Second Down (Moving the Chains Book 2) (39 page)

Epilogue

Eva

              “Hey Dream Girl. Got a new boyfriend, yet?” Rob’s voice comes in loud and clear over the phone, but still I have to put my finger in my other ear to be able to hear him over the noise of the diner’s kitchen.

              “Not yet, but there’s this hot, tatted guy at the grill right now who might be making a play for more.” I wink at CJ, but he just rolls his eyes and motions for me to go in the back and take the call he knows I’ve been waiting on.

              “Well, you tell him that I’ll see his tats and cooking skills and raise him a starting position as QB in the fall.”

              As soon as I’m out the back door near the dumpsters, I release the squeal that’s been building up since those words entered my ear. “Are you kidding me?” My shouting echoes through the empty employee side of the parking lot.

              “Did you have any doubt?” he replies.

              “Holy shit, this is unbelievable!” Punching the air seems like an appropriate response. “Does this mean you’ve got a hot new jock bunny to warm your bed on campus? I’ll bet they’re lining up, even as we speak.”

              “There is this girl that’s been driving me crazy. Jesus, Evie. She’s perfect. Her eyes are my favorite color. Her skin is my favorite flavor. Her laugh is my favorite music. I swear, it’s like she’s made for me.” As much as he tries to be serious, his laughter floats through the line by the end of his spiel.

“Wow. Sounds serious, Rob.”

There’s a pause on the other end, and though I can’t see him, I know he’s pretending to think it over. “Yeah, it is. I think I’m in love. So, what’s new with you?”

And just like that, our little game is over. Since Rob left for camp, he’s been calling as much as his schedule allows. The first week, all the rookies’ phones were confiscated. Since then, he’s lucky if he gets to call once or twice a week. Most of the calls, he’s sounded exhausted and in physical pain. Hearing him like that makes me cringe every time. I’m almost happy I can’t see the evidence on his body of what he’s being put through. Patty has noticed the same edge in his voice. She’s been worrying herself sick over it.

He began asking about my relationship status the very first time he called. His greeting is always the same. ‘Got a new boyfriend, yet?’ As much as he plays it off as a joke, I can’t help but think he’s genuinely worried about it. Which is why I’ve begun asking him if he’s got a new girlfriend.

I guess we’re both insecure that way.

“Nothing new, here. Closing tonight at the diner. Mike left for Webberly this morning. He’s so freaking excited to get on campus that I don’t even think he noticed his mom crying. Which, you know, is weird for him.”

There’s some commotion on the other end of the line, but I can’t make out anything other than excited shouts and muffled laughter. Rob must be holding his hand over the phone to drown out the noise. “Alright, you fucking assholes! I’m coming!” He yells to whomever’s in the background. “Sorry, I gotta go. I love you, my Evie. Can’t wait to see you next week.”

Click. He’s gone.

              Catching movement out of the corner of my eye brings my heart up into my throat. It’s probably one of the stray cats that are constantly prowling about looking for scraps in the garbage. I’m not going to stick around and find out, though. Normally, I don’t make a habit out of standing behind the diner alone at night. I’ve learned not to put myself in any dangerous situation, but the excitement of Rob’s big news shorted my brain just a little.

              “The hell you doing out here alone?”

              I turn fully to face the advancing shadow in the darkness. Alex.

              “Rob called and I couldn’t hear him inside, so I stepped out for a minute. Jesus, you nearly gave me a heart attack.” I pin him with my best stern look as he strides over to me.

              He crosses his arms over his broad chest and eyes me carefully with his piercing blue gaze, but says nothing.

              I squint up at him suspiciously. “How’d you even know I was out here?”

              “I heard you shouting all the way in the front lot, so I came back to see what you were freaking out about.
You
nearly gave
me
a heart attack.”

              Alex has been so far up my ass since Rob left that I’m not sure whether to hug him or strangle him. Either he doesn’t know how to function without his best friend around or Rob asked him to keep an eye on me. One potential reason for his behavior elicits my empathy. The other my indignant anger. I wish he’d just find a new girl to bang, already. He’s been flying solo and supposedly celibate since he and Rach split.

              “Well,” I huff. “Don’t you want to know what he had to say?”

              Alex cracks a high wattage smile at me, his teeth gleaming in the darkness. “I already know.”

              “What? He called you first?” I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. They’re like brothers, after all.

              His smug grin is nearly slappable. “No, but I follow the team online and they released the starting lineup today.”

              “Oh.” Ok, then. As long as the pecking order is established.

              CJ’s head peeks out the back door. “Evie, you’ve got an order up and Margie just seated a new table in your section.” He nods his head in greeting to my partner in stalking all things State Miners. “Yo, man. How’s it goin’? Thanks for keeping an eye on our girl. I’m slammed tonight.”

              It’s like a damn conspiracy with these guys. Rob doesn’t even have to be in town. I’m never allowed to be alone. At first it was cute and welcome. Now? It just grates on my last nerve. Freedom to anonymously roam the State campus can’t come soon enough. Only a week until freshman move in day.

??

              “Ma, I’m here!” I call out as I close the front door behind me.

