Текст книги "Love Me Back"

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

“Grady Smith” I say back.  I am astonished he remembers me as Jack’s sister but since it has been that way my whole life I don’t think much of it.

“How the hell are you?  I haven’t seen you in forever.”  He comes around to the back of my chair hugging me from behind picking me up until I am standing up away from the chair. “And Ross, looking hot as always.”  He winks down at her.

“Grady.”  She says straight-faced.

I saw Grady a couple times during my first semester when I would hang out with Gabe but since Gabe acts like I don’t exist I don’t see him anymore.

“Where’s your husband?”  He asks Kenna.

“Miami.”  She says.

“You break up?”

“No”

“Damn it.”  He says.  “Hoping we could get some vacation sex going.”  He laughs but Mackenna doesn’t join in.

“How do you guys know Miles?”  He thumbs to Miles sitting down trying to figure how we know each other.

“Just met him earlier on the beach.”  I say.

“You aren’t?”  He looks back at Miles and Miles shakes his head confirming whatever thought Grady is recalling.  “They are?”

“We are what?”  I ask coldly defensively.

“You are the hot girls that Miles told us all about this afternoon.”

I blush in embarrassment until Grady continues.

“Sorry man, they are off limits.”  Grady puts his hand on Miles shoulder shaking his head.

“Why is that?”  Miles asks.

“The little hottie in red has a serious boyfriend like practically reserve the church serious and this one.”  He puts his arm around me.  “One” he puts his finger up.  “She’s Jack Jennings little sister.”  Miles frowns but it doesn’t look like it intimidates him like others that know my brother.  “And two” Grady sticks another finger up in the air.  The alcohol is affecting him making him talk slower than normal.

“Madgirl?”  My heart jumps in my chest just by the sound of his voice.  I stare down not able to meet his eyes.  I know if I see those shimmering blue pupils I will be gone.  My mouth goes dry and I can’t speak.

“That guy.”  Grady finishes his points.

I abruptly look up to Grady’s face who stares at Gabe cracking up.  I turn my head towards Miles who looks disappointed glaring from Gabe to myself.  I swallow hard picking up my head to see Gabe who has some red head kissing his neck with her arms around his waist.  I instantly want to throw up.

I grab Mackenna’s hand and pull her out of the VIP area.

“Thanks for the drinks Miles.”  I step over the ropes not wanting to take the time to undue it from its post.

“Anytime.”  He responds still confused as to what is going on.

“Mad.  Wait” I don’t pay attention since the drunken red head is still on his neck inching closer to his earlobe.   Nice catch Gabe.

“What the hell is wrong with you Basso brothers?”  Mackenna stands in front of Gabe with her hands on her hips.  The red head finally notices something going on and stares down at Mackenna.  Gabe says nothing to Kenna looking straight at me, his eyes are pleading for me to listen but I can’t.

“Go get yourself another guy, this one’s mine.”  The girl slurs to Kenna wrapping her arms tighter around his waist.  I am not oblivious to the fact he hasn’t pushed her away.

“Oh trust me, you can have him.”  I say back grabbing Kenna by her arm pulling her towards the dance floor.

“You’re an asshole Gabe, just like your brother.  Stay the hell away from Maddy, you hear me?”  Mackenna is screaming towards Gabe as he silently watches us leave.

“Thank you for defending my honor Kenna but let’s just leave.”  I say to her once we get absorbed into the crowd out of view from him.

“I thought he was one of the good ones.”  She shakes her head back and forth.

“He is Kenna.”

She looks at me in disbelief but follows me outside to catch a cab.  Once we get in I tell the cab driver using the little Spanish we know to get us to our hotel, Kenna’s phone rings and it startles me.

“Hey baby.”  She says winking to me.

While listening to her and Bryan tell each other how much they love and miss each other I lean back into the uncomfortable vinyl seat.  I can’t believe he didn’t follow me but at the same time I am happy he didn’t.  I don’t know what I would have said to him.  How come just as I am starting to move on with my life a Basso brother has to come and screw with my emotions.

We get back to the hotel and I can tell tonight will be another night of Mackenna and Bryan talking until they fall asleep.  Why they didn’t go to the same place on vacation I have no idea, probably because of me.  As much as they love each other they both equally love me and since Basso number 2 screwed with me last they figured I needed a girl’s vacation.  Then I wonder if they knew?  Did they plan for Gabe to be here?  I shake my head back and forth, there is no way not from the reaction Kenna had.

