Crazy Thing Called Life Read online

  When I just had a random thought, Mimi had one right back for me. I never went more than a few days without talking to her or my dad. She was more tech savvy than my dad, so she followed posts on social media and came to her own conclusions that she hated my current roommate, Leena, was part of my life. I didn't have that many friends in Napa because I focused on school, but the group I had, I was close with until we left.

  When I moved to Houston, Leena was one of my first friends at my new high school. After my mom got sick, Leena was still my friend through my grief. Some of my other friends couldn't handle my mourning and walked away.

  Even though I was halfway through college when she started, she was the stability I needed through grief and I ignored, or was blinded, by her true character. I had made excuses for her behavior saying it was the college life, but as time went by, I also defended her. Sadly, as more years went by, I found myself noticing the same things Mimi mentioned. All of her "post bachelor's" plans lasted all of thirty seconds until she found something else she wanted. I couldn't tell if she was scared of the future or just plain unmotivated.

  I've learned that most people do not change for the better unless they want to. Leena kept saying she would change, and I guess a small part of me was waiting to see it happen.

  Without Leena and some of our friends from U of H, I was alone. I have a great support system at the clinic, but not much of a social life away from it. I go out to the bars occasionally and to stuff for the ASPCA and Humane Society, but nothing continuous. I meet a lot of people and make a lot of connections for work, but usually it’s noncommittal plans. I really should do more stuff around town to meet more people.

  I'm not shy and most people are excited to talk about animals, but when people find out about my life back in California, free wine is the first joke from their mouths. I may be nice to strangers, but I'm equally quick to send people on their way. Leena and her friend, Tara, are usually the first ones to brag about the fact that they get free alcohol from me.

  Tara coming into our lives was an influence I avoided, but Leena absolutely loved the new attention she was getting for shopping, partying, and boys. I had a bad feeling about Tara off the bat, and she was one person that I took in as little doses as possible.

  She was a soul-sucking leech, and I wasn't gonna give mine up.

  There were several times that my dad would bring a crate or two of wine from the vineyard on his visits, and within a week, they would all be empty.

  I'd get angry with her and Tara for drinking the bottles, but then they'd whip out the card dad would put at the top of the crate. "I hope you and your friends enjoy!"

  I wanted as little drama as I could get, and I knew that if I told Dad and Mimi what happened, they'd either beg me to come home or start something with Leena and Tara. My dad's visits were the one thing I looked forward to every few months.

  While I had productive professional and academic lives, my personal life was in a boring rut. Things will definitely change with Colin, but I'm lost trying to figure it all out.

  "Baby girl, come sit by Mimi and tell me what's on your mind."

  Her voice pulls me from the walk down Houston Lane. Of course, she has a bottle of wine and some snacks on the coffee table.

  Grabbing some cheese cubes and a small glass of wine, I let the dark and aroma of the red wine fall easily down my throat before I spill my guts to Mimi.

  "There are just a lot of changes over the last few months and the coming months that I'm quite chicken to handle. With Colin popping up, I'm even more afraid of getting my hopes up. He was so sweet to me on the flight and we keep texting, but the whole fantasy versus reality is hard to deal with."

  "Honestly, honey, based on the stories you told me and the fact that you guys have spoken incessantly since you've been here, I'd say that boy is smitten already."

  I blush before I reply, "I didn't tell you what happened during the landing, did I?"

  She pushes off the couch and faces me. "No. Only the boarding process. Tell Mimi everything!"

  "Well, I had woken up by the captain telling us how we were ready to start the landing process, and I felt my nerves acting up again. He pushed my hair off my shoulders and cupped my neck, rubbing his thumbs gently across my skin. I swear, I melted then and there. I did not stop staring the rest of the landing."

  Mimi's laughing so hard, the wine almost shoots out of her nose.

  "That boy really is smooth. Your Uncle Richard tried those tricks with me once upon a time, and they can make any woman swoon. Although, my Irish heritage called him on my bullshit meter, but I had to appreciate his efforts."

  "What if Dad's right, though? About his lifestyle and reputation? Can I handle that? I'm having back and forth second thoughts."

  Patting my hand, she offers, "Natalie, that's for you to decide. You will never know until you actually make an effort, and if you don't want to, cancel that date right now. Don't get his hopes up if you're not going to give him a fair chance. You can't say you that you're hopeful that he's actually interested in you then say you're afraid of his life. That's part of the changes you might have to take on. As for the other changes, like school and finding a job, you're strong enough to handle them. You know we're all here for you for whatever you choose to do with your life."

  "I want to stay in Houston and see if I can make a name for myself in the community. At the same time, a part of me wants to come back here and prove that I'm not just about the family name. Either way, I want to be known for my skills and the care I give to animals."

  She wraps her arm around me and squeezes me into her big boobs. "Honey, you never have to prove anything to me or this family. You've been working toward this goal since the moment you saw a bunny hop for the first time."

  "He was such a cute bunny, and I wanted to play with him all the time! I cried because Mom was allergic to him and wouldn't let me keep him!"

  "You were five, young lady. You got over it the second we brought the third dog back into the mix. Now if your mother had been allergic to dogs that would've been a different issue."

