Hard & Deep: A Football Romance
Page 13
It would be a nice distraction from things, that was for sure. And she needed a distraction. Uncle Frank's health was always on her mind. His prognosis from the brain tumor was still unknown, but they were planning on doing surgery within the week.
She thought about him all the time, but he assured her that he would be fine and that there was nothing to worry about. Frank saying that obviously didn't help her from worrying. But somehow, spending time with Ollie really did. Ollie soothed her worries better than anything else. Which was just another reason why she didn't want to see him move back home.
By the time she looked at the clock again, it was only five minutes until seven. She glanced out her apartment window, the one that looked over Main Street. In the past few days, all of the remaining winter show had melted. The streets were wet, but it was clear that summer was on the way. The changing season was a reminder of time passing. Soon, Oliver would be back home and her life would go back to the way it was before he arrived. She figured she'd continue treating her usual patients and things would exist as they always had. The status quo would appear untouched, just the way a small town like hers liked it.
With a sigh, she turned and walked to her living room. Taking a seat on the couch, she kicked her feet onto the coffee table. Before she could even take a breathe, her cell phone buzzed in the front pocket of her jeans. It was a text from Ollie that read, “Hey, I'll be there in less than a minute. Wanted to let you know. See you soon.”
She couldn't stop the excited smile from lighting up her face. She hopped up from her couch, suddenly more nervous than ever. After a few deep breaths to calm herself, she went to her mirror one last time to make sure she looked good. Her makeup, hair, lipstick and clothing was all in order.
Remember, Elsie, he's not your patient any more, she thought. Don't act all weird and awkward. Just go have fun.
A knocking came on her door and her eyes widened.
“He's here,” she whispered.
Elsie grabbed her purse and walked toward the front of her apartment. She paused for a second to collect herself, then opened it up the door. Oliver was standing at the top of the stairs, with his usual smile. He'd combed his hair back and shaved his face, making him look even more handsome than she'd ever seen him.
“Hi,” she said. “You found it.”
“I did.” Ollie stepped toward her. “It wasn't too hard, though. There's only one physical therapy clinic in town.”
Elsie laughed, giving him a once over. “I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up in anything but a t-shirt and workout shorts.”
“Oh, this?” Oliver rubbed his hands over his red and black, buttoned down plaid shirt. “Yeah, I didn't really have anything to wear tonight so I stopped by the country store. Turns out they have a lot of options for men's shirts. They have plaid, cotton plain, wool plaid and probably some other plaids that I've forgotten.”
“In that case, I think plaid was a wise choice. You look good,” she said, putting her purse over her shoulder. “A little bit country, but I suppose that's a good thing, given where we are.”
“Yeah, it's different, but I think I can pull off the look,” he said. “Did you happen to notice my shoes?”
Her eyes drifted downward, past Ollie's jeans and to his brand new cowboy boots. They were brown and shiny, and had obviously never seen a day of work.
“Oh, my gosh,” she said, putting her hand over her mouth and trying not to giggle. “You went all out.”
Oliver shrugged. “Hey, if you're going to do something, do it one hundred percent. That's what Coach always says, anyway.”
Elsie was surprised to see him dressed like that, but found herself liking it more than she should. He looked buff and masculine, like something out of an old cigarette ad in a magazine. He was like a young version of the Marlboro man. A legitimate cowboy. Although she knew he'd spent more time with his feet on perfectly trimmed grass than on country dirt.
“By the way, you look beautiful,” he said. “Thank you for letting me take you out.”
He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. Her lips tingled and she found herself smiling like an idiot, lost in her crush for her quarterback date.
“Are you ready?” he asked. “This should be fun.”
Elsie closed her apartment door and locked it. “Yeah, I'm all set. Where are we going?”
“It's a surprise,” he said, taking her hand and leading her down the stairs.
“A surprise, huh?” she asked. “You can't even give me a hint?”
“Nope,” he said.
When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Elsie looked around. “Where did you park?”
Ollie chuckled and let out a sigh. “You're going to laugh.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What happened? Did Johnny not come through on letting you borrow his car?”
“Oh no, he came through,” Ollie said. “Only, he never specified 'car'. He'd said I could borrow his 'mode of transportation' which I had wrongfully assumed was a car. Turns out, the old man only owns a tractor.”
“You're kidding me,” she said, trying to hold back her laughter. Knowing Johnny, the old man had planned on this.
Oliver shook his head. “I'm not. I hope you don't mind that I'm picking you up for our date on a John Deere.”
Ollie led her to the front of the building. Sure enough, parked next to the sidewalk on Main Street was a giant, front-loading John Deere tractor. It was easily twice the size of Elsie's car.
She chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. “Ollie, you drove this thing here?”
“Yep,” Oliver said. “It took me a few minutes to figure it out, but it's actually kind of fun, once you learn how how to use the brakes. I know, I know, it's ridiculous. But I told you that I'd take you out on a proper date and part of that means that I have to pick you up. I thought you'd find it funny.”
Her smile continued to widened as she approached the metal machine that was parked in front of her physical therapy practice. The seat of it was at the same height as her head and the back wheels were taller than she was.
