First and Tension

by Tara Sivec

  “Do you want the truth, or what everyone thinks is the truth, which Ellen Westwood twisted for her own selfish, narcissistic reasons?” Emily finally answers Jeanie, making my head whip to the side to stare at Emily’s profile in confusion.

  “I do so enjoy your brutal honesty.” Jeanie smiles at her before continuing. “I’m not an idiot, my dear. I do my own research. I know better than to trust internet trolls or even the words that came directly from Ellen’s mouth when I asked her about it last week. I never really liked that woman when I met her at a charity event a few years ago, and the conversation we had last week did not change my opinion of her. So, I’d like to hear it in your own words.”

  Well, fuck… what the hell?

  Emily’s tense shoulders relax just a bit, but not enough for my liking.

  “I basically got fired for asking for water.” Emily shrugs while another waiter just so happens to come up to the table and refill all our water glasses at that moment, and I sit up straighter in my chair and pay attention. “I mean, not just for that. Over the last year I cheered for the Vipers, I asked for a bunch of silly things.”

  Emily laughs, but it’s not my favorite mischievous chuckle. It’s full of hurt, and I don’t like that either, but I try to keep my cool while she continues, gripping tightly to the back of her chair where my arm still rests.

  “I also asked that we get paid for all the hours we work, and not just for the four hours we cheer on Sunday. On a typical week, I would get off of work from one of the two other jobs I needed to have in order to be able to afford living in California, to rush to get to the studio by six, where we would practice until at least ten at night. And that’s on a good night, when everyone can get it together quickly. Normally, we didn’t get out of there much before midnight. We also practiced for at least five or six hours on Saturday, and a few hours before game time. We don’t get paid for any of that. Not until the clock starts ticking on the scoreboard. We were just expected to be appreciative of the opportunity we’d been given and keep our mouths shut. And we were. Of course we were appreciative. Being on that team can open a lot of doors for a lot of women. But they used our bodies and our faces every single day to make money for that team, and I just wanted things to be fair,” Emily explains, making me feel ill that these girls put in so much work and don’t even get compensated for it.

  “I also asked that we get parking spaces closer to the stadium on game days for safety reasons,” Emily continues. “It’s usually well after dark by the time we get changed and head out to our cars. Since that request was denied and actually laughed at, I then asked if the team could provide security for the girls and walk us out to our vehicles at the end of a game. They expected us to park miles away with the rest of the fans and didn’t see the problem with a bunch of young women walking out to their cars after dark, in a parking lot filled with drunk fans from both teams, who may or may not be in a good mood, depending on the score. That was also denied, because they didn’t have the funds to provide us with extra security.”

  Remembering the gated-off assigned parking spaces that required an ID badge to enter that I and every other player had, five feet from the entrance to the stadium, it makes me want to punch a hole in the wall. And it wasn’t even just for the players. Our trainers and the one guy whose only job is to put our game-day jerseys on a hanger and hang them on the front of our fucking lockers got to park in that area as well.

  “I asked for a small handful of things over the course of that year, none of which I thought were extravagant, out of the ordinary, or anything we didn’t deserve,” Emily continues, the passion for what she believed in and the frustration that she couldn’t succeed loud and clear in her voice. “The final straw was when I asked that the team provide water for us at every home game, after one of my girls passed out from dehydration. I didn’t even ask for water at away games.”

  “What the hell were you supposed to do for water?” I ask angrily, taking a few deep breaths and trying to remember that as Emily’s “boyfriend,” I would probably already know this information. “Because… you know, Jeanie will want to hear this part.”

  Wow, real smooth, dipshit.

  “Oh, if we forgot to bring our own water with us, we were told we needed to wait in line at one of the vendors and purchase a bottle of water along with every other fan.” Emily smiles through the pain of her words like a fucking trooper.

  Jesus Christ… all I had to do was think about being thirsty, and no less than three trainers would be up my ass, jumping around like eager puppies, trying to be the first one to shove a water battle through my face mask and squirt water into my mouth.

  “It’s super fun when fans think they can take liberties with us, because we’re all dolled up in uniform, walking amongst everyone. I lost count how many times someone grabbed one of our asses or accidentally brushed their arms up against our chests without an apology.”

  “That is appalling,” Jeanie says with a disgusted shake of her head, while I wonder how hard it would be to get the name of every man who thought he could touch Emily without her permission and beat the fucking piss out of them.

  “So, yes,” Emily sighs, finally unclenching her fingers, and crossing her arms together on top of the table, “I told Ellen Westwood she could take my pom-poms and shove them up her fat, lazy ass when she told me it wasn’t in the budget to provide one bottle of water to forty girls at ten home games. Like it was in my budget on the pathetic salary they paid us, on top of my waitressing and dog walking jobs. But I still did it anyway, pulling change out of my couch cushions so my girls were taken care of every week. I am sorry I was so disrespectful to someone I looked up to and admired for so long. If I had to go back and do it again, I would be more careful with my words. I still would have told her to shove my pom-poms up her ass, but I’d probably take out the fat and lazy part next time. She is a pretty hard worker, and she has a great ass.”

