pinky promise - jamie tartt

‟ ANYTHING FOR YOU „

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"Coach, what are you doing the rest of the day?"

Tate listened with a grin as Nate spoke of his Christmas Day plans, curled into a spare chair dragged into the coaches' office. Between Nate, Ted, Beard, Higgins, Keeley, Rebecca, and Tate, everyone had plans ready, some more extensive than others. Time with family, pagan rituals, Sexy Christmas, Elton John, FaceTime.

Jamie slipped into the room just as it was Tate's turn to share, the cheering of his teammates drowned out by the shutting of the office door.

"What about you, Tater Tot? You going to the Higginses?" Ted asked, leaning forward on his desk, always so genuinely interested in what those around him had to say.

"I wish I could, but I've got plans with Callum." Tate answered honestly. "I'm meeting his parents for the first time, and I'm actually really nervous."

"They'll love you." Keeley spoke up and the rest of the occupants in the office sounded their agreement. Tate smiled thankfully, then turned towards Jamie, who had his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Merry Christmas, Jamie," Tate called out, despite the fact that she had greeted him with that same cheer that morning when he had picked her up to bring her to the club, when he had given her the poorly wrapped gift he had gotten her—a Richmond kit with her own last name on the back with a large one written underneath it. She had gotten him, and all the boys, framed photos of the Dubai Air protest.

"Yeah, how you doin'?" Ted asked the star player, Santa hat proudly on his head. "What can I help you with?"

"Have you got anythin' that I can give as a present?" Jamie sounded stressed, and Tate rolled her eyes, sipping on the wine from Richard she had gotten during the gift exchange that was still currently going on in the locker room.

"Did you not buy a Secret Santa gift?" Keeley questioned, sitting up in her chair.

"I didn't know I had to." Jamie tried to defend himself, but Tate wasn't buying it. "The email said Secret Santa. I didn't wanna ruin the surprise, did I?"

"And when I texted you yesterday, reminding you to get a gift, what did you think I meant?" Tate grinned up at Jamie, head tilted to the side slightly. She watched the corner of his lips curve upwards slightly at her teasing, though he was still obviously stressed at not having a gift for the mystery teammate.

"Thought you were tryin' to trick me, y'know." His confession drew a snort from Tate, amused at the utter Jamie Tartt-ness of his answer. She felt Keeley watching her closely, but made a point to look elsewhere.

"You know what, hold on here," Ted started to dig through the cabinet closest to hi. "Yep, here you go. Higgins, look alive."

Tate watched in awe as Ted tossed the unopened liquor bottle across the room to Higgins, who caught it carefully and placed it on some wrapping paper. Beard rolled it up, Nate scribbled across the paper, Rebecca added a bow, and Keeley jumped to her feet to fix it, clearly offended by the shit job they had done.

Once it was wrapped, Tate stood from her chair and placed it in Jamie's awaiting hands. He seemed shocked by the quality work that they were able to produce so quickly, and Tate pressed a kiss to his cheek before she could stop herself.

"That's a Christmas miracle, right there." Ted grinned proudly, referring to the wrapped gift Jamie held. Tate rolled her eyes as she sat back in her chair, ignoring the buzzing feeling in her chest.

"God bless me... everyone." Jamie muttered in thanks, clearly grateful for what had been given to him. Beard mumbled something under his breath that most likely wasn't complimentary, and Ted's face pulled tight in confusion.