Since I met her father a few weeks ago, we’ve barely had two minutes to ourselves. My family has taken turns coming down to Charming to help me with Lily so Sienna can teach her yoga classes. My aunt and uncle agreed it wasn’t fair to have so much of Lily’s care fall on Sienna.
Between that and the chaos of having the entire football program under investigation thanks to Krud, I haven’t had much time to spend with her, and it’s killing me. I mean to rectify that tonight.
After I knock on the door, Maggie whips it open. “Aww! Look at you. Flowers and everything.” She tilts her head back to yell, “Sienna! Loverboy’s here!”
Maggie shifts out of the way as my beautiful girlfriend twirls into the room. Damn. I’m a lucky man.
“You got me flowers?” She takes the bouquet and brings it to her nose.
“They were long overdue.”
Sienna leaps into my arms to thank me with a kiss. “Great game, babe. That little zigzag thing you ran for the touchdown was killer.”
We’re 1-1 since Coach Nicholson has taken over the team, but I’m hoping he can settle us down and get us to re-focus. “Thanks, sunshine.”
“You sure you’re not too tired? We don’t have to go to dinner.”
Fuck that. I don’t say the words, but there’s no way in hell I’m bailing on taking her out tonight. Yes, I’m exhausted, but I am long overdue to take her out on a real date. Getting late-night takeout doesn’t count. Although I don’t have the funds to wine and dine her somewhere ritzy, I know Sienna doesn’t care about those kinds of things.
As we wind through town, I thread my fingers through hers.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” she asks.
“Nope. Good things come to those who wait.” Teasing her is the best part.
We pull into a barbecue joint that doesn’t look like much from the front, but the back terrace is lit up with those twinkle lights Sienna loves. I know because I scouted it out the other day. She oohs and ahhs over how pretty it is. We chat with some mutual friends we spot when we first arrive, but decline when they invite us to sit with them. I don’t think either of us wants to share our evening with anyone else.
We sit, just the two of us, in a corner of the terrace, surrounded by the warm glow of those sparkle lights.
“How did your yoga classes go this week?”
“They were great. Each session was packed.”
“It’s because you’re an incredible instructor. I overheard a few girls at lunch the other day rave about how your class is their favorite.”
She places her hand over her heart. “That makes me so happy to hear!”
We talk about the game and how rough practice has been since all that shit went down. We brainstorm how we’ll deal with Janelle if she makes more trouble. Sienna tells me about the funny thing Lily did this week.
Sitting here with her like this is the first time I feel like I have a partner, someone who wants to be by my side, for better or worse. God knows she and I have already been through plenty of bad shit together. Hopefully better times are ahead. Starting with this date.
After a delicious dinner, I tug her close. “Are you in the mood for dessert?”
The look she gives me makes me consider taking her straight back to her place and stripping her out of her dress. “Are you on the menu?”
I laugh and kiss her. “Maybe. But we’ll have to be stealthy.”
She gives me a confused look, but I don’t divulge any more details. This woman loves surprises, and I plan to give her as many as she can handle if it makes her happy.
When we reach the retro drive-in theater that opened last summer on the outskirts of town, she hops up and down in her seat. “I’ve always wanted to go to one of these! And I love this movie! How did you know?”
It was either Ten Things I Hate About You or Aliens, and I figured a romcom would please Sienna more than guts flying all over the screen.
I reverse my Rover into our parking spot, and she points behind her. “How are we supposed to see the movie?”
“You’ll see.” I head around to open her door.
She gets out with a laugh. “You are full of surprises tonight.”
She’s all glowy and leveling that sunshiny smile at me, so I know she’s loving the mystery.
I pop open the back of my SUV where I have blankets laid out and a bevy of sweet snacks and drinks.
“My lady.” I hand her up, taking a moment to appreciate the glimpse of her toned legs as she ducks into my Rover.
As we watch the movie, she curls up against me, one thigh resting over mine, and even though I’m bone tired, I’m enjoying having this woman in my arms too much to be tempted to fall asleep.
Heath Ledger is crooning to Julia Styles and dancing across the screen when Sienna sighs. “That’s so romantic. I love that he sings to her.”
It gives me an idea…
But first things first.
I squeeze her close and whisper in her ear, “Babe, what would it take for you to move back in with me? Because I really fucking miss you.”
She turns in my arms and the look of love on her face does me in.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Epilogue
SIENNA
Maggie and I huddle together in the stands. It’s the last home game of the season, and considering everything that happened with the team this year, I’m thrilled we’ve only had three losses.
Coach Krud got fired after the school investigated the allegations he was taking payments from select players for more game time. Apparently, Cal’s father went to college with Krud and offered him big bucks to give Cal more time on the field while also benching Ben. Krud and Mr. Winston are currently under federal investigation.
Three players, including Cal, were initially suspended from the team for their participation in the pay-to-play scheme, but Cal eventually got expelled when several women raised sexual misconduct charges against him. Destiny says she plans to sue him for child support because she knows he won’t cough it up on his own.
I started doing my virtual therapy appointments again after Derek got charged with assault and expelled. A part of me feels guilty, like I ruined his life—thus the therapy. My therapist says victims of assault often have to work through feelings of shame and guilt. Deep down, I know I didn’t hold a gun to Derek’s head and drive him to my house that night.
Ben has to remind me that the guy destroyed my room and tried to hurt me, and if he would do that to me, he could do that to other women. Sometimes I need Ben to put things into perspective. Ben and I have spent many long nights talking through what I call our emotional knots.
After the way last season finished, the media had a field day with the Broncos’ troubles this fall, but all that opened up room for Coach Nicholson to take over the team, and he had the smarts to not only play Ben but to make him a starter again.
And even though the team won’t make the playoffs this year, they’re finishing strong, and Ben’s been making the ESPN highlight reels almost every weekend since Nicholson became head coach. If you discount those early games when Krud was in charge, Ben’s stats are just as strong as they were last year, which bodes well for the draft.