16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Tripp

There's some unwritten rule about not texting or calling someone after a date. I don't know who wrote it or decided it was the move, but I think they're idiots. As soon as I get home, I'm texting Willow. I can't help myself.

Me

would you judge me if I told you I've already started snacking on my leftovers

Willow

that little piece of tiramisu was gone ten minutes after you left lol

my kind of girl

Why do I say shit like this? I groan and fall back onto the couch. I shake my head, picturing Willow reading that and cringing. Rolling her eyes. My phone buzzes.

:) sorry about Seth

not ideal but he didn't hurt me. I'll take that as a win

he would never

he's not used to nights like tonight

what the hell did your other dates do?

schedule a car to pick me up, plan with my driver, ask me to meet them somewhere

if my mom found out that I asked you to MEET me somewhere

I don't even want to think about it

to be fair, I let it slip to my dad once, that dexter would ask me to meet him and I had to beg him to not call him.

I get it

and I think I'd like your mom

Everything I've read about Dexter seems douchey. Plus, anytime Willow brings him up it's like the blueprint of what not to do. Guess I can thank him for setting the bar so low.

oh, she's a fan

the morning after the after-party, she was the first person to call me

she was bummed I wasn't secretly dating you

does she know we went out tonight ?

She doesn't know. No one knows. I don't know how that will look to her. Fuck. Maybe she didn't want this to be a secret?

no

I don't know what the protocol is for this

and if it was a disaster I didn't want to have to tell her

it's okay

I like the idea of it being between us for now

and far from disastrous

The way I'm holding my phone right in front of my face. I need to get a grip.

whew

is that your way of saying you had a good time?

thought me pinning you against your front door was a clue

but I had a fucking great time

good isn't the right word

:) what's on the mvp's schedule for tomorrow?

team meetings, practice, agility coach, dinner with my mom, and yoga

always try to get to yoga on Thursdays

what's the difference between practice and agility?

practice is with the team

agility coach is my own thing. I have some training I do outside of official team stuff

mvp things

don't want to lose my starting spot things

I get that. Trying to stay a step ahead

I feel like you're 1000 steps ahead

ha! Wish it was true

We go back and forth until a yawn catches me off guard. The clock tells me it's almost 2 AM. How is that possible?

I had no idea I was keeping you up

I didn't know it was that late

or early

better let you get to bed.

goodnight Lo

night mvp

When she calls me MVP, fuck. Why is that the hottest but also the sweetest thing ever? I know tomorrow is going to feel extra long. But you know what? It's worth it.

Another day, another practice. I'm standing in front of my locker, towel around my waist, and my bonus phone is vibrating in my bag. I reach for it and see more texts from Willow. Couldn't be from anyone else; no one has this number. It's been a week since our date and I love the rush I get when there's messages waiting for me.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Zack says, skeptically looking over at me.

"Jesus. You scared me."

"Why do you look like you got caught with your dick out?" He laughs.

Fun fact, I'm a terrible liar. No one has any idea about my date with Willow. We successfully kept the press and everyone out of it. I'm about to blow this wide open.

"Nothing. It's nothing." And what wouldn't come at the worst possible time is a notification from my other phone, my real one. Zack doesn't miss a beat.

"Wait. Is that a burner phone?" he gives me shit and peeks into my locker .

"No. Not a burner phone." I try to buy some time because I don't really know what to call the bonus phone. "This is a secure line." I shrug my shoulders with the bonus phone in my hand. I check to see who's left in the locker-room. It's just the two of us.

"Why in the hell would you need a secure line." His eyes are bugging out as the words fall out of his big mouth. He reaches for the phone and I let him grab it. As much as I want to keep this to myself, I'm dying to tell someone.

I know he sees her name because his eyes are like fucking saucers.

"Don't make this a big—"

"You fucking did it. You went out with her. How the hell was it?" He punches my shoulder.

"Good. Incredible. I don't know. We've been texting and FaceTiming like high schoolers. I could listen to her talk about anything…" My voice trails off and I feel like a chump. "I feel like I'm out of my league."

"You play in the fucking league." He laughs at me before slapping his knees in dramatics. "You've got it bad. When are you seeing her next?"

When I don't say anything, Zack rolls his eyes.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but don't fucking fumble this thing with Willow."

"Did you really just use a pun—"

"I did. And it seems like football might be the only thing you grasp in that thick skull of yours." Zack laughs at me before physically knocking on my head. "Go have some fun. Quit being so boring."

"I'm not boring." I straighten at the thought. "Wait, do the guys think I'm boring?"

"Tripp, man, they don't know you. All you do is workout, run drills, show up to practice early, leave late. Maybe it's time to loosen the reins a bit? "

Well, that blows. Not exactly what you want to hear. It stings but I know Zack is right. I've always been all football. I fill any and all free time with training sessions or recovery. That's how it's been for as long as I can remember.

"I'm aware that this sounds stupid, but I don't know how to do… this." I gesture to the bonus phone.

"You'll figure it out."

I'll figure it out. Maybe. Maybe not.

"Hey, man. Can you not say anything?"

Zack mimics locking his mouth and throwing away the key.