"𝚆𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗'𝚝."
~~~
𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕
I've learned two essential rules for being on the road.
One. Never leave home without a pair of headsets. These idiots couldn't keep it in their pants longer than a day even if you told them hotel walls were thinner than sheets of paper.
Two. Don't piss off your sports agent or they'd go planning ridiculous events without your consent first.
I should've known something was wrong the minute Cora called me into what she called a meeting on a Saturday morning with less than one week's notice.
We usually planned our biweekly appointments a month in advance to discuss contract negotiations, sponsorship deals, and ways to boost my image in the public eye all while managing the financial success that came with being the number one wide receiver on the Dallas Cowboys.
I can admit, the title came with its perks. Financial freedom, traveling to places I've never had the chance to explore, and proving all the people who doubted me wrong. It should've been a dream.
Yet, it still felt like something was missing. A huge chunk of me was empty, void, almost meaningless without anyone to greet you at the airport.
Coming back home to an empty penthouse was nowhere as fulfilling as I thought it would be. It looked like I didn't even live here because we were on the road so much.
The first full year at Texas University wasn't as smooth as I expected for more than one reason. I came in as an experienced college player but in the team's eyes, I was a rookie, a nobody until I proved myself. So I did. I trained before and after official practices in the workout room. Kept my head in my books, managing to keep straight A's with a B in math because let's face it math was hard as fuck. For those twelve consecutive months, even when the season had come to an end, I breathed and lived football like it was my lifeline.
Because nothing else mattered.
"Cora, I just got home and you want me to go to some fundraiser in Chicago. We didn't speak about this before I left for Los Angeles." I quickly pull up my calendar just in case I had my dates wrong.
The team and I haven't been home in weeks due to constant traveling for games. The playoff season was in full swing and the rare weekend we got off was to rest, spend time with family and did I already say rest. I was fucking drained, my muscles ached and I couldn't stop thinking of—no, stop.
The powerhouse woman walks through my doors and instantly makes herself at home. I hate to admit that I like it when Cora's over. I haven't really put down roots in Austin. The guys were chill and all but Ezra was the only one who truly understood me as crazy as it sounded and with Miles running a restaurant and raising my niece, we hadn't had much time to sync our schedules to hang out lately. Whenever we had a game in New York, I'd be in and out, even if I had to book my own flight back home. I couldn't risk running into her.
Kelseys been around, keeping me company on days when I needed it. Granted it took some time for us to get comfortable around each other again but she's proven that she wants a genuine relationship. These days she's been book busy with textbooks and intense study sessions because of law school.
Cora spins on her heel with a fake apologetic attitude before dropping her chanel purse in the middle of the island table. "Well, sorry, I was too busy being proposed to." Leaning over the countertop, Cora extends her trembling left hand to my face while grinning from ear to ear.
"What the hell, Cor? Jamie proposed?! When? How?" I drag her petite body up by her arm and lift her into a bear-crushing hug, which she returns. The minute she taps my back I know she's run out of air. Releasing her from my grip, I mirror her smile. "Congratulations."
"I kind of need a best man, if you're up for it." Her bottom lip sinks beneath her teeth, waiting for an answer.
"Of course I'm up for it." I admit, a little too excitedly. "When did she propose?"
Jamie and Cora have the craziest love story to date. I met Cora three years ago when I first got signed to the Dallas Cowboys. She'd managed many basketball players before me and decided she wanted to switch it up and try something new and exciting. Jamie hated the idea because they'd have to do long distance until she'd got a suitable job in Texas. While Cora had approving parents, Jamie didn't and that drove a wedge between them when they found out she was leaving her family and stable job to live with Cora.
For the last two years I've watched these two go through hell and back to be with each other no matter the distance. Even Miles and Victoria were still going strong being in entirely different time zones.
While I was happy for both of my friends, I hated that a slew of jealousy always clouded my mind with the possibility of her. Mainly because I knew we were capable of doing the same.
"She proposed last week on our trip to Venice. It was intimate, on a private beach during sunset. It was beautiful and gosh— it completely slipped my mind to update you on your brand rep deal with E-Sports. I completely understand if you don't want to follow up. This was entirely my fault. It's just unfortunate because they were counting on an NFL representative to make an appearance." She looks up at me with convincing puppy dog eyes. God, I hated when she did this.
Sighing, I give in. "What day do I need to be there?"
"Well...like tomorrow." She winces, biting her lip.
I back my head out of the open fridge, pinching the bridge of my nose before exhaling. "Cora, you're kidding."
"They just want to meet with the sports reps tomorrow but the Urban Scopes Gala is not until Saturday. So you have a few more days." She spits all in one go. As if the dramatic pause isn't enough she adds. "But no, no I am not kidding."