              I don’t even bother ringing the doorbell anymore. And yeah, I’ve started calling Rob’s mom by his affectionate name for her. It seems a lifetime ago that she gave me the option to call her either Patty or Mom. I can’t even really pinpoint when I switched. Maybe when Rob left. She misses him so much. It’s funny that I thought way back when that I could totally see us hanging out together. That has come true. I spend nearly as much time at the Falls residence as I do my own home. I’ve even slept in Rob’s bed on more than a few occasions. None of our parents have ever said a word to me about it. I sure as hell don’t want them to know that I’ve started having nightmares, so I don’t mention it, either. It’s been two months and his sheets no longer smell like him. Some nights I sleep here, anyway.

              “We’re out here,” Patty yells from the back.

             
We?

Patty had called me earlier and asked me to come over for the evening. Since I’m leaving for campus in two days, I figured she just wanted one last opportunity to chill on the deck before losing me, too. Many nights since Rob left for camp, we’ve compared notes on the deck with a bottle of wine. Comparing our sparse phone conversations with him has given us a clearer picture of what his life has been like these past two months. I think it brings us both a sense of ease. Mr. Falls has never once interacted with us. It seems he’s constantly travelling for business.

Walking down the hallway and through the kitchen, I discover that the door to the deck has been left open. The glow of citronella candles beckons me out into the hazy dusk.

“There she is!” Patty’s voice is just a little too high, her eyes a little too glazed.

An empty bottle of Pinot Grigio sits on the table. A half full bottle next to it. She’s gotten a head start tonight. That isn’t what draws my attention, though.

Seated on the swing is the wife of State’s head coach. Ann Claypoole.

“Hello, again, Evie,” the older woman croons.

If I thought it was weird for the head coach and his wife to show up at Rob’s graduation party, I’m absolutely flabbergasted at her presence here tonight. I don’t want to make any wrong moves, or act like a nervous child. But, I really, really am. Nervous, that is.

“Hello, Mrs. Claypoole. It’s a pleasure to see you, again.” I take the seat beside Rob’s mom, waiting on an explanation for the additional presence.

“Please, sweetie. Call me Ann. We’re about to see a lot more of each other, soon.” She smiles kindly at me.

Where my YiaYia is the picture of bony, sharp Greek aging, Ann is the epitome of the American grandmother stereotype. Her white hair is short and always curled. Her kind brown eyes are framed by crinkles that can only be bought through years of smiling and laughter. She’s average height, but her portly shape makes her seem shorter. Like a purveyor of the most exquisite baked goods that she has often sampled. Her friendly demeanor easily puts anyone near her at ease, and her tone of voice when she speaks to people lends the notion that she’s known them forever.

“Evie, Ann and I wanted to speak to you before you leave for campus,” Patty finally offers, draining the rest of her wine glass.

If Patty’s drinking this heavily, and this is a planned intervention, then I think I’m going to need a drink, too. Sensing my discomfort, Patty pours a glass of wine for me and slides it over. The light yellow liquid sloshing out of the rim and onto the tiled surface of the table.

Just another odd parenting trick. In addition to allowing us to sleep in the same bed during the holidays and not mentioning me bunking in Rob’s room on occasion, Patty also gives me alcohol.

Weird doesn’t even come close to describing my reality, some days.

Ann folds her hand in her lap, the picture of propriety. Leaning forward in her seat, she begins. “Patty and I have debated about this for awhile, now, but we feel the need to prepare you in light of your history.”

Whatever that means. I gulp down the glass of wine and pour another. Bring it, ladies.

“First thing’s first. Anything said tonight does not leave this deck, Eva. Understand?” Rob’s mom whips out my first name in all seriousness. I don’t think she’s ever not called me Evie. Shit’s about to get real.

“Did you know that both Rob’s dad and Coach Claypoole played for State?” She continues.

I nod my head as I swallow more liquid courage.

Ann pours herself a glass of wine, as well. “Did you know that both Patty and I are also State alumnae?”

Glancing between the two women, I have no idea where they’re going with this. “I know Patty went to State, but I didn’t know you did, Mrs. Claypoole.”

“Ann,” she emphasizes. “We both graduated from State. And we both were in relationships with our current husbands while we were there.”

This isn’t new information about Rob’s parents, but the need for Mrs. Claypoole to explain her and Coach’s relationship history doesn’t sit well. The hair on the back of my neck stands at attention as an anxious ball of nausea forms in my stomach.

Patty places her slender, diamond clad hand on my arm. “Evie, honey. We’re not supposed to talk about any of this. But, knowing what you and Rob went through,” she pauses, her voice cracking on the last word. “We can’t in good conscience send you into the lion’s den unprepared.”

Every muscle in my body stiffens. Surely, this is where they explain to me the obscene pressures of being a college athlete. They’ll defend Rob’s position as a rising celebrity when he inevitably cheats on me or leaves me. Most likely, this is the part where they tell me I’m not good enough to stand a chance at being with him. That I’ll just drag him down further. I stand no chance of making it through the next four years unscathed by heartbreak. What they don’t know if that I’m already prepared for all of that. And more.

“I love you like my own daughter.” Patty brings her hand up to cup my cheek as tears well in her eyes. “That comes from a number of things. How much I admire your mother. What a beautiful, strong young woman you are. Knowing how much my sweet boy loves you. I know my son. He would move heaven and earth for you, Evie. He would walk away from everything to keep you safe and happy. And that’s why I need to tell you everything. Rob would never forgive me if I didn’t.”

I think I’m prepared. And then they begin telling their tales. Taking turns, they slowly weave an alternate reality that I never would have imagined.

I’m not prepared, at all. I’ve caught myself up again in a fantasy. Only this time, my fantasy is far better than reality.