Playing the Game Read online

  “Damn,” Anna mumbled, taking in the sight in front of her. “She obviously does Crossfit or something. She’s ripped as hell,” she whispered to Carrie.

  “Seriously, you think she’s hot, too?” Carrie said as everyone gathered, picking teams.

  “Hell yeah, but she’s not my type. Doesn’t mean she isn’t nice to look at.” Anna shrugged with a smile.

  “Carr, you playing?” Sasha asked. “It’s me, Berkley, and Jorja against you, Randi, Olivia, and Anna.”

  “Be right there!” she called. “You playing?”

  “No. I’ll keep score,” Anna said. Sports weren’t really her thing.

  *

  Berkley glanced around at the group. Olivia was in dark purple board shorts similar to hers, and a bikini top. The rest of the girls were in various bikini styles and colors, including Randi who was wearing a red string bikini that left little to the imagination. Berkley swallowed the lump in her throat and her chest tightened, threatening to squeeze the life out of her as her eyes raked over the gorgeous South American body. Randi’s natural caramel coloring contrasted nicely with the brightly colored swimsuit, and her athletic frame had subtle curves in the right places. This ought to be fun, she thought, looking over at Olivia who was going over the rules.

  “Okay, so we’re playing 3V3, two-hand touch. There are flip flops marking both end zones, as well as out of bounds.”

  Carrie tossed a flip flop into the air. The bottom was tales and the straps were heads.

  “Tales,” Berkley said, calling it in the air. She grinned when it landed bottom up. “Come on,” she said to her teammates, ushering them away from the other team. “I’ll be quarterback. Sasha, you’re my running back and my blocker. Jorja, you’re my receiver. Are you good at catching?”

  “Yep. We got this,” she replied.

  “Sweet,” Berkley said.

  The three of them went in close for a huddle to go over the play and Sasha casually put her arm over Berkley’s shoulders.

  Randi rolled her eyes and concentrated on Olivia going over their defensive play. She planned to go after the receiver because she was the tallest, and used to jumping in the air for balls. Carrie was fast, so she had her on the running back, leaving Randi to go after the quarterback.

  As soon as they were ready, Sasha bent down with her ass in the air, giving Berkley a nice view as she prepared to hike the ball.

  “We don’t have to do a full hike. Just have the QB hold the ball and call the hike. You can stand behind your blocker though,” Olivia said.

  Randi was sure she saw Sasha pout as she stood up and handed Berkley the ball. Seriously? Could you throw yourself at her anymore?

  “Shotgun, sixty-nine,” Berkley called the play, then yelled, “hike!” She quickly rushed backward as Jorja took off running, then cut back in for a slant.

  Sasha blocked Randi as she tossed the ball like a bullet through the air.

  Olivia dove into the air, catching it before Jorja, but Jorja was able to get her hands on her to stop the play.

  “Damn it,” Jorja said as they got back into the huddle.

  “It’s alright. We’ve got this. Jorja, you’re on Olivia; Sasha, you stay with Carrie. I’ve got Randi,” Berkley said as they stepped up to the line.

  Olivia called her play and dropped back similar to the way Berkley had, then launched the ball.

  Berkley caught the ball, but Randi grabbed her from behind, stopping her progress.

  Sasha slapped Berkley’s ass as they went back into the huddle.

  “This time, Sasha, when I call hike, you turn and run behind me. I’m going to hand it off to you and fake a throw.”

  “Got it,” Sasha said.

  “Jorja, you act like you’re running out to catch it, but come back to block for her.”

  Berkley called hike and dropped back. She spun around and put the ball in Sasha’s hands. Jorja returned to block for her after Olivia had taken off running to catch the ball. Randi and Carrie were confused as to who had the ball when both Jorja and Sasha took off running. Sasha crossed the goal line for a touchdown and Berkley and Jorja rushed up to her.