I wave Kenna off when she hops on the elevator with the phone still Velcroed to her ear.  She gives me the are you sure, I’m sorry look and I shake my head up and down telling her I am ok.  She smiles while the doors slide shut and I let out a breath relieved I am by myself.

I walk out past the pool.  It’s been closed for a few hours now but the lights are still illuminated under the water making it look more appealing now than during the day.  Couples linger around the lounge chairs kissing and whispering between each other.  So romantic.  I make my way to the edge looking over the dark ocean.  It’s so peaceful and quiet.  The half full moon is mirroring down on the low waves coming to shore.  I contemplate taking my heels off to feel the sand below my feet but it seems a little unsafe for a young female.

Couples come and go from the beach holding hands and each other lovingly, some drunker then others.  The women look at me with sorrow when they see the silent tears falling down on my cheeks while the men look me up and down appraising me.

After having enough self-evaluation as to why the Basso’s always leave me I decide to head back to my room figuring I can just put my ear buds in until Kenna and Bryan finish having phone sex.  Waking up next to your best friend moaning in the bed next to you while telling your other best friend explicitly what she is doing is something I don’t want to relive.

I turn around after one last sigh at the beautiful view.  My eyes automatically shut when I see Gabe sitting in a lounge chair in front of me a little to the right of where I am standing.  I catch his eyes and tears start falling down my face again.  I start wiping them frantically with the backs of my hand hoping he doesn’t notice them.

“I am so sorry Maddy.”  Gabe stands up brushing my tears away with his thumbs.

I swallow hard unable to say anything.

“I never meant to hurt you.”  He continues.

“Then why did you?” I whisper.

“Come with me?”  Grabbing my hand he leads me towards the beach.  He feels my hesitation in my steps.  “Please Mad.”  He begs.

“Okay.”  I agree softly.

We take off our shoes to tuck them under the stairs.  Gabe rolls his pant legs up so they won’t get wet and then he winds his fingers around mine guiding me towards the water.  It amazes me how his presence makes me feel safe and unsafe at the same time.  I know he won’t let anyone harm me but the emotional harm he can do to me will be beyond repairable.

He smiles over to me looking relieved and scared. “I know I have been an asshole Maddy and I can’t expect you to forgive me but I want you to hear me out.”

“Okay” my stomach feels like I could throw up at any minute.

“When I came to your dorm room that afternoon to get you out of bed.  I was just there as a friend.  I knew my brother would want you to enjoy your college life even though he was being a selfish prick. When Little Ross told me about how you sit in your room all the time not making friends or go out I knew I had to do something.”  He stops taking a deep breath in before continuing.  I see how hard this is for him to admit to me.

“Then after that first week of hanging out with you something shifted inside of me.  I couldn’t explain it at first but I wanted to be around you all the time.  I even hung outside your buildings hoping to run into you after class.  Don’t get me wrong, I was always attracted to you but this was something different, something I never felt before.”  He stops again.  I honestly don’t know if I want him to continue.

“As the weeks went on if I wasn’t in class or studying I was with you.  I loved learning all the things I never knew about you.  Finding out what your favorite meal or favorite ice cream was.  Taking you around the campus I knew so much about and seeing your expressions to the places and things I love about it.  That’s why when it became natural for us to start touching, I couldn’t keep my hands off of you even if it was just holding your hand or hugging you.  It felt so good to be like a couple but deep down I knew I wanted more than friendship but I never wanted to push you.”  He looks over at me trying to gauge my thoughts so I smile back reassuring him I felt the same.

“When we went home for Thanksgiving my mom told me she saw the way our friendship was turning and I needed to stop it.  I knew what I was doing when I grabbed your feet to massage them.  I wanted to see how my family would react.  If they were willing to let you be mine and not Trent’s.”  His eyes look angry thinking about it.  I already know his mom’s reaction from over hearing their conversation but I decide to keep that to myself.

“I knew I was crossing a line I shouldn’t.  I mean taking my brothers girl, I might as well call the morgue to reserve my spot.  So, I started to stay away from you.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.  I figured it was for the best.  Then you went to your dads for Christmas and Trent came home.”

“I heard what Trent did.”  I say. And he looks at me surprised.  “Bryan overheard, told Kenna and she told me.”

“Yeah, well…” he runs his hand through his hair.  “He told me to stay away from you when I told him he better stop being a jackass and keep his dick in his pants.”  His eyes fill with sadness to tell me this part.  “I told him if he wanted you he needed to put you as number one priority in his life.”  He stops but I know that isn’t it.

“And?”  I ask.