  And just like that, Emily’s sarcasm lightens a tense situation, making all of us share a laugh, even after Jeanie fumed through the entire explanation and I almost ripped a few rungs off the back of Emily’s chair.

  Stupid me, I trusted Tyler a little too much, and I should have known better. His family is friends with Ellen Westwood’s family. They all belong to the same country club or some shit, and when he told me he had an extensive conversation with Ellen over tennis, I believed what he said to be the truth.

  “Thank you for being honest with me. I’m sorry you had to deal with such a horrible situation for so long,” Jeanie tells her. “I spoke to several of the cheerleaders, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. They respect you, and they miss your leadership and your support very much.”

  “I’m sorry too,” I whisper quietly, hoping Emily knows I don’t mean just about the situation, but for the fact that I believed the lies along with everyone else.

  “I’m just sorry I couldn’t make things better for the girls before I left,” Emily says sadly, making me admire the hell out of her for still being worried about them.

  “Don’t worry about your girls. I’ll be making a few phone calls to the Vipers after I leave here,” Jeanie reassures her, making Emily’s mouth drop open in shock, when Jeanie turns her attention to me. “I can see now why you fell in love with her, and I would enjoy hearing the real story of how you two met and what drew you to each other, since I know nothing can be trusted in the media.”

  Well, shit! It was stressful enough when Jeanie just thought we were dating, but now she thinks we’re in love? I don’t know how to do that!

  “Oh, I’ll let Emily tell that one. She’s such a better storyteller than I am.” I laugh a little uncomfortably when the waiter comes back, clearing up the last of the empty stemware and plates.

  “Don’t be modest, Quinn. You tell it so well,” Emily says with a smile through clenched teeth, making me want to laugh out loud and forget all about my nerves.

  “Nonsense, boo,” I reply, hiding my win
ce with a cough when Emily reaches over under the table to pinch my thigh for that nickname, wondering why in the hell it’s so much fun annoying her. “I could listen to the sound of your voice forever.”

  And that’s the God’s honest truth.

  “I’ve dominated so much of the conversation already. Please, I insist you do it.”

  God, this woman would be so easy to love if I actually knew how that shit worked.

  “Should I leave out the part about the present you left in my juniper bush, or keep it in?”

  I watch Emily’s face get a little pale and enjoy a few seconds of making her worry that she just gave me the perfect opportunity to tell a woman I can clearly see she respects that I was initially drawn to her because she insulted me in my own home and couldn’t hold her liquor. Jeanie already admitted she read some of the stuff that was said online, but she doesn’t know what’s true and what isn’t. I’ve been hard as a fucking rock under this table every time Emily has so casually and naturally reached over to rest her hand on my thigh, or grabbed onto my forearm resting on the table while she told a story, or leaned closer to bump her shoulder against mine when she said something cheeky. It’s all I can do not to grab her face and finally see what those lips taste like, and she deserves a little uncomfortable payback.

  “I don’t want to bore you with all the little details,” I finally tell Jeanie, putting Emily out of her misery. Unfortunately, her shoulders are still tense since I don’t follow orders, and now that she’s relaxed back into her seat, I’ve gone back to twirling a lock of her hair around my fingers while I speak. “Emily completely mesmerized me from the first moment she fell into my life.”

  My little pun is rewarded with Emily raising one of her eyebrows in warning when she glances over at me, and I give her a wink before turning my focus back on my boss.

  “I’ve learned more about her in the last week than I have over the last five months,” I tell Jeanie honestly, feeling Emily’s eyes on me the entire time I speak. “She’s strong and sweet, funny and determined, all rolled up into a stunningly beautiful package. Whether she’s at home in a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, or taking my breath away in heels, and a dress the same color as her eyes… that’s now my new favorite color. She does things she doesn’t want to do with a smile on her face just to make other people happy. She gives up her free time to help anyone who asks. She’s a strong leader, and a good friend, and with each new thing I learn about her, I fall more and more under her spell.”

  When I’m greeted with nothing but silence from the two women, I wonder if I laid it on a little too thick, even though every word out of my mouth is the truth and not something I made up or embellished to further the ruse and impress Jeanie.

  It’s either a tied game, or I’m about ready to get ejected for too many personal fouls.

  “Well, I’m definitely glad I got a chance to get to know you better and get things cleared up,” Jeanie finally breaks the silence a few minutes later by addressing Emily, pushing her chair back from the table. “I can already see you’ve been a good influence on Quinn. He looks happier and more settled in Virginia, and I expect nothing but great things from him this season with you by his side. If there’s anything you need from me, please don’t hesitate to call. Quinn, I’m sure we’ll talk soon.”

  Getting up from the table, Jeanie reminds us we are more than welcome to exit through the back of the restaurant the way we came in, since one of the waiters just informed her there might be paparazzi waiting out front. While Jeanie argues with her brother in the doorway about whether or not she’s paying the bill, I make a few phone calls, while Emily excuses herself to use the restroom before she goes back to Summersweet and I go back to my hotel.