  I think of all the dogs we had growing up, then I think of Colin bringing Fuzzy into the clinic, and now I have the image of a shirtless Colin surrounded by nothing but puppies.

  "MMMM..."

  "Did you say something, honey?"

  "Nothing, Mimi. I was just thinking how good some wine can be for the soul."

  She raises her glass and cheers, "And let me tell you, I am very soulful."

  We cheer and enjoy the rest of my vacation days.

  New Year's Eve comes around with a grand fireworks show at a nearby vineyard. I always ride Starlight to the vineyard that hosts the show while the rest of the family drives over to help set up food. We're a very generous community in wine country and love to celebrate holidays at a different one throughout the year.

  Starlight loves to ride through the different fields and thankfully, fireworks don't spook her. I ride her through the hills up to the very top as the clock nears midnight.

  I'm lost in my thoughts about what I'd like to do in the new year when the ringing of my phone from the saddle bag startles me.

  The display shows "Colin" and my heart warms me on this chilly night.

  My smile is big when I answer the phone. "Shouldn't you be at a party or something, Mr. Shaw?"

  "Well, Miss Lyons, I'm surrounded by a bunch of crazy ass football players getting hammered while telling crazy stories about Coach. If I have another drink, you'll probably see a new tattoo on our date. Or gauges in my ears."

  "You really want to feed into your reputation right now don't you?"

  "Theeenn you might need to talk me off the inked ledge here. What are you doing right now?"

  "I'm looking at the hills surrounding me and watching as the stars get a show with the beautiful lights from all the vineyards. The fireworks are supposed to start any minute."

  His voice gets deeper as he croons in my ear. "I wish I was there with
you right now. I'd love to see the hills, the lights, and the fireworks while holding you in my arms."

  "Careful there, Shaw, you might have to follow through on that."

  "Baby girl, you're gonna make me regret waiting to see you aren't you?"

  I laugh at his little drunken pet name and instantly get hotter in anticipation of seeing him in Houston sooner than we planned. But I need to stick my ground before I jump into bed with him.

  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder don't you think, number twenty-four?"

  His voice dips deeper, and I already know to memorize this tone for future pleasuring time. "I think time away from you might be the last thing either of us wants.”

  Today, I said screw it and stayed true to my get what I want nature.

  Rather than wait for my date with Natalie for mid-January, I take a change in my new year right here and now. I decide to stop by the clinic to see about taking her to lunch and ignore her comments about absence making the heart grow fonder. I haven't been able to get her off my mind in the last few weeks, and seeing her on my flight to California was the kick in the ass I needed to realize I wanted her for myself.

  Texting her was the magnetic pull to find out more about her.

  Hearing her voice on New Year's made me want her even more.

  I think I've jacked off more to the mental images of her than I ever have in my life. I've seen her twice for goodness sake! Just thinking about her again is not helping the situation inside of my shorts.

  I don't know how she feels about the whole celebrity thing, but I don't even think I'm that big of a celebrity. Yes, I get noticed a lot around Houston, more recently thanks to Lauren and my stats from the season or two, but most people leave me alone. The pictures that Lauren sold to the tabloids took away from my playing time and with the endorsement deal in the works, the media will probably get wind of the contract soon and question whether or not I'm a good moral fit for the brand. So on top of proving to the coaches and managers that I was worth the investment, I have to uphold great standings with the athletic equipment company.

  I pull my truck up to the small parking lot of the clinic and take a few breaths to pump myself up. I'm usually so dead-set and sure about everything, but Natalie is that out of nowhere tackle I got hit with.

  I walk into the clinic with the door jingling above me, signaling my arrival. Natalie's not at the front desk, but there are a few people in the waiting area. I take a seat next to an older man with a cat who looks like it needs to lay off the snacks.

  I'm caught up reading some e-mails when I hear the voice that gets me hard almost instantly.

  "Colin? What are you doing here? Is something wrong with Fuzzy? Please tell me you behaved this time with her."

  I look up, and my breath catches. Even though she is five feet three, she stands with better grace and elegance than women who are my height. The air around her is innocent and inviting with a contented look on her face as if she could be in the clinic the rest of her life and never be sad.

  Her navy blue scrubs enhance her eyes to a royal blue and contrast against the paleness of her skin. I’m surprised that her skin doesn’t have that outward glow of being in the sun constantly as she told me she loves to run and spend time outdoors. She blames her mother's genetics and the fact that she wears a lot of sunscreen. I would love to run my hands across that ivory skin.

  I get up from my perch on the cushioned seat and shove my phone in my pocket.

  "No. Nothing's wrong with Fuzzy, except her name. The originality of a seven-year-old to name a pet is probably one of the reasons why my parents’ said no to one when I was Danny's age."

  She giggles at my admission before speaking. "Trust me, we've had clients with far stranger names than Fuzzy for a puppy, so Danny's in the clear. If you're not here about Fuzzy, to what do I the visit from, Mr. March Madness?"

