3rd & Long

Chapter 7: Delay of Game

Nick, I like you and I definitely liked that kiss... but we can't go farther. I'm not going to sleep with you no matter how badly I want to. You need to understand what's at stake. Please, it's for the best.

Once Nat parked in her spot, all she could do was mindlessly gaze at the steering wheel. In one short moment, her life had completely turned upside down. She had kissed the man she had the biggest crush on and had been caught. Thankfully she was caught by a friend who Nat would like to believe she could trust, but it was still up in the air. And she was lucky it hadn't been someone worse who found them. Nat checked her phone and saw 2 messages, one from Ellie and one from Nick:

Nick: Hey, I'm sorry for coming on to you tonight. Just text me back so I know you got home safe.

Ellie: I won't tell anyone, but you have got A LOT of explaining to do. "See you at the game" ;)

Nat stared blankly at the messages on her phone. Sugar began whimpering in the seat next to her. As Nat continued to stare blankly, she let out a whimper too.

...

The primetime game between the Pioneers and Sparrowhawks snuck up on Nat much like Ellie had the night before. True to her plan, Nat had replied to Ellie telling her she would explain everything after the game. She asked Ellie if they could just play it cool and to her relief Ellie agreed to keep quiet. However, every time Nat was near Ellie as they made preparations for the game, the blonde southerner gave her a smug look that seemed to revel in the dirty secret she had uncovered. To add insult to injury, Ellie ditched her Giordano jersey for a Bosa one.

With priority one in order, Nat began to focus on priority 2. She had responded to Nick to let him know not to worry about the kiss and that she indeed made it home safe. He had liked her message, but the conversation died there. She spotted him typing numerous times, but it seems he decided he would let Nat make the first move. Of course a defensive player would rather wait and see what happens than take action.

Nat knew she would have to speak her mind, and to Nick. She just had no idea what she would even say. The way she saw it, she could admit her feelings to her new found friend, but then what? He clearly had some feelings of his own and Nat was not about to suggest they start dating. They couldn't. Nat thought of Jeff's girlfriend, the former social media intern, and she knew she could not afford to suffer the same fate.

So that left Nat with only one other option, one she was not eager to take. She would have to tell Nick she did not feel the same way. Just the thought of telling him that made her develop a lump in her throat. Not only was it a blatant lie, but she was afraid of breaking his heart. Nick had promised he wouldn't let someone hurt her, how could she hurt him?

As the announcer called out the players' names, Nat watched as one by one the Pioneers entered to the cacophony of the stadium. As Ellie began to gather the water bottles they would offer to the players, Nat merely handed them back to her while shaking her head.

Ellie gave her an unamused look, but accepted Nat's decision. Not without protest, she added "Sweetheart you're going to have to talk to him sooner or later. I'd prefer sooner, don't need him letting this mess with his brain. This is a huge game for us."

Nat solemnly nodded at Ellie's words and knew she had a point. It was eating Nat up not knowing how Bosa was responding to everything. She glanced over in his direction and saw him by himself, breathing in and out with his eyes closed, no doubt trying to focus his attention to the game at hand.

Nat couldn't work up the courage to talk to him, so she settled for the next best thing.

Nat pulled up next to Jeff Giordano who had just gotten back from the coin toss. The Pioneers won and had deferred as always, so she had some time to talk to her new ally. She had hoped he would have another nugget of wisdom to offer her.