14 chapter 14

Nickola sits at the kitchen table waiting for Miles to come pick her up. She is finally going to her first professional football game. It has been three weeks since she met Miles. She feels a little nervous to be driving three hours away to Massachusetts with him.

"What are you doing? Get in the other lane!" Wes yelled. "It's not gonna make a difference. This is bumper to bumper traffic," Nickola said. "I hate riding with you. You're so stupid. You're just going to let everybody pass us. Look at the cars in that lane." "Wes I'm not gonna try weaving through the cars. We're in a traffic jam," Nickola said frustrated.

The horn honks outside interrupting her memory. Nickola grabs her purse and overnight bag before heading out.

"No Zara?" Miles ask backing out of the driveway.

"She's with my mom tonight. Have you been to see the patriots play before?"

"A few years ago a couple of us drove up."

"By the way I know nothing about football."

Miles chuckles, "You know what team to root for right?"

"And if I don't?" sass in her tone.

"You might get booed out of the stadium."

"Whatever!" They both laugh.

After some time of being on the road Nickola ask, "How long we're you married to Trina?"

"Five years. Devaun was seven when we divorced. Her mother never liked me. She said I was a player. She put a lot of ideas in Trina's head. You try to be the good guy and provide for your family but it's never enough," he says sadly.

"That's messed up. Would you ever get married again?"

He thinks for a moment. "Yeah. Have you ever been married?"

"For ten years," she looks out the window. "Cancer took him this past April."

"That must have been rough," empathy in his voice.

"It's definitely a bad way to go," she looks forward. "A part of me wants to remarry and the other part is terrified."

"Terrified?" he frowns.

"It was not the best marriage. I don't ever wanna go through that again," her voice monotone.

"I hear you. There are still a few of us good ones out there."

She looks at Miles. His eyes are fixed on the road. He has this confidence in the way that he carries himself and speaks which makes him more attractive. Mary J. Blige begins to play on the radio.

"Oh!" she says as she reaches for the dial. "Can I turn this up?"

"Go ahead," Miles smiles. They both reminisce on their days in high school. Nickola talks about the days when she and her girlfriends would video tape themselves singing and dancing the latest hits. Miles talks about his time playing football in high school.

The remainder of the ride is quiet. The music plays and Nickola ends up falling asleep. They arrive at the parking lot of the Gillette stadium.

"Late night?" Miles ask as Nickola awakes.

"No," she yawns. "Long car rides put me to sleep."

As they walk through the entrance Nickola notices how close Miles is walking. He has his hand on her back as if to guide her though the crowd. They go to the concession stand. An order for two cheeseburgers, chili fries, a beer, and a bottle of water. Nickola insists on paying but Miles pays instead. She follows Miles to their seats which are two rows from the sideline.

"This is close," she says amazed.

"My friend Lenny's cousin is on the team. He hooked us up with the tickets."

"Nice. Has Devaun ever been to a game with you?" she ask.

"Not a pro game."

When the game begins, Miles does his best to explain to Nickola what is happening.

During halftime a tall dark skinned husky man walks over to them.

"Miles," his voice deep and strong.

"Hey what's up," their palms smack and they shake hands. "Where are you at?" he looks around him. The man leans to the side and points behind himself a section over. A woman waves to them.

"Didn't think you two were going to make it," Miles says.

"They released her grandmother last night. She's doing okay for now."

"Nickola this is Lenny," Miles says turning to her.

"Nice to meet you," she shakes his hand.

As the two continue to chat Nickola checks her phone. One missed call from Herring. She flips the phone over and over in her hands debating if she should return the call. I better wait. I could text him, but what would I say if he asked to meet up. I want to hear his voice though. Nope, I'm with Miles that would be rude. I can hear his voice tomorrow. She puts her phone back in her purse.

After Lenny leaves a man selling popcorn, candy, and water walks by. She buys them some popcorn and a bottle of water for Miles.

"How long you two been friends?" Nickola ask.

"Since high school. We played football together. I actually used to play with his cousin."

"The one that gave you the tickets?"

"Yeah. We always thought he was going to go pro," he looks out over the field.

There is a chill in the air. Nickola shudders and Miles puts his arm around her. The stadium lights made his light brown eyes beam. The anticipation stirs in the crowd as they await the start of the next quarter. Football seems to bring out the child in Miles. Whooping and hollering for his favorite team.

It's the fourth quarter. Fourth down. The tension is thick in the crowd. The patriots are third and five at the thirty yard line. Miles face is strained with anxiety. His body stretches forward and he wrings his hands together. The quarter back throws the ball to the receiver who gets tackled at the twenty yard line.

"Come on!" Miles jumps up and yells. The score is patriots twenty-seven to twenty-eight. Thirty seconds remain on the clock. The place kicker kicks the field goal and the patriots win the game.

"Woohoo! Yeah baby!" he shouts and squeezes Nickola tight. She is taken off guard by the hug.

They arrive at the Best Western hotel. Nickola's room is four doors from Miles. She puts her things in her room and walks with Miles to his room.

"Was that enough to convert you?" he ask setting his bag on the floor and sits on the bed.

"To root for the patriots or become a football lover?" she pulls out the chair from the desk and sits.

"Both." He grabs the television remote and turns it on.

"Sorry to disappoint you but neither," she smiles. "I had a good time though."

"Ouch," he puts his hand over his heart. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Why don't you come sit over here," he pats the empty space beside him.

Nickola slowly gets up and sits beside him on the bed leaving a small gap between them. He flips through the channels until he finds ESPN.

"You're a fanatic," she smiles.

"Here you can change it," he offers the remote to her.

"It's fine. I'll be going to my room soon anyway."

"We could salsa," he suggest.

She looks around the room. "It's too small in here."

"We could go in the hallway."

"Now you're just being ridiculous," her brows pulled together.

"There's space right here," he stands by the window.

Nickola looks at him unsure of what he's up to. "Okay," she finds a salsa song and plays it on her phone. She props her phone up against the television. Taking one of Miles hands she positions it on the middle of her back. The other hand she holds palm to palm at eye level.

"I'll move forward three beats you move backwards. Then you move forward three beats and I'll move backwards. Spin me any time after the steps," she instructs.

He nods his head. His expression is intense. Nickola moves forward and he moves back.

"A little less stiff," she chuckles.

He looks down as he moves forward careful to not step on her toes. They continue like this for a while. Nickola tries to muffle her laugh.

"Oh this is funny to you?" Miles attempts to spin her. It turns out very awkward as he takes her hand and swings it wide over her head while arching his body. Nickola falls back with laughter.

"That was good," her hand over her mouth.

"You can't say I didn't try," he smiles. He pulls her closer by the hand he's still holding. "I like that smile," his eyes now on her lips.

"Thank you," her head slightly tilted down.

She can feel the heat coming from his hand. Placing his other hand on her back again he leans in and kisses her. His lips are hot and soft. It's a much awaited kiss for Miles. He pulls her body closer closing the gap between them. Their faces pull back simultaneously. Miles' grin is contagious.

"I'm gonna get to my room now," releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I'll see you in the morning," with a satisfied smile on his face.