“I told him I would stay away from you if he did.”  Gabe stops walking and pulls me back to him and I fumble into his arms.  “It’s been so hard Maddy.”

“You didn’t seem to be upset earlier.”  I sneer regarding the drunk red head sucking his neck.

“God, I met her tonight.  I was trying to move on.  Grady and the guys brought me down here to get my mind off of you.  I don’t want her Maddy but I don’t know what to do anymore.”  He sits down in the sand with his head in his knees.

“I don’t know either.”  I sit down next to him extending my legs out crossing at the ankle.  Not exactly the ideal spot to sit in a dress, especially one this short.

“Can I ask you a question?”  He peaks his head over to me and those blue eyes are filled with agony.  I nod my head.  “Where were you at last semester with us?”

“Um…” I hesitate.  How do I tell him that as confused as I am about him and Trent he weaseled into my heart at some point during those short months?

“Please Maddy, I have to know.”  He grabs my hand turning towards me.

“Pretty much the same as you.  I don’t think I truly realized it until after you stopped calling or coming over.  It completely destroyed me.”

“Really?”  He seems surprised.

“Yeah.”  I bite my lip smiling up at him.

“Doesn’t that just make it ten times more complicated?  I thought for sure I was alone with this.”  He motions between the two of us.

“Nope.”

“You just made me the happiest guy and the most pissed off guy at the same time.”

“Why?”

“I want you, you want me but I made this promise to my brother.”  He shakes his head back and forth.

“Don’t I have a say in any of this?’  I ask annoyed.

“Trent loves you Maddy and I am pretty sure you love him too.  I should have never interfered between you guys.”

“You didn’t interfere.  Trent is the one who wanted to break up.  Trent is the one who wanted to live out his college days without a girlfriend.  So he should be able to fuck a different girl every night of the week and I should wait around until he is ready to commit?  I refuse to live my life like that.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that I am his brother.  He should have been able to trust me with his girlfriend.”

“OH MY GOD.”  I scream.  “I wasn’t then and I am not now Trent Basso’s girlfriend.”  I yell.

I go to stand up but Gabe grabs my face with both his hands and kisses me.  Before I notice I am laying down on the sand with him half on top of me.   He puts his lips over mine urgently thrusting his tongue in my mouth.  My tongue is slow to join in but when they touch a surge abrupts through my body and I can’t get enough.  I put my hand on the back of his neck holding him to me eager for his taste.

“You have no idea how long I have wanted to kiss you.”  He murmurs quietly.

I whimper into his mouth agreeing with him not wanting him to pull away again.

Gabe and I lay on the beach for two more hours kissing, hugging and touching each other.   We don’t talk about Trent anymore or why we shouldn’t be together.  We don’t discuss the promise he made not to touch me.  We relish our time together away from anyone who would judge us.

When we stand up to go back to the hotel, Gabe holds me close to him with his arm around my waist.  He walks me to my room and kisses me goodnight.  No mention of seeing me tomorrow or what the future would hold for us.  I don’t know where we stand so I kiss him fully before saying good-bye just in case that will be my last time tasting Gabe Basso.

I am thankful Mackenna is asleep when I enter the dark room.  Lying in the bed I drift asleep thinking of Gabe’s amazing lips.

Chapter 16 – Present Day

“Back to Chicago?”  I question Trent who is leaning back in his black Mercedes.

He nods his head yes.  “How was Great Adventures?”

“Fine.”  I hope he doesn’t notice my face turning red.  I know I have to tell him but I can’t do it yet.

“So I take it you found out the news?”  He looks over at me out of the corner of his eye.  If anyone knows how I would take my mom dating someone seriously it would be him.

“Yeah.  So I guess we will be related.”

“Not in the sense I had always hoped.”  He smiles.  “Kidding aside, my uncle is a good guy.  Your mom seems…different since the incident.”

“I was really surprised when I got home.  I not only didn’t recognize my house but my mom was totally different.  I just hope she changes for good, you know?”

“I know Maddy.”  He squeezes my knee in agreement.  This is where Trent knows me.  He has seen my mom at her worst and knows how it affects me.

“Did your uncle really remodel my mom’s house?”

“He had some help but yeah he did. I know your mom told him about that night.  My uncle asked me about it.  Are you upset?”  I can hear the tension in his voice.  This is a touchy subject for me and he is aware of it.

“At first I was upset but if she is really getting better than I am happy she is being truthful with him.”  I don’t mention that I was torn apart when I thought Gabe knew.

