The next morning I wake up smiling, remembering the conversation I had last night with James. I am excited that I will be seeing him on Friday but apart of me thinks that maybe we're rushing into it. But then again we're just catching up, it doesn't mean we're going to hook up or anything.
Just two mates catching up is all Friday night, or should I say tomorrow night is, which I am fine with. As I have made it clear I don't know if I'm ready to be in a relationship again, having trust issues is not something I can just get rid of, it'll take time.
I jump out of bed realising the time is 7:30. I have to be down at the club by 8. On Thursday's I work an all day shift at the club with Em, helping her with the things she needs done whilst she is speaking to the players and giving them their rehab plans and advice on how to cope with their injury.
I just do the running around for her, printing stuff off, helping the players with their rehab plan and explaining it further if they are confused as to why they need to do a specific exercise or task Em has set.
Yes I am basically her assistant but I actually like the job because Em does ask me for my opinion on certain things.
I quickly get dressed chucking my bulldogs hoodie on with some leggings and heading downstairs where Em is already up making us both a coffee.
"Morning." I say and she smiles, looking over at me.
"Morning, slept in huh?"
"You could say that." I say unable to hide my smile and she frowns.
"Is there something wrong? You're never happy in the mornings."
"No there's nothing wrong, I'm just happy." I say as she hands me the cup of coffee and I take a sip of it, enjoying the bitter but sweet flavour of the hot drink.
"Well I'm glad you're happy, but seriously what's going on." She says and I just smile. "Hang on, it's something to do with Worpel isn't it?"
"Uh no." I say unable to hide the smile.
"Shut up it is."
"It's not."
"It is, why else would you be smiling this early in the morning."
"Alright fine, maybe it is."
"Spill." She says and I sigh.
"We were texting last night and I'm going over to his house tomorrow night for a catch up."
"Really?" She says and I nod.
"Yep."
"That is awesome! It's about time you two reconnected."
"Gotta agree I have missed him."
"I'm sure you would've."
"I just don't know whether I'm ready you know."
"Well, just spend time with him and see how it goes and whether you can trust him." Em says and I nod, then smile.
"Thank you." I say and she smiles.
"No worries Tahlia. I am always here for you. I know your brother has good advice to give but he sometimes just doesn't say the right things."
"I know he means well though." I say quickly finishing my coffee before heading upstairs and fixing my hair as well as brushing my teeth before Em and I make our way to the Whitten Oval.
"Morning guys." I say to the ladies at the desk as we walk through the entrance and they both smile at us, as they are both on the phones talking to fans about memberships or whatever issues they may have.
Em and I walk through the building and to her office where we both put our stuff down, taking a seat.
"Alright so are you seeing any of the boys today?" I ask and she nods, then sighs.
"Yep, Josh has to come in later today he needs some work on his back."
"Okay." I say and Em looks at me.
"You'll be fine right?"
"Oh yeah definitely, we're civil with each other so it should be fine."
"Okay, just making sure." She says as she types away on the keyboard looking at the other players who also need to come in.
"Hello to my two favourite people." Baz says, walking in and both Em and I smile as Baz walks over to us giving both of us a hug.
"Hey Baz, shouldn't you be enjoying your offseason."
"I have enjoyed it so far yes, but it's time to start getting back into it ya know."
"I guess it is December." I say and he chuckles.
"Exactly." He says then he smiles. "Anyway, I should probably get out there as some of the boys will be waiting for me."
"Go ahead, and if you see Josh tell him to come so I can give him some treatment." Em says and Baz nods before walking out and I chuckle.
"You gotta love him." I say and Em nods.
"He's a cutie, like a little brother kind of cutie."
"Agreed." I say and she smiles just as the door to our room opens and Josh walks in, a smile on his face.
"Hey guys, didn't realise you'd be in this early." Josh says taking a seat on the bench before lying down on his stomach and both Em and I chuckle.
"Well, the earlier we start the earlier we can go home." Em says walking over to Josh.
"Exactly." I say taking a seat behind the laptop and bringing up Josh's file that shows issues he has recently had with his back.
"So do you know exactly what's been causing the tightness?" I ask and Josh shrugs.
"I guess I don't really know what's causing it but Tippah said it could be the way I'm sleeping." Josh says as I watch him take his top off and lie back down on his stomach, trying not to drool. Even though he is my ex, and hurt me pretty badly, I still find him so attractive. You'd be blind if you didn't.
"I feel like Tippah could be right." Em says as she starts massaging his neck, through to his back.
"Is there tightness in his neck?" I ask, opening up Josh's document before looking back at Em who nods.
"Yep, heaps of tightness in his neck." She says and I nod, typing it up. The club likes to keep a record of these types of things so that in the future if the player has an injury we can look back and see what could've caused that injury.
"Yeah I think a new pillow will be where you should start." I say and Josh nods. "Then if it's still happening in your back, maybe a new mattress."
