Hard Game

by Harper Lauren

  “Get drunk and pick up random strangers?” he asked.

  “For your information, I do not do one-night stands,” she said with a frown.

  I was pleasantly surprised, but I just smiled and said, “Joking, okay?”

  She eventually smiled and went back to pointing out her favorite hangout places and boutiques for shopping.

  It was weird how I’d never spent much time on this side of the city except to go to the hospital. I wasn’t much of a coffee shop person, and I spent boys’ nights out in sports bars mostly. I’ve been to plenty of restaurants on dates, though, but never more than twice.

  I was totally amused by Cassy’s constant chatter about her life in the city. She seemed to be so comfortable sharing even the miserable parts and the things she wasn’t proud of. She’d always been an open book, I guessed, except when it came to how she felt about me. There was another thing she wasn’t upfront with--- her real feelings about her father. But of course, I didn’t want to push her. After all, I was never one to share about my past and lay out my fears and dreams in the open.

  Honestly, I was also playing this relationship by ear. I didn’t know where it was going or where I wanted it to go. But for now, at least we’re both fine with just seeing how it worked out one step at a time.

  The hospital came to view, reminding me of that fateful game when I had gotten tangled up in a bad scrimmage on the field. I thought I had gone past all the offensive linemen successfully, but then two huge players of the opposition had tackled me to the ground. I’d hurt my knee pretty bad, twisting in pain. I was patched up by the emergency medical team on standby, and then brought to this very hospital for an x-ray and other tests.

  That was the first time I had met Dr. Higgins, an ACL surgeon and specialist. He’d been my trusted doctor and friend since then.

  “I see you’ve met a beautiful lady in your hometown,” Dr. Higgins said after I introduced Cassy. He shook her hand and asked us both to sit down.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Cassy said politely.

  “She’s originally from here,” I told him. “Just vacationing in Burchnell like me.”

  “Isn’t that a coincidence?” he said, raising his eyebrows meaningfully. He actually reminded me of my dad, which is why I had immediately felt at ease with him.

  “Maybe,” I answered, grinning.

  “Well, I don’t believe in coincidences,” he remarked. “Do you?”

  I simply laughed, glancing at Cassy who was smiling.

  Dr. Higgins chuckled. “I think you’ve just found the purpose of this accident,” he murmured as he studied my records and recent lab tests and x-rays.

  I smiled. He had a very good point there.

  We chatted some more as he performed a physical check-up on my knee. It wasn’t painful anymore. I think it was actually improving a lot.

  After I went through another x-ray and got the results, I was glad to see that the x-ray generally showed the same. It matched the physical examination.

  Dr. Higgins nodded with a smile as he handed me back the x-ray result. “Looking good, Mr. Willard. If your healing continues progressing, you might just get back on that field sooner than expected. Your teammates will certainly be ecstatic to have the best left tackle back.”

  I smiled, definitely elated.

  “Have you been watching their games?” he asked. “The Windfield Warriors struggle every time. They do win some games, but it’s not the same without you.”

  “Thank you for the compliment, doctor,” I said sincerely. “I appreciate it.”

  “Take care of your knee,” he said. “Keep taking your meds and don’t get overworked. Don’t put unnecessary strain on the injury.”

  “I’ll make sure of that,” Cassy quipped.

  “Thank you, young lady,” Dr. Higgins said with a smile. “I think you have a lot to do with the big improvement.”

  “Oh, I hope so,” she answered.

  We had lunch at her favorite Italian restaurant afterwards where we also met up with her friend Charlene.

  “So you’re that famous football player that’s got Cassy so wound up!” Charlene exclaimed after we were introduced.

  I laughed. “Great way to put it, I guess.”

  Cassy gave me a light punch on the shoulder. “No, you’re the one who’s gone nuts because of me!”

  I raised my hands in surrender as we laughed. The two women had a lot to chat about, obviously very happy to finally be reunited. It was amusing just listening to them. I was contented watching Cassy’s eyes light up and listening to her endless babble.

  From time to time, they would include me in their conversation. Charlene asked me how Cassy was doing at the farm. She was definitely surprised to learn that her friend had adjusted excellently and was no longer appalled by animals and mud.

  “She still wears her designer clothes, though, while at work,” I added.

  Charlene laughed. “Atta girl!” she said jokingly. “You’re going to ruin your expensive Gucci jeans!”

  “No big deal,” Cassy said with a wave of her hand.

  Our topic shifted to Cassy’s flourishing career as a fashion designer and dressmaker, which made Charlene beam with pride. “So you’re finally doing it,” Charlene said. “I’m so proud of you! That’s just amazing!”

  Cassy gave a pretend bow. “You can have the very first autographed dress, I promise!” she said, giggling.

  “Well, at least that’s another good thing that’s come out of your supposed exile,” Charlene pointed out.

  Cassy smiled. “You know, it’s not bad at all. A lot of good things have actually happened.” She then glanced at me meaningfully, her smile widening.