  I groan inwardly about the stupid calendar we did last year during the offseason. The money was going to a good cause, but since I was half naked in most of the pictures, I got ribbed Mr. March Madness from the angry looks I had in some of my shots. Those didn’t help in the Lauren situation as part of the story she sold said I was always angry and acted like a diva off the field. The fact that I had to do them again once I received my MVP trophy meant I had to grin and bear it for most of the photo shoot.

  I move closer to her and plead into her big blue eyes. "Please do not ever mention that calendar again, I beg you."

  The few clients behind me chuckle a little under their breaths, which tells me they recognized me but had the polite grace to not say anything. Sometimes I love living in the suburbs.

  She reaches up on her toes and with a daring look in her eyes, I can tell she's flirting by the tone in her voice. "I can't avoid mentioning it because it's sitting above my desk at home. Plus, I already preordered the new one so I will admire it anytime I want when it arrives. You'll just have to deal with it, Shaw."

  I can't stop my hand from tucking a stray hair behind her ear before I speak, "If I could be a fly on that wall when you stare at the calendar, the thoughts running through my head are less than honorable."

  The hair on the back of my neck stands up as I feel her breath hitch against my Adam's apple, raising the temperature in the room by the heat I can feel between us. The spell is broken when we hear the snort from a snoring bulldog on the floor.

  I clear my throat before my admission. "I actually came to see if you were available for lunch."

  A forlorn and guilty look comes across her freckled face. "I really wish I could, Colin, but I have patients to see. I hadn't really planned to take a lunch at all today because of the appointments." Slight panic quickly breaks across her face. "I hope we're still on for dinner this week?"

  Disappointment drops into my gut. I really wish I had called first but went against it in hoping to surprise her. I wanted to see if the feelings I had the first time I saw her then on the flight were still there, and they are, in full force.

  I grab her hands and give her my best smile. "Of course we're still on for dinner. I just wanted to come surprise you. Talking to you and seeing you are two very different things."

  She laughs a little, and my dick twitches at the sound. "My aunt said the exact same thing when I got to the vineyard."

  As she gives me a smile and a squeeze of my hands, which does nothing to stop the fantasy of having her hands all over my body, a voice pulls me from my present fantasy.

  "Colin? To what to do we owe the pleasure?"

  Looking at the kind face of Dr. Schultz, I return the shake of his outstretched hand.

  "Good afternoon, Dr. Schultz. Nice to see you again, sir. I had actually stopped by in hopes to take Natalie out to lunch, but I guess my timing wasn't the greatest today."

  Dr. Schultz looks at Natalie then back at me. "Nonsense. It's nothing I can't handle, and one of the techs will be here soon." He turns to Natalie and orders, "Go have fun. Celeste was due here at one anyway, and you know she's always early. I can make it twenty minutes by myself until she clocks in."

  I shake Dr. Schultz's hand again while Natalie retrieves her purse from under the reception desk. "Thank you, Dr. Schultz. I promise not to be too long."

  He just shakes his head at her. "Don't worry about it. You've been logging too many hours since your vacation, and you don't need to burn out so early in the year. Be young and live life, Natalie."

  Before she can protest any longer, I nearly drag her outside while she's laughing and trying to keep up with me. Sometimes I forget that I outrun a lot of people. Even those who run every day like Natalie.

  I guide her out to my truck and help her get inside since my truck is lifted a little higher than she can reach. The drive to Smoke Boss BBQ will only be ten minutes as I researched restaurants close to her job.

  "I hope you've grown to love Texas BBQ since you moved here."

  Her face lights up with excitement that warms something inside of me that I had left dormant for the last
few years. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but I know with Natalie, it sure feels right. It's the feeling I came searching for today because I felt a ghost of it on my vacations and knew she was the reason they were completely there whenever she was next to me.

  Her excited tone reminds me of my impromptu date idea. "I love all kinds of barbecued food. Wings are one of my essential food groups. I usually have to run or swim a bit extra if I go overboard, but it's so worth it. And I love trying all the different kinds of flavors around the city."

  I smile at her enthusiasm for just about everything she talks about. This woman is definitely something else in so many ways. The thoughts I have of ravishing her in my truck make my jeans tighter and tighter.

  I've always had a carnal side to me, both on and off the field, but I still have manners. Shocking, I know.

  I've always worked for what I wanted and kept working for it after I got it. It's probably one of the reasons I've gained the reputation I have over the years. I don't apologize for going after what I want, but I try to go after it in the correct way.

  Right now, what I want is Natalie, and my instincts are telling me to behave. Although, if she keeps flirting with me, my fantasies from the last few weeks may just become a reality in my truck.

  I look over at her sitting contently across the truck and reflect in my own brain. After our conversations on the flight to California, I can tell she's nervous about opening up her heart again to anyone. She's fairly alone here in Houston and even with friends around, it can still feel lonely. I felt like that when I was in Oklahoma, but now that I'm back playing for the Rams, I get my family time.

  After we are sat and the waitress gets our drink order, I order us some appetizers and tell her to take her time before coming back for the rest of our order.

  We talk about everything under the sun, my likes since I know most of hers already, and my family. I can tell she's impressed that I also love riding horses and spent time on my grandparent's small ranch as a kid without injuring a single animal. We have so much more in common than probably either of us thought before.