. I could have just removed his entire contact, but I thought it was better to be safe than sorry. I did change his contact name back to Caleb though.

“Fuck you.” He hefted the two boxes into his muscular arms and made his way toward the steps.

“No, Caleb, fuck you!” I shouted, just as my neighbor across the hall peeked his head out from behind his door.

“Everything okay?” he asked quietly, and I nodded. He glanced down the hall, his toupee shifting a bit on his head, and eyed Caleb before closing his door.

I watched Caleb wait at the elevator. Thankfully, he had the brains not to turn around until the car arrived and he stepped inside. Just as the doors closed, he stuck up his middle finger in my direction like the childish man he was.

Closing and locking my door, I asked myself what I had ever seen in the man. I pressed the call button on the box next to the front door that rang down to the security guard in the lobby. I requested that Caleb be removed from my approved list, leaving just Rory.

The knowledge that I didn’t have a single friend in Nashville was upsetting. I’d lived in the large city my entire life, and I had no one to show for it. My only friend was someone who lived an hour away.

As I sat back on the couch, my dinner didn’t hold the same appeal as it had before Caleb arrived. Groaning, I tried to catch up on the show, but I was already lost as the story continued. Instead of restarting it, I scrolled through my phone, noticing by my default settings that Caleb changed his profile picture to him with a beautiful blonde. Their arms were wrapped around each other as if there was a familiarity that stemmed from a long relationship.

“My God,” I said as I took a screenshot and sent it over to Rory. Her response was a bunch of expletives that left me giggling.

Was this what my life was coming to? Stalking my ex on social media?

I thought about running myself a bath or pouring myself a glass of wine, anything to help me relax, but just as I started cleaning up my unfinished dinner—because let’s be honest, Chinese food is almost better the next day—my phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize.

Normally, I didn’t answer those, since they were usually spam calls or someone that butt dialed. But my gut told me to answer this one. So I picked my phone up off the couch, slid my finger across the screen, and prompted, “Hello?”