“Don’t worry, I know my uncle would never tell anyone.”  He assures me.

“Thanks, I hope not.”  I say.

We pull up to his condo building, parking in his reserved spot.  Trent opens the door and I see some of his furniture was delivered today.  It’s amazing what money can get you.  Trent thought I didn’t see him slip the salesman extra cash to get the priority service he likes.

“The couch looks nice.”  I go over and sit on it.

“Yeah, it was delivered this afternoon.  I really like it.  Thanks Mad.”  Trent comes over sitting next to me with a fist full of menus.

“No restaurant?”  I ask.

“I thought we could order in and watch a movie or something.  Is that ok?”  He asks.

“Of course.”  I am astonished Trent wants to stay in.  In the year we lived together I think we stayed in a total of two times.  He always wanted to go out on the town.  Eat at every restaurant, see every show and dance at every nightclub.  Trent Basso to stay at home on any night of the week was unheard of.

“Here you go.  You pick.”  He hands me the stack of menus and then gets up walking to the kitchen.

“Do you mind if we get pizza?  I haven’t had Chicago pizza since being home and I love New York pizza but it just doesn’t compare to the deep dish.”  I ask.

“Spinach and Onion?”  Trent double checks if is still my favorite.

“Yep, get half sausage for you.”  I reply.

“Sounds good.”

I hear Trent order the pizza, a salad then call his doorman letting him know to expect it.  I turn the television on making myself comfortable on the chaise part of the couch.  It is all so familiar and comfortable being with Trent.  I almost feel like we haven’t been apart and I can see this being our condo, living here with Trent.

“Do you want some wine?”  He asks already getting a glass out and a chilled bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge.

“Sure.”  I flip the channel to the National Geographic station, a show about a family in Alaska that live off the land.

He comes over handing me my wine and I can’t help feeling his eyes on me.  When I turn to face him I see his desire for me.  I’ve seen those eyes a million times looking at me like this.  “You’re so beautiful Maddy.”  He silently says to me.

“Trent” I sigh.

“Maddy, you’ve always been the most gorgeous woman I’ve known.”  He takes a swig of his beer propping his feet to the table.  He is wearing jeans, a t-shirt and no socks.  I have always found his feet so appealing.  I don’t have a foot fetish but I have always found Trent sexy when he is wearing jeans barefoot.  Something about his veins that stretch out over his feet up to his toes.

“Thank you Trent.  You aren’t so bad yourself.”  I say sipping my wine.

“I’m sorry.”  He whispers taking a pull on his bottle again.

“I know, I am too.”  I honestly mean it.  Trent and I didn’t work out for lack of love for each other.

We both smile to each other.   Trent has been my love since I was six and I don’t know how I am going to tell him his brother snuck in and took a spot too.  His face is tanned and his hair a little blonder now that it’s summer.  He still makes my heart drop when I see him.

“Hmm….if I didn’t know better I would guess you are checking me out.”  He raises one eyebrow up. The buzzer beeps.  “Funny thing Maddy…I do know better.”  He leans over whispering it in my ear before going to the buzzer.  Goosebumps flow across my body.

Trent comes back placing the pizza on the coffee table with another beer and the bottle of wine.  I have to be careful not to drink too much so I can get home tonight.  There is no chance I am spending the night here.

“Oh my god this is heaven.”  I say with a mouth full of cheese and spinach.

Trent starts laughing picking a piece of cheese off my chin.  “You always loved your pizza.”

“Favorite food” I exclaim smiling back at him.

“I know.  Sometimes I think I know more about you than I do myself.”  Trent divulges concentrating on his pizza.

“Same here.  God, I don’t think there is one thing you could stump me on about you.”

“Oh you think so.  You so sure about yourself huh?”  He smiles over to me.  “Ok, let’s start easy.  Favorite Food?”

“Easy, Wings.”  I say confidentially.

“Ok, Favorite Drink?”

I glance at the Amstel Light in his hand and he laughs.  “But it’s actually orange Gatorade.”

“Favorite movie?”

“Reservoir Dogs with the boys but you have always been partial to Love Actually around Christmas.”  He nods in agreement.

“Team?”

“All Wisconsin teams except for basketball, Chicago.”

“So far so good.”

“I could do this all night and so could you in regards to me.  We have been a part of each other’s life for twenty five years Trent.”

“That’s just it Maddy.  I know I fucked up but we belong together.”  I blink in shock.  When did this conversation go from friendly to serious?

“Trent, we tried…numerous times.”  I close my eyes so I can’t see the love pouring from his eyes.

