Law #3: Don't Fall for the Athlete: Sweet Second Chance Romance (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (black books to read txt) 📗

to break the news to Ellie that I’ve been picked and will be leaving Arizona soon. I’d meant to tell her over the weekend, but I couldn’t bring myself to address the topic of a long-distance relationship.

How will she react? I hope she’ll be open to it.

Coach William snorts. “Son, what’s her name?”

“There is no—”

“Cut it,” he interrupts me. “I’ve been working with you for a long time. You’re our team’s star and the only one who deserved to be selected. But”—he lifts a finger—“only if you keep your head clear and leveled. Are you clear and leveled, Wyatt?”

I shrug. “I guess.”

“Guessing won’t carry you far in the NFL. Only knowing will. And acting on what you know is best. What happened to the laser-focused freshman who was ready to do anything to become a champion? He would’ve never guessed. Or lied to me.” Coach spits out the last part with obvious disdain.

I know Coach Williams cares about his players’ success. His frustration is fueled by his concern for me.

“NFL is all I want. You know this, Coach. But there’s this girl…”

Coach William chuckles. “Ah, I see. Suddenly, there is a girl. I told you to stay away from those frat parties, didn’t I?”

“She’s a friend’s sister. I know her from Kingman—” I keep silent about the fact that Ellie and I crossed the boundaries of friendship thanks to a frat party.

The place doesn’t really matter. It’s not like I first noticed how incredible Ellie was that night. That process started much earlier. Probably that first afternoon when Devon invited me over to their house and Ellie came out to their backyard with fresh cucumber lemonades. The bright smile with which she offered me the glass remained ingrained in my mind. As did her quick-witted comments once she and I started talking.

“—and she’s not just any girl. She’s special,” I add.

A mocking glint invades Coach William’s eyes. “Do you intend on playing Romeo from another state? Between soul-crushing practices and new strategies you need to learn with the Kites? Will she travel to you? Or will you spend your weekends on the road?”

Coach’s words punch me in the gut.

For some reason, I haven’t pondered the logistics of my relationship with Ellie yet.

“Why not?” I ask. “Some players are together with their high school sweethearts.” Heat spreads to my neck as I utter my phrase.

Coach Williams’ laugh is dry and raspy. “Ah, that might be true. But do you know how many relationships end badly and hurt the player’s career while destroying the woman’s happiness in the process?”

I shake my head.

He pats my shoulder with a patronizing gesture. “Too many. Don’t forget, by thirty-nine you’ll be a grandpa in football terms. You’ll have enough time to think about your romantic involvements once your career is over. Why rush things now? You’re only twenty-three, for Pete’s sake.”

“But what if she’s the one?”

My coach tilts his head to the side. “Are you in love, big man?

“Love?” I jerk back. “I’m not sure, but—”

Coach waves dismissively. “Don’t misinterpret youthful devotion. Especially when it’s boosted with raging testosterone.” He pauses and his forehead creases. “Listen, I’ll tell you a brief story of a talented young player. This guy got drafted like you did and had a girlfriend he didn’t want to leave behind. In his first year on the team, he was unfocused because he always thought of his woman and what she might be doing. As a result, after only a year, his career was over. He missed out on his big break.”

“What happened to that girl?” I ask.

“Our guy married her, but a few years down the road, they grew apart and got divorced.”

I study Coach Williams’ regretful grimace.

Is he talking about himself?

He sniffs. “This is just to say that relationships when you’re this young don’t mean a thing. This mushy feeling won’t last forever. And when the bliss is over, what will you have? The regrets about a glorious career you could have lived if you only gave it all you had. Take my advice and cut things with your girl in the bud. Focus on your future. If you want to be a legend, you need to be one hundred percent dedicated.”

He finishes his speech with a nod, sticks his hands into his sweatpants’ pockets and shuffles over to his office, without any further word.

I sink onto the bench and bury my face into my palms.

Playing pro football was what I’ve wanted since I first held a ball in my hands. This goal gave me a purpose and kept me sane in the most horrible circumstances. I can’t lose my head (and heart) when I’m so close to making it in the league. I just can’t. I owe it to myself to make my dream come true.

Is my relationship with Ellie detrimental to the future I aspire to?

I recall how I skipped a practice to take Ellie to the theater and my heart sinks.

That’s exactly what Coach meant.

I scratch my cheeks, digging my nails into my skin.

I already made a choice for her that deprived me of an opportunity to hone my skills in the mechanics of no-huddle offense. It’s also true that I think of Ellie most of the time when we’re not together.

Will these thoughts become obsessive when we’re apart? Will they render my performance hazy and mediocre?

It’s possible…yes.

Also, doesn’t Coach William have a point about Ellie needing someone who isn’t a thousand miles away?

Ellie deserves more than the idea of a boyfriend, and I’m sure that she wishes for more. Once I start in the league, I’ll have scarce free time between trainings, camps, pre-seasonal and seasonal games, and other obligations.

A thought occurs to me.

Could Ellie’s desire to keep our relationship secret also be fueled by her doubt about whether I’m the right guy for her? She’s a very intuitive person. She might have felt that we were destined to be together only for a brief period of time.

The more I ponder this, the more I convince myself