“I'm not mad at all,” she said, glancing toward him. “This is perfect!”
He grinned. “I thought if anyone would enjoy a unique ride, it would be you.”
“Honestly, I love it,” she said, climbing up into the seat, which looked like it would barely hold the two of them. “Anybody can take a girl on a date in a car. How many guys are willing to drive a tractor?”
Oliver laughed and climbed into the seat beside her. He grabbed the steering wheel and turned the key. The engine roared the life, rumbling underneath them.
“All I need now is a piece of grass sticking out of my mouth and I'll fit right in,” he said, putting the tractor into gear.
Elsie held onto his arm as they pulled away from the curb. She couldn't stop giggling. She sincerely loved the lengths that Ollie was willing to go in order to pick her up. It made her feel so special. Sure, she was being driven across town on an old tractor, but it didn't matter. It could have been an old bicycle for all she cared. What mattered was that he'd worked hard to make it happen and he'd done it all just for her.
“You still aren't going to tell me where we're going?” she asked, having to talk loudly over the firing of the diesel engine.
Oliver looked over. Then he did his best country boy impression. It was terrible. “Well, little lady, I reckon you and I will be moseying on over to the county fair. Last I heard, they're going to have them a merry-go-round and one of them sledge hammer games. What'dya think about that?”
“I think the County Fair sounds like fun!” she said, laughing at his impression. “But I think you'd better work on your country accent a bit. It's a little off. People might realize that you're not from around these parts.”
“I've got something for that,” he said, pulling a ball cap out of his back pocket. He slipped it on over his hair and pulled it down tight. “Or at the very least, they might not recognize me as Oliver Lance.”
The two of them continued their journey on the tractor. Elsie was smiling on the inside as she sat next to him in the small bucket seat, which seemed to bounce up and down regardless of the fact that they weren't going over any bumps.
I haven't been to the county fair in ages, she thought. I think the last time I went was with my Uncle Frank when I was ten.
“Do you know where you're going?” Elsie asked, as Ollie turned the tractor onto a dirt road.
“Not exactly,” he said. “I thought I did, but I'm starting to wonder if this is the correct road.”
Elsie chuckled. “We can take this road. The county fair grounds are just east of town. I'll tell you when to turn.”
“Sounds good,” he said, then paused before adding, “Doc.”
She just smiled and leaned her against against his shoulder. The nickname was really starting to grow on her.
Chapter 15
Ollie
Oliver steered the tractor into the dirt parking lot near the fair. He had to park all the way in the back because it was so busy. It seemed like everybody in town was there.
“I had no idea it would be so popular,” he said, as he turned off the engine. “This must be the thing to do when the weather gets nice.”
“Oh, it is,” Elsie said. “It's a pretty big deal. I'm willing to bet that nearly every single person in town is here. Don't be surprised if I run into people that I know that want to talk my ear off. If anyone asks, you're a friend from college.”
The two of them got off of the tractor and walked hand in hand toward the fair. Ollie smiled as the sounds of the fair became louder. There were children laughing, people talking and the constant drone of the machines that powered the rides. It reminded him of his brother and how they obsessed over the rides when they were kids.
He glanced at Elsie, still shocked at how she'd slowly stolen his heart over the past few months. It hurt to think that he might not see her again after his return home. There was still the ever-lingering possibility that he could land her a job on the team, but he hadn't brought that up to her yet. He didn't want to give her false hope. He didn't want to give himself false hope, either.
“What ride do you want to go on first?” Elsie asked, squeezing his hand. “I should probably tell you right now that I'm not a huge fan of heights. So if you were thinking about doing every ride in the park, I might have to sit some out.”
“I think that the very first thing we should do is get some cotton candy,” he said, smiling like an excited kid. “Then we can figure out which rides to go on.”
“Cotton candy?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I didn't know that was on your diet.”
Oliver laughed. “Everything is on my diet when I'm at a fair. In fact, there are three main food groups here. There's cotton candy, funnel cakes and giant turkey legs. All of which we should partake in.”
“You're not going to hear an argument from me,” Elsie replied with a hearty laugh.
I love that she's here with me right now, he thought. I truly feel like there's no place I'd rather be. If it wasn't for my career, I'd find a way to stay. Maybe I should just tear my ACL again. That would do it.
As the two of them got closer to the fair entrance, Oliver noticed people turning heads. A few older men glanced at him and then whispered something to themselves. He pulled his hat down and his collar up, in an effort to hide as much of himself as possible. It didn't help, though. The plump young woman at the ticket counter recognized him immediately.
“Oliver Lance?” she said. “Oh, my God. Number seven. The Bandits. Is that really you?”
Crap. I had a feeling this would happen, he thought.
Ollie cleared his throat and shook his head. “I get that all the time. I'm not him, though. Oliver Lance is a lot taller than me. Plus, do I really look like the type of guy who can throw a football as fast as he does?”
The girl paused for a moment, cocking her head to the side. Then she shrugged. “I guess not. It's uncanny how much you look like him, though. Anyway, that will be five dollars each.”
Oliver paid and the two of them stepped into the fair.