  A few minutes later, she’s joined me again at the table, and with my hand resting against the small of her back, I lead her toward the rear entrance, pausing by the coat check room so she can grab the light sweater she brought with her, and her purse.

  “Thank you for today. You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” I tell Emily as she drapes her sweater over her arm.

  My breath catches in my throat when she turns back to face me and steps closer until we’re standing toe-to-toe, the height of her heels bringing her face up closer to mine and only a few inches away.

  “I know.” She smiles at me, making my heart beat faster in my chest like I just got done running five miles. “I’m pretty sure I won this game. I think she likes me.”

  “The scores have not been tallied yet. I’m pretty sure it’s a tie.”

  “And I’m pretty sure I’m gonna clinch it in overtime.” Emily smirks at me.

  “You’re awfully cocky for someone who—”

  Tunnel vision and a complete short circuit of every brain cell I own ends my complaining when Emily cuts me off by quickly stepping forward, pressing her palm to my chest, and pressing her lips to mine.

  For just one second, I’m completely frozen in shock, my brain and my body unable to comprehend what in the fuck is actually happening right now. And then I wake the hell up and feel the soft heat of her perfect lips molded against mine, and I grab onto her hips. A rush of fire explodes through my veins, and I want nothing more than to pull her body against mine, slide my tongue past her lips, and devour the hell her. Neither one of us moves, and this kiss is just a gentle press of our lips together, but I feel this damn thing all the way from my head to my feet, and I hope to God Emily can’t feel the thundering of my heart against the palm of her hand that’s still resting against my chest.

  She suddenly pulls her mouth away from mine long before I’m ready, the easy, breezy smile on her face in complete opposition to the chaos going on inside me right now, wondering if she felt the goddamn earth move or if it was just me.

  “See? Told you I’d clinch it in overtime,” Emily whispers before she takes a step back, my hands dropping from the grip they had on her hips, taking all that fire and heat with her until it feels like someone dumped a bucket of ice over my head. “Jeanie was looking over here. It would be pretty awkward if I didn’t kiss my boyfriend goodbye.”

  Right, right… the fake date and making it look good. Well, doesn’t this just suck?

  “I do believe that means I am the ultimate world champion, and if I’m not mistaken, I now have a perfect dare track record.” Emily grins at me happily. Even if it feels like she just punched me in the stomach, I can’t help but return her infectious smile when she shakes her hips and does a little cheer. “Victory… is so sweet, and Emily… can’t be beat!”

  Dropping her arms when she finishes, she holds one hand out to me, and I grab onto it, letting her give me a firm shake.

  “It was nice doing business with you, QB.”

  It’s really cute she thinks that just because our date is over, I’m not going to want anything to do with her. The game’s not over yet, sweetheart.

  “Quinn!” Jeanie shouts from the other side of the restaurant as Emily drops my hand. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but can I borrow you for a minute? I need something cleared up about summer camp.”

  Giving Jeanie a nod, I turn my attention back to Emily as she starts backing away from me to the car waiting outside for her, which I called when she was in the restroom. Along with one other call I made….

  “Thank you again for helping me out today. I hope you don’t mind, but I decided to host a couple of OTAs on the island. It’s just such a magical place that offers a bunch of privacy, and I couldn’t pass it up.”

  The crowd goes wild as Quinn Bagley heads into double-overtime, determined to take home the win!

  “Why would I mind?” Emily shrugs casually, but I can see a tenseness come over her body again, and she’s breathing a little faster. “The hotel is all the way on the other side of the island. I’m sure we won’t even run into each other or have a chance to annoy each other.”

  “Oh, that’s right! I forgot to tell you, since I made the call while you were in the bathroom,” I say, shoving my hands in the
front pockets of my tailored suit pants, enjoying how she’s fidgeting from one foot to the other now and not looking so calm and cool. “I spoke to a nice woman named Stephanie and rented one of your cottages. They are just adorable, going by the pictures online. But I’m sure you can give me a tour when I check in. Okay then, good talk, and I’ll see you again really soon.”

  Leaving Emily to curse me under her breath, I turn and head back across the restaurant to speak to Jeanie, hoping I made the right call. Literally.

  There’s no way in hell I was going to say goodbye to that woman once this date ended, and that was before she shocked the shit out of me with that kiss.

  She’s lost her goddamn mind if she thinks I’m going to be able to stay away from her now. I don’t care if she only did it to complete that stupid dare. She needs to see there was nothing fake about how perfectly we fit together today. And how perfectly I know we could fit together in every way, if she’d just give me a real chance instead of a fake one.

  “Game on, lover,” I mutter to myself as I make my way to Jeanie. “Eeew, God no, she’s right. That’s gross and should never be said out loud.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Emily

  “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

  Quinn: Just checking to make sure you made it back to the island safely. Thank you again for your amazing performance today. My boss officially likes you more than she likes me.

  Emily: I am safe and sound, bored out of my mind, waiting to close up at work. I should be the one thanking you. Getting dressed up and going somewhere off the island was a nice treat. I miss going to fancy events and putting on pretty clothes.