  “That was awesome!” Berkley cheered, putting her arms around both women as they celebrated.

  *

  The game continued for several more plays, with Berkley’s team up by one touchdown. Randi had just about had enough of Berkley and Sasha’s flirting. She figured Sasha would be all over her, but she was surprised at Berkley for not only allowing it, but being playful right back.

  “I’m going to change it up this time,” Berkley said. “I’m going to call hike and run with it myself. Jorja, you fake for the pass and Sasha, you run to the opposite corner like you have the ball. If we score, we win. Otherwise, they get the ball for a chance to tie it.”

  “Let’s go!” Olivia said to her team as they lined up.

  Berkley called hike and faked a handoff to Sasha, who began running. Then, she faked a pass to Jorja before taking off towards the goal line with the ball in her hands. She had no idea Randi was right beside her until she slide-tackled her, sending them both tumbling in the sand at the goal line. Randi ended up on top of her and quickly rolled to her side.

  “Did you score?” Jorja said.

  Everyone began looking for the flip flops.

  “Considering I was fouled, I’d say so,” Berkley said.

  “Oh, please,” Randi huffed.

  “You did tackle her,” Carrie said.

  “You definitely crossed the line,” Olivia said.

  “Yeah, but were Randi’s hands on her before or after?” Jorja questioned.

  “It’s a touchdown!” Anna yelled. “Randi got her at the line. It’s a score!”

  “I have sand in places I really don’t want sand,” Berkley said as she headed down to the water.

  “I’m going to rinse off,” Randi said, turning towards the water as everyone else gathered the shoes and went back up to the chairs.

  Berkley dunked her head and came up, spraying water around as she ran her hands through her short hair. Randi sunk down so that the warm water went up to her neck, washing the sand away.

  “What’s your deal?” Berkley asked, seeing her nearby.

  “Me? What’s your deal with Sasha? You look pretty chummy.”

  “Wait a second. Is that why you tackled me?”

  “I was trying to stop you.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “There’s nothing between Sasha and I…just so you know. We were all just having fun,” Berkley said. “But, even if there was, what’s it to you? You have a girlfriend, or whatever you call your relationship that you casually hide and stoke the rumors on social media,” she said as she walked out of the water.

  “Is that story true?” Randi asked, catching up to her.

  “What story?”

  “When you got here. You said you saved a kid. That’s why you were late.”

  “Yes.”

  “All of it?”

  “Why would I lie?” Berkley questioned, stopping her pace. “I have nothing to prove to any of you.”

  Randi kept silent.

  “We have to do this again,” Sasha said as Berkley walked up to the group. Randi was a few yards behind her.

  “Hey, we’re having a party at our house for Jorja’s birthday next weekend. We’d love it if you came and celebrated with us,” Olivia said.

  “Uh…sure. Yeah.” Berkley smiled. “Can I bring someone?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Cool. I should probably get going. I need to go to sleep,” Berkley said as she told everyone goodbye and collected her things.

  “Did you just invite her to the party for Jorja?” Randi asked, coming in on the tail end of the conversation as she began to towel off.

  “Yeah. Don’t forget to give her our address.”

  Randi nodded as she watched her disappear into the path that le
d to the parking lot on the other side of the tree line.

  23

  As she went through the motions of a routine practice, Randi replayed her conversation with Berkley. You have a girlfriend or whatever you call your relationship that you casually hide and stoke the rumors on social media. She was right, but what bothered her the most was her own jealousy and how easily she’d acted on it. Damn it. Why do I feel like I can’t breathe? She gasped, but no air was coming in. Carrie’s voice was faint in the background behind the loud thoughts in her head.

  “Randi!” Carrie yelled.

  The coaching staff skidded to a stop, kneeling quickly next to the player who was laid out on the ground. “Randi…” Jason said as he rubbed his hand back and forth in the center of her chest. “Take a breath.”

