Do you really understand what I am telling you?
“What the hell, Robin?” Damien yells as he comes over for water. “I need your head in the fucking game!”
A pang of guilt hits me. I should have kept Adrian away from him, but I failed.
“I know, I am just…” I sigh. There is no good excuse. I am still thinking about Lars and how much I want to end him. “I know.”
“I cannot believe I let Adrian take me down like that,” Damien mutters, his eyes narrowed. “Did you see that smug look? He thinks he owns me now. That self-satisfied bastard.”
I look over at Adrian and his team. He is boasting and laughing, sure they have already won.
“He has gotten a lot bigger,” I point out.
“Because Adrian eats raw nails for breakfast while you are drinking fancy water. You need to get bigger, Robin. If we were playing against a team of women, you would be drowning in attention right now!”
I turn to face him. “Hey, that is a mean thing to say!”
Damien rolls his eyes. “Whatever. You need to hit the gym harder now that you are on the offense. We both know it. And where the hell is your wife?”
“I do not know… Maybe she is still asleep?”
“Asleep?” Damien takes a deep, frustrated breath. “She needs to start showing up so you will stop worrying about her.” He points up at the stands where his wife, Elise, and his two sons are sitting, all wearing our team colors. “See, that is fucking loyalty! They are all here for me.” His words trail off and his eyes narrow. “Gabriel! Stop looking at Adrian’s side of the field! Look at your daddy!”
I gaze up at Elise and the two boys in the stroller. A small, sharp feeling of jealousy bites at me. Damn. I want kids, a whole bunch of them. Damien has me beat in that area.
A sigh escapes my lips. “I will do a better job protecting you from Adrian in the next half. Do not worry.”
Damien’s heavy hand lands on my shoulder, and his eyes lock with mine. He has switched into team captain mode. I can feel one of his serious speeches coming on. Do not laugh, the man might be an idiot about most things, but Damien knows football.
“I was not being serious when I said you needed to get bigger. I am sorry. You are great at tackling, but what I need is your full attention, Robin. I know a lot of shit is happening in your life right now. But you have to shut it all off when you are on this field, okay?”
I smile, already feeling better. “Okay.”
“Do you really understand what I am telling you? Are you listening to me?”
“Yes. I will focus on the game, block out everything else, and stop letting Adrian’s balls hit you in the face.”
“Good,” Damien says, tapping me on the back. “You are a better player than Adrian, Robin. You got picked in the first round, and Adrian is still bitter he had to wait six months longer for a contract, so show him why they wanted you and not him, okay?”
I take Damien’s advice. In the second half, I get Adrian pinned to the ground.
It is hilarious.
Adrian officially becomes my bitch. He tries to get in my head by saying it was just luck. He also says he is bigger than me, which is true… for now.
I am going to take training more seriously from now on. I have decided to eat more and build more muscle. Anna is supporting me on that. Having her encouragement is the best motivation.
I am thinking all this while I play, and by the time we win the practice game, I am sweaty and completely drained. Even though he is pissed, Adrian comes over to congratulate us. He says he is looking forward to seeing us at the gym, and then he gets an invite to Damien’s barbecue.
I do not get an invite, and it stings a little. But I also understand that Damien and I are not at that point yet.
“What are you guys planning to grill this weekend?” I ask, trying to sound casual and not jealous. I smell terrible and need a shower before I can go home and cuddle with Anna.
“I do not know,” Damien says, like he is thinking it over. We are walking toward the showers. “What would you want?”
“Huh?” I blink at him. “Why are you asking what I want?”
If he is planning to buy my favorite food for his own party, that is just rude.
“Because you are coming,” Damien stops walking. “You are not planning to skip out, are you? Elise bought fancy glasses and everything. She called your wife before the accident; Anna was going to bake cupcakes. You should check with her to see if that is still happening.”
I feel like I could almost cry. “I am invited?”
“Man, you are always invited to the barbecue,” Damien punches my arm, sighing deeply. “Why do you look so surprised? I did not think you needed a written invitation, Robin. You are Gabriel and Isaac’s favorite godfather. Do not tell Adrian I said that, but you are.”
“Thank you,” I grin at him. “You are a good friend, Damien. Thank you for having my back while I am dealing with all this shit.”
For a second, Damien’s bottom lip trembles. “Do not get all emotional with me, Robin. I cannot handle it.”
We hug each other, and that is when I hear Elise gasp before she shouts, “Get away from my husband, Robin! You are too handsome to be that close to him!”
I laugh.
I have the weirdest fucking friends in the world. Now all I have to do is make sure I keep my woman, too.