"I have a stress test in the morning with the team doctor and a full drug screen panel appointment in the afternoon. I can't reschedule." I try to think of a plan that's quick and easy. "Ezra's in Chicago for a Nike ad sponsorship. Do they mind if he substitutes for me just for the meeting?"
"I'll make sure they don't mind." She dials a number on her phone and immediately goes into business mode as she walks into the living room.
Urban Scopes. Urban Scopes. Urban. Scopes.
I've heard that name somewhere, I just couldn't exactly pinpoint where.
Once Cora comes back into the kitchen with a thumbs up, I know we're all set to go. I just needed to get a new suit tailored and book a flight the night before just in case there were delays.
"Soooo, how was last night?" Cora places the cookie jar filled with my golden Oreos right onto her lap. I swear the way this woman eats you would think she hits the gym after every meal. Her petite frame completely contradicts her appetite.
"Bria and I watched the season finale of Attack on Titan on facetime. It was a bit gory so I told her to cover her eyes for a couple of scenes because I'm pretty sure Miles would mur—
"I'm not talking about your virtual sleepover with your niece, Zachariah."
"Then what do you mean how was last night?"
"What happened at Dalton's kickback? You know your teammates' birthday party. Meet anyone? A girl, hell a guy? Please just tell me you talked to someone other than Ezra the whole night." Her brows shoot up waitng for an answer that I refuse to give.
"I'm not having this conversation." I walk into the living area with a half-empty beer in my hand and fall onto the couch. I'm not surprised when hurried footsteps echo after me.
"Zach—
"No–you'll just end up calling me lame and grumpy. I don't want to hear it." I interject. I press the power on button for the TV and the screen lights up to a press conference of last nights game.
She crashes into the seat beside me, throwing her head back. "You need to get laid."
"I-I will, just not during the season. It messes with my head." I sigh, keeping the real reason to myself.
Cora sucks her teeth. "It helps with stress dummy."
"Yeah, you keep reminding me. If you weren't gay I would think you had a crush on me or something." I focus my attention on the play by play of our game against LA. We managed to win by a point. I don't like how close that game was.
"Phsst, please you know I only like gingers." Cora crosses her leg.
I still for a moment at her confession, the top of the beer bottle barely graces my lips before I set it down on the coaster.
"You did it again," Cora spoke without caution.
Fuck, she's caught on. Still, I play it cool. "Have no idea what you're talking about."
"Really, because whenever I mention Jamie being a ginger or talk about going to New York for press releases, you close up, like you're afraid of going back home. What are you not telling me, Zach?"
"I said leave it, Cora." I snap and the room goes eerily silent. This is probably the first time I've lost my temper around her and I know she's taken back by my sudden rise of voice. "I'll be in the first-floor gym if you need me." I stood up and walked out of the room without looking back.
_____
"Over here, Mr. Stone! To your right, a little left, perfect, give me one more angle."
For fucks sake, choose a side already.
"Can we get one with you alone?!" I step to the far left for a few seconds and as I get ready to walk in, another demanding voice shouts behind me. These idiots didn't even have the decency to say please and If I walked away then I looked like a dick.
"A quick photo with your date?! The both of you look stunning together."
"Told you, I look hot." Cora mutters, locking our arms. Bringing my arm around her back, I lean in and throw in a few forced smiles.
"How much longer." I grumble underneath my breath.
I knew better to question Cora in public while she was just doing her job but I couldn't take another second of this. Yeah, I knew paparazzi came with the fame and money but at some point it gets hard to keep up with when all you want is a little privacy.
"Twenty more seconds. The press is going to eat this alive. At the end of the night every sports news center will be talking about you." She mumbles through her teeth while smiling.
Fortunately I manage to block out the endless flashing lights that's deprived me of my vision for the past several minutes. On instinct my eyes zero in on a short figure that appears to be a little boy wearing a football jersey with a pen and drawing in his hand. He looks terrified and I couldn't blame him. The guys with cameras in their hands were all trampling him and doing whatever it took to get the best angle behind the red ropes.
"How much are you planning to donate tonight? What does this foundation mean to you?"
I march forward, pushing the grown excuses of men off to the side to give him more room, before crouching down.
"Hey, little man. You okay?" The camera immediately turns to us and the flashing continues. I use my body to block him from being photographed.
"Number four!" His excited brown eyes widened and a toothless smile greets me in return. My expression mirrors his. I look around focusing on the outskirts of the chaos and my gaze lands on a worried woman with a toy superhero in her hand, frantically searching for someone.
I glance back down, instantly recognizing the resemblance the mother and son share. "How about I get you out of here before I sign that jersey for you? That sound okay?"
He simply nods and I take that as my cue to lift him so he's on the red carpet and walk him down to where I watch his mother break out in grateful tears.