  The thoughts clouding her brain began to fade into one word: breathe. The crushing feeling in her chest lifted and she sucked in a full breath, causing her to gasp and cough. Her eyes bounced around like marbles as they opened to the bright sunlight overhead. She was lying in the middle of the practice field with most of her teammates and the coaching staff surrounding her. What the hell?

  “Back up, everyone. Give her some space. She just got the wind knocked out of her,” Jason said, ushering the team away. “She’ll be fine. Let’s go run through the concussion protocol just to be sure you didn’t hit your head when you fell.”

  “What happened?” she mumbled as he helped her to her feet.

  “The ball hit you square in the chest. I don’t think you saw it coming, then BAM! It laid you out right here.”

  Randi didn’t remember any of it. One minute she was thinking about Berkley and the next, she was lying on the ground, unable to breathe.

  One of the staff members handed her a cold bottle of water. She thanked him and took a few small sips. It was scorching hot, even at ten a.m., but like the rest of the team, she was used to it.

  “I don’t think you hit your head,” Jason informed, finishing his assessment. “However, MJ said to take the rest of the day off anyway.”

  “I feel fine.”

  “Coaches orders, not mine. Although, I agree.”

  Randi rolled her eyes and began unlacing her cleats as he left the locker room. There was still two hours of practice left, so she wouldn’t see Olivia for a while. She took out her phone and sent her a quick text, hoping she’d see it before she found out what happened. Then, she tossed her regular clothes into her gym bag with her cleats, slipped her flip flops on and left, still wearing her practice uniform.

  As she got behind the wheel of her car, she plopped her bag into the passenger seat and pressed her forehead against the steering wheel. “You have to let her go,” she sighed as she turned the key.

  *

  Berkley set her pencil down and checked her watch. Then, she took a deep breath. This was it. There was no reason to go over her answers. She’d taken the time to answer each question and mark her answers perfectly on the bubble sheet. Each of the essay questions had written answers, which she’d already spellchecked. She got up from the desk and walked over to the police academy instructor who was administering multiple tests at the same time for various departments.

  “Good luck,” he said as she turned in her testing materials.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, smiling thinly.

  The afternoon sun was high in the sky. The seat on her motorcycle was burning hot when she climbed on and slid her hat on backward. She wanted to share her excitement, but her thoughts turned to Randi. Why would I call her? We’re not that close. She doesn’t know about any of this. You have to let her go. She chided herself for even thinking of her in that moment, then she started the bike and drove off with the thunderous roar.

  *

  Randi was freshly showered and asleep on the couch when Olivia walked in, waking her with a tap on the foot.

  “What happened?” she asked, sitting on the adjacent chair.

  Randi shook her head and sat up. “I have no idea. I must’ve lost the ball in the sun or something. The next thing I know, I couldn’t breathe and opened my eyes to see everyone around me, staring at me like I was dead.”

  “Geesh. You weren’t concussed, were you?”

  “No. Jason checked me over. He probably would’ve cleared me to come back out, but MJ sent me home.”

  “Good for him. Getting the wind knocked out of you is no joke.”

  “I’m fine. How was your practice?”

  “Same shit, different day,” Olivia muttered, getting up to get something to snack on in the open kitchen. “Have you eaten?”

  “No. I fell asleep,” Randi replied, checking her phone. She had two texts and a missed call from Carrie, as well as texts from most of the team members, and MJ, checking on her. “You’d think I died and came back to life,” she laughed and quickly sent a text to Carrie saying she was fine and would call her later.

  “I rushed home to check on you, so I skipped out on the team lunch.”

  “We can order in, or go somewhere, if you want. I promise, I’m fine. It was a crazy, fluke thing. It’s just never happened to me before.”

  “I’ll order a cauliflower crust pizza from that place up the street. Do you want the usual toppings?” Olivia called as she walked down the hallway.

