DRILLS
LUKE
The turf crunched under my cleats as I pushed through the last sprint. My legs felt like lead, and my lungs were on fire. Sweat trickled down my face, stinging my eyes. This wasn’t rehab–it was torture disguised as “progress.”
“Pick it up!” Jonathan barked from the sidelines. “You’re not dead yet, so move like it!”
I muttered a curse under my breath but dug in for the final stretch. My shoulder ached with every pump of my arms, but I gritted my teeth and pushed past the pain. When I finally hit the line, I doubled over, hands on my knees, gasping for breath.
“Fucking hell,” I panted.
A loud clang echoed across the field, and I glanced over to see Josh racking a set of weights. He was working on strength drills, his knee brace glinting under the sun. Jonathan stood over him like a drill sergeant, making him add another plate.
When Jonathan finally called for a break, Josh dropped onto the field next to me with a dramatic groan, sprawling out like a starfish.
“You look like shit,” I said, lying flat on my back and staring at the sky.
“Thanks, asshole,” Josh shot back, throwing an arm over his face. “You smell like a dumpster fire, so we’re even.”
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I smirked, too tired to argue. “Man, it feels good to be back. here,”
Josh grunted, shifting his arm just enough to squint at me. “Even with Jonathan riding our asses like this?”
“Even with that,” I said. “Missed this place.”
“Missed getting my leg turned into jelly,” Josh muttered sarcastically, but his tone softened. “Yeah…missed it too.”
We let the silence settle for a minute, both of us catching our breath. The heat from the sun and the familiar smell of the turf felt like home in a way nothing else did.
Then I ruined it.
“What the fuck were you thinking, telling Sarah she could stay?”
Josh groaned again, but this time it wasn’t playful. “Really, dude? We’re doing this now?”
“Yeah, now.” I turned my head to glare at him. “Because it’s been eating at me since you opened your big mouth.”
Josh propped himself up on his elbows, glaring back. “Look, I wanted to help her out. We wouldn’t be here without her, alright? And-” He tapped two fingers against his temple. “I got the vibe something’s not right with her up here. Like, mentally.”
“That’s your justification?” I sat up, scrubbing a hand over my -face. “She’s mental, so invite her in?”
Josh rolled his eyes. “You done? Or do you wanna keep being a dick about it?”
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I leaned closer, jabbing a finger in his direction. “You’re the one who offered for her to stay. So yeah, I’m gonna be a dick about it.”
Josh shoved my hand away, sitting up fully now. “Look, genius, I didn’t just invite her to crash on the couch and braid Laura’s hair. I gave her two weeks. Two weeks where we keep an eye on her and figure out if she’s okay, you know?”
I stared at him, not sure whether to throttle him or hear him out. “And if she got this delusional idea that we belong together.”
“Better than letting her roam around, stalking Jess. Rather the devil we know than the devil we don’t.”
blinked. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Josh waved a hand dismissively. “You didn’t see the way she looked at you after that article came out. Like she was planning your wedding in her head or something.”
“That’s not fucking funny,” I said through gritted teeth.
“It’s not supposed to be,” Josh shot back, his tone sharp now. “I‘ m serious, man. She’s got this…obsession. And maybe–just maybe–if she’s here, seeing you and Jess in real life, it’ll click that there’s no fairytale ending for her.”
I stared at him, trying to decide if he was brilliant or insane. “You’re betting on her getting over it?”
Josh met my glare with one of his own. “Yeah, I am. Because the alternative is her showing up at Jess’s baby shower with a butcher knife and a fucking scrapbook. You want that?”
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I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point.
“She’s not staying forever,” I said finally, my voice hard. “Two weeks. That’s it.”
Josh nodded. “Two weeks.”
We sat there in silence for a while, the tension between us fading but not gone. The stadium felt empty, the distant hum of traffic and chirping birds the only sounds around us.
Jonathan’s whistle cut through the air again, and we both groaned, pulling ourselves to our feet.
“Let’s go, princess,” I said, nudging Josh with my shoulder.
“Eat shit,” he rep
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out of the sky.” She shook her head, her smile bitter. “What a joke.”
Laura reached over and squeezed her hand. “That’s so messed up. Like, how is that even legal?”
Sarah shrugged, taking another sip of her wine. “Anyway, I got a travel nurse position here in California, but apartments are…well, you know. Expensive as hell. At least staying here for a couple weeks will give me time to save for a deposit. So, thank you. Really.”
Her eyes flicked to Josh, then to me, though she didn’t linger on either of us for long.
I stared at her for a moment before giving a slight nod. Josh, meanwhile, reached over and grabbed Laura’s glass, taking a long swig of wine like he needed it to process everything.
“Smooth,” Laura said dryly, snatching the glass back.
Josh just grinned, and I leaned back in my chair, tightening my hold on Jess.
Jess tilted her head, giving me a questioning look, but I just kissed her temple and settled in, silently wondering how long two weeks could possibly feel.