  “Okay, so tell me more about this love story,” Charlene began, leaning forward with interest. “From what I’ve heard, you guys used to be the best of enemies!”

  We both laughed.

  “Yeah, well,” Cassy said, still laughing. “The best of enemies turn out to be the best of lovers. But I’ll tell you the details some other time.”

  “When I’m not around,” I added.

  “Right!” Charlene and Cassy both said at the same time.

  After lunch, we headed to their favorite coffee shop. I let them catch up with each other as I quietly read the local newspaper, mostly the sports section.

  As I looked up from the paper, my eyes rested on a tall, elegant woman who resembled Cassy a bit. The similarity in appearance was what had gotten my attention in the first place. And to my surprise, she was actually headed to our table right that moment.

  I put down the paper and straightened up. I had a really bad feeling about this.

  “Cassandra,” the woman uttered. She had a not-so-friendly look on her face.

  Cassy looked up, her mouth dropping open in shock. “Mom! I thought you were in Paris!” she exclaimed. “Dad said you’d gone there with your friends last week.”

  “Our trip was cut short,” Mrs. Young answered curtly.

  “Hi, Mrs. Young!” Charlene greeted cheerfully.

  The woman eyed her warily and nodded in acknowledgement. She obviously wasn’t fond of the best friend either. I remember Cassy mentioning how her parents had always thought Charlene was a bad influence on her.

  She turned her eyes to me then, scrutinizing me carefully. I felt my heart pounding as I wondered if she knew about my deal with her husband. Silently I prayed that she wouldn’t mention it or hint at it in front of Cassy. After all, that would defeat the purpose, right?

  I stood up politely despite my nervousness and put on my most charming smile. I had always been quite talented at delighting older people. “How are you, Mrs. Young?” I said smoothly. “I’m Ivan Willard, your daughter’s friend. We met in Burchnell where I’m originally from, but I’ve lived here in the city too.”

  She gave me a curious look. Recognition then dawned on her face. “You’re that football player,” she said. “Sometimes I catch the games on TV when my husband’s watching at home.�
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  “That’s good to hear,” I told her sincerely. “He must be a fan.”

  “Oh, he loves everything Windfield,” she said. Then turning back to Cassy, her eyes narrowed. “So what are you doing back in town, young lady?”

  Cassy stood up to face her mom as she made up some story about sourcing materials for her client’s upcoming wedding. Her mother’s face actually softened as she listened. She looked very much surprised as Cassy recounted the progress of her business.

  I felt for Cassy then. It must be tough having a mother like that. The woman was nothing like my mom. She didn’t even seem joyful to see her daughter whom she hadn’t been with for a long time.

  “We’re actually heading back now,” Cassy added.

  “Okay,” Mrs. Young said. “Your father will not be happy about this city visit, though. But I’m glad you’re finally doing something with your life.”

  “Of course,” Cassy said, giving what I could tell was a fake smile.

  Soon her mom left us alone, and the three of us were finally able to breathe with relief. Cassy groaned. “I thought she was in Paris and I knew Dad would never go to these places, anyway,” she said. “Now I’m busted.”

  “It’ll be okay, Cassy,” Charlene tried to assure her. “I’m sure your Aunt Ellen will also vouch for you.”

  “Well, let’s see,” Cassy said. “Can’t let her ruin this wonderful day, right?”

  “Definitely,” I agreed. My heart went out to her, but I was also relieved that Mrs. Young had not seemed to be aware of my arrangement with her husband. And she had not shown any negative reaction toward my presence.

  Guilt began to creep into my heart. I hated lying to Cassy, but I knew she wouldn’t be able to forgive me if she discovered that I was being paid by her father to watch over her and teach her to be responsible. At the same time, her dad would probably have me kicked off the team if he knew I was dating his daughter now. He could surely pull the strings to have it done.

  It was an impossible dilemma. I could only pray that things would work out well in the end.

  Chapter 17

  Cassy

  It was like dark clouds had suddenly cast a shadow over my sunshine, but I refused to let it ruin the day.

  In the afternoon, it was my turn to be exposed to Ivan’s world. This whole city trip was turning out to be a getting-to-know-you date for us.

  As we slipped into the football field where his teammates were practicing, I peered into his face. His expression was unreadable.

  “Sure you’re ready for this now?” I said, squeezing his hand. I knew he hadn’t contacted any of his friends and teammates for a long time. Apart from Alex, he’d actually avoided all of them and had not been watching the games too. It probably just hurt too much, not knowing whether he’d be able to play again or not.

  He nodded with conviction. “With you, I feel like I’m ready for anything.”

  I laughed. “Since when have you turned soft and mushy?”

  He placed an arm around me and kissed me on the forehead. Chuckling, he shrugged. “Beats me.”

  We both laughed as we approached the team.

  When they saw him, all hell broke loose. The coach called for a break and went to talk to him. His friends were eager to ask how he was, many of them urging him to heal faster.

  “We need you, man!” one of them said. “Let’s go play now!”

  “Stop acting like a wounded animal!” another called out, slapping him good-naturedly. He responded with a friendly punch. It seemed like this was one of his closer buddies.