  “Yeah, that’s fine,” Randi replied, staring out the window. She hated lying, and in hindsight, she hadn’t exactly lied. What had happened to her had in fact never happened before. Her concentration on the field had never been broken, and she’d certainly never lost herself in her own head. She needed to talk about it, and Carrie was too close. She grabbed her phone and dialed her sister. “I’ll be outside,” she said.

  *

  “Ay dios mio! Miranda Francisca! You could’ve been killed!” Elisa growled.

  “I’m fine,” Randi stated.

  “That’s not like you to space out.”

  “You think?!”

  “What’s going on with this girl? Are you having an affair?”

  “No! Nothing. That’s just it. Nothing is happening. We’re just friends.”

  “You kissed her.”

  “That was weeks ago.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Elisa, I’m serious.”

  “Then, why was she in your head today?”

  “I don’t know,” Randi sighed.

  “You want something to happen with her, don’t you?”

  “No…yes…Hell, I don’t know.”

  “Where is Olivia?”

  “She left to go pick up our pizza.”

  “Sis, you need to figure this shit out before you drive yourself crazy.”

  “I know, but I have no idea how. I’ve never been in this situation.”

  “Me either. I’m lucky to get one guy, much less two at the same time.”

  “I’m not with two people,” Randi corrected.

  “Maybe not physically.”

  “Olivia’s back. I gotta go. Te quiero.”

  “Love you too,” Elisa said just before Randi ended the call.

  “How’s the family?” Olivia asked.

  “Good. Everyone says hi,” she said, faking a smile.

  *

  Berkley pushed on the button for her garage door opener, which was in her front pocket, as she drove her street. The door was all the way up by the time she pulled into the driveway, riding through the wide space between her cruiser and truck. The bike rolled to a stop next to the trailer with her four-wheeler and ATV on it, and she killed the engine.

  Walking into the house, she tossed her hat onto the kitchen counter and grabbed an ice-cold beer from the refrigerator. It was a bit too early to drink, but she was off with no plans to go anywhere, and she needed something to cool her down and clear her mind. An IPA sounded perfect.

  24

  Two days later, Berkley stood in the back of the roll call room, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as the lieutenant updated the oncomi
ng shift before they went out on the road.

  “What’s wrong? You have to pee or something?” Garrett whispered.

  “I’m supposed to go to the captain’s office after this. I think my test results are in,” she muttered.

  “No shit?”

  “What was that in the back? Tomayo, Ward? Either of you have anything to add?” the lieutenant asked.

  Berkley shook her head.

  “Alright. Be safe and have a good shift,” he said to the group.

  “I’ll call you when I’m done here,” she said to Garrett before turning and heading down the hall. She tapped her knuckles on the frosted glass before opening the door.

  “Ward. Come in,” the captain called, waving her inside. “I’ll get straight to the point. You passed the SWAT exam.”

  Berkley stared at him, her eyes frozen.

  “You look surprised. Did you expect to fail?”

  “Uh…no, sir. I…”

  “You only missed three questions. That’s tied for the highest score ever, so you should be damn proud. Also, you’re scheduled for the psych and PT exams in two weeks. If those go okay, which I think they will, you’ll be going to SWAT training a week later. That’s the next class opening.”

  “Okay. Great,” she said, still in shock as she turned and left his office. Holy shit.

  *

  Randi pulled up in front of Carrie’s townhouse and beeped the horn. She glanced at the rearview mirror. The girl looking back at her had a backward snapback covering her long wavy hair and Rayban sunglasses over her eyes.

  Taylor Swift’s song Ready For It was blaring through the open windows.

  “It’s game day, bitch,” Carrie said, getting in and pulling her seatbelt on.

  Randi grinned as she squealed the tires and drove off. Carrie’s car was in the shop for routine maintenance, and they wound up running over the allotted time, so Randi had agreed to swing by and get her on the way to the stadium. It was a Saturday afternoon game, and Olivia had left earlier to do some media stuff for the front office.