“No, you tried, I kept messing it up.  I have changed Maddy, I swear.”  He has now put his pizza aside fixating on me.

“Trent, I wish I had it in me to give us another shot but I can’t do it.  We have always been better friends.”

“Maddy, I can’t be your friend.  I miss you so much.  That night you walked out on me I realized that you are the one I need in my life.”

“Trent, I have to tell you something?”  I take a deep breath preparing myself to reveal my new relationship with Gabe.  I fear this is going to destroy him but I have to rip the band-aid off.

“No Maddy, I don’t want you to tell me.  Whatever it is keep it to yourself for tonight.  I don’t want anything to ruin this.  I just want it to be me and you tonight.”  He scoots closer to me and I honestly can’t say I don’t want him to.

“Ok but Trent in the morning we need to talk about us.  Ok?”

“Absolutely, tomorrow we will talk but tonight I just want you to put everything aside and feel.” He reaches for my hand turning the movie on with the remote in his other hand.  Love Actually starts playing and he smiles down on me and I smile in return.

Trent and I sprawl out on his couch watching all the couples fall in love.  I feel how close he is to me making my stomach in knots.  I could reach over and kiss him like I used to when he was mine.  I want to lay my head in his lap and have him massage my hair like before.  The tension between us is electrifying and I know if I don’t get up soon I am going to lose any strength I have.

“Trent, I am getting tired, could you take me home now?”  I sit up straighter pushing the blanket off me.

“Stay the night.”

“I can’t do that Trent.”

“No…take my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.  We’ll go to breakfast in the morning and then talk about us” he is pleading with me.  This is Trent he tells me what I want to hear as long as I do what he wants me to do.

“Trent..,” I sigh.

“I promise Mad, I won’t try anything.”  He crosses his finger on both hands.

“Alright.”  I relinquish already exhausted from my day at Great Adventures and now this.

I say goodnight to Trent giving him a kiss on the cheek and go down the hall.  I curl up in the down comforter laying my head on the goose feather pillows missing it.  Trent’s smell is on the sheets.  I have loved that smell my whole life.  I ponder between Gabe and Trent as my body turns from restlessness to exhaustion.   They have both been there my whole life.  Trent more dominate in the early years but Gabe surprised me in the last five years.  I love them both differently.

Gabe is so reliable and safe where Trent is fun loving and carefree.  Gabe always knows when I need him and seems to put me above all else in his life.  Trent is still pursuing his dream of soccer and I don’t fit in that plan.  He says he changed but I’ve heard that before.   Eventually I shut my eyes thinking about my perfect room so sleep will come.  This is my calming mechanism when I can’t sleep.  I simply close my eyes and envision my perfect living room.  I transform the room from the paint on the walls to the kind of hardwood floors to throw pillows and lamps.  Once I get to the pictures on the wall I am already there dreaming of my designs.

I wake up the next morning feeling more refreshed than I had all week.  Stumbling into the bathroom I am reminded again of how much money Trent has.  The bathroom would be any girls dream.    The tub is so deep I can imagine my body wrapped around a world of bubbles until I turned into a prune.

Drifting my eyes to the sink hoping Trent has a spare toothbrush for me, I find his next to his sink along with his razor, deodorant and toothpaste.  I open up his cologne bottle sitting on the counter filling my nostrils of his light and fresh scent reminding me of being curled up to his side.  Telling me again how deep my history goes with him.  My eyes shift over to the other vanity and there is another toothbrush and toothpaste.  I see a perfume bottle and face moisturizer.  I should have known I am not the only woman to be in Trent’s bed.  When I go to investigate the things I am surprised to find they are all brand new.

Under more careful inspection, it is my perfume on his counter along with my favorite face wash and moisturizer next to a brand new toothbrush.  I hastily open the package desperate to get the grime off my teeth.  As I take the brush in small round circles around my teeth I appraise the bathroom.  It resembles our New York bathroom.  My stuff neatly placed around my sink while Trent’s looks like it was thrown on the counter wherever he was when he finished.  I snoop in his shower to find my shampoo and conditioner along with my fruit scented body wash.  Did he imagine we would pick up where we left off last night?

A rush of guilt fills me making me gasp for my breath.  I spit the toothpaste out leaning on the counter I stare at myself in the mirror.  How did someone so average get caught up in a love triangle between two hot brothers?  Why do they want me when they could each have their pick?  Lastly, how am I supposed to choose between two people who bring me such different things?  Oh I wish I could just mold them together.