____
After being pulled away by a few student athletes, Cora joins me at the bar, where I'm examining the entire field of wealth and privilege. It's like a game of who has the most money. One guy extends his watch out to the clearly unimpressed woman wearing red bottoms and another older-looking lady looks like she's in search of a husband, by the way she's examining the fabric of the man's suit she's in conversation with.
The large banner reads Urban Scopes Foundation Annual Gala. Then it all seems to click.
I'm pretty sure Kelsey convinced me to look into them as one of my possible future endorsements when I was drafted.
"The boy make it to his mom okay? God, that must've been terrifying for her. Looking around for your child like that and not being able to find them."
"W-What?" I turn my focus back on her, ignoring the way my heart rate had picked up in the last hour. Cora's words choose to settle in moments after. "I mean yeah, he's going to be fine. I gave the mom your number so we can arrange to fly him out for a game later on in the season."
The glass of whiskey nearly falls from my fingertips as I watch the way her head tilted back in laughter after he leaned into her ear. Sage slapped his chest in a playful manner and to make matters worse his hand fell on top of hers. They looked close, like more than friends close, which bothered me more than it should've. Those hands that kept touching her, I wanted to sever.
He was too close.
And I wasn't close enough.
I had been watching her the whole night, blaming it on my curiosity.
The way she filled the room with her presence. Running around making sure everything and everyone had what they needed while mingling with guest who approached her before she even had a second to breathe.
Ezra gave me a last minute warning while I was already in route to the Gala, giving me minimal time to prepare myself for the rush of feelings that was currently cursing through my veins and accelerating my heartbeat.
Cora sneaks her body to my side, slightly nudging my side. "Well, well, well, would you look at that, guess we both have a thing for gingers. Don't we?" Cora teases and I'm instantly regretting asking her to come as my date. I couldn't be at these things alone. It just warranted random women to come up and make conversation.
Since Cora was openly gay, the media had no fabricated story to put out about the extent of our relationship. Usually, guys, my age would hire men to work for them in order to avoid the whole imbalance of power situation but I made this decision based on Cora's dedication and experience, not because she was a woman. She was my sports agent and my friend. That's pretty much all they could gossip about.
I ran a rough hand down my face, exhaling. Pull it together Zach. "I have no desire to divulge in this topic of conversation." I try to divert.
"Well, allow me." Cora takes a seat on the barstool to the right of me. "Sage Winters, 23, born and raised in New Jersey, early honors graduate of Syracuse University, ex-model, secretary to Rosalind Campbell, and journalist in training at Urban Scopes Inc—" I hear her take a sip of her drink before setting it down on the surface. "Or should I have just led with your ex-girlfriend."
Squinting, I turn to face her and she's in the middle of biting the olive that came with her martini, while suppressing a smirk.
"Another round, whiskey neat." I grab the attention of the bartender who couldn't keep his eyes above Cora's chin for more than four seconds at a time. "I'm not going to even ask." I sigh heavily.
She responds anyway. "Had a little time after your pissy fit a couple days ago. Let's just say she wasn't that hard to find. Sage wrote that article that's framed on your wall. Syracuse Honors one of its own. How come you never talk about her."
I down the last of my whiskey, letting the effects of the alcohol buzz right through me. The truth slips past the tip of my tongue in a tortured whisper. "It was a long time ago and she's no longer mine to talk about."
"Well, it's clear you still have feelings for her. This wall you put up around your heart Zach it's only temporary. Don't let whatever broke you two up prevail."
How do I tell her I messed up everything with Sage by choosing football. That this was partially my fault because when Sage tried to drive me away for the sake of my career. I fucking let her.
For the rest of the evening, we mingle among the crowd, talking with college undergraduates, employees of Urban Scopes and other respected athletes that were also invited. I'm a little ashamed to admit that before tonight I knew little about their mission. My first year as a representative I participated in a few interviews and charity work for the community but nothing like this. I've learned a great deal about the company so far. Now I know the reason behind Sage's choice to work here. Black owned, self made millionaire Rosalind Campbell is the few of many men in her field. It was inspiring.
Once we've sat down to eat, I go over my speech in my head a couple more times. Even though it's short and I'll probably be on the stage for five minutes, having the eyes of all these prominent figures on me is nerve wracking to think about.
Cora suddenly stands to her feet, extending her hand out to me. I give her a blank look that said all it needed to be a sufficient no. "Oh c'mon." She tilts her head back. "I listened to you mope all night. The least you can do is give me this one dance."
"Cora."
"Or I could just ask the women you're pining over for a dance instead. I'm sure we'd have lots to discuss." Her brow pulled up and I knew not to test if she was serious or not.
"You're impossible." I mutter.
Though I hated the idea of this, I still grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor like a gentleman.
