Second Time Around

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The rest of the week passed without a word from Tony and Kelly couldn't help but feel a little more blue about it with each day. It was so stupid to be fighting over this--at least, she thought they were fighting over it. Did it still count as fighting if he refused to speak with her? She called him twice and left voice mails that went unreturned and on Friday, she wondered if he still even wanted her to come to the game out in Hunterdon.

She stared at the phone in her hand. Shane went back to school today, and she was back at the gym, and the new owners were floating about, answering whatever questions the clientele had. No mention had been made about Kelly coming to work for them, so she assumed that in five days, she'd be out of a job.

Thankfully, Dan was able to have the kids put on his health insurance. It was one less thing for her to worry about, and that was just fine with her.

"Oh, just call him," she said, tapping herself in the forehead with the phone. She felt like she was thirteen again, and trying to work up the nerve to call Brian Davis--the boy she'd spent most of seventh grade crushing on.

Taking a deep breath, she punched in the school district's main number, and then Tony's extension. It rang and rang and rang and--

"Coach Marino's office."

"Hi, may I speak to Tony, please?" Kelly winced at how lame she sounded, her spirits sinking even further.

"I'm sorry, but he's away from his desk right now. Can I give him a message or transfer you to his voicemail?"

"Voicemail, please." Another one that would go ignored, but at least she tried.

"Hi, this Tony Marino. I'm sorry I missed you, but if you leave your name, number, and a brief message, I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks."

She waited for the beep. "Hi, Tony. It's Kelly--ah, again--and I guess you're just going to ignore this message like you ignored the others, so I won't bother you again. I just--uh--well--I thought we might be able to talk this out, but... well... if I don't hear from you, I guess I'll have your answer. And if that's the case, good luck tonight against Hunterdon and take care of yourself and--"

Her throat squeezed shut, a lump rising in it. She cleared it and added, "I miss you, Tony. Bye."

She clicked off and as hot tears stung her eyes, closed them. Just hearing his voice on his voicemail hurt more than she thought it would. And she did miss him. It'd been the longest week she could remember in a long time.

But it was also time for her kickboxing class, so she dropped her phone in her bag and got her music ready. Maybe she'd hear from Tony, but the ice in the pit of her stomach told her most likely they were done and over something so stupid, it made her want to cry. The best remedy was to work and workout, and so she tried to shove it from her mind as women took their spots and class began.

***

"Coach Marino?"

"What is it, Lisa?" Tony asked as he dropped into his chair with a low sigh.

"Someone called while you were out on the soccer field. She left a voicemail, but I'm pretty sure it was Kelly."

He tried to ignore the slight pang at hearing her name. She'd left him a few voicemails already and he was just too much of a mule to return them, no matter how much he missed her. Pride. What a pain in the ass.

"Thanks, Lisa," he said, lifting the phone from its cradle. He punched in the number for his voicemail and closed his eyes at the sound of Kelly's voice. He felt like such a jackass, it wasn't funny, and to be honest, she made some damn good points.