Reluctantly I leave the safe haven of the bathroom to face Trent.  I don’t know if I have enough strength to give Trent another chance even if that is what my heart might want.  The problem is I don’t know if I have the strength to tell him I want to be with his brother either.

Walking down the long sprawling hallway bare of any pictures or mementos of loved ones I smell the best thing Trent makes.  When I reach the kitchen I find him over the stove cooking some eggs and hash browns in his pajama pants no shirt.  Reminding me again of how gorgeous a soccer player’s body can be.  He is leaner than his brothers from choosing a different sport that involves more running, his muscles more subtle but still visible.

The cup is already waiting for me on the counter and I can’t grab it fast enough to have the caffeine hit my veins and wake my body up.

“Um…I wish you would tell me what you do.”  I sip down the delicious coffee content with nothing else.

“Secret.”  He smirks looking over his shoulder.

“I have searched everywhere, even bought the kind of coffee you use but it never tastes the same.”  I bring the cup to my lips again blowing on it a little.

“Maybe because it’s the maker.”  He winks while handing me a plate with eggs and ham.

“Nah.  I doubt it.”  I laugh.  “How does someone who can’t make anything but breakfast know how to make the perfect cup of coffee?”

“I chose one meal to perfect.  I picked breakfast, wanted to make sure you thought of me for the whole day.”  He grabs his own cup sitting next to me at the breakfast bar.

“Pretty clever.”  I say.

“I know.”  He shakes his head in agreement.

“So, let’s talk.”  I say.

“After breakfast, Ok?”  He says.

“You keep delaying the inevitable.”

“Maybe.  I just want to enjoy you…us.  The way we used to be.”  He looks down the whole time.  I sense not wanting to see my reaction.

“We can’t turn back time Trent.”  I assure him.

“I know Mad.  Believe me I wish I could.”  His voice low and unsteady.  Maybe he has changed.  Maybe he deserves another chance.

“So why aren’t you in Europe?  I thought you were finishing a season there before coming to Chicago.”  I change the subject.  If he isn’t ready than I am not either.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”  I place my fork down turning my stool to him.

“I’m thinking about retiring.”  He continues to eat as though he just told me he was thinking about getting a fish.

“Why?”  I am shocked and surprised.  Trent to retire at this young of an age must mean there is something wrong.  “What’s wrong?”

“You remember when I ruptured my Achilles tendon?”  He asks.

“Yes.”  I answer.

“I haven’t been the same since.  The surgery fixed it and I have been doing physical therapy like crazy.  I was supposed to be in Europe to ease myself back in before coming back.”  He is still eating not looking at me.  I know he knows what I am going to say and he doesn’t want to hear from me.

“I’m not as fast, not as quick.  Chicago thought they traded for a number one player but now are thinking they got a bench warmer.”  He shakes his head back and forth.

“I couldn’t even play half the games in Europe, it is still too sore.  I don’t want to stick around being a has been Maddy.  If I can’t go out on top, I want to retire before I’m known for how many goals I missed in a game instead of how many I made.”

“Trent, you have to give it time.  Chicago did get a number one player, a star player.”  I put my hand on his shoulder.

“That’s why I have been missing some of Jack’s wedding things.  Chicago’s team doctors brought me back to try some things he think would help.  I meet with them, do certain drills and exercises. Yesterday I had to meet with the owners and coach.  They told me they will give me one season to prove myself before trading me.  I don’t want to be one of those players Maddy.  The player that goes from one team to another every year.”

“I thought you signed a contract.”  I ask.

“I did but only for a year.  I was such an ass when New York traded me for three of Chicago’s players I told them I would only commit to one season.  I was so conceded and full of myself.  I practically told them they would be lucky to have me for the year at the cost because the next year I would cost double.  Now I will be lucky enough to find a team to take me next year.”  He finally pushes his plate away but instead of looking at me he puts his head in his hands.

“Stop talking like that.  You can do this Trent.  Your body was born to play this sport and it will recover and you will be the greatest soccer player again.  All the teams will be begging for you again.”  I try to reassure him standing up to hug him.

“Oh Maddy, thanks but I just don’t know.”  I see a water drop on the counter and I know he is crying.  I have seen Trent cry twice in his life before now.  It wasn’t when he left me at college or when I walked out on him a year ago.  It was when we were eleven and he hugged me good-bye in my driveway before I moved away and that one night we no longer talk about.  I reach over stretching my arms around his shoulders from behind.  He grabs my hands and leans his head towards mine that is resting on his back.