Hard & Deep: A Football Romance

“She really isn't supposed to ask anything about your personal life. That was the reason why I chose her, because she'd never heard of you before,” she said, with a sigh.

“What are we supposed to do, Nikki?” Ollie asked. “You want us to just work in silence and have her call out drills until I'm better?”

“I knew I should have gone with the other guy,” she replied, sounding frustrated. “I knew it.”

“No, she's great, Nikki,” he said, slowly laying back on the mat and looking at the ceiling. “There aren't any problems and I trust her. She isn't going to tell anybody that I'm here. I promise.”

“Good. But remember, Oliver, don't get attached,” Nikki said, in that condescending tone of hers. “As soon as she clears you to once-a-week sessions, you're out of that hell hole. We're losing millions in advertising promotions right now, so we need to get you back home as soon as possible.”

Ollie stared blankly at the ceiling, listening to the same old spiel from Nikki that he had heard a hundred times since the accident. It was always about the money for her. Nothing else mattered. Not happiness, or passion, or joy. It was all about dollar bills for that woman.

But despite her urgency to get him back in the limelight, he was finding that he didn't care so much about that. He was rather enjoying his time in this so-called “hell hole” and was in no hurry to stop his training with Elsie.

Right then, an idea hit him upside the head. It was one that hadn't crossed his mind before now.

“Nikki, speaking of heading home, will you ask Bob if there's a PT opening with the team?” he asked, suddenly feeling energized by his new idea.

“For back country girl?” Nikki asked, and Ollie visualized her putting a hand on her hip and cocking her body to the side as she spoke. “Are you serious?”

“Be nice, Nikki,” he said, abruptly. “And yes, I'm very serious. I'm ahead of where Addison Lamone was at this stage and it's all because of what Elsie has done for me.”

“Elsie? I thought her name was Elizabeth.”

“It is, but she also goes by Elsie,” he replied.

“Sounds like you guys have become pretty chummy,” she said, with a jealous sigh. He could practically see the pout through the phone.

“Hey, either you ask Bob if there's a PT opening or I do,” he said. “It's your choice.”

Nikki let out another sigh. “Fine, I'll do it. Bob likes me better anyway.”

“Thank you, Nikki.”

“You owe me,” she said, and Oliver was willing to agree. According to Nikki, he always owed her. But this was one of the few times that he actually agreed that he did.

“Anything else?” he asked.

“That's all. Just keep getting better,” she replied. There was a few seconds of pause before she spoke again. “I miss you.”

Her comment took him off guard. He was surprised to hear that from her. In fact, he hadn't heard anything like that since before they had broken up, over a year before.

“Um, okay,” he said, unable to think of a proper response.

“I'm buying a ticket to come out and see you,” she said, giggling with excitement.

“You really don't have to do that, Nikki,” he said, sitting up a little straighter.

“But I do,” she insisted. “I don't like you being out there all by yourself.”

“I'm not by myself, though,” he said. “I've got Elsie here.”

“Right, right,” she said, her tone dropping. “That's just what I want to hear, Oliver. You're not alone because you have a woman there with you. Great. Just great.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Ollie asked. “You sound a little jealous or something. You remember that we broke up, right? We aren't together any more.”

“Of course I remember. I'm not stupid, Oliver.” She spoke with a combination of anger, jealousy and insecurity. “I have to go. Keeping healing.”

She hung up the phone before Ollie could say goodbye. He tossed his cell to the side and stared at the ceiling for a minute.