“That was close,” Elsie said with a chuckle. “I'm surprised she recognized you, given the cowboy outfit and the hair.”
“Who would have thought?” Ollie laughed, leading his date across the dirt path to the cotton candy stand. He ordered a blueberry one for himself and a grape one for Elsie. They then began their stroll through the fair as they ate. But they hardly made it ten feet before people starting coming up to say “hi” to Elsie. Everybody knew her and she knew everyone. And of course, all of that attention only brought more eyes onto Ollie.
“Oliver Lance? Really? In our town?” One older man said, after quickly greeting Elsie.
“No, no,” Elsie said. “This is my friend from college, but I assure you, he just happens to look like Oliver Lance.”
Oliver did his best to smile and shrug whenever anyone mentioned who they thought he was. Ollie didn't really mind all that much. He wasn't focused on that and at this point, wasn't as concerned with people knowing who he was. Sure, the news would spread like wildfire in a small town if anybody actually believed he was the Oliver Lance. But he thought he was doing a pretty good job of convincing everyone otherwise. Regardless, his real focus of the evening was his beautiful date, not a bunch of strangers.
“What do you say we do the Ferris wheel?” Ollie suggested. “It would give us a little privacy.”
Elsie looked across the fair, toward the turning wheel. “It's pretty big. I don't know, Ollie. I don't like heights.”
“You'll be with me,” he said. “You'll be safe, I promise. Please?”
She looked a little nervous, but finally nodded in agreement. “Okay, just don't let me die.”
Ollie laughed. “I won't. Trust me, that thing is safe as can be. I'm pretty sure that not one single person has ever even been injured on a Ferris wheel before.”
“I think you just made up that little statistic,” she said. “Actually, I'm quite positive you did.”
“You're technically right. I did make that up,” he admitted, with a boyish smirk. “But that doesn't mean it might not be true.”
Elsie shook her head and smiled. “Come on. Let's go.”
The two made their way to the Ferris wheel. The seat was fairly small, just enough for the two of them to squeeze in next to each other. Ollie put his arm around her shoulder as the wheel turned and lifted them into the air.
“See, it's not that bad,” he said.
“Yeah, you're right. It's not that scary. “Elsie faced him. “At least with you here with me. I don't think I'd want to do this by myself.”
As the wheel turned and sent them higher up into the air, they kissed. It was the kind of kiss that caused the surrounding carnival noises to become mute and distant. For a moment, Oliver felt like the two of them were the center of the entire world. Everything faded to sparkling lights and gentle laughter.
She's so perfect for me, he thought. I know that I can't have her. It just wouldn't work. But God, I'd love it if I could.
Time seemed to stop as they two of them continued to kiss on the Ferris wheel. Oliver didn't even notice the movement of the ride. The next thing he knew, they'd gone full circle and the attendant was tapping him on the shoulder. He broke his kiss with Elsie and looked over.
“Sir, the ride is over, please step out.” The greasy-haired teenage boy who was working the ride opened door of the cart. He looked annoyed.
“Whoops,” Ollie said, flashing a smile toward Elsie.
“Sorry,” Elsie said to the attendant. She was bright red. “We'll be on our way now.”
“Well, that was awkward,” Oliver chuckled, as he took Elsie's hand and walked
away from the Ferris Wheel.
“That kid looked a little bit freaked out,” Elsie said, giggling. “That was a fun ride, though. I think maybe that's how I can get over my fear of heights. I just have to do everything while kissing you.”
“You know, I think that could be arranged.” Oliver smiled and squeezed her hand. They made their way across the dirt path that weaved through the events and the multitude of food stands. For being a smaller fair, it still had everything. Lots of rides, tons of food and an entire town of people scurrying throughout enjoying themselves, but the only thing that really had Oliver's attention was Elsie.
She looked incredible. Her tight jeans hugged her curves and accentuated her long legs. The smell of her perfume was intoxicating and the taste of her kiss lingered on his lips. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly it made his whole body ache.
“Hey, Mr. Quarterback,” Elsie said, pointing toward one of the stands along the path. “Look, it's a one of those ball throwing games. You think you can win?”
Oliver glanced over. There were two stands to their right. One of them was a dunk tank. Next to that, was a stand with a wooden sign above it that read “milk bottle toss”. That was the one Elsie was pointing to. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw it. He popped his knuckles and nodded. “I can certainly give it a try.”
A group of kids were standing in front, and they had just finished their turn. One of them spoke to Ollie as soon as he approached.
“I wouldn't even bother with this game,” the kid said. “It's impossible. I swear, it's rigged.”
“I'll give it a try,” Ollie said said with a shrug. “I'm just here to have fun.”
“I guess. Good luck, man.” The kid shrugged as he walked off. “I'm pretty sure those bottles are glued together or something.”
“Don't listen to him.” The game's attendant, a young blonde girl in a yellow summer dress, spoke up. “He's just bitter because he didn't have a good throw.”
Oliver laughed, turning toward his girl. “Elsie, I'm going to win you that giant teddy bear.”
Elsie grinned, bringing her attention toward the giant stuffed bear that was seated on a stool next to the game's attendant. The bear was bright pink and nearly as tall as she was.