"I'll keep that in mind." He says with a smile and I nod.
Em continues with her physio whilst I go on my phone and reply to messages from both Ariana and James before reverting my attention to Josh who has gotten up and is about to leave.
"Thanks for that Em."
"No worries Josh." She says.
I watch as Josh heads over the the door, pulling it open before stopping and turning around, looking at me.
"Hey is it alright if I talk to you?" Josh asks and I nod, looking at Em who smiles.
"I'll be back, I was going to go talk to Jaydo now anyway." She says, walking out of the room and leaving me along with Josh.
Josh walks back over and takes a seat on the seat in front of me.
"How have you been?" He asks and I nod.
"Yeah I've been good, yourself?"
"Yeah good." He says then he sighs. "Look, I know we broke up over 2 years ago now, but I never got the chance to apologise." He says and I don't say anything.
"I'm sorry, I really am. For everything Tahlia. I know I should've apologised earlier but I thought I did nothing wrong. I only realised when I lost you that I fucked up, big time. I hope you find someone who can treat you better then I ever did because you fucking deserve it." He says looking me dead into my eyes and I smile, my eyes watering a little bit at his sweet apology.
"I really appreciate your apology Josh. I've been waiting for it for a while and I never thought it would happen. I guess I am glad that what happened with us happened because we have both become better people. I'm not all that innocent myself, hooking up with Worpel to get back at you."
"So you did hook up with him to get back at me?" Josh teases and I laugh.
"I wouldn't say that was my whole intention, it was mainly to try and forget about you."
"I understand why you would do it, I deserved it."
"You did." I say and he smiles.
"Speaking of Worpel have you been in contact with him?"
"Yeah I have. We sort of lost touch for a couple of years but he reached out to me the other day." I say. "I'm actually seeing him tomorrow night."
"That's good, that's really good. He's a good bloke."
"He is." I say then I smile. "How's it going with Tippah?"
"Yeah it's going good, she's brilliant."
"She sure seems like she is." I say and he sighs.
"I know it's probably still hard for you to talk about it."
"It's not, trust me, I'm over it." I say. "I am happy for you Josh." I add and Josh nods
"Well she'll never be you that's for sure. But she's an angel."
"Don't say that to me." I say and he sighs, then shrugs.
"It's true though."
"I guess we'll always love each other."
"I said that to you the day we broke up, that I will always have a piece of you engraved in my heart whether I like it or not."
"The question is to you like it?"
"Of course I do." He says and I smile.
"Good, I would've killed you if you said any other answer." I say and he laughs.
"Anyway, I should get back to the boys, it was nice seeing you Tahlia."
"Yeah and you too Josh." I say and he smiles getting up, before walking over to me and pulling me into a hug.
"I'll see you around?" He asks and I nod.
"Yeah definitely." I say and he smiles before he walks out of the room.
I sit back down, sighing a huge sigh of relief. Why did I think he was going to beg for us to get back together? What in the world was I thinking? He's happy with Tippah and I am happy for him, I really am, but it does sting a little.
Not long later Em walks back into the room, sitting down across from me with a smile on her face.
"So how did the chat go?"
"Really good. He apologised for everything he's done which I didn't expect."
"Well, it was about time he did that. Clearly he's learnt a lesson from the relationship you two had."
"He definitely has learnt a lesson and I really hope he doesn't make the same mistake with Tippah."
"I don't think he will." Em says and I nod.
"I don't think so either." I say. "When Josh makes a mistake and learns a lesson from it, he actually uses the lesson to his advantage and acts on it."
"He sure does. It's what makes him a good man."
"He is a good man, just wasn't good enough for me."
"But Worps is good for you."
"I haven't seen him in two years." I say then I frown. "Seems like you have an unhealthy obsession with Worps."
"Don't be silly, I am madly in love with your brother. But I will admit Worpel is a very attractive."
"You can say hot." I say and she laughs.
"You said it not me." She says just as the door opens and Marcus walks in.
"Who said what?" He asks taking a seat next to Em and I roll my eyes.
"Oh Tahlia said that Worpel is hot."
"Uh huh." Marcus says looking at me and I shrug.
"Only saying what's true."
"Sure." He says then smiles. "I heard you had a convo with Josh."
"Yep, I did, does the whole club know too? Cause they might as well."
"No, Josh asked me if he could talk to you and I have no issue with it, I want you two to be friends again."
"Ahh so you were the one who forced him to apologise." I tease and Marcus shakes his head.
"I didn't force him to do anything, he did it himself."
"Sure..." I say with a serious look before I let out a laugh. "Calm down I'm joking, I know he wanted to apologise."
"Good." Marcus says and I smile.
"Well, I better get back to work, I'll see you later." Marcus says leaning in to kiss Em before getting up and walking over to me, placing a kiss on the side of my head, then leaving the room.
"God he is an angel." Em says and I laugh.
"He really is...." I say and we both smile as we discuss rehab plans for players who have injures...
***
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