I wrap my hand around Cora's waist closing the gap between us. The music is slow, but the lyrics are like hidden messages I don't want revealed.
Loving and fighting
Accusing, denying
I can't imagine a world with you gone
The joy and the chaos, the demons we're made of I'd be so lost if you left me alone
You locked yourself in the bathroom
Lying on the floor when I break through
I pull you in to feel your heartbeat
Can you hear me screaming, "Please don't leave me!"
I scan the crowd, letting my gaze land on Sage, who's head is resting on the shoulder of another man. On instinct, my jaw locks. Despite that, I drop my eyes letting them roam her freely. Her body's filled out over the years. I like that she looks healthier and that dress, the goddamn dress is making my insides liquify.
Sage catches me staring.
It's the moment our eyes lock that the world around me fades into thin air.
I feel everything at once and I'm reminded that there's still a heart beating inside me to allow it to happen.
She doesn't look away, despite the blonde attached to her trying to make conversation. He doesn't even realize that her focus is entirely on me.
Cora leans in to say a crude joke about the couple dancing besides us. I look down at her and chuckle but it feels like a mistake when I look back up and Sage is no longer in eyes view.
"Don't mind if I cut in, do you? Rosalind Campbell, CEO of Urban Scopes." An older aged women holds out her hand for an introduction. "It's a pleasure to finally meet in person Mr.Stone. Cora, here loves to sing your praises."
"She's passionate about her job. Nice to meet you Ms. Campbell and please call me Zach. I want to apologize that I wasn't able to make it to the meeting for the sports representatives."
Rosalind smiles curtly but even I know she's a bit apprehensive. "The event planner assured me the speech you sent in was the best she's read. Speaking of event planner, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to. If you could just follow me. She shouldn't be that far."
Rosalind walks ahead with Cora and I following closely behind. If I so much as blink I think I'd lose her in this crowd. The stares are starting to become more noticeable as people begin to glance over their shoulders, some even asking for a moment to talk.
The sudden fame right out of college didn't make me cocky or arrogant. It made me cautious of who I brought in my inner circle.
I barely get the sentence out when I hear it. A voice. Her voice.
And when she comes into a much clearer view, I think my breath gets caught in my throat at how much more mature she looks. Her hair is slicked back into the neatest bun, I get the chance to see her face that's tainted with reluctance by her current conversation.
"Elliot—Her voice stalls when Rosalind greets the pair. She doesn't notice us yet and I'm glad because my eyes can't seem to stay focused.
The first thing I notice is that she's covered in tiny minimalistic lines and curves. From the tiny space behind her ear, to her collarbone and down to her ankle. It stirs something inside me to know that she wanted to get her first tattoo with me.
And it kills me to know she didn't wait.
We hold eye contact in long stretches of silence despite the music playing softly in the background.
There's so much to say but neither of us know where to begin. Cora introduces herself and Sages date can't keep his eyes off Sage for more than a second and by the way she's avoiding my gaze it's clear my presence was hitting a nerve or two.
Once I snap out of whatever trance her appearance had me in, I realize how much time has actually passed by and the details of this conversation had shifted.
Right beside me Cora is gushing about the shape of her engagement ring and Rosalind is soaking it all in, holding up her left hand to take a closer look.
"E-Excuse me—I'm just going to mingle with a few other guests. It was truly a pleasure meeting you." Sage avoids my blatant plead to stay while saying goodbye to Cora. Her smile is dimmer and much more forced than a few minutes ago.
My mouth opened to say something, anything but the words get trapped in my throat.
"You want company?" Elliot turns to ask, gently cupping her elbow. His softened features towards her and only her tell me all I needed to know.
I stiffen.
"No, no, you stay and uhh chat. I'll be back." Sage is reluctant but she searches for my reaction anyway. It's brief but I think I see a shimmer of regret behind her eyes before she turns around.
And I just stand there as she walks away, frozen in my spot like the complete idiot I am. She doesn't turn back once and the moment she's out of view, I experience an awful sense of withdrawal. It hits me right in the gut when I no longer see her curly hair and freckled face amongst the crowd.
The song's last chorus comes on.
Hold on, I still want you
Come back, I still need you
Let me take your hand, I'll make it right I swear to love you all my life
Hold on, I still need you
Cora discreetly elbows my side and when I look down to ask why the hell she was hitting me, she mouths go with wide piercing eyes.
And because I'm not the same man I was four years ago, I run after her this time.
End of Chapter
Can't believe you guys thought I would make Zach get engaged. It was killing me reading the comments lol. Cora my baby is a proud lesbian.
How we holding up? Liking it so far? Let me know what you think of the time jump. I think their relationship need a well deserved break to prosper. Remember to vote!! I appreciate you guys so much.