The Wall of Winnipeg and Me - Mariana Zapata Page 0,111
I didn’t know that. You usually only get tickets for Leslie and that’s it. Zac always just gave them to me.
Aiden: Come this Sunday.
Me: I sort of had plans.
I lied. My plans were to get a little work done in the morning and watch a couple of football games to make sure my fantasy football quarterback and favorite wide receiver got the job done.
Aiden: Do you want Trevor or Rob to come visit?
Me: Is that a threat?
Aiden: It’s a fact. I talked to both of them. They brought up how you haven’t been to my games.
I decided right then that I didn’t want to know what they had talked about. I didn’t need to know either. If Aiden was threatening me with visits from one or both of them, and they were aware that we’d signed paperwork… that was enough for me. I could take one for Team Graves if I had to, especially if it didn’t involve those two jackasses.
Me: Fine. Get me two tickets, please.
Aiden: In the family box?
Hello no.
Me: In the bleachers, if you can, big guy.
* * *
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Zac whispered as we got out of line at the concession stand located by the club level.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe I had either. When I’d thought about whom I could ask to go with me, I knew my options were limited. There was Diana, who I hadn’t talked to, was still frustrated with, and didn’t want to lie to again especially since my marriage to Aiden had been reported. There were a couple of people I’d met through her that I hung out with every once in a while. Then there was Zac. I hadn’t exactly had a whole bunch of time to make friends since moving to Dallas. So I’d gone on a limb and asked Zac if he’d like to go.
What I hadn’t been surprised about was his reluctance.
But I usually got what I wanted as long as I wanted it bad enough, and this was no difference.
That didn’t mean I had to be smug about it. Patting his arm, I steered him in the direction of the section our seats were in. He’d never been in the stadium as anything but a player before, and he’d been eyeing everything like it was new. There might have also been half a sneer on his face, but I was going to pretend to ignore it.
“Are you sure you’re okay being here?”
“Yes,” he insisted.
I wasn’t sure if I entirely believed him, but he’d said the same thing to me all eight times I’d asked. Still, I felt a little guilty to be putting him through a game when he’d been released a little over a month ago. He’d come back with, “I guess I’m gonna watch a game at home anyway.”
The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt. He could have said no to coming, but he hadn’t. “We can go have Mexican food afterward, how about that?” I nudged him.
His only answer was a grumble and something that resembled a nod.
Our seats were excellent. So excellent that I wasn’t sure who the hell Aiden had to bribe to get them just days before the game. We were right at the fifty-yard line, third row. Surrounding the seats were a river of jerseys and Three Hundreds trademarked gear, and I could sense Zac’s tension as we took our spots.
Setting our drinks down, the big Texan leaned into me. “Are you gonna tell me why we’re sittin’ here instead of in the box?”
I slid him a look. “I don’t like the people there.”
That had the nosey ass interested. “Who?” He even whispered the question, his eyes alight with interest. “Tell me.”
Good grief. I couldn’t help how much of an asshole I was about to sound like. “All of them?”
Zac burst out laughing. “Why?”
I had to take a sip out of the beer I’d bought before I could muster enough mental strength to recollect that day. “Remember that time you got me tickets for there? The first time you invited me?” He didn’t remember, but it didn’t matter. “Well, I went… it was like Mean Girls with women who have been out of high school a long time. They were talking about each other nonstop; who had gained weight, who was using a purse from last season, and who was cheating on who… it gave me a headache. Now I’m one of them.”