  He eventually introduced me to everyone. Some of them were polite, but there were a few who were very outspoken. One of them gave a low whistle and shouted, “Now we know why Willard’s not coming back anytime soon!” The others laughed at the comment.

  “Shut up!” Ivan said, laughing.

  “If I had a woman like that, man, I’d hole up in my hometown too.”

  We all laughed. At one point, I saw Ivan eyeing the field with intensity. I knew then how heartbroken he was about his condition. It must be very difficult for him. But at least he’d mustered the courage to finally face it and accept the truth. After all, there was renewed hope.

  “So where to next?” I asked after we left the field.

  He grinned. “My apartment.”

  On the way to where he used to live, he told me he’d had to keep paying for it because it was on a one-year lease. Besides, he had not anticipated the length of his recovery. He thought he’d be back at the game sooner.

  The apartment was a studio type, but minimally designed like a hotel room with a mini kitchen and dining table for two. It was small but cozy, and was surprisingly neat and clean.

  “I had it cleaned recently,” he explained.

  “You should consider having it rented in the meantime,” I said. “My mom rents out a lot of our properties. That can give you extra income.”

  “Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” he said thoughtfully. “However, it just makes me sad, you know, like I won’t be back for an even longer time.”

  “Well, yeah, that sucks,” I said in agreement.

  He gave me a small pretend tour, holding my hand the entire time. “Over here is my humble kitchen where I whip up instant meals and microwave a lot of takeout food,” he said, making me laugh. “Take a few steps back and you’re already at the foot of my bed! Ta-da!”

  I giggled as he pulled me toward him playfully. “Now this is where the famous football star sleeps, collecting energy for the big game.”

  We stumbled backwards onto the bed with me on top of him. Our laughter died on our lips as we found ourselves gazing into each other’s eyes. The events of the day seemed to have brought us even closer to one another. I felt like so many things in our past had been unlocked, connecting us at a much deeper level and lifting our relationship to a higher degree.

  He wrapped his arms around me as I played with the strands of his hair. “So…” I said. “Is this also where the famous football star sleeps with his female groupies?”

  He was caught in surprise. “Sometimes,” he admitted. “But that was before. Now the famous football star is dating a famous fashion designer. And rumors say it’s serious.”

  I giggled then. “Ooh, the rumors must be true.”

  He pressed me harder against his body, causing me to heat up. “It’s only you who counts, Cassy,” he whispered, making my heart pound hard against my chest.

  Then he lifted his head to kiss my lips. I closed my eyes and savored the sweet taste of him.

  We pressed against one another as we shared a fervent French kiss, our carnal desire escalating uncontrollably. With our bodies grinding together, I could feel his cock through our clothes, rubbing on my thigh and causing my dampness to grow.

  In a rush, we took off each other’s clothes. Skin on skin, our hands got busy exploring and caressing, causing our body heat to rise, making me feel like I was about to explode in tremendous pleasure.

  I took charge above him, my blood running and my heart pumping fast. I was oblivious to the effort as I moved my body on top of his, savoring every bit of his length filling me inside. Soon I was blown away, the intense pleasure spreading throughout my limbs.

  Falling to his side, breathing heavily, he positioned me to face the other side as he entered me from the back in a spooning position. The pressure of his cock thrusting deep into me made me scream in a mixture of pain and pleasure. He pushed again and again, his hands wrapped around my body, stroking my burning skin and my heaving breasts.

  Before I knew it, he’d already climaxed. Panting, we lay on the bed with my head on his shoulder. He kissed my forehead and smiled. I smiled back and then fell asleep.

  More than an hour had passed when I opened my eyes again. Ivan was back in his jeans, quietly studying my face. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but as soon as our eyes met, he gave me a grin. “Hey, beautiful,” he whispered. “You better get dressed before I get tempted again.
”

  “Then get tempted again,” I whispered back naughtily.

  He chuckled. “We need to hurry back so we can get to Burchnell before dark.”

  “Oh, all right,” I said, feeling disappointed. I was so in the mood to just hang out with him the entire day without a care in the world, just cuddling and being couch potatoes together. But he was right. We had to get going.

  On the road, we laughed and sang along to upbeat music with the windows down. The cool breeze blew on my face refreshingly, signaling the cloudy dusk approaching. The sun had hidden behind the clouds, but my heart was still shining just as radiantly.

  Chapter 18

  Ivan

  Weeks passed. The more I got to know Cassy, the more my heart melted for her. Despite our arguments every now and then, it was surprising how we got along fairly well. We were actually bringing out the best in each other.

  But every time I withdrew money from my ATM--- money that had come from her father’s fat bank account--- my heart constricted with guilt. It was difficult for me because I really wanted to be honest with her.

  Maybe I have to quit this deal already, I thought, thinking of calling up Mr. Young.

  It was early Saturday morning and I had just finished a session with my physical therapist who’d been praising my progress lately. I drove around town, trying to focus on this wonderful news and clear